[Town Meeting] Article 7 (easements)

[Adam Auster]

(A handout is attached, however as a convenience its full text (except  
for one photograph) appears below in this email.)

Fellow Town Meeting member:

I write to acquaint you with Special TM Article 7 concerning easements  
for sidewalk reconstruction in East Arlington, where I live. This  
article could come up as early as Monday night.

Such easements are normal with projects like these, to give  
construction crews the legal right to use private property  
temporarily, for example to position equipment next to its place of  
use if needed.

Warrant articles like this pass routinely for similar projects.  
However, because these sidewalks are in East Arlington and are being  
rebuilt as part of the Mass. Ave. project here, the motion proposed  
under Article 7 may face opposition. Since any use of the takings  
power requires a 2/3 vote, a minority could prevail and deny the Town  
this tool to rebuild the sidewalks.

As you probably know, the Mass. Ave. project has been controversial  
due to some features of its design. However, failing to authorize  
these easements will only lead to a piecemeal renovation of the  
sidewalks. It will not affect the design of the project. Nor would it  
affect or delay or prevent the road part of the project itself,  
according to the fact sheet distributed by the Town last week.

Ironically, should Town Meeting fail to grant these easements, the  
result would be that motor vehicles and bicycles will receive a first- 
class rebuild of their roadway while pedestrians get a partial, second- 
class job for the sidewalk.

This would be unfair to the people who live in my part of town and is  
especially hard on people in chairs and using walkers. It's also  
unfair to put businesses through the stress of construction but fail  
to deliver a first-class renovation of the sidewalks their customers  
use to reach their front doors.

New sidewalks here are overdue. I've posted some photos of rough spots  
online here:
http://wordonstreet.wordpress.com/2011/05/04/sad-sidewalks/

I hope you will join me in voting for this important authorization.

Sincerely,

Adam Auster
Precinct 3
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