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OSRC minutes_ 07.06 CITY OF BEVERLY PUBLIC MEETING MINUTES BOARD: Open Space and Recreation Committee SUBCOMMITTEE: None LOCATION: City Hall; Council Chambers DATE: July 6, 2022 BOARD MEMBERS PRESENT: David Alden-St. Pierre (Chair), David Brewster(Vice Chair), Elizabeth Dunne, Gregory Sharp, Marilyn McCrory,Wayne Miller, Charlie Mann,Alison Dudley,Todd Callaghan,James Passanisi, Robin DiDinato BOARD MEMBERS ABSENT: STAFF MEMBERS PRESENT: Victoria Healey,Associate Planner OTHERS PRESENT: Mario Tricone (public member from ward 4) RECORDER: Sharlyne Woodbury 1. Call to Order Alden chairs and opens the meeting at 7:00 p.m. Note, a this is a hybrid of virtual and in-person meetings allowed by extension (Act effective June 16, 2021 thru July 15, 2022) of state Executive Order signed March 12, 2020 due to COVID-19. 2. Eagle Scout project(s) presentations/updates Ryan Trabulsi presents to the Committee his Eagle Scout project ideas. His ideas include but are not limited to trail updates and additional kiosks along trails. Alden recalls other eagle scout projects to which he and Healey suggest joining with other eagle scouts in order to tackle the large trail areas. Mann asks Trabulsi if he would coordinate a group to complete the project as part of the scout requirements. Members discuss which trails require the most maintenance and upkeep. Healey will coordinate and with Trabulsi for project suggestions and trail needs per the committee. Sidebar: Miller suggest shutting down a few trails that are safety hazards due to overuse. Mann asked if members saw the group email to walk the Beverly Commons and see where maintenance is necessary. Healey will coordinate with the main people determine a date and time for the walk. Once settled,the rest of the committee will receive notification and attend if their schedules permit. 3. Recommend Robin DiDinato as the Parks&Recreation Committee representative for OSRC Motion: Mann moves to recommend DiDinato as the Parks & Rec representative to the Open Space & Recreation Committee. Callaghan seconds.The motion carries 9-0. 4. Open Space and Recreation Plan a. ADA self eval update Healey provides the updates and confirms Doig responded to the evaluations and they are complete. Healey confirms the OSRC members completed their assignments in full. Healey anticipates Doig scanning and sending the documents to her. b. Draft review Open Space&Recreation Committee July 6,2022 Meeting Minutes Page 2 of 5 Members overall agree the draft looks good with the exception of typos in Chapter 10. Mann will send a copy of his edits. Healey and members explain those are public comment and will be left as is per the original survey responses. Healey confirms comments are recorded verbatim. Healey asks if members reviewed and approved on the trails map. Members discuss small particulars of legend references at Foster and Standley Street. Discussion resumes on the Garden City trail map and the Bass River Estates, which currently displays 40 acres. Mann noted the Hannah School acres labeled incorrectly on the map. Healey asks members if the dinghy storage on Foster's Point has a discrepancy with public vs private. Mann confirms there are more dinghy storage by Shortell Ave, and Jenna Pirrotta sent email notifications of dinghy removal by the end of the month. Callaghan informed members of updated signage in the area.The wetlands are affected which is why HMA determined removal of other boats like dinghy's due to illegal dumping and encroachment into the wetlands. Ownership in question over the parcel at the end of Elizabeth Ave and Foster point. Members will email Healey with specific comments and edits for the maps, legends, and chapters. Healey will incorporate those changes and suggestions for the comments as members submit them. McCrory ask for a deadline and Healey suggests end of week July 15, 2022. Sidebar: Brewster asks if there is any consensus on the bog bridges. Members discuss the Conservation Commission (ConsCom) review process for different projects. Looking to streamline small projects in order to keep movement without blocking the system and holding projects up. Alden explains the idea behind having a criterion for small projects to meet and receive approval for project completion. As an example, notice wet spots where bog bridges could be built.Those are good projects; they will not negatively impact wetlands. Miller notes some of those roads are fire roads and cannot block the road. 5. Next Steps a. Sally Milligan Healey provides the updates. Submitted the grant request for bridge and confirms the MassTrails grant request was not approved. Next step is an RDA for the bridge to go before the ConsCom. b. Norwood Pond Healey provides the updates and discusses next steps. Moving forward includes reaching out to different agencies to complete a survey. Healey confirms there is an NOI for a team to work project management within Norwood Pond. Mann confirms that NOI is not for the bridge.The NOI is applicable to the silting. Next steps for the bridge involve the trail easement across NSMT property. Mann volunteers to get pricing. Mann discusses pricing options with the members. If the price is below a certain amount they do not have to seek multiple proposals. Mann asks if the budget is approved for spending. Alden informs the members Wynn confirmed the money is here. In order to be operable, it has to be accepted. c. Other business Alden inquires with Healey any updates on the trail easements for Endicott College. Is there going to be parking for the Greenwood trail areas? No detail provided. Alden summarized from an article in the local paper. Members bring up parking issues in other areas such as Webster Ave, the new Mission Boathouse, Greenbelt trails, etc. Miller suggests to find out what the council decided on the issues for Greenbelt parking not on the Waring side and Webster Ave. Members discuss shuttle option for the new Mission Boathouse. Miller confirmed the owner will provide a shuttle for parking. Miller inquires if the lobsterman will pay for parking. Historically they have not Open Space&Recreation Committee July 6,2022 Meeting Minutes Page 3 of 5 been required to as. Parking concerns increase with excess parking needs flowing over into the base of the Beverly Bridge.There is limited availability. Miller compares the lobsterman to farmers on Cabot Street who pay rent and do not have access to parking. Healey suggests this committee should express concerns about parking and public transportation for the downtown area.This should be included on the September agenda. Mann suggests the consensus would be to advocate for areas that need more parking or access. Healey suggests this could be a special committee meeting. Per public comments from the survey, more parking needed at JC Phillips. Alden wonders if once Moraine Farm open to the public if that will reduce some of the burden. Mann comments, not unless the public come in through the farm.The community garden once relocated to Moraine Farm will be tightly regulated for parking. Healey asks members to please review chapters 3 and 4. Discussion on how to integrate the Greenbelt maps; prioritize; and add to the index. i. Simon Street Dudley asks for any Simon Street updates. Mann notes the CR was voted and accepted for 2 parcels. Parks & Recreation is taking ownership to build a small playground on one parcel.The other parcel will have benches and more grass open space. It is still in draft process, with funding to be reviewed, as well as a draft need for ConsCom. Healey gives additional updates. All Parks & Rec grants applied for approved except one. ii. Eagle Scout(Sebastian Brouillette,Troop 4) Alden provides the updates. He still has not received a formal proposal from Brouillette for his eagle scout project. Alden will keep the committee updated.The trails and blazing needs a letter from the OSCR supporting the project, not granting permission.Alden inquires if Brouillette needs a separate letter by Greenbelt for those trails. Members agree providing a letter of support to Brouillette is acceptable to satisfy his Eagle Scout requirement. iii. Greens Hill Mann provides the updates. Informs members the fence, kiosk, and gate are installed.The money is spent with materials still being constructed. Mann estimates project completion by fall. Members discuss a potential grand-opening. iv. HMA Callaghan provides the updates. Additional blue wayfinding signs recently installed at the end of Bayview; behind McDonald's on Elliot Street; and Mingo Beach to name a few. Members review other areas where the public would like more access along the Bass River. Callaghan discusses the lights behind the McPherson softball field with Miller suggesting solar installs. Callaghan concludes with letting members know there are addition kayak racks to be installed at Dane Street, Lynch Park and Pleasantview. V. CPC McCrory confirms no updates at this time. vi. Planning Board Miller confirms no updates at this time. Open Space&Recreation Committee July 6,2022 Meeting Minutes Page 4 of 5 Sidebar: Members discuss the recent ruling by the Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) in the 2022 case of West Virginia v. Environmental Protection Agency(consolidated with Westmoreland Mining Holdings LLC v. Environmental Protection Agency,North American Coal Corp. v. Environmental Protection Agency, and North Dakota v. Environmental Protection Agency). Holding: Congress did not grant the Environmental Protection Agency in Section 111(d) of the Clean Air Act the authority to devise emissions caps based on the generation shifting approach the agency took in the Clean Power Plan. Judgment: Reversed and remanded, 6-3, in an opinion by Chief Justice Roberts on June 30, 2022.Justice Gorsuch filed a concurring opinion, in which Justice Alito joined.Justice Kagan filed a dissenting opinion, in which Justices Breyer and Sotomayor joined. Members are concurrently dismayed by the ruling. Methane pollution increased in the US. On a positive note, the offshore MA wind energy turbines are estimated to generate 70%of energy by the year 2050. 6. Approval of Meeting Minutes a. February 2,2022 Callaghan moves to approve minutes with edits by McCrory. Mann seconds.The motion carries 9-0. b. March 2,2022 Callaghan moves to approve minutes with edits by McCrory. McCrory seconds.The motion carries 9-0. c. April 6,2022 McCrory moves to approve minutes with edits by members. Callaghan seconds.The motion carries 9-0. d. May 4,2022 To be reviewed at the September meeting. e. June 1,2022 To be reviewed at the September meeting. Recap:Task list for Healey: 1. Coordinate a date and time for trail walk on the Beverly Commons with key members. 2. Add to the agenda a section on parking. a. Members would like to continue the conversation for drafting a letter regarding transportation and open space partnerships with the focus on parking and bike access. b. Members suggest to inventory the situation, survey the areas, create a spreadsheet or listing, and offer solutions to the parking issues. 3. Ask Pirrotta about the MH trails grant funding status. 4. Updated info on Simon Street and funding. 5. Look into progress on Endicott easement. Liability is the main concern holding the project. 6. Updates on NSMT trail easement and next steps (is funding available, access,what is the process, etc.). Mann notes Hanney gave permission for the trail. 7. Feb/Mar/April update the minutes with edits. Subcommittee May minutes to be added. Open Space&Recreation Committee July 6,2022 Meeting Minutes Page 5 of 5 8. Members ask the September agenda include the Bass River trail behind Starbucks on Elliott Street. A member of the public made an inquiry to one of the committee members regarding the trail. Callaghan suggests connecting him with Todd Rotondo. 9. Callaghan raises the issue to address the blinking lights on McPherson at the softball field. 10. Update on Norwood trail easement. Sidebar: Alden raises two additional conversation points. First,the process is stalled for a "global" notice of intent to approve trail work through the Conservation Commission.Alden will try to follow up with Carol Lloyd, Director of trail management at MTA(Mass Trail Association)to find out the status of the trail process. Secondly, inquires what the BPD jurisdiction covers. Recent paint ball activity in the woods along Norwood Pond left a mess. Alden reported the issue and BPD response was lackluster and dismissive. BPD confirmed they do not go into the woods. Healey will follow up to confirm their jurisdiction and investigative obligations. Miller inquires who has Congress Street ownership, it was supposed to be a condition in the approved plan by the Planning Board. If the CO (Certificate of Occupancy)was issued without it,that's an issue. The condition merits review to ensure proper enforcement. 7. Adiourn Motion: Callaghan moves to adjourn. Dudley seconds.The motion carries 9-0. Meeting adjourned 9:05 p.m. Next Meeting: September 7,2022 at 7:00 p.m.