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HomeMy WebLinkAboutDraft Minutes 091123 September 11, 2023 Open Space Committee Minutes September 11, 2023 at 5:30 p.m. CALL TO ORDER AND INTRODUCTION OF MEMBERS Chair Ann Canedy calls the meeting to order at 5:30 p.m. Also in attendance is Kris Clark, Town Council Liaison 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 July 10, 2023 – Doug Payson makes a motion to approve the minutes. Tracy Pratt seconds. Vote: Aye: Ann Canedy, Farley Lewis, Elizabeth Lewis, Douglas Payson, Elissa Crowley, Anne Rowland, Tracy Pratt, Cate Gulliver Nay: None TOPICS FOR DISCUSSION New Business • Update on LAPC name change and charge clarification Chair Canedy thanks the members for joining the Town Council meeting where the name and charge update was discussed. They received a unanimous vote by Town Council in favor of the changes. • Acknowledgement and thanks for Phyllis Miller Chair Canedy announces that Phyllis Miller has resigned from the Committee and thanks her for her time served and time as Chair. • Overview of Santuit Management Committee meeting Councilor Clark arrives at this point. Chair Canedy first says Tracy Pratt was not invited to the September 6 Santuit Management Committee meeting due to an oversight but will be included going forward. She then walks through an overview of the attendees and topics discussed at the meeting. Present at the meeting were David Anthony, Joe Marshall, Genna Ziino, Steve Hurley, Grayce Rogers, Drew McManus, and Tyler King. At the meeting, the Committee determined and discussed the following items: • they need to create a baseline of conditions and issues going forward, including trail maintenance, safety issues, erosion, and the fish ladder and dam • for the chain of reporting, Tracy Pratt will email to advise Joe Marshall of any issues in the field and will CC all members of the Santuit Management Committee • there will be a site visit in early October • Dan Kent, Assistant Conservation Agent, will likely take Drew McManus’s place on the Committee, and they are currently looking for a Mashpee representative for the Committee • the fish ladder is failing and reconstruction is on a fast track to be completed by spring 2024 (paid for by NRCS) • there is a possible acquisition of the cranberry bog at Route 130 and Route 28. Member Present Absent Ann Canedy – 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 • Review and Revote of Conservation Restriction known as the Mills Property to add an addition al 15 acres Chair Canedy explains the history of this: the town voted to appropriate money to purchase the property in 2007 but 15 acres of the property had title issues. The town voted to purchase together with Mashpee everything but those 15 acres, wit h the idea that the title would be resolved. 16 years later, it has been resolved so now the town needs to revote to pay and add the CR to the remaining 15 acres, which requires approval from this Committee and a revote from Town Council. Doug Payson makes a motion to recommend approval by the Town Council of the additional 15 acres to be placed in CR. Farley Lewis seconds. Vote: Aye: Ann Canedy, Farley Lewis, Elizabeth Lewis, Douglas Payson, Elissa Crowley, Anne Rowland, Tracy Pratt, Cate Gulliver Nay: None • Presentation by Frank Merola, New England Mountain Bike Association Frank Merola, President of the Cape Cod Chapter of NEMBA is joined by Emmett Rockwell, an Eagle Scout and senior at Sturgis High School, and Lev Malakhoff of NEMBA. Mr. Merola is here to talk about a proposed effort by Mr. Rockwell. Mr. Rockwell felt some areas in the West Barnstable Conservation Area were in need of safety improvements, and he wants to take that responsibility on as his Eagle Scout project. Mr. Merola walks the Committee through a presentation showing six areas of concern where they are planning to alter parts of trails. The net gain will be zero—they are not creating any new trails. For any trail changes, they have a map maker who will work with Ed Hoopes of Conservation and Alicia Messier of GIS so any changes can be implemented alongside their reblazing and remapping project. Mr. Merola explains that there is also a second proposal (that only needs to be approved by Ed Hoopes) for adaptive cyclists. It will just be putting posts in the ground to identify which trails are good for adaptive cyclists. The group discusses the Committee’s and the public’s concerns about sharing trails with bikes. Mr. Merola says they talk frequently at NEMBA meetings about respect and etiquette. It’s difficult to segregate trails. Doug Payson says he has seen motorcycles on the Trayser Trail, the new boardwalk, and the Hyannis Ponds, and it needs to be addressed by the town. He requests the Chair speak to Chris Nappi of Natural Resources about it. Mr. Merola says they’re hoping to set up a small kiosk with maps and a number to call to report illegal activity. Chair Canedy will ask Drew McManus about what he has done to prevent illegal motorized bike activity . Regarding next steps for this proposal, Mr. Rockwell explains that he has already gotten the project approved by the Cape and Islands Council for Boy Scouts. They will try to present the proposal to the Conservation Commission in October. Chair Canedy suggests that this Committee send a letter of support for this project to Darcy Karle, Ed Hoopes, and the Conservation Commis sion. Cate Gulliver makes a motion to send a letter of support. Doug Payson seconds. Vote: Aye: Ann Canedy, Farley Lewis, Elizabeth Lewis, Douglas Payson, Elissa Crowley, Anne Rowland, Tracy Pratt, Cate Gulliver Nay: None • Review of CRs: Marstons Mills River Headwaters I (0, 946, and 948 River Road) and II (110 Bog Road) Chair Canedy explains that because this Committee didn’t meet in August, she waived the requirement to review these CRs before they went to Town Council. Town Council voted in favor on August 17. She gives a brief overview of the CRs. Jennifer Lochran of Barnstable Clean Water Coalition adds that BCWC was approached early this year by the state because there was $2 million available in grants, but any transactions had to be completed by June 30 so there was serious urgency. The goal for this acquisition is for nitrogen attenuation and in owning this land, they can do a wetlands restoration project. This is $3.5-5.5 million restoration project. Ms. Lochran explains that their goal is not to expand the existing building on the land, but to have a caretaker/steward there. She explains the timeline for restoration: there is active farming that will be retired, 2024 will be a permitting year, and in early 2025 they will begin construction. They are currently doing community outreach and are working with the Mashpee Wampanoag tribe. Funding will come from state, federal, and private funds. There is nothing further this Committee needs to do and she thanks them for waiving their approval. Old Business • Update on status of outstanding Conservation Restrictions - Harju, Amaral, Prince Ave, Cotuit School This item was skipped. • Status of Conservation Tracking Chart This item was skipped. • Update – Pathways Project and Loop Trail This item was skipped. • Report from Tracy Pratt regarding Santuit Preserve This item was skipped. • Report from Farley Lewis regarding Community Preservation Committee Open Space applications This item was skipped. • Update on Open Space & Recreation Plan This item was skipped. • Report from Town Council Liaison Kris Clark This item was skipped. MATTERS NOT REASONABLY ANTICIPATED BY THE CHAIR Farley Lewis provides an update about Fall Walking Weekend, which will take place this year from Friday, October 6 through Monday, October 9. She is currently recruiting people to do walks. Doug Payson, Tracy Pratt, and Cate Gulliver agree to each do a walk. Lev Malakhoff says he will do the College Loop on Saturday at 10 AM—it’s 2.5 miles, about 2 hours. Chair Canedy suggests Farley Lewis reach out to Meetinghouse Farm and Nina Coleman of Sandy Neck. Genna Ziino will start a draft brochure and flyer. In response to a request from Councilor Clark, Genna Ziino explains that the Web Master has said that the town website will not be updated from Land Acquisition and Preservation Committee to Open Space Committee until the 2024 meetings are scheduled. Ms. Ziino hopes to have the 2024 meetings approved by the Committee in October so the website update can happen soon after. PUBLIC COMMENT None. ADJOURNMENT Doug Payson makes a motion to adjourn. Elissa Crowley seconds. Vote: Aye: Ann Canedy, Farley Lewis, Elizabeth Lewis, Douglas Payson, Elissa Crowley, Anne Rowland, Tracy Pratt, Cate Gulliver Nay: None DOCUMENTS USED AT THIS MEETING • Chair Canedy’s notes from the September 6 Santuit Preserve Management Committee meeting • Frank Merola and Emmett Rockwell’s proposal PPT presentation, entitled “WBCA Boy Scout Project" Respectfully submitted, Genna Ziino, Administrative Assistant Further detail may be obtained by viewing the video via Channel 18 on demand at http://www.town.barnstable.ma.us