Malden Planning Board to send comments on 2025 Open Space and Recreation Plan, flags funding and implementation concerns

The Malden Planning Board on March 11 reviewed the draft 2025 Open Space and Recreation Plan and voted to have city planner Michelle draft a letter to the Office of Strategic Planning and Community Development (OSPCD) documenting the board’s review and recommendations.

Chair Chuck Iovan opened the discussion by asking the board to record feedback rather than provide an endorsement. He said the draft appears to predate the city’s current fiscal challenges and urged the plan’s submission to acknowledge that context so it does not appear “tone-deaf.”

Michelle, the city planner who presented the update, said the proposed plan is dated 2025 and has been managed by OSPCD with MAPC as the consultant. She told the board their review would be captured in a letter and added, “the recommendation is that a statement be included regarding how the city's current financial situation may affect the plan, its implementation, its goals, and proposed funding sources.”

Board members raised a common concern: the plan’s implementation matrix lists many partner organizations and potential funding sources but lacks a clear lead or reliable funding stream for numerous actions. Pat Hayes and Ken Antinucci said several entries read as recommendations without an identified driver or budget, which they fear could leave priorities unimplemented.

Eric Henry noted that language on diversity and measures of success from prior planning work was less explicit in the new draft and asked for clearer success metrics. Risa Gray asked whether the matrix accounts for ongoing maintenance costs; Michelle replied that the plan recommends developing maintenance plans but that detailed, recurring costs are typically determined when individual projects are funded and designed.

Specific technical and editorial requests the board asked Michelle to include in the letter were: a statement on how the city’s current financial condition may affect implementation and funding, a current list of city-owned vacant parcels referenced by Map 8, clarification of the plan’s use of the term “mitigation,” and adding the Planning Board and the Malden City Council as named implementation partners where appropriate. Michelle also noted several formatting and historical corrections (including an item referencing Converse) that should be fixed.

After discussion the board agreed not to offer a formal endorsement at this time. Ken Antinucci moved that Michelle draft the letter documenting the board’s review and comments; Pat Hayes seconded. The chair announced a voice vote and said, “Motion carries 9–0,” noting that Maria Schroer was voting in place of Ronnie Verma.

Michelle said she would circulate a draft of the letter to board members for edits before sending it to OSPCD. The board also addressed a separate personnel item: Stephanie Stone withdrew interest in serving as the board’s representative to the Community Preservation Committee, and members agreed to seek another volunteer and rotate representation for three to six months.

The master plan steering committee update noted the RFP process is underway for a consultant; a firm has not yet been selected and resident-member applications are under review. The Planning Board adjourned; its next meeting was set for April 8.

The board’s next procedural step is for Michelle to circulate the draft letter that will be sent to OSPCD summarizing the board’s concerns and recommended edits to the draft Open Space and Recreation Plan.