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Approved May 17, 2010
TOWN OF WELLESLEY
NATURAL RESOURCES COMMISSION
FULLER BROOK PARK COORDINATING COMMITTEE
MEETING MINUTES
April 8, 2010, 7:00 PM
Kingsbury Meeting Room
Wellesley Police Station
NRC Members Attending:
Neal Seaborn, Chair, Heidi Gross, Secretary, Ursula King, Joan Gaughan, Janet Hartke Bowser, NRC Director.
Fuller Brook Park Coordinating Committee Members Attending:
Katherine Babson, Board of Selectmen, Suzi Newman, School Committee, William Charlton, Board of Public Works, Herb Nolan, 31 Denton Road, Bob White, Trails Committee.
Guests: Peter Tower, 18 Benton Street, Ann Tower, 18 Benton Street, Bob McTighe, 28 Wellesley Avenue, Wayne Marasco, 43 Rice Street, Jenny Brown 43 Rice Street, Valerie Gates, 57 Cottage Street, Lisa Abeles, 11 Cottage Street, Abby Hansen, 82 Dover Road, Thomas Hansen, 82 Dover Road, Barry Friedman, 57 Cottage Street, Ted Williams, 9 Denton Road, Andy Frommer, 37 Appleby Road, Lawrence McNally, 46 Washburn Avenue, James Daly, 30 Abbott Road, Douglas Wolfson, 44 Denton Road, Abigail Wolfson, 44 Denton Road, Mary Lefkowitz, 15 W. Riding Road, Helen Robertson, 9 West Riding Road, Janet Giele, 32 Denton Road, David Troy, 42 Appleby Road, Penny Post, 24 Cottage Street, Mark Robinson, 78 Leighton Road, David Wright, 25 Atwood Street, Joel Slocum, 29 Denton
Road, Robert McConnell, 8 Hill Top Road
Public Voice
No one attending the meeting spoke at Public Voice.
Meeting w/Fuller Brook Park Abutters Re: Phase I of Fuller Brook Park Preservation Master Plan
Mr. Seaborn made a brief presentation and outlined background information on Phase 1 of the Fuller Brook Park Preservation Master Plan, problems and issues related to the park, and a summary of the design process going forward. Mr. Seaborn emphasized that the project has been broken into phases and that Phase I includes an evaluation of all park improvement options and alternatives with cost estimates, and a survey of the park including identification of all property boundaries, topographical survey, wetlands resource area delineation, vegetation survey and utility survey. The Phase 1 work will be submitted to Town Meeting for funding of $250,000 from the Community Preservation Act funds.
Mr. Steve Fader, Town Engineer, outlined the work that the Department of Public Works is conducting regarding the surveying of the Fuller Brook Park, including property boundaries, topographical survey, wetlands resource area delineation, including the ANRAD Wetlands Permit Filing, vegetation and utility survey.
Mr. Seaborn opened the meeting to questions.
Ms. Janet Giele of 32 Denton Road, asked what exactly a wetland is, and stated that she has noticed some red and blue flags along the park area near the brook. Ms. Janet Bowser, NRC Director, responded with a brief definition of wetlands, and indicated that because several private properties along this area of the park have filed Wetlands Permit Applications and have had the wetlands delineated, that this is a source of some flagging along the brook. Ms. Bowser stated that the DPW flagging may in some instances incorporate the existing flagged wetland areas, but Ms. Bowser indicated that the DPW flagging will be a different color.
Mr. Douglas Wolfson of 44 Denton Road stated that he was one of the individuals who did work on his property that required the wetlands flags and he requested that these flags not be removed. Ms. Bowser confirmed that no existing wetland flagging in this area will be removed.
Ms. Lisa Abeles of 11 Cottage Street stated that she has concerns about the proposed width and material of the path, and she would like to see these issues reevaluated. She stated that she had a previous conversation with Mr. Seaborn and it was her recollection that Mr. Seaborn indicated that the width and material of the path had already been determined, and she asked if this was the case. Mr. Seaborn apologized if he gave the impression that the width and material of the path had already been determined, when, in fact, this is one of the most important elements of the next phase. Mr. Seaborn stated that the width and surface material of the path will be reevaluated and all alternatives will be considered through an extensive public participation process. Mr. Seaborn briefly reviewed the outline of proposed
public meetings, with a minimum of three public meetings to gather information from abutters and other residents regarding their concerns and preferences. He stated that a primary reason that the NRC and the Fuller Brook Park Coordinating Committee are seeking design proposals is that they want to ensure that public input is incorporated into future design recommendations.
Ms. Valerie Gates of 57 Cottage Street said that in her opinion the most beautiful part of the park is the natural areas that are not heavily maintained, and in her opinion, the park needs a break from asphalt surfacing, and she would like to keep the park as natural as possible. She stated that she values the park as it is now and would like to see the entire path look as natural as possible and wonders if the design plans could consider taking up the asphalt. She stated that that in her opinion, continuing the path in its natural state would look lovely.
Ms. Abby Hansen of 82 Dover Road stated that it is her understanding that all design options are on the table and that moving into the next phase, all options and alternatives will be explored and that all abutters should keep their minds open and should actively participate with the Town to evaluate the options. She stated that in her opinion, the path should have as much permeable surface as possible to improve drainage and protect the environment, and she looks forward to working with the Town to evaluate all of the alternatives.
Mr. Ted Williams of 9 Denton Road inquired as to whether or not the schedule for moving forward with the Plan’s implementation and budget is set and firm. Mr. Seaborn reviewed the draft proposed schedule for Phase 1 and indicated that if Town Meeting approves the FY11 $250,000 budget, then that phase will be funded, but the funding for future phases will have to occur on a year by year basis.
Mr. Mark Robinson of 78 Leighton Road asked if Wellesley College would be getting involved, since in his opinion, the Town needs to work with the College. Mr. Seaborn stated that Wellesley College was invited to the meeting tonight, and that they will definitely be involved as a stakeholder to the project and because Fuller Brook runs through their property downstream, they will be interviewed by the consultant hired for Phase I.
Mary Lefkowitz of 15 West Riding Road stated that in her opinion it would be her worst nightmare to see the park urbanized and that one of the park’s best features are its natural conditions, and she does not want to see the pathway become an expressway and be changed to a more urban type of park with paving.
Mr. Joel Slocum of Denton Road and a member of the Wellesley Historical Commission stated that in his opinion the major issue is the nature of the path, and it is important to gather as much public input as possible. He said that rather than relying only on this type of public meeting as feedback, that the Town should consider mailing a survey to all of those in the Fuller Brook area to gather feedback.
Mr. Robert McConnell of 8 Hill Top Road and a member of the Wellesley Historical Commission stated that in his opinion, the paving material and the width of the path is very important, and he suggested that the Town conduct some field observations about the current use of the path. He said that he would like to see the path used more often and become more popular and that the optimal width for all users needs should be determined as broadly as possible.
Mr. Peter Tower of 18 Benton Street stated that he has lived in the same house overlooking the path for all of his 74 years, and he stated that he does not want to see the Town, with best intentions, turn the park into something that is totally different from its current condition. He stated that from his porch, he has looked over the path between Cottage Street and Dover Road for many years, and in his opinion, the park is not overcrowded, is not used extensively and has distinctive feels in various sections of the park. He stated that he is opposed to widening the path or smoothing it out and he believes that the existing bumps in the path slow people down and prevents kids from speeding on their bikes along the path. He stated that in his opinion, the path seems to be fairly well maintained but when it
rains there are pooling and stormwater drainage problems.
Mr. James Daly, of 30 Abbott Road asked how input from the abutters will be secured going forward. Mr. Seaborn stated that public participation and feedback is an important part of the Phase I design process and that the Town will work closely with its consultant to ensure that there is an expansive public participation process.
Ms. Lisa Abeles of 11 Cottage Street asked whether or not the Town is sure that this project is necessary. She asked if there was any better use for the money in Town. Mr. Seaborn responded that the NRC and the Fuller Brook Park Coordinating Committee feel strongly that this a necessary project for public safety and for the environmental health of the park, and it is their job as advocates to present the project to the Advisory Committee, the Community Preservation Committee and Town Meeting, who will then decide if this is the best use of the Town’s money. Mr. Seaborn stated that the Community Preservation Committee voted unanimously in support of Phase 1 of the project and that the Town’s Advisory Committee voted 12 to 0 in support with 1 abstention.
Mr. Herb Nolan of 31 Denton Road and a member of the Fuller Brook Park Coordinating Committee stated that in his opinion the Fuller Brook Park is a park that is unraveling, and that the Fuller Brook Park Preservation Master Plan is a solid plan and a good start toward addressing the park’s problems. He stated that in his opinion, the park may not appear to be deteriorating, but that it is happening slowly and the infrastructure needs attention before it becomes too costly.
Ms. Abeles of 11 Cottage Street stated that in her opinion, the path is the most contentious issue and in her opinion, there should be a separate meeting on this topic alone. She stated that in her opinion that there seems to be major agreement that the issues related to vegetation and streamcourse improvement need to be taken care of.
Ms. Joan Gaughan, NRC Member, stated that she regularly rides her bike along the path, and that she has measured the path throughout the entire park, and people would be surprised to find that most of the path is already 8 feet or wider. She stated that the Mass. Department of Conservation and Recreation generally requires a width of at least 8 feet on State park and conservation land.
Mr. Tower of 18 Benton Road asked for a show of hands of all who object to the streamcourse or vegetation proposals and no one raised their hand. He stated that there seems to be no objection to the streamcourse or vegetation plans but it is the path that is the main concern, and he recommended that the Town focus on this issue.
Ms. Katherine Babson of 27 Clovelly Road, a Selectmen and Member of the Fuller Brook Park Coordinating Committee, stated that in the next design phase the missing link between State Street and Rice Street over the Hunnewell Athletic Fields will be evaluated and recommendations will be made in order to create a more continuous path through this area.
Mr. Robert McConnell of 8 Hill Top Road recommended that the Town keep the path as rural as possible and the less urbanization the better and he felt that the Town should respect the natural setting of the park.
Ms. Janet Giele stated that she would like the park to be kept in as natural state as possible, but that she is hearing different conceptions about the overall park and the model the Town wants to see.
Mr. David Troy of 42 Appleby Road stated that in his opinion the width and surface of the path is key and that he and several of his neighbors will have strong opinions about the path and he looks forward to be included as the project moves forward.
Ms. Janet Bowser, NRC Director, spoke briefly about the important role that the abutters play as stewards of the Fuller Brook Park. She stated that since the park is an extension of their backyards, that they should be aware and concerned about what they put on their lawns, as this material, whether it is a fertilizer, pesticide or herbicide, will end up migrating into Fuller Brook and eventually into the Charles River. Ms. Bowser distributed materials from the NRC Pesticide Awareness Campaign, including a Healthy Lawns and Landscapes brochures, as well as information on organic landscapers. Ms. Bowser also requested that those attending contact her if they have any questions about the project or about any work that they are proposing on their property, which may require a wetlands permit. Ms. Bowser also
encouraged residents to become members of “The Friends of Fuller Brook Park,” which is being formed to support and protect the park, and to indicate their interest on the sign-in sheet.
Mr. Seaborn thanked all those attending for coming to the meeting, and the Town looks forward to working with all residents as this important project moves forward.
Adjournment
After a motion was made and seconded, the NRC voted 4-0 to adjourn the meeting.
The meeting adjourned at 9 PM.
Respectfully submitted:
Janet Hartke Bowser
NRC Director
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