Town of Newbury
Open Space Committee Minutes
Meeting: 7:00PM January 10, 2007 at Newbury Town Hall
Present: Martha Taylor, Dan Streeter, Geoff Walker, Matt Kozazcki, David Powell, Norm Rehn, Mike Carbone, Judy Tymon, Tom Galligani, Maureen O’Brien, LuAnn Kuder.
Minutes of 11/29/06 were approved as submitted by voice vote.
1. Dan Streeter reported on a number of items
-The purchase of three lots (Newbury and Newburyport) in the Common Pasture is now complete
- The Parker River Clean Water Assoc. will hold its Annual Meeting at the Byfield Library on Sunday Jan 28th, 2007. Key topic will be “Invasive species of the Great Marsh” with multiple speakers.
- Georgetown group is actively pursuing trail routes for the border to Boston Trail initiative.
2. There was discussion of how to achieve public input to the Open Space Plan (OSP) and it was concluded that another survey is probably not needed (also there is no funding for this) but that public workshops should be conducted – one in April to review draft goals and a second in June to review the final draft of the overall Plan. A target of July was suggested for the finished Plan.
The choice of second Wednesday in the month for committee meetings was agreed to by those present.
3. Planning for updating the contents of the 2001 Plan was discussed. The following areas were cited for review and revision of data etc:
- resource listing
- recreation needs –particularly the changing age of population and resulting shift from active to more passive recreation
-review the public use status of lands set aside to conservation by OSRD approved projects
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4. Dan said he would be sending a copy of the 2001 Section 4 (Environment Inventory and Analysis) to every member of the ConCom asking for their review and any updates.
5. In general discussion of this section, it was suggested that we consult and use the State standards and methods for Landscape Inventory in the OSP.
6. The group then spent considerable time reviewing the drafts of Section 3 and 4 as crafted and submitted by Tom G. A number of changes of usage and emphasis were proposed and also revision of some data cited in tables etc. The OSP needs to be congruent with base line data in the 2006 town Master Plan and to either reflect emphases found in that document or to describe other needs and or actions as perceived by this Committee.
7. Concern was expressed that some of the specfics related to wetland setbacks were in error. It was suggested that this topic should be researched by the Committee.
8. Groups were then set up to review and revise information and data in the following areas:
a) The Open space inventory lists – Martha, David, and Dan
b) Recreation and regional trails – Dan
c) Agriculture and community character Dan, Matt, and Geoff
d) Water access issues - Marlene and Norm
e) Plum Island beach access issues and community paths- Mike and Dan
The meeting adjourned at 9.15 PM.
Submitted: David Powell recorder
The next meeting date of the Committee will be February 14thth at 7.00PM at the Newbury Town Hall.
Note: The committee agreed that the second Wednesday in the month would be the regular meeting date.
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