HEATH — An Ashfield-based landscape architecture and planning company presented a proposed accessibility plan for the historic village center in Heath at this week’s Selectboard meeting.
Charles Schnell, co-owner of Walter Cudnohufsky Associates, gave the Selectboard a 10-page document that outlines the three phases of the plan, which would take five to 10 years to complete. The firm had previously been hired privately for an accessibility study of Sawyer Hall by Heath resident Bob Viarengo.
This project, Schnell said, will build off of that study and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Self-Evaluation and Transition Plan that the town received from the Franklin Regional Council of Governments (FRCOG) at the May 19 Selectboard meeting. Selectboard Chair Robyn Provost had previously said that after receiving the plan and looking at some of the buildings and areas mentioned, it was necessary to reach out to an engineering firm for a feasibility study and phased implementation plan.
This plan has what Schnell referred to as “complementary objectives,” which are to make the village center more accessible, and preserve its historic and rural character.
“Through thoughtful design and phased implementation,” the document states, “Heath can improve access while preserving the architectural and cultural character that defines its village center.”
According to Schnell, the village center is a nationally registered historic district. He noted there “aren’t as many hoops to jump through” when dealing with an entire district versus a few select buildings.
Primarily, Schnell said, this project is focused on municipal, town-owned buildings, but it also looks beyond these to assess the accessibility of the landscape. If there are privately owned buildings in the historic district, the Selectboard would be able to set guidelines for those under Chapter 40 of Massachusetts General Law.
Provost said the plan presented by Schnell was “well put together and mapped out,” and while no specific plans exist yet, the three phases presented offer a roadmap of steps the town could take in the future.
The first phase would assess the initial district and focus on exterior accessibility, which Schnell said hasn’t been done before. This would create “a baseline drawing that puts everything together,” he added.
Walter Cudnohufsky Associates wrote in the document that “early actions should focus on lower-cost, high-impact improvements that address immediate barriers while establishing the administrative framework for long-term implementation.”
The second phase begins the planning and design, with Schnell saying “longer-term planning is important here, because the budget is going to be paramount.” This phase could involve looking for practical solutions to some of the accessibility issues while preserving the character of the village center, and beginning to think about what areas of the center should be addressed first.
The final phase would include completing larger infrastructure improvements, expanding accessible public spaces, improving the accessibility of the village center’s streets and updating the ADA transition plan.
The estimated fee for the services of Walter Cudnohufsky Associates is just over $30,000, with Cultural Council Chair Barbara Gordon asking if grant funding would be available since the village center is a registered historic district. The Selectboard said there might not be a grant that could cover the entire cost, but smaller grant programs could be used to offset the total expense.
Provost said the town is invested in the project, and just needs “to reach out and get the money. … We need $30,000 to move forward with the next steps.”
