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Community Notes

February 12, 2018 master plan implementation committee

2/12/2018

 
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Master Plan Implementation Committee
Community Notes
Monday, February 12, 2018 @ 7pm
Town Hall

Board/Committee members in attendance
  • Jessica Porter
  • Michelle Reilly
  • Shaw McDermott
  • Fred Civian
  • Ryan McDermott
  • Marty Lindeman

Agenda

  • Public Comment
  • Approval of Minutes
  • Discussion of MPIC internal governance objectives
  • Preparations for Dedham 2020 Master Plan
    • RFI/RFP process, updates
    • Committee structure
    • Other
  • Old/New Business

Abbreviations
  • MPIC = Master Plan Implementation Committee
  • PB = Planning Board
  • RFI = Request for Information
  • RFP = Request for Proposal

Public Comment
  • No members of the public present

Approval of Minutes
  • Approved with no discussion

Discussion of MPIC internal governance objectives
  • How can MPIC be a model of good governance and transparency for other groups in the town?
  • Contact information
    • Town sites are inconsistent with respect to contact information, amount of information shown is up to each committee
    • No official requirement in committee charter
    • Group in favor of as much transparency as possible
    • Post names and emails on website
  • Public correspondence
    • Standard method of response to public inquiry/comment
      • Currently being done on case-by-case basis
      • Proposed process
        • Don’t comment on matters currently under discussion until discussion is completed and committee reaches a decision
        • Procedural matters - answer if possible
        • Forward issues to chair to consider bringing up for discussion
        • Acknowledge receipt of comment
        • Have a process that encourages public comment through channels other than showing up to meetings (e-mails, letters, calls, etc.) to be fair to people who can’t show up due to schedule reasons
        • Place comment in a repository that is read (not write) accessible to the public (ex. Google doc)
      • Discuss response template, form of contact, and tool for storing comments at next meeting
      • Eventually distribute this process to other groups as an example of good governance
    • Who responds - individuals or group response?
      • School board - only chair responds
      • Board of selectmen - automated response, then any member may respond
    • If an individual responds, are they speaking for themselves or the committee?
  • Term limits on officers
    • Rotate officers via annual vote
  • Committee Composition
    • Replace board members who don’t regularly attend meetings
    • Relationship with other boards/committees
  • Actions
    • Publish email address on website
    • Draft process for responding to public inquiries and review at next meeting

Preparations for Dedham 2020 Master Plan
  • John Bethoney took over as chair of PB for Mike Podolski
  • Initial discussions held with Mike Podolski on path forward for RFI
  • Budgeting $150k for next phase of plan
    • Supported by Mike Podolski and John Bethoney
  • Looking to hire a consultant to assist in development of plan
    • MPIC will develop process for choosing the consultant
    • Get buy-in from PB
  • 2 candidates for Town Planner scheduled to be interviewed
    • Impact of planner hiring - expedite RFP if they have RFI experience?
  • Citizen Planner Training Collaborative
    • Organization of professional planners that helps volunteer citizens sitting on local boards with planning projects
    • Offer on-demand workshops ($400) that can be customized for the MPIC
      • Learn about developing a town Master Plan
      • Help with committee structure
      • Compliance with state statutes
      • Learn about what other towns are doing
      • Guidance on creating RFP
      • How does timing of this workshop interact with the hiring of the planner?
        • Hire before workshop - they get to attend
        • Workshop before hire - get guidance on how to hire a planner
      • Motion passes to request $400 to set up a workshop
  • Points of emphasis for Master Plan
    • Livability/affordability
    • Community engagement with Master Plan
      • Walking tours of neighborhoods
      • Group bike rides
      • Photo contests - what do neighborhoods view as their best assets?
      • Expand feedback mechanisms to include social media, surveys, and other forms of technology
        • Facebook Live/teleconferences for people who can’t easily leave the house or attend meetings
        • Solicit questions from Twitter, Facebook, etc.
        • Use clicker survey tools like at Dedham Square planning meetings
          • Town might have some of these to use
          • Capital items like this could be purchased by the MPIC and then transferred to the town afterward
      • Town halls - Marty Lindemann knows someone with expertise in running town halls who may be able to assist
  • Committee Structure
    • 2009 - 14 members of MPC
    • How many to have this time around? Who needs to be represented? How will the structure be determined?
      • Representation from the government side to ensure buy-in
      • Want people who will be committed and consistent with attendance
    • 11-15 members recommended (no more than 18)
      • Other committees have less members, with subcommittees that can be filled with other people not on the primary committee
        • If using subcommittees, what are the requirements?
        • Committee member + content experts?
        • Need someone responsible for deliverables
      • Large enough to assume some level of independence
      • Small enough to be efficient in decision making
    • Should the members be at the workshop to be scheduled?
    • Should the workshop be used to learn about how to select members?
    • How to absorb information from all members?
    • Groups to be considered for representation
      • Open Space
      • Parks and Rec
      • Board of Selectmen
      • School Committee
      • Board of Health
      • DPW/Engineering
      • Council on Aging
      • Historic Commission
      • Housing Authority
      • PB
      • Economic Development
      • Town Planner
      • Library Trustees (consult only?)
      • Precinct chairs
      • Sustainability
      • Citizens of Dedham Neighborhoods Alliance
    • Generate matrix of role vs. content area to aid in selection of members
  • Town Manager Jim Kern update
    • Funding may have to wait until November
      • Budget restrictions
      • Let newly hired planner get up to speed
      • Can get RFP before then (just can’t pay anyone)
    • OK with $400 for workshop to fulfill RFI and develop plan for RFP
    • Timing of planner hire TBD, ideally decided by end of February
  • Project timeline
    • Assuming 18 months of work starting 11/18: Complete May 2020
    • DO NOT want to slip past 11/18 town meeting to secure funding
    • 18 months seems feasible based on:
      • Building on other existing plans rather than starting from scratch
      • Other towns have used similar timelines (e.g. Cohasset - 14 months)
  • Actions
    • Request $400 for workshop to satisfy RFI and develop plan for RFP
    • Generate matrix to assist in selection of committee representation

New Business
  • Peter (missed last name) wants to come in and discuss developing the gravely yard at Legacy Place for age-restricted (55+) housing
    • Not subsidized - market rate w/ 10% designated for affordable housing with preference for Dedham residents
    • Next to Costco, across from Whole Foods
    • Looking to change zoning for that lot
      • Applicable zone types: SRA/SRB, General residence
      • Dedham has a surplus of those types of zones in residential neighborhoods, not as much in areas like the one being proposed
    • Might be a good opportunity to test that type of housing on a limited basis (scope is limited)
    • Near new medical facility (Beth Israel Deaconess + Harvard Physicians) going in near Yard House
  • Striar Property
    • Example of what happens when different silo organizations have different priorities for a project (on docket for 17 years with no action)
    • Master Plan defines goals, but the MPIC doesn’t have say over what happens with specific properties like the Striar property - something to keep in mind as committee is constructed and different groups with competing interests work together
  • Actions
    • Have Peter come in and discuss age restricted housing proposal at March meeting

MEETING ADJOURNED


Notes taken by  Justin Reiter
Notes reviewed by Heather Springer

Keywords:  Master Plan, Town Planner, Striar Property

Community Notes are not official minutes or transcriptions of a meeting. They are intended to provide summaries of discussion and actions taken at meetings. For official meeting minutes, visit the Town of Dedham’s website or contact the Town Clerk.

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    Community Notes are not official minutes or transcriptions of a meeting. They are intended to provide summaries of discussion and actions taken at meetings. For official meeting minutes, visit the Town of Dedham’s website or contact the Town Clerk.

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