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Home My WebLink About2014-11-06-CPC-min Minutes of the Community Preservation Committee Thursday, November 6, 2014 Parker Room, Town Office Building 1625 Massachusetts Avenue 3:00 pm Committee Members Present: Marilyn Fenollosa, Chair; Richard Canale, Norman Cohen, David Horton, Jeanne Krieger, Leo McSweeney, Bob Pressman, Sandy Shaw and Richard Wolk, Vice-Chair. Administrative Assistant : Nathalie Rice Also in attendance were David Kanter, Vice Chair of the Capital Expenditures Committee; Karen Mullins, Director of Community Development and Conservation Assistant, Jordan McCarron. The meeting was called to order at 3:04 pm. by Ms. Fenollosa. 1.Appointment of CPC Chair and Vice Chair After a motion duly stated and seconded, the CPC voted (8-0) to reappoint Marilyn Fenollosa Chair of the CPC, and Richard Wolk Vice-Chair. (Mr. Horton arrived slightly late, missing this vote). 2.Parker Meadow Accessible Trail Update Karen Mullins, Director of Community Development and Jordan McCarron, Conservation Assistant met with the CPC to present FY16 Open Space projects. They commenced with an update on the FY15 Parker Meadow Trail Restoration Project. Ms. Mullins explained that the RFP for the project was in the final stages and will be issued in December. She said she expected the D&E stage to take six months, and that she would be applying next fall for FY17 construction funds. 3.Conservation Meadows Preservation Program, $26,400 Ms. Mullins explained that the Meadows Preservation Project involved the restoration of historic conservation meadows that had lost their open habitat due to growth of invasive species. She said that the project would be an ongoing one, with one to two fields being cleared each year. In FY16, she proposed the restoration of Hennessey Field (adjacent to the renovated Hennessey barn a FY13 CPA project) and the Joyce Miller Field, contiguous to the Arlingtons Great Meadows. After the restorations, the fields would be mowed annually in the fall using funds from the operating budget. Mr. McCarron added that Land Management Plans will be completed for all fields after restoration. The CPC discussed whether the project should be designated under the category of historic resources or open space, both categories having been checked on the application. Mr. Kanter encouraged the applicant to use the Protect designation of the Open Space category. Members agreed that Town Counsel Kevin Batt should rule on the matter. At the suggestion of the Chair and after a motion duly stated and seconded, the CPC voted in a straw vote (8-0-1) to support this project. 1 4.Lower Vine Brook Paved Recreation Path Reconstruction, $221,092 Ms. Mullins described this project which involved removing 4,600 feet of paved recreation path, regarding to correct drainage issues and repaving with macadam. She explained that the current eight foot wide path posed safety risks to the many who used it for walking, biking, running and cross country skiing. Ms. Mullins presented the Committee with an amended application, which included an updated project cost request. The Committee discussed the proposal, with members verifying the unsafe condition of the path, and questioning whether easements had been obtained in various locations. There was a discussion of the projects classification as an open space or recreation project. It was generally agreed that the project fell under the category of recreation, specifically as a restoration/rehabilitation project. Sandy Shaw expressed concern that the project would be interpreted as a Recreation Department submittal and might give the impression that Recreation is getting the lions share of CPA funds. She noted that the Recreation Department prioritizes projects according to its 5-Year Capital Plan. This conservation- sponsored project, she added, was not on the Plan. At David Kanters suggestion, the CPC discussed whether this project should be fully funded in FY16, rather than in FY16 and FY17. Mr. Kanter argued that it made no sense to separate the funding irrespective of whether it took two seasons to complete the work. The CPC discussed this alternative in light of the other FY16 claims against the CPF and requested Ms. Mullins to submit the project as a single request. After a duly stated and seconded motion, the Committee voted (7-0-2) in a straw vote to support the Lower Vine Brook Paved Path Reconstruction at the combined FY16 and FY17 cost of $369,813. The CPC will rely on Town Counsels opinion as to whether the project qualifies as an open space or recreation project. 5.Land Acquisition - Placeholder Ms.Mullins noted that there was a potential land acquisition presented to the CPC as a placeholder, but said she was unable to go into any detail about the project. 6.Photo for Town Report The CPC had its picture taken by David Tabling for the Town Report. 7.Needs Assessment Report Ms. Rice reported that she was compiling a draft of the Needs Assessment Report for review, and that she would distribute it for comment as soon as possible. The CPC decided upon a Public Hearing date of December 11, at 7:00 pm. It is anticipated that the hearing will be less than an hour. 8.Town Counsel Opinion on Project Eligibility The Committee asked Ms. Rice to send Mr. Batt, Town Counsel, the final list of project applications for his review and legal opinion. 2 9.Approval of Minutes The CPC voted (9-0) to approve the minutes of the meetings of 10/2/14 and 6/16/14, as well as the Executive Session minutes of 5/1/14. The Committee agreed however, that it would be premature to release the Executive Session minutes. 10.Updates and Member Concerns a.)Friends of the MMNP Lecture - Ms. Fenollosa reported that there would be an th archeology lecture at the Depot on November 11 at 7:30 pm. She noted that it might provide additional background for the Parkers Revenge Project currently before the CPC for FY16 funding. b.)New CPC Email, communitypreservationcmte@lexingtonma.gov. - Ms. Rice explained that the CPC should start using the new Committee email. Members discussed the use of the new email address and agreed that it would be easiest to cc the email in any non-municipal communications. (The email is designed to capture the public record between members and their committees. Committee emails would be archived in the same manner that staff emails are currently archived.) c.)Battle Green Project Updates The Committee requested an update from Dave Pinsonneault on the various CPA projects that have been approved to date. Mr. th Pinsonneault is scheduled to come before the Committee on December 4. The following documents were presented at the meeting: 1.Conservation Meadows Preservation CPA Application. Nov. 6, 2014 2.Lower Vinebrook Paved Recreation Path CPA Application. Nov. 6, 2014 3.Schedule for Project Presentations, Nov. 5, 2014 4.FY16 CPA Project List, Nov. 5, 2014 The meeting was adjourned at 4:47 pm. Respectfully submitted, Nathalie Rice Administrative Assistant Community Preservation Committee 3