HomeMy WebLinkAboutFales Site Committee - 11/03/2015rales Fuel Site Advisory Committee I `FD
November 3, 2015 6 CUFF ICE
Present Neil Rhein, Chairman; Caitlin Barrows; Dana Hooligan; Gerry Huiskam'P
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Kozlowski; George Pantos; Charles WoodsIC
Shaun P. Burke, Director of Planningand DevelopmentTSETTS
Mr. Rhein passed around a set of conceptual drawings for potential uses of the Fates Oil site,
based on ideas generated at the October 13 meeting. Mr. Rhein and the other committee
members thanked Ms Barrows — and her friend, Mr. Chris Drinan, who rendered the drawings —
for providing the committee with these visual aids. The drawings included three concepts:
Scheme 1, a pavilion park; Scheme 2; a dog park; and Scheme 3, a mixed pavilion park and dog
park.
Mr. Rhein suggested that each committee member state which of the three renderings best
represented what they envisioned as the best use of the site.
Mr. Woods said he preferred Scheme 1, but without the paved walkways.
Mr. Pantos also liked Scheme 1, but wanted to increase parking, and that he would like to draw
upon Parking Enterprise Funds in order to pay for it. Mr. Pantos worried that we were moving
away from the original idea, which was as a park site anchoring the bike path.
Ms Barrows agreed that it should be an anchor site for the bike path, and a way to increase
walkability downtown. She preferred Scheme 3, which she believes offers a little bit of
everything, including a dog park.
Ms Hourigan asked if the committee hadn't decided again a dog park because of noise
concerns from the neighboring residents. She said that she preferred Scheme 1, with the addition
of a play structure. Ms Hourigan said she believed that such a park could be dog -friendly, even
while not a dedicated, fenced -in space for dogs. She also suggested moving the parking to
Shawmut Avenue, as opposed to on Old Colony Way as indicated in the drawings.
Mr. Burke said he agreed that a dog park would present a considerable noise nuisance to
neighborhood residents. He also asked whether changing the parking configuration would
increase or decrease the available spaces, and whether or not the committee envisioned parking
on both Old Colony Way and Shawmut Avenue.
Mr. Huiskamp said he preferred Scheme 1, with the addition of picnic tables, as an anchor to the
bike path.
Mr. Pantos suggested that a play structure might be a liability issue for the town. He also said he
would like to vote to take the dog park off the table, as the committee had done with other
proposed uses. The committee voted 5-1 in favor of withdrawing the dog park proposal. As a
member of the BOS to which the committee is making a recommendation, Mr. Kozlowski
abstained from the vote.
Mr. Rhein said he was in favor of Scheme 1, with the addition of space for some activities like
bocce or volleyball. He noted that there was a strong consensus for something like Scheme 1,
and suggested the committee rank order the amenities they would like such a park to include.
Mr. Kozlowski asked if that if getting into design at that level might be beyond the purview of
the cotmnittee. Mr. Woods asked if the committee should be thinking about sources of funding
for creating a park. Mr. Rhein asked for a clarification of the committee's charge, and Mr.
Kozlowski said that it was to provide the BOS with advice on the general disposition of the
property.
Three residents from nearby neighborhoods in attendance asked if they might be heard on the
matter. They said they envisioned a park where people in the neighborhood could gather
socially, and also a place that would draw people downtown. They said that people in the
neighborhood had been thinking of ideas for the space for some time, and would be interested in
submitting a more detailed plan.
Mr. Rhein suggested again that committee members provide a rank ordering of amenities they
envisioned for the site: Then the committee could bring these forward to the public, along with
the neighborhood group's plan, and ask for feedback and ideas from the public. Mr. Woods
recalled that Mr. Ross, the Town Manager, had indeed invited the committee to provide a vision
for the lot with specific recommendations. Mr. Rhein asked committee members to each give
four ametuties the park should include, with the results in descending order as follows:
Picnic tables
Open space
Pavilion
Bike racks
Benches
Parking
Tot play structure
Bocce court/volleyball
Grills
Lighting
2. Adjournment
Motion: To adjourn at 8:50 PM. (Pantos). All in favor. PASSES.
Next Regular Subcommittee Meeting: December 8, 2015 at 7:00 PM.
Minutes Approved 112-8-15
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Neil /thein, Chair