Grafton Open Space and Recreation Plan
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Grafton Open Space and Recreation Plan Grafton, Massachusetts August 2019 GRAFTON OPEN SPACE AND RECREATION PLAN 2019 – Page Draft – August 27, 2019 GRAFTON OPEN SPACE AND RECREATION PLAN 2019 Town of Grafton Open Space and Recreation Plan 2019 Prepared for: Town of Grafton 30 Providence Road Grafton, MA 01519 Prepared by: Central Massachusetts Regional Planning Commission 1 Mercantile Street, Suite 520 Worcester, MA 01608 GRAFTON OPEN SPACE AND RECREATION PLAN 2019 Acknowledgements The following individuals and organizations have contributed to the development of this Open Space and Recreation Plan for the Town of Grafton: Grafton Open Space and Recreation Committee Jennifer Thomas Kristin Belanger Scott Conway David Robbins Rick Geoffroy Karen Eisenhauer Dawn Geoferson Special Thanks to the Following Town of Grafton Staff Maria Mast, Conservation Agent Joe Laydon, Town Planner Jen Andersen, Recreation Director Rachel Benson, Assistant Town Planner Central Massachusetts Regional Planning Commission Trish Settles, Program Manager Ron Barron, Associate Planner Matt Franz, GIS Analyst Eli Goldman, Assistant Planner GRAFTON OPEN SPACE AND RECREATION PLAN 2019 TABLE OF CONTENTS Contents TABLE OF CONTENTS ...................................................................................................................................... iv TABLE OF FIGURES ........................................................................................................................................... v LIST OF TABLES ................................................................................................................................................ vi LIST OF APPENDICES ........................................................................................................................................ vii SECTION 1: PLAN SUMMARY ............................................................................................................................... 1 SECTION 2: INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................................................. 4 2A. STATEMENT OF PURPOSE .................................................................................................................... 4 2B. PLANNING PROCESS AND PUBLIC PARTICIPATION ........................................................................ 4 SECTION 3: COMMUNITY SETTING ...................................................................................................................... 6 3A. REGIONAL CONTEXT ............................................................................................................................. 6 3B. HISTORY OF THE COMMUNITY ........................................................................................................... 7 3C. POPULATION CHARACTERISTICS ........................................................................................................ 9 3D. GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT PATTERNS ..................................................................................... 17 3E. PRIOR PLANNING EFFORTS ................................................................................................................ 22 SECTION 4: ENVIRONMENTAL INVENTORY AND ANALYSIS .............................................................................. 24 4A. GEOLOGY, SOILS, AND TOPOGRAPHY ............................................................................................. 24 4B. LANDSCAPE CHARACTER .................................................................................................................... 26 4C. WATER RESOURCES ............................................................................................................................. 26 4D. VEGETATION ......................................................................................................................................... 32 4E. FISHERIES AND WILDLIFE ................................................................................................................... 33 4F. SCENIC RESOURCES AND UNIQUE ENVIRONMENTS .................................................................... 35 4G. ENVIRONMENTAL CHALLENGES ....................................................................................................... 37 SECTION 5: INVENTORY OF LANDS OF CONSERVATION AND RECREATION INTEREST .................................... 42 5A. PRIVATE PARCELS ................................................................................................................................ 43 5B. PUBLIC AND NON-PROFIT PARCELS ................................................................................................. 47 5C. PARKS AND RECREATIONAL FACILITIES AND USAGE ................................................................... 51 SECTION 6: COMMUNITY GOALS ....................................................................................................................... 55 6A. DESCRIPTION OF PROCESS ................................................................................................................ 55 6B. STATEMENT OF OPEN SPACE AND RECREATION GOALS ............................................................ 57 SECTION 7: ANALYSIS OF NEEDS ........................................................................................................................ 58 GRAFTON OPEN SPACE AND RECREATION PLAN 2019 7A. SUMMARY OF RESOURCE PROTECTION NEEDS ............................................................................ 58 7B. SUMMARY OF COMMUNITY'S NEEDS ............................................................................................. 63 7C. MANAGEMENT NEEDS, POTENTIAL CHANGE OF USE .................................................................. 65 SECTION 8: GOALS AND OBJECTIVES ................................................................................................................. 67 SECTION 9: SEVEN YEAR ACTION PLAN ............................................................................................................. 70 SECTION 10: PUBLIC COMMENTS ...................................................................................................................... 81 SECTION 11: REFERENCES .................................................................................................................................. 82 TABLE OF FIGURES Figure 1 Town of Grafton ...................................................................................................................................... 1 Figure 2 OSRP Community Meeting Flyer ............................................................................................................. 5 Figure 3 Dams in Grafton ...................................................................................................................................... 6 Figure 4 Miscoe Brook .......................................................................................................................................... 7 Figure 5 Trails in Grafton ...................................................................................................................................... 8 Figure 6 Walking Path in Grafton ........................................................................................................................ 20 Figure 7 North Grafton Transit Village Map........................................................................................................ 21 Figure 8 Passive Recreation in Town .................................................................................................................. 24 Figure 9 Grafton Landscape Character ............................................................................................................... 26 Figure 10 Ekblaw Landing ................................................................................................................................... 28 Figure 11 Dams in Grafton .................................................................................................................................. 29 Figure 12 Walking Trails ...................................................................................................................................... 30 Figure 13 Grafton Tree Canopy ........................................................................................................................... 32 Figure 14 Honeysuckle, source: Mass Audubon ................................................................................................. 33 Figure 15 Playing Fields in Grafton ..................................................................................................................... 51 Figure 16 Silver lake ............................................................................................................................................ 52 Figure 17 OSRP Survey Cover Page ..................................................................................................................... 55 Figure 18 How Important are 2007 Goals ........................................................................................................... 58 Figure 19 How Important is it to preserve open space and natural areas ......................................................... 60 Figure 20 Unmet open space and recreation needs ........................................................................................... 63 Figure 21 How satisfied