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Certified Mail #7014 2120 0003 3809 9782

NOTICE OF DECISION

Special Permit A3 with Site Plan Review for the World’s End Reservation
Parking, Circulation and Amenities Plan

Applicant: The Trustees of Reservations
572 Essex Street
Beverly, MA 01915

Project Site: World’s End Reservation
0 Off Martins Lane
Hingham, MA 02043

Deed Reference: Certificate of Title No. 41485 and 48822 issued by the Plymouth County Registry District of the Land Court

Plan References: “Site Plan Set, World’s End”, prepared for The Trustees of Reservations, prepared by Cavanaro Consulting, 687 Main Street, Norwell, MA, dated 9/21/16, revised to 1/4/17, 3 sheets.

“Waiver Sketch-World’s End” Prepared for The Trustees of Reservations, prepared by Cavanaro Consulting, dated 2/3/17, 1 sheet.

“Planting Plan-World’s End Reservation” prepared for The Trustees of Reservations, Martin’s Lane, Hingham, Ma, prepared by Sean Papich, Landscape Architecture, 222 North Street, Hingham, MA, 02043, dated November 1, 2016, revised to January 5, 2017, one sheet.

Architectural Plans titled “Proposed Floor Plan & Elevations”, dated November 29, 2016, prepared by Strekalovsky Architecture, Inc., prepared for the Trustees of the Reservation.

World’s End Traffic and Parking Management Plan, February 6, 2017.

O&M Plan titled “Construction Schedule and Construction Period and Long Term Pollution Prevention and Erosion and Sedimentation Control Plan”, Last Revised 1/26/17, Proposed Parking Lot Extension and New Visitors Center, World’s End.

PROCEEDINGS
On September 23, 2016, the Trustees of Reservations (“TTOR” or “Applicant”) filed an application (“Application”) for a Special Permit A3 Parking Determination with waivers, with Site Plan Review pursuant to Section I-G, Section I-I and Section V-A of the Zoning By-law to improve on-site circulation and increase parking from 74 to 122 spaces, relocate the existing gatehouse, upgrade landscaping, and incorporate a site for a future visitor center with improved interpretive space and restroom facilities.

A public hearing of the Planning Board was duly noticed and opened on October 17, 2016, continued on November 14, 2016, December 5, 2016, December 19, 2016, January 11, 2017 and closed on February 6, 2017. The Applicant was represented by Daniel Brewer, Attorney; John Cavanaro, Cavanaro Consulting; Sean Papich, Landscape Architect; Vcevy Strekalovsky, Strekalovsky Architecture; Robert Murray and Fran Blanchard, Trustees of Reservations.
The Planning Board hearings were conducted by Judith Sneath, Sarah Corey, Gary Tondorf-Dick, Jennifer Gay Smith and William Ramsey. All Board members were present for all of the hearings with the exception of Gary Tondorf-Dick who missed the hearing on October 17, 2016, and, Jennifer Gay Smith who missed the hearing on November 14, 2016. Mr. Tondorf-Dick and Ms. Gay Smith each completed a Mullins Affidavit after reviewing the record prior to participating in the next hearing. The Planning Board also had a scheduled site visit on November 5, 2016. The Planning Board consulted with Jeffrey Dirk of Vanasse and Associates (traffic, circulation and parking), and John Chessia of Chessia Consulting Services, LLC (civil engineering), who acted as consultants to the Planning Board pursuant to Section I-I (2) of the Zoning By-Law.
BACKGROUND AND DISCUSSION
The World’s End Reservation is a 251 acre park located at the end of Martin’s Lane comprised of rolling hills, walking paths, and an unpaved parking area and driveway, and is zoned Official and Open Space. It is open from 8:00 a.m. to sunset (or 8:00 p.m. if earlier) 365 days per year. From 1991 to 2016, visitation has increased from approximately 40,000 visits per year to approximately 60,000 visits per year. In 2002 the World’s End Management Plan was developed in a collaborative effort with TTOR Board members and experts, as well as neighbors. The intent was to provide guidance, goals and objectives to manage the property moving forward in light of the increasing popularity of the World’s End Reservation as a destination. The Management Plan included 32 specific recommendations, some of which the TTOR has been working on over the past ten years. One of the specific recommendations was to “evaluate the current entrance design and develop alternatives that may alleviate traffic congestion at the entrance.” The TTOR developed the “Parking, Circulation and Amenities Project,” in part to implement this specific recommendation.

Approximately 95% of all visitors using World’s End constitute recreational visitors who come to walk the grounds and enjoy the scenic vistas. Approximately 5% constitute visitors attracted by various programs such as the Summer Solstice celebration, guided walks, and educational programs such as the hands-on World’s End summer day camp. Parking for the annual Summer Solstice program, which attracts approximately 1,600 visitors, has been accommodated on site historically in temporary parking areas. For the recent opening of the Jeppe Hein art installation, a planned large event, off-site parking was provided at the Nantasket Junction MBTA parking lot with shuttle bus service to the site.

Increasingly in recent years, on weekends and holidays when the weather is nice for walking, the volume of recreational visitors to World’s End during peak visitation times (approximately 11 am – 3 pm) exceeds the capacity of the existing parking spaces and the ability of the site as presently designed to manage the vehicular traffic volume. This deficiency has been resulting in a negative impact on the adjacent neighborhood and public way. When visitation volume is high the entrance becomes a “bottleneck” due to the restriction to one way traffic only because of the location of the stone pillars at the entrance which preclude two way traffic. In addition, the gatehouse located immediately inside the entrance is the point of sale location for visitors who are not members, and where the rangers verify membership of visitors who are members. These two factors prevent the efficient flow of traffic onto the site, and, as a result, traffic will queue up on Martin’s Lane waiting to enter the site. At these times, residents who wish to simply drive down the street to get to their homes are not able to do so due to the narrow condition of Martin’s Lane. It also creates a problem for public safety vehicles if they need to respond to an emergency in that area when the roadway is partially blocked by standing vehicles. Another negative existing condition is observed most often on high visitation days when the 74 parking spaces are full and cars arriving are directed to turn around and leave the area. The cars then will turn around right outside the entrance to the site in the roadway which is so narrow that cars must maneuver carefully. Those visitors should be driving back up Martin’s Lane to exit the area, however, some will make their way into the adjacent residential neighborhoods and park on the side of the road and simply walk back to enter the World’s End Reservation on foot. This results in negative impacts on the adjacent residential neighborhood which is characterized by small lots with streets that are narrow in width with little room to safely accommodate the overflow parking. The TTOR staff, as well as town staff and the public safety officials (Fire Chief and Police Chief) have received complaints regarding these negative impacts and observed the conditions first hand.

The TTOR’s “Parking, Circulation and Amenities Project” or “Project”, together with the other policies and procedures that the TTOR has implemented recently and/or propose to implement, is intended to mitigate the impacts of the existing operations on the surrounding World’s End neighborhood and the Town of Hingham by making it easier for vehicles to get onto the property, and providing additional parking as well as improved on-site circulation and management of vehicles internal to the property.

The Planning Board held five lengthy public hearings ranging from 1.5 to 4.5 hours each which were well attended by direct abutters to the Project, Town officials, and residents both in support and opposition to some or all of the proposed Project details. In addition, the Planning Board received a resident petition with over 500 signatures and over 100 emails and letters from interested parties which were made part of the record of the hearing. The Planning Board also held a formal site visit of the property.

The Applicant stated that the Project: (1) is intended to meet the needs of the existing use and mitigate impacts to the surrounding neighborhood and street; and (2) allows the TTOR to do this on site through the expansion of parking spaces, widening of the entrance to allow two way traffic, relocation of the gatehouse to move the point of service away from the entrance, reconfiguration of the driveways, construction of the loop road, and the proposed visitor’s center. The Applicant’s consultants provided testimony in support of the proposed increase in parking spaces from 74 spaces to 122 spaces to accommodate peak visitation periods. The Applicant’s consultants provided testimony that the physical improvements to the site, combined with the operational changes proposed, would enable the vehicles arriving at the World’s End Reservation to enter the site without queuing in Martin’s Lane, and, if the parking lots are full the vehicles would follow the loop road to then exit the site efficiently. The consultants explained that the visitor’s center is proposed to be built in the future, but, the handicapped parking and access to the visitor’s center is being designed for construction along with the loop road. The consultants explained that the visitor’s center was intended to have composting toilet facilities, and a small common area for the sale of memberships and bottled water, etc. The consultant team also explained the landscape plan which proposes the installation of 76 evergreen trees, 28 deciduous trees, 186 shrubs, and 166 groundcover plantings to supplement the existing vegetation on this section of the property. The consultant explained that efforts were made in the planning of the project to preserve as much of the existing vegetation as possible, and, the same care in preserving mature trees and vegetation would be taken during the implementation phase as well. They noted that the Operations & Maintenance Plan specifically discusses marking the limits of clearing prior to the start of work and having that reviewed by town staff for accuracy.

The primary concerns raised by some abutters included an interest in limiting the clearing and intervention on the natural landscape, concerns that this Project constituted an expansion of the existing use and as a result there would be an increase in traffic, concerns that the traffic analysis didn’t include Martin’s Lane, concern about loss of privacy from the installation of the loop road, and concerns about potential worsening of impacts on Martin’s Lane.

As demonstrated by the number of hours of the public hearing, the Planning Board spent significant time and care in reviewing all aspects of the Project and allowing for input from all interested parties. There were a number of plan revisions during the process as a result of feedback the Applicant received in the hearings from both the Planning Board and the general public. The subject of most discussion and debate at all hearings involved the number of parking spaces proposed to be constructed, and the schedule of programs.

The abutters expressed an interest in having the Planning Board set a cap on the number of visitors per year allowed. The Planning Board explained that their purview under Section V-A of the By-Law is to regulate the parking and related improvements, and they may set reasonable limits on programming and operations as relates to parking and traffic management. The Board also explained that presently there are no limitations or conditions on the existing use as it impacts parking, but, as a result of this process there would be conditions moving forward that would be responsive to the concerns expressed during the hearings. The revisions made to the plans during the hearig process resulted in a reduction in the number of parking spaces to a total of 107, a reduction in the scale of the proposed visitors’ center, a reduction in the number of mature trees being removed, and modifications to the landscape plan to provide more plantings for screening views from adjacent properties and dust control.

The Planning Board reviewed the Applicant’s proposed Parking and Traffic Management Plan and revised it to mitigate traffic and parking impacts. The Board noted that it would be an Appendix to the decision and if the Applicant wishes to make changes to it in the future a formal application to the Planning Board would be needed.

The overall access, circulation, operational, and parking improvements have been reviewed by the Board, the peer review engineers and staff.. The intent of the improvements is to move the vehicles off of Martin’s Lane onto the site more efficiently, and improve circulation and parking internal to the site to manage the existing use of the property. The recommendations provided by the Town’s traffic review consultant, Jeffrey E. Dirk, PE, were incorporated into the Project design and materials during the review process. In his letter of November 18, 2016, Mr. Dirk supported the relocation of the stone pillar to enable two way traffic at the entrance. In his letter of January 9, 2017, Mr. Dirk states his opinion that “increasing the available parking supply within the World’s End Reservation to accommodate between 94 and 105 parking spaces along with implementation of an effective parking and traffic management plan should provide sufficient parking to accommodate the historic peak parking demand under typical (non-large event) conditions.” The Fire Department reviewed and commented on the Project design, and their comments were addressed with plan revisions. In an email of January 9, 2017, the Fire Department stated that they have no further concerns or comments. Police Chief Glen Olsson commented on and supported the Project design throughout the process in letters dated December 12, 2016 and January 11, 2017, and, in his letter of February 1, 2017, stated that “the design as proposed will provide a significant improvement to the existing public safety concerns that resulted in this application.” In addition, the Applicant has committed to working with the Public Safety Officials to address related concerns moving forward.

There was significant discussion and deliberation among the Board members, with one member dissenting with respect to several of the majority’s findings. At the conclusion of the hearing, the Board voted 4-1 to grant a Special Permit A3 under §V-A of the By-Law to improve vehicular and pedestrian circulation and increase parking in conjunction with the existing use of, and improved amenities at, the Worlds End Reservation.

FINDINGS - SITE PLAN REVIEW
Based on the information submitted and presented during the hearing, and subject to satisfaction of the conditions set forth below, the Board made the following findings under Section I-I, 6 of the By-Law:
a. protection of abutting properties against detrimental uses by provision for surface water drainage, fire hydrant locations, sound and site buffers, and preservation of views, light and air, and protection of abutting properties from negative impacts from artificial outdoor site lighting.

The Board found that the outside lighting on the visitor’s center will be minimal and regulated appropriately. The landscaping discussed in Site Plan Review Criteria “d” will provide adequate site buffers. The review process included a review of the storm water management and net improvements. The Conservation Commission waived the requirement to control the rate of runoff because the water discharges directly to the coast. The only impervious areas being developed are the roof of the visitor center, which is clean water to be infiltrated, and possibly the handicapped parking area. The Applicant proposed additional stone sediment traps at the runoff concentration points in the parking lot as a best performance practice. Based on the foregoing, there will be no negative impacts from surface water drainage on the site. The Applicant is committed to pro-actively managing the gravel driveway for dust mitigation.

b. convenience and safety of vehicular and pedestrian movement within the site and on adjacent streets; the location of driveway openings in relation to traffic or to adjacent streets, taking account of grades, sight distances and distances between such driveway entrances, exits and the nearest existing street or highway intersections; sufficiency of access for service, utility and emergency vehicles;

The Board found that the parking and roadway improvements, relocation of the column to allow two-way traffic, directional signage, in conjunction with the operational changes (moving the gatehouse, point of payment, improved communication with visitors through social media, and implementation of the Parking and Traffic Management Plan) results in more efficient vehicular and pedestrian movement within the site and more efficient vehicular movement accessing the site from the public way. The pedestrian pathways provide for pedestrian movement outside of the vehicular travel lanes. A Security Protocol for World’s End, which shall be reviewed on an annual basis with the Chief of Police or his designee, was developed with the Police Chief and included in the Traffic and Parking Management Plan. In addition, the Fire Department reviewed and commented on the parking lot design and their comments are incorporated herein.

c. adequacy of the arrangement of parking, loading spaces and traffic patterns in relation to the proposed uses of the premises; compliance with the off-street parking requirements of this By-Law;

The Board found that the loop road will improve circulation on site and allow for better management of peak demand by allowing a defined way to turn around and exit the site efficiently. The increase in parking will help meet existing demands and support the existing use. The existing parking areas and all new parking spaces will be marked by the installation of 30” cedar posts to help guide motorists and identify the spaces for more efficient parking. Implementation of the World’s End Traffic and Parking Management Plan will improve conditions and manage the peak parking demand. These findings are supported by testimony of Mr. Jeffrey Dirk, Vanasse & Associates, Inc., the Board’s peer review traffic engineer, and the Hingham Chief of Police, including his letter to the Board of February 1, 2017.

d. adequacy of open space and setbacks, including adequacy of landscaping of such areas;

The Board found that, with the exception of the gatehouse, visitor’s center and parking areas, the property is open space with both wooded and open field areas. Except as permitted by a variance granted by the Zoning Board on January 25, 2017, the Project meets setback requirements of the bylaw. Since the September 21, 2016 submittal, the applicant has worked to limit the clearing as possible including eliminating parking spaces and modifying the proposed design of the far parking lot. The landscape plan provides for adequate screening by supplementing the existing buffers to the adjacent neighborhood.

e. adequacy of the methods of disposal of refuse and other wastes resulting from the uses permitted on the site

The Board found that trash will be removed from the site regularly, and there is no dumpster proposed. The composting toilets will be serviced regularly.

f. prevention or mitigation of adverse impacts on the Town’s resources, including, without limitation, water supply, wastewater facilities, energy and public works and public safety resources;

The Board found that public utilities are available and the toilets are proposed to be composting. The Applicant has developed a Parking and Traffic Management Plan which has been reviewed by the Chief of Police to guide operations during different events and indicates ongoing coordination with the Hingham Police Department.

g. assurance of positive storm water drainage and snow-melt run-off from buildings, driveways and from all parking and loading areas on the site, and prevention of erosion, sedimentation and storm water pollution and management problems through site design and erosion controls in accordance with the most current versions of the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection’s Storm Water Management Policy and Standards, and Massachusetts Erosion and Sediment Control Guidelines.

The Board found that erosion controls for the construction phase have been shown on the plans, and, reviewed by staff and the peer review engineer. The Construction Schedule and Construction Period and Long Term Pollution Prevention and Erosion and Sedimentation Control Plan (“O&M Plan”) dated 1/26/17 adequately addresses site development as well as post development site maintenance. The proposed drainage design exceeds requirements with the installation of additional stone sediment traps as a best performance practice. The Town’s peer review engineer noted in his letter of December 15, 2016 that the storm water management meets standards.

h. protection of natural and historic features including minimizing: the volume of cut and fill, the number of removed trees of 6 inches caliper or larger, the removal of stone walls, and the obstruction of scenic views from publicly accessible locations;

The Board found that the Applicant has minimized the tree removal and has provided a significant planting plan since the September 21, 2016 submittal. No trees are being removed for the installation of the footpaths. No stone walls are being removed. The Applicant is relocating a stone pillar at the entrance.

i. minimizing unreasonable departure from the character and scale of buildings in the vicinity or as previously existing on or approved for the site.

The Board found that the relocated gatehouse is consistent in scale and character with the existing gate house and shall be further setback from the adjacent residential neighborhood. The new visitor center building is of appropriate scale and is designed in a manner that is consistent with the character of the site and vicinity with an enclosed area of 768 square feet, and a 256 square foot porch for a total area of 1,024 square feet.

FINDINGS – REQUESTED WAIVERS TO PARKING DIMENSIONS
Based on the information submitted and presented during the hearing, and subject to satisfaction of the conditions set forth below, the Board made the following findings as to requested waivers from the provisions of Section V-A.3:
a) Waiver of minimum standard parking space of 9’ width and 18’ in length with overhang to permit slight deviations at some locations.

The Board found that the granting of relief is consistent with the intent of this By-Law and will not increase the likelihood of accident or impair access and circulation because this waiver is de-minimus and will facilitate retention of existing trees by being protective of the root systems, and, that this waiver is requested for the existing parking area and shown on the “Waiver Sketch – World’s End”.

b) Waiver of minimum aisle width of 24’ to permit slightly narrower driveways at specified locations.

The Board found that the granting of relief is consistent with the intent of this By-Law and will not increase the likelihood of accident or impair access and circulation because this is a low speed parking area and the waiver minimizes the overall intervention on the landscape without impacting the ability to make turning movements safely, and, this waiver is requested for the existing parking area and shown on the “Waiver Sketch – World’s End”.

FINDINGS – REQUESTED WAIVERS TO PARKING DESIGN STANDARDS
Based on the information submitted and presented during the hearing, and subject to satisfaction of the conditions set forth below, the Board made the following findings as to requested waivers from the provisions of Section V-A.5:
a) Waiver of subparagraph “g” requiring curb stops.

The Board found that the granting of relief is consistent with the intent of this By-Law and will not increase the likelihood of accident or impair access and circulation because the proposed cedar posts are more natural in appearance and will fit in to the existing landscape well while still delineating the parking spaces, and if a vehicle does overhang the end of the space it would be over the landscaped areas by the cedar posts.

b) Waiver of subparagraph “i” requiring parking lot striping.
The Board found that the granting of relief is consistent with the intent of this By-Law and will not increase the likelihood of accident or impair access and circulation because the parking spaces will be delineated by the cedar posts which will last longer than striping on the permeable parking area, and the proposed cedar posts are more natural in appearance and will fit in to the existing landscape.
c) Waiver of subparagraph “l” requiring paving the parking lot
The Board found that the granting of relief is consistent with the intent of this By-Law and will not increase the likelihood of accident or impair access and circulation because the proposed condition for the expanded parking areas mirror the existing parking areas currently in use, and, the permeable parking area as proposed is more natural and in keeping with the existing low impact park use of the site.

FINDINGS – SPECIAL PERMIT A3 PARKING DETERMINATION

a) The parking is sufficient in quantity to meet the needs of the proposed Project;

The Board found that the frequent parking of vehicles on Martin’s Lane and in adjacent neighborhoods, queuing of traffic on Martin’s Lane waiting to enter World’s End, and the number of vehicles turned away during peak passive demand periods is evidence of the inadequacy of the off-street parking spaces currently provided. Based on the submissions provided by the Applicant and supported by the Board’s peer review traffic engineer (Vanasse & Associates), and the Hingham Chief of Police, the 107 spaces as shown on the site plan, an increase of 33 spaces from the existing 74 spaces, in combination with the access and circulation improvements, and the operational changes set forth in the Traffic and Parking Management Plan is sufficient to meet the needs of the existing use.

b) Pedestrian access and circulation has been provided for;

The Site Plan has new pedestrian walkways to help separate pedestrian traffic from vehicular traffic, and, is improving handicap accessibility with accessible parking spaces and an accessible walkway to the accessible restrooms. The Gatehouse will be relocated from the entrance to an interior location providing for proper pedestrian access and circulation with an appropriate separation from vehicular movements.

c) New driveways have been designed to maximize sightline distances to the greatest extent possible;

The proposed Project does not create any sightline concerns.

d) It is impractical to meet these standards and that a waiver of these regulations will not result in or worsen parking and traffic problems on-site or on the surrounding streets, or adversely affect the value of abutting lands and buildings and

The Board found that the waivers from Section V-A.3 are limited to the existing parking lot as depicted on the “Waiver Sketch-World’s End”, and if not granted a substantial reconfiguration of the parking lot would be required. Waivers from Section V-A.5 are necessary in order to maintain the natural aesthetic of the site consistent with the primary character of the site as conservation land. Together, the requested waivers are related to minor design and dimensional relief and are intended to support the best design for this use and site with as minimal intervention on the landscape as possible in keeping with the existing use and existing conditions. Granting the requested waivers benefits the site design, thereby mitigating the impact of the use on abutting lands, thus it is impractical to require compliance with the waived standards. In addition, the Board’s expert writes “This will reduce impacts in the Marin’s Lane Neighborhood” in the November 18, 2016 letter from Jeffrey Dirk, Vanasse and Associates.

e) The granting of relief is consistent with the intent of this By-Law and will not increase the likelihood of accident or impair access and circulation.

The Board found that existing traffic and parking problems precipitated the submittal of this application. The overall changes to the site and waivers mitigate impacts on the public and the value of adjacent lands by addressing the existing overall adverse impacts resulting from the inadequate number of off-street parking spaces, poor internal site circulation and bottleneck at the entrance to World’s End. The proposed design will result in safer pedestrian and vehicular traffic flows on site, improved restroom facilities, improved handicap accessible facilities, improved landscaping, and mitigation of traffic and parking impacts on the adjacent neighborhood. The Hingham Chief of Police, in a memo to the Board dated February 1, 2017, opined that the proposed improvements will address existing public safety concerns. Based on the foregoing findings, granting this relief is consistent with the provision of safe and convenient off-street parking in accordance with Section V-A.1 of the By-law, and will lessen congestion and help secure safety from personal injury or property damage on public and private ways and abutting lands.

VOTE AND CONDITIONS
Upon a motion made by Sarah Corey and seconded by William Ramsey, the Board voted 4-1 to APPROVE the Special Permit A3 with Site Plan Review for the Trustees of Reservations Parking, Circulation and Amenities Project as presented at the hearings and shown on the plans titled “Site Plan Set, World’s End”, prepared for The Trustees of Reservations, prepared by Cavanaro Consulting, dated 9/21/16, revised to 1/4/17, 3 sheets incorporated herein by reference, based on the findings, with the waivers, and subject to, the following conditions:
1) Lighting:
a) The outside lighting on the visitor’s center shall be dark sky compliant, and, regulated by timers so as to not remain on when the facility is not in use. Detailed information on the outside lighting is due as part of the building permit submittal.

2) Parking/Traffic:
a) Six months following completion of the “Parking, Circulation and Amenities Project," and in no event later than January 2018, the Applicant shall submit a request to the Planning Board for a duly noticed public hearing to review how the Parking Plan worked and if any changes are needed. If possible, this lookback will be scheduled for a joint Planning Board/Zoning Board meeting. The Applicant shall provide the Planning Board with documentation sufficient for the Board to determine the effectiveness of the Parking and Traffic Management Plan, including but not limited to visitation numbers, traffic counts, any occasions of note such as queuing in Martin’s Lane or other operational problems, and frequency/duration of police details. The Planning Board may require changes to the Parking and Traffic Management Plan to address identified issues during the hearing.
b) The Applicant shall provide a vehicle count by time of day, and corresponding visitor count for the duration of one of the top two highest volume visitation months including 4 full weekends and provide the summary report to the Planning Board in writing.
c) Prior to conducting the analysis the Applicant shall review their methodology for the count with the Town’s peer review engineer to ensure that the data will be useful and the methodology is consistent with industry standards.
d) The Applicant shall implement and comply with the Parking and Traffic Management Plan dated 1/25/17, as revised through February 6, 2017, attached hereto as Exhibit A and incorporated herein by reference.

3) Landscaping:
a) The Applicant shall implement and comply with the “Planting Plan – Worlds End Reservation”, dated November 1, 2016, and revised to January 5, 2017.
b) Landscaping for the proposed visitor’s center shall be planted (weather permitting) in Phase I – Parking Area Construction, at the time of the construction of the loop road and handicapped parking to allow the screening to become established and start to grow if necessary before the visitor’s center is constructed.
c) Additional landscaping pursuant to the plan shall be planted as the construction work progresses on site as opposed to waiting until the Project is completed and then installing all the plantings at once.
d) The underground utilities for the visitor’s center shall be installed in areas disturbed or to be disturbed so as to not disturb additional area for the utilities.
e) The Trustees will install plantings at the entrance as shown on the “Planting Plan – Worlds End Reservation”, dated November 1, 2016, and revised to January 5, 2017.

4) Site Development and Operations:
a) A pre-construction meeting is required not less than 2 weeks prior to the start of site work to review the erosion controls and limits of clearing, and, all other required paperwork. The NPDES permit, if required, shall be provided to the Planning Board and Building Commissioner at or before the meeting. At a minimum, the Conservation Agent, Town Planner and peer review engineer for the Planning Board shall be in attendance, as well as the Applicant’s site engineer and construction manager.
b) If the handicapped parking area is required by applicable law or regulation to have a paved or paver surface, a supplement to the drainage report must be submitted prior to the pre-construction meeting for review by the peer review engineer at the Applicant’s expense to ensure compliance with storm water management standards.
c) Design and peer review of the infiltration system for the visitor center roof is required prior to issuance of a building permit. This shall include soil testing for soil conditions at the location of the visitor center, and, for soil type and system sizing at the location of the infiltration system.
d) The Project shall be constructed in accordance with, and the property shall be maintained in compliance with, the O&M Plan dated 1/26/17.
e) The Trustees will procure the equipment necessary to apply an application of water to the roadways at a frequency necessary to minimize the creation of air borne dust.
f) The Trustees will install the tracking pad at the entrance as presented.
g) The Applicant shall obtain a determination from the Building Commissioner as to whether an excavation permit is required prior to the pre-construction meeting.
h) The Applicant shall undertake the archaeological investigations in the Project impact area as set forth in the letter from the Massachusetts Historical Commission dated December 22, 2016 prior to the pre-construction meeting.
i) The visitor center building shall be built substantially as depicted on the “Proposed Floor Plan & Elevations”, dated November 29, 2016, prepared by Strekalovsky Architecture, Inc., prepared for the Trustees of the Reservation. In no event shall the building exceed 18’ in height.


_____________________________
Judith S. Sneath
Chairman, Hingham Planning Board
EXECUTED this ____ day of February, 2017


Votes:
In favor: Sneath, Corey, Smith, Ramsey
Opposed: Tondorf-Dick


Cc: Clerk, ZBA, Fire, Police, Assessor, Conservation, DPW, Building, Historic, D. Brewer, J. Chessia, J. Dirk, J. Cavanaro, V, Strekalovsky, S. Papich



NOTARIZATION

EXECUTED this ______ day of February, 2017


COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS

Plymouth, ss February _____, 2017


Then personally appeared Judith Sneath, Chairman of the Hingham Planning Board, and acknowledged the foregoing to be the free act and deed of said Board.


_____________________________
Dolores A. DeLisle, Notary Public
My Commission Expires: ______________




Exhibit A
The Trustees of Reservations
World’s End Traffic and Parking Management Plan

[see attached]


The Trustees of Reservations
World’s End Traffic and Parking Management Plan
February 6, 2017
Goal: to execute a safe and efficient traffic and parking management plan for the World’s End Reservation (the “Property”) to:
1. Ensure the safety of visitors to the Property, event attendees, neighbors, and the safety of the general public traveling to and into the site.
2. Create efficient flow of traffic and minimize impacts on the surrounding neighborhood.
3. Formalize the management of traffic and parking at the Property for all events.
Ongoing Strategies to Manage Visits and Shift the Attendance from Peak to Off-Peak Times:
TTOR recognizes that during peak visitation periods (defined to mean 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. on Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays from April through November, depending on weather) the management of traffic and visitation to Worlds End is critical in order to mitigate impacts on the surrounding neighborhood. To promote better mitigation, TTOR shall utilize the following strategies:
1. Use social media including the Trustees website, and local facebook and twitter accounts to message in advance about lot closures, site updates, and challenges with parking availability
2. Encourage use of carpools whenever possible including ‘camp outs’, solstice, and other programs
3. Evaluate incentives to shift attendance from peak to off peak visitation including pricing
4. Schedule program offerings off peak hours whenever possible
5. Utilize pre-registration for events when possible in order to effectively manage crowds
6. Coordinate with Hingham Police and Fire on a parking strategy in advance of an event
7. Incorporate police details on events and Peak Visitation days to enforce no standing on Martin’s Lane
Tiered Events:
Tier One: These are large audience events like Summer Solstice, or an Anniversary Celebration. There shall not be more than two Tier One programs annually and each shall be limited to one day in duration. Tier One events shall be scheduled outside of peak visitation times. Attendance for Tier One events shall be capped and preregistration is required. The parking and management strategies for all Tier One events shall be reviewed and coordinated with the Hingham Police and Fire Department in advance of the event. To the extent required by the Police Department after a case by case review police details will be deployed for Tier One events.
Tier One Programs
Name/Description Scale (maximum) Frequency
Seasonal Celebration (ex. Summer Solstice) 350 vehicles 1/year on the date of the solstice if a summer solstice event
Anniversary or World’s End specific celebrations 250 vehicles Not to exceed 1/year
Advertised free admission days, e.g. Green Friday n/a Not allowed
Notes: 1. There will be no parking outside the designated parking areas except during Tier One events.
Tier Two: These are moderate audience programs which fall outside the peak visitation period. Examples are school field trips and camp outs. The school field trips shall be scheduled for weekdays, while schools are in session. They shall be booked in advance to avoid scheduling conflicts among groups. All field trips shall be dropped off at the site by the school bus, and then the buses shall be parked off-site and return for prearranged pickup. Language shall be included in field trip instructions that buses cannot idle during pick-up and drop-off operations. Family-based camp outs may be offered on two specific weekends per year, with arrival late in the afternoon and departure mid-morning.
Tier Two Programs
Name/Description Scale (maximum) Frequency
Camp out 100 people/session 2/year
School field trips 100 students Field trips shall not overlap
Notes: 1. Buses shall not idle during drop off and pick up operations.
2. All parking for Tier Two events shall be in the designated parking areas or off-site with shuttle bus provisions. Carpooling will be encouraged.
3. Tier Two Programs will not be scheduled concurrently or overlapping with Tier One programs.
Tier Three: These are small audience programs geared to 15-20 people. These programs are run throughout the year, are typically scheduled for morning or late afternoon/evening time slots, and fall outside of peak visitation periods. With the limited number of cars associated with these events no special parking procedures are needed.
Tier Three Programs *
Name/Description Scale (maximum) Frequency
Guided walks (adults) 20 people/walk **
Outdoor activities (children) 20 people/activity **
Equipment rentals (snowshoes, kayaks, etc.) 20 people/equipment Seasonally**
Nature art Workshops (painting, photography, etc.) 20 people/session Seasonally**
Summer Camp 20 people/session M-F from late June to mid-August**
*Parking for all Tier Three programs will be in designated laid out parking areas
**shall not overlap with Tier One events nor shall multiple Tier Three events be offered concurrently to equal a Tier Two or Tier One event.
Staffing: The Trustees shall bring on additional on-site staff the day of each event, scaled appropriately to the program needs. In advance of a Tier One or Tier Two event, the Trustees shall work directly with the Hingham Police Chief or his designee at least one month prior to the event to determine the appropriate number of police detail officers that are necessary based on the nature of the event and expected attendance level. The Trustees shall assume all costs associated with the required police details as directed by the Police Chief.
Prior to all events:
All notifications and announcements for the event shall include a statement on the prescribed parking arrangements appropriate to each event. This shall include:
1. Postings on the Trustees website and its social media accounts
2. Event listing in The Trustees members’ magazine
3. Postings on the on-site bulletin boards
4. Press releases for the event in local news outlets. (for Tier One events)
5. These postings shall encourage use of the Greenbush Commuter Rail service for events when a shuttle service is provided from Nantasket Junction station. (for Tier One events)
All notifications and announcements shall include a statement that parking is expressly prohibited outside of the property’s parking facilities and that vehicles parked along Martins Lane or other neighborhood streets shall be subject to ticketing and towing at the vehicle owner’s expense. Paid events shall require pre-registration to allow for better control of the events attendance and general event planning. Tier One and Tier Two events shall be scheduled so as not to occur during the property’s peak visitation times.
Parking Procedures for Tier One and Tier Two Events, and Peak Visitation Days:
Anticipated Peak Visitation Days, Tier One and Tier Two Events may require additional off-site parking. Prior to the event or day, the Trustees shall coordinate with the Hingham Police Chief and shall make arrangements for off-site parking at the MBTA Nantasket Junction station, or other appropriate location, with a shuttle service provided to the Property. The Trustees shall assume all associated costs and liability associated with the off-site parking and shuttle service operation.

• For Tier One events parking may be accommodated within the Property on specific sections of the fields on Planter’s Hill that have been identified by the Trustees’ ecology staff as non-ecologically sensitive. A staff person shall control and regulate the one-way flow of traffic over the bridge at Damde Meadows. Two-way radios shall be used to manage the flow of traffic within the Property.

• During Tier One and Tier Two events, and on Peak Visitation weekends, TTOR rangers shall staff the parking lots to monitor cars coming in and out as well as staffing the front gate. The parking lot ranger shall radio up to the front gate staff to let them know how many spaces are available. Once there are no spaces available, the rangers at the entrance to the property will let people know that the lots are full. When parking lots are full, vehicles shall be directed to turn around and exit the property utilizing the internal loop driveway. Rangers shall make it clear that there is no parking available in the neighborhood. The TTOR shall post signage similar to that at Cranes’ Beach to let vehicles know that they will be required to turn around and exit the site. At the dispersal of an event, police details will ensure safe access and egress to and from the neighborhood according to the plan developed in consultation with the Police Chief.

• During Peak Visitation weekends at the discretion of the Police Chief or his designee a police detail shall be posted at the Property exit at the expense of the TTOR.
Security Protocol for World's End:
Security protocol for the site shall include the on-duty Ranger locking the pipe gate to the lots and at the bridge entrance to the site at sunset after the last vehicle leaves. The loop drive shall remain open to allow for turn around traffic. When the loop drive is open there shall be access to the first parking lot only. A sign shall be posted near the entrance to the property that states the hours the property is open to the public. A chain and Knox Box (or similar) shall be provided at the stone columns at the entrance to the property in order to provide complete closure of the property if deemed necessary by the TTOR or the Chief of Police to control unauthorized nighttime use of the property. At a minimum, the chain gate at the entrance shall be locked on weekend nights (Friday-Sunday) and remain open Monday-Thursday nights. The Rangers shall open the property at 7am on weekends during the summer season to accommodate the somewhat larger demand for early access to the property. Accommodations for the installation of security cameras shall be included with the plans for the visitor center.
Annual Review:
This traffic and parking management plan will be reviewed on an annual basis with the Hingham Police Chief or his designee and other Town Departments to review parking management procedures. Any proposed changes to the Frequency of Tier One and Tier Two events or modifications to this Traffic and Parking Management Plan shall require approval of the Planning Board and Zoning Board as applicable.
Notes:
TTOR will provide public notice through social media that visitors are expected to drive carefully to and around Worlds End and that parking within posted areas of the neighborhood may result in towing or ticketing. This shall be emphasized in special event notifications and announcements also.