Open Space, Natural Resources, and Trails Committee

OSNRT Meeting February 26, 2020, City Hall, 7:00 p.m. Present: Jonathan Sherwood, Nick Wheeler, Pascal Rettig, Caitlin Thayer (Communications Director for City), Michael Jewell (Cons Comm, sitting in for Alina), Rich Hucksam, Vanessa Johnson-Hall BSC: Ale Echandi, Gillian Davies, Heather Gould, Jeanette Tozer January 30, 3030 minutes were reviewed. Motion to approve as amended by N Wheeler; seconded by R Hucksam; all approved. Motion to approve Vanessa Johnson-Hall as Secretary to OSNRTC; motion by N Wheeler; seconded by R Hucksam. All approved. Discussion of MVP grant to update the Open Space and Recreation Plan. Commonwealth has awarded an MVP grant to Amesbury for the update of the OSR Plan through a climate resiliency and vulnerability lens. The project will leverage the 2019 MVP reports as a starting point and with baseline data. The City will use the same firm – BSC Group – to perform the work. Gillian Davies (BSC) and Tom Borrasso will be speaking with the MVP program coordinator on 2/27/20 to confirm how this OSRP can best be integrated into the MVP grant objectives, to ensure that it meets the requirements of the MVP grant. MVP program wants municipalities to use most up-to-date climate change projections, which are now available on a watershed basis throughout Massachusetts. Per Gillian Davies: by 2050, Amesbury will face avg. temp increases of nearly 10 degrees. Days with max temp over 90 = 20 days now; by 2090, expected to be over 80 days/year. Fewer days below freezing. 2000 - 148. 2020: 130 days. By 2090 - 80 days/year. Precipitation effects: there will be more precipitation, with snow and ice events being more extreme. Amesbury should expect more microbursts accompanying severe storms, more heat waves, and more drought. Side effects: erosion from heavier precipitation. BSC will also use resiliency maps from the Nature Conservancy. BSC will examine existing Amesbury open space resources in the context of vulnerability and resiliency maps. BSC handed out a “High-Level” summary of the 2019 MVP report and copies of the previous OSRP. BSC requested a copy of the open space inventory work completed by the OSNRTC previously; Sherwood will provide the documentation to BSC. OSRP Timeline: 1st public meeting: March 18 at Cashman Elementary School 2nd public meeting: - May 11 Planning Board meeting (target) - Council Meeting June 9, or Special City Council Meeting May 26 (before Finance Meeting). N Wheeler will run it past Chair of Finance Committee. Grant/OSRP submission deadline is June 30, 2020, which makes for a tight production schedule for this project. V Johnson-Hall will talk with Essex Country Greenbelt about sharing their own Amesbury prioritization results map with BSC, with a goal of presenting to OSNRTC and BSC at the March 25, 2020 meeting. ADA assessment for OSR Report: only needs to include Amesbury-owned public parks & open spaces (not every open space or recreational facility). Need to have someone from the disability community at least review ADA forms. N Wheeler noted that the City had recently performed ADA assessments of its municipal building facilities (2017); he will obtain it and share it to the Basecamp site established by BSC for this project. J Sherwood will recruit community members, including those with disabilities, for the completion of ADA assessments. March 18 OSRP Public Forum Intro: Why here, info looking for, previous documents - feedback on current uses of Open Space, what could be improved, 4 tables for feedback. Will be like an “open house.” 1. Accessibility and Connectivity 2. Existing Open Space Map - what’s missing, what needs improvement - Present maps with existing open spaces so people can locate themselves - maybe digital - Present risks to open space & seek alternatives - Present on map location of resources 3. Open Space Goals - previous, plus goals from survey 4. Nature-based solutions: natural resource maps showing examples Also a “Dream Board” in order to solicit feedback on vision statement. J Sherwood & V Johnson-Hall will draft a “Vision Statement” and send to BSC. Outreach on OSRP Forum: - Facebook - Open Space, Amesbury Talks & Amesbury Squawks (J Sherwood) - Today: public school newsletter received PDF of flyer - Sherwood will ask Kathy Crowley (Youth and Recreation Dept) to blast it to Youth & Rec list and will send to leagues - Greenbelt: email to members (V Johnson-Hall) - Senior Center, Library - Send emails to Open Space email list from initial survey - Seniors: Tower, Powwow Villa (C Thayer will reach out to ACA) - C Thayer will issue PR - she needs quote; also internal staff newsletter - Planning Board, Cons Comm, City Council, Lakes & Waterways, Parks & Rec (J Sherwood) - Amesbury Trails, Lake Gardner Association – J Sherwood will follow up OSNRT Role: One committee member at each table Food: N Wheeler will donate $$ for cookies & snacks. V Johnson-Hall to buy. Motion to Adjourn: N Wheeler motioned to approve, V Johnson-Hall seconded; unanimous