No preview available
2004-02-04 City of Beverly, Massachusetts Public Meeting Minutes BOARD: Open Space and Recreation Committee SUBCOMMITTEE: DATE: February 4, 2004 rd PLACE: 3 Floor, City Hall BOARD MEMBERS PRESENT: David Gardner (Chairman), Bill Squibb, Robert Buchsbaum, Kathleen Skrabut, Elizabeth Dunne, James MacNeil, Paul Knight ABSENT: Tony Paluzzi, Ellen Flannery, and Pam Kampersal OTHERS PRESENT: Amy Maxner, Planning Department RECORDER: Jeannine Dion Chairperson Gardner calls the meeting to order at 7:30 p.m. OLD BUSINESS Approval of Minutes Knight moves to approve the January 7, 2004 meeting minutes as amended. Seconded by Skrabut. All members are in favor. Motion carries 7-0. Skrabut moves to approve the October 1, 2003 meeting minutes as written. Seconded by Squibb. All members are in favor. Motion carries 7-0. Earth Day Update th Maxner states the date and time for Earth Day is Saturday, April 24 from noon to 3 p.m. The common is booked with the Parks and Recreation Commission for good weather. She states that the Cove Community Center is booked in case of bad weather. There is concern about parking near the common. Maxner states the following organizations will be at Earth Day: · The Beverly Conservation Land Trust. · Cape Ann Vernal Pool Team. · Stakeholders Committee (Recycling Committee). · Phil Klimowicz with the Forestry and Grounds Department indicated that he may plant another tree somewhere on the common and if so agreed to hand out dogwood seedlings as he did last year. · First Night Committee – Chairman Eileen Duff will be providing flowerpots and Open Space and Recreation Committee Minutes February 4, 2004 Page 2 paint for the children to decorate. · Maxner states she has spoken with the Audubon Ipswich River Wildlife Sanctuary and explained what the city is doing and that the Committee would welcome the opportunity to have them participate. She explains they have expressed interest and it is a possibility. · Maxner has spoken with the Rain Barrel Company and they are very interested in providing a demonstration, perhaps later in the day. · Maxner states she would like to contact Great Harvest Bread Company to see if they are interested in participating in the Earth Day Program. · Maxner states she will contact Wild Oats to see if they are interested in participating in the Earth Day Program. nd · Maxner has drafted a letter to the Superintendent of Schools to explain the 2 Annual Earth Day activities and invite the schools to participate. She asks the members to review the draft letter and E-mail their comments to her. She states that she will hopefully be able to further expand the participation, and will keep the Committee informed. Green’s Hill – Report on concept plan pro bono work – MacNeil/Dunne Gardner states this should be discussed at the next meeting. Members agree to allow time for the draft power point to be presented. Sally Milligan Plan finalization – Buchsbaum Buchsbaum states there is a need to go from concept to implementation. He is not sure how much more revision the plan needs, as the Conservation Commission and the Parks and Recreation Commission has already approved the plan. Gardner states this can be further discussed at a later time when ideas for implementation can be explored. Beverly Land Trust – Update on grant applications – Gardner Gardner states he spoke with Stella Seamans last week and she is applying to New England BioLabs for grant money to help fund the construction of the kiosks. He furnished them with a letter in support of their application. He explains that they are also applying for state grants and is hopeful they will get some money from that source for signage. Kiosk update – Kampersal Gardner states Kampersal could not make the meeting tonight but indicated that she will have information available for the next meeting. Open Space and Recreation Committee Minutes February 4, 2004 Page 3 Review of in holdings – Gardner Gardner states he is most concerned about the in-holdings at Sally Milligan. This will be discussed in further detail in the near future. NEW BUSINESS Community Preservation Act discussion – Squibb Bill Squibb provides handouts for members to review, which outline various towns and cities that have adopted the CPA. He states there is quite an advantage to having this program in place for many communities. He states one of the problems of the last campaign was that there wasn’t enough lead-time to get a public education program implemented. He states that it would have been helpful for the Historic Society to be more involved in the campaign. He states that the campaign for the CPA is a very time consuming project, and it may not be realistic for this Committee to try to organize it. He states that there needs to be a larger constituency to make up the committee that brings this initiative forward. He suggests that the following groups get together to head off the campaign: Beverly Conservation Land Trust, Historical Society, Conservation Commission, Essex County Greenbelt, Beverly Housing Authority, Open Space and Recreation Committee, to name a few. Gardner states that this can be discussed at a future meeting, and maybe members could think of helpful ideas for this project. Green’s Hill Draft Public Presentation Review – Skrabut/Knight Skrabut and Knight present the draft version of the power point presentation to the rest of the Committee. The members review the Green’s Hill Draft Public Presentation and provide comments and suggestions on how to improve and modify the presentation. Troubetaris suggests contacting the Boy Scouts, which have many Eagle Scouts looking for projects to fulfill the badge requirements. Gardner states there has been discussion regarding clearing an area to discourage improper activity and utilizing Boy Scouts or another local organization in the tree cutting and brush clearing. Mr. Faulstick, an abutter to the property states that his property is very wet during high tide and that one would not be able to put a walkway in a tidal zone. He invites the Open Space and Recreation Committee Minutes February 4, 2004 Page 4 Committee to visit his house during high tide. He states he is interested in protecting his property and recommends that the Committee face the difficult pieces first. Renee Mary, 274 Hale Street, asks about Chapter 91. Buchsbaum responds that there is a license procedure for Chapter 91; it is not a flat prohibition against building anything, that one must first apply for a license. Faulstick recommends that before Skrabut and Knight make the presentation, they research narrow piece of property (Map 19, Lot 27X), which connects the Greens Hill property to Green Street. Maureen Troubetaris suggests that the meeting take place at the Ryal Side School, perhaps the same evening as a PTO meeting. Buchsbaum recommends that the Committee speak with the Conservation Commission before the presentation takes place. Maxner states that the Commission would need to see a finalized plan in order to provide guidance to the Committee. Gardner expresses concern that the purpose of the meeting is to find out what people are interested in and what they would like to see at Green’s Hill. He does not think the meeting is to discuss Chapter 91 and Conservation Commission issues. Skrabut and Knight agree to make the necessary changes to the presentation and to try to set up a meeting with the Ryal Side Civic Association and the neighbors. OTHER BUSINESS Next Month’s Agenda rd The next meeting is scheduled to take place on March 3, 2004, 7:30 p.m., 3 Floor City Hall and agenda items will include: · Kiosk update · Earth Day update · Community Preservation Act discussion · Committee Schedule for the coming months. Adjournment Buchsbaum moves to adjourn the meeting. Seconded by Dunne. All members are in favor. Motion carries 7-0.