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HomeMy WebLinkAboutDraft Minutes - 011226 January 12, 2026 Planning & Development Department 367 Main Street, Hyannis, MA 02601 – Phone: 508-862-4678 Open Space Committee Minutes January 12, 2026 at 5:30 p.m. CALL TO ORDER AND INTRODUCTION OF MEMBERS Chair Malakhoff calls the meeting to order at 5:30 PM Also present is Kyle Pedicini, Assistant Director – Planning & Development 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 • October 6, 2025 – Farley Lewis moves to approve the minutes. Dave Gorrill seconds. Vote: Aye: Lev Malakhoff, Farley Lewis, Liz Lewis, Doug Payson, Tracy Pratt, Cate Gulliver, Dave Gorrill Nay: None Cate Gulliver asks if anything was done for the Diggs for the issue they brought up at the October 6 meeting. Chair Malakhoff says there is some kind of enforcement action because of the encroachment onto the town’s land, but he doesn’t have details. He is willing to provide volunteers to help create a pathway if anything can be done. • November 10, 2025 – Dave Gorrill moves to accept the minutes. Tracy Pratt seconds. Vote: Aye: Lev Malakhoff, Farley Lewis, Liz Lewis, Doug Payson, Tracy Pratt, Cate Gulliver, Dave Gorrill Nay: None TOPICS FOR DISCUSSION New Business • Walking Library: Chair Malakhoff shares the Walking Library page on the website. He notes that some of the trails are not on town parcels, and maybe those shouldn’t be included. He thinks they could focus instead on the town-owned trails. They could remove the Cape Cod Community College trail for now. He walks through each map. o Santuit: Tracy Pratt shares other loop walk options. They are blazed, and he thinks the major walking trails should all be on the Santuit map. o Bridge Creek: Chair Malakhoff would like to connect the loop near parking to eliminate the stub as it is now. 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Crowley X Anne Rowland X Tracy Pratt X Cate Gulliver X Dave Gorrill X o Old Neck Loop: The Chairman says the map is outdated so maybe this one could be put on pause. Doug Payson would like to delineate new trails. Chair Malakhoff says they haven’t been able to make that update with GIS because part of the trail is on not-town land. o Courthouse Loop: Chair Malakhoff thinks they could include the boardwalk on the map. o Crooked Cartway: Chair Malakhoff thinks something better could be worked up for this area. The Chairman would also like a more descriptive name. He and Farley Lewis will draft changes, then share with the group. o 4 C’s Courthouse: Chair Malakhoff would suggest not making it an out and back. He will work on an alternative and share with the group. o Great Marsh: Chair Malakhoff says Great Marsh is Audubon. They could exclude the Audubon part and focus on Old Jail Lane instead. o Sandy Neck: They note that they need to move the parking symbol once the town finishes the current project. Chair Malakhoff would add Hathaway’s Pond to this list. The group discusses other options: Crocker Neck in Cotuit, Micah’s and Joshua’s, Lumbert Pond, Eagle Pond, Whelan property, and downtown Hyannis to Kalmus. Doug Payson would like to add a Hyannis walk that is a loop—maybe using the sidewalk along Gosnold St. and part of the multi-use path. Kyle Pedicini suggests the Loop Beach walk in Cotuit. • Walking Weekend – Preparation for permit for Kalmus Beach trail dedication : The Chairman says May 15-17th is Spring Walking Weekend. Doug Payson’s idea is to lead off the event with a dedication of the new multi-use path out to Kalmus Beach. The first part is making sure with DPW that it’s going to be completed by then. Then, collaborate with the town’s arts and culture group, the BID, and the Chamber of Commerce as a kickoff event to highlight Hyannis. The group discusses the walk. There is a 90-day lead time to request the dedication, so Doug Payson says they need to reach out to the town. They discuss if they would need a shuttle to get people back from the beach or if people could walk the mile and a half. Old Business • Update – Open Space and Recreation Plan update: Kyle Pedicini says they presented the plan to the Recreation Commission, and will present tonight to the Planning Board, then to the Conservation Committee on the 20th, and CPC on the 26th. A letter is not required from this group, but it could help. Mr. Pedicini will send around the latest draft to this group. All requested changes have been made. Chair Malakhoff shares the unique features map. He suggests taking the scenic views label off and instead changing the existing locations on the map to the hill symbol. • Potential property acquisitions: Chair Malakhoff says they had discussed 5 parcels for sale next to Attucks and Phinneys Lane, with access to Hathaway’s Pond trail network. The parcel is for sale, but the price is significant. He is wondering if there’s enough synergy to make anything happen. This could work with one of the proposals for the CC Rail Trail extension through Barnstable. NEMBA created a youth riding area in Sandwich and has been looking in Barnstable as well, so that is a recreation option. The state has Mass Trails grant opportunities that can be used to acquire land. The group discusses options: housing, recreation, conservation. The group is in consensus that they would like to explore options. • Update – Outstanding Conservation Restrictions: Farley Lewis says CPC didn’t meet in December so nothing new. • Update – Pathways update including walking library, Trailhead Signs, and Geocaching: Chair Malakhoff says Dave Gorrill and Lindsey Counsell joined him at the Senior Center to look at the area for the possibility of a trail. They think it is possible, but there are some challenges with terrain/wetland areas. Lindsey Counsell is going to see what opportunities there are for Olander Drive area. There is potential for educational options for the pond. There are people travelling the path already. The pond’s status is elevated nitrates. Hopefully, they will have more clarity on the status of the area by the next meeting. Chair Malakhoff says trail signs were voted and approved. 30 signs will be created and installed in a phased approach. Chair Malakhoff met with the Superintendent of the fire district about the possibility of creating a trail on water dept. land on Old Jail Lane. NEMBA proposed addressing issue of biking and walkers by creating a trail in the wooded area that generally parallels the road. The group discusses benefits. There is precedent for having trails on water dept . land in other towns. The Superintendent is going to reach out to his board , so hopefully he will learn something by the next meeting. Farley Lewis asks the group for help to inventory problem areas on trails and to take a picture where they see problems. This will help when AmeriCorps gets started this spring. Fallen trees, blazes that need remarked, brush. Chair Malakhoff says there is a problem list already on the NEMBA website under “trail care and reporting” that they could utilize. If AmeriCorps ends up using that resource, the Chairman would like to give a tutorial. The group mentions the apps Gaia GPS and Mapy. • Report from Tracy Pratt regarding Santuit Preserve: Nothing to report, quiet. • Report from Farley Lewis regarding Community Preservation Committee Open Space applications : None. • Report from Town Council Liaison Kris Clark: Not present MATTERS NOT REASONABLY ANTICIPATED BY THE CHAIR PUBLIC COMMENT ADJOURNMENT Cate Gulliver moves to adjourn. Doug Payson seconds. Vote: Aye: Lev Malakhoff, Farley Lewis, Liz Lewis, Doug Payson, Tracy Pratt, Cate Gulliver, Dave Gorrill Nay: None 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