2012 Annual Report | Department of Conservation and Recreation, Boston, MA
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Healey + Mystic
What if Somerville’s Healey School Healey What if Somerville’s and Mystic neighborhoods were reimagined as a single riverfront community? HEALEY + MYSTIC 2 | HEALEY+MYSTIC MASTER PLAN | March 2017 HEALEY MYSTIC MASTER PLAN by Friends of Healey in partnership with the Mystic Learning Center and with support from the City of Somerville through the Community Preservation Act March 2017 Acknowledgements Friends of the Healey Margaret Kurth Abby Luthin Jean Millete Gregory Nadeau Mystic Learning Center Florence “Fluffy” Bergmann City of Somerville Office of the Mayor, Joseph A. Curtatone Office of Strategic Planning and Community Development Somerville Public Schools, Mary Skipper, Superintendent Arthur D. Healey School, Jill Geiser, Principal Community Preservation Committee • Design Team GroundView Groundwork Somerville Groundwork Lawrence Utile • This master plan process was made possible with funding from the Somerville Community Preservation Act. Contents CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION CHAPTER 3 PLANNING PROCESS 6 Vision 72 Community Outreach 10 Current Site 72 Community Participation 12 Ownership 75 Community Workshop Inventory 14 Size 76 Organizing Ideas 16 Site History 78 Design Scenarios 18 Building History 80 Incremental 20 A Topographic and Social Barrier 82 Transformative 84 Community Response CHAPTER 2 ANALYSIS 24 Urban Context CHAPTER 4 THE MASTER PLAN 26 Demographics 90 Large Projects, Design 28 Open Space Need 94 Large Projects, Management 30 City Open Space 96 Small Projects 32 Study Area Open Space 34 Program Providers CHAPTER 5 IMPLEMENTATION -
DCR's Beaver Brook Reservation
Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation Bureau of Planning and Resource Protection Resource Management Planning Program RESOURCE MANAGEMENT PLAN DCR’s Beaver Brook Reservation Historic Beaver Brook Reservation and Beaver Brook North Reservation Belmont, Lexington and Waltham, Massachusetts March 2010 DCR’s Beaver Brook Reservation Historic Beaver Brook Reservation and Beaver Brook North Reservation Belmont, Lexington and Waltham, Massachusetts RESOURCE MANAGEMENT PLAN 2010 Deval L. Patrick, Governor Timothy P. Murray, Lt. Governor Ian A. Bowles, Secretary Richard K. Sullivan, Jr., Commissioner Jack Murray, Deputy Commissioner for Parks Operations The Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR), an agency of the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs, oversees 450,000 acres of parks and forests, beaches, bike trails, watersheds, dams, and parkways. Led by Commissioner Richard K. Sullivan Jr., the agency’s mission is to protect, promote, and enhance our common wealth of natural, cultural, and recreational resources. To learn more about DCR, our facilities, and our programs, please visit www.mass.gov/dcr. Contact us at [email protected]. Printed on Recycled Paper RESOURCE MANAGEMENT PLAN Expanded Beaver Brook Reservation Belmont, Lexington and Waltham, Massachusetts Contents Executive Summary 1 Introduction 1 Planning Process 2 Distinctive Characteristics of the Expanded Reservation 2 Priority Findings 3 Recommendations 5 Capital Improvements 7 Land Stewardship Zoning Guidelines 9 Management -
Protecting Promoting Enhancing
DEPARTMENT OF CONSERVATION AND RECREATION Annual Report FY12 Protecting Promoting Enhancing Protecting Our Natural Resources 5 A Renewed Vision for Managing Our Resources Resource Management Planning Land Protection Forest Stewardship Preserving Urban and Community Forests ALB Eradication Efforts Emerald Ash Borer Detection Hazard Fuels Mitigation Areas of Critical Environmental Concern (ACEC) Muddy River Restoration Our Cultural and Historic Resources 11 Skinner State Park Summit House Peddocks Island, Ames Mansion & Bascom Lodge Brookwood Farm Barn Historic Curatorship Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) Our Water Supply and Resources 13 Watershed Management Water Resources Our People and Communities 15 Natural Disturbances and DCR Storm Response Forest Fire Control Local Fire Assistance Promoting Public Access and Appreciation 18 Statewide Programming Great Park Pursuit & First Day Hikes Interpretive Services Universal Access Civic Engagement 21 Volunteer Stewardship Citizen Scientists and Outsmarting Invasive Species Public Outreach Partnerships 23 Partnership Matching Fund Program Corporate Partnerships Partnerships with Environmental Organizations Partnerships with Friends Groups Enhancing Parks Operations & Service Delivery 27 Parks Uinification Office of Aquatice Resources Recreational Offerings & Infrastructure 28 Melnea A. Cass Recreational Complex Connors Memorial Swimming Pool Houghton’s Pond Ball Fields Mount Greylock Summit Houghton’s Pond Bathhouse Wachusett Mountain Parkway and Summit Recreational Trails and Greenways Alewife -
Arlington Master Plan DRAFT Interim Report
Arlington Master Plan REVISED Working Paper Series: Natural Resources and Open Space Introduction Arlington’s landscape is defined by natural features that influence the location and intensity of development. Lakes and ponds, brooks, wetlands, and protected open space provide important public health and ecological benefits, as well as recreational opportunities. Activities in Arlington also affect neighboring towns, so local policies and practices relating to water and other natural resources have regional consequences. This master plan element focuses on irreplaceable land and water resources that must be considered in Menotomy Rocks Park trail. decisions about where, what, and how much to build as Arlington continues to evolve. A. GOALS FOR OPEN SPACE AND NATURAL RESOURCES • Ensure that Arlington’s neighborhoods, commercial areas, and infrastructure are developed in harmony with natural resource concerns. • Value, protect, and maintain the Town’s physical beauty, natural habitats, water bodies, parks, and other open spaces. • Use sustainable planning and engineering approaches to improve air and water quality, reduce flooding, and enhance ecological diversity by managing our natural resources. • Mitigate and adapt to climate change. B. KEY FINDINGS • Arlington’s beauty is influenced by many factors – its varied landscape and topography, the presence of water resources along its borders, and its historic architecture. Arlington’s distinctive street trees and urban woodlands also play a critical role in Arlington’s appearance, walkability, and environmental health. Increased investments in tree maintenance and replacement, including enough personnel to carry out a comprehensive tree and streetscape management program, will be important for Arlington’s future quality of life. • Arlington’s ability to address critical environmental challenges will hinge, in part, on the policies it adopts to guide and regulate future development, and in particular along the corridor encompassing Massachusetts Avenue and the Mill Brook. -
Cochituate Rail Trail Project Early Environmental Coordination
Town of Natick Massachusetts Cochituate Rail Trail Project Early Environmental Coordination May 2014 Cochituate Rail Trail Project May 2014 Natick, Massachusetts TABLE OF CONTENTS 25% EARLY ENVIRONMENTAL CHECKLIST CORRESPONDENCE CE CHECKLIST WATER QUALITY DATA FORMS DRAFT NOI FIGURES Figure 1 – Locus Map Figure 2 – Soil Map Figure 3 – Flood Map Figure 4 – NHESP Priority Habitats of Rare Species Figure 5 – Underground Storage Tanks Map SENSITIVE ENVIRONMENTAL RESOURCES CULTURAL AND HISTORICAL RESOURCES HAZARDOUS MATERIALS PHOTOS OF FIELD CONDITIONS AND FEATURES i Cochituate Rail Trail Project May 2014 Natick, Massachusetts 25% Early Environmental Checklist 25% Design Submission Checklist Early Environmental Coordination for Design Projects Effective 1/01/2011 The Designer shall complete and submit this form electronically with backup information and explanations of how each item has been addressed or documented. Completion of this checklist and its requirements is necessary for the project to obtain approval from Environmental Services to proceed with a 25% Design Public Hearing. Note: In an attempt to reduce paper consumption, Environmental Services requests that only one (1) paper copy of the 25% Design is submitted for Environmental review. All Early Environmental Coordination documentation should be submitted only in an electronic format (.pdf, .doc, .xls, etc) wherever possible. Documentation should be submitted to the MassDOT project manager for routing to Environmental Services. PUBLIC COORDINATION Instructions Addressed? Coordinate with local boards, commissions & officials to identify specific issues or concerns regarding the project purpose and need and general scope of 1 Click Here Y work. Attach all written correspondence. If the proponent has presented the project in a public meeting setting, provide information regarding the meeting including the name of the public 2 Y* board/commission, the date and location, public comments and any formal meeting minutes. -
A KEY LINK in GREATER BOSTON's WILDLIFE HABITAT: METROPOLITAN STATE HOSPITAL by John Andrews and Lee Taylor Boston-Area Birders
A KEY LINK IN GREATER BOSTON'S WILDLIFE HABITAT: METROPOLITAN STATE HOSPITAL by John Andrews and Lee Taylor Boston-area birders are fortunate to have several urban parks, reserves, and privately owned lands that offer excellent birding and tranquil walks only minutes away inside Route 95. Mount Auburn Cemetery in Cambridge, Arnold Arboretum in Jamaica Plain, Belle Isle Marsh in Revere, Blue Hills Reservation, and Fresh Pond in Cambridge are but a few locations well-known among birders. One relatively little known land area, the property of the closed Metropolitan State Hospital, is now threatened with development and is entering a critical time where its future use will be determined. This area is perhaps the last great piece of unprotected open space within Route 95. The Metropolitan State Hospital property consists of 342 acres of land in the towns of Lexington, Belmont, and Waltham. In 1992 the property is being declared "surplus" by the state of Massachusetts, and is entering the state's real property disposition process which is managed by the Division of Capital Planning and Operations (DCPO). State and local agencies will be polled to determine whether they have proposals for use of the property. If no such proposals are acceptable to the state, the property will be offered to private developers. Over eighty-five percent of the land (272 acres) is currently undeveloped. The property is the heart of a de facto greenway that includes the Metropolitan District Commission's (MDC) Beaver Brook Reservation, Belmont Rock Meadow conservation land. Habitat Institute for the Environment, Highland Farm Sanctuary, Lexington's "Clematis Brook" conservation land, and Cedar Hill Girl Scout Camp. -
Worcester Issues – BRP/CERO
T HE C OMMONWEALTH O F M ASSACHUSETTS E XECUTIVE O FFICE O F E NERGY A ND E NVIRONMENTAL A FFAIRS Department of Agricultural Resources 251 Causeway Street, Suite 500, Boston, MA 02114 617-626-1700 fax: 617-626-1850 www.mass.gov/agr DEVAL L. PATRICK TIMOTHY P. MURRAY RICHARD K. SULLIVAN JR. SCOTT J. SOARES Governor Lieutenant Governor Secretary Commissioner Pursuant to the provisions of the Rights of Way Management Regulations, 333 CMR 11:00, in order to apply herbicides to control vegetation along rights of way, a 5 year Vegetation Management Plan (VMP) and a Yearly Operational Plan (YOP) must be approved by the (DAR) Department of Agricultural Resources. Therefore, notice of receipt of a YOP and procedures for public review is hereby given as required by Section 11.06 (3). A Yearly Operational Plan (YOP) has been submitted for: The Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) Division of Urban Parkways This plan has been prepared by and submitted to the Department by: DCR Division of Urban Parks Mat Thurlow 251 Causeway St. Suite 600 Boston, MA 02114 Areas identified in the YOP as locations where treatment of Rights of Way with herbicides will be carried out in calendar year 2012 are: Town DCR Property South District Treatment Target Treatment Method Boston VFW Grass and Weeds Low pressure boom West Roxbury Pkwy Enneking Pkwy Turtle Pond Pkwy Boston Stony Brook Reservation Brush and Invasives Low pressure Mother Brook Reservation Poison Ivy backpack Chestnut Hill Reservation Brookline Lost Pond Reservation Poison Ivy Low pressure -
Resource Management Planning Program
Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation Bureau of Planning and Resource Protection Resource Management Planning Program RESOURCE MANAGEMENT PLAN Middlesex Fells Planning Unit Middlesex Fells Planning Unit RESOURCE MANAGEMENT PLAN 2011 Deval L. Patrick, Governor Timothy P. Murray, Lt. Governor Richard K. Sullivan Jr., Secretary Edward M. Lambert Jr., Commissioner Dear Friends, Supporters, Users and Stakeholders of the DCR Middlesex Fells Reservation; I am please to introduce you to this draft Resource Management Plan (RMP) for the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation’s Middlesex Fells Reservation. RMPs provide guidelines for management of properties under the stewardship of the Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR). They are intended to be working documents for setting priorities, enabling the DCR to adapt to changing fiscal, social and environmental conditions. The planning process provides a forum for communication and cooperation with park visitors and the surrounding communities to ensure transparency in the DCR’s stewardship efforts. For more than a century, the Middlesex Fells Reservation has provided visitors a natural oasis in the midst of an urbanized landscape, and an opportunity for visitors to connect with nature. The reservation offers a variety of nature-based recreation activities that are special to the residents of metropolitan Boston and beyond. It is home to ten rare plants and animals, uncommon natural communities, and cultural and historic resources that live as a testament to our agrarian and industrial past. Generations of users have traversed its trails, viewed the Boston skyline from atop its rocky hills, and enjoyed the sound of birdsong echoing through the forest. This RMP strives to balance recreational use and demand with the protection natural and cultural resources at the DCR Middlesex Fells so that these experiences, and others, are available for the generations to come. -
Annual Report of the Metropolitan District Commission
Public Document No. 48 W$t Commontoealtfj of iWa&sacfmsfetta ANNUAL REPORT OF THE Metropolitan District Commission For the Year 1935 Publication or this Document Approved by the Commission on Administration and Finance lm-5-36. No. 7789 CONTENTS PAGE I. Organization and Administration . Commission, Officers and Employees . II. General Financial Statement .... III. Parks Division—Construction Wellington Bridge Nonantum Road Chickatawbut Road Havey Beach and Bathhouse Garage Nahant Beach Playground .... Reconstruction of Parkways and Boulevards Bridge Repairs Ice Breaking in Charles River Lower Basin Traffic Control Signals IV. Maintenance of Parks and Reservations Revere Beach Division .... Middlesex Fells Division Charles River Lower Basin Division . Bunker Hill Monument .... Charles River Upper Division Riverside Recreation Grounds . Blue Hills Division Nantasket Beach Reservation Miscellaneous Bath Houses Band Concerts Civilian Conservation Corps Federal Emergency Relief Activities . Public Works Administration Cooperation with the Municipalities . Snow Removal V. Special Investigations VI. Police Department VII. Metropolitan Water District and Works Construction Northern High Service Pipe Lines . Reinforcement of Low Service Pipe Lines Improvements for Belmont, Watertown and Arlington Maintenance Precipitation and Yield of Watersheds Storage Reservoirs .... Wachusett Reservoir . Sudbury Reservoir Framingham Reservoir, No. 3 Ashland, Hopkinton and Whitehall Reservoirs and South Sud- bury Pipe Lines and Pumping Station Framingham Reservoirs Nos. 1 and 2 and Farm Pond Lake Cochituate . Aqueducts Protection of the Water Supply Clinton Sewage Disposal Works Forestry Hydroelectric Service Wachusett Station . Sudbury Station Distribution Pumping Station Distribution Reservoirs . Distribution Pipe Lines . T) 11 P.D. 48 PAGE Consumption of Water . 30 Water from Metropolitan Water Works Sources used Outside of the Metropolitan Water District VIII. -
Natural Resources and Open Space
8 natural resources & open space IIntroductionntroduction Open spaces and the benefits of natural resources are a treasured commodity within densely developed com- munities. They have value in health, recreation, ecolo- gy, and beauty. The landscape of Arlington is adorned with natural features that have defined, and continue to influence, the location and intensity of the built en- vironment. Lakes and ponds, brooks, wetlands, mead- ows and other protected spaces provide crucial public health and ecological benefits, as well as recreational opportunities. In addition, man-made outdoor struc- tures such as paths, gardens, and playing fields, also factor into the components of open space. mmasteraster pplanlan ggoalsoals fforor nnaturalatural rresourcesesources & Natural and built features all need careful preservation, oopenpen sspacepace maintenance, and integration with continuous devel- opment in Arlington. Actions in Arlington also affect ˚ Use sustainable planning and engineering neighboring towns, and it is important to note that lo- approaches to improve air and water quality, cal policies and practices relating to water and other natural resources have regional consequences. There reduce fl ooding, and enhance ecological must be a focus on irreplaceable land and water re- diversity by managing our natural resources. sources in decisions about where, what, and how much ˚ Mitigate and adapt to climate change. to build in Arlington. ˚ Ensure that Arlington’s neighborhoods, EExistingxisting CConditionsonditions commercial areas, and infrastructure are developed in harmony with natural resource Topography, Geology, and Soils Arlington straddles several geologic and watershed concerns. boundaries that contribute to its varied landscape. The ˚ Value, protect, and enhance the physical beauty west side of town lies within the Coastal Lowlands (also and natural resources of Arlington. -
Find It and Fix It Stormwater Program in the Charles and Mystic River Watersheds
FIND IT AND FIX IT STORMWATER PROGRAM IN THE CHARLES AND MYSTIC RIVER WATERSHEDS FINAL REPORT JUNE 2005 - AUGUST 2008 October 29, 2008 SUBMITTED TO: MASSACHUSETTS ENVIRONMENTAL TRUST EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF ENERGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL AFFAIRS OFFICE OF GRANTS AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE 100 CAMBRIDGE STREET, 9TH FLOOR BOSTON, MA 02114 SUBMITTED BY: CHARLES RIVER WATERSHED ASSOCIATION MYSTIC RIVER WATERSHED ASSOCIATION 190 PARK ROAD 20 ACADEMY STREET, SUITE 203 WESTON, MA 02493 ARLINGTON, MA 02476 Table of Contents List of Figures................................................................................................................................. 3 List of Tables .................................................................................................................................. 5 Introduction..................................................................................................................................... 6 Organization of Report ................................................................................................................... 8 1.0 PROGRAM BACKGROUND............................................................................................ 9 1.1 Charles River.................................................................................................................. 9 1.1.1 Program Study Area................................................................................................ 9 1.1.2 Water Quality Issues............................................................................................ -
The Lower Mystic River Corridor Strategy
The Lower Mystic River Corridor Strategy: Working Together to Achieve the Full Potential of the Lower Mystic Boston Redevelopment Authority City of Chelsea City of Everett City of Malden City of Medford City of Somerville Metropolitan Area Planning Council June 2009 This project was funded under the District Local Technical Assistance program created by Chapter 205 of the Acts of 2006 and a contribution from the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS AND CREDITS This plan was prepared for the cities of Boston, Chelsea, Everett, Malden, Medford and Somerville by the Metropolitan Area Planning Council (MAPC). The plan was funded under the District Local Technical Assistance Program created by Chapter 205 of the Acts of 2006 and a contribution from the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority. MAPC Officers President: Jay Ash Vice President: Michelle Ciccolo Secretary: Marilyn Contreas Treasurer: Grace S. Shepard Executive Director: Marc D. Draisen Credits Project Manager: Joan Blaustein Project Planner: Christine Wallace, P.E. Mapping/GIS Services: Allan Bishop, Susan Brunton Steering Committee City of Boston: John Read, Senior Planner, Boston Redevelopment Authority City of Chelsea: John DePriest, AICP, Director of Planning and Development. City of Everett: Marzie Galaska, Director of Planning and Community Development City of Malden: Deborah Burke, Project Director, Mayor’s Office City of Medford: Clodagh Stoker-Long, Economic Development Planner, Office of Community Development. City of Somerville: Stephen Winslow, Senior Planner TABLE OF CONTENTS Page I. Magic of the Mystic: A Vision for the Lower Mystic Valley 1 II. Executive Summary 3 III. Project Overview 5 IV. The Six Mystic River Corridor Strategies 19 1.