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2/29/2024 AC Minutes 3 Recreation Committee requests. It also includes school playgrounds and other community re- sources. The CPC will have to balance the community’s complete recreation needs against other re- quests. Ms. Battite expressed satisfaction with her department’s program to rebuild all the playgrounds around the Town over the last decade. This program is now nearing completion but will need to be reactivated in 15 to 20 years based on the typical lifespan playground equipment. The department is currently focused on preparing for a heavy load on other recreation fields when some of the Center fields go offline. With the exception of the current golf and bathhouse requests, she feels that most recreation facilities are well-prepared for the next five years. The department is trying to keep up with long-term needs as well as current trends and demands from recreation users. Mr. Boutwell added that it would be important for the public to understand the impacts of an inability of CPA funding to support future recreation needs. Mr. Levine asked if the clubhouse renovations would include a sustainable HVAC system. Ms. Bat- tite replied that this was the intent, but the DPF was still working on the design and engineering. Mr. Levine encouraged Ms. Battite to provide a liaison to the School Building Committee. Article 12 Municipal Capital Projects and Equipment—David Pinsonneault, Director of Public Works Mr. Pinsonneault was assured that the Committee was informed about the newly combined budget program for culverts and stormwater control. Mr. Parker stated that the Town is still waiting to learn how the EPA regulations around stormwater will change. Mr. Pinsonneault replied that phosphorus is the wild card in the delayed updates from the EPA. The Town has proposed doing better leaf col- lection in areas near catch basins and streams, which could help to reduce phosphorus in stormwater runoff. The EPA might credit this towards the Town’s requirements for phosphorus mitigation. Mr. Ahuja asked about Article 12(i) Cemetery Columbarium—Design, and whether the columbar- ium would interfere with the potential addition of a crematorium to the main Westview Cemetery building. Mr. Pinsonneault replied that the columbarium would be built into the side of a hill in a separate area that would not affect any additions to the main building. Mr. Padaki asked when the DPW expected to request construction funds for a columbarium. Mr. Pinsonneault replied that they would wait until the 2025 Annual Town Meeting. The current construction cost estimate is $450,000, which includes site work and installation. Mr. Kanter asked what the difference in price would be for interment in a columbarium versus a traditional burial. Mr. Pinsonneault replied that the DPW has not developed a pricing model yet, but it would be based largely on the total capacity and cost of the columbarium. Mr. Levine asked how large the columbarium would be. Mr. Pinsonneault replied that it would be a system of linked modules roughly 20 ft high and 40 to 50 ft long, but it would be designed to make maximal use of available space. Each niche is around 2 ft or 3 ft square, so a 20 ft by 40 ft colum- barium could contain up to 200 niches. Mr. Michelson asked how long it would take for the colum- barium to run out of niches. Mr. Pinsonneault replied that he hoped it would last ten to twenty years and noted that columbarium niches boost the overall capacity of the cemetery, which will have to expand to meet future demand. Mr. Parker asked if there were any questions about other items for the municipal capital request. Mr. Pinsonneault noted that the DPW will be repairing parking lots at the library and at Muzzey St (behind Michelson’s Shoes). The DPW has deferred needed work on the Depot lot and the Edison Way lot until the Town determines whether either lot could be repurposed for affordable housing.