Gazebo access a sticking point with Lancaster selectman who would rather raze it than wait – Worcester Telegram

Sara Arnold| Item Correspondent

LANCASTER - Selectman Jason Allison is furious the gazebo is not yet ADA accessible and is prepared to have the gazebo removed if that is not rectified.

During Monday night's meeting, he said it is critical the town serves the 10 percent of the population that has ambulatory disabilities, adding we care more about where it is, than if its accessible.

Town Administrator Orlando Pacheco said there were plans in place to build after winter, creating a ramp, with an informal April or May deadline. The new ramp would be smaller and look more like the gazebo, with a stone dust pathway.

Im not OK with this, Allison said, adding that if the gazebo wasnt made accessible by March 1, he wanted it removed.

Selectmen Jay Moody and Walter Sendrowski were concerned, given the wintry weather that is likely between now and March.

Allison said he is very upset, and passionate about the 'who' not the 'where,'a problem which he is motivated to solve.

Moody suggested a compromise,havingfinal plans done by March 1.

Allison made a motion for formal final plans to be completed and approved by the Commission on Disability and the building commissioner by March 1; if not, the gazebo must be taken down.

Were not in a position to threaten anybody, Sendrowski said, recommending they wait until spring and get the plans in place. He called the threat of removal overkill.

Selectmen unanimously approved a motion to draw up plans, with the requirement that the gazebo be removed taken off the table.

Allison said he would make a motion at the March 1 selectmens meeting for the gazebo to be removed if the final plans werent completed.

There will be no more signs on the Town Green - kind of.

The Town Green Committee had previously unanimously recommended signs be banned.

Allison said he was torn, as signs like the banners found on the Town Green are important in moderation.

Sendrowski refused to weigh in on the issue at all.

Consider me a dissenter, he said, pointing out he was not in favor of the committee being brought into existence in the first place.

Although Thayer Memorial Library has historically placed banners there, such as for the annual book sale, Director Joe Mul said the Town Green is a revered space and he said he supports no allowing signs.

The signs of the Bulfinch church would be exempt, so banners for the annual strawberry festival and other events of the church would continue to be on the Town Green.

Pacheco said the bylaw referenced during discussion addresses only permanent signage, not the kind of temporary banners that have been placed on the Town Green. He said a change would impact five to 10 banners a year.

Banners are subject to the elements, fall overand look really bad, said Heather Lennon, a member of the Town Green Committee and chairman of the Historical Commission. The seat of town government needs to be pristine.

Banning signs passed 2-0, with Sendrowski abstaining.

Making the committee permanent, the committees other recommendation, was not taken up.

Special Town Meeting might still need to happen.

Although Minuteman Regional Vocational Technical High Schools School Committee planned this week to discuss Lancasters request for them to revote on athletic fields borrowing in spring, to allow Lancaster not to try to bring residents to a town meeting during the winter (see the story in the Dec. 4 Item), Pacheco believes the answer will be no.

He said he was told the low bid Minuteman is planning to accept is only valid until mid-January, and other member towns arent doing a town meeting to vote on the borrowing.

If Lancaster wants to stop the district from taking out the loan, the town will likely need to have a special town meeting within 60 days of the Minuteman vote.

Moody asked residents to write to the selectmen or Pacheco if they do or dont want a town meeting and the Minuteman borrowing, so selectmen can decide at the Dec. 21 meeting if they need to resurrect the special town meeting.

If they do have one, they can now do so on a Saturday, as that bylaw has been changed.

There will be a permanent committee for commercial and industrial economic development.

Phil Eugene, a member of the temporary committee, said a permanent committee will be tasked with reviewing development proposals to keep Lancasters character and rural charm and prevent overdevelopmentwhile encouraging development in North Lancaster, including infrastructure like water and sewer.

This is what the town needs, Allison said. This could be pivotal to take Lancaster where it needs to be.

Sedrowski said they need to have friendly, cooperative conversations with developers, not like what has happened in the past. He said they needed to concentrate on and emphasize getting development happening in North Lancaster, not keeping the town pure.

We need money, Sendrowski said. They all agreed.

The committee will consist of seven members, including members from the Planning Board, Conservation Commissionand the town planner. The three spots for residents will be immediately advertised.

Selectmen followed the Board of Assessors recommendation and set a single tax rate for both residential and commercial property.

Selectmen declined to renew Kalon Farms alcohol license for wine and beer. Kalon Farms has been cited for serious safety violations and code issues, with the state building department now involved as well as action from the state on pouring licensing issues and land use decisions, according to Pacheco.

Some operations will have to cease permanently and some will have to operate differently, he said.

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Gazebo access a sticking point with Lancaster selectman who would rather raze it than wait - Worcester Telegram