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2009-03-04 CITY OF BEVERLY PUBLIC MEETING MINUTES BOARD: SUBCOMMITTEE: DATE: BOARD MEMBERS PRESENT: Open Space and Recreation Committee March 4,2009 Suzanne Beaudoin, Elizabeth Dunne (Chairperson), David Brewster, Robert Buchsbaum, Nancy Coffey, Pam Kampersal, Marilyn McCrory, Sylvan Menezes BOARD MEMBERS ABSENT: STAFF MEMBERS PRESENT: Michael Ralbovsky, Bill Squibb Environmental Planner Amy Maxner, Associate Planner Kate Newhall OTHERS PRESENT: RECORDER: Andrea Bray Chairperson Dunne calls the meeting to order. Approval of Minutes - February 4. 2009 Meetin2 The members review the minutes and make suggestions for changes. McCrory: Motion to approve the minutes as amended. Menzes and Beaudoin abstain Seconded by Buchsbaum. Motion carries 6-0. Updates Website - Parcel Inventory and Trail Maps Newhall describes all of the enhancements that she has made to the website, which include: . Earth Day Walk photos have been reconfigured . Indicated the size of the documents . Many trail maps have been added . Buchsbaum completed a list of birds of Beverly and it has been posted . Buchsbaum compiled a description of the plants of Sally Milligan Park, which has been posted . The parcel inventory is in PDF which is very large and Newhall will divide this document up into separate documents in categories of park/destination types Newhall states that the parcel inventory is a very large document and downloads very slowly, so she plans to divide the plan into sections for easier downloading. She adds that the site does not allow drop-down lists. She explains that she has not performed a test print of the trail maps yet. Open Space & Recreation Committee March 4, 2009 Meeting Minutes Page 2 of 4 Coffey offers to forward some history pieces on the Phillips Estate to Newhall for installation into the site. Kampersal offers to forward a species list for Norwood Pond for posting as well. Kiosk Grant Newhall explains that she met with Mary Reilly who volunteered to do the graphic layout and spoke to Ed Juralewicz, the sign maker, and they need someone who can create it in Adobe Illustrator which Reilly does not have. Beaudoin states that her husband can create a sign design in Adobe as he teaches this program and works with it in his business. Newhall states that there are really only 5 different signs and 2 of them are almost identical and they have all of the text, map images and photos. Beaudoin provides Newhall with her husband's email address. Newhall states that they need the first sign to be installed by May 9, 2009 in time for Nancy Coffey and Ed Myskowski's walk at Beverly Commons. Earth Dav Plannin2: Buchsbaum states that he spoke to Chris Tripier, a professor at Endicott College, who is interested in leading a walk on Earth Day, April 22nd as the College is hosting an Earth Day carnival type of event on campust. He agrees to get the exact date and advise Maxner on the details to include on the Earth Day flyer. Maxner states that Beth Zschau from the Trustees of the Reservation will lead the walk at Long Hill on April 25th which will focus on ornamental gardens using native plant species and green landscaping. Maxner states that she needs a blurb from Coffey about her walk. Coffey will email the description. Buchsbaum states that someone should contact Mike Ralbovsky about the first walk at Hannah School as he expressed interest in participating this year. Maxner agrees to email him. Maxner states that she would like to have all of the final date, time, and theme information so that she can finish the flyer by the end of next week, as she needs some lead time to get the information into the newspaper. Newhall excuses herself and leaves the meeting for the evening. Ri2:hts ofWav & CR's Open Space & Recreation Committee March 4, 2009 Meeting Minutes Page 3 of 4 City ROW off of Essex Street: Maxner states that the next letter that Bob Monroe will send will instruct Mr. Magos to remove the fence by a certain deadline or the City will do so. Warring School: Maxner states that she is planning time to go out with Rolland Adams in the spring but would like to work with him to gather historical aerial photos of the area to determine the use through the years. Suzanne Beaudoin states that their soccer field has been there for a long time. Dunne states that half of the field is on city property and that they just want to clarify where the boundary is. Buchsbaum states that the person who gave the land to the City would like to see the City get something if the Warring School is using the land. Maxner agrees to get an aerial view as it might help with the delineation. Buchsbaum states that the City should put the burden on the Warring School to provide evidence of their ownership or usage of that complete soccer field. He adds that one of the teachers acknowledged to him that they were aware that the field is on City land. Brewster arrives at 7:45 PM. AMG: Dunne distributes a letter that she and Coffey drafted, which requests that AMG contact them to discuss putting their land into a CR. The members read the letter and make comments. Kampersal states that the letter is positive and she thinks AMG should be inclined to respond positively. Coffey states that she thinks it is important that they are sending a copy to the Mayor to make sure he is aware of the Committee's efforts in working with AMG. Dunne and Coffey agree to finalize the letter and forward to Maxner for mailing. City Owned Properties: Maxner suggests that the Committee write a letter to the Mayor requesting that the city-owned properties be consolidated under the Conservation Commission, as this is a first-year action in the Open Space Plan. Dunne and Coffey agree to draft a letter to the Mayor. The members review the parcels of interest, and discuss the approach that they will take with the Mayor on this issue. Newspaper Articles Coffey states that Dan McAlpine had misplaced her article but that she emailed him another copy and it should be published within the next couple issue of the Citizen. Coffey suggests that Brewster write a bird article and offers to assist in writing it or taking recorded dictation. Buchsbaum suggests that he and Brewster write about the 5-year project that the two of them are helping to conduct the 5-year breeding bird atlas project. Brewster and Buchsbaum agree to write an article on that effort. Buchsbaum requests that the members contact him or Brewster if they see or hear any owls or see any nests. Old Business The Open Space and Recreation Plan Open Space & Recreation Committee March 4, 2009 Meeting Minutes Page 4 of 4 DCR Grant: Maxner states that she followed up with Mike Salerno, and he is willing to walk on some properties with the Committee in the spring. She adds that he has built many trails and has a great deal of knowledge about the safest and most environmentally friendly ways to install trails. She says that the Committee should take him to Norwood Pond and maybe some other sites, depending on his schedule. Bradley Palmer Accessible Trail: Menezes states that he walked there and it is extensive, at least one mile. New Business Beverly Pier: Buchsbaum says there is a project proposal at the Beverly Pier. Maxner explains that they want to upgrade the wharf (wood or concrete) and the bulkhead sea wall. Menezes states that the access (the ramp from the parking lot onto the pier) is too steep so it will be re- graded and go further into the parking lot, and they are waiting to get the funding for that and other upgrades on site, noting this work will not start for quite a while and will not effect the Earth Day walk at the pier. Private Pier Ordinance: Menezezs states that the city has no ordinance controlling private piers along the waterfront, and they are working on finding example legislation for a possible ordinance in Beverly. He adds that residents need a chapter 91 license but they can make the pier as long or as wide as they wish and the Harbor Management Authority is hoping to work with the Conservation Commission on this issue. Eel Grass Presentation: Buchsbaum states that he and others will be making a presentation on Eel Grass on March 30th at 7:00 PM at the Beverly Library. Chapman's Corner Development: Buchsbaum states that the developer of the Chapman's Corner project is working with the Beverly Conservation Land Trust on the open space parcel. Maxner explains that the 6-acre parcel set aside as open space will be subject to a CR that will be jointly held by the Conservation Commission and the BCL T and it is currently in drafting stage. She will keep the Committee apprised of the progress on this. Clean Energy Advisory Committee: Buchsbaum states that he is now on the Clean Energy Advisory Committee. Next Meetin2: A2:enda Items and Schedulin2: Maxner states that the next meeting is on April 1 st. Buchsbaum: Motion to adjourn, seconded by Coffey. Passes 8-0. The meeting is adjourned at 9:00 PM.