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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2007-11-26 ad Hoc Birch Meadow Planning Committee MinutesINLCF_P'.1ED J0`411 CLERK Town of Reading E IN'G, ;AS S. 16 Lowell Street FAX: (781) 942 - 5441 Reading, MA 01867-2686"' 29 P 2: 51 RECREATION DIVISION: (781) 942 - 9075 Ad Hoc Birch Meadow Planning Committee November 26, 2007 - Town Hall - Berger Room Meeting Minutes Attendance: Roger Frechette, Mary Ann Kozlowski, Gary Gresh, Jamie Maughan, Chris Caruso, James Bonazoli, Sharron Fratto, Ben Ream Gary Gresh called the meeting to order at 7:08PM. The minutes from last meeting were approved by a show of hands. No changes were suggested. The tennis courts are already out to bid, and it could be too late to suggest changes to the plan. The committee reviewed Chris' suggestion that the parking area on Bancroft, require Reading Resident sticker. Another suggestion was for signs to be put in place that says, "Parking for Reading Residents Only." This cost-effective deterrent was more warmly received by the group. When evaluating other locations for parking in the Birch Meadow Complex users might use the R.I.S.E. parking lot by the high school. The committee reviewed recommendations made at the previous meeting, including: • Constructing an open-air pavilion near The Hill Establishing walking/biking trails in Higgins, possibly leading up to P&S Re-grading the Coolidge field, using loam from the Parker Field replacement The ever-popular Splash Park (to be used Memorial Day to Labor Day) Issues still to be considered were: • The number, configuration, and age/ gender appropriateness of softball fields of softball fields • The ongoing issue of how to make Castine Field usable, while staying within Town Conservation bylaws • Where/ how to honor the commitment to rebuild a new Imagination Station in some form. All agreed the new one does need not as large a "footprint" as the old Whether the Hill should stay or be removed. Softball Fields One concern expressed was that by trying to shoehorn in a 5th field, it necessitates tree - removal - not a popular notion among group. Today, the facility includes 3 + 1 fields; the proposal is to reconfigure arrangement so that the number would be 4 + 1 fields. The question came up whether there were times when all 4 fields would be used simultaneously? The answer was an emphatic "Yes", especially in the spring, when soccer teams are also vying for space. Also proposed was eliminating the previous idea of placing a ball field on existing I.S. land. One goal mentioned was the ability to do "3 kids' games at the same time, while concurrently having 2 Men's fields available. Whatever configuration is ultimately adopted, it will be necessary to install the necessary fencing, seating, and lighting to ensure public safety. The final consensus was to have 3 usable fields at all times - 2 Men's and 1 kids/ women's. The layout for the fields was placed on a map produced by the engineering department. The committee decided to defer a decision on placing a second field across from the new softball field by the tennis courts until we know more about how much of the field would need to be taken down. Jamie moved to accept the recommendation of the new alignment of the softball fields. Chris seconded. All in favor 8-0-0. Imagination Station/ Splash Park Strong group consensus to install a pavilion facility where the batting cage currently resides. Before deciding to abruptly "take down The Hill" to make way for a new I.S. it was decided by consensus that the proper course of action is to first "Clean out all the old brush and junk around The Hill." If we can find a way to keep The Hill and keep the trees, we could do "Some amazing landscaping" as one member said.." If The Hill is indeed need for some of these initiatives, the "High Hills Ropes Course" currently in place can rather easily be moved to Higgins. By a show of hands, an informal vote to ultimately get rid of The Hill was 4 Yays and 2 Nays, 2 Undecided. As far as locating the Splash Park, the Town needs to decide if it wants it to be visible as a revenue generator (i.e. putting it near Birch Meadow Drive, possibly in The old I. S. location), or our own "hidden jewel" (Where placing it by the tot playground and moving one of the basketball/ multi-use courts to make sufficient room for it makes more sense). There are advantages and disadvantages to both. We might not be able to pave down a basketball court in the old I.S. location. Several members of the group were very favorably impressed with the "IVOS" system, a sort of modular playground that would take up a smaller footprint, and only costs $22,000. One new conservation term to keep in mind as we consider these projects is "BVW": Bordering Vegetative Wetlands. Unsure whether this is a new conservation constraint, or merely re-stating existing ones. Recommendation: The committee decided to • convert the existing basketball court into a splash park - • place a multi-use basketballiball hockey court next to the splash park in the space of the existing volley ball court • rebuild an older kid playground (same idea as IS in the existing IS location • Also put a multi-use basketballiball hockey court in that location (may need to make some of the parking lot gravel to offset paved area). Jamie motioned to accept the recommendations as stated above. Chris seconded. All in favor 8-0-0. Castine This field is like that song from The Sound of Music, "What do You Do with a Problem like Maria....? The "2:1 Replacement mandate makes almost any development project untenable. One possibility discussed was to put in sufficient gravel under the playing surface to allow water flow and rainfall absorption consistent with today's standard. But it is unclear whether there can be a viable solution because, quite simply, "The water has to go somewhere." We've already had conditions where water has lapped up against P&S and other individual homes. Jamie mentioned that Poplar and Willow trees and other vegetation planted in the area of the field could act as good water absorbers." The end result of the conversation was to leave Castine in it current state. - Committee member Ben Ream left the meeting at 9:00. The meeting closed at 9:05. Motion passed 7-0-0. Minutes submitted by Ben Ream and Gary Gresh.