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News/Events - Meeting Minutes

MEMBERS PRESENT: Linda Barich, Chairman; Arthur Wood, Dorothy Cook. ALSO PRESENT: Paul Reidy, Board of Selectmen Liaison; Ann Burbine, Planning Board Liaison; Steve Bjorklund, developer.

1. MEETING CALLED TO ORDER. Chairman Linda Barich called the meeting to order at 7:00 P.M. in the copy/coffee room of the Town Hall.

2. ACCEPTANCE OF MINUTES. Acceptance of the Minutes of the November 2, 2004 Meeting was deferred until the January meeting.

3. REVIEW OF CORRESPONDENCE. Ms. Barich read a letter from Mrs. Rosemary Dobie in response to the TRRC’s memo of November 24, 2004 to the Board of Selectmen regarding parking at the Humarock Post Office and requesting a meeting with the TRRC to further explore this issue. Ms. Burbine said that she agreed with Ms. Dobie’s remark that it is not the Postmaster’s job to monitor the parking situation in front of the post office. Ms. Barich suggested putting this matter on the next agenda and inviting Ms. Dobie to attend the January meeting.

4. OLD BUSINESS. (A) Regarding Traffic Issues/N. Scituate and Greenbush Rail Stations, the Committee had no further information on this issue at this time. (B) Regarding 131 Tilden Road/Sam Tilden Farms Subdivision, Ms. Barich read a letter received from the applicant’s engineer in response to the TRRC’s memo to the Planning Board dated July 8, 2004. (A copy of this letter is attached to the Minutes of this Meeting). In response to (2), Mr. Bjorklund said that this matter had been taken up with the Planning Board and was not included in the letter. Regarding (3), the response is that the width of the travel way will accommodate emergency vehicle turnaround. Regarding (4), a school bus stop sketch was provided to give detail as requested. Mr. Bjorklund said that the area will be regraded to a two percent slope and a retaining wall. He said that the top of the Heritage Trail subdivision shows that children congregate at the end of the street rather than at the bus stop area provided. He said that the designated bus stop area is not plowed by the Town for some reason in the winter. He also mentioned that he is putting sidewalks in to connect Willow and Shadwell roads so children could walk on Turner Road which has a sidewalk, instead of having to go down Tilden Road which has no sidewalk. He also said that he is trying to get easements from abutters so the sidewalk could be connected from Shadwell Road to the subdivision. Ms. Barich asked if there were any further questions. Mr. Bjorklund said that this will come up with the Planning Board again in mid-January. (C) Regarding Autumn Woods, no response has been received by the ZBA to the TRRC’s memo of 11/24/04. Ms. Barich said that hopefully by next month we will have a response. Ms. Burbine said that she will ask Mr. Limbacher about this. Ms. Burbine also mentioned, regarding Harborside Village, that she feels that the site distance is adequate and that conditions have been set for the traffic situation there, including that no trucks are to be parked near there. (D) Regarding Jenkins School Safety, Mr. Wood said that the road had already been painted before approval from the Selectmen. Ms. Cook said that they are not putting up the knockdowns until the spring; Ms. Barich said she was happy to see the blinking yellow light. Mr. Reidy said that the road looks great at Brook Street. Mr. Wood said he would have liked to have seen the road at Carrie Litchfield squared off. (E) Regarding TRRC Schedules/Municipal Lots & Ways, Mr. Wood said that he has not had time to do any more work on this. Ms. Barich said that we should schedule a workshop on this subject for January. (F) Humarock/Travelways for Inclusion in Waterfront Zone. Again, Ms. Barich said that this should be taken up at a workshop in January.

6. NEW BUSINESS. Mr. Reidy brought up the MBTA roundabout, the question of the radius. He referred to a letter from Bernard McCourt, District Highway Director, Mass Highway to Roger Wilson, Cashman, dated November 19, 2004 with a review of the 60 percent plans for the project, and bringing up various issues despite the MBTA’s assurances that matters are in hand. Ms. Barich showed some photographs she had taken at roundabouts in Ireland, and that even with a populace that knows how to use the roundabout there are backups. Ms. Burbine commented that people here are unfamiliar with the rules of the roundabout and that people often do not yield. Ms. Cook mentioned that the existing problem at Old Oaken Bucket Road is not solved by the existing plan. Ms. Barich moved on to a transportation questionnaire sent to the TRRC by Laura Harbottle, Town Planner. Ms. Burbine said that the South Shore Coalition is opposed to the widening of Route 3 to Duxbury, and that they say that the Braintree split has to be dealt with first, as well as Queen Anne Corner in Hingham. She said that one of the issues is that the traffic at large intersections outside of Scituate affects our traffic. She said that 2100 units of housing are going in near the quarry in Hingham on Route 53 and the boatyard area development in Hingham is going to have a big impact on our commute from Scituate. Ms. Barich asked Ms. Martin to email the questionnaire to TRRC members so that a response can be formulated at the January TRRC meeting.

Mr. Wood brought up the Welch Company building, and that Chief Stewart’s concern is that running two way traffic into the parking lot with poor site distance creates a dangerous situation. Ms. Burbine said that the intention is to raze the building, create a pedestrian walkway, and an arch that has two way traffic going into the parking lot. Million dollar condos will be above retail space. Ms. Burbine said that this has only had a preliminary review and that she expected to see plans by now.

Mr. Wood also asked if anyone had noted any parking issues recently at St. Mary’s. He said that on a recent weekend visit he noticed parked cars on both sides of the road and on Vinal Avenue. Ms. Burbine said that all churches have issues with parking on Sundays. Ms. Cook asked if there had been any complaints, and Mr. Wood said that he did not know. Mr. Wood and Ms. Cook said that the problem is worse than it was before the closing of St. Frances.

Mr. Wood pointed out the state law change about motorized scooters, that the rules are now the same as they are for mopeds.

Ms. Cook asked if a No Parking sign could be put in the bus turnaround on Clapp Road, as people are parking there. It was agreed that a memo is to be sent to the Board of Selectmen requesting this. Ms. Cook said there is also a bus turnaround on First Parish Road.

7. ADJOURNMENT. The next TRRC meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, January 11, 2005. On a MOTION by Mr. Wood, SECONDED by Ms. Cook, the meeting was adjourned at 8:00 P.M.

Respectfully submitted,

Jean Martin