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Tisbury isn’t the only Vineyard city qualified by the state for shared-use route (SUP) improvements. The Massachusetts Section of Transportation (MassDOT) strategies SUP building from the Lagoon Pond Bridge in Oak Bluffs to the intersection of Eastville Avenue and County Highway.
“The proposed improvements will increase vehicular and pedestrian safety, provide bicycle lodging, present compliance with Us residents with Disabilities Act (ADA) benchmarks, and increase vehicular targeted visitors safety by which include ‘Complete Streets’ structure concepts,” a 2019 MassDOT detect states.
The task stands to employ preexisting roadway easements and in some places will also involve land having in get to accommodate the 8-to-10 foot path.
At minimum one particular Eastville Avenue property owner is displeased with the prospect of dropping land to the SUP and thinks there’s an established different route that is not currently being regarded as. Xerxes Agassipour, who owns a household on the curve the place Beach Road improvements about to Eastville Avenue, said his house stands to get rid of a substantial part of its price because of to land taking for the SUP. Agassipour informed The Situations the SUP will stage trees that display his assets from the street and carry the path to inside of “about 10 feet” of his porch. He claimed he’s at a reduction for why the SUP does not follow an existing bike route that winds by the grounds of Martha’s Winery Healthcare facility and as a substitute runs along what he explained as the risky, frequently flooded corner where his assets sits.
Agassipour explained he’s experienced issues reaching Oak Bluffs town administrator Robert Whritenour about the SUP.
“I tried out to achieve out to him on a selection of occasions,” Agassipour reported. “He was intended to be the stage of make contact with to try out to coordinate with all the abutters and he did not return any phone calls and from what I understand he’s leaving now…”
Whritenour, who has acknowledged a career in Yarmouth, couldn’t straight away be reached to confirm this or to comment.
Agassipour also claimed he reached out to the selectmen and read again from selectman Brian Packish. Packish acknowledged talking with Agassipour, as nicely as other assets owners alongside the SUP route. Packish said quite a few experienced also appear ahead of the selectmen previously in the year next MassDOT letters they received. For most of them, he claimed, they assumed land was becoming taken from them. Nevertheless, Packish mentioned the letters in fact indicated the state was in search of temporary legal rights to work on their land to construct the SUP. He admitted in Agassipour’s scenario, things show up unique. He mentioned he inspired Agassipour to attain out to Island reps in the point out legislature.
“For the report, I’m for the bike path, for what it is well worth,” Agassipour explained. “You know I really don’t consider which is a awful thought.”
He went on to say the way the process was currently being taken care of, primarily how taxpayer concerns these as his are remaining fielded, was subpar. He stated he’s formed the view the town “punted” to steer clear of fees.
“The city is pushing the price tag on the point out and then on us,” he claimed.
A review of overlay maps on the Oak Bluffs assessor’s portal displays Agassipour’s house line runs fairly significantly from the street as in comparison to adjacent heaps. A screen of trees seems situated beyond the bounds of his assets as opposed to inside of it. Agassipour claimed evaluations by two distinctive realtors found the reduction of people trees would adversely influence the price of his home.
Even with the depth of roadside land evidently managed by MassDOT ahead of Agassipour’s property line, a letter sent to Agassipour by MassDOT right of way agent E. Jenny K. Flanagan on March 1 signifies the condition strategies on likely deeper in and attaining some of Agassipour’s personal land.
“The goal of this letter is to notify you that MassDOT – Highway Division will be initiating the appraisal process…,” the letter states. “I have been directed to supply an appraisal of the parcels to be acquired from your residence. Around the upcoming handful of weeks, I will be conducting inspections of the homes afflicted by this undertaking and meeting onsite with assets owners.”
An e mail seeking remark on Agassipour’s land and the viability of the clinic route was not right away returned by MassDOT.
Updated to involve feedback from Whritenour.