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2006-05-03 CITY OF BEVERLY PUBLIC MEETING MINUTES BOARD: Open Space and Recreation Committee SUBCOMMITTEE: DATE: May 3, 2006 BOARD MEMBERS PRESENT: Robert Buchsbaum (Chairman), Suzanne Beaudoin, Tony Paluzzi, David Brewster, Elizabeth Dunne, Patricia Adams, Bill Squibb (Arrives at 8:45 PM) BOARD MEMBER ABSENT: Ellen Flannery, Pam Kampersal STAFF MEMBERS PRESENT: Amy Maxner RECORDER: Andrea Bray Robert Buchsbaum, Chairman, calls the meeting to order. Approval of Minutes for April 5, 2006 meeting Brewster motions to accept the minutes with corrections, seconded by Dunne. All in favor. Motion passes 6-0. Other Commenst of Additional Agenda Items Buchsbaum welcomes any new agenda items from members at this time. Brewster states the corner behind the McKay School is a nesting area for some birds. He cautions the Committee members to watch that area when the property sells. Beaudoin states that some of the disks are missing off of some of the trees at the Sally Milligan Park, and some are bent. Brewster states that the kiosk at Greens Hill has been tipped over, and suggests that perhaps vandalism will be less likely if the kiosk is moved onto school property at the trailhead where it is more visible. Beaudoin offers to contact Chris Rand, Director of Buildings and Grounds for the schools, to determine if the kiosk can be relocated onto school property. Old/New Business Updates Rights-of-Ways Beverly Open Space & Recreation Committee May 3, 2006 Meeting Minutes Page 2 of 5 YMCA: Maxner states the Planning Department is still waiting to hear from Attorney Tom Alexander and for the YMCA’s engineer to draw up a plan for a right of way to go on top of the berm. Buchsbaum offers to write a letter to the YMCA. Maxner states that the YMCA should probably be given some time before the Committee directly intervenes, especially considering Tina Cassidy and Roy Gelineau have been leading discussion with them. Brewster states that a house lot on Essex Street is on the market, which may abut the 50’ right-of-way to the former land fill off of Brimbal Avenue. Tall Tree Drive: Buchsbaum states that Pat Grimes, City Councilor, has requested that a representative from the Committee come to a meeting of the Legal Affairs and Accounts subcommittee and discuss this situation. He will offer to attend and update the Committee on the results of that meeting. Natural History Newspaper Articles Buchsbaum states he appreciated Maxner’s editorial piece on the Earth Day and thanks her for her time on this. He states that there were several other editorials in the Citizen related to Earth Day and suggests that the Committee may wish to provide pieces to keep the subject fresh in peoples’ minds. Earth Day Update Maxner states that the attendance was good at the Norwood Pond walk with approximately 25 – 30 people in attendance. She states the Beverly Common walk led by the Beverly Conservation Land Trust was just as successful with about 25 people in attendance. Brewster states that he and 3 other Committee members were present at the first walk, and he thought that the second walk went very well. Maxner notes that she collected names and email addresses from many of the attendees in order to compile a database of interested people. Maxner asks the Committee to sign a thank you card for Ron Johnsen who led the Norwood Pond vernal pool walk. All of the members agree to sign the thank-you card. Maxner reviews the remaining events and states she will not be able to attend the tidal pool investigation at Lynch Park this coming Saturday and was hoping that other Committee members were planning on going to provide Chairman Buchsbaum with assistance. Dunne and Beaudoin state they will probably bring their kids with them to this event. Vitale Land Swap Comment Letter Dunne distributes the newly revised letter that she prepared for the Committee’s review. Members review the letter and Paluzzi asks Maxner to summarize the Conservation Commission’s findings from its last meeting. Maxner summarizes the presentation provided by New England Power Co. (NEPCO) at the most recent Conservation Commission meeting. She explains that outside council for Beverly Open Space & Recreation Committee May 3, 2006 Meeting Minutes Page 3 of 5 NEPCO came to provide an outline for potential disposition options available to the Commission and the City. NEPCO discovered lead on the site which requires no further remediation other than what has already been done but that an Activity & Use Limitation needs to be placed on the property to preclude anything else being done there. One of three approaches can be taken regarding the restriction on the property: 1. An AUL can be placed on the property limiting activity and usage to be consistent with active recreation in the form of long fields. This AUL will need Conservation Commission approval and will be recorded on the deed for the property. This approach is very expeditious, however the AUL can be negated at any time should the owner of the property obtain an opinion from a Licensed Site Professional that indicates the AUL is no longer necessary. 2. The Conservation Commission could grant a private easement to the City which spells out certain restrictions and the Commission would be the enforcement authority over the easement. 3. The Commission could turn over a Conservation Restriction to the State to be the steward and enforcement authority for the restriction. Maxner explains that a full Article 97 disposition would be triggered for the last two options with the last option being the most protective. She explains that NEPCO acknowledged that a land use of active recreation for this property would be acceptable, but introducing a commercial aspect such as a concession stand onto the parcel would trigger Article 97. This means that the land could be used for playing fields as long as no concessions or commercial structures are present and operated on site. Beaudoin requests that the letter acknowledge the Committee’s previous approval for this property to be used for playing fields provided there are no further alterations to the land. It is agreed to add a statement to this effect into the letter. Some discussion ensues and the letter is amended. Buchsbaum states that he is pleased with the letter in its present state and is in favor of making this the draft final and thanks Dunne for all her time on this. Brewster motions to accept the letter with amendments, seconded by Beaudoin. All members are in favor. Paluzzi abstains. Motion passes 5-0-1 (one abstention). Review of Annual Report to the City Council Brewster states that the City Council received the Annual Report positively. City Council members listened quietly to the presentation with little or no questions. Members agree to meet with the City Council to get them out for a walk out at Norwood Pond. Maxner will thth contact John Burke and Pat Grimes to set a date for the walk, possibly on May 15 of 16in the evening. Beverly Open Space & Recreation Committee May 3, 2006 Meeting Minutes Page 4 of 5 MAPC Presentation Buchsbaum reports on the MAPC presentation providing some scenarios regarding Boston Region Trends for population and employment growth. He states Mary Grant ran the meeting and Bruce Tarr was there. One of the projections given by the MAPC is: By the year 2030 there will be 125,000 new housing units built resulting in a loss of 150,000 acres of open space, the equivalent of the area inside of Route 495. He is hoping that the MAPC will provide a follow up meeting on this information. Updating the Open Space and Recreation Plan Buchsbaum makes a note of the highlighted changes on the plan, and provides an updated list of privately owned parcels without conservation restrictions, and some private parcels with conservation restrictions, and some land in forestry management. Maxner spreads the newly revised map of open space, which includes the Ward delineations, for all of the members to view and discuss. She notes that there are some privately owned pieces of land under Conservation Restriction in Beverly. Moraine Farm is not currently on the Mass GIS list however. Buchsbaum stresses the original goal for the Committee to record all undeveloped land which measures five acres or greater. Dunne requests that smaller undeveloped parcels in the downtown areas be noted so that these areas could be examined by the Ward reps. Maxner agrees to obtain a list from the assessors office containing all undeveloped property in Wards 1, 2, and 3 measuring one-half acre or greater and ask Roland Adams to incorporate this information into a map. Dunne inquires about the type of protection, if any, on the golf course. Maxner notes that the golf course is residentially zoned and under the ownership of the City and managed by a separate entity. Adams mentions that the golf course is not under the Parks and Recreation Commission’s control. Buchsbaum stresses the need for the Committee members to ascertain whether the golf course can be used for another purpose. Adams updates Beverly’s total school count: 6 elementary, 1 middle and 1 high school. Buchsbaum distributes the newly amended Section 5 with several tables. Table 5.1, lists inventory for publicly owned land under the control of the Conservation Commission, and now shows the map and lot numbers, condition, as well as the recreation potential for each parcel. Squibb arrives at 8:45 p.m. Buchsbaum states Table 5.2 lists other city owned land which may or may not be protected and that there is another table for non-profit land. He asks if Maxner could obtain the land use codes used by the assessor’s office. Maxner agrees to get that information. Buchsbaum notes that all of the tables still need work, and they don’t make much sense in their current condition. Beverly Open Space & Recreation Committee May 3, 2006 Meeting Minutes Page 5 of 5 He suggests that the Compendium of Playgrounds and Parks be kept simple so as not to overshadow the work of the Parks and Recreation Committee. Adams agrees, offering to amend the list with some basic information on handicap accessibility. Buchsbaum offers to complete section 5, and integrate section 4 with some of the information provided by Kampersal. Park Maintenance Maxner states that Kampersal noticed items dumped at the Norwood Pond land. Maxner recommends having the trash in the area cleaned up and left at the end of Elnew Avenue for DPW pick up. Buchsbaum states that the Committee could ask Kampersal if she will organize the clean-up operation. Review of Conservation Commission Agenda Buchsbaum asks if Maxner could elaborate on the application on Hart Street and Brookwood School presently before the Conservation Commission. Maxner states a classroom expansion is planned for the Urquhart School, and that the Brookwood School plans to conduct a pond restoration. Buchsbaum has reviewed the Notices of Intent for both projects and does not see any negative implication concerning open space from either project. Schedule Next Meeting th Buchsbaum reminds the group that the next meeting will be on June 7, and suggests that the Committee members consider a summer schedule. Brewster motions to adjourn, seconded by Beaudoin. All members are in favor. No members are in opposition. Motion passes 7-0. The meeting is adjourned at 9:30 p.m.