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OSRC minutes_07.05 City of Beverly Open Space and Recreation Committee July 5, 2023 Meeting Minutes Page 1 of 8 CITY OF BEVERLY PUBLIC MEETING MINUTES BOARD: Open Space and Recreation Committee LOCATION: Beverly City Hall, 191 Cabot Street, 3rd Floor Council Chambers DATE: July 5, 2023 BOARD MEMBERS PRESENT: Chair David Alden-St. Pierre, Vice Chair David Brewster, Gregory Sharp, Charlie Mann, Marilyn McCrory, James Passanisi, Alison Dudley (late), Elizabeth Dunne (late) BOARD MEMBERS ABSENT: Todd Callaghan, Amber Redmond, Wayne Miller STAFF MEMBERS PRESENT: Assistant Director of Planning Ken Clawson OTHERS PRESENT: Mayor Michael Cahill, Nora Whouley of 29 Broadway, Mike Habich of 98 Valley Street, Gifford West of 120 Valley Street, Norm Weeks of 41 Oak Street, Ruth Weeks of 41 Oak Street, Mario Tricome of 25 Whitney Avenue RECORDER: Naomi Moca 1. Call to order Chair Alden-St. Pierre calls the meeting to order at 7:06 p.m. The members of the public in attendance introduce themselves: • Nora Whouley of 29 Broadway • Mike Habich of 98 Valley Street • Gifford West of 120 Valley Street • Norm Weeks of 41 Oak Street • Ruth Weeks of 41 Oak Street • Mario Tricome of 25 Whitney Avenue 2. Public Outreach Alden-St. Pierre states that the trail cleanup work day at Holcroft Park organized by Dudley a week ago went well. The Committee discusses continuing with the trail cleanup work days through the month of August despite the Committee not meeting in August. The Committee discusses that there have been cleanups of Norwood Pond, Greens Hill, and Sally Milligan in addition to Holcroft Park. Mann states that he spoke with Mike Coughlin about finishing the Green Belt trail at 20 Webster Street to connect it to the trails, and that he hopes to get the work done this summer. Mann states 1 City of Beverly Open Space and Recreation Committee July 5, 2023 Meeting Minutes Page 2 of 8 that he walked the trail with Dave Rimmer to define the trail and observed that there is a steep part that needs a little rock work. 7:13 p.m. Dudley arrives The Committee discusses choosing a date for trail work and the timing of the September meeting. The Committee discusses tree cleanup needed at Sally Milligan, and that the project is probably too small to need a work day. 7:15 p.m. Mayor Cahill arrives 3. Discussions with Mayor Cahill a. Endicott Easement Cahill states that the City's hope is that the easement would be at the top of the hill, and states that he met with the Endicott College Board of Trustees and Endicott College President Steven DiSalvo last year and walked the site. The City's next step is to find out what Endicott is comfortable with signing away as a permanent easement. Cahill suggests a member of the Committee attend a sit-down meeting with Cahill and the Endicott Trustees. Mann states that he will provide a copy to Cahill of the deed rider that sheds the liability. Cahill states that the liability of a private property owner is limited when the property is open to the public. The Committee discusses that this arrangement will serve to protect Endicott more, as people are already using the area anyway. 7:18 p.m. Dunne arrives. The Committee discusses that there is standard language that can be used to handle liability issues since people are using the trail anyway. Cahill states that the City's hope is that the line will connect the trail. The Committee discusses how high up the hill Endicott is willing to define the easement. Former Endicott College President Richard Wylie had expressed concern that it would affect property value negatively. The Committee discusses where to establish the trail. Alden-St. Pierre states that he will follow up with Cahill. b. Glen Urquhart School parking Cahill states that he spoke with the Glen Urquhart School Headmaster and Facilities Manager in the spring and they agreed to post No Parking signage, and when they did not do so,the City placed temporary signs with their permission. Cahill states that after a few years of conversations with the school, while the school is trying to be generous by allowing parking, it has been proven that users of the parking lot have often behaved in ways that are disturbing to the neighbors. 2 City of Beverly Open Space and Recreation Committee July 5, 2023 Meeting Minutes Page 3 of 8 The Committee discusses that there was a North Shore Trails conference in March or April of 2023 and the No Parking signs were in place at that time. Cahill mentions nearby streets where there is free parking. Cahill states that he plans to speak to the Headmaster in person as soon as he can and states that it is not a matter of ownership or rights, but of being a good neighbor. c. Encroachment Guidelines/Policy The Committee discusses the draft of the set of actions to use when there are encroachments on Open Space areas and that while it has been reviewed repeatedly, it has not gotten traction. The Committee used the language of other cities as a guideline for the draft, outlined steps and a timeline for implementation, and submitted it to the Solicitor's Office. Materials added to the record: • Encroachment Guidelines Draft OSRC 23-02 Cahill states that he will follow up with the Solicitor's office and give an update on it at an upcoming meeting, date to be determined. The Committee discusses that there have been repeat offenders, and whether adverse possession is still on the books in Massachusetts. d. Parcel27A The Committee discusses that the matter was handed off to Chris LaPointe at Green Belt, and LaPointe reached out to the Ewings, who live on Southern Avenue in Essex, repeatedly and in multiple ways, with no response. Cahill states that his secretary spoke with Mrs. Ewing a year ago about putting together a meeting. The Committee discusses that the children of Mrs. Ewing may not be interested in the property and whether the property is in the Buffer Zone. The Committee discusses where the highest point of elevation on Parcel 27A is located and that there is a trail along the river on both sides. Cahill states that he got the money for Green Hill. The Committee discusses that the area gets used heavily. Mann states that he will make an effort to reach out the owners again and then update Cahill. e. Questions regarding easements/access across Parcels 56-35 and 56-37 (Maestranzi property by solar field/dump/Otis Road) The Committee discusses that the property has been clear-cut,that a trail has been carved out, perhaps by residents walking their dogs, and that it would be great to make it an official trail. Cahill states that it was clear-cut as a potential area to lay out the line for the National Grid project, but the project did not come to pass. Cahill states that the City can discuss the easement with Leo Maestranzi and John Maestranzi, but that he is unsure if they would be interested in a formal easement because it may tie their hands for future opportunities on the property. The Committee discusses skirting the wetlands that are in the area, that the Committee has outlined the trail, and that the Committee is willing to reroute the trail if needed. Cahill states that he will reach out to Maestranzi and report back to the Committee. 3 City of Beverly Open Space and Recreation Committee July 5, 2023 Meeting Minutes Page 4 of 8 f. Simon Street parcels Cahill states that he received an update on the parcels today. The goal at the outset was that the lots would be fully rebuilt as parks in the summer of 2023. The timeline was extended after the area residents expressed a desire for features that necessitated obtaining more funding. Cahill summarizes that the playground equipment is on order for September, that the bids for fencing and turf will be delivered in the next couple of weeks, that the turf will be the last thing installed, that a sidewalk crew will add curbing to reduce the parking to three spaces on Simon Street in July, and that one of the lots will mainly be a playground. Cahill states that he is unsure if swings were in the final order for the playground. Dudley states that the lot closer to the corner of Cabot Street is going to have tables and benches with the potential for a community garden and perhaps small playground equipment for younger children. Dudley expresses that the community process was positive with good interaction and discussion with the Parks and Recreation Department and that the neighborhood children got to vote on features. The Committee explains to the members of the public in attendance what the project is that is being discussed. g. Pole Swamp Lane access The Committee discusses access to the trails in the area of Pole Swamp Lane. The Committee has discussed the Williams property in the past as a good alternative. Cahill states that he has been brainstorming whom he should speak with. Mike Habich of 98 Valley Street states that Pole Swamp Lane, as defined on the map between the two ponds, looks like a City property, but is actually on Williams's property adjoining Habich's property. Materials added to the record: • map of the the Pole Swamp Lane area Habich points out Brian and Anita Deeley's property and Chuck Clark's property. Habich states that Ben Williams installed a green fence to define the path and cleared the path to give access to the community, but that there is no policy in place to keep it that way. Habich states that the other side of the area has a steep climb and a giant rock. Habich states that his property is very wet and the paving disappears partway up Valley Street. The Committee discusses that the conservation restrictions are loosely written and loosely enforced by Green Belt. Habich states that the Deeleys have security cameras in place and do not welcome people on their property. The Committee discusses that the best way is between 4 City of Beverly Open Space and Recreation Committee July 5, 2023 Meeting Minutes Page 5 of 8 Habich's and Williams's property and whether Williams or his family members are available to discuss the matter. Cahill states that if something is worked out with the Williams family, then Green Belt will need to enforce the conservation restriction. Vice Chair Brewster observes that the restriction seems enforceable. Habich states that it is helpful to remind property owners that improved public access will enhance property values in the area and observes that community usage has improved. The Committee discusses that there are four parking spaces at the end of Preston Place and that Pole Swamp Lane is a beautiful area. Cahill states that the City considers neighbors in all projects and public enhancements. Mann states that he will talk to Green Belt about their piece of it, and Cahill states that he will pursue a conversation with the Williams family. h. Kestrel Educational Adventures: Cahill acknowledges that he received the Committee's letter, which was purposely written with general language. Cahill states that the City works with Jessica Kagle of Kestrel Educational Adventures to reserve the property, but that the property needs to remain public. Cahill states that there are times when Kagle cannot use the property to run programming, that she has a deal with Ben Zoba of the Garden School to store equipment, and that she is now trying to work with Waring School, since the City cannot let her use the building for storage. Dudley states that Kagle has expressed willingness to do public programs in cooperation with the City. Cahill gives the example that each of City's schools contracts with different private entities such as Change is Simple. Cahill states that there are full-time STEM instructors in each elementary school to assist with teachers in creating curriculum and supporting them. i. Next meeting and Terms The Committee discusses that multiple members' terms are ending August 31, 2023, and the City Council will possibly not meet in July. Cahill states that the Council may have a meeting in August to set hearing dates for September. The Committee states that there are 12 slots with 11 seated at this time, that optimally the terms would be staggered to avoid situations like this, and that this situation does not merit an emergency appointment. The Committee discusses whether to keep the meeting on September 6, 2023 or to move the date to September 13, 2023 to accommodate the appointments. 8:11 p.m. Cahill departs. 4. Updates from Boards and Commissions: a. Community Preservation Committee McCrory states that the Community Preservation Committee (CPC) will meet August 17, 2023, that the Round 11 schedule of funding has already been discussed, and that the CPC is aiming to hold the annual public hearing on Thursday, September 14, 2023 to gather ideas on the four areas 5 City of Beverly Open Space and Recreation Committee July 5, 2023 Meeting Minutes Page 6 of 8 that the CPC covers which are open space, historic sites, affordable housing, and outdoor facilities. McCrory states that the deadlines will be September 21, 2023, October 12, 2023, and January 17, 2024, and that there may be special deadlines if deemed eligible by the Historic Districts Commission (HDC). McCrory states that she will not seek re-appointment to the Committee and thus will not be eligible for the CPC post, and expresses that she is happy to discuss what the post entails with anyone who is interested. McCrory states that the CPC post is interesting and that it is fun to award funding for good projects. b. Harbor Management Authority Clawson states that Callaghan provided a summary of the different signs that are planned. Materials added to the record: • Harbor Management Authority signs Phase III and Phase IV The Committee discusses that there are public access sites that do not have sufficient space for vehicles to park and that there can be some narrowing of public spaces adjacent to private rights- of-way. For example, the City has a very small right of way leading to Rice's Beach. The Committee discusses striking the balance between encouraging use of the public areas and keeping vehicles from parking in private areas. 5. Other Business: The Committee discusses possible locations for a bicycle skills park or pump track such as Folly Hill, City-owned land, or part of the six-acre Sterling YMCA site. 6. Open Space Conditions/Issues a. Ward 3 Dudley states that the trail cleanup in June was successful and that McCrory and Dunne attended. Dudley states that planting, trash pickup, and painting of the gazebo were done by the group of volunteers. Dudley expresses disappointment that by Friday, June 30, 2023 the trash was out of hand in the gazebo area to the point that the Recreation Department camp counselors were fed UP- Dudley states that she took pictures of the trash. The Committee discusses that the lack of trash barrels may influence the accumulation of trash. The Committee discusses the different types of barrels that limit the size and amount of trash that can fit and that the campers attending the Recreation Department programs are not likely to comply with the carry in/carry out trash policy. The Committee discusses that the rapid accumulation of trash may be discouraging to volunteers who participated in the cleanup and that it unfairly places the responsibility for cleanup on the camp counselors. The Committee discusses communicating the trash issue with the Ward 3 Councilor and that the summer season may be a good trial period for trash collection strategies as more attention is 6 City of Beverly Open Space and Recreation Committee July 5, 2023 Meeting Minutes Page 7 of 8 given to those areas at this time of year. The Committee discusses processes that are already in place, such as the City picking up trash when doing lawn maintenance, senior citizens participating in a program to pick up trash in order to get a break on their taxes, and the Clean Beverly Facebook group organizing cleanups around Beverly. The Committee discusses a possible corporate sponsorship program for maintaining public areas similar to the Adopt-A- Highway program. b. Ward 5 L Removal of tree at Norwood Pond by Iron Tree Clawson states that he will find out when the tree is going to be removed. c. Ward 6 i. Sally Milligan Trail System Improvements kiosks Clawson states that he has collected quotes for the kiosks and submitted reimbursement paperwork to MassTrails for the work done thus far. The Committee discusses that it is more streamlined to make all kiosk maps identical, only with different"you are here" stars identifying each kiosk's location. Clawson states that he will look into the sizing of the signs. 7. Staff Updates a. CZM draft letters Clawson drafted one letter in support of a grant and one for a feasibility study. Mann: Motion to approve both letters as written. Passanisi seconds. Motion carries (9- 0). b. Bundled NOI for trail work Clawson states that Director of Planning and Development Darlene Wynne has been researching the bundled NOI and that he will discuss it with her next week. c. Discuss draft of annual report Clawson states that the annual report draft is due in July. Alden St.-Pierre states that he will work on the draft and that he has done PowerPoint presentations in the past. Clawson states that he will find out which date in October that the annual report is due. 8. Committee member terms expiring a. David Alden-St. Pierre—August 31 b. Todd Callaghan—August 31 c. Alison Dudley—August 31 d. Marilyn McCrory—August 31 e. Charlie Mann—August 31 f. Gregory Sharp—August 31 7 City of Beverly Open Space and Recreation Committee July 5, 2023 Meeting Minutes Page 8 of 8 The Committee discusses that the approvals will be the Tuesday after Labor Day, then a 24-hour waiting period, which would fall on the date of the September meeting, September 6, 2023. The Committee discusses potentially inviting the City Clerk to attend the September meeting to ratify the approvals. The Committee discusses that letters are needed for those seeking re-appointment and that McCrory is the only member not seeking re-appointment. The Committee discusses that McCrory's CPC term ends July 31, 2023. 9. Other Business: Mario Tricome of 25 Whitney Avenue states that Ryan Whiting's proposed Eagle Scout sign project needs to be done before Whiting turns 18 in August. Tricome states he has reached out to the Scoutmaster. Tricome states he worked for the Water Board for 42 years and thus understands that there are processes for projects, but he is concerned that Whiting does not know that. The Committee discusses that if the Eagle Scout candidate does not follow up with the steps needed to complete the project, it is out of the Committee's hands. 10. Adjourn Mann: Motion to adjourn. Dudley seconds. Motion carries (9-0). Meeting adjourns 8:58 p.m. Next meeting: Wednesday, September 6, 2023 at 7:00 p.m. 8