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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2021-03-25-NAC-min Town of Lexington Noise Advisory Committee(NAC) Minutes of Meeting March 25, 2021 A meeting of the Noise Advisory Committee ("NAC')was held via Zoom videoconference on Thursday March 25, 2021 at 7:00 PM. A quorum of four members was present. NAC Members Present: Dan Koretz (Chair),Vicki Blier, Nick Afshartous, Stewart Smith,April Wang Others Present: Suzie Barry, Mark Sandeen Opening Remarks 1. Approval of minutes. The Committee reviewed the minutes from the February 25, 2021 and January 20, 2021 NAC meetings. Dan moved that the Committee approve both sets of minutes.The motion was seconded by Nick.The motion was approved unanimously. 2. Discussion of revisions to working motion proposed by landscaper George Carrette. Dan referred to the suggested amendments to the bylaw which were provided by local landscaper George Carrette.These suggested changes were previously circulated to the Committee and centered around clarifying the types of landscaping equipment to be regulated and equipment that will be excluded. The Committee discussed the proposed changes to the bylaw. Dan moved that the Committee accept the proposed changes.The motion was seconded by Stewart. Following a roll call vote,the Committee unanimously approved the motion. 3. Planning of additional liaison work with landscapers, including deciding on additional background data, assigning tasks, and setting tentative dates for public meetings. Dan advised the Committee that he had been contacted since the NAC last meeting by Chris Stratford (a local landscaper who had complained to the Lexington Select Board and NAC regarding the now postponed draft bylaw proposal). Mr. Stratford indicated that he had been in communication with a group of other local landscapers and requested a private meeting with the NAC and members of this group. Dan advised Mr. Stratford that a private meeting would violate the Open Meeting Law and advised him that all interested landscapers would be invited to an open meeting.As of the date of the NAC meeting, no further communication was received from Mr. Stratford or members of the landscaping group. Dan then led a discussion stressing the need to move quickly to organize a public meeting or meetings with landscapers.The Committee discussed updated contact lists which were being prepared and noted the need to finalize an email invitation for landscapers including a fact sheet. Suzie recommended that the distribution group of landscapers be cast very broadly. The Committee agreed that the list would include any identifiable landscapers and landscaping businesses which had some connection to Lexington (i.e. including persons and businesses that were not Lexington based). Suzie also noted that the Committee should be using a Town email address for its communications with landscapers and others in this regard. It was agreed that the Committee would contact Town staff for this purpose. The Committee reviewed the current list of contact information (which was, inter alia, generated from Town dumping permits,Yellow Page searches, prior lists of landscapers known to NAC and individuals who had identified themselves through the recent complaint process) and agreed that all would be contacted via email and invited to attend a public meeting. The Committee also discussed a recently identified issue of landscapers using potentially regulated equipment on their own properties. In particular,the use of potentially regulated power equipment on golf courses and other large non-residential properties. It was agreed that this issue would be explored more fully following the public meetings with landscapers. Next Steps and Assignment of Tasks Dan noted the need to schedule the planned landscaper meetings two weeks in advance. Various suggestions were made by members including the need for a comprehensive fact sheet to be circulated ahead of the meetings.Vicki volunteered to consolidate the existing information related to noise and health effects into a fact sheet. Dan and Stewart agreed to forward existing documentation and presentation materials to her following the meeting. Mark also noted that the Committee could seek to make use of the Town's website. The Committee also discussed whether the public meetings could also include residents who were prepared to offer their thoughts. It was also noted that there was a need to acquire further information from existing green landscapers (locally and potentially from other jurisdictions who have adopted similar bylaws.) which may help to provide success stories for landscapers presently reluctant to switch from gas equipment. It was agreed that outstanding tasks would be assigned to the following members: Stewart: a. will provide the most recent version of the health impacts presentation to Vicki b. will contact representatives from the Clean Air franchise to gather further information regarding green landscaping and local green landscapers. Dan: c. will provide Vicki materials explaining that GLBs violate current code, d. will forward existing fact sheets and summaries to Vicki, e. gather further information from George Carrette concerning green equipment brands and other local green landscapers, f. will approach town staff to determine whether a town server email address could be established for NAC to use in reaching out to landscapers and g. will work with Vicki to craft an email cover letter to be sent to landscapers inviting them to the public meetings. Vicki: h. will draft a consolidated fact sheet for distribution to landscapers and others Nick: i. will update the website, including identifying any other than Ecoquiet and TJ Collins that use electric equipment. j. reach out to Laura Case to obtain a list of landscapers who are currently using green equipment k. will reach out to other vendors. The Committee also discussed further engagement with manufacturers: In addition to finding out what they claim with respect to ROI, it would be helpful to find out what they claim about battery life.This matter was discussed but was not assigned as a to do item by oversight. The Committee agreed, after discussion,that it would tentatively plan to hold the public meetings with landscapers and other concerned parties on May 5 and May 11, 2021 at 7:00 pm. Next meeting It was agreed that the Committee would meet more frequently given the timing of the public meetings. The next meeting of NAC will be on April 6, 2021 at 7:OOpm. Adjournment There being no further business,the Meeting was adjourned at 8:45pm. Action Items Person Responsible Due Date 1. Review and update our list of towns that have Dan/Nick Ongoing regulated lawn equipment. Make calls to find success stories that can be presented to the Select Board and TM. 2. Reorganize and consolidate the information we have Stewart Complete collected over time on health effects, etc. 3. Craft one or more short blurbs and slide presentations Dan Complete based on#2,for use in approaching the groups noted below. 4. Contact the Board of Health to ask for support. We Nick(with assistance Complete should do this ASAP as soon as we have#2 done (as we from Mark S.) should reference specific studies on health effects in approaching Wendy Heiger-Bernays. 5. Request opportunities to present to Lexington civic Throughout groups, including: October and a. Sustainable Lexington a. Mark S November b. Lex GWAC b. Judith C. Citizens for Lexington Conservation c. Judith d. League of Women Voters d. Judith e. Lexington Mavens e. April f. Mothers Out Front f. Judith g. Lexington Green Teams (Cindy Arens) g. Judith 6. Create and distribute survey to collect usable data on Mark M In Progress GLB public opinion April 7. Decide whether to contact people who participated in Dan Pending earlier threads. Note that this is easier if we have something like a survey,which gives us a reason to contact them. 8. Obtain MA Medical Association resolution on leaf Stewart Completed blowers (Wendy Alker?) 9. Plan one or two virtual public meetings. Deferred Pending 10. Plan contact with TM members Deferred Pending 11. Do additional social-media work(not entirely specified Stella to assist Pending yet).