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HomeMy WebLinkAboutBarnstable OSRP Update - Staff Comments on 2018 GoalsBarnstable OSRP Update – Staff Comments Received So Far on 2018 Goals Recreation 3.3.A Update the 2012 Recreation Commission report, which took an in-depth assessment of the 88 facilities under the Recreation Division’s purview. Complete any outstanding work on the prioritized locations. • Please see attached Recreation tour of facilities document. Also, Comprehensive Field study? 3.3.C Implement the recommendations of the 2017 Athletic Field Needs Assessment prepared for the Recreation Division by Weston and Sampson for all municipal and School Department athletic fields and outdoor facilities. • Town Council was informed at informational session and collaboratively between internal (DPW) improvements and other renovations through CIP/CPC processes. • McBarron Field-replaced irrigation well pump, motor and sprinklers. Performed aggressive cultural practices and re-seeding of fields. D.P.W appropriated funds for annual maintenance and fertility program. • Lombard Field major renovation completed through CIP & CPC funds • McKeon field was renovated, still needs additional site work: fencing, bleachers, and updates to the concession. • Lowell Field/Cotuit CAA just completed major renovation of field and other work throughout the site. • Barnstable Hollows- Completed major renovation internally that included removal of skinned area, leveling of field, incorporation of soil and soil amendments, installation and repair of new stone walls, Installation of irrigation pump and automated sprinkler system *CPC approved funds for playground replacement, but we don’t know status of the project. • Osterville Bay School- Major renovation of softball field complete, Tennis/Pickleball courts installed. Playground in process, Phase 3 which includes restroom facilities, outdoor basketball court and completion of the entire site submitted as CIP. • Completed new Pickleball & Tennis Facility in Marstons Mills. • Centerville Playground in process 3.3.D Explore the potential for increasing or upgrading playground spaces and equipment in all villages, including tennis courts and skate board parks. Relocate the Marstons Mills Tennis Courts from School Department to Town property so they can be resurfaced for the public and available to the public during school hours. • Completed the new Pickleball & Tennis Facility in Marstons Mills. Courts are accessible for the public to utilize during school hours as requested. • Centerville playground in process. • Osterville playground in process • CSD submitted FY26 Decision Package to perform annual inspections of playgrounds with additional funds to make repairs or replace equipment. • CSD utilized funds for repairs and maintenance of swings, surfacing and other equipment at Luke’s Love Playground • CSD submitted CIP for exterior Masterplan of HYCC property 3.3.G Continue support for the successful and popular Sail Cape Cod program which provides sailing programs for disabled individuals • JFK Memorial Trust Fund continues to support Recreation sailing program. This summer (2025) We will be offering additional opportunities through Recreation’s summer Leisure Program. Recreation notifies the public in their brochure that Sail Club of Cape Cod offers sailing to participants with disabilities. 3.3.H Provide support for implementing the restoration improvements called for in the Hyannis Golf Course master plan, and other upgrades needed for Olde Barnstable Fairgrounds Golf Course • Hyannis Golf Course- submitted CIP to reduce water use, fertility levels and create naturalized areas. Completed replacement of greenside irrigation sprinklers. Completed installation and repair of numerous cart paths throughout the golf course. • Olde Barnstable Fairgrounds- Completed replacement of greenside irrigation sprinklers. James Bentley, Director of Golf Course Maintenance working on OBF becoming Audubon Certified. In the process of replacing pumps and other integral components of the irrigation system. 3.4.A Find a suitable location to replace the rectangular playing field formerly behind the Barnstable Community Horace Mann School in order to provide a soccer, football, lacrosse field in the village of Hyannis. • No alternative location has been found as of date, but Recreation did purchase an outdoor soccer cage that is used seasonally in the parking lot of HYCC. 3.4.B Identify, acquire and develop land for outdoor recreation facilities (parks, playgrounds, playing fields) in the Cummaquid area to complement private facilities • Renovation of Barnstable Hollow Field completed. • Masterplan at Hathaway’s Pond underway 3.4.C In Centerville, upgrade the playground which is in disrepair, and the field space across from the Centerville Elementary School per the recommendations of the 2017 Field Study. • Centerville Recreation-Playground equipment has been ordered, and Construction & Bid Documents being completed. • Centerville Bay Lane-Smaller CIP project approved, awaiting approval from CIP or CPC for larger field so we can complete public input and get project scheduled. 3.4.E In Osterville, the 2017 Field study will assist in mobilizing resources for planned improvements • Osterville Bay School- Major renovation of softball field complete, Tennis/Pickleball courts installed. Playground in process, Phase 3 which includes restroom facilities, outdoor basketball court and completion of the entire site submitted as CIP. 3.4.F In West Barnstable, complete and maintain projects at Lombard’s Field (Scorer box), and Lukes Love playground (parking and entrances and exits) • Project is completed, but a replacement playground has been suggested as the Lukes Love Playground Equipment is 14 years old and costly to repair/replace 3.4.G In Barnstable, acquire and develop field space for adult baseball, soccer and lacrosse and upgrade the Barnstable-West Barnstable Elementary Playground • I believe the School Department has renovated and upgraded the playground @ BWB. • Have not acquired or developed additional space. Seek grant funds to implement. Ensure that design and materials minimize maintenance needs and advertise the availability of completed trails and programs. Ongoing 3.7.A Increase access to open space and recreational opportunities for Environmental Justice populations • Community Development Block Grant • Internal scholarships using CDBG funds • Collaboration with YMCA, POA and others 4.1.B Improve Parking areas at the following locations: Covell’s Beach, Craigville Beach, And Prince Avenue. 3.4.D Continue upgrades of recreation facilities in Hyannis: • Hyannis West lost playing field with the addition of pre-school. Complete work recommended in the 2017 Field Study • McKeon Field - No work has moved forward other than water going to the snack bar • McKeon field was renovated, still needs additional site work: fencing, bleachers, bathrooms, and updates to the concession. 3.5 C Identify locations that have the potential to provide opportunities for passive recreation including: -paved walking paths and fitness trails- Considered at Osterville site -interpretive nature trails -expanded fitness programs (yoga, tai chi, pilates). Expanded offerings at BACC and HYCC, mostly yoga • Covell’s Parking lot was renovated was completed with the wind farm project • Craigville (East) parking lot was repaved 4.1.C Upgrade and maintain trail system, bathhouse and picnic area at Hathaway’s Pond. Provide sand at Joshua's Pond & Hathaway's Pond • Master planning at Hathaway’s ongoing. • Joshuas’s Pond ADA project in design, adding sand DEP?? Failing retaining wall needs to be addressed 4.2.B Complete accessibility projects identified in the 2010 Beach Inventory and subsequent updates. 4.2.C Complete accessibility projects at the two municipal golf courses; • Ongoing. In the process of installing ADA lift in interior of Hyannis clubhouse during major renovation. Also entire renovated clubhouse will be ADA accessible with the addition of new a new layout and restrooms 4.2.D Build additional accessible playgrounds similar to Luke’s Love in West Barnstable. Maintain the accessible playground at Veteran's Park Beach; relocate and upgrade the Luke’s Love Playground. Provide accessible playgrounds at Osterville and Centerville. • Centerville playground in process. • Osterville playground in process • CSD requested funds to make the necessary improvements to Veterans Beach Playground. 4.3.C Increase parks and open space in underserved areas including Hyannis, Centerville, and Barnstable Village. Increase Parks and open space in underserved areas in all villages. School playgrounds are not available during school hours and preschool and home-schooled children need playgrounds and facilities for play. • Centerville and Osterville Playgrounds will be available for play during school hours. Conservation Provide public information to landowners regarding conservation restrictions, Chapter 61, 61A, 61B and other alternative land protection strategies • We do not have a set program to educate the public on these matters. It is strictly addressed one applicant at a time, one site at a time. Chapter 61A comes up frequently as the public questions various projects and activities that occur on abutter properties. It is very confusing to the public that a Ch.61 A agricultural exemption provides certain tax benefits, but still may not make the property subject to an agricultural exemption, under wetlands regulatory review, or vice versa. Review land management plans for town conservation areas and update as necessary to reflect implementation or changing conditions. • We try to review the conservation area Land Management Plans (LMP) and all LMP’s are supposed to be reviewed and updated every 5 years, but that rarely happens. West Barnstable Conservation Area management plan has not been fully updated since 1997! We did just write the first LMP for Long Beach Conservation Area in 2021. We are also starting to work with Asset Management on a plan for Meetinghouse Farm, but that really is more in Grayce’s realm, we are only ancillary. Specific issues to consider in the review of plans include: o Best Management Practices for managing invasive species. We utilize BMP for invasive plant management although we only do active management on key areas within a couple of Conservation Areas. We do always condition invasive species projects before the Commission with BMP requirement. This includes the use of herbicides by licensed, qualified professionals. Ironically, we do not have the ability to use herbicides on town property. I am going to initiate a request with Jim to get the TM to allow a waiver to do some specific, limited work on a couple of fields o n conservation area properties. Mowing alone is just not keeping up with the invasives. o Opportunities to enhance public access or remove barriers to access o Strategies for fire prevention As you are aware, we have conducted several controlled burns (1 at Crocker Neck and 3 at W. Barnstable CA). These burns were grant-funded through Mass Fisheries and Wildlife Habitat Grants that Martin Wunderly (Crocker Neck) and I (WBCA) acquired. The goals for these burns was to improve wildlife habitat AND fuel reduction to help reduce the risk of wildfire getting out of control. Coordinate land management practices with private, state and federal landowners of significant open space in Town. • We work closely with other Town department, and Mass Wildlife to accomplish many land mgt projects. Review and revise as necessary development permit review procedures to ensure that all projects are checked against NHESP rare and estimated habitat maps to see if they must file a request for information from NHESP. • Currently only projects requiring wetlands review have this requirement. Every permit we review (including building permit sign-offs) we look to see if any part of the described project is within NHESP priority or Estimated habitats. Even if the project can go forward without further Conservation review or filing, if there is a risk to the homeowner that we see due to proximity with NHESP habitat we would let them know to at least inquire with Natural Heritage. Natural Resources Continue to pursue opportunities to restore herring runs, including Hinckley’s Pond, to support anadromous fish populations and coastal fisheries. • In 2018 it was determined that Hinckley Pond was not suitable for herring restoration at this time. The town has pursued many other projects at other more established runs in town. The list of ongoing projects is below. I can elaborate more on each of these if needed. o Marstons Mills River: Upper Marstons Mills: Fish Passage Restoration Project The purpose of this project is to restore a historic fish passage channel thru cranberry bogs and into Middle Pond. The new passage will bypass the existing, manmade channel. Rosa Ln Culvert Replacement: This project will replace the partially blocked culvert under Rosa Ln and replace with a new culvert that meets current stream crossing standards. Mill Pond Fish Ladder: Fish Ladder Replacement The town has investigated replacing the ladder, culvert and dam at this location. Investigations are still ongoing. The culvert is a barrier to fish passage. o Centerville River: Long Pond, Centerville Outlet: Ladder construction Currently, water flow out of Long Pond is controlled by sandbags. This project entails building a natural and adjustable fish ladder at the outlet. An RFP was sent out by DPW but the proposal came back over budget. I haven’t heard anything about a second RFP going out. Lower River Stream Flow Control: This herring run is a steep and straight, manmade ditch. As a result, the herring can have a difficult time getting to spawning habitat in Long Pond and Lake Wequaquet at times of high waterflow. The town is investigating installing structures in the stream to slow waterflow and make fish passage easier. At high flows it is unpassable to river herring. o Red Lilly Pond: Fish Ladder Replacement: The town and the property owner have investigated replacing this fish ladder. The property owner had a consultant designing a structure. I have not heard anything regarding this design in about a year. My questions regarding updates have not been answered for some time. o Boat Cove Creek/Mill Pond, West Barnstable: River Herring Stocking: In partnership with Division of Marine Fisheries (DMF) , Barnstable Clean Water Coalition, and many residents of West Barnstable Natural Resources completed a 4 year stocking effort aimed at reintroducing river herring to this historic spawning location. DMF collected river herring from a donor stream in Bourne and transported them to Mill Pond. We introduced them into the pond in the hope that they would spawn and their offspring would be imprinted on this location. Results of this project are still pending. • We have secured MA Endangered Species Act (MESA) permits for Craigville, Covells, Dowses and Kalmus Beaches. The permits allow for beach maintenance projects, beach raking and public events during the plover nesting season. We are working on a MESA permit for Fortes Beach as it has the boat launch. • We plan on constructing the Sandy Neck Beach Park Coastal Resiliency project in the winter of 2025/2026 which involves moving the parking lots back from the eroding dune and moving the Gatehouse to higher ground as well as address pedestrian/vehicular traffic concerns and greatly improving ADA access. • We updated the Dog Control Regulations and re-evaluated all Ways to Water and beaches to clarify dog access. This resulted in designating areas where access to the water by patrons with their dogs is permitted year-round. • One of our further projects is to create Natural Resources Regulations. As you know many of our Open Spaces are not designated as Conservation Lands and need regulations to allow us to enforce prohibited dirt bike/ATV use, illegal camping and illegal dumping. These regulations will also address endangered species protection in town. • Sandy Neck secured a Habitat Conservation Permit (HCP)which allows for discouraging Piping plover nesting within a section of the off road vehicle (ORV) beach. Using this permit, we have been able to keep the ORV beach open year-round while still protecting nesting shorebirds.