HORSE HILL NATURE PRESERVE

MASTER PLAN COMMITTEE

Minutes of Monday, May 19, 2003

Courtroom at Town Hall

7:00 P.M.

 

Members Present:  Newton Coryell, Chris Christensen, Mike Ruggiero, Connie Kreider, Janet Cormier, Lynne Wenz, Denise O'Dwyer, Susan Siena, Peter Kahn, Jim Taylor, Tim Tenhave, Debra Huffman & Harold Watson.

 

Also Present: Jay Minkarah, Community Development Director

 

Call to Order: Debra Huffman called the meeting to order at 7:15 PM. 

 

Announcements and Updates: Debra Huffman announced that the BOS officially changed the name of the committee to the Horse Hill Nature Preserve Master Plan Committee. She also announced that the BOS did not approve installing temporary wetland, littering, or directional signs and tabled the motion to allow the DPW to begin investigating parking areas.

 

Athletic Field Presentation: Mike Ruggiero, Vice Chairman of the HHNP committee and Vice President of the Merrimack Youth Association (MYA) provided a presentation on the need for athletic fields in Merrimack. He described the history, function, and funding of the MYA. He provided a detailed description of each of the existing fields in town and their current condition, as well as data on future needs. A copy of his presentation is attached.

 

In addition to the points in the presentation, the following comments were made:

·        The MYA believes an athletic complex could be designed to enhance the property by providing an entrance point, parking, and sanitary facilities. They see it as a gateway into the property, not separate from it.

·        They envision a complex of four to six fields consisting of not more than 50 acres.

·        The Reeds Ferry field complex consists of about 15 acres.

·        Engineers have walked the property and have identified two potential areas for an athletic complex - off the Amherst Road entrance and off the Palmeri Drive entrance. Specifics will not be worked out until later in the process, since they are only looking for a general statement from the committee at this time.

·        Clustering fields saves buffering and parking space, but individual fields scattered around the periphery of the property might also be considered if engineering studies indicate that would be most practical. The large number of wetlands and steep topography must be considered, and finding a 50 acre block might be a challenge.

·        Funding will be an issue but the MYA will deal with that if and when appropriate. It cost approximately $150,000 to construct a field. Construction might be done in stages, with only one or two fields funded at a time. It was noted that road construction is likely to be the highest cost of the project.

·        A typical game draws approximately 20 to 25 cars.

·        Committee members expressed concern about wildlife impact, impact on other users of the property, and impact on abutters of traffic, noise, and chemicals used for field treatment.

·        Use of inorganic fertilizers, pesticides, and herbicides was discussed. Brian Wilson of the MVD provides management recommendations for the MYA to follow. It was suggested that any statement on athletic fields include a clause encouraging maximum sensitivity to ecological issues.

·        Water is the common factor for field condition. Irrigation is critical.

·        The large amount of water consumption required for field maintenance was discussed. It was suggested that the MYA should consider use of a drip irrigation system to minimize water use and runoff containing treatment chemicals and fertilizer.

·        It was noted that more children participate in MYA activities than in any other recreational activity likely to take place on the property.

·        Trails could be constructed around the perimeter of the complex that would be safe for young hikers and bikers. Fields could provide a training ground for young cross-country skiers and could be used to fly kites.

·        Fields are not locked, although fencing might be used to prevent damage to cars in the parking lot and to protect fields from vehicle access. They will be open to the public from dawn to dusk. Vandalism has not been a major issue at existing fields, with the exception of ruts from ATVs riding on the fields.

·        While completing the worksheet, it was clarified that the 'target uses' referenced in the goals refer to the target uses developed by the committee, not those specifically listed in the committee's charge.

·        The committee has stated that any group that requires an area of the property to be devoted solely to their activity must follow the recommendations outlined in the ATV statement, specifically that they form a recognized, responsible club. It was noted that the MYA fulfills that requirement.

 

Since the committee lacked a quorum, no votes could be taken. Mike Ruggiero read a motion to be considered for a vote at the June 2nd meeting. A copy of the motion is attached. It was suggested that a statement be added stating that the expertise of the MVD will be used in the planning and implementation of field maintenance, including water, fertilizer, pesticide, and herbicide usage.

 

A copy of the committee's responses to the worksheet is also attached.

 

Comments: Tim Tenhave asked that interested citizens continue the cleanup of the property on June 7th. Meet at 10:00 a.m. at the end of Palmeri Drive. Call Tim at 424-0518 or e-mail tim.tenhave@verizon.net if interested. (Note that this is not an official committee activity, in accordance with the BOS request that the committee engage in planning activities only.) Tim will provide a map of junk car locations to the DPW for their use when the land dries out.

 

Connie Kreider requested that when visiting the property, please be courteous to abutters when parking. Her mailbox has been blocked on occasions and she sometimes cannot get her mail. Jim Taylor noted that several cars can park near his property on Abbey Rd if necessary.

 

Sue Siena has been in contact with Beaver Brook in Hollis. They have received a grant for trail construction and have invited us to be observers as they lay out and construct the trail. Sue will e-mail the committee with details.

 

Denise O'Dwyer has been researching ADA trail requirements. She will report at a later meeting.

 

Adjournment: The meeting adjourned at approximately 9:45 p.m.

 

ATTACHMENT A

USE AND FACILITY EVALUATION SUMMMARY FORM

 

 

Proposed Use/Facility:  Athletic Field Complex____________________________________.

 

 

I.  General Considerations:

 

1)     Is the use an existing use of the property?       ___Yes      _X_No

 

2)     If the answer to Question #1, above, is no, is there a demonstrated or documented need for the proposed use or facility?   __X_Yes         ___No

 

3)     If the answer to Question 2, above, is yes, does the use of the Property for the proposed use or facility satisfy that need in whole or in part?  ___Yes       ___No       

 

4)     Is there currently a budget line item, capital reserve fund, or other dedicated town-funding source       for the proposed use or facility?   _X__Yes     ___No             ___NA 

 

 

II.  Consistency with Goals: (note that the impact of any use can be direct or indirect)

 

 

Goal 1

Contributes to Biological Diversity?

Significantly

Somewhat

Neutral

Detracts        X

Degrades

 

Goal 2

Protects Water Resources?

 

 

X

 

 

Goal 3

Contributes to Trail Network?

 

 

X

X

 

Goal 4

Fosters connections to other open space?

 

 

X

 

 

Goal 5

Preserves/Protects Historic Features

 

 

X

 

 

Goal 6

Balances Competing Interests?

X

 

 

 

 

Goal 7

Impacts to Access & Parking:

None

Minimal

Moderate

Substantial

Prohibitive

Goal 8

Impacts to abutting properties/other uses

Beneficial

None

Minimal

Significant

Severe

Goal 9

Is Compatible with Target Uses?

Substantially

Somewhat

Neutral

Detracts

Disrupts

 

III.  Physical Considerations: How might the proposed use/facility be limited by the following?

 

 

Severely

Significantly

Moderately

Minimally

Not at All

Topography

 

X

 

 

 

Soils

 

X

 

 

 

Wetlands

X

 

 

 

 

Utilities

 

 

X

 

 

Regulatory Approvals

 

 

X

 

 

Funding

 

X

 

 

 

Public Support

 

 

 

X

 

 

 

IV.  Other Considerations:

 

List any facilities or improvements that may be needed to support the use or facility such as parking, signage, etc:  Parking, water for irrigation, access road, fencing, sanitary facilities, potentially lighting, portable bleachers_____________________________

 

 

Describe any special Maintenance or Management issues that should be considered: Additional trash, use of fertilizers, pesticides and herbicides, water usage, general field maintenance, traffic management

 

 

Comments: 32 year history of the club, which accommodates our recommendation for management structure.