Open Space, Recreation & Historic Preservation Advisory Committee

OPEN SPACE, RECREATION AND HISTORIC PRESERVATION ADVISORY COMMITTEE MINUTES – April 18, 2012 NEXT MEETING: May 9, 2012, Hartley Dodge Memorial, 2nd Floor Committee Room PRESENT: R. Poeter, M. Durham, L. Ellis, C. Kellogg, M. Honohan. Guest: C. Erezuma OPEN PUBLIC MEETING STATEMENT: All Open Space, Recreation and Historic Preservation Advisory Committee meetings are open to the public and have been announced 48 hours in advance of the meeting. Minutes are publicly available. REVIEW AND APPROVAL OF MINUTES: March 13, 2012 Minutes were approved with no changes. GREEN FAIR UPDATE: The Open Space Committee will be sharing a table with the Madison Historical Society on May 3, 2012. The Green Fair begins at 3:30 pm. We would like to feature a map with spaces in the Borough and have representatives to speak to people attending the fair. It was recommended that we develop a questionnaire or some type of information gathering piece so that we can hear from people in town as to how spaces are currently used and what things might be improved. MAY DAY UPDATE: Open Space Committee Members are encouraged to sign up with their friends and families to participate in the May Day event on May 5, 2012. Lisa Ellis asked that we sign up for work at the Train Station. The main work will be to mulch. There will be a thank you event later starting at 11 am at the Ambulance Corps. LIVESEY PARK PROJECT: It was proposed by Craig Erezuma, that park access issues be addressed. This would serve three purposes: 1. To allow for easier access to the park by the general public 2. To allow for a safer and simpler pull through for drop off and pick up times at Kings Road Elementary. 3. To allow for a space for a Kings Elementary monitored school garden. The Committee members viewed a map that had been created with the assistance of the Borough Engineer. Discussion took place over some of the requirements that might be useful to include in the project such as number of parking spaces and use of gravel for the drive through. The estimated cost of placing the drive through in the park is $40,000. There will likely be work that needs to take place in conjunction with the county because Kings Road is a county road. There was some concern expressed over the state of some of the trees in the park and it was suggested that the Chair reach out to the Shade Tree Management Board to have them label trees that need to be removed and then notify the Borough of the need for removal of the dead and diseased trees. Other follow-up includes the Chair doing research on the funds initially designated for the purchase of Livesey Park and what sort of limitations for land use there may be. There will also be a check in to whether the land falls under any historical designation. OLD BUSINESS: A. The Open Space Committee discussed ways to promote open space use. Suggest that the Parks Committee and the Open Space Committee work together on Parks projects. Suggest a study of all open space. 1. Parks Committee do parkland assessment. 2. Recreation Committee do fields and assess needs. B. Green groups should work together on assessing use of open space - Parks, Open Space, FMST, STMB and Garden Club of Madison. NEW BUSINESS: M. Honohan will invite Jon Wagar of Conservation Resources, Inc. to discuss the Chester Trails Project and how the Borough of Madison might engage in similar work. MEETING ADJOURNED: Respectfully submitted, Melissa Honohan, Chair