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HomeMy WebLinkAboutDraft Minutes - 060925 June 9, 2025 Planning & Development Department 367 Main Street, Hyannis, MA 02601 – Phone: 508-862-4678 Open Space Committee Minutes June 9, 2025 at 5:30 p.m. CALL TO ORDER AND INTRODUCTION OF MEMBERS Chair Lev Malakhoff calls the meeting to order at 5:30 PM with an introduction of members: Also present is Kris Clark, Town Council Liaison; Kyle Pedicini, Assistant Director of Planning & Development; and Genna Ziino, Administrative Assistant. The Chairman says he will not be present at the July meeting. He asks Kyle Pedicini to get any materials to the committee a week ahead of time. NOTICE OF RECORDING This meeting of the Open Space Committee is being recorded and broadcast on the Town of Barnstable’s Government Access Channel. In accordance with MGL Chapter 30A §20, I must inquire whether anyone else is recording this meeting and, if so, to please make their presence known. APPROVAL OF MINUTES • May 12, 2025 – Farley Lewis moves to approve the minutes. Doug Payson seconds. Vote: Aye: Lev Malakhoff, Farley Lewis, Doug Payson, Anne Rowland, Tracy Pratt Nay: None TOPICS FOR DISCUSSION New Business • Open Space & Recreation Plan Kyle Pedicini says the BSC group is now under contract for the project and Planning & Development has started onboarding. They are aiming to get a draft of the public survey for the July 14th meeting for this group’s review. They plan to get the survey out to the public over the summer, update the existing conditions, and then have a couple public meetings in the fall. The consultant team plans to come to 2 or 3 Open Space Committee meetings. He suggests holding tight until the consultant can tell the Committee what input they need. Chair Malakhoff would still like the group to discuss the action items (Document entitled “Barnstable 2018 OSRP Goal Status”). He starts at 2.1 on page 118. Member Present Absent Lev Malakhoff – Chair X Farley Lewis – Vice Chair X Elizabeth Lewis X Douglas Payson X Elissa Crowley X Anne Rowland X Tracy Pratt X Cate Gulliver X Vacant 2.1.E: The Chairman would like to see fostering responsible public use to help monitor water district land as an action item. Kris Clark arrives at this time. 2.1.A: Farley Lewis says this is critical. 2.1.E: Doug Payson has spoken to the Barnstable Fire District about Hot Bottom Trail, that there are the remains of several cars that he thinks are affecting the well there. He would like to see existing problems like that be remedied. 2.2.B: Establishing greenway linkages is important. Doug Payson says Kyle Pedicini sent out information on open space cluster development. 2.4.B: Chair Malakhoff wants to emphasize this action item. 3.3: Chair Malakhoff supports this but wants to add “passive recreation facilities” too. Kyle Pedicini adds that the Recreation Division reported a need for more passive recreation as in things that don’t need to be programmed. Page 125: Chair Malakhoff wants to reopen the Walking Library idea and has questions about if only town maps can be included. Farley Lewis thinks they need to finalize the existing one. Lev Malakhoff says the maps will need to be reviewed again. Chair Malakhoff says his list includes trailhead signs, kiosk installations where needed, maintenance of kiosks, and minimal parking improvements or expansion in some cases. He also wants to identify suitable locations for benches. NEMBA has a bench program where they donate benches, so that’s an option. Farley Lewis asks who takes the lead on those improvements. Chair Malakhoff says the trailhead signs improvement is active through Planning. Kyle Pedicini says Alice Marcus-Krieg, Grants Coordinator, emailed the CPC administrator noting 20 locations, so they are coordinating the application for funding for those. 3.4.B: Doug Payson asks if the former Anthony’s Cummaquid would qualify for this. Kyle Pedicini thinks yes. Regarding the Cummaquid Inn, Councilor Clark says it’s moving along, though there are many moving parts. It will take a while but it’s on the radar. 3.5.B: Doug Payson asks if there’s been any movement on this and where hand-carried boats would be. Kyle Pedicini will reach out to MEA to look into it. Page 127: Chair Malakhoff would like to add a youth mountain biking area somewhere, probably recreation land. 3.6: Chair Malakhoff thinks it would benefit the town to have a north -south access route for the Cape Cod Pathways route. There’s a chain of parcels that could be connected. Doug Payson says in planning the West Barnstable cultural area near the college/YMCA, the multi-use path could be extended from where it ends to continue to the college. Page 129: Chair Malakhoff asks about the Hathaways Pond masterplan. Kyle Pedicini will look into it. Lev Malakhoff says Doug Payson has looked up the listing for a parcel on Hathaways Pond. There are 5, 1.2-acre parcels privately owned for sale now. There is some pond frontage, and they abut recreation land. Powerlines go through part of the parcels. It’s forested but there is trash in it. The parcel across the street is owned by the county and has a figure 8 path. Doug Payson thought it could be combined use, with the part away from water used for housing. Farley Lewis wonders if it’s buildable or wetland. Doug Payson asks if there is any plan to extend the sidewalk from Cape Cod 5 to Phinney’s Lane. Kyle Pedicini will ask DPW if it’s on their radar. The Chairman says the Cape Cod rail trail planning could be interested in the area as well. Chair Malakhoff shared the information with Lindsay Counsell, CPC Chair. 4.3.A: Doug Payson says signage for trailheads is part of this. 5.1.A: Farley Lewis feels that implementation needs to be critical piece of the process. 5.2.A: Doug Payson feels the town is lacking in terms of maintaining critical habitats. 5.3.A: Farley Lewis thinks Walking Weekends help to do this. • Walking Weekend Chair Malakhoff says people noticed from libraries and the town’s outreach but he didn’t see a lot of media. They have a draft press release for the fall. Kyle Pedicini suggests having a notification on the Barnstable app. The Chairman asks Kyle Pedicini to look at their draft media plan for the fall event. The group discusses turnout. Lev Malakhoff says the town gave permission to place a geocache at Hathaways Pond. Old Business • Centerville Cranberry Bog Anne Roland attempted to contact the bog preservation group. A friend told her the group is currently in litigation at Barnstable Superior Court because the process was not followed during the sale as it was supposed to have been. The group is trying to stop the commercialization of that lot. Chair Malakhoff says he sent a list of requested legal updates to Jim Kupfer, Director of Planning & Development, but hasn’t heard back. • Potential property acquisitions This item was covered in other discussions. • Update on Cummaquid Woods No update. • Update on outstanding Conservation Restrictions Chair Malakhoff sent queries to Jim Kupfer and is hoping to hear back for the next meeting. Councilor Clark says Assistant Town Attorney Tom LaRrosa reported progress with the Orenda/Smith Creek closing—it’s advanced to the state. • Update – Pathways update including walking library, Trailhead Signs, and Geocaching This item was covered in other discussions. • Report from Tracy Pratt regarding Santuit Preserve Tracy Pratt says someone has been fussing with the culvert where water drains to Lovell’s Pond. Grayce Rogers emailed saying she’s working with Mashpee to get a grant to deal with that issue, as it’s a weak spot. There is an issue with water quality seasonally. The group discusses algae issues. • Report from Farley Lewis regarding Community Preservation Committee Open Space applications The CPC application for Smith Creek was approved, and the closing will be scheduled. Farley Lewis says Barnstable Land Trust submitted a Letter of Intent (LOI) requesting $650,000 for 4.5 acres of open space adjacent to Eagle Pond Sanctuary and bordering Mosswood Cemetery. They received a LOI from BLT for funds to preserve a retired cranberry bog, 301 Parker Road in West Barnstable. They applied for a conservation partnership grant—it was moved to application. There was an application for 13 acres of pond-front property on Mill Pond, 3640 Falmouth Road in Marstons Mills, $1.2 million, moved forward to go before Town Council. Updates: Cotuit Highland CR was passed by Town Council. CRs for Harju and Prince Ave requested to be placed on an upcoming Town Council agenda for approval. They also voted to approve $2,250 in administrative funds to pay for half of the Anthonys Inn Cummaquid appraisal. • Report from Town Council Liaison Kris Clark Councilor Clark reports a lot of action happening. The discussion at Town Council level has been cautionary in reference to taking property off the tax rolls. Approving CRs shifts the tax burden to the rest of us. But the environmental services that open space provides must also be weighed. Pleasant Street Hyannis ConComm did not find wetlands but neighbors were testifying that there is a perennial stream. It might be helpful for Town Council to hold a workshop with BLT or similar, to understand the benefits of acquiring open space. Even number precincts are coming up for election. MATTERS NOT REASONABLY ANTICIPATED BY THE CHAIR PUBLIC COMMENT ADJOURNMENT Tracy Pratt moves to adjourn. Anne Rowland seconds. Vote: Aye: Lev Malakhoff, Farley Lewis, Doug Payson, Anne Rowland, Tracy Pratt Nay: None DOCUMENTS USED AT THIS MEETING • April 14, 2025 minutes • Document entitled “Barnstable 2018 OSRP Goal Status” • Document entitled “Barnstable OSRP Update - Staff Comments on 2018 Goals” Respectfully submitted, Genna Ziino, Administrative Assistant Further detail may be obtained by viewing the video via Barnstable Government Access Channel on demand at www.town.barnstable.ma.us