20211229 Special City Council Minutes City of Beverly
Special City Council Meeting
Public Meeting Minutes
Wednesday,December 29, 2021, 7:00pm
Paul Guanci, City Council President, called the meeting to order at 7:00pm. Christine Dixon,
Assistant City Clerk, took the attendance by roll call.
Members Present: Stacy Ames, Kathleen Feldman, Timothy Flaherty, Estelle Rand, Todd
Rotondo (arrived 7:1Opm), Matthew St. Hilaire, Paul Guanci
Members Absent: Julie Flowers, Scott Houseman
Michael Cahill, Mayor, led the pledge of allegiance.
Communications from His Honor the Mayor
Order#246-Department of Environmental Protection Waterways Regulation Program.
A motion to receive and place on file was made and seconded. A vote was taken, and the motion
carried (6-0).
Guanci read Rule 22 of the Beverly City Council. He introduced a vote to allow items to be
taken out of committee and voted on the floor. A vote and the motion carried (6-0).
Reports from Committee
Legal Affairs
Order#241-Reappointment-William Alpine to serve on the Beverly Board of Health.
A motion to approve was made and seconded. A vote was taken, and the motion carried (6-0).
Order#245-Appointment-Justin Jordan, MD, MPOH, FAAN to the Beverly Board of Health
A motion to approve was made and seconded. A vote was taken, and the motion carried (6-0).
A motion to recess until 7:15pm was made and seconded. A vote was taken, and the motion
carried (6-0). The Council meeting recessed at 7:04pm.
Rotondo arrived during the recess.
Guanci called the meeting back to order at 7:17pm.
Public Hearin
Order#233-7:15pm-Community Preservation Committee-Out of Cycle Application for Moraine
Farm
Darlene Wynne, Director of Planning &Development, presented on the application.
Flaherty asked for clarification, since The Trustees of Reservations owns the property, what the
conservation restriction purchase would do. Flaherty stated he thinks it is well worth it.
Wynne stated that these three parcels are currently unrestricted, which means they could be
developed or sold for development.
Flaherty stated the CPC is appointed for a reason, and they spend all year meeting on these
projects. Flaherty stated he would yield to their expertise and fully supports this. The Council is
the authority to say yes or no, but the CPC spends a lot more work on these projects. Flaherty
stated he appreciates the work the CPC, Open Space Committee, Darlene and other committees
involved do on this.
Rotondo asked what the current zoning there is.
Wynne stated it is residential.
Rotondo asked how much could be developed up there.
Wynne stated that was part of the appraisal; it was appraised for eight building lots.
Rotondo asked why the City is the applicant and not the Trustees.
Wynne stated the Trustees can't hold their own conservation restriction; another entity needs to
hold it, so the City is buying the development rights to hold the conservation restriction.
Rotondo stated it is a lot of money for something that the City will never own. Rotondo stated
that in his opinion, it seems the point of return is not a lot.
Rand respectfully disagreed that the benefits are clear but agreed that it is a funny situation. The
City is purchasing the preservation of that property to never be developed, and it is strange that
the City won't own it, but it will be preserved as open space. It seems like a normal way The
Trustees operates. Rand noted this space has no public transportation access, so even though
there is a lot of access to the public, and the parking would be expanded, there are lots of people
who need better access to that kind of open space.
Wynne stated enhancing the Conant St. entrance will provide an access point to the 451 bus and
CATA bus, so it is not rapid transit, but there would be public access transit.
David Santomenna, Associate Director for Land Conservation for The Trustees of Reservations,
stated that looking at the list of potential new reservations across the state, Moraine Farm is one
of those places The Trustees has long wanted to protect and share with the public. Santomenna
spoke about the Batchelder family's role in donating a conservation restriction over a majority of
the property in 1990. By design,they left a few strategic parcels out of that restriction in an effort
to retain some value. The Trustees had a very successful private capital campaign for the
property.
St. Hilaire stated he is inclined to support this project. Covid has taught the importance of open
space and outdoor recreation on health and wellness. St. Hilaire asked about priorities on the
open space side and whether spending here prohibits something being done on the Simon St.
property.
Cahill stated he has been talking with the CPC about the opportunities that are coming up. There
have been a lot of really productive conversations about two Simon St. lots, and the City will
respond to both RFPs the Housing Authority has put out. Some of that could potentially be
covered under ARPA, but we are still looking into it.
Feldman stated she is thrilled to hear about this opportunity. As a person that lives in that
neighborhood, that Conant St. access point is huge in terms of safe accessibility to that entire
parcel of lane. That is a critical point of access for the bus line, pedestrian and bike access. It
seems like a win-win for the City and the constituents of Ward 5.
Beverly City Council Meeting Minutes—December 6,2021 page 2 of 3
Ames asked about the kind of programming that could be developed for kids who do not usually
have these kinds of resources.
Santomenna stated programming is yet to be determined but we are excited to work with the City
of Beverly to figure out ways to get people out to the property. The driving motivation is to make
this available to the public.
Ames asked about reimbursement by grant.
Santomenna stated that this project doesn't lend itself to a grant due to timing. Looking at the
project as a whole, The Trustees is bringing three quarters of the cost through a capital campaign.
There was discussion on what counts as conservation and recreation. Santomenna stated walking,
running and biking would all be allowable. Project Adventure is going to stay on the property
and continue to have access to their challenge course, and their operation will stay largely
unchanged.
Ames and Cahill discussed the Simon St. project and the balance in the CPA budget.
Rand asked who would be creating and managing the community garden.
Wynne stated The Trustees would provide space, and the City would have to identify a
management structure.
Santomenna stated The Trustees runs 56 community gardens in the City of Boston, so we have
some experience to bring there. We view it as collaborative and want it to be successful
Charlie Mann, 21 Riverview St. and member of the Open Space Committee, stated he is very
much in favor of this. We are really fortunate for what the CPC has done to leverage this. The
Trustees is putting in far more than the City is. This is going to be permanently a reservation and
is a really big thing we are doing for the people of Beverly.
Euplio "Rick"Marciano, 141 McKay St. asked about the by-right uses of these properties,
including if dogs will be allowed, and asked if there will be any back-up parking spots.
Cahill stated there will be significantly more parking and those ten spaces will be set aside for
Beverly residents only.
Santomenna stated that he anticipated it would be open to dogs and it would be asked that they
be leashed. In terms of"by right" it will be open to the public for traditional uses for recreation.
Marciano also emphasized the importance of the Simon St. parks and concerns about parking in
that area.
Dean Berg, 45 Neptune St. and Executive Director of Green Beverly, expressed his full support
of this project.
Guanci closed the public hearing.
The motion to approve was made and seconded. A vote was taken, and the motion carried (6-1,
Rotondo opposed, Flowers and Houseman absent).
The motion to adjourn was made and seconded. A vote was taken, and the motion carried (7-0).
The meeting adjourned at 8:14pm.
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