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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2023-01-26-REC-min Town of Lexington Recreation Committee Frederick DeAngelis, Chairman Tel: (781) 698-4800 Christian Boutwell, Vice Chair Fax: (781) 861-2747 Carl Fantasia Lisa O’Brien Claire Sheth Renen Bassik Weiwei Li Recreation Committee Minutes of Meeting January 26, 2023 A meeting of the Recreation Committee was held on Thursday, January 26, 2023 in person and via zoom as a hybrid meeting at 6:30pm in Room 242 of the Lexington Community Center. Members Present: Rick DeAngelis, Christian Boutwell, Renen Bassik, Weiwei Li, Lisa O’Brien, and Claire Sheth Members Not present: Carl Fantasia Staff Present: Melissa Battite, Director of Recreation and Community Programs, Peter Coleman, Assistant Director of Recreation, Christine Dean, Community Center Director, Chris Filadoro, DPW Superintendent of Public Grounds, Dave Pinsonneault, DPW Director, and Thomas Romano, Community Center Youth & Family Program Coordinator Others Present: Cristina Burwell (6 Albemarle Avenue, Lexington), Rod Cole (Capital Expenditures Committee liaison), Brian Healy (Brian Healy Architects), Kathleen Lenihan (School Committee liaison), Deepika Sawhney (School Committee liaison), and Tom Shiple (18 Phinney Road, Lexington) 1. Public Comment – None 2. December Meeting Minutes Lisa O’Brien moved to approve the minutes from the December 21st meeting, with edits. Weiwei Li seconded the motion. The Recreation Committee voted 5-0 to approve this motion. 3. Recreation Committee Email Correspondence – Claire Sheth Claire Sheth reported to the Committee about the emails that were received over the past month. The majority of emails were regarding the proposed bike pump track near Kinneens Park. Ms. Sheth indicated that approximately 20 letters were received in favor and 9 opposition letters were received from abutters over the past week. Additionally, a 7-page collective opposition letter from the abutters was also received. The main issues raised were concerns for parking access and limitations, overall safety, the narrowness of the street, and how to monitor activity at the park. After the December Committee meeting, Christian Boutwell, Vice Chair of the Recreation Committee, sent a memo to the Select Board on behalf of the Committee that expressed the concerns and viewpoints that had been discussed during previous meetings. Rick DeAngelis, Chair of the Recreation Committee, stated that Mr. Boutwell’s letter accurately portrayed the issues and concerns regarding the proposed location for the pump track. The proponents for the bike pump track gave a presentation to the Select Board on Monday, January 9th. While the Select Board exhibited interest in the concept, it also expressed concerns about the location. The 2 39 MARRETT ROAD, LEXINGTON, MASSACHUSETTS 02421 proponents were instructed to do more research and asked to address the concerns that were raised and then return to a Select Board meeting in the future. Besides the pump track, the outreach emails for the two upcoming Lincoln Park community meetings were received. 4. Liaison Reports The January Liaison Report is attached to the meeting minutes. Lisa O’Brien, liaison to the Community Preservation Committee (CPC), reported that the proposed FY2024 CPC projects were presented to the Select Board on Monday, January 23rd. The next CPC meeting is scheduled for Thursday, February 9th. 5. Minuteman High School – Phase 2 Athletic Complex Development Rick DeAngelis and Melissa Battite, Director of Recreation and Community Programs, introduced this topic by giving a brief history of this project. In 2018-2019, Minuteman High School was looking for a financial partner to complete the field upgrades and renovations at their campus. The athletic complex was being rebuilt at the same time as the high school and Minuteman approached the Town of Lexington about the possibility of entering into an inter- government agreement. The Town’s funding would complete the athletic field renovation and in return, the Town would have received a high priority to use these fields and facilities. However, this proposed agreement was never finalized as there was not the appetite from all financial committees to move forward with this request. The notable positives that followed included the 2020 Community Needs Assessment and the Comprehensive Study of Athletic & Outdoor Recreation Facilities that was completed in 2022. Minuteman has put out a Request for Proposal (RFP) for organizations to provide funding to complete the build of the athletic complex, known as Phase 2. Funding is needed for the construction of six tennis courts, purchase a new PA system, and install bleachers seating, concession stand, and a storage building at the stadium complex. In return, the partnering organization would enter into a 10-year lease with Minuteman for use of the athletic complex. There was a walkthrough on January 23rd and proposals are due in early February. If the complex is completed, it would be a huge benefit and a resource to Lexington. Ms. Battite informed the Committee that member Minuteman towns receive a member rate to use the athletic facilities. Minuteman’s rates are high than the Department’s field rental fees. Similar to how the Department utilizes Lexington High School year-round, the intent would be to take a holistic approach when deciding on how to partner with Minuteman. Members of the Committee then had the opportunity to make comments and ask questions. Mr. DeAngelis thought it would be worth a shot to submit a completed RFP. Christian Boutwell was concerned that there would not be any available time left after the needs of Minuteman and the partnering organization are met. Mr. DeAngelis asked if an RFP could be submitted with an appropriation for funding and he suggested that the Select Board and Town Manager Jim Malloy be notified of this opportunity immediately, especially with fields at the Center Recreation Complex coming offline in the coming years due to the LHS construction project. Claire Sheth stated that this would help address the existing field deficit earlier than expected and Lisa O’Brien added that all of the fields at Minuteman have lights. Mr. DeAngelis thought the Committee could make one of three choices: 1. Do nothing. 2. Submit an RFP 3. Do not submit an RFP, but approach Minuteman about renting field space on an as- needed basis. Mr. Boutwell thought it would be important to make the Committee’s interest clearly known to the next level of Town leadership as it would alert people to the possibility of solving some of the 3 39 MARRETT ROAD, LEXINGTON, MASSACHUSETTS 02421 field deficit problem. Ms. Battite has shared this information with Mr. Malloy and it would be important to know where LHS Athletics is with securing field space during the new LHS construction. She added that a potential partnership could secure a long-term rental of outdoor and indoor space. Ms. Sheth asked if an RFP would be filed jointly with the School Committee. Kathleen Lenihan, School Committee Liaison, said she would discuss this item with Dr. Julie Hackett, Superintendent of the Lexington Public Schools, and the School Committee. Mr. Boutwell believed that if a memo was sent, the whole summit would be the best target audience. Mr. DeAngelis acknowledged that while the Committee does not have funding or acquisition authority, it can recommend that this be looked into by the various financial committees and decision makers. The initial Minuteman partnership had a price tag of $8 million for 25 years of use. The Phase 2 RFP has no price tag and calls for a 10-year lease. Ms. Battite thought regardless of whether or not an RFP is submitted, it would be beneficial for Town officials to have a conversation with Minuteman officials about this topic. While funding will not be available in time to meet the RFP deadline, it would be worthwhile to express our interest and explain the benefits for the Town moving forward. At the end of the discussion, Claire Sheth made the following motion: “The Recreation Committee will draft a memo (written by Vice Chair Christian Boutwell) to the summit members of Town committees and offices urging consideration to enter into the bidding process for the Minuteman High School Phase 2 Athletic Complex Development.” Rick DeAngelis seconded the motion. The Recreation Committee voted 6-0 to approve this motion. 6. Working Groups a. Tennis/Pickleball Working Group (TPWG) – Claire Sheth and Peter Coleman, Assistant Director of Recreation, led the most recent TPWG meeting on Tuesday, January 17th. In addition to Ms. Sheth and Mr. Coleman, there were only three people in attendance and the goal of the meeting was to hone in on the decision-making criteria. Pickleball advocates continued to emphasize the way pickleball is played is more like pick-up basketball rather than a tennis match. The social, drop-in, and democratic elements are compelling aspects of the sport and in their opinion, are a mismatch with how courts are permitted. Ms. Sheth stated that pickleball advocates would like to use the courts three hours a day, two days a week for free. All members of the Committee believed that it could not be offered for free as people need to pay for the service and so the facilities can be operated and maintained properly. While Lexington has a robust tennis and pickleball community, Ms. Sheth said that it is like trying to retrofit a new activity into existing facilities and members of the TPWG have communicated that dual-use courts create problems. Specific to noise, it was agreed upon that sound measurements should not exceed 65 dBAs and that noise mitigation should still be taken into consideration. At the last meeting, there was a weighted exercise where people could vote for the considerations they thought were most important to include in the decision-making criteria and people who were not able to attend were able to submit their votes through an online survey. At the next TPWG meeting, which is scheduled for Tuesday, February 7th, TPWG members should come with recommendations on potential locations as well as short-term and long-term solutions or compromises. The Committee then discussed if the next TPWG meeting would be the last one before the group is dissolved. Renen Bassik thought there were issues that still needed to be discussed at the Committee level. Ms. Sheth acknowledged that the TPWG will not want to disband unless there is a structure or promise in place. The purpose of the TPWG was to discuss short-term and long-term problems and brainstorm potential solutions. It was determined that based on how the 4 39 MARRETT ROAD, LEXINGTON, MASSACHUSETTS 02421 February 7th meeting goes, it will then be decided if any additional meetings are needed and the TPWG recommendations will be discussed at a future Committee meeting. b. Sustainable/Health/Conservation/Recreation Work Group – Lisa O’Brien informed the Committee that this working group will next meet on Friday, January 27th. Rick DeAngelis stated that the objective of the Sustainable Lexington group now is to focus on healthy aspects, specifically in terms of health and safety concerns for people playing on synthetic turf as it relates to the capital improvement projects at Lincoln Park. A comprehensive piece from Jay Peters with Haley & Aldrich will be discussed during the next meeting. Ms. Battite anticipates that this collaborative approach will likely continue with capital projects in the future. 7. Annual Town Meeting – Two Community Meetings Melissa Battite informed the Committee that the additional outreach and advocacy for the proposed FY24 capital improvement project at Lincoln Park will consist of two community meetings in the coming weeks. These will be official Committee meetings since a quorum is available on both dates. The first meeting will be held on Wednesday, February 1st and will focus on the background information for the project as well as details specific to the proposed installation of lights at two multi-purpose fields (Lincoln #1 and Lincoln #3). The second community meeting will take place on Wednesday, March 1st and the focus of that meeting will be on the replacement of the synthetic turf playing surface. Members of the Committee are in the process of preparing presentation slides. Notifications about these meetings have been distributed using a variety of channels. A letter was sent to abutters within 500’ of the property line (the Town’s policy is to notify abutters within 100’-200’). Notices were sent to Precinct 4 (Baskin Road and lower Middleby Road neighborhoods) and Precinct 9 (Lincoln Street and lower Middleby Road neighborhoods). Information about the meetings was also sent out through the Town Meeting Members Association (TMMA) list. The format for these meetings will consist of a 20-30-minute informational presentation, followed by ample time for community members to ask questions and provide feedback. The presentation slides will be posted on the Department’s Capital Projects webpage as well as the Town Meeting website. Lisa O’Brien believed that it would be beneficial for School Committee members to attend and listen in on the conversation. 8. Munroe Center for the Arts Cristina Burwell, Executive Director of the Munroe Center for the Arts, was joined by Brian Healy of Brian Healy Architects, to provide an update on the proposed project at Munroe. The revised schematic design site plans are attached to the meeting minutes. Ms. Burwell informed the Committee that a professional cost estimate was received during the fall. Based on the amount of the initial estimate, the Community Preservation Committee (CPC) sent Munroe back to the drawing board and requested a revised proposal. Mr. Healy reviewed the project scope that was presented at the August 2022 Recreation Committee meeting. The initial estimate came in at $8.4 million. In working with Mike Cronin, DPF Director, the cost estimate was reduced to $6.6 million. Mr. Healy reviewed the revised plan, which calls for 40 parking spaces, 2 ADA-accessible parking spaces, and lighting, and stated that there would be a disruption in the connection between the addition to the building and the park. With the initial east/west layout for parking, 68% of the open space would be preserved. The new north/south parking lot layout calls for 66% of the open space to be preserved. The north/south orientation calls for there to be parking spaces where the swing sets are currently located and is the preferred design as it allows for flexibility in programming. Mr. Healy indicated that converting the lane to cemetery would be cost prohibitive and that both parking and stormwater management would be upgraded at the site as a result of this project. Ms. Burwell reminded the Committee that the creation of public restrooms would be 5 39 MARRETT ROAD, LEXINGTON, MASSACHUSETTS 02421 included in this project and they would be available for use when Munroe is open. If approved, construction is scheduled to begin this summer. The CPC supported the $6.6 million request and the proponents were looking for the Committee to support the revised plan. Lisa O’Brien, who is the Committee’s liaison to the CPC, abstained from voting on the revised design at a recent CPC meeting. Since the swing sets would be impacted by the proposed north/south layout for parking, Ms. O’Brien wanted Committee members to see the revised plan and get their feedback before voting on whether or not to support the project. Christian Boutwell acknowledged that as shown on the plans, parking would be where the swing sets are currently located. Mr. Healy stated that the project budget includes reinstallation of the swing sets. Melissa Battite informed the Committee that at the CPC meeting, it was shared that there would be no disruption to open space. Ms. Battite asked how much is in the budget for restoration (swing sets reinstallation, irrigation) and Mr. Healy said that $273,000 is allocated for site restoration. Ms. Battite expressed her concerns about the loss of active open space. Additionally, this was the first time hearing about construction taking place during the summer and it is anticipated the disruption would last for several months during construction. Ms. Burwell said that the open space is currently spotty, uneven, and full of cicada killers throughout and the project would make this area flatter and more usable. Ms. Battite indicated that if the open space is being used for lay down, that would be the time to make improvements. She questioned which playground company is going to uninstall and then reinstall the swing sets. Staff would like to have input on where the swing sets are relocated and this should be included on the renderings. Ms. O’Brien reiterated that she abstained from the CPC vote and believes that there will be another time to vote, the date still to be determined. At this point, members of the Committee provided their comments and feedback on the revised proposal. Renen Bassik stated that the plan is incomplete as it relates to recreation. Ms. O’Brien said that it is a work in progress and Mr. Healy concurred with that statement. Based on what was shared, Ms. O’Brien concluded that the Committee was not ready to vote on anything concrete without more details. Additional information is needed when it comes to the budget breakdown, swing sets relocation, and seeing a complete layout of the site which includes how the loss of open space will be balanced out. The list of questions will be emailed to Ms. Burwell. Mr. Healy will send the requested information to Ms. Battite and the Committee will continue the conversation at its next meeting. 9. Recreation FY24 Fee Schedule Request A copy of the proposed Recreation FY2024 fee schedule is attached to the meeting minutes. Melissa Battite reminded the Committee this is an annual exercise that staff complete and the fees will be presented to the Select Board on Monday, February 13th. Peter Coleman presented a summary the proposed fee increases. This process is taken seriously and the main factors behind this year’s proposed increases include the increase in the State’s minimum wage to $15.00/hour, recapture the loss of revenue and stagnation of fees that was experienced during the pandemic, ensure consistent fees across all program areas, and increased expenses and inflation. If the fee increases are approved and enrollment and participation remain the same, they would go into effect as of July 1, 2023 and it is anticipated that the fee increases will generate approximately $140,000 in additional revenue. Members understood the rationale and reasoning behind the proposed fee increases and noted that the stated of the economy will need to be monitored going forward. Weiwei Li expressed concerns about the increases to the tennis/pickleball membership fees. After a brief discussion, Lisa O’Brien made the following motion: “The Recreation Committee approves the proposed FY2024 fee schedule as presented this evening.” Christian Boutwell seconded the motion. The Recreation Committee voted 5-1 to approve this motion. 10. Recreation & Community Programs Report The January Recreation & Community Programs Report is attached to the meeting minutes. 6 39 MARRETT ROAD, LEXINGTON, MASSACHUSETTS 02421 The next meeting of the Recreation Committee is scheduled to take place on Wednesday, February 1st at 7:00pm. The January 26th, 2023 meeting of the Recreation Committee adjourned at 9:07pm. Respectfully submitted, Peter Coleman Assistant Director of Recreation The following documents distributed at the meeting are attached: • January 2023 Liaison Report • Recreation FY24 Fee Schedule Requests • Munroe Center for the Arts Site Plans • January 2023 Recreation & Community Programs Report • Recreation Committee Memo regarding the Bike Pump Track Proposal • Lincoln Park Abutters Letter