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HomeMy Public PortalAboutBay Parcel Planning -- 2024-01-09 Minutes AsTF Town of Brewster - _-- O4 oF'etioe as;9 — -- zjQ F4;. 2198 Main Street Brewster MA 02631-1898 C. Phone: (508) 896-3701 Fax: (508) 896-8089 MINUTES OF THE BAY PROPERTY PLANNING COMMITTEE MEETING DATE: January 9, 2024 TIME: 4:00 PM PLACE: Hybrid Participation—Zoom/2198 Main Street, Brewster, MA PARTICIPANTS: Town Manager Peter Lombardi, Chair Amanda Bebrin, Vice-Chair Katie Jacobus, Selectperson Mary Chaffee, Selectperson David Whitney, Karl Fryzel, Caroline McCarley,Thomas Wingard, Patricia Hughes, Peter Johnson,John Phillips, Clare O'Connor-Rice; Liaisons/Representatives:Jan Crocker, Bill Meehan, Sharon Tennstedt, Roger O'Day, Kathleen Walker, Gary Christen, Town Staff: Mike Gradone (Recreation Department Director), Griffin Ryder (DPW Director), Elton Cutler (COA Director); Reed Hilderbrand Consultants: Elizabeth Randall, Madeleine Aronson Call to Order Declaration of a Quorum, Meeting Participation Statement and Recording Statement: Amanda Bebrin called the meeting to order at 4:00 pm. Ms. Bebrin read the meeting participation and recording statements. Ms. Bebrin announced all members of the committee who were present, a quorum was declared. There were no public announcements or comments. Public Announcements and Comments None Review and Discuss Key Takeaways from Forum #3 & Public Comment —Reed Hilderbrand Elizabeth Randall of Reed Hilderbrand noted that, in terms of the schedule, the final forum, which will occur in February, is at the end of the comprehensive planning phase. After this forum, little tweaks on the plan will be prepared—but this will be the plan that will be voted on at May Town Meeting. Ms. Randall noted that the forum went well in general, and email feedback was also received (116 emails) following the forum.The majority of comments were thoughtful, respectful, and positive. The range of opinions provided in the Breakout Groups and emailed feedback were very similar in terms of opinions and ideas expressed, and seemed representative of the community. Ms. Randall noted that there was excitement about the potential Mass Audubon partnership but there was also a desire to better understand the relationship with the Town. There was confusion around a wastewater treatment plant, including what it is and how it works, who it would serve, what it would look like, and concerns about odor. Cost was a concern, especially for the community center. Some residents expressed their view that it was just too much money, many felt they needed to know the dollar amount of impact on their taxes, and many wanted more information on how phasing might help manage costs. For those who supported housing,there was often a preference noted for denser housing options like townhouses. The majority of residents supported housing on at least one of the properties, but there was mixed feedback on which property was preferred. BPPC 01.09.2024 www.brewster-ma.gov Page 1 of 6 Doc ID: de8c2d54cf21e03b145034f65208326b3f35e299 � �'"STn" � Town of Brewster 10 2198 Main Street Brewster, MA 02631-1898 y Phone: (508) 896-3701 w, Fax: (508) 896-8089 "'rlln�j1 Ms. Randall noted that, in terms of feedback about the Bay Property, there were mixed feelings about the community center. Some expressed full support and excitement, while others were more unsure due to the high cost, the perceived impact of a new large community center on the character of the property, and uncertainty about whether this is really needed in the community. There were continued questions about if the Eddy School may eventually become available for a community center, and the sentiment that this is a better option.There was support for housing on the Bay Property both for year-round affordable housing and an option combined with seasonal workforce, but interest in learning more about the ownership structure. Overall, there was strong support for landscape amenities including trails, artist cabins, pool and beach access, and a playground. While there was support for both the pollinator meadow and community gardens,there were also questions about if the community gardens would look tidy enough in the current location in the viewshed from 6A, and if the open lawn space would provide enough flexibility for events including space for the Pan Mass Challenge gathering. There was mixed feedback on the tennis courts. While some support the courts, others were unsure they would be fully utilized. There was also a concern about traffic impacts on Route 6A and relating to the intersection at Millstone Road. Karl Fryzel said he feels the comments are representative of residents, based on his experience in the breakout room. Selectperson Mary Chaffee agreed that the summary from Reed Hilderbrand feels accurate. She added that she is happy to see that some residents who were opposed to housing as a use option are now open to it provided that environmental protections are put in place. Caroline McCarley said that she found it was helpful to hear from residents in relation to the tennis courts. Vice-Chair Katie Jacobus noted that she thought it was important to keep providing information to residents about the potential implications of deciding not to pursue the 10% affordable housing goal in Brewster. Pat Hughes said that she is pleased that there appears to be an openness among residents to housing as a use option on either property. Review and Discuss Updated Bay Property Plan & Remaining Policy Decisions — Reed Hilderbrand Ms. Randall displayed an updated bird's eye view of the plan for the property on the screen, and zoomed in so committee members could see. The overflow parking has now been extended so it runs all along the entry drive, in order to accommodate events and increase flexible space. More flexible recreation event space has been added near the tennis courts. The community gardens have now been moved behind the swimming pool, in a less visible location, but still adjacent to parking and the picnic area. The initially proposed 60 plots in the community garden has now been reduced to 25. A building outline is no longer shown for the community center on the plan, due to the fact that Reed Hilderbrand's recommendation is that the community center should be part of a phased, long-term plan. Mr. Fryzel asked if the phasing concept involves a "community campus" before a physical structure is built. Ms. Randall responded that yes, there could be an interim phase where the community has access to the property, and a renovation of some of the existing structures could be used for certain activities before a full community center is built. Town Manager Peter Lombardi said that this iteration of the plan assumes that the dining hall will be removed. Mr. Lombardi added that the UMass Boston Gerontology Institute will be BPPC 01.09.2024 www.brewster-ma.gov Page 2 of 6 DOC ID: de8c2d54cf2le03bl45034f65208326b3f35e299 �j1 Eq� Town of Brewster \�. 2198 Main Street SE zi'e a•, gSE 39 a_ Brewster, MA 02631-1898 ° Phone: (508) 896-3701 5 Fax: (508) 896-8089 providing a full report shortly on their Community Needs Assessment in Brewster, to identify and plan for the needs, interests, preferences, and opinions of Brewster residents age 60 and older. Part of this report will deal with the desire for an intergenerational community center, and will be important material for the committee to review. Mr. Lombardi added that any new community center will require a phased approach, and it will take 8-10 years in total. Sharon Tennstedt said she believed that data from the Wass Report would support the phasing approach. Clare O'Connor-Rice said that phasing in activities is also good for testing interest in specific activities, as well as giving the Town more planning time. Mr. Lombardi added that the tennis courts will remain, but the configuration has changed slightly. Four tennis courts should be adequate for supporting the needs of the community.The pickleball community recently asked for the remaining tennis courts at Stony Brook to become pickleball courts due to the demand —nothing has been decided yet, but the demand and interest in pickleball will continue to grow. Lastly, Mr. Lombardi noted that the feedback from residents has been for support for housing on one property, but not both— leaving a portion of one of the properties set aside for future municipal uses would therefore be wise. Ms. McCarley asked for clarification on what this would mean for the plans to be voted on by residents —Mr. Lombardi explained that the versions of the plans being shared at February 15 are what the committees and the Select Board will recommend to take to Town Meeting —the aforementioned areas on the plans will be marked as either "housing", or "future municipal uses". The joint meeting on January 23 will decide which plan assumes "housing" and which assumes "future municipal uses". Selectperson Chaffee said that these plans represent a huge improvement over the last iteration, and added that the findings in the aforementioned UMass study indicate that there are a lot of significant needs in the older population. She added that it is important to keep in mind that a temporary community campus during a phased process would still cost a considerable amount of money. Recreation Director, Mike Gradone, said that it will be important to emphasize phasing in order to take away "sticker shock" away from residents in relation to a new community center.Taking the center off the map and identifying it as reserved space is a good approach. Mr. Gradone added a needs assessment for the Recreation Department will likely need to be carried out, and this should help support the creation of a community center. Ms. McCarley asked for clarification on the housing/short-term rental part of the plan. Mr. Lombardi responded that for the 3 cabins close to the shooting range, the framework agreement with Mass Audubon is for the Town to renovate these structures and enter into a 5-year lease agreement for these 3 cottages for seasonal workforce housing with Mass Audubon. There would be an additional 5-year term, and the Town would reserve its right to make a decision about these properties after 10 years. Mr. Fryzel asked if there are actually 31 buildings that will be left on the property. Mr. Lombardi responded that there will, but this also includes small maintenance structures. Selectperson Chaffee said that preserving the Amphitheatre is important—it could be a source of future revenue generation. Selectperson Chaffee asked why the playground was located where it is in the plan. Mr. Lombardi responded that it was adjacent to a number of active recreational amenities. Peter Johnson said he generally liked the whole plan, except for the fact he feels like the community garden crowds the space, and could be eliminated with a view to BPPC 01.09.2024 www.brewster-ma.gov Page 3 of 6 Doc ID: de8c2d54cf21e03b145034f65208326b3f35e299 0A •wSTF i Town of Brewster °'POS F9F ` 2198 Main Street Brewster, MA 02631-1898 ° Phone: (508) 896-3701 r — Fax: (508) 896-8089 situating it in another part of town. Ms. O'Connor-Rice said she disagreed, and thought the current iteration of the plan is satisfactory. Jan Crocker said she is opposed to eliminating community gardens from the plan, due to the fact it is an intergenerational amenity. Mr. Fryzel agreed with Ms. Crocker, and added that it is has a benefit as an educational amenity. Mr. Lombardi said that many residents have responded positively to siting a community garden at Sea Camps, and negative comments about it have generally revolved around the specific location on site. Vice-Chair Jacobus asked the committee if there was any value in taking another walking tour through the property before any final decisions are made. Chair Bebrin and Mr. Lombardi agreed that this was a good suggestion. Selectperson David Whitney asked if the map could be amended prior to a site visit to show distances and dimensions, to give an idea of the scale of the proposed amenities. Ms. Randall responded that staking and scaling would probably come in the next phase of work. Chair Bebrin said having the final plans superimposed over the current plans, to provide a frame of reference, would be helpful. Mr. Lombardi and Chair Bebrin said that the next joint meeting would have a hard stop at 5:45pm due to meeting schedules. Ms. McCarley asked if the committee would vote now on the future municipal uses/housing designation. Chair Bebrin responded that this would take place at the joint meeting. Vice-Chair Jacobus asked for final clarification that "future municipal uses" will include housing as an option — Mr. Lombardi responded that it does. Ms. Hughes said that her feeling was the Select Board had more speaking time during the last joint meeting than the two committees, and she would encourage the Select Board to allow more speaking time for each committee at the next joint meeting. Mr. Fryzel asked if the Select Board would take committee recommendations under advisement at this meeting and vote later, or if they would vote that night. Mr. Lombardi responded that the likelihood is the Select Board will vote later. Review and Discuss Town Partnership with Mass Audubon Mr. Lombardi said that when Audubon first approached the Town looking to partner on the pond property, they extended an offer of a million-dollar pledge for the bay property. Due to the complex nature of the bay property,the Town did not want its planning period to be influenced by a partnership with an external entity.The Town had a series of meetings with Mass Audubon in the fall, and they expressed an interest in a nature center with an office on the bay property. The footprint and scale of this nature center has been worked on with Reed Hilderbrand.The cost of this proposed building was around 1.6 million dollars, and would include adjacent parking amenities. As this cost does not include engineering or other related costs, they have agreed a 2-million-dollar pledge. Most likely the financial arrangement would be that Mass Audubon would donate the money to the Town, the Town would construct the facilities, and Audubon would then have a 99-year lease. The nature facilities will continue to be Town property, open to the public, not just Audubon members. Thomas Wingard asked for the square footage of the proposed nature center. Mr. Lombardi responded that it was 2,700 square feet. Selectperson Whitney asked if there was a possibility that the Town could reserve the right to use the cottages as short-term rentals in the shoulder season when Mass Audubon is not using them. Mr. Lombardi responded that he did not think Mass Audubon would be opposed to it, and the BPPC 01.09.2024 www.brewster-ma.gov Page 4 of 6 Doc ID: de8c2d54cf21 e03b145034f65208326b3f35e299 Town of Brewster =Hee° �F�=" ✓Y 2198 Main Street Brewster, MA 02631-1898 ='° Phone: (508) 896-3701 Fax: (508) 896-8089 ..1J±1ih�Lli+' shoulder season could well be a popular period for short-term rentals. Mr. Fryzel asked if the nature center would be open year-round, and if this would require the cabins to be winterized. Mr. Lombardi responded that the nature center would be open year-round, but that Mass Audubon was just looking for seasonal workforce housing. Mr. Fryzel asked if Mass Audubon's programming would be open to non-residents, Mr. Lombardi responded that it would be. Mr. Fryzel responded that this would mean anybody could theoretically drive into the property. Mr. Lombardi said that it was a practical impossibility for this property to be permanently excluded to non-residents. Selectperson Chaffee said this partnership would be beneficial to residents and be a source of revenue generation for the Town. Update on Shooting Range Remediation Mr. Lombardi reported that the Town received 7 bids, and ultimately awarded the contract for just under $350,000 to Brighter Horizons Environmental. They are set to begin the work in the second week of February, and it should only take roughly 2 weeks from beginning to end. Review Upcoming Approved Interim Uses and Vote on Proposed New Interim Uses Mr. Lombardi said that the Brewster COA was celebrating its 50th anniversary this year. A Town-wide celebration is proposed for Saturday,June 8, on the bay property, from 10.00am to 2.00pm. There would be a tent on the athletic fields, parking would be along the entrance drive, and as part of this celebration, the Brewster Historical Society is looking to use the Arts Center to have a display of Brewster's past. There will be food and music. Mr. Fryzel moved to approve the use of the bay property for the COA anniversary event. Ms. McCarley second.This motion was unanimously approved. Vote on Meetin Minutes: November 14 and December 18 2023 Pat Hughes moved to approve the meeting minutes for November 14. Vice-Chair Jacobus second. The minutes for November 14 were unanimously approved. Karl Fryzel noted a typo in the transcription of his name in the December 18 joint meeting minutes. Selectperson Chaffee moved to approve the meeting minutes for December 18 as amended. Vice-Chair Jacobus second.The minutes for December 18 were unanimously approved. Discuss Future Meeting Agenda Items Chair Bebrin noted that, at the February 6 meeting, the committee will need to discuss the question of resident vs. non-resident access to the property. Mr. Fryzel asked if at the February 6 meeting, the committee would discuss more details around the phasing and details of the plan. Mr. Lombardi responded that initial plans on phasing could be discussed on February 6. Mr. Fryzel asked if the February 6 meeting would also be used for planning the next forum on February 15. Mr. Lombardi responded that the planning for the forum would be done by that point, but that he would share plans for the forum on February 6. BPPC 01.09.2024 www.brewster-ma.gov Page 5 of 6 Doc ID: de8c2d54cf2le03bl45034f65208326b3f35e299 ;�t;�d!I 11119R;;Lu ,o"'.SrFn%,, Town of Brewster 2198 Main Street -t ,� % a w' Brewster, MA 02631-1898 0.` tn_ u, Phone: (508) 896-3701 Fax: (508) 896-8089 Jul,�' J,yC'�•....Yxt'�p ..;)"; FF9�fl AOH A`� J�:• Mr. Fryzel wanted to clarify that his comments earlier in the meeting regarding the implications of partnering with Mass Audubon should not be interpreted as opposing the partnership plan. He thinks the partnership is a good idea and he likes Mass Audubon's programming. Next Meetings January 23 (Joint with Select Board and Pond Property Planning Committee) and February 6, 2024 Matters Not Reasonably Anticipated by the Chair: None FYIs None Adjournment Mr.Johnson moved to adjourn at 5:48pm. Mr. Fryzel second. The committee unanimously voted to adjourn the meeting. Respectfully submitted by Conor Kenny, Project Manager 02 / 08 / 2024 Approved- Signed; _ Accompanying Documents in Packet:Agenda, Forum Key Takeaways, Bay Plan,Community Forum Presentation, Minutes of Bid Opening, CCSC Shooting Range Remediation Notice to Proceed,Project Schedule, Email Re:COA 501h Anniversary Use of Bay Property Request, BPPC Minutes 11.14.23, BPPC Minutes 12.28.23 BPPC 01.09.2024 www.brewster-ma.gov Page 6 of 6 DOC ID: de8c2d54cf21e03b145034f65208326b3f35e299