Open Space, Natural Resources, and Trails Committee

RECEIVED By City Clerk at 1:48 pm, 11/8/21 Amesbury Open Space, Natural Resources, and Trails Committee MEETING MINUTES September 22, 2021, 7:00 p.m. Present: V. Johnson-Hall, P. Rettig, J. Sherwood, R. Hucksam, N. Wheeler 1. Call to Order 7:03pm 2. Minutes from July 28, 2021 meeting. Motion to approve N. Wheeler; 2nd - P. Rettig. Unanimously approved. 3. Public Comment - None. 4. Communications – N/A 5. Chair's Report - J. Sherwood emailed new Open Space Handbook; suggest that Committee members read it. 6. Special Guests/Presentations – N/A 7. Referrals: a) 2021-102 An Ordinance to Create a Town Forest Conservation Area Councilor Stanganelli was present to discuss this order. This committee reviewed at July meeting; was presented at prior City Council meeting and was continued. Additional input from OSNRT requested from Councilor Stanganelli. President of Council wanted it to come back because of question about maps. Recommendations from OSNRT August 16th memo was included in the Order version posted on City Council page (version 4). Question whether this has to go back to the Planning Board. P. Rettig said no recommendation required from Planning Board. OSNRT members provided comments to revise section on “Land Management,” and the suggestion was made to only include one map that depicts the parcels referenced in the order. Recommendation from Councilor Wheeler that record copy will be in black & white. Move to recommend approving Order 2021-102 subject to edits as discussed and as recorded by Councilor Stanganelli, to replace all maps with a single map depicting the relevant parcels referenced in the order, to remove assessor’s parcel 61-5 from this order, and to have the City consult counsel to determine whether or not there is in fact an encroachment on Parcel 61-5 as the assessor’s parcel boundaries indicate. Moved: V. Johnson-Hall, 2nd N. Wheeler. 5-0 Unanimously approved. b) 2021-129 An Order to Conserve a Certain Area Formerly Known as the ‘Quinn Farm’ Move to recommend approval of Order 2021-129 as written. Moved V. Johnson-Hall. 2nd P. Rettig. Unanimously approved. 8. Ongoing Projects - OSR 2021-22 Priorities: J. Sherwood met with A. Cleveland regarding meeting to discuss City priorities with Mayor Gove and J. Lopez to collaborate on common priorities and how the OSNRT can support the City’s efforts to achieve those priorities. Recommend that discussing priorities for 2022 be the sole subject of the October 27th meeting. 9. Motion to Adjourn: N. Wheeler, 2nd P. Rettig. 8:40pm Unanimously approved.