Open Space, Natural Resources and Trails Committee Meeting

The committee met on July 23, 2025 with four members and the Conservation Agent present. No public comment was received. City Council referrals concerning 24 S Hampton Road (2025-82: an Order to Dispose, and 2025-83: an Ordinance to Amend the Zoning Map) were circulated to members for consideration at the August meeting. Chair Sherwood reported on organizing local invasive-species removal efforts, drawing lessons from a successful Andover Village Improvement Society workday, and said he is organizing an Amesbury meet-up for volunteers.

Members discussed and supported an outline for an August CPC presentation focused on leveraging existing planning documents (including the 2020–2027 Open Space and Recreation Plan, the 2018 Fields Study, conservation land management policies, the Master Plan, and site plans for Woodsom Farm, Battis Farm, and others) to frame CPA funding priorities. The outline emphasized goals such as open space acquisition and restoration, recreation facility improvements (fields, courts, playgrounds), land management actions (signage, invasive mitigation, trail maintenance), accessibility/connectivity improvements (all-person trails, accessibility plans), and funding mechanisms including CPA and bond payments. The committee assigned Chair Sherwood to prepare a PowerPoint from the outline and to send relevant document links to the City project manager; there were no recorded votes on ordinances or project approvals.