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Residents press UEZ streetscape plan for Midland Avenue over sidewalk width, parking and notice concerns
Summary
Public commenters faulted the Midland Avenue Streetscape design and UEZ process for inadequate public notice and for renderings that would narrow sidewalks, displace sidewalk cafes, and put benches facing apartment windows; councilors and the chief said the project will be reviewed and staff will post renderings online.
Several residents used the council's public-comment period to challenge the Midland Avenue Streetscape proposal and the Urban Enterprise Zone's outreach process, saying the project's renderings were not widely circulated and would narrow sidewalks and affect business operations.
Melanie Ryan, speaking during public comments, said she had walked the proposed corridor and found the plans would push parking and street fixtures into the travelway. She argued that bioswales, benches and meter installations shown in schematic renderings would reduce the available sidewalk to four to six feet in many locations and block access for double-wide strollers, deliveries and sidewalk cafes.
"You cannot have a six-foot or an eight-foot wide sidewalk, and adding all of these things is causing a problem," Ryan said, citing cellar doors, driveway cuts and condo- and storefront entries that were not shown in the public sketches. She also said renderings did not show existing meter posts, yellow curbs and crosswalks.
Ryan urged the council and the UEZ to hold a formally advertised public presentation in addition to the UEZ meeting where the draft plan was discussed. She said several businesses and residents near Chestnut, Davis and Elm Streets had not been directly notified and that the design, as shown, would put benches facing ground-floor living-room windows. She asked that the council not approve bidding until affected residents and businesses had an opportunity to review a fully labeled plan and for the project to be reassessed for accessibility and business impacts.
Police and public-works staff said they would verify pedestrian signals cited by residents and would examine the detailed design. Chief McPhee said he would check a pedestrian-activated flashing-crosswalk device that residents said had changed and would confirm whether other walk signals had been included in the installation. Council members said they would post renderings on the town website and encouraged the UEZ and engineering team to bring a labeled, street-by-street plan to a future meeting.
Background and funding: The Midland Avenue Streetscape was described in council materials as UEZ-funded; the council has authorized advertising for bids for the project (Resolution 1-69). Residents questioned whether that authorization proceeded without a clearly labeled, townwide presentation and asked for additional steps before construction bids are advertised.
Ending: Council staff agreed to post the current renderings online and to return with marked-up plans and a public presentation; residents asked the governing body to delay bidding until that outreach and a design review are complete.
