The Oak Bluffs selectmen have canceled plans to use a town lot for a new park and ride service after neighborhood residents came out in force to oppose it.
“I think you folks spoke loud and clear about the parking lot across the street, so I think we have to go back to the drawing board,” selectman Walter Vail said at a meeting at the Oak Bluffs library on Tuesday.
The remarks were met by cheers from the dozens of residents who attended the meeting to voice their opposition. While many supported the concept of a park and ride and agreed that traffic should be reduced downtown, residents of the School street neighborhood where the parking lot would be located had raised vocal concerns about noise from pedestrians and vehicles.
“I would like to say we were heard, and I would like to thank all the people who came out because sometimes it takes a village for us to be heard,” said resident Gretchen Tucker Underwood.
The decision presents a major setback for the park and ride service, which was set to begin this summer. The free bus service was designed to shuttle passengers between Ocean Park and School street starting June 20. Selectmen came up with the plan as a way to alleviate vehicle congestion downtown by offering employees and visitors an alternative place to park.
The Vineyard Transit Authority offered to provide the bus service and the Steamship Authority voted last week to help fund it.
But now the fate of the park and ride is uncertain. Selectman Gail Barmakian said finding another parking lot will be difficult, since neighbors in other areas are likely to raise similar objections. “We are a community so it’s not a matter of taking it from one neighborhood to another,” she said. “Let’s find an appropriate place.”
In other business Tuesday, following an emotional public hearing over a dog incident, selectmen voted to euthanize a German shepherd that attacked and killed another dog earlier this month.
According to a report from the town animal control officer, the dog escaped from a home on Olinda avenue and attacked a Jack Russell terrier that was walking with his owner.
The Jack Russell sustained serious intestinal injuries in the attack and eventually died. The dog’s owner, Gary Jardin, also received treatment for bites on his hand.
“It was a severe attack,” said animal control officer Anthony BenDavid. “It was like nothing I had ever seen in my recent time with the town.”
The German shepherd’s owner, Rosemary Kaszuba, apologized for her dog’s behavior and presented two letters vouching for the dog, who she said was normally well adjusted and well trained. “I am very sad about this situation,” she said. “I have had dogs for 17 years, and I have lost four dogs, and I wouldn’t wish it on anyone. I am very sorry.”
In light of neighborhood concerns, she said she had sent her dog for specialized training in upstate New York.
“He will not be coming back to the commonwealth,” she said.
Despite those claims, selectmen voted to order that the dog be put down.
“A responsible dog owner, in my opinion, would humanely euthanize their dog,” Ms. Barmakian said.
Actual application of the selectmen’s decision remained in question because of the dog’s location out of state. Mr. BenDavid said he would investigate the dog’s whereabouts.
Selectmen also voted to make the taxi stand at the foot of Circuit avenue a tow zone. Taxi company owner Diane Habekost requested the change.
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