2017-03-13 Community Planning and Development Commission Minutes

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OFR M. 6J9' 1NCORPO� Town of Reading Meeting Minutes Board - Committee - Commission - Council: RECEIVLI) TOWN CLERK READING, MASS. Community Planning and Development Commission Bbl APR -u P S' 06 f Date: 2017-03-13 Time: 7:30 PM Building: Reading Town Hall Location: Selectmen Meeting Room Address: 16 Lowell Street Session: Purpose: General Business Version: Attendees: Members - Present: Chair Nick Safina, John Weston, Dave Tuttle, Karen Goncalves-Dolan Members - Not Present: Others Present: Community Development Director Julie Mercier, Town Engineer Ryan Percival, Civil Engineer Chris Cole, Will Finch, Kim Vetter, Gina Snyder, Everett and Virginia Blodgett, Ace Foulds, Virginia Adams, Tony D'Arezzo, KC Latham Minutes Respectfully Submitted By: Topics of Discussion: Chair Nick Safina called the meeting to order. Complete Streets Prioritization Plan Ms. Mercier explained that in 2014, the Board of Selectmen adopted a Complete Streets Policy. Since then, the Complete Streets Program has matured and developed a process for towns to follow to have projects funded. The next step of this process is establishing a Tier II Prioritization Plan. The Plan is supposed to be for a 5 -year time horizon, and is due to the State by April 15t She presented a priority grid prepared by Town staff based on the Town's sidewalk improvements program, the 2014 Bicycle Network and Pedestrian Priority Plan prepared by MAPC, and the 2005 North Suburban Regional Bicycle Transportation Plan prepared by Weston & Sampson. She explained the criteria used to weight the projects, and noted that additional credit was given to projects that add a transit mode to a street, and that each project was multiplied by a feasibility factor. The feasibility factor took into account whether trees or light poles would need to be removed, existing right-of-way widths, and other potential challenges. Ms. Mercier explained that the priority grid was reviewed by the Town's internal Parking Traffic Transportation Task Force (PTTTF), and modified based on department feedback. She stated that the purpose of this meeting with stakeholders is to get feedback on whether the projects should be prioritized differently, and she noted that the Town received a few emails from residents regarding other projects to be considered. She introduced Ryan Percival, Town Engineer, and Chris Cole, Civil Engineer, to the Commission. Ms. Goncalves-Dolan asked how much funding is available. Ms. Mercier replied that only $400,000 is available to each town. Page 1 1