The Marion Select Board on Tuesday agreed to have officials create approximately 75 temporary lined parking spots on Island Wharf to alleviate the parking shortage in the village area.
Also, at Tuesday’s meeting in the Police Station meeting room, the board agreed to 28 items, or around $3,000,000, of road improvements on Point Road, including concrete-based sidewalk improvements.
The Select Board earlier this spring approved the formation of a subcommittee to study parking around Island Wharf, an area shared by boaters with trailers, concert goers at the town bandstand, residents who visit the grass area for picnics, and patrons of local businesses.
The topic of village parking has been debated at Marine Resources Commission, Planning Board, Open Space, and other town boards and committees over the last few months.
At issue is a grassy open space area, and officials have debated whether that area, designated as open space, should be used for parking, especially for those who visit the area for passive recreation. Select Board Chair Randy Parker proposed looking at the original deed.
The board, however, was not in full agreement with some of the recommendations. Select Board member John Hoagland said the grass area should be restricted to only weekend parking. Select Board member Norman Hills said residents and other visitors should be directed to park on Spring Street and other adjacent side roads during the busy weekend. Parker took issue with that point, as well as Harbormaster Adam Murphy.
Murphy said if boaters park on the side streets during their permitted 72-hour parking period, it would be a nuisance for both boaters and officials to get boaters in and out of the area quickly.
“You are going to deter parking for someone to go out on their boats,” Parker said.
Planning Board Chair Andrew Daniel took issue with limiting parking within the grass areas, especially for new and other businesses looking to generate patronage and revenue.
Officials on Tuesday also talked about the safety of some trailers and boats being parked within the adjacent open space grass area, especially when that area is jammed with concert goers looking to navigate a jammed parking area that has trailers and other marine-based equipment.
Select Board members voted to allow Murphy, also a town police officer, and the Department of Public Works to use baseball chalk to create parking and one-way traffic on the wharf.
Officials agreed it would help direct traffic and create more parking spots. They also agreed to further review Hoagland’s list of recommendations and allow the MRC to weigh in on the subcommittee report before taking further action.
Police also recommended creating vegetated barriers in the grass area to prevent some motorists from crashing into trailers or boat vessels.
The Select Board went through 28 items of road improvements on Point Road, some of which had been approved at the last Town Meeting. The board agreed that the sidewalks should be updated and some of the curves in the road should be modernized.
Parker mentioned that he has fielded many complaints about the surface of the road, as well as the road layout, and lack of sidewalks.
Department of Public Works Director Jody Dickerson said by the end of this construction season, a new asphalt coating should be on the road, making an immediate improvement.
The board also discussed a letter from town counsel about developer Sherman Briggs’ proposed multi-unit condominium project off Spring Street.
The 10-building project is looking for a residential sewer rate, as opposed to a commercial rate.
The board described the project as falling within a commercial development but Briggs, Daniel and other officials, as well as project proponents, mentioned that both the zoning and status of each dwelling is a condominium and would be owned by individual families.
Town Administrator Geoffrey Gorman and board members proposed that Briggs deliver a PDF of his plans and have Town Council review updated plans.
Many at Tuesday’s meeting noted that Town Council might have been using older data when it made its determination.
Marion Select Board
By Jeffrey D. Wagner