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2007-07-11 CITY OF BEVERLY PUBLIC MEETING MINUTES BOARD: SUBCOMMITTEE: DATE: BOARD MEMBERS PRESENT: Open Space and Recreation Committee July 11, 2007 Robert Buchsbaum (Chairperson), Suzanne Beaudoin, Nancy Coffey, Pam Kampersal, Bill Squibb arrives at 7:45 BOARD MEMBERS ABSENT: Elizabeth Dunne (Vice-Chair), David Brewster, Michael Ralbovsky STAFF MEMBERS PRESENT: Amy Maxner, Kate Newhall OTHERS PRESENT: Marilyn McCrory RECORDER: Amy Maxner, Kate Newhall Chairperson Buchsbaum calls the meeting to order at 7:30pm. Old Business: The Open Space and Recreation Plan The members review Newhall's memo from the public comment meeting held at the Beverly Library. Newhall will include this memo in the draft plan. Coffey asks what the italics in the plan mean. Newhall states they are the specific recommendations made by the committee. Kampersal asks about page 3 and recommending amending the zoning to protect the water supply. Newhall states this recommendation is already listed on page 28 of the plan. Squibb arrives. Acceptance of Minutes Coffey makes a motion to accept the minutes from the June 6, 2007 meeting, Kampersal seconds. The minutes are approved 4-0-1. Squibb abstains. Buchsbaum asks Maxner to determine whether or not members may vote on minutes if they did not attend the specific meeting. Old Business con't: The Open Space and Recreation Plan The committee debates how to handle watershed protection in the plan. Beverly Open Space &Recreation Committee July 11, 2007 Meeting Minutes Squibb asks if it is a matter more for the Conservation Commission. McCrory questions why the Open Space Committee can't recommend in the plan for development on City-owned parcels in the watershed be stopped. The best method of protection for watersheds is open land. Coffey suggests asking the City to put development of these parcels on hold, to allow time for gathering information and input from the Conservation Commission, Water Board, watershed groups, and check with the DEP guidance document. Buchsbaum asks if it is a wise move politically to ask that development be halted in the watershed area. Beaudoin states that the Committee must define a "watershed." Maxner states that she can work with Roland Adams to generate a map depicting the protective Zones around Wenham Lake and its contributing tributaries. Members discuss the action plan. Beaudoin moves to put watershed protection at the top of the list of environmental objectives and add the Longham Reservoir with the Wenham Lake Reservoir to the language. Coffey seconds the motion. Buchsbaum is opposed. The motion carries 3-1- 1, with Kampersal abstaining to make a counter motion. Kampersal motions to make watershed protection its own stand alone objective, rather than including it in the environmental actions list. Squibb seconds the motion. There is discussion as to what the actions should be. Kampersal suggests that an update to the current Watershed Protection Overlay District should be done, set up a watershed committee should be established, and amending the Zoning Ordinance to incorporate protections of the watershed. Beaudoin states that she is not comfortable with that approach. Kampersal states that she has taken these recommendations from the DEP regulations. McCrory states that Kampersal's suggestions seem to constitute a separate objective. Buchsbaum states that these suggested actions are worthy goals but are not within the purview of the Committee to carry out. He thinks that these are for a watershed group as opposed to this Open Space Committee. Kampersal restates her motion for a separate objective with the following recommendations: surface water supply plan, watershed committee, amend Zoning Ordinance to coincide with the DEP regulations. Beverly Open Space &Recreation Committee July 11, 2007 Meeting Minutes Squibb seconds the motion. Buchsbaum, Coffey and Beaudoin opposed. Motion fails 2- 3. Coffey states that Ward Reps must speak to their Councilors regarding the plan. To Do Newhall to edit the Action Plan, as discussed and append the public comments to the draft plan. Maxner and Newhall to determine responsible parties and priorities for the Action Plan. Adjournment Squibb made a motion to adjourn. Kampersal seconded, all members in favor. The motion carries 5-0. The meeting is adjourned at 9:45 pm.