2024-9-4 Open Space & Recreation Committee meeting minutes FINAL City of Beverly Open Space &Recreation Committee
September 4,2024
Meeting Minutes
1 CITY OF BEVERLY
2 PUBLIC MEETING MINUTES
3
4 BOARD OR COMMISSION: City of Beverly Open Space& Recreation Committee
5 DATE: September 4, 2024
6 LOCATION: Beverly City Hall, 191 Cabot Street, 3rd Floor, Council
7 Chambers
8 MEMBERS PRESENT: Chair David Alden-St. Pierre; David Brewster; Charlie
9 Mann; Grace Charles; Elizabeth Dunne; Wayne Miller;
10 Jamie Jamieson; Mario Tricomi
11
12 MEMBERS ABSENT: Todd Callaghan; Alie Dudley; James Passanisi; Gregory
13 Sharp
14 STAFF PRESENT: Ken Clawson, Assistant Planning Director
15 RECORDER: Kristan Patenaude
16
17 1. Call to Order
18
19 Chair Alden-St. Pierre called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m.
20
21 2. Public Outreach
22
23 Alden-St. Pierre noted that there was a request through the Beverly Bike Committee regarding
24 the gate at both ends of Greenwood Avenue and potential wider access for mountain bikes or
25 similar items. There is a set of standards for adaptive bikes that will need to be considered.
26
27 Mann stated that he reviewed this area. The end at Common Lane will be very simple to move a
28 boulder to gain this access. The other end is private property on both sides and there will need to
29 be considerations regarding potential encroachments.
30
31 Alden-St. Pierre stated that it would be nice to have additional accessible areas and to be able to
32 promote those.
33
34 3. Updates from Boards and Commissions
35 a. Planning Board
36
37 Nothing to report at this time.
38
39 b. Conservation Commission
40
41 Charles explained that there is a set of flags that needs to be approved by the Commission at its
42 next meeting. Also, the Beverly Beach Management Plan is not yet complete. This will be used
43 to maintain all of the beaches in the City. This will likely need to be amended as West Beach has
44 nesting Piping Plovers. Additional monitoring will need to be considered in the future.
45
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City of Beverly Open Space &Recreation Committee
September 4,2024
Meeting Minutes
46 c. Community Preservation Committee
47
48 Jamieson stated that there will be a public hearing for the launch of the grant funding on
49 September 121h at 7pm. Mann stated that there may be an opportunity to purchase a trail
50 easement on the Williams property. This could be a suggestion for the grant funding.
51
52 Jamieson stated that the accessible drinking fountain project at Gillis Park in Ward 2 continues to
53 move forward. A couple of the CPC grants for Girdler House and Habitat for Humanity were
54 unfortunately determined not to be eligible.
55
56 d. Harbor Management Authority
57
58 Clawson stated that Harborfest will be held this Sunday from 1pm-5pm.
59
60 e. Parks &Recreation Commission
61
62 It was stated that the Director's Report from July 1 lth is available, and the next meeting of the
63 Commission is on September 121h. There will be five communication boards purchased to help
64 children with communication issues. The Parks & Rec information has been updated at all of the
65 parks in the City. Some of the parks need a bit of maintenance. There was discussion regarding
66 how maintenance issues could be reported.
67
68 4. Open Space Conditions/Issues
69 a. Ward 1
70
71 No updates at this time.
72
73 b. Ward 2
74 i. Comments on Bartlett Park
75
76 There was discussion regarding Bartlett Gardens. There is a wetland area on the site and other
77 nice amenities.
78
79 c. Ward 3
80
81 No updates at this time.
82
83 d. Ward 4
84
85 Clawson stated that there was a recent meeting regarding Endicott and there will likely be
86 movement on this item.
87
88 e. Ward 5
89 i. Discussion about next steps in constructing a bridge at Norwood Pond
90
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City of Beverly Open Space &Recreation Committee
September 4,2024
Meeting Minutes
91 Clawson explained that if the cost is under $10,000 the design drawings can be completed
92 without being put out to bid. The Committee agreed to move forward with this item.
93
94 ii. Discussion about accuracy of JC Phillips map in conjunction with Moraine
95 Farm
96
97 Clawson stated that there is a trail behind Moraine Farm, and he has received calls of people
98 getting lost. He suggested the Committee consider revising the map to add this area.
99
100 f. Ward 6
101 i. Update about bike racks at Sally Milligan for MassTrails grant
102
103 Clawson stated that the bike racks have been purchased and the grant for the Sally Milligan
104 project is complete. These will be placed at every kiosk.
105
106 ii. Update on Beverly Commons trails
107
108 There was discussion regarding cultivating jump areas in the Greenbelt property while making
109 sure it is kept only to certain areas. People need direction in order to create appropriate trails in
110 sanctioned locations. Charles stated that marking areas that are outside of resource areas could
111 also be important.
112
113 It was noted that there is a truck blocking easement access at the end of Wood Lane.
114
115 5. Discussion of policies and practices that have or have not been adopted to foster native
116 plants, butterflies, and other pollinators on municipally owned space
117
118 Jamieson reviewed a potential list of seven policies and practices that the Committee could
119 consider adopting. Somerville has an ordinance mandating the planting of native species on
120 municipally held land. This led to an effort to engage the public in planting native species as
121 well. Arlington has made ecological landscaping part of its Master Plan and adopted a plan for
122 maintenance of its lands including fostering native plantings. Arlington also created a handbook
123 to promote the planting of native, pollinator friendly species, based on a document Concord
124 previously created. Beverly could consider additional activities and how to fund them.
125
126 It was noted that Green Beverly completed a pollinator pathway project and gave out pollinator
127 kits for the project. There was discussion regarding having a Councilor pull together stakeholders
128 in order to move these items forward.
129
130 Charles exited the meeting at 8:31pm.
131
132 6. Discussion about potential for fire in heavily wooded area near private housing
133
134 The Committee agreed to table this item to the next meeting.
135
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City of Beverly Open Space &Recreation Committee
September 4,2024
Meeting Minutes
136 7. Discussion about potential MassTrails grant opportunities:
137 a. Plaques and/or signage to identify various types of trees/shrubs
138 b. Improvements to fire road trail for Fire Department access of Greenwood
139 Avenue
140
141 Clawson stated that the grant will be coming up and potential projects for funding should be
142 discussed. The Committee discussed a project for revitalizing the trail behind the businesses on
143 Bass River.
144
145 There was discussion regarding an upcoming meeting between Greenbelt representatives,the
146 Mayor, the City Solicitor, and Committee members to determine what can be done on the
147 Williams property. Legal access to the area needs to be discussed.
148
149 8. Staff Updates
150 a. Update about Folly Hill/Trask Lane future development
151
152 Clawson stated that Folly Hill will be filing an application by the end of the month and has
153 already filed their MEPA. The City has until October 1st to make any comments on the MEPA
154 filing. The proposal includes 466 apartments. The majority of the area is wet. The developable
155 areas have been identified on a plan,with access from Trask Lane. There should be a discussion
156 regarding if the City can obtain any open space as part of this proposal. Of the 77 acres,the
157 proposal for development is only on 12 of them. The Committee discussed compiling comments
158 and concerns to be submitted as part of the MEPA filing.
159
160 Brewster: Motion to establish a letter for the MEPA filing that there be more trails and open
161 space set aside. Miller seconds. Motion carries (7-0).
162
163 b. Update on coastal resilience projects
164
165 No update at this time.
166
167 c. Schedule annual report to City Council for October
168
169 The Committee discussed pushing this into November.
170
171 9. Approval of Minutes
172 a.July 10,2024
173
174 None at this time.
175
176 10. Adjourn
177
178 Brewster: Motion to adjourn. Miller seconds. Motion carries (7-0).
179
180 Meeting adjourns at 9:11 p.m.
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