6/29/2020 BOARD OF SELECTMEN Minutes

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6 Board of Selectmen Minutes June 29, 2020 APPOINTMENTS & HEARINGS Department of Public Works Director Catherine Laurent: Discussion and Approval of Route 151 Improvement Project: Encroachments (Private Signs, Lighting etc.): (continued) Ms. Laurent explained that because of the wide right-of-way for Route 151, the placement of signs for businesses on their own property negatively impacts visibility for customers/clients. Landscape features are required to be maintained within the right-of-way along the property frontage. Granting the licenses may promote cooperation from the property owners for the securing of easements. If the Town allows the encroachments to remain after construction, a license should be granted for the items. If the encroachments are impacted during construction, they would need to be relocated to a location agreed upon by the Town. The project includes multi-use paths, a sidewalk and drainage where a temporary easement would be required and in some instances permanent easements would be necessary. Ms. Laurent indicated that a warrant article would be prepared for the October Town Meeting for necessary easements to be taken by eminent domain. This would include compensation for the assessed values. A License to Enter and Use Real Property of the Town of Mashpee; Route 151 respectively would include language that shall terminate the license unless the license is amended or extended in writing, as well as terminology to grant the Town the right-of-way for future road improvements if so required. Of the 14 encroachments, 12 businesses have benefited from the use of public property for potential decades. Discussion followed with respect to formally notifying the business owners individually regarding this concern, and the removal of the encroachments at the business owner cost with the consideration to reinstall their encroachment(s) to a new location as reviewed and agreed upon by the Town of Mashpee. It was noted the project scope includes the extension of the multi-use path from Old Barnstable Road to James Circle, and a sidewalk from Jobs Fishing Road to Winslow Farms to accommodate pedestrian traffic on both sides of Route 151. The Director of Public Works has been working with the MA Department of Transportation in their right-of-way decision. The encroachments need to be addressed before the project goes to bid. In developing an understanding with the local businesses, it was suggested the property owners with encroachments receive a copy of the road plans to include a benchmark as a point of reference to visually locate property lines within the 100' right-of-way with the understanding there is a timeline for the removal of the item(s).