Open Space, Natural Resources, and Trails Committee

RECEIVED By Ellie at 12:04 pm, 4/6/21 Amesbury Open Space, Natural Resources, and Trails Committee Meeting Minutes February 24, 2021, 7:00 p.m. This meeting was conducted under the "Executive Order Suspending Certain Provisions of the Open Meeting Law' G.L. c. 30A, Section 20, signed on March 12, 2020. In attendance: J. Sherwood (Chair), P. Rettig (Planning Board), Councilor Nick Wheeler, S. Thiel (Conservation Commission), J. Lopez (Conservation Agent), V. Johnson-Hall 1. Call to order 7pm. 2. Minutes from Jan. 27, 2021: Moved by N. Wheeler, 2nd by S. Thiel. Unanimous via roll call vote. 3. Public Comments: N/A 4. Communications: We are modifying format of agenda to be consistent with published agendas for other City committees and boards. 5. Chair’s Report • Carriagetown Connector – Coastal Trails had given grant for engineering required for draft for PNF and Project Info Form for MassDOT. Completed late 2020. Accepted by MADOT. Next step is to initiate application for funding for more planning & engineering; 100% reimburseable with small match that City responsible for; Coastal Trails will contribute to match (pledge from healthcare foundation). Rest of project could be at little to no expense to City. Construction cost covered by MADOT. Application submitted for this year’s Mass Trails program round. J. Sherwood contributed content to grant from OSRP priorities. • Essex National Heritage Grant Application – Discussed improvements at Deer Island; Amesbury Improvement Association supportive of submitting grant (recipient and fiduciary) to install kiosk at parking lot, interpretive signage with natural and cultural history, map out connections to nearby Whittier Bridge Multi-Use trail. Also beautification improvements to parking lot – replace fencing. Does not require NOI because it’s just site maintenance, not improvements. Leverages support from City which would build kiosk. Cost is producing & mounting signage, also fencing materials. DPW would install fencing. Verbiage: include acknowledgement of Native Tribe use of land, historic presence, significance. J. Lopez may have connection to tribal historian. Application submitted last Friday.  • Coordination with Lakes and Waterways Committee – A. Cleveland asked for meeting between J. Sherwood and Chair of Lakes and Waterways Committee for March 1 to explore overlap between committees. In line with goal of OSRP to coordinate committees working on common natural resource goals. 6. Special Guests/Presentations: N/A 7. Projects • OSR 2020-21 Action Plan i. Trails Planning – J. Sherwood. Important near-term priority. J. Sherwood researched trail funding programs – none cover management planning for trails. J. Sherwood spoke with Carol Lloyd of ECTA. They manage trails on behalf of 6 municipalities. They also do trail planning on municipal land. They work with other org’s and were interested in talking with us about engaging in trail planning on a fee basis. C. Lloyd will take back to her staff for scope and cost of baseline management plan. Plan includes template approaches with Cons Comm with how to approach different issues and problems to streamline maintenance within jurisdictional wetlands. Many questions and comments that come in about our open space resources focus on trails. How maintained, who maintains, etc. This would develop an approach for trail management and maintenance. S. Thiel recommended including review of grant sources for accessible trails. J. Lopez suggested keeping in mind multi-use, e.g. plowing of Rail Trail precludes XC skiers. For funding, consider grant funding from local banks and healthcare foundations. ii. Town Forest & Woodsom Farm Protections – N. Wheeler has nothing new to report. Councilor Stanganelli was working on drafting language for this, with assistance from Councilor Lennon. J. Lopez reported on vandalism in Town Forest; someone well-known to Town Police using motorized vehicle; harvesting trees. Police responded, but there was a question as to authority. Cons Comm only has authority with respect to wetlands. Apparently Tree Warden has jurisdiction, which is DPW Director who issued Cease & Desist order to individual. This is a perfect example of why behooves City to have management plans and clear ownership of Town Lands so that jurisdiction is clear. Protecting lands under care/custody & control of single City entity. iii. Outreach to Other Boards/Committees – Open Space Forum Part Two - J. Sherwood communicated with A. Cleveland; City is supportive of bringing folks together. Logistical challenge with COVID. Perhaps in Summer could meet in person to come together to discuss particular topics. iv. Conservation Commission Inventory of City-Owned Parcels – S. Thiel submitted suggested list after input from Cons Comm and OSC regarding criteria to use. J. Lopez requested written recommendation as to which parcels warrant permanent conservation. S. Thiel and V. Johnson-Hall to work on cover memo to accompany list of recommendations. Include protection mechanism. Present  draft at March 24th OSNRT meeting. S. Thiel will put final spreadsheet on Google Drive. v. Criteria & Methods for Permanently Protected Land Required as Part of a Development Permit. Cluster subdivision zoning bylaw has some criteria in it, e.g., 20’ access. Section 11(d) Section 8. P. Rettig will look at language in bylaw to see what should be referenced in advisement document. PUD may also allow Planning Board to require open space set aside. Rural Cluster district. Residential Cluster does allow density bonus for open space set aside. Two years ago City Council had opportunity to amend zoning bylaw so that OSNRT would also have an opportunity to offer non-binding, advisory opinion on subdivision plans. Passed unanimously at Planning Board but did not get required 2/3 at City Council. J. Lopez expressed support for including OSNRT in review of development plans. Also expressed challenges of maintaining land assigned to the care, custody & control of Conservation Commission where City has no funding for maintaining protected lands. Could OSNRT have care, custody & control of open space? V. Johnson-Hall will edit with additional information from P. Rettig re. planning & zoning regs. Discussion about bringing back Design & Review Committee, which was advisory only and who would advise applicants before went to Planning Board. Architect, Landscape Planner, maybe someone with expertise in conservation/open space land management. Originally was City Council measure that established this. Defined in Planning Board bylaws which are in process of being revised. May be opportunity to reference MVP Natural Resources Plan and OSRP. 8. Other Business • N. Wheeler noticed email from Jennifer Freeman who’s interested in becoming involved with Open Space Committee. She listened to tonight’s meeting and was interested in how to connect. • S. Thiel wanted to know if City had any plans for Earth Day. e.g., Deer Island cleanup in Fall sponsored by Merrimack River Watershed Commission. OSNRT has had volunteer trail clean-ups. AIA has tree committee; they have Arbor Day event usually where give away free trees. Arbor Day April 30. Earth Day April 22. National Trail Day in June. City has good avenues for public outreach; would only need modest amount of lead time for projects. Trails and Sails in September is another event to dovetail with. • Cons Comm received draft proposal from AIA interested in sectioning off section of Community Garden to serve as nursery for small trees. 9. Motion to Adjourn at 8:38pm. N. Wheeler moved; 2nd S. Thiel. Unanimously approve by roll call.