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HomeMy WebLinkAboutDraft Minutes - 090825 September 8, 2025 Planning & Development Department 367 Main Street, Hyannis, MA 02601 – Phone: 508-862-4678 Open Space Committee Minutes September 8, 2025 at 5:30 p.m. CALL TO ORDER AND INTRODUCTION OF MEMBERS Also present is Kyle Pedicini, Assistant Director of Planning & Development; Kris Clark, Town Council Liaison; Gordon Starr, Town Councilor; and Genna Ziino, Administrative Assistant. 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 • August 11, 2025 – Tracy Pratt moves to approve the minutes. Doug Payson seconds. Vote: Aye: Lev Malakhoff, Farley Lewis, Doug Payson, Elissa Crowley, Tracy Pratt, Cate Gulliver Nay: None TOPICS FOR DISCUSSION New Business • Review, discussion, and possible approval of Mill Pond Preserve and Woodland Bogs projects – Kelly Grant, Barnstable Land Trust (BLT) Kelly Grant reviews the Woodland Bogs property: It is a 25.74-acre retired cranberry bog (this is its first season not operating) at 301 Parker Road, West Barnstable. BLT has an agreement with the owner with the closing in January 2026. They are seeking $307,500 from CPC, which is half the acquisition cost. It is 12 acres of upland around the bogs, there are natural wetlands to SE portion, there is a stream connection to No Bottom Pond; and there is a certified vernal pool on the property. Groundwater flows into Great Marsh, an important ecosystem. There is value in the passive recreation as well (trails around bogs). There are options for connections to existing trails. What’s different about this CR is to allow for restoration of the bogs into natural wetlands. They are proposing to keep parking as the existing informal area and are considering increasing it to 15 spaces. The CR also allows for limited agricultural activity, because of a new movement to grow native plants on cape to increase the use of locally grown native species. It would be nothing large scale, just trial areas. This project is going back before CPC mid-month for a final vote. They are waiting on an appraisal to support the funding before the vote. It is also being reviewed by the town attorney. Doug Payson asks if it’s their intention to do cranberry restoration. Ms. Grant says it’s undetermined but is one of the options. The next step would be a feasibility study to see what would be appropriate. Chair Malakhoff asks if mountain bikers are allowed on the 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 Dave Gorrill X trails. Ms. Grant says it’s a case-by-case basis, same with dog allowance. Doug Payson asks if other bogs on Parker Road will still be farmed. Ms. Grant believes it is the owner’s intention to keep farming the other bogs. Ms. Grant is requesting a letter of support for their CPC funding request and a letter of support for the approval of the CR. Cate Gulliver moves to approve the recommendation for CPC funding. Elissa Crowley seconds. Vote: Aye: Lev Malakhoff, Farley Lewis, Doug Payson, Elissa Crowley, Tracy Pratt, Cate Gulliver Nay: None Cate Gulliver moves to approve the CR recommendation to Town Council. Tracy Pratt seconds. Vote: Aye: Lev Malakhoff, Farley Lewis, Doug Payson, Elissa Crowley, Tracy Pratt, Cate Gulliver. Nay: None Kelly Grant reviews the Mill Pond Preserve project: it’s 13 acres on Mill Pond at 3640 Falmouth Road, part of the Marstons Mills River. It has access off Old Post Road. It will permanently protect 750 feet of pond frontage, scenic wildlife refuge, and active herring run. It connects to 400 acres of protected areas and is important for water quality and rare species habitat. There were previously two structures on the property that were since demolished, so now it is completely undeveloped. For recreation value, it will be open for public access for use of trails, and there is a natural trailhead on Old Post Road that could be improved to make a parking area. They applied for CPA funding for $600,000 in support of the project. BLT is raising the other 50%. The CR includes a perpetual easement granted to the town, the purpose of which is proposed restoration work for Mill Pond to improve water quality. It could be a staging area for equipment to be used for the restoration if appropriate. It’s a typical CR other than that. CPC has voted in support already, so they are preparing for a Town Council presentation. A letter of support from this committee is requested. Doug Payson asks if there is access to the pond for fishing or kayaking. Ms. Grant says the parcel has a high bank so doesn’t lend itself well to that. Councilor Clark adds that the pond is very shallow anyway so not conducive. Councilor Starr asks if it connects to the bluff piece. Ms. Grant says no but there is an easement connecting the property to Route 28. It could be a walking connection but it goes through private property so they would need to balance disruption. Farley Lewis moves to support the acquisition of a CR on this property and have the Chairman to write a letter of support. Tracy Pratt seconds. Vote: Aye: Lev Malakhoff, Farley Lewis, Doug Payson, Elissa Crowley, Tracy Pratt, Cate Gulliver Nay: None • Open Space & Recreation Plan Kyle Pedicini says they had a public meeting on August 28th, which 30-40 people attended. They also had 3 stakeholder meetings and put the build your own park exercise through all the public schools . The consultants are compiling public comment from all meetings and the survey results. The plan is to have all the public comments to the committee ahead of the October meeting. He asks the committee to start thinking about action items. The goal is to have this committee approve the draft before the next public meeting, which will likely be in November. He says the committee may need to add extra meetings in October: the 20th and 27th. The Chairman asks if the consultant will come to the meeting on October 6th. Mr. Pedicini will ask. Mr. Pedicini says the members will need to come prepared to meetings, as there won’t be enough time to walk through all the materials during the meeting . Doug Payson asks how to engage populations of underrepresented communities—there were translators at the public meeting but no one who needed them attended. Councilor Clark says increased ICE activity is impacting those communities. The group discusses ebike concerns. The group discusses that water districts attended the 3rd stakeholder meeting. • Open Space Forum – Discussed elsewhere on the agenda • Fall Walking Weekend: Farley Lewis says the event will be October 17-19. She’s sent out the solicitation notice. Sandy Neck can’t participate due to the construction project. BLT has included the event in their lineup for fall publicity. The group discusses using the media plan from the Spring Walking Weekend. Genna Ziino will submit the event to the Communications Team. Farley Lewis gave a deadline of September 26. Doug Payson says Meetinghouse Farm reached out to him so he plans to do a walk there. The group discusses possible walk options. • FY 2023 Annual Report: The Chairman says the report was completed and is available in Laserfiche for anyone interested. Old Business • Centerville Cranberry Bog – None • Potential property acquisitions – None • Update on Cummaquid Woods – None; this item can be removed from future agendas. • Update on outstanding Conservation Restrictions – Kelly Grant says Prince and Harju are both back to the state for the latest Town Attorney edits. Councilor Clark says the Legal Department has been conducting interviews so hopefully they will be onboarding a new attorney soon. • Update – Pathways update including walking library, Trailhead Signs, and Geocaching – Chair Malakhoff says Councilor Clark and the CPC Chair were hoping to set up a meeting with Asset Management and Planning about issues updating the pathways network and the private property issues. • Report from Tracy Pratt regarding Santuit Preserve – Tracy Pratt got an email from Grayce Rogers of Asset Management about setting up the annual meeting. Nothing has been confirmed yet. • Report from Farley Lewis regarding Community Preservation Committee Open Space applications – Farley Lewis says a LOI for funds for trail signage is anticipated for the September CPC meeting from P&D. • Report from Town Council Liaison Kris Clark – Councilor Clark says this committee is busy with the OSRP, Walking Weekend, and the upcoming forum. Ms. Grant and Chair Malakhoff will discuss prepping for the forum ahead of time. Staff will post a meeting notice that there will be quorum. MATTERS NOT REASONABLY ANTICIPATED BY THE CHAIR PUBLIC COMMENT ADJOURNMENT Tracy Pratt moves to adjourn. Elissa Crowley seconds. Vote: Aye: Lev Malakhoff, Farley Lewis, Doug Payson, Elissa Crowley, Tracy Pratt, Cate Gulliver Nay: None DOCUMENTS USED AT THIS MEETING • August 11, 2025 minutes • Document entitled “CPC Full Application Mill Pond Preserve 5.13.2025” • Document entitled “BLT Woodland Bogs CPA Full Application” 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