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CPC Meeting 2023-1-19 Minutes Community Preservation Committee January 19, 2023 Meeting Minutes PUBLIC MEETING MINUTES CITY OF BEVERLY BOARD OR COMMISSION: Community Preservation Committee SUBCOMMITTEE: N/A DATE: January 19, 2023 LOCATION: Beverly City Hall, 3rd floor Chambers MEMBERS PRESENT: Chairperson Heather Richter, Vice Chair Derek Beckwith, Robert Buchsbaum (left 9:05pm), Thomas Bussone, Nancy Marino (arrived 7:25pm), Marilyn McCrory, Danielle Spang, Christy Edwards, Suzanne LaMont MEMBERS ABSENT: OTHERS PRESENT: Darlene Wynne (Beverly Planning Department), Bruce Doig (Beverly Parks and Recreation), Bob Ashmore, Rich Tabbut RECORDER: Darlene Wynne 1. Call to Order Chairperson Richter calls the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. and welcomes all committee members and attendees to the meeting. Wynne took a roll call of committee members present. 2. Welcome and Remarks Richter opened the meeting and welcomed all members of the public present. 3. Consultation and O&A with the CPC The CPC encourages the public, current or potential applicants, and other interested parties to bring their questions/comments to the meeting during this 15 minute session. Richter inquired with the public present if there were any general questions not pertaining to the Round 10 Applications, and with none presented moved onto the next topic of discussion. 4. Review of Round 10 CPA Funding Applications a. Birch Plains Pickleball Courts Richter opened the discussion, and members requested clarification on the proposed project timeline where CPA funds are made available after a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) is signed. Bussone noted applicants may proceed with projects regardless of CPA funding commitments and then assume the risk to cover all costs of the project in the event CPA funding is not granted. Members request that Director Doig update the financials in the application to account for the missing $600.00 and specify for which costs the city seeks CPA funding. Members inquire about Birch Plains land, and Directors Wynne and Doig confirm it is under 1 Community Preservation Committee January 19, 2023 Meeting Minutes Beverly Conservation Commission control, not Parks and Recreation. Buchsbaum notes the Conservation Commission has not yet reviewed this project. Richter invites public comments, and Ashmore supports the project, plays pickleball, and looks forward to having dedicated fields in Beverly. Pickleball is attracting players of all ages, from middle school students through elderly, and is advocating to join the Olympics. Tabbut echoes his support for pickleball courts and notes that it is a low-impact sport, keeping it accessible for a greater range of people. Marino noted the approximately 6-8 pickleball advocates in attendance and appreciated their attendance at many Parks and Recreation Commission meetings as well. She appreciates their strong advocacy, and notes her support for the project. Members discuss making a motion, and LaMont notes the public comment period is open through February 1, 2023. Motions will wait until after the public comment period closes. b. Gillis Park Improvement LaMont recused herself and left the room. Richter opened the discussion, and Spang inquired what surfacing the city intends to use below the spinner. Doig confirms that poured in place rubber surfacing is very expensive, and the city plans to use engineered wood fiber instead, which is also safe, and needs a 6' radius around it to accommodate fall zones. Members inquire whether the spinner will be ADA compliant if installed as planned, and request a quote for each item to be installed at the park. Members ask whether replacing the water fountain is more maintenance and upkeep than a capital improvement, and Doig confirms the old fountain was more exposed to the elements. The new modern fountain is enclosed, will be easier to maintain, and is ADA accessible. Members request a revised schedule (in line with CPC approval and funding process, when funds are available) and itemized quotes for the equipment. Spang noted that she filed a disclosure of no conflict of interest with her designated authority because she is on the Ward 2 Civic Association. c. Lynch Park Carriage House Preservation Richter opened the discussion, and Edwards notes the proposed budget does not include the inflation factor from the 2018 estimated plan. Doig confirms the materials cost has increased and labor would now be completed in large part in-house by the Department of Public Services. Bussone notes this is one piece of a larger project, and questions the soundness of funding it without a plan to complete the renovations. Doig confirms this is part of a larger project, but notes it is important to address some of the structural issues now to prevent further damages from animals, climate change and storms. Marino asks how much of the work DPS can complete, and Doig noted a lot of it will depend on their schedule and availability, some of the heavy work may need a contractor. Richter shares concern that it is a Preservation project, without mentioning working with the Historic Districts Commission, but approaching from a Parks and Recreation perspective. Doig 2 Community Preservation Committee January 19, 2023 Meeting Minutes explains this is part of a larger picture towards preserving the building. Wynne notes the City is applying for Lynch Park to be on the National Register of Historic Places, to be eligible for additional historic preservation funds, and exploring the possibility of a Municipal Vulnerability Project grant relating to the coastal resiliency aspects of preserving the building. Edwards shares concerns this is an emergency deferred-maintenance issue, and worries about piecemeal early investments for naught without a plan to fund the full preservation project. McCrory asks about Secretary of Interior Standards, and Spang suggests under "preservation"purpose Secretary of Interior Standards would not apply, only under "restoration/renovation"purpose. Bussone echoes Edwards' concerns over spending money for the first phase of a project where the city lacks an overall plan to fund the $10 million full project. Buchsbaum notes the Carriage House is one of the historic buildings city residents think about, and the type of project that people would expect to support in continuing to pay the CPA surcharge. Beckwith suggests the Committee include a statement towards stewarding the full project during a vote on the application. Members request Doig revise the application to eliminate costs for Phase II vertical drainage system ($20,000)that was not meant to be included, and to include the Phase II element that will be funded in the description. Members also requested to know whether DPS can complete the project if CPA funding is not recommended. d. Restoration of Beverly Farms Cemetery Fence: Phase II Richter opened the discussion, and members feel the applicant demonstrated the ability to complete the project where the Improvement Society finished Phase 0 independently. Members request the budget sheet be corrected to show the current request for $80,000 and well as the funding percentage (69% for Phase II, with total cost of$116,000). Members suggest packaging Phase I and II together for bid, to hopefully reduce costs. LaMont requests a reminder to the applicant to communicate with Historic Districts Commission per the MOU for Phase L Also, the purpose should be "restoration" not"preservation." Beckwith suggests the project timeline could be extended through 2024 to allow the applicants sufficient time to finish raising funds for their portion of the project. McCrory noted there is no mention to the Historic Districts Commission in the application, and LaMont explained that Phase I is on HDC's next meeting agenda to review the project and MOU terms. e. Larcom Theatre Marquee Restoration Richter opened the discussion, and members felt like the applicants did a really nice job with the application, and appreciated that they responded to the evaluation criteria. Members had some clarification questions about the MGCC matching grant, where part was crowd-funded and part was a grant. Bussone wondered whether owning the property under an LLC would impact the ability to include a clawback provision. He would also like to see a bit more applicant skin in the game where this would substantially increase the building value, and it is a private entity rather than a public or non-profit entity. Buchsbaum inquired how a modern LED sign would look historic, and members discussed how it could be achieved while noting CPA funds were not requested for the LED components of the project. Members suggested informing the applicant they need to coordinate with HDC, and Beckwith suggested they also coordinate with the Design 3 Community Preservation Committee January 19, 2023 Meeting Minutes Review Board. Spang noted the vendor did not include any necessary support steel to connect the marquis to the building in its estimate, and inquired whether it has been analyzed and/or how that would be paid for if it is needed. Members noted that Preservation Restrictions can be very complicated, and it is a nice offer in the application but unsure of the applicant's intentions. It raises a few questions about who would hold it and pay for it, as there are costs associated with holding it long-term. There is also a question about other projects that may have included a preservation restriction and/or clawback clause. (Buchsbaum leaves at 9:05pm). 5. Open Proiects Status Update The CPC discusses the extension of three projects that are held by Beverly Department of Public Services: the Gruppe Mural Restoration, Beverly Farms Cemetery Fence Restoration, and Greenergy Park preservation/restoration of inverter house and subset of solar panels. Commissioner Collins with DPS requested all 3 projects be extended 12 months. There are no questions and Beckwith motions to approve extending the deadline for all 3 projects through February 28, 2024; Spang seconds. The motion carried (8-0). 6. Community Preservation Coalition Annual Dues Beckwith moved to pay dues; seconded by Spang. The motion carried (8-0). 7. Approval of Minutes Minutes will be reviewed at the next meeting. 8. Adiournment Beckwith moves to adjourn at 9:27 p.m.; seconded by Marino. The motion carried (8-0). The next regular meeting of the Community Preservation Committee will be held on Thursday, February 16, 2023, at City Hall. 4