HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes - Underwood Property Task Force - 02/19/2015Underwood Property Task Force
Meeting Minutes
19 February 2015
1
The Underwood Property Task Force held a meeting on Thursday, 19 February 2015, at 3:00 p.m., in
the Champlain Conference Room, City Hall, 575 Dorset Street.
MEMBERS PRESENT: K. Whitby, M. Simoneau, S. Quest, J.Phillips, K. Loomis, G. Sproul, C. Frank, D.
Albrecht
ALSO PRESENT: B. Terry, Interim Director of Recreation and Parks; C. LaRose, City Planner; D. Bruce,
Consultant; M. Mittag
1. Additions deletions or changes in order of Agenda items:
No changes were made to the Agenda.
2. Comments & Questions from the public, not related to Agenda items:
No issues were raised.
3. Accept Minutes from last meeting:
Ms. Quest moved to approve the Minutes of the last meeting. Mr. Simoneau seconded. Motion passed
unanimously.
4. Summary of comments received, highlighting common themes and areas of
consensus/divergence:
Mr. Bruce noted that at least 50 people attended the meeting, and 144 individual comments were
received, 32% of which were on-line.
People’s preferences appear to lie with Natural Resources (30), Agriculture (11) and Recreation (7).
Common themes include:
1. Love the barn/farm aesthetic in terms of design
2. Community event space important
3. Love the wild play concept
4. Embrace low-impact, low-intensity development
5. Provide unique opportunities.
6. Varied agricultural elements
7. Tilled, traditional agriculture and livestock less important
8. Strider park/pump track
9. Gardens, raised beds, flower gardens, orchards
10. Maintain natural properties of the parcel
11. Use natural materials
12. Preserve views/ridgeline
13. Trails/bike/pedestrian connectivity important
2
14. Add pedestrian portal on Spear Street
15. Add barbeque picnic facilities
16. Fitness stations not critical
17. Two brook crossings preferred
18. Stormwater management and water quality important on Spear Street
19. Restoration and interpretive/education signage important
20. Encourage appreciation of natural work important
21. Limited activities in the woods.
There was no consensus of dogs or parking (to accommodate uses).
Some unique ideas included: a labyrinth, stone hedge and sundial, exchange Underwood property for
land west of Airport, ponds for ice skating, fat bikes, BBQ/picnic, fairy houses.
Members likes the idea of ice skating and were surprised this hasn’t been done at Dorset Park.
Ms. Loomis asked if there were consistencies as to whether people who live on Nowland Farm Road
were for or against a park. Mr. Bruce said they didn’t track that.
Mr. Albrecht said there will have to be parking if it’s going to serve the whole community. He added
that this is a community asset; otherwise it’s just an amenity for those who live there. He was surprised
the city spent so much money on it. Ms. LaRose said there are some uses for which people might come
a considerable distance for. Mr. Albrecht said he opposes a strider park because it needs equipment
that costs money.
Mr. Sproul noted that Underwood family members were at the public event and liked what they heard.
Mr. Simoneau questioned how refined the Task Force recommendations should be. He noted that not
everything will happen at once.
Mr. Albrecht said he had a hard time grasping everyone’s role in this and who makes decisions. Ms.
LaRose said there can be departmental decisions, City Council decisions, input from the Recreation and
Leisure Arts committee, etc. The City Council has to approve any budget.
Mr. Bruce said some things need to happen before other things (e.g., resource studies before any
construction). There could probably be mowing early on.
Ms. Terry said a natural recommendation from this Task Force could be a Master Plan, identifying where
each piece would be. Mr. Bruce said that is their recommendation.
5. Facilitated discussion of essential elements (“must haves”) to be part of the final
document:
Mr. Bruce then reviewed the preferred vision framework. He showed the plan and explained what each
area would contain and also the location of prime ag soils. There is general agreement that from the
high point to Spear Street, there should be ag use. Locating cut gardens, the event law, the raised beds,
3
etc., around the barn would be a good idea. Ms. Whitby noted that the community gardens need to be
near parking as people bring tools, etc., that they have to carry.
Ms. Loomis asked if the stormwater ponds are placed strategically or aesthetically. Mr. Bruce said they
are functionally placed. Some of the engineering has been done, and the State agency person has
identified the locations. Mr. Bruce added that if there is livestock, there will be a different use for water.
Stormwater thinking has to evolve with uses, but the overall aim is to keep it all on the parcel.
Mr. Bruce noted that the ag/orchard/meadow location is open for views. Putting the orchard on the
slope would be best for view. The barn will be visible from the street.
Regarding the dog park, Mr. Bruce didn’t feel that decision should be made at this time. There should
be a community discussion. Ms. Frank felt that if there is a dog park, it should be in a confined space.
There is also a question of stormwater management with a dog park and with grazing animals. Ms. Frank
also noted that dogs and livestock don’t mix, and dogs and vegetation don’t mix.
Mr. Bruce then outlined what will be included in the final report, including: history, purchase of the
property, the Open Space Fund, creating a vision for the parcel, task force process, zoning and special
designations, Parks & Recreation needs, site analysis and constraints, inspiration & vision, guiding
principles, short, medium and long term strategies, cost implications, and phasing.
Mr. Bruce then reviewed the guiding principles, including a mix of recreation, ag, and natural resources,
sustainable development, gateway/connectivity, multi-season, multi-generational, something for
everyone, serve neighborhood & community interests, and event space.
Mr. Bruce also reviewed guiding principles for connectivity (both inside and outside the property),
vehicle circulation, recreation (including multi-purpose fields), natural resources, and agriculture
(including a diversity of agricultural uses and accessibility).
To move forward, Mr. Bruce suggested a park master plan, phased development, and working on cost
estimates.
Short term strategies include:
1. Ensuring short term uses do not compromise future opportunities
2. Conducting natural resource inventories to understand habitat and where restoration would
be most beneficial
3. Delineating restoration areas and restricting access to those areas
4. Site mapping
5. Maintaining the property
6. Creating mowed paths around primary circulation routes
7. Cleaning up trails in the woods
8. Allowing short-term agriculture uses toward Spear Street
9. Defining access points into the property
10. Building informational kiosk about the future of the parcel
4
11. Keeping the momentum going
12. Introducing buffering vegetation.
6. Discuss Specific Request to move 8 sheep to the property:
Ms. Quest introduced Katie Sullivan who is looking for a place to move her 8 sheep up from Brookfield
as she has just moved to the area. Ms. Sullivan said the sheep would help keep the meadow a meadow
and would provide agricultural interest. She would use portable electric fencing.
Mr. Simoneau felt this was not a decision for the Task Force. Mr. Albrecht agreed and said it needed a
public process. Ms. Frank expressed concern that walking paths would be taken over by sheep and that
manure problems might be an issue with 2 impaired waterways.. She also noted there are coyotes in
the area. Mr. Sproul liked the concept but felt it was inappropriate to rush to a decision. He also felt
this was not what the Task Force was asked to do.
Mr. Simoneau then moved to decline consideration of the request as it is not in the purview of the Task
Force. Mr. Sproul seconded. The vote was 4-0 with 2 abstentions.
Ms. Quest stressed the need to do something to maintain the property this spring.
Mr. Bruce recommended doing as many short term strategies as soon as possible.
Ms. Quest moved to ask the City Council to approve a pot of money for short term strategies for this
summer for necessary maintenance of the park. Ms. Kindle seconded. Motion passed unanimously.
Mr. Bruce then briefly reviewed medium and long term strategies including:
1. Completing the Master Plan
2. Completing restoration projects
3. Building the first multi-purpose fields
4. Building rest room facilities
5. Building one brook crossing
6. Building the wild play, natural play area
7. Formalizing the Nordic skiing connection
8. Building phase 1 of the park and vehicle circulation
9. Building the bar
10. Building event space
Noting the shortness of time, Mr. Sproul moved to support the short-term strategies and to
acknowledge the importance and need to develop medium and long term strategies. Ms. Whitby
seconded. Motion passed unanimously.
7. Choose a Task Force Spokesperson for the City Council Meeting:
5
Ms. Terry said the meeting will be on 16 March. Members agreed that as many Task Force members as
possible should attend as spokespersons.
Ms. Frank then moved that the Task Force be willing to continue to advise on the property if asked to do
so by the City Council. Ms. Quest seconded. Motion passed unanimously.
As there was no further business to come before the Task Force, the meeting was adjourned by
common consent at 5:30 p.m.
_________________________________, Clerk