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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2024-11-20-REC-min Town of Lexington Recreation Committee Frederick DeAngelis, Chairman Tel: (781) 698-4800 Christian Boutwell, Vice Chair Fax: (781) 861-2747 Carl Fantasia Claire Sheth Renen Bassik Weiwei Li Recreation Committee Minutes of Meeting November 20, 2024 A meeting of the Recreation Committee was held on Wednesday, November 20, 2024 in person and via Zoom as a hybrid meeting at 6:30pm in Room 237 of the Lexington Community Center. Members Present: Rick DeAngelis, Christian Boutwell, Renen Bassik, Carl Fantasia, Weiwei Li, and Claire Sheth Staff Present: Peter Coleman, Assistant Director of Recreation and Christine Dean, Community Center Director Others Present: Meg Buczynski (Activitas), Rod Cole (Capital Expenditures Committee liaison), Paul Earsy (37 Grant Street #1, Lexington), Holly Ganser (Activitas), Kathleen Lenihan (School Committee liaison), Lisa and Tom Libretto (12 Cooke Road, Lexington), Mina Makarious (Anderson & Kreiger, LLP), Ben McDonough (Activitas), Tom Shiple (18 Phinney Road, Lexington), and Ryan Zhang and Jingjing Chen (12 Stevens Road, Lexington) 1. Public Comment Tom Shiple, resident of 18 Phinney Road, expressed concerns about the proposed Lincoln Park parking lot reconstruction project. This was a follow-up to the email that Mr. Shiple sent the Recreation Committee email account on November 8th. One issue is moving the playground closer to the entrance to the park. The playground is currently centrally located at the park. Mr. Shiple indicated that the current playground location is the preference of two Town Meeting members that he had spoken with about the project and the playground location was referenced during the recent Lincoln #1 ribbon cutting ceremony. The other issue is the estimated cost. Mr. Shiple stated that people are skiddish about the $4 million price tag for the parking lot project. At least four Town Meeting members that he had spoken with are not in favor of a large ticket item such as this one. According to the Transportation Safety Group (TSG), there have been eight minor crashes at Lincoln Park over the past five years, none involving pedestrians. Mr. Shiple acknowledged that while the parking spaces need to be wider, this project would not increase the total number of spaces in the parking lot. Mr. Shiple has a meeting scheduled with Melissa Battite, Director of Recreation and Community Programs, on Monday, November 25 th to discuss this project further. 2. LHS Building Project – Article 97 (Mina Makarious, Anderson & Kreiger, LLP) Mina Makarious, Town Counsel with Anderson & Kreiger, LLP explained the process and implications of Article 97, which is a provision in State law intended to protect public rights in public land. Mr. Makarious detailed the high threshold for changing land use from one public purpose to another, requiring a two-thirds vote of Town Meeting and a two-thirds vote of both Houses of the State legislature. The Town Meeting vote is not expected until after the 2025 Annual Town Meeting. Mr. Makarious also discussed the Public Lands Protection Act, which codified the policy of the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs (EEA). He 2 39 MARRETT ROAD, LEXINGTON, MASSACHUSETTS 02421 outlined the process of documenting the replacement for the one-to-one placement, which would then go through the EEA under the Public Lands Protection Act process. Mr. Makarious also mentioned the need for review under the Massachusetts Environmental Policy Act before the legislature can authorize Article 97 legislation to go forward. Committee members raised concerns about the interpretation of one-for-one in the context of land swaps Rick DeAngelis, Chair of the Recreation Committee, stated that the one-for-one land swap replication should be like-kind for like-kind. He added that the intended use of the parcel of land will be important to declare as having lights on athletic fields may become an issue as you approach the neighbors on Waltham Street. Mr. Makarious and Mr. DeAngelis discussed the process and factors involved in the Article 97 land swap, particularly in relation to the Committee's plans for the athletic fields at the Center Recreation Complex. Renen Bassik asked for guidance on the timeframe for when the land swap actually has to occur. Mr. Makarious stated that statutory language speaks to the acreage and monetary value. He added that the appraisal of the land, including factors such as permits and potential changes in use, would be considered in the evaluation of the swap. Christian Boutwell, Vice Chair of the Recreation Committee, asked Mr. Makarious to walk through the process an additional time and wondered which entity would make the submission to the EEA. Mr. Makarious indicated that after the initial EEA review, Town Meeting would vote and pending a two-thirds vote, it would then go to the State House and State Senate for a two-thirds vote. This process is now codified. The Select Board would submit the official petition, which can only be done with the authorization of Town Meeting. Mr. Bassik reiterated that the timeline will be helpful for planning purposes moving forward. 3. 5-Year Capital Plan a. FY25 Hard Court Reconstruction at Valley – Peter Coleman Peter Coleman, Assistant Director of Recreation, reminded the Committee that funding was appropriated at the 2024 Annual Town Meeting for the reconstruction of the tennis/pickleball courts on Valley Road. Meg Buczynski, Principal Civil Engineer with Activitas, provided the Committee with a status update on the project and the presentation slides are attached to the meeting minutes. The Valley Courts were installed back in 2009. With the asphalt coming up on being 20 years old, it is beginning to fail. The project calls for the courts to be completely rebuilt and site improvements. The initial design included shifting and installing post tension concrete (PTC) courts, new parking (7 spaces) and access, new stormwater management, and a storage shed. This cost estimate for this design was in excess of $700,000 whereas the available budget for the project is $442,000. As the design has been refined, the storage shed has been removed and the number of parking spaces has been reduced from seven spaces to five spaces. While these adjustments have lowered the budget, it is still anticipated that the modified design would cost more than the budget available. As was the case during the Gallagher/Farias project when the Farias Basketball Courts were initially planned to be PTC, but were changed to asphalt due to budgetary constraints, Ms. Buczynski stated that it is likely that constructing the Valley Courts out of asphalt would allow for the project to move forward. Her recommendation would be to have a base bid with PTC and have a deduct alternate to asphalt. Ms. Buczynski then provided a comparison of an asphalt construction vs. a PTC construction. Asphalt used to last 15 years, but is now not lasting as long since it is consisting of more recycled materials. PTC courts have a 20+ year warrant against cracking. While they are initially more expensive, PTC courts generally last longer than the warranty. In this case, it makes sense to consider asphalt due to the budget. The Valley Courts are more easily accessible and not as difficult to repave as the Gallagher 3 39 MARRETT ROAD, LEXINGTON, MASSACHUSETTS 02421 Tennis Courts would be. Committee members had the opportunity to ask questions. The two most significant cost drivers for this project are the PTC and stormwater management given the courts close proximity to Conservation land. It is estimated that the cost to repave the courts in 12 years will be approximately $80,000-$90,000. Christian Boutwell stated that while it would be disappointing to not install PTC, this is the reality that is being faced and the stormwater mitigation is unavoidable. Rick DeAngelis asked if any boards or committees would need to be notified if the material changes from PTC to asphalt. Mr. Boutwell stated that he would speak with the Community Preservation Committee (CPC) Chair to see if it needs to be presented to the entire CPC. He will also ask Suzie Barry, who is the Select Board liaison to the Committee, for guidance. Staff will review the vote from the Gallagher/Farias project when it was modified and consult with Mina Makarious from Town Counsel, if necessary. Claire Sheth inquired about the possibility for a public/private partnership where fundraising could be used to make up the difference. She will reach out to members of the Battle Green Tennis League (BGTL) and Lexington Pickleball Club (LPC). This project will be included on the December meeting agenda. Ms. Buczynski informed the Committee that the first public hearing with the Conservation Commission is scheduled for Monday, December 2nd. The project is schedule to go out to bid in mid- January with the bid opening in early February. Pending the bid results, construction is tentatively scheduled for Spring/Summer 2025. b. FY26-FY30 Capital Summary Memo – Christian Boutwell A draft of the Committee’s Capital Summary Statement for FY26 is attached to the meeting minutes. Christian Boutwell reminded the Committee that this effort started with the FY24 budget and this summary statement, which is submitted in the fall, serves to provide the highlights of the Committee’s upcoming 5-Year Capital Plan. Members of the Committee expressed their appreciation and commended Mr. Boutwell for his efforts in writing such a thorough, comprehensive summary statement. After a brief discussion, Rick DeAngelis made the following motion: “The Recreation Committee approves the Recreation Capital Summary Statement – FY2026 as written by Christian Boutwell. Each Committee member has the opportunity to submit within seven (7) days suggested corrections and edits that are not substantive. If there are no edits, the statement will be signed and submitted. If there are edits, they will be made to the statement before it is submitted.” Renen Bassik seconded the motion. The Recreation Committee voted 6-0 to approve this motion. 4. Eagle Scout Project – Community Center Bocce Court – Christine Dean Christine Dean, Community Center Director, introduced Ryan Zhang to the Committee. Ryan is a member of Scouts of America Troop 119. A copy of the presentation slides is attached to the meeting minutes. For his Eagle Scout project, Mr. Zhang would like to build a bocce court at the Community Center. There are two site options for the bocce court with the preferred location being near the flagpole and parallel to the sidewalk. The proposed dimensions are 30’ long by 6’ wide. Mr. Zhang reviewed the project budget, which is approximately $2,500, and the proposed timeline. As of now, the court is tentatively scheduled to be installed in late April. Mr. Zhang discussed the step-by-step construction instructions and tools that will be used. He said that he will contact Chris Filadoro, DPW Superintendent of Public Grounds, as well as Dig Safe before the project begins. Ms. Dean added that when Mr. Zhang meets with DPW, they will help with any site constraints that may exist. Once constructed, maintenance instructions for the bocce court will be provided to the Town. Members of the Committee encouraged Mr. Zhang to use durable, long-lasting materials when constructing the bocce court, applauded him for his initiative, and wished him best of luck with completing the project. 4 39 MARRETT ROAD, LEXINGTON, MASSACHUSETTS 02421 5. Lincoln Park Sub-Committee Membership Appointments Weiwei Li, liaison to the Lincoln Park Sub-Committee (LPSC), reviewed the LPSC membership appointment memo and a copy of the memo is attached to the meeting minutes. The memo requested the reappointment of Brian Kelly (Chair), Bob Pressman, Cristina Burwell, and Joanne Shorter (Vice Chair) and the appointment of new member Paul Earsy. Weiwei Li made the following motion: “The Recreation Committee moves to approve the request for the Lincoln Park Sub-Committee member appointments as described in the memo.” Christian Boutwell seconded the motion. The Recreation Committee voted 6-0 to approve this motion. 6. Center #1 Batting Cage – LHS Baseball Boosters, Tom Libretto Tom Libretto, resident of 12 Cooke Road, made a presentation on behalf of the Lexington High School Baseball Boosters and a copy of the proposal is attached to the meeting minutes. The proposal calls for the installation of a new batting cage at the Center #1 Baseball Field. The existing batting cage is in permanent disrepair. With holes in the netting and the fencing in deterioration, it is a safety hazard. It is also difficult to maintain vegetation given its location. The proposal calls for the installation of a new batting cage in a new location. The proposed location would be on the Worthen Road Practice Field by the access road next to the throwing cage. Mr. Libretto emphasized that there would be no impact on the Lexington Farmers’ Market. If approved, the batting cage would be installed by Jeff Heisner with HomeField Sports using in- ground sleeves, meaning it is mobile and could be reinstalled at a different location when the Worthen Road Practice Field is impacted by the LHS school building project. The project would be funded by the LHS Baseball Boosters. The netting would last 5-6 years and the structure would be viable for over 10 years. Mr. Libretto indicated that the new batting cage would have a lock on the door and only teams that are permitted use of the Center #1 Baseball Field or Center #2 Softball Field would have access to use the cage. Mr. Libretto and Recreation staff will be sure to speak with Naomi Martin, Director of Athletics for the Lexington Public Schools, before the installation begins. Rick DeAngelis made the following motion: “The Recreation Committee moves to approve the construction of a new batting cage, located parallel to the service road that runs from Park Drive to Worthen Road and next to the throwing cage for Lexington High School field events. The location of the batting cage will be approved by Naomi Martin, Director of Athletics for the Lexington Public Schools, or her designee. The batting cage will be funded privately and then turned over to the Town upon completion. The batting cage will be locked and made available for use to organizations that are permitted use of the Center #1 baseball field and Center #2 softball field by the Recreation and Community Programs Department.” Renen Bassik seconded the motion. The Recreation Committee voted 5-0 to approve this motion. 7. Meeting Minutes Renen Bassik moved to approve the minutes from the October 9th meeting and Claire Sheth seconded the motion. The Recreation Committee voted 5-0 to approve this motion. Weiwei Li moved to approve the minutes from the October 16th meeting and Renen Bassik seconded the motion. The Recreation Committee voted 5-0 to approve this motion. 8. Recreation Committee Email Correspondence Renen Bassik reviewed the emails that had been received over the past month and the Recreation Committee email correspondence from the past month is attached to the meeting minutes. Email topics included the proposed Lincoln Park parking lot project, questions about the field deficit in town, and an applicant for the Recreation Committee vacancy. 9. Recreation and Community Programs Report The November Recreation and Community Programs Report is attached to the meeting minutes. 5 39 MARRETT ROAD, LEXINGTON, MASSACHUSETTS 02421 10. Liaison Report Christian Boutwell, liaison to the Community Preservation Committee (CPC), informed the Committee that there is insufficient CPA funding available for all of the FY26 requests that were proposed to the CPC. The CPA funding that the Town receives is decreasing as a result of more communities in Massachusetts joining the CPA. The Affordable Housing Trust (AHT) is a new trust in town and submitted a $3 million request annually for the next four years, which would represent a large portion of the CPA funding available. Mr. Boutwell stated that while some members of the CPC are developing a sense that Recreation will be competing with Housing, he does not view these entities as being opponents. He acknowledged that there will not be unanimous support from the CPC on all projects and that the Recreation Committee may need to prioritize the FY26 capital improvement project requests. The next meeting of the Recreation Committee is scheduled to take place on Wednesday, December 18th at 7:00pm. The November 20th, 2024 meeting of the Recreation Committee adjourned at 8:48pm. Respectfully submitted, Peter Coleman Assistant Director of Recreation The following documents distributed at the meeting are attached:  Valley Courts Renovation Project Presentation Slides  Draft of Recreation Capital Summary Statement – FY2026  Eagle Scout Service Project – Bocce Court from Ryan Zhang – Presentation Slides  Memo on Lincoln Park Sub-Committee Membership Appointments  Proposal for a New Batting Cage at Center 1  Recreation Committee Email Correspondence  November 2024 Recreation & Community Programs Report