[Jack Buckley]: Welcome to the City of Medford Traffic Commission meeting. Today is November 8, 2022, and the time is 5.03 p.m. This meeting will now come to order. Roll call of the commissioners. Alba, please.
[MCM00001607_SPEAKER_07]: Commissioner McGiven.
[Jack Buckley]: I'm here.
[MCM00001607_SPEAKER_07]: Commissioner Hunt. Here. Commissioner Passatro. Here. Commissioner Brzezinski. I'm here.
[Jack Buckley]: We officially have a quorum also present this evening. Albert Erickson, who's the Traffic Commission Secretary. I have Sergeant Jordan Canova of the Medford Police Department Traffic Division. I see Todd's here, right? So Director of Traffic Engineering, Todd Blake. Amy. We gotta go back live, this is killing me looking at the screen, isn't it? And if I missed someone, I apologize, looking at the screen, but you can make yourself know where we're going. The minutes of October 22, what was the date of that, October 22? 11th, 11th. 11th, 2022 meeting have been distributed. Did the commissioners get a chance to read, review any issues?
[Tim McGivern]: Chief, I went through my email today from Alvin. I didn't see those come in, so I may have missed those.
[Jack Buckley]: Okay, well then what I will suggest is that we put the minutes off until next month for review and I'll make sure that they get distributed to that. So let me just make a note here. Did the other commissioners receive it? I did not.
[MCM00001177_SPEAKER_30]: I did. Okay.
[Jack Buckley]: We will look into that. We will send them out immediately. We'll take this up at the next meeting of the Medford Traffic Commission. This brings us to business. Sorry, one second. Okay, 2022-57 permit parking variance for Woodbine Road from Vincent Chesnick, 72 College Ave. Is the petitioner present? Was it Vincent or some family member?
[MCM00001607_SPEAKER_07]: No, Vincent, he was notified.
[Jack Buckley]: Okay.
[Unidentified]: Hold on, this is an iPhone, I'll admit him. That person's joining now.
[Jack Buckley]: Let's give this a new person one second. It's not unmuted. It's OK. 2022-57 permit parking variance, Woodbine Road, Vincent Chesnick. Are you present? Can you unmute them in case they can't do it?
[SPEAKER_16]: I can ask them, but they have to unmute it right now.
[Jack Buckley]: Yeah. We have an iPhone present. Is there any chance that that is Mr. Chesnick? If you could unmute yourself.
[Unidentified]: Speak up.
[Jack Buckley]: I don't know that that would be present. If the iPhone is Mr. Chesney could just raise your hand and then we'll move back to the petitioner. I'm going to move forward on business 2022-58 request for permit parking variances. Visitor passes from residents of Sunnyside Terrace for Medford Street. Alba, do we receive a numerous petitions correct on this from
[MCM00001607_SPEAKER_07]: Yes, we believe this six units on Sunnyside Terrace and we received requests from everyone.
[Jack Buckley]: And is there someone here present who can speak on behalf of the petitioners.
[SPEAKER_08]: Yeah, there's there's a bunch of us I think I see a bunch of our neighbors here.
[Jack Buckley]: Yeah. And are you Gina? I am Gina. Gina, do you want to speak briefly on the petition so that we can sort of get a verbal understanding of what the petitioner is requesting?
[SPEAKER_08]: Well, it's really hard to park. Our terrace is pretty small. And there's six units here so we rely on Medford Street, you know, to park, and especially, you know, if we ever have someone to come over, you know, so that's been a big change that's gotten us pretty nervous, because we're not sure how we're going to be able to park. So, and I'm sure is there.
[SPEAKER_14]: Yeah, I'd like to add my name is my own coach and I apologize I'm in the car, going back home, home from work. So I apologize for it's it's so pitch black outside. So we live at six sunny side terrace, and we have three little kids ages one, four and five, or four year old has a recurrent case of group. This year alone, we had to take him to emergency four or five times, one of which we dialed 911 to come in and get him because his cough was and his breathing was so, so bad that we were afraid that we wouldn't make it to the Winchester Hospital on time. The street is not a normal street where you can park and bypass the neighbors. Everyone has to pull out in order for you to come out. So anytime for our kids, when we've noticed any symptoms of any illness in the evening or that day, we have to park outside because should something happen in the middle of the night, we can't just go and start waking our neighbors up to pull out. We have to be able to act quickly and take the kids to the ER as needed. So so for us it's it's absolutely important to be able to park on the on the metro street.
[Jack Buckley]: Okay, and we just put for those.
[SPEAKER_08]: And thank you. I apologize for interrupting. Oh, no, I wanted you to speak. Thank you.
[Jack Buckley]: Thank you. And just one notice from the chair. And we have to get better at this. But if you if you wish to speak, I just need a name and address for the record on speaking. And so I apologize. But this is here on the screen. Sunnyside Terrace. This is those are the units, the residents. somewhat looks like a driveway for the commissioners. If I understand it, currently right now, how much parking is available on Sunnyside Terrace for those residents? It's hard for us to get a view down the way, but are there any vehicles? I see one parked in the back.
[SPEAKER_16]: How many vehicles actually parked back there? Can we say that this is an emergency egress? There's no, for one vehicle to be parked in there. Hello, I'm by the way, my name is Doug Rhodes. I'm apartment number three. I'm here with. I'm Doug. I'm an apartment number five. And thank you very much.
[Unidentified]: You're welcome.
[SPEAKER_16]: Everyone for hearing us today. This is designated as a private way when it's mislabeled because it's not, it obviously is not. And we have statements from the lieutenant of the firehouse down at the end of the hill. They said that, you know, if there was a fire here, that, you know, accidents and like, we could, everyone here can tell stories, blocked someone else's emergency and slowed down a response. And that's the main reason I feel like that we should have a variance and be allowed to park on the main artery. I have a handicap permit. There's no handicap parking on Medford street. And in order for anyone to get in and out, you have to ring five other doorbells. Does that clarify?
[Jack Buckley]: Oh, yeah. It makes actually perfect sense. Just for historical basis.
[SPEAKER_16]: If you go around each other, it wouldn't be such an issue. But it doesn't qualify legally under Massachusetts state law as a private way. I, pardon me for not knowing offhand the particular, but it is there. It has to be wide enough for two cars to allow for an emergency egress. And when this was built in 1900 as a hospital, that we, we think that, well, I think that that was probably like an ambulance bay. And when it was, you know, it was bought, This that's all one building there's no there's no housing association, these are not condos. Each of these units are individually owned and there's no firewalls, or, or, you know, I mean everything's up to code, but we, we are up to, you know, it's individually owned unit.
[Jack Buckley]: So, Okay, and historically now, I mean, a lot of this is the impetus for a lot of this is the new resident permit parking program that has been put in place on the Green Line extension. Historically, the residents of Sunnyside Terrace have parked on Medford Street, correct?
[Unidentified]: Correct.
[Jack Buckley]: Okay.
[Unidentified]: Yes.
[Jack Buckley]: All right, to the commissioners, any questions, concerns? I open it up to the commissioners first of the petitioners.
[Marissa Desmond]: I have a question. My name is Tiffany. I live at Tucson Eastside Terrace.
[Jack Buckley]: Welcome, Tiffany.
[Marissa Desmond]: Thank you. So I'm just confused. So even if this driveway was, if we all could park comfortably and get out on our own, are we still not allowed to park on Medford Street, even though we live right on that street? Are people only supposed to park in their driveways?
[Jack Buckley]: Well, if, for argument's sake, for example's sake, if Sunnyside was a private way with enough room for parking, would be required to park on your way, where the residence lies, where the residence lies. Medford Street would be another street. Recently, the city of Medford passed a resident permit parking program, which would say, if you're a resident of Medford Street, you need a permit to park there.
[Marissa Desmond]: Okay, so it's saying that we're not, because we're on a terrace, we're not technically on Medford Street.
[Jack Buckley]: Well, for a simple argument sake, and you guys are in a very unique situation, it would be any other street.
[SPEAKER_16]: I think that as residents of number two, and please Tiffany, I saw something and please correct me, Commissioner, if I'm wrong, but as a corner unit, that they and number two are automatically granted the variance to part on. I believe that was what I read on one of your websites, please correct me if I'm wrong. So number two is even in a more unique situation than the rest of us, because they have a corner lot there.
[Jack Buckley]: The answer to the question is they have an option to choose either or, and they would be eligible for a permit on Medford Street, yes, as the corner lot. But we need to address a number of the units there.
[Marissa Desmond]: And just one more. One of the officers that I spoke to yesterday, he had said, if you have a variance, you don't get a guest pass, would we be able to still get guest passes if we do get a variance for Myford Street?
[Jack Buckley]: Well, that would be up to the commission. Historically, a variance that is granted does not come with a guest pass or guest passes.
[MCM00001607_SPEAKER_07]: What do you do for plumbers if you need people coming?
[Marissa Desmond]: Yeah, what if we have guests? Typically, our guests don't park in our parking lot, in our
[Jack Buckley]: Again, in most cases, you're bringing up very valid points, but in most cases, I'm just going to call this to order. We can't have multiple conversations because I have to converse with people, so if I just ask if we could just direct everything through the chair, but you're asking legitimate and open questions. Most of them come from the fact that you live in a very You have a very unique situation going in other streets, this wouldn't or isn't as complicated because there is available parking on those streets. So, and we can make those things. Director Blake.
[Todd Blake]: Yeah, thank you. So just to explain a little bit for the residents here. So the resident from parking program that's being proposed by the city by the administration is does have the intent to help the neighborhood. I know it doesn't seem that way with this discussion, but I think it's gonna come around. So the intent is that it limits the people that are out here, seen in this image, trying to park here, which is you and some of your neighbors, but it may be some people over the border in Somerville as well. So it's gonna help in that regard if you're eligible for permits. Right now, only the opposite side from you is posted as a resident permit, the side that you're on is not, just to clarify. And then also the sign, the area that is posted, there are some areas down to the dental building that is posted for a two-hour except by permit. So if you did have visitors for a short time, that would be allowed in that two-hour section or on the side that you're on because it's not currently a resident permit yet. And then in addition, some of the recommendations from the Commission on Park and Policy and Enforcement have recommended additional refinements to the process for different passes for like contractors that are working on a house and things like that. So there will be a process for that, but it won't necessarily be a standard permit or a standard visitor pass. In the past, the traffic commission has approved other unique passes like for realtors that hold open houses and things like that. So there will be, additional tools to your advantage for some of these more unique situations, but I'm just trying to highlight some of the uniqueness with this street was half is resident permit, but some are two hour and half is not yet. Hopefully that helps a little bit.
[Jack Buckley]: Thank you, Director Blake. Commissioners, any questions? Commissioner Hunt.
[Alicia Hunt]: Thank you, Chief. I will say that in a big picture way, when we build new housing and we limit the number of parking at it, it is with the intention that when people move into new housing with newly arrived, they have an expectation and they should have a knowledge of what parking is available where they live. This is a very different situation because this is a situation where residents have been living here and have had reasonable expectations about how things work and the city has come and changed the policies. And to be clear, I think it's been addressed not arbitrarily, it's because we actually believe there's going to be a big parking problem here when the green line opens. And we're trying to forestall that that problem. But because this is a new this situation is being put on residents as opposed to people choosing to move in without, you know, knowing what they're or choosing to buy cars without having parking available. I think that this is an appropriate use of giving these residents permit parking on the street, and honestly allowing them to have visitor passes as well, as if because it's odd to me that this building is considered on a separate road and is not considered that why that isn't considered their driveway is a little bit beyond me. And so I'm very open to the idea of them getting passes on here. And I did want to ask something that's a little bit on the side, but to set expectations as well, that we've been looking at regional permit parking. And what I haven't asked is if people are legally on private ways, are they eligible for the regional permit parking passes? And that's something that we'll have to be talking about if the answer isn't already decided. Because that also, if this was a region and they were part of the region, that would solve the problem for them as well.
[Jack Buckley]: So I appreciate it and thank you for the comments. I tend to agree with most of that. I think we'll have to address the regional part as the city moves forward. There is an open question here that's not for the commission tonight and that's already been addressed. Is this a legal and viable way? And I guess that may fall on either Commissioner McGiven or the city engineers, but Commissioner McGiven, do you have any comments, questions on that?
[Tim McGivern]: Yeah, one of my questions was about that, Chief. The resident said it wasn't legally a private way, but from what I can tell, this is either one parcel or multiple parcels that front on Sunnyside Terrace. Otherwise, they would have the address of Medford Street. So the question is, is this one building on one parcel or are we talking about multiple buildings on multiple parcels with multiple frontage? It's an important question because if it's one building on one parcel, then it's a corner parcel on a corner building. And I don't know the answer. I don't have the resources in front of me to check it either.
[Alicia Hunt]: Chief, I was just, I don't know if Todd also has this, but I was going to open up the state GIS system that is available online that has our parcels on it. I'm going to take a look at that.
[Jack Buckley]: And if you see something you want to just share, I think we've made you a co-host.
[Tim McGivern]: So besides that, I think it makes sense what we're doing. But I do have another question. Currently, do cars park on Sunnyside Terrace? Or does that stay free and clear? And that's a question for the resident. Could one of the residents?
[SPEAKER_16]: Thank you. It's something, I guess, we all call the Sunnyside Shuffle. Well, you know, there are cars that come in and out, but the road can never be blocked, and no one can ever be away from their home with it. There are cars in the driveway. I've had, and to answer your first question, historically, if that building is considered one structure, I would say, and I just had extensive renovations done on my section number three, the center part of the house. And I can say from the construction, the interior beams, the way that this building was built in 1900, where you don't have records of, that this was built as one structure. So if you are considering this as one structure and it is the net would be a corner lot. If you're looking at it as who owns what, then there are six, this one structure, I guess these are questions that no one has ever asked us before. We would need some sort of real estate attorney to give you any deeper information than that.
[Tim McGivern]: No, it's okay. Nope. You don't need a real estate attorney. I got all my answers from what's on the screen now. So thank you. Yeah. You don't need a real estate attorney.
[SPEAKER_16]: It is very difficult. I have a, I have a broken foot right now. I'm on the second floor. And if I park my car in the driveway and one of the neighbors needs to get up for their children's school, which is a completely legitimate reason, they would have to get me up at 8am. to come and move my car if we could not have this variance. So it sounds to me and pleases the court that it sounds to me like everyone is in agreement that this is a reasonable accommodation that we'd be grandfathered in.
[Tim McGivern]: Um, yeah. I appreciate the detail I can finish up real quick here. So it looked based off of this it looks like it's likely that there's easement rights for all those different parcels, and maybe Sunnyside Terrace is just that little tiny piece down there. But it looks like a bunch of landlocked parcels to me that have an easement. So regardless of the variance, which I would be in support of, I think it should be looked at from a different perspective. And that's egress. I'm not sure the Sunnyside shuffle you guys are doing is adequate for those back parcels. So that passageway should remain free and clear.
[SPEAKER_16]: But anyway, I'm in support of that because that is the only that is the only emergency egret.
[Tim McGivern]: I know that's why I'm saying it should remain free and clear.
[SPEAKER_16]: Thank you. Thank you. Yes, sir.
[Jack Buckley]: Okay. Commissioner Brzezinski Commissioner passator comments, questions.
[MCM00001177_SPEAKER_30]: I saw you go in one way and one way there's no, but you can't drive through it. No, legally we have an elite. I can't hear him he's muted.
[SPEAKER_16]: I'm sorry, I think I was muted by the host. But to answer your question, it's only one way in, and then oftentimes we have to back out into the intersection, which is Dexter, and it's very, very dangerous. And we've had several residents have accidents, including this family here. I think almost everyone has had their cars involved in some sort of accident.
[MCM00001177_SPEAKER_30]: That's a shame. And this blue house here with the brick, that has nothing to do with that. That's a separate? Correct. Okay. Yeah.
[Unidentified]: Thank you.
[MCM00001177_SPEAKER_30]: Thank you.
[Jack Buckley]: Okay, we've opened this up to the commissioners commission presented with you, we try to raise your hand I'm sorry.
[Bob Dickinson]: No, I, I, you know, the only, the only question I have is, I'm just looking at some aerials of Medford Street, it looks pretty crowded as this. I don't, I mean, I feel I don't want to let that hold us up because I do feel that this is yet another building in Medford that really is problematic. But I just hope the residents understand that you even being granted a right to park on Medford Street looks like a lost cause, because I mean I've looked at several aerials and it seems like you may be parking pretty far down.
[SPEAKER_16]: which I'm not sure where all these people who park on measure see why they're actually parked on Medford Street, a lot of that I think is deceptive because that building that you see if you do a Google reverse to maybe two years ago, that apartment building on Broadway didn't exist. And that. And that actually has parking underground and parking behind. So there's something there with 600 Broadway as well. And if you look back, that had been something that Somerville had cleared. You know, we do understand there are commuters that are coming into the area and we're excited to have the economy and the economic boom of the Green Line and the casino and all of these, you know, I mean, Magoon Square has really become a, I think, a proud part of South Medford. It's really come a long way from the winter hill sort of reputation. And again, I think that's what attracts people to the area. But these cars that you see, I think if you look closer, you'll see that those are people that don't live here. They come and they're cashing checks at the check cashing place. They're in and out in five minutes. If you look up the street, right there is a check cashing place. And then there's the CVS and there's the Dunkin Donuts. So all of that is on Somerville side. And these people are coming in because they know it's free parking instead of having to park in the Somerville lot that's there available between the CVS and the Dunkin Donuts in Somerville. There's public parking available there. but they choose to park here because it's free. So you're seeing an overinflated number of resident cars there, if I may be so bold. And the group can share their thoughts, please, please.
[SPEAKER_08]: Well, I can share the fact since it's become permit parking, that I've been able to actually get more spots on this side of the street, which has actually been amazing to be able to park. So people are listening and following that, which is great, because we do get a lot of people who park and go to the restaurant. That's a big thing. And the check caches and the work across the street.
[Jack Buckley]: Again, that is one of the reasons why we wanted the resident apartment parking program in place and we expect a little bit more of this with the Greenland extension coming and regulating the parking in Medford is difficult enough that we don't want to have to regulate some of those. But it goes back to Commissioner Brzezinski's question, goes back to one of the questions I asked earlier. Many of the residents on Sunnyside Terrace are also parking on Medford Street. And so in one sense, you're already occupying some of these spots. And it is quite possible that even if you look at this photo, one or two of these cars may be residents of Sunnyside Terrace. So in theory, if my thought process is going well, is that you would be taking up spot with the variances we'd be granting to you would be spots that you would have historically taken up anyway to some extent. At least, and that's the reason why I had asked that question. Commissioner Brzezinski, another question, a thought.
[Bob Dickinson]: So just looking at the tax maps, six parcels, it looks like every apartment is separately owned. Are they all owned by the same owner? No. No. Okay. because you realize, you know, one of the things I'd like to go on record, it won't affect my decision because I'm in support of this. But one thing I do want to point out is this front lot is pretty wide and yet occupies a good benefits lot with a derelict fenced in area. So I wonder going forward, if we somehow try to put more of the onus for parking back on homeowners or property owners, instead of always constantly.
[Jack Buckley]: Sir, I apologize. The commissioner is speaking. We're just going to have to raise your hand if you'd like to speak so we can keep some order.
[Bob Dickinson]: So again, that is part of the tax map ID. I mean, it's clear that if you look at the Medford tax maps, lot one, that lot that fronts Medford Street and abuts Sunnyside Terrace is one tax lot. So while it may be treated as a separate area that may not be used by that front lot, tax-wise, it's one owner. And I think going forward in our city, as parking becomes ever more troublesome, I think as a commission, we have got to start putting more of the onus back on these property owners to take these vehicles off the public streets. But that being said, I would vote to support, you know, kind of papering something that's already happening now and to grant these people some relief that they need.
[Jack Buckley]: Thank you, Commissioner Brzezinski, valid point.
[SPEAKER_01]: William. Yes, my name is William Patton. I live at 3B.
[Jack Buckley]: Welcome. He's on. Hold on. So you muted yourself.
[SPEAKER_01]: Yes, I've been living here. I'm sorry, William.
[Jack Buckley]: Can I just interject? Are you on Bellevue Terrace?
[SPEAKER_01]: Yes, sir.
[Jack Buckley]: OK, so we're speaking on Sunnyside Terrace right now. We're going to get to Bellevue in a minute. I know it's a similar issue, but we have to pick up one at a time. OK, all right. Thank you. Thank you. OK, so I don't see any other hands. Is there anyone present who wishes to speak against this petition? I will throw that out there right now. This seems to be valuable. I don't see a hand up. So at this point barring any further conversation and hearing from the commission's already I would take a motion from one of the commissioners.
[Tim McGivern]: A motion to approve the variance request. And I believe it's all of them correct all 6 units. Yes, we do it.
[Alicia Hunt]: Visitor permits because that would not. The default you have to say that in the motion.
[Tim McGivern]: Well would everybody get one is that how that would work. The way it works that will be too. I mean with all my motion. I just want to discussion from fellow commissioners, I mean getting thoughts on that piece of it.
[Alicia Hunt]: And if I might, I would say that this is the way it's been operating, is that they and their guests have been using this Medford Street. So we're not, in my mind, we're not adding anything new to Medford Street that hasn't been there by residents.
[Unidentified]: Yeah, I agree.
[Alicia Hunt]: This is the way things have been. And I will, I think what we're seeing here is that unit one actually does have a private parking spot on the side, and then the front is their entrance. because that's part of unit one's parcel. Correct. I hope that's the one who's parking there because that's their parcel. Yes. They do park. Okay. Is unit one also asking for a variance? They aren't here today.
[SPEAKER_08]: No, they have their own.
[Jack Buckley]: And to answer Commissioner Hunt's question, they are not on the original petition.
[Tim McGivern]: Okay. All right. So I just will revise my motion. I'll make a motion to grant the variance request for units two through six, whatever is on the petition, including two visitor passes a piece.
[Jack Buckley]: Do I have a second?
[Unidentified]: Second that.
[Jack Buckley]: Seconded by Commissioner Brzezinski. Roll call vote, Alba please.
[MCM00001607_SPEAKER_07]: Commissioner McGibbon?
[Jack Buckley]: Yes.
[MCM00001607_SPEAKER_07]: Commissioner Hunt? Yes. Commissioner Passaciuoro? Yes. Commissioner Brzezinski?
[Bob Dickinson]: Yes.
[MCM00001607_SPEAKER_07]: Chief Buckley? Yes.
[Jack Buckley]: Yes, on a vote of five to nothing the petition passes and I thank all of the residents for their input and participation this evening. We obviously need to drop this up and get the information to the parking department that should take us a day by tomorrow listen that and so. I would follow up with the parking department they will get the notifications for this, but thank you very very much for participating in for your thoughts and information to a lot of commissions to come up with this decision.
[SPEAKER_16]: And thank you all to the commission for hearing us.
[SPEAKER_14]: Thank you so much truly appreciate it.
[Jack Buckley]: Thank you have a good evening. 2022-59 request for permanent parking variances.
[Unidentified]: Thank you.
[Jack Buckley]: Great. Thank you. I don't know how we can do this at all. Okay, 2022-59 request for permit park and variances visitor passes from residents of Bellevue Terrace for Medford Street. Just so we can be clear, if you want to speak on behalf of this petition, if you're here on behalf of the Bellevue residents, raise your hand through the app. We will get to you. And please identify yourself by name and address before speaking. And Alva, the petition is in order. And how many? It's a collective petition or individual?
[MCM00001607_SPEAKER_07]: I have individual requests, and then I have a petition that covers the whole Bellevue condo trust all this house Bellevue terrace.
[Jack Buckley]: Okay, excellent. Is there someone who would like to raise their hand and speak on behalf of the residents, lead us off for a Bellevue terrace. I do see one other hand, but I'm going to go with William, because you had your hand up first and earlier this evening. So welcome and thank you. The floor is yours.
[SPEAKER_01]: Yes, sir. My name is William Patton, and I live at 3D Bellevue Terrace here in Medford. And I've been living here now since 1997. The condo I live in has 14 units. But there was a time when the condo minimum was only seven units. then each unit at that time had two parking spots. Because it's now 14 units and 14 different apartments, and we each only have one parking lot. And in my household, right now I have two cars. My wife has a car, and I have a car. And we need our cars to get to and from work. My car is like a hammer to the carpenter, you know, it's a tool for me to go to work and so on. So, and this Bedford Terrace, no place for me to park in Bedford Terrace. So we have to resort to parking on the street. And it's really unfair for me to say live in Medford here and I can't park in Medford unless I'm parking at a parking meter. It's just it's just and as I'm looking at this picture in a year I see my condominium and a duplex across from where I live. The people in the duplex, they have multiple parking spots. They can seem to park, they can park in the way, a private way and they can still park on Medford Street. I can only park in one spot in my parking lot and I don't have Medford Street to park on. So this is very difficult. And I just need some relief, because I have to have a place to park.
[Jack Buckley]: That's understood. Can I ask a question of you for clarification purposes?
[SPEAKER_01]: Yes, sir.
[Jack Buckley]: Do you have, did you say everyone there has one parking spot?
[SPEAKER_01]: Yes, sir.
[Jack Buckley]: On Bellevue? Yes, sir. And then obviously some families have two cars, and that seems to be the problem.
[SPEAKER_01]: I just want to clarify that. Yes, that's true. That's true.
[Jack Buckley]: All right. Well, thank you for the comments. I think what we're going to do is hear from as many people as we can, then get to the commissions, and we may get back to you for some further clarifications. Anyone else, Bellevue Terrace, wishing to speak to this?
[SPEAKER_15]: I'd like to speak. I don't know how to do the raise hand thing, unfortunately.
[Jack Buckley]: Can I? Cassandra? Yeah, please. Welcome. Is that you? Yes.
[SPEAKER_15]: So, I've lived here for 6 years now, as long as I've lived here, we've always been able to park on Medford street without any issues. Whenever I've had family and friends come to visit me, they had the option to park on Medford street. As William was saying, there's only 1 parking line to each of the 14 units. Given that, other than that, there's no parking available on Bellevue Terrace. At one time, I had a partner here with me. We had two vehicles and the auxiliary vehicle was parked on Medford Street without any issue. I've had to have family members come in to help me with surgeries and various things like that, visiting nurses, contractors, have always been able to park on Medford Street. And I think if it weren't for the technicality, that was technically Bellevue Terrace I mean, it's my understanding that every other house on Medford Street, even if they have a private driveway with parking spots available, if they have a Medford Street address, those registered drivers are given not only a resident permit, but also two visitor permits to make allowances for not only them, but also their visitors. I don't see why, just because we technically live on a private way, I don't see why we should be being treated differently than every other resident in Medford typically is treated. So I'm really hoping that, given our situation is pretty similar to Sunnyside Terrace, but a little bit different given that we do have the assigned parking spots. And also as William mentioned, the duplex across Bellevue Terrace from us, I believe is 63 Medford Street. They have historically parked on Bellevue Terrace, which they're not really supposed to do because it blocks emergency vehicle access. But they'll be there because they have a Medford Street address they'll be able to get the resident permits and the visitor permits and this hardly seems fair to us at all. So I'm really hoping that the commission can make some accommodations for us in this case.
[Jack Buckley]: Senator thank you for your comments and concerns I'm going to go to Allison next. Name and address.
[SPEAKER_00]: Well hi sorry my name is Allison Berg Lewis. So I am the owner at to be Bellevue terrace. My situation is slightly different than the other folks that are here but I still believe that this is necessary so I've been an owner for a little over 10 years now I initially lived in the condo. But I several years ago moved back to Maryland from where I'm from where I live with my family now and I rent out my condo so I'm not although owner I'm not living there or even in state. However, I'm still very concerned about this for the other reasons that the other people have already shared. I on a personal note worry about how I I do come up every year and very involved in actually one of the trustees on the board. So I'm not just like some owner who just you know makes a buck I'm very involved I care very much about this property. I worry about how I'm going to come to town and be able to park with when I come to come to our annual meetings and to check in on the condo with my 2 small kids in tow like where am I going to park. My tenants can't get a visitor pass you know for me to use. I think that just in general. We like like Sandra said we don't technically have a Medford Street address but we are essentially. We are a property that is on Medford Street we bring our trash on to Medford Street. The only thing that is separate it's not like we have a a long street that we can park on we have a parking lot it's it's basically you can say it's Bellevue terrace but it is essentially a driveway in a parking lot. There's no place to park there's no place for visitors to park if something breaks. I can't have somebody come and fix it by parking in front of the unit because that would be an issue in case of an emergency. There's you know that's a fire lane so we can't park in front of the unit we can't have visitors Park there. So it's it also like it's an inconvenience and it's a safety concern because what if things are breaking where people supposed to park that are coming to fix it if they have to park forever away because we don't have permits. I just you know we pay taxes we We live on Medford Street. We just, you know, have to pay a lot more because we have to pay for our own, you know, plowing and stuff because we have a private driveway.
[Jack Buckley]: Also, thank you very much for the comments and for your participation. I'm going to go Sharon.
[SPEAKER_11]: Hi, thank you. Sharon Chikini, 22 year owner of 7A Bellevue Terrace. Like Allison, I'm also a trustee. I am also the property manager here at Bellevue Terrace. Just want to second what my neighbors and friends have said here, all valid, really great points. Just want to add a couple of things. One is that our building is like a 1900s building, and I believe it's one structure, kind of the Sunnyside Ave Terrace thing. I don't know how that actually comes into play, believe it was built as one structure. Also we wouldn't be adding any more cars to Medford Street that haven't been out there and I feel that as a property manager that's going to be a lot of headaches because of people can't park in our lot because it's full with the 14 owners cars. their other cars that are in their units or guests, visitors. My family does not live in Medford. They come and visit often. And, you know, they're going to end up just parking anywhere on Bellevue Terrace and kind of just saying, well, there's nowhere to park. And then that does prevent emergency vehicles from coming up to Bellevue Terrace. And that is a concern with 14 units full of people. Also living here for as long as I have, Medford Street isn't really overrun with cars, especially at night. I totally understand what's going to happen when the Green Line opens and people are going to come and try to get free parking and walk to the Green Line. I think because there's five of them, you know, I think it's going to be sort of spread out a little bit where people do park. I know some of those clearly permitted parking, but At night, it's empty. It's a ghost town over there on our section. I know when you go up towards Magoon Square, it's a different story. But to have all this open space on Medford Street, especially at night when these people want to park when they come home from work, but yet we can't park there, it just doesn't seem like good use of the space. I think that's it. I just want to add that it's just not adding more cars to Medford Street.
[Jack Buckley]: Thank you very much for your participation and your comments. Anyone else from the area of Bellevue wishing to speak in favor of the petition? If you could raise your hand. Okay, seeing none. Do the commissioners have any questions, comments? In one sense, this is very similar to the prior petition. In another sense, there is some available parking on Bellevue Terrace. So I'll actually let the commissioners ask questions or if they have any concerns.
[Unidentified]: Commissioner McGibbon.
[Tim McGivern]: Thank you, Chief. So just looking at the maps and having Todd do a little bit of research for me in the engineering office, it looks like, I mean, that is a 20-foot wide right of way there that extends into Bellevue. And just looking at the tax maps, it looks like also there's a parking lot. That parking lot is part of the condominium complex. That's where the one spot comes from on property. Is that correct? I see some nods. OK. Yep. So it's one, basically one to one. So at first I thought if this was one large parcel and this was just a driveway and it was one lot, it does front on Medford Street. So this is one condominium lot with its own right-of-way with frontage on Medford Street. And because it's one building, it's a condominium unit. And I would ask for clarification, Chief, maybe from you or Albo or someone, does that qualify for a corner lot situation which it looks like it does from my perspective. So those are my comments but it's you know. I would tend to support this with a similar reasons is is is the Sunnyside situation because it's a it's a bit of an existing situation that got a little bit mucked up here from what we're trying to do with the with the parent parking so that's my comments.
[Jack Buckley]: Commissioner McGibbon, thank you. And we just pulled it up on the screen. I think you can all see this. I'm going to share it now. I'm going to share it. Hold on a second. And I don't have this readily in front of me, but are both of those one parcels? I mean, you see one on the left, one on the right? The one on the left is actually Medford Street. That's one of the left is Medford Street. So the parcel on the right is a single parcel.
[Tim McGivern]: Yeah, it's one parcel with one building on it a broken up into 14 units. I'm sure there's some sort of a master deed. And so that possible has frontage on the street.
[Jack Buckley]: So traditionally when we have 2 public streets. We're that was a private parking a car a lot like this one is that I agree that we would consider the court a lot would be eligible for it would be eligible to choose which which street they would want resident permit parking on, receive visitor passes. The only hiccup here is that we are dealing with a private way. So it would qualify in the technical historical sense if there were two public ways, we are dealing with a private way. That being said, I do understand and recognize that it is sort of the city imposing this necessary change to the area. But, and there is some parking available on Bellevue Terrace. Obviously not enough. I've had both my traffic sergeants have been up there and looked at it as a very tight area, a lot of land to travel on. So, but I would agree with you at Cornell. I would, in one sense, open them up to automatically two areas.
[Tim McGivern]: That makes sense. Thank you. Commissioner Hunt.
[Alicia Hunt]: I am familiar with the policy about corner lots but I have never perhaps met maybe never been presented with a situation where one street was a private way and the other was permit only. Maybe that's a new situation for us.
[Jack Buckley]: It's somewhat is because we have not been, you know, I don't know how long I've been granting resident permit parking. It would only be when both streets are resident permit parking.
[Alicia Hunt]: Okay. It's only when both streets are resident permit parking. Because when, okay. I was just thinking then you would, I guess the thought is that if one street isn't, it's not for a reason. And therefore, of course you can park on your other street more easily.
[Jack Buckley]: Correct.
[Alicia Hunt]: And this, so this is a new, new situation. Cause I would be more than happy. to simply say this is a corner lot and do it that way I also I'm very happy to say that in the future we will not be creating streets and calling them streets when they are really actually driveways because that's a driveway. I think that planning zoning and instruction we would never have built it like this but we just have to deal with what we have.
[Jack Buckley]: agree we're fighting a little bit of history here.
[Alicia Hunt]: I'm I'm all for giving them the permits I could see an argument to say there should be a limiting of permits her. But on the other hand we don't limit single-family houses to number of permits station get so unless and until we start saying like people can have 6 permits for their for their houses, I don't see why this should be treated any differently than everybody else.
[Jack Buckley]: Yes. So normally, and I know Director Blake has his hand up. Normally, I would like to hear more from the commissioners, and I do believe Sharon had her hand up, but I actually have a question if you could, if you could, if we could unmute you, because you had said in your comments that we would not be we would not be adding more parking to Medford Street. And I took that comment to mean that most of you are currently parking on Medford Street. And so you, in one sense, if we gave you a variance or a permit, you would be replacing your own vehicles in a sense, right? That's some of the parking, similar to what Sunset was. And since you had your hand up anyway, I would like to see if you could comment on that or ask a question if it was slightly different.
[SPEAKER_11]: No, I believe you got what I was saying that, you know, the cars that are out there now have been out there for many, many years. So it's not going to really add anything. It's going to take it away. And I get the idea of during the day with the commuters. But I feel like, you know, when the street is empty at night, and you have these people that have no idea that live here that don't know where they're going to park their cars, it just makes no sense. I don't think it's going to disrupt Medford Street, it just hasn't, with all the cars that are now there and have been for many, many years. My hand was up because our parking lot, and I get that we can park there, it's actually an abatement, and that property is on 63 to 65 Medford Street. I don't know if that makes any difference, but it is public knowledge, and we've known that for a while, but that's an abatement situation from many, many years ago. I think the 80s. And so it's not even that parking lot does not even belong technically, I think, technically to Bellevue Terrace.
[Jack Buckley]: Thank you for raising your hand. I'm glad I called on you. Director Blake, I know you had your hand up.
[Todd Blake]: Just a quick thing in terms of if this was the first time. It doesn't appear to be because William Street a block over and William Place, William Place is private, William Street's resident permit. I just don't know if the variants are granted or not for the corner houses, but there's six houses on that private way into corner. So I don't know if it's ever come up if they've ever applied those two houses or not.
[Jack Buckley]: It is one of those things where they have to, you know, corner house lots would have to apply and we get them fairly steady, but it's not overwhelming.
[Unidentified]: So Commissioner Brzezinski. You got on mute.
[Bob Dickinson]: We go just follow up with what the resident just said. Is she saying they don't park in their designated parking spots that they have allocated? I presume that if you looked at your deed, you would have an easement right to park over there as part of your ownership.
[SPEAKER_11]: Yes, we do. I just didn't know for technical reasons if, you know, it's not, it doesn't belong to 1-7 Bellevue Terrace, the actual parking lot, but they are deeded and they can accommodate 14 vehicles, but there are more than 14 vehicles at the property.
[Bob Dickinson]: Okay, so my question to the commission, and chief to you would be, can we do, because I want to support these people. But again, I will continue to push parking on your own property, if at all possible. So I don't know, can we do one in one? Can we do an owner and a guest? Or are we limited to giving them two? whatever we gave to Sunnyside Terrace a minute ago.
[Jack Buckley]: The commission has the authority to grant a variance with one or two parking, visitor passes, sorry.
[Bob Dickinson]: So I'll just go on record by saying I would, I would support giving these people a one owner and one guest on Medford Street. But unfortunately, I mean, I don't want to give them three parking spots. I really want them to continue to use their parking spots that they've been deeded. So understood.
[Jack Buckley]: I see hands up, Allison, but I just want to see if there's any other comments, questions from the commissioners related to Commissioner Brzezinski's.
[Alicia Hunt]: Right. So, Chief, I would just sort of comment on that, that it appears to me that since they each have their own deeded spot, that it would be much simpler for each person to park in but their own lot where they're allowed to park. And that that would be closer for most of them to their units to park in their deeded spots. Then on the street. So there's not a lot of motivation to park on Medford Street. Other than more cars per household. So yeah, and I think they said there were 14 units in 14 spaces correct.
[Jack Buckley]: Yes. Okay, I'm gonna go to Allison and then Sharon, and then I believe we probably will, unless there's other questions from the commissioners, we'll sort of leave it at that. Allison, sorry, we gotta unmute you, Allison, hold on a second. Let me get her unmuted, see if she has unmuted.
[Unidentified]: Allison.
[SPEAKER_00]: Hi. Hi, sorry about that. Thank you. So I wanted to say two quick things. The first is that you know that I'm I'm sorry I can't remember his name but he was saying about you know doing like one one permit and one visitor spot. I just wanted to throw out there that although there's 14 units. Some of them are one bedrooms which you know a lot of them have like a couple that lives there. So it's 2 adults that live there and then some of them are 2 in 3 that. So there is one spot per unit however it's not all one bedroom unit there's 2 to 3 bedrooms in some of these units. The other thing is I just wanted to throw out there I believe it was the commissioner who brought up the point that If they were building it now they would never call Bellevue Terrace a street they will call it a driveway into a parking lot like it is so anyone on Medford Street. It doesn't have from what I'm hearing from you guys aren't limited if you have a Medford Street address you're not limited to a set number of cars. if there are people who live there and have cars registered to the House and they can get a permit parking. So if I'm understanding that correctly then it really should be equal with Bellevue Terrace because again we are actually a street we are literally a driveway. We share a driveway with the condo unit that does have a Medford Street address so while they are parking On half of our driveway, they also, just so you know, they park on part of the driveway that you're supposed to drive on and not park on. And we've brought it up to them. But because they own it, there's nothing we can do about it. So they block part of that driveway. And in the video where they brought up where that black truck is, they actually park typically across from it. And there's nothing we can do because we don't own it. But they use our driveway. And they can get as many parking permits as they want on Medford Street. And they have the exact same setup with the exact same driveway. And I believe that there's only two units. And they have more than two spots that they use on Bellevue, but they still can have as many spots as they want. I just think it's only fair to treat Bellevue Terrace like you would any other Medford address. Because when you look at it and you see, The way it was built a 100 years ago is not how we look at things now and it's really not a street so that's all I wanted to say thank you thank you for the point.
[Jack Buckley]: And again I did promise to one more time back to share to your hand up before we will to commission. Your comments.
[SPEAKER_11]: Thank you I'll be brief it was just what Allison was was going to say about you know the fact that across the street on Medford Street they can have a driveway and they'll get a certain number of permit passes and visitor passes. I just do feel a 100% that everyone who is parking in our lot will stay in our lot that makes no sense to go on Medford Street and not be close to your front door so that's still going to happen if you give me a residence I'm going to still park in my spot. If a friend comes over overnight, I'm probably going to go to the street and let them take my spot. I don't know how visitor passes work. I don't know if it's a certain number of hours or if it ends at midnight. I'd have to look into that because I've been here for so long and I just never had to experience this. But that would be the only situation where I would park on Medford Street. But it's just nice to have in case you do have family over and they do stay over. If they stay more than two days or three days, I don't know, just to have that place to park the car and you know I have one car one unit, but like Allison said there are many people here, especially on the upper the B levels that have 2 to 4 cars so.
[Jack Buckley]: I see thank you I see a number of hands popping up, but I still want to refer back to the commission because it is just so that we just don't we have to keep some sort of time. Frame in mind with the rest of this agenda tonight the commission is there any thoughts or concerns as to where we stand right now. With this petition.
[Alicia Hunt]: I'm prepared to make a motion to allow them to park on to get permits on Medford Street and get visitors permits as if they were their address was on on Medford Street.
[Jack Buckley]: Okay so in light of the previous comes with just saying is resident permit parking. But that the street plus 2 visitor passes just for clarity.
[Alicia Hunt]: Yes. That's what and any other House on Medford Street is allowed to have.
[SPEAKER_01]: This one is a good one.
[Jack Buckley]: All right. We know the routine is to have a second on that. Sorry about that commission presents the adults.
[Bob Dickinson]: No, it's all right. Can I just get, so she's saying this Commissioner Hunt, she's saying one additional spot plus two visitor. Is that?
[Alicia Hunt]: No, I was saying treat them as if their building was on Medford Street.
[Bob Dickinson]: Which is how many spots then?
[Alicia Hunt]: Anybody, if you have a car registered in Medford to your address in Medford, you're able to get a permit parking in Medford. But your address is only allowed to visitors permits, regardless of how many vehicles you so, for example, if you have no vehicles getting permit parking, you can still get your to visitor pass, but if you if you have six cars, please don't have six cars. registered in medford so that is actually a distinction that everybody should be aware of. If people are tenants and their vehicles are not registered in Medford they have to register their vehicle in Medford to be eligible for permit parking.
[Jack Buckley]: Okay so there's a motion on the floor for commission on law resident permit parking. Per the petition and to visitor passes.
[Tim McGivern]: It's going to question is it true that if you have a address you can get as many. Permits as you'd like.
[Alicia Hunt]: Yes per register vehicle that is another issue that we as a commission should be dealing with I'd like to see higher prices for 3rd 4th and 5th cars. But right now. Yes. Permit passes for those wondering is $10 a car in Medford.
[Tim McGivern]: And so the fact that they have a parking lot in the back with 14 spaces would be similar to like a single family house having a driveway with a couple spots in it, right? So, and effectively, this is a driveway that goes back to a parking lot that is a right of way, which is why it has the Bellevue Terrace addresses. So I can see that logic.
[Alicia Hunt]: Right, and I don't know if it makes sense legal like I I don't fully understand the private way legalities as much, but that's not on a private on a separate parcel that way is on there the same parcel as their property as their building.
[Tim McGivern]: No, it's not. If you look on Y10, tax map Y10, it shows it as a separate parcel. Because I was looking at that same exact thing. If it was one big parcel, then it would just be a driveway and that whole building would have a Medford address. Like any other condominium building with a driveway, usually it has whatever street it fronts on, then that's the address that's assigned to the building with unit numbers.
[Alicia Hunt]: So what we're seeing on mass map or mass G I S is not accurate to what you're seeing in the official records for what time.
[Tim McGivern]: Yeah I thought Paul it's 24 right away at that different. I'm kind of interested in what the other commissioners I guess you could see, but I'm interested in his opinions to.
[Jack Buckley]: I should pass at all. A lot of commercial bus so you need to unmute.
[Unidentified]: you heard.
[Alicia Hunt]: Everybody is the permission that ability to unmute themselves so when you do that I mean it might be fighting her.
[Jack Buckley]: Yeah. Yeah, go ahead commissioner pass it on I know that's my corner.
[MCM00001177_SPEAKER_30]: Medford and now beyond so I'm very familiar with what's going on up the. But so I'm understanding it's. The packing permit comes with to Guest is that right.
[Tim McGivern]: If we great if we grant that as part part of the motion.
[MCM00001177_SPEAKER_30]: So let's see for the idea of doing one and the leashes for the idea of doing to and I think this is per household per household so that would be 3 that's a lot.
[Alicia Hunt]: But that's what they've been what they've had.
[MCM00001177_SPEAKER_30]: I mean that is what the city does right. And that's the street is getting tight.
[Unidentified]: Commissioner Brzezinski. You have to unmute.
[Bob Dickinson]: All right, here we go. I don't like the idea of creating a situation that de-incentivizes parking in a spot that you can park in. And I love Alicia's idea of having some sort of tiered structure on this parking, but While I appreciate that this is a tough spot, we continue to make decisions as a commission that make parking and traffic worse in my mind. So while I'm willing to put them in a situation that's a little bit better, I can't agree to just unlimited parking. And whether it's one guest or two guests, whatever, the guest thing I'm not so worried about because guests don't come all the time. But the idea of being able to then get I could just go buy two more cars tomorrow and use my private spot and park all the rest of them on the road. Like, I don't want to continue to support that. So I want to help these people, but I just can't support Alicia's motion, so.
[Jack Buckley]: Thank you. Well, at this point, we have a motion on the floor that has not been seconded.
[Tim McGivern]: I'm gonna second it, because I'd like to, and I hear Steve's points, but at the end of the day, if that way was just a driveway, this would have Medford addresses, and it would be treated just like any other condo building on Medford Street. So the fact that they have Bellevue in their address name is really the hiccup here, and that seems unfair. So I'm gonna support Alicia's motion, and I'll second it.
[Jack Buckley]: Okay, we have a second roll call vote on the motion from Commissioner Hunt to allow resident permit parking passes with two visitor passes per household.
[MCM00001607_SPEAKER_07]: Commissioner McGiven?
[Tim McGivern]: Yes.
[MCM00001607_SPEAKER_07]: Commissioner Hunt? Yes. Commissioner Passatori? Yes. Commissioner Brzezinski? No. Chief Buckley?
[Jack Buckley]: No. Three to two. Uh the motion passes. Um so, in similar fashion, we will notify the parking department tomorrow morning. And so, the residents will be able to get out to the parking department at some point and just get your register for your visitor passes and let me tell you, Thank you for your participation and for your comments. And the petition has passed.
[SPEAKER_11]: Thank you.
[Jack Buckley]: Thank you. 2022-16.
[SPEAKER_01]: Thank you very much, sir. Thank you. Thank you.
[SPEAKER_15]: Should we plan to go down there tomorrow or the next day, or how does that work?
[Jack Buckley]: You could go talk tomorrow, I would just give it a few hours in the morning because we have to type this up and get it, let them get them notified. We don't do that tonight, it usually takes a long time to get notified.
[Todd Blake]: Yes, if I may, Fay's department might need a little more time to code things in properly. I'm just, I don't know for sure, but I'm just throwing that out there.
[MCM00001607_SPEAKER_07]: Why don't, why don't they wait till next week, Monday?
[Jack Buckley]: Sorry, sorry, so suggestion was my I will notify we will notify the traffic, the excuse me, the parking department tomorrow, we will tell you to go Monday. And we will notify them of the status and give them some time to get everything coded.
[SPEAKER_15]: Just one other question in terms of renewing in 2023. we would be able to do that as well. And then we wouldn't have any issue with renewing in coming years. Once they get Monday, expire December 31st.
[Jack Buckley]: Yep. So correct. The pass you get now will still expire December 31st, but it is renewable year after year. The variance does not go away upon, and you do not have to come back every year and petition. It's a permanent variance credit.
[SPEAKER_15]: and they should automatically know at that time to correct you.
[Jack Buckley]: That's what the question is, is they have to enter their database and code your addresses, et cetera.
[SPEAKER_15]: Okay, and then one other question. Are the visitor passes specific to the plate? Like, would we need to call them and give them the plate number every time we have a different visitor come in, or is it just like a piece of- No, you'll go down, you'll register, they will hand you two visitor passes for your,
[Jack Buckley]: vehicles you get out to and that will be it. Again there is a change of course. That's the business.
[SPEAKER_15]: They're registered to the House only that only used for Medford Street though what what correct.
[Jack Buckley]: Yes, that is correct. The only use of that is that the street and registered to your household.
[SPEAKER_15]: What happens in the case of a snow emergency when there's no parking allowed on Medford Street because the snow emergency.
[Jack Buckley]: Same thing that occurs right now. Same thing you've done last week and I mean I know it's it's very difficult. But we also do not force president from a pocket, but it is a main artery for so.
[SPEAKER_15]: So they just like around the corner on Albion Street or something like that.
[Jack Buckley]: Yeah, I I do not offer any advice on that. But I will tell you that we do not enforce resident permit parking during a snow emergency. But that the street is a pottery that needs to be plowed into vehicles need to be moved. Thank you. 2022-60 requests from Director Todd Blake, do not block the block sign on Forest Street at Chevalier Theater. Director Blake.
[Todd Blake]: Thank you, Chief. I believe Councilor Collins is also here on this matter and maybe at least one other person. So I don't know if they wanted to speak first or not.
[Jack Buckley]: sure we have a very small audience here uh council calls welcome to our traffic commission i don't um would you like to speak or would you let me do uh uh direct the uh uh todd blake to speak on behalf of this so we can go either way um i i defer to todd however you like i have no problem that's why we pay you the big money todd just you know the director i have no problem speaking and showing the graphic i just didn't know um
[Todd Blake]: I'm going to share my screen. I'm going to share my screen. I'm going to share my screen. I'm going to share my screen. I'm going to share my screen. I'm going to share my screen. I'm going to share my screen. I'm going to share my screen. I'm going to share my screen. I'm going to share my screen. I'm going to share my screen. I'm going to share my screen. I'm going to share my screen. I'm going to share my screen. I'm going to share my screen. I'm going to share my screen. I'm going to share my screen. I'm going to share my screen. I'm going to share my screen. I'm going to share my screen. I'm going to share my screen. I'm going to share my screen. I'm going to share my screen. I'm going to share my screen. I'm going to share my screen. I'm going to share my screen. I'm going to share my screen. I'm going to share my screen. sometimes be on the crosswalk to the theater. So the graphic on the right shows when pedestrians are trying to cross the yellow guy here crossing the street. The one parking space that the commission already restricted that's hatched here in white between the theater driveway and the crosswalk We had already restricted that, which is called daylighting in traffic engineering terms, so that the pedestrian in the vehicle, this blue vehicle, could see each other when they're crossing. We recently added a plastic barrier there because people kept disobeying that restriction. But what's here tonight for all of you is on this side, this Medford Square side of the crosswalk, but it's not a parking restriction, it's a do not block the box for one vehicle length, so that when the queue does extend from Medford Square, that that last spot 20 feet or so up to the crosswalk, if people obey this properly at the yield line and at the sign and box, that they don't queue right up to the back edge of the crosswalk, which then When they do queue up right up to the back edge, that yellow guy or person that's crossing, once they get behind that car, the red vehicle coming from Medford Square doesn't necessarily have the ability to see them. So this will help with that. For Larry Rogers, that's sight lines for Larry. So this is a creative way to try to improve a situation that Councilor Collins and others had informed us of concerns about.
[Unidentified]: that visibility of the pedestrian and the driver seeing each other. Excellent.
[Jack Buckley]: Councilor Collins, the floor is yours. Welcome.
[Kit Collins]: Thank you. Thank you so much for welcoming me. I appreciate Director Todd for putting this on the agenda, for being so receptive to these concerns that I was hearing about from residents in the area. nothing to add in terms of the description of what's proposed, but I just wanted to if it's okay read into the record just a very short testimony from one of the constituents that was coming to me with this issue. And I believe he may have emailed it to a member of this commission already, but it's just a short paragraph and I'll read that if that's all right.
[Jack Buckley]: No, you're welcome. Please do.
[Kit Collins]: Awesome. Thank you very much. This is from Michael Caldera, resident of Governor's Ave. He says I'm ready to express my support for agenda item to zero to 260. I frequent this crosswalk daily with my young children on the way to bus stop at the daycare, when southbound traffic on forestry backs up past the crosswalk and blocks the box, and your daily occurrence. Northbound vehicles and pedestrians cannot see each other when pedestrians are crossing from the Chevalier side. This intersection is focal due to its proximity to the Chevalier Theatre, YMCA, bus stop, post office, and daycare. Many thanks to Rector Brake for addressing the safety concerns surrounding this intersection. He wholeheartedly supports this proposal. And then for me, I do as well. I know that there's been an improvement already from blocking the illegal parking space next to the entrance to the Chevalier. parking lot and it seems to me that this additional intervention will just help maintain even better sight lines between folks trying to cross the street and cars because the traffic back up there is such a frequent occurrence. Thank you.
[Jack Buckley]: Thank you. Thank you for participating in the comments. We did, the traffic commission did receive the email late this afternoon. We will forward it to the commissioners, but we will make it part of the records. We have a hard copy of that on file. Is there anyone else here present who wishes to speak on this petition? Just raise your hand. Outside of public access, commissioners, any questions, comments? Commissioner Brzezinski.
[Bob Dickinson]: I love it. You know, on many a concert night, this is a very dangerous area. And I do see the parents who, kind of fight back and forth to get across the street to the daycare, so I love it. The only concern I have is we do have a box at the end of Forest Street that most of the paint is gone. I just want to make sure that, I don't know, I think this is more of a systemic problem that once we draw it, we have a standard timeline where we go back in and continue to update the lines as they wear off. But I fully support this. Anything that makes it a little bit safer over there is a good thing.
[Jack Buckley]: The chair appreciates your comments and agrees with them. Commissioner McGiven, do you want to go next?
[Tim McGivern]: I don't have any comments on this, but I would just respond to Steve. When we put down paint something like this, it's new. The plan would be to refresh it. And I acknowledge that there are places around the city that need refreshing. So we're actively trying to get paying crews out there. So, and anyway, more assets we have on the road, the more that requires. So, and if folks are in tune with the whole situation in Medford, it makes it tricky right now. So anyway, we will do the best we can and we are on it. And I support this also.
[Jack Buckley]: Thank you, Commissioner Brzezinski, your hand is back up.
[Bob Dickinson]: Yeah, I just want to follow. I didn't mean to throw him under the bus at all. It was my ignorance about how that actually gets done. But I know that the box at Forest at Medford Square, I think it's a mix of people who are ignorant that it's there. And then with no pay being there, it makes it worse. And I definitely think there's a mix of people who just they don't care one way or another. But just it was more for my edification. Sorry about that.
[Tim McGivern]: Totally. I understand it. I have the same, I have the same, you know, gripe. I wish a DBW is pretty large and we have a, you know, a good size highway department, but you know, it should be a little bit bigger. And we try to keep up with, with the paint as best we can. And I didn't take it personally and I spend a good amount of the day under the bus. I feel like sometimes. Okay. Each year we've been here, we add more and more.
[Todd Blake]: So, so DBW reminds us that we're We just gotta keep up with the more we add, the more we have to maintain, so we're all in this together. I just wanna point out these yield markings, those don't necessarily require a traffic commission vote, but while we're out there, if this was approved to paint this box, we'd paint the yield lines and paint, officially paint the hatching in the parking space near the theater, things like that, we'd try to, and then now we'll pop over and get that Medford Square box maybe at the same time.
[Jack Buckley]: Good thoughts. Okay, so I will entertain a motion from the commissioners on this petition. I'll motion that. Okay, motion to approve from Commissioner Brzezinski, seconded by?
[Alicia Hunt]: I'll second it.
[Jack Buckley]: Seconded by Commissioner Hunt. I'll have a roll call vote.
[MCM00001607_SPEAKER_07]: Commissioner McGibbon?
[Jack Buckley]: Yes.
[MCM00001607_SPEAKER_07]: Commissioner Hunt?
[SPEAKER_15]: Yes.
[MCM00001607_SPEAKER_07]: Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes.
[Jack Buckley]: That appears to be lost. I still do not see a petitioner related to the original item 22-57. Can I entertain a motion from a commissioner to table this for one month for us to reach out? He had been notified, had requested to be here. I think the best way to handle that was maybe table it for one month and we will reach out to him and find out if he can be here for the next one. So 2022-57, I'd entertain a motion to just table for one month. Anyone, thoughts?
[Bob Dickinson]: I would support that as long as you, I don't know how we designate, I don't want it to get lost in the other thousands of tabled items we have, but I don't know how we can designate that it's only tabled for a month to give the petitioner a chance to speak.
[Jack Buckley]: So, I mean, we've, we've done the timeframes in the past to some success, although you would not know it by looking at our table business but I will tell you that behind the scenes we are like my traffic division is working on these table items so that we can kind of start bringing them forward with some concrete factual information and start breaking them apart because I do not want to end up 2023 with two to three pages of table business so we can start clearing some of those out. That gives me a chance to say that out loud, but I think at this point in time, this petitioner did state he was going to be here. I wouldn't want to go too far down the line and give a month after month after month, especially for variants.
[Alicia Hunt]: I'll say that and chief it used to say on the agenda which ones were tabled for specific time frame may be none of the ones currently on there. We're in that status. But the edge when the agenda had that time frame tabled until April or tabled until December. On it. It's easier for the members for the rest of us to remember and suggest bringing them off the table as well.
[Jack Buckley]: Okay, I will go back and review some of these prior ones and see if any of them should have proper notations, I could get that. So for 2022-57 on a motion to table for one month by Commissioner Brzezinski, seconded by Commissioner Hunt. Roll call vote, Alba. Commissioner McGiven? Yes.
[MCM00001607_SPEAKER_07]: Commissioner Hunt? Yes. Commissioner Passaciuoro? Yes. Commissioner Brzezinski?
[Bob Dickinson]: Yes.
[Jack Buckley]: Yes, five to nothing. The petition is tabled for one month. Uh the time is 626 still. on the motion of Commissioner Hunt. Do I have a second?
[Alicia Hunt]: I have another meeting to get to.
[Jack Buckley]: Yeah, we all do. Yes. Was there a second by Commissioner Pesetoro? Yes.
[Jack Buckley]: Okay. And a roll call vote since I love to Commissioner McGibbon.
[Tim McGivern]: That's a nice sounding name. Yes.
[MCM00001607_SPEAKER_07]: Commissioner Hunt. Yes. Commissioner Pesacero. Yes. Commissioner Brzezinski.
[Jack Buckley]: Yes.
[MCM00001607_SPEAKER_07]: Chief Buckley.
[Jack Buckley]: Yes. I thank you all for your constant participation and your thoughtfulness into the parking problems of the city of Medford. We will see you next month around town. Thank you everyone. Thank you.
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