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Home My Public Portal AboutDBP Advisory Committee Meeting Packet - 02.20.24Town of Brewster 2198 Main St., Brewster, MA 02631 (508) 896-3701 Drummer Boy Park Advisory Committee Meeting Agenda 2198 Main Street, Room A February 20, 2024 at 6:00PM This meeting will be conducted in person at the time and location identified above. This means that at least a quorum of the members of the public body will attend the meeting in person and members of the public are welcome to attend in person as well. As a courtesy only, access to the meeting is also being provided via remote means in accordance with applicable law. Please note that while an option for remote attendance and/or participation is being provided as a courtesy to the public, the meeting/hearing will not be suspended or terminated if technological problems interrupt the virtual broadcast or affect remote attendance or participation, unless otherwise required by law. Members of the public with particular interest in any specific item on this agenda, which includes an applicant and its representatives, should make plans for in-person vs. virtual attendance accordingly. Members of the public who wish to access the meeting may do so in the following manner: Phone: Call (646) 931 3860 or (929) 436 2866. Webinar ID:835 3228 0815 Passcode: 551105 To request to speak: Press *9 and wait to be recognized. ZoomWebinar: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83532280815?pwd=RmwzZ3hXS3ZKQnN4QVZoa1NHZS9nZz09 Passcode: 551105 To request to speak: Tap Zoom “Raise Hand”, then wait to be recognized. When required by law or allowed by the Chair, persons wishing to provide public comment or otherwise participate in the meeting, may do so by accessing the meeting remotely, as noted above. Additionally, the meeting will be broadcast live, in real time, via Live broadcast (Brewster Government TV Channel 18), Livestream (livestream.brewster-ma.gov), or Video recording (tv.brewster-ma.gov). Please note that the Committee may take official action, including votes, on any item on this agenda. Members: Katharine Scott, Chair Devin McGuire, Vice Chair Chris Ellis (Recreation Commission), Clerk Jillian Douglass Allyson Felix Jay Green (Council on Aging Board) Patricia Hughes (Nat. Resources Advisory Committee) Select Board Liaison David Whitney Town Manager Peter Lombardi Natural Resources Director Chris Miller DPW Director Griffin Ryder Recreation Director Mike Gradone COA Director Elton Cutler 1.Call to Order 2.Declaration of a Quorum 3.Meeting Participation Statement 4.Recording Statement: As required by the Open Meeting Law we are informing you that the Town will be video and audio taping as well as broadcasting this public meeting. In addition, if anyone else intends to either video or audio tape this meeting they are required to inform the chair. 5.Public Announcements and Comment: Members of the public may address the Committee on matters not on the meeting’s agenda for a maximum of 3-5 minutes at the Chair’s discretion. The Committee will not reply to statements made or answer questions raised during public comment but may add items presented to a future agenda. 6.Review & Discuss Results of Community Survey 7.Discuss Format of Town Meeting Report 8.Approve Meeting Minutes: February 6, 2026 9.Future Meetings: March 4 and March 18, 2024 10.Other Matters Not Reasonably Anticipated by the Chair 11.Adjournment Date Posted:Date Revised:Received by Town Clerk: 02/15/2024 DRUMMER BOY PARK SURVEY RESULTS AND DATA INTERPRETATION February 20, 2024 The following is provided to assist with understanding, interpreting, and using the survey summary data. • The total number of completed surveys is 1470 – 15% of Brewster’s age-eligible residents (based on 2023 Town Census) • Because respondents did not answer all questions, the tables include the “n” or number of responses for each survey item. • The demographic questions and uses of the park are categorical measures and reported in percentages. • Questions for the four areas of potential improvements are measured with a 4-point Likert scale for degree of importance (1=“not at all important” to 4=“very”) or a 5-point Likert scale for degree of agreement (1=“strongly disagree” to 5 =“strongly agree”). • The following statistics are reported for each survey item: ➢ Mean: the average of all rating values ➢ SD or standard deviation: a measure of the amount of variation or dispersion of the ratings. A low standard deviation indicates that the values tend to be close to the mean or average rating, while a high standard deviation indicates that the ratings are spread out over a wider range. • The range of ratings was either 1-4 or 1-5 for all Likert scale items; therefore, the range is not included in the tables. SUMMARY OF FINDINGS RESPONDENT CHARACTERISTICS • Generally Brewster’s older resident group • Live here full-time • More likely to be long-time residents • Most likely to visit DBP occasionally or infrequently PARKING • Majority prefer no changes • Support for a similar number of spaces and using permeable materials, not asphalt • Designated parking spaces and curbing not supported STORMWATER MANAGEMENT • Majority have no opinion about current conditions but still think that improvements are important • Establishing stormwater management techniques reported as somewhat important • Using a variety of alternative stormwater management techniques is important ACCESSIBILITY AND CONNECTIVITY • Majority neutral or satisfied with current accessibility and connectivity • Modest support for additional benches and improving accessibility of woodland trail • No support for distance markers or clearing trees and shrubs along 6A AMENITIES • Vast majority neutral or satisfied with current amenities • New or improved amenities rated “moderately important” or “very important”: 1. Water station (57%) 2. Year-round toilets (51%) 3. Playground (49%) 4. Signage about history (44%) 5. Viewing platform (43%) 6. Pavilion (42%) 7. Bandstand (35%) 8. Signage about amenities (30%) 9. Moving large events (26%) COMMENTS REFLECTING PREDOMINANT SENTIMENTS • “Would not prioritize over many other projects the town needs to fund.” • “Leave it as it is.” • “Keep the park as natural as possible.” RESPONDENT CHARACTERISTICS AGE n % Town Census % 15-25 9 0.6 6.8 26-40 189 13.0 14.3 41-60 360 24.7 20.8 61-80 816 56.0 42.6 Over 80 83 5.7 10.1 RESIDENCE n % Full-time 1126 78.8 Part-time 321 22.2 YEARS OF RESIDENCE n % 5 or less 278 19.2 6-10 252 17.4 11-20 289 19.9 More than 20 630 43.5 FREQUENCY OF PARK VISIT n % Frequently (a few times each month 356 24.2 Sometimes (several times a year) 781 53.1 Occasionally (once or twice a year) 308 21.0 Never 25 1.7 WHAT RESIDENTS LIKE / WOULD LIKE TO DO AT THE PARK USERS n=1412 NON-USERS n=25 n % n % Walk or run on paved paths 659 46.7 7 29.2 Walk woodland trail 818 57.9 7 29.2 Picnic 300 21.3 11 45.8 Visit the playground 570 40.4 0 --- Play on grassy fields 391 27.7 1 4.2 Walk a dog 389 27.6 5 20.8 Organized group activities 182 12.9 3 12.5 Meet / visit with family or friends 514 36.4 3 12.5 Enjoy the vista 729 51.6 4 16.7 Attend events (concerts, craft fairs, Conservation Day, Holiday tree lighting) 1006 71.3 11 45.8 Visit the Historical Village and Windmill 620 43.9 3 3 Visit the Whale Rock and trail on Windmill Meadow 339 24.0 4 4 Visit the Cedar Ridge Preserve 240 17.0 3 3 Other 88 6.2 0 --- PARKING Satisfaction with Current Parking (5-point measure) n Mean SD 1352 3.8 1.0 Potential Improvements (4-point Measure of Importance) n Mean SD Designating and marking paved parking spots to improve safety, circulation, and availability of parking spaces 1342 1.9 1.1 Using materials other than asphalt pavement, such as crushed stone or permeable pavement or pavers, for parking areas 1321 2.5 1.2 Maintaining a similar number of parking spaces as available now 1332 3.0 1.0 Adding curbing to prevent parking on grassy fields (except for planned large events) 1327 1.6 1.0 Making no changes to the informal parking arrangement currently available 1324 3.0 1.1 STORMWATER MANAGEMENT Satisfaction with Current Stormwater Conditions (5-point measure) n Mean SD 1269 3.2 1.0 Potential Improvements (4-point Measure of Importance) n Mean SD Establishing stormwater management features (drainage improvements such as catch basins) to minimize flooding and ponding and to remove stormwater from heavily used areas 1300 2.5 1.1 Using a variety of alternative stormwater management techniques, including "green" techniques such as rain gardens and vegetative swales wherever possible 1306 2.9 1.1 ACCESSIBILITY AND CONNECTIVITY Satisfaction with Current Accessibility and Connectivity (5-point measure) n Mean SD 1228 3.6 1.1 Potential Improvements (4-point Measure of Importance) n Mean SD Extending current network of paved paths 1261 2.0 1.1 Adding distance markers on paved paths 1271 1.7 1.0 Placing additional benches at spaced intervals for those with mobility challenges 1278 2.6 1.0 Making the woodland trail more accessible 1273 2.4 1.2 Establishing more formal connections to the Brewster Historical Society and Brewster Conservation Trust properties 1273 2.2 1.1 Creating a trail to the adjacent Cedar Ridge property 1273 2.3 1.1 Selectively clearing some understory vegetation and invasive species to enhance the marsh and bay views 1278 2.6 1.1 Selectively clearing some trees and shrubs along Route 6A to enhance the roadside view 1279 1.6 1.0 PARK AMENITIES Satisfaction with Current Amenities (5-point measure) n Mean SD 1196 3.5 1.0 Potential Improvements (4-point Measure of Importance) n Mean SD Building an ADA compliant covered pavilion with picnic tables on the site of the current storage building 1265 2.2 1.1 Putting in year-round toilet facilities 1268 2.5 1.2 Installing a water station 1267 2.7 1.1 Relocating and renovating the playground to be ADA- compliant and closer to the shade pavilion for better drainage 1264 2.5 1.2 Upgrading or improving the bandstand /gazebo 1268 2.1 1.0 Adding appropriately sized signage to identify all of the amenities at the park 1269 2.0 1.0 Adding appropriately sized signage to explain the history and ecology of the area 1268 2.4 1.0 Adding a viewing platform overlooking the marsh 1266 2.3 1.2 Moving some large events to other locations in town 1266 1.9 1.1