HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes - Underwood Property Task Force - 12/16/2014Underwood Property Task Force
Meeting Minutes
16 December 2014
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The Underwood Property Task Force had a regular meeting on Tuesday, December 16, 2014, at 2 pm
at City Hall, 575 Dorset Street.
Members present: Karen Whitby, Russ Agne, Michael Simoneau, Glenn Sproul, Sophie Quest, Cathy
Frank, Dan Albrecht, and Joshua Phillips.
Members absent: Kindle Loomis
Others present: Michael Mittag, Sue Basilier, Cathyann LaRose, City Planner; Betsy Terry, Interim
Director of Recreation and Parks; Drew Bruce, SE Group; Mark Kane, SE Group.
1. Agenda Review: Additions, deletions or changes in order of agenda items. There were none.
2. Comments and questions from the public not related to the agenda. None.
3. Minutes from the previous meetings - Links to the minutes of previous meetings will be sent
with the next agenda and the minutes of all previous meetings will be approved at the January
15th meeting.
4. Recap from Last Meeting
Mr. Bruce recapped the discussion from our last meeting related to the site analysis, agriculture and
recreation opportunities. We reviewed wild play images from the Bay Area Discovery Museum and a
map of the South Pointe trails provided by Ms. Frank, and sketches of residential development that had
been considered for this property provided by Mr. Simoneau.
Members and the consulting team discussed the importance of the connectivity provided by the parcel,
the need to create a sense of arrival at the park, limiting the number of crossings across Munroe Brook
and, and using substantial bridges.
Mr. Mittag suggested that using a series of large stepping stones can sometimes be used in lieu of
bridges and provide play value.
Ms. Quest stated that she feels the feedback of adjacent neighbors is especially important to this
process and asked Mr. Phillips, who lives across the street from the parcel, if he would be willing to
share his thoughts since he wasn’t at the first meeting when we all gave our wish lists. Mr. Phillips said
he would like the park to be a real amenity for people who live nearby, that the improvements be light
on the land, not too formal, and provide some flexibility to adapt as the community’s needs change.
Mr. Phillips added that we need to think about pedestrian access from the other side of Spear Street and
provide connectivity for neighbors in the Pheasant Woods neighborhood, perhaps including flashing
beacons. Members discussed various options.
Cathy Frank stated that she would really like to see a perimeter trail around the property to provide a
loop for people to walk/run. Mr. Kane suggested that this be incorporated into the carriage path style
paths that he envisions connecting the various features of the park.
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We discussed options for indicating this as a park for someone driving along the Spear Street side. Mr.
Kane suggested visible park features such as benches along the perimeter trail could accomplish this.
5. Natural Resource Discussion
Mr. Kane reviewed images showing how this land is contiguous with the Great Swamp and serves as
important wildlife habitat and travel corridors. Ms. Frank stated that bobcats and coyote have been
seen on this property.
Members and consultants discussed the importance of preserving the significant views provided in all
directions and the riparian resources along the Potash and Munroe Brooks.
6. Other
The consultants and Task Force created a concept sketch with proposed activities grouped from more
intense along the Spear Street frontage to the least intense in the wooded area.
Zone 1 across the Spear Street frontage – preserved for agricultural use, access for parking vehicles
related to the agricultural activities. Plantings in this area should be low to protect the views.
Zone 2 at the high point of the land– developed recreation area with pavilion and storage for agriculture
related activities and bike/ped access to the South Pointe neighborhood.
Zone 3 – flat open space and transitional recreation activities.
Zone 4 – the wetland area.
Zone 5 – wooded area preserved for trails and environmental education.
Parking - Parking along Nowland Farm Road and parking inside the park for ADA and service access.
There was agreement to have no vehicle access in the wooded area.
Mr. Kane asked if the City has access to the existing roadway behind the two homes. No one knew.
Mike Simoneau made a motion that while we considered the possibility, we recommend not using any
of this land for residential development, seconded by Glenn Sproul. Motion passed unanimously.
Cathy Frank made a motion that because this property contains documented wildlife corridors, we
recommend that dogs not be allowed in this park, seconded by Sophie Quest. Motion was withdrawn
after some discussion and lack on consensus.
7. Timeline for next meetings
The next meeting of the Task Force will be held on Thursday, January 15, 2015.
The Public Meeting will be held on Thursday, January 29, 2015.
The meeting was adjourned at 3:00 pm.