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Northfield Open Space and Recreation Plan 2021 – 2028

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FINAL DRAFT NORTHFIELD OPEN SPACE AND RECREATION PLAN 2021 – 2028 FINAL DRAFT Prepared by the Northfield Open Space Committee with assistance from the Franklin Regional Council of Governments This project was funded by a Direct Local Technical Assistance Grant provided by the Massachusetts Department of Housing and Community Development FINAL DRAFT TOWN OF NORTHFIELD OPEN SPACE AND RECREATION PLAN 2021 – 2028 Prepared by the Northfield Open Space Committee (OSC): Julia Blyth, Chair Joanne McGee Jerry Wagener Jennifer Tufts Robin Conley Susan Space With technical assistance provided by the Franklin Regional Council of Governments Planning Department Peggy Sloan, Planning Director Kimberly Noake MacPhee, Land Use and Natural Resources Program Manager Helena Farrell, Land Use and Natural Resources Planner Ryan Clary, Senior GIS Specialist Tamsin Flanders, Planning Intern This project was funded by a Direct Local Technical Assistance Grant provided by the Massachusetts Department of Housing and Community Development TABLE OF CONTENTS Section 1 – Plan Summary……………………………………….………………1-1 Section 2 – Introduction………………………………………………………….2-1 A. Statement of Purpose.…………………………………………………………….……..2-1 B. Planning Process and Public Participation.………………………………………….….2-2 Section 3 – Community Setting………………………………………………….3-1 A. Regional Context…………………………………………………………………..……3-1 B. History of the Community………………………………………………………………3-9 C. Population Characteristics……………………………………………………...……...3-13 D. Growth and Development Patterns……………………………………………...……..3-20 Section 4 – Environmental Inventory and Analysis…………………………..….4-1 A. Documenting and Mapping Ecosystems..………………………………………………4-1 B. Topography, Geology, and Soils………………………………………………………..4-9 C. Landscape Character………………………………………………………………...…4-15 D. Water Resources……………………………………………………………………….4-15 E. Vegetation………………………………………………………………………..…….4-29 F. Fisheries and Wildlife…………………………………………………………...……..4-38 G. Scenic Resources and Unique Environments……………………………………...…..4-46 H. Environmental Challenges…………………………………………………...………...4-57 Section 5 – Inventory of Lands of Conservation and Recreation Interest…...…..5-1 A. Introduction………………………………………………………………………..……5-1 B. Privately Owned Parcels…..………………………………………………………….…5-5 C. Public Parcels……………………………………………………………………...…..5-19 D. Recreational Resources and Open Space Equity…………………………………..…..5-23 E. Opportunities for Funding Open Space and Conservation Projects in Northfield….…5-24 Section 6 – Community Goals……………………………………………...……6-1 A. Description of Process………………………………………….…………………...…..6-1 B. Statement of Open Space and Recreation Goals…………………………………..……6-1 Section 7 – Analysis of Needs……………………………….………………...…7-1 A. Summary of Natural Resource Protection Needs…………………………………….....7-2 B. Summary of Community Needs…………………………………………………….…..7-4 C. Management Needs…………………………………………………………..…………7-9 Section 8 – Goals and Objectives…………………………………………...……8-1 Section 9 – Seven Year Action Plan………………………………..……………9-1 Section 10 – Public Comment………………………………………….……….10-1 Section 11 – References…………………………………….…………..………11-1 Appendix A – ADA Self Evaluation Report…………………………………….A-1 Appendix B – 2019 Open Space and Recreation Survey and Results……..…….B-1 Appendix C – Agendas, Sign-In Sheets, & Publicity...………………………….C-1 Appendix D – Letters of Support…………………………..……………………D-1 FINAL DRAFT SECTION 1 PLAN SUMMARY The Northfield Open Space and Recreation Plan (OSRP) focuses the interest and motivation of community members towards the maintenance and promotion of existing recreational resources and the identification and protection of Northfield’s natural, recreational, and historical resources. The OSRP acknowledges the balance between conservation and economic development, and how these work together to promote the long-term vitality of the town. The OSRP’s purpose is to provide a framework for decisions dealing with land uses that may impact valuable natural resources and the lands that contain unique historical, recreational, scenic, and wildlife habitat values. The 2020 Northfield Open Space and Recreation Plan (OSRP) represents the understanding of Northfield residents of the interdependence of forests, streams, swamps, wetlands, agricultural fields, scenic views, and significant historical structures and landscapes with the town’s rural character. The OSRP illustrates the roles of open spaces in a township: public recreational amenities provide safe spaces to recreate, and undeveloped areas provide wildlife habitat and ensure that residents have access to forests and fields to walk, hike, and view nature. The Seven-Year Action Plan (Section 9) gives concrete substance to the goals and objectives that were developed from the results of the 2019 Open Space and Recreation Survey and from community members’ understanding of and input regarding their Town’s natural resource base. Within the overarching goal of strengthening resiliency to climate change, the 2020 Northfield Open Space and Recreation Plan prioritizes actions that will: Preserve the rural character of the town; Protect and preserve natural resources in preparation for a changing climate; Improve and maintain public education related to open space; and Promote wide recreational usage of Northfield’s natural resources. Section 1 - Plan Summary Northfield Open Space and Recreation Plan 1-1 FINAL DRAFT SECTION 2 INTRODUCTION A. STATEMENT OF PURPOSE The purpose of this plan is to provide an accurate and thorough basis for decision-making involving the current and future open space and recreation needs of the residents of Northfield. This plan brings together and builds upon the planning efforts of the past several decades, and includes the 2014 Northfield Master Plan and previous Open Space and Recreation Plans (OSRP) that have been periodically completed by the town through the years. This 2020 OSRP update primarily builds on the most recent 2013 OSRP. While this 2020 OSRP is based on the 2013 OSRP, it has been revised and updated to reflect current thinking and consensus in town on the most important recreation and natural resource needs and the best solutions for addressing them. The detailed Seven- Year Action Plan provides a step-by-step guide that, when carried out by an Open Space Planning Committee and other town boards and commissions, will successfully implement the town’s open space and recreation goals and objectives. Since the 2013 OSRP, the Town of Northfield has worked to implement some of the Plan’s recommendations, including OS1.1- Recognizing outstanding citizen stewards; OS1.5- Encouraging residents to participate in the Keystone forest management program; OS2.1- Discussing conservation goals with area land trusts; OS2.2- Bringing land trust representatives to Northfield with programs; OS 2.4- work with the Planning Board on zoning bylaws; OS2.7- Help coordinate the response to the First Light Power relicensing project; OS3.3- prepared projects for CPA funding; OS4.1-2 Identify and promote conservation priorities; R 2.2-6 helped form and inform an ad hoc Community Park Committee to explore the possibility of creating a park; R3.2- Develop a printed Northfield Trail Guide; R3.3- trail maps online; R3.4 Trailhead signage and kiosks; R3.5 Coordinated hikes; R3.6 Needs assessment of trails; R3.7 Creation of new trails; R 3.8- Work with Highway Department on trailhead parking. In particular, we are pleased to have been able to work with many partners toward the permanent protection of approximately 1300 acres, which DCR now holds as new State Forest land as of 2016— this was land highlighted on our Greenprint plan. Additionally, our work repairing, mapping, interpreting, and publicizing our trail system has been extensive and has helped many residents and visitors discover new favorite places to hike. In 2018 we were able to use CPA funding to contribute toward a new conservation area, and our partner, the Mount Grace Land Conservation Trust, helped us built the first accessible trail in town. B. PLANNING PROCESS AND PUBLIC PARTICIPATION An Open Space and Recreation Survey was developed and reviewed by the Open Space Section 2 - Introduction Northfield Open Space and Recreation Plan 2-1 FINAL DRAFT Committee. A survey was made available to residents in town in the Spring of 2019 on the town website and as an announcement on the Northfield “Nextdoor” social media site. The survey was also distributed in town committees mailboxes and by Every Door Direct Mailing to every residence on the town street list. Residents could respond via online or by paper copy. Paper copies were placed at the Library and Town Hall. A total of 239 completed surveys were returned timely, with an additional 16 surveys that were returned well after our deadline; comments from those late surveys were recorded and can be found in the Appendix, but their multiple-choice responses were not tabulated. The results were used to inform discussions by the Open Space Planning Committee in its development of Sections: 6 – Community Goals, 7 – Analysis of Needs, and 8 – Goals and Objectives. There have been 21 public meetings of the Northfield Open Space Planning Committee, including the Public Forum, scheduled to be held on February 10, 2021. The following boards and commissions were represented on the Open Space Planning Committee or contributed to certain sections of the OSRP: . Conservation Commission . Historical Commission . Community Park Committee . Community Preservation Committee . Planning Board The Franklin Regional Council of Governments
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