Open Space Committee
Open Space Committee Minutes June 9, 2020
Present: Rick Gardner, Karen Rossow, Cary LeBlanc, Deb Cary
Absent: Kelton Burbank
Meeting began at 7:00 pm on Webex.
Minutes of the May meeting were approved.
Open Space and Recreation Plan:
Discussed public meeting comments. We attracted about 7 people at the hearing and there were a few interesting comments. There was one question regarding Wildlife corridor, which we had neglected to cover with our goals. This has been corrected and we reviewed the wording in the document.
We have planned a meeting with the Select Board and Town Administrator on June 16. Rick will prepare a short presentation for this meeting.
We decided NOT to vote on the plan but to take a few more days to complete a thorough read-through. We will meet again next week to vote on approval. Deadline for comments is Friday June 12.
We VOTED to approve the spending of money to make five copies of the report. One each for OSC, Parks and Rec, Town Hall, Senior Center.
TAP
The WPI Strategy work recommended that we develop a clearer plan of what we are trying to do with trails in Princeton. This to explain to the town and landowners what the project is all about. A detailed plan would talk about specific links and priorities. Planning could also involve a wider cross section of interested parties.
We realized that we have not all read the WPI document. Rick will send it back around to everyone with some comments.
Rick showed the WPI interactive map with a highlight on some of the TAP linkages. We agreed to start working on some options right away. Rick will document these in more detail for the next meeting.
Deb is going to focus on trying to figure out the Bullard Road to TPS link, perhaps going through Clearings and across Route 62?
Cary is going to work on the link between the center of town and Allen Hill Road, including work needed in Goodnow Park.
Rick is working with the new landowner (Walcotts) on the Red Fox link from Worcester Road to PLT Red Fox property.
Follow up with Nimrod Club: Per WPI recommendation, Rick will follow up with Chris Craig.
Other Projects/ActivitiesCalamint Hill Conservation Area
New Benches are being installed. Donated time and material from Phil O’Brien
First bridge has been ordered and should be installed in June. Second will follow after we complete the first. Christian Henderson is leading this effort.
Justin Griffin is working on the Kiosk.
Rick also plans to get a party together to clear out and mark the Boylston Park trails.
We talked about planning for a trail summit, perhaps with a presentation on available maps, for this winter.
Princeton Hikes will re-start in July with restrictions. Rick and Deb will both lead a hike (20 people total) from Ski Area to Redemption Rock on July 11. Need to consider starting ‘Princeton Bikes!’ program.
Karen initiated a discussion regarding ‘what is Open Space’. No intent to change the OSRP but she envisions multiple levels of use in Open Space:
Developed recreational areas like parks and playing fields
Natural spaces with trails etc. for passive recreational use
Spaces with more restricted human activities.
Spaces that are left natural with no plans for human activities.
We all agreed that our goals are not to develop all open space with trails or other features. We need to plan to maintain wild open spaces as well. Rick mentioned that some concern has been expressed from a Calamint Hill resident about compromising the wild areas over there.
Next meeting: Meet on June 18th with the intention of approving the OSRP. Then regular meeting June 21 at 7 via Webex. Rick will send out Webex Info.
Meeting adjourned at 8:25 p.m.
Respectfully submitted, Rick Gardner