Weston Rail Trail Panel Cancels February Meeting, Advances Bench and Parking Decisions

WESTON — January 28, 2019 — Weston's Rail Trail Advisory Committee removed a contested parking space and advanced a bench installation strategy at its January 28 meeting. The committee voted unanimously to eliminate the northernmost regular parking space on the south spur at Concord Road following a complaint from a neighboring abutter whose driveway access was blocked. Members agreed that granite benches at the Concord Road and Church Street locations should be included in the upcoming construction bid package as add alternates, preserving flexibility to remove them if neighbor outreach raises objections. A representative of Weston 300 reported the organization now has 44 granite benches and approximately 305 six-by-twelve granite pavers available for dedication plaques, with designer Kevin O'Leary engaged for placement work at three other trail sites. A policy change at DCR has delayed a required signature on the Request for Determination of Applicability for a $114,000 vegetation screening grant, pushing the approval timeline back at least two weeks and risking the committee's ability to secure nursery stock for spring plantings. The committee holds an estimated $136,000 in unspent grant funds but faces fiscal-year spending deadlines.