Open Space Advisory Committee (OSAC)

SARATOGA SPRINGS OPEN SPACE COMMITTEE DRAFT MEETING MINUTES MEETING OF DECEMBER 19, 2018 5:00 P.M. RECREATION CENTER, 15 VANDERBILT AVENUE, SARATOGA SPRINGS PRESENT: Chair Tom Denny, Suzanne Kwasniewski, Maureen Roberts, David Miller, Tim Holmes, Erica Gifford ABSENT: Beth Wurtmann CITY STAFF: Tina Carton, Parks, Open Lands, Historic Preservation/Sustainability Coordinator OTHERS PRESENT: John McMahon, resident of Saratoga Springs and Geoff Bornemann RECORDING OF PROCEEDING: The minutes are not a verbatim record of the proceedings. CALL TO ORDER: Chair Tom Denny called the meeting to order at 5:03 p.m. PUBLIC COMMENT-15 MINUTES No opening public comment. NATURAL RESOURCE INVENTORY (NRI) DISCUSSION Labella Consultants next milestone in the NRI project is to present their complete packet of maps and analysis of the City’s natural resources. This is scheduled for the next OSAC meeting on January 23rd. Tom Denny then began the discussion on the logistics of the Natural Resource Inventory (NRI) public workshop on January 31st at the Saratoga Springs Public Library Dutcher Community Room. This public outreach exercise will have two broad goals, to inform and engage the public about the importance of the NRI and to capture the vision, values, and ideas of the community on selected topics. The committee discussed the structure and focus of the workshop. Committee members agreed that the focus should be the NRI and not the future Open Space Plan update. We 1|Page  SARATOGA SPRINGS OPEN SPACE COMMITTEE DRAFT MEETING MINUTES MEETING OF DECEMBER 19, 2018 5:00 P.M. RECREATION CENTER, 15 VANDERBILT AVENUE, SARATOGA SPRINGS discussed having two principal focuses, each with different workshop activities that we need to design. One focus will be identification of Saratoga’s scenic resources, building on the field assessment form laid out by UAlbany student, Karthik Soundara Rajan. The other main focus will be the major themes of interest regarding our natural resources and open space conservation, using the themes from stakeholder interviews as a starting point. Those were: Saratoga Springs “City in the Country” character; sustainable water practices; preservation of native species; connectivity of resources; neighborhood parks; and the public accessibility of data about resources. The workshop should include a brief presentation by the OSAC, touching on the current status of the Open Space Bond Fund, goals and funding for the Open Space Plan update, and the current status and purpose of the NRI. Dave Miller agreed to design workshop activities that can achieve our goals. We will review and refine these during January. We discussed the need for publicity for the workshop. Tina agreed to work with city hall staff to put out a press release in early January. We discussed contacting ally groups that will want to promote this workshop. The committee also charged Tom and Tina to reach out, in advance of the January 31 workshop, to John Hirliman from the Recreation Department to discuss overlap between the committee’s goals and the Park and Recreation Master Plan. OPEN SPACE PLAN UPDATE In the 2019 Capital Budget, the OSAC received $45,000 to update the Open Space Plan. The committee discussed organizing an RFP development subcommittee. Tim Holmes and Dave Miller volunteered to assist with the scope of services. The subcommittee planned to start work in Late February with the goal of releasing an RFP in April. Then the consultant could potentially be under contract by early summer. EXECUTIVE SESSION Tom Denny made a motion to proceed to Executive Session. Tom Denny introduced the Executive Session agenda: to discuss a conservation easement on a property prior to planning board review. A motion was made to come out of Executive Session. Conclusion of the 2|Page  SARATOGA SPRINGS OPEN SPACE COMMITTEE DRAFT MEETING MINUTES MEETING OF DECEMBER 19, 2018 5:00 P.M. RECREATION CENTER, 15 VANDERBILT AVENUE, SARATOGA SPRINGS executive session: the OSAC discussed the possible conservation easement. The committee will continue the discussion at the next OSAC meeting OTHER BUSINESS No other business was discussed. PUBLIC COMMENT No closing public comment. ADJOURN There being no further business, a motion to adjourn the meeting at 6:31 p.m. was unanimously approved (Denny, Holmes). NEXT MEETING: THE NEXT MEETING OF THE OSAC WILL BE ON JANUARY 23, 2018 5PM, LOCATION AT THE RECREATION CENTER ON 15 VANDERBILT AVENUE. 3|Page