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March 2017 mtg

Zervas community/ construction team meeting 7Pm

WABAN AREA COUNCIL MEETING: 7:30PM (FIRM TIME)

 

I. ALL THINGS ZERVAS: A CITY PRESENTATION ON THE ADMINISTRATION’S CURRENT APPROACH TO BEETHOVEN, THE INTERSECTION WITH BEACON, AND THE CITY’S APPROACH GOING FORWARD. (City Councilor John Rice)

II. APPROVAL OF MINUTES OF WAC FEB 9 MEETING (2 min)

                          

III. APPROVAL OF MAR 9, 2017 WAC TREASURER’S REPORT RG (2 min)

 

IV. BURNING ISSUES: Community comments for future agenda or immediate resolution. (5 min)

 

V. UPDATES: Because of time constraints, to be distributed to our Mail Chimp e-mail list.

  1. St. Philip Neri at 1521 Beacon St.
  2. Staples-Craft House at 1615 Beacon Street
  3. WAC Waban Historic District Sub-Committee Information Gathering Update
  4. “Waban Common” (Island Across from Angier)
  5. WAC Visioning Community Survey
  6. WAC and community members look at Waban business center needs.
  7. Accessory Apartments and Accessory Detached Buildings in Newton

 

VI. CHARTER COMMISSION –March 15 Public Hearing. Four Council Community Discussion. (5 min)SL

 

VII. WAC PARTICIPATION IN WABAN VILLAGE DAY- May-2017

 

VII. NEW BUSINESS: New items that may lawfully arise for discussion.

 

VIII. ADJOURN. Next regularly scheduled Waban Area Council Meeting: Thurs. April 13, 2017, 7:30pm, immediately following the Zervas Construction Team/Community Meeting at 7PM at Waban Lib. Ctr.

 

The location of this meeting is handicap accessible, and reasonable accommodations will be provided to persons requiring assistance. If you need a special accommodation, please contact the city of Newton’s ADA Coordinator, Jini Fairley, at least two business days in advance of the meeting: jfairley@newtonma.gov or (617) 796-1253. For Telecommunications Relay Service, please dial 711.

Meeting Date: 
Thursday, March 9, 2017 - 7:30pm

Minutes:

Waban Area Council

Meeting Minutes

March 9, 2017, 7:30pm

           

Members in Attendance: Sallee Lipshutz, Chris Pitts, Maureen Reilly Meagher,, Isabelle Albeck, Rena Getz, Andreae Downs

City Councilors: John Rice, Deb Crossley, Brian Yates

City Officials: Paul Ferolito, Alex Valcarce, Tom Murphy, Joe Drown (Zervas architect), Steve Siegal (School Committee), Diana Beck (Zervas Principal), Steve Farr (Nitsch Engineering)

Other attendees: Randi & Dave Ferrero, Ken Sinclair, Caroline Wilson, Jenn Martin, Rebecca Kinney, Rebecca Cohan, Tom Gloria, Srdjan Nedeljkovic, Julius Stahmer, Karen Siller, Alan Nogee, Alicia Bowman

 

1. Zervas street and traffic update:

  • Beethoven will remain a two-lane, two-way street.
  • During arrival and dismissal, entry from Beacon will not be allowed
  • Sidewalk on Zervas side will be widened to 10’
  • Landscaping and fencing will be placed where originally planned, adding flexibility should the street be widened
  • Curb ramps will be added to be perpendicular to crossings
  • All new traffic signal will have camera detection of vehicles and an audible pedestrian signal. Staff will be able to adjust timing
  • Flashing 20mph sign will activate for arrival and dismissal on beacon and Beethoven—community urged that the engineers explore moving the signs west of Allen Ave.
  • No right on red. Exclusive pedestrian phase
  • School staff are talking about new protocols and procedures for arrival and dismissal
  • Parking changes to remove bottlenecks on Evelyn and Allen are in process
  • The corners of Allen Ave at Beethoven will be extended to shorten the pedestrian crossing distance
  • Community urged city staff to explore putting a safe crossing on Allen to Richardson Park, and fixing the path that crosses to Beethoven
  • Community raised the likelihood that the private fence on the southwest corner of Beacon and Beethoven was illegally high, blocking sight lines
  • The school committee and department are working on a city-wide school transportation policy that would reduce driving to schools and increase bus ridership

 

2. Minutes. Approval of Jan. 12 minutes 5-0 with one abstention (AD).

3. Treasurer’s Report. Treasurer’s Report approved by unanimous vote. Balance of $1,447.83.

4. Burning Issues: Councilor Yates has introduced a city council resolution to ask DCR to reduce the speed limit on Quinobequin to 25 mph. AD raised the possibility of state law resulting in a higher speed limit. BY and Councilor Rice will ask for a legal opinion. MR asked that we ask the Newton police for a speed study they promised as well as for safer crossings to the park.

5. SPN Update. Nothing to report.

6. Peck Property Update. Possible interest in the site from a music school

7. Waban Historic District. RG still planning a community event. Newton Highlands will file first, then West Newton. Waban to learn from them.

8. Waban Common. JR spoke to city officials. Traffic does not want changes to the crossings near the common. That means landscaping plan can commence.

9. WAC Visioning Community Survey. CP went over plans for the survey and asked councilors to take the trial surveys he sent out. Plans for four surveys.

10. WAC and Waban business center. SL and CP toured with a concerned resident. CP will get a mural n the blank wall of Waban Market toward the parking lot. SL and CP talked about business diversity.

11. Accessory Apartments. SL described the amendments before city council.

 

12. Charter Commission.  The four area councils will produce a fact sheet on the proposed Charter. A draft was circulated to WAC members.

13. WAC Participation in Waban Village Day May 21. SL suggested all WAC members staff a WAC table.

Adjourn.

Weight: 
-20