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APPROVED
Chilmark Planning Board Subcommittee Meeting
Monday, April 24, 2017
Present: Janet Weidner, Chair, Joan Malkin, Peter Cook, John Eisner
Not Present: Jennifer L. Christy
Public: Barbara Armstrong, Bob Klimm,
Staff: Chief Jonathan Klaren, Tim Carroll
Meeting called to order at 3:00PM:
- The subcommittee heard from Chief Klaren regarding the role of police officers in Menemsha.
- Chief Klaren stated that the 12:30-4PM period is a busy time and then there is a lull until the sunset crowd arrives.
- The subcommittee members asked if increased enforcement of parking rules would help the situation. Chief Klaren emphasized education of the public and will be asking his officers to keep traffic moving. He stated he would have more officers in Menemsha this year as compared to last year.
- Ms. Weidner inquired about the usefulness of having officers on bikes. Chief Klaren stated there are some issues with the use of bikes. Officers cannot leave the bikes unattended and there is the issue of the time required to dismount which at first glance does not appear to be a problem, but in practice is somewhat unwieldy. Chief Klaren stated that it is better to simply have officers walking among the cars and traffic. Chief Klaren noted a past plan of a small electric car for the police dept.
- Mr. Cook asked how to deal with the issue of a full lot and incoming cars. He stated that the traffic consultant would hopefully have some ideas to propose. Chief Klaren stated that the control of incoming cars to Menemsha through alerting a stationed officer at the top of North Road, for example, was not a popular solution to the business owners in Menemsha, particularly.
- Ms. Malkin inquired what may happen if an officer were to inform a driver that they should return to the parking area in 5 or 10 minutes and that they may go to the satellite parking area for that time period and either come back in 5 or 10 minutes or take the shuttle bus to Menemsha. Chief Klaren stated there are manpower issues that would make a coordinated effort such as Ms. Malkin described unrealistic.
- Chief Klaren stated the importance of having officers in the Menemsha area due to the various medical issues and other issues that regularly come up in the busy times.
- Mr. Eisner inquired whether another type of ‘official’ person could be helping with the coordinated effort to restrict the flow of traffic to Menemsha when all spaces are filled.
- Chief Klaren stated that he would not be an advocate of traffic control done by people who are not police officers.
- Ms. Weidner turned the discussion to the review of the idea of a turnaround of the VTA buses at the Comfort Station area.
- Ms. Armstrong related information about Board of Selectmen (BOS) meetings in the winter of 2015-16 where information was shared about a bus turnaround on the south side of the Comfort Station and the problems that are inherent to that proposal. She explained that the BOS created a draft plan for the VTA bus turnaround on the north side of the Comfort Station.
- Ms. Malkin related the plan as she has understood it from the presentation that Tim Carroll had given months ago to the Conservation Commission. She described the current parking area to the south of the Comfort Station would be “recovered” and returned to dune/wetland and the parking area/turnaround would be moved to the north area of the Comfort Station. The subcommittee members, Mr. Klimm, Ms. Armstrong and Mr. Carroll reviewed a plan. Ms. Malkin noted that consideration will need to be given to pedestrians who are walking to the Comfort Station.
- The subcommittee members stated that if it makes sense to create a VTA turnaround area that is on the north side of the Comfort Station then they will consider alternative options of a bus turnaround that is farther away from the residential homes.
- Ms. Weidner asked where the trial run of the VTA bus turnaround was done this past fall. It was noted that it was done using the ‘shell lot’ on the south side of the Comfort Station. Ms. Armstrong noted that the VTA did confirm that a turnaround could be done on the north side as well. Mr. Carroll confirmed this fact.
- Mr. Carroll stated he had originally visited the Conservation Commission to apply for a permit to create a new parking lot on the north side of the Comfort Station.
- Mr. Cook stated that any sensible solution will require compromise and stated the need for the subcommittee to identify the reasonable alternatives and the pros and cons on each of the alternatives. More discussion occurred about which turnaround area and the placement of the parking lot for fisherman is the most sensible. Mr. Klimm stated a north side turnaround would be better for pedestrians using the bus. Ms. Armstrong stated that the south side of the Comfort Station is nearer to the creek and therefore a less desirable for a parking and turnaround area. Ms. Armstrong inquired what the position of the subcommittee has on a preference for location of parking and turnaround. Mr. Eisner stated that he has no position on one or the other.
- Ms. Weidner stated she was interested in going to the Conservation Commission to continue the discussion on the benefits and/or detriments of a south side or north side parking and turnaround area. Ms. Weidner requested that Ms. Christy schedule a time when the subcommittee could attend a Conservation Commission meeting.
- Ms. Malkin also requested that Ms. Christy contact Adam Turner regarding when the traffic planner/architect would be coming to a subcommittee meeting in the next month.
- Ms. Armstrong inquired about how the Menemsha Master Plan summary would be used. The subcommittee confirmed that the summary was primarily written for the purpose of informing a potential traffic and safety consultant.
- Ms. Armstrong stated there is a need for enforcement of traffic and parking laws in Menemsha and residents should not be required to enforce the rules. She noted that tour vans are given permission to park in the area just in front of Armstrong shanty.
- Ms. Malkin noted that the Menemsha rule/law enforcement structure of responsibility needs to be clarified. She noted the BOS would be alerted that this topic is perceived to be a problem.
- Mr. Carroll noted the job of enforcement of the Menemsha area is a very difficult job. He has suggested a Menemsha ‘czar’ of a sort so that there is a go-to person that is knowledgeable and consistent.
- Mr. Klimm stated that the dock is not walkable for families anymore and the refrigerated trucks impede the way of pedestrians as well. He agreed that enforcement of the rules in Menemsha would address the useability of Menemsha.
- Discussion occurred regarding the storage of equipment and supplies in Menemsha, enforcement of rules in Menemsha and the consistency of application of rules over the years Menemsha.
- No minutes were reviewed.
- The meeting adjourned at 4:25PM. Minutes respectfully submitted by Jennifer L. Christy
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