OPEN SPACE & RECREATION PLAN 2020-2026 Town of Swampscott DRAFT FOR PUBLIC COMMENT APPROVALS TOWN OF SWAMPSCOTT - TBD COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS - TBD Submitted on: DATE Submitted to: Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs Submitted by: Swampscott Open Space & Recreation Plan Committee TABLE OF CONTENTS I. Plan Summary 7 II. Introduction 10 Statement of Purpose 10 Planning Process and Public Participation 10 III. Community Setting 13 Regional Context 13 History of the Community 15 Population Characteristics & Demographics 18 Growth and Development 22 Infrastructure 23 IV. Environmental Inventory and Analysis 29 Geology, Soils and Topography 29 Landscape Character 35 Water Resources 35 Vegetation 46 Fisheries and Wildlife 50 Scenic Resources and Unique Environments 52 Environmental Challenges 55 V. Inventory of Lands of Conservation and Recreation Interest 57 PUBLICLY OWNED AREAS 61 Beaches 61 Conservation Areas 63 Parks & Other Open Space Areas 64 Recreation Areas 67 Right-of-Ways 69 PRIVATELY-OWNED AREAS 70 Beaches 70 Conservation Areas 71 Parks & Other Open Space Areas 71 Recreation Areas/61B Land 73 Private Lands with Future Public Benefits 73 ADA Access 74 Lands of Conservation and Recreation Interest - Matrix 75 VI. Community Goals 81 Description of Process 81 Statement of Open Space & Recreation Goals 82 VII. Analysis of Needs 85 Summary of Resource Protection Needs 85 Summary of Community Needs 86 Management and Maintenance Needs 87 VIII. Goals & Objectives 90 IX. Five-Year Action Plan 94 X. Public Comments 104 General Public Review TBD Local Review TBD State Review TBD XI. References TBD XII. Appendices TBD Appendix I: Community Survey & Results TBD Appendix II: Local Board Letters of Support TBD Appendix III: State Letter TBD Appendix VI: ADA TBD Appendix V: Harold King Forest Stewardship Plan TBD LIST OF MAPS Map 1 - Regional Context 14 Map 2 - Environmental Justice Populations 21 Map 3 - Existing Infrastructure 24 Map 4 - Zoning 27 Map 5 - Soils & Geologic Features 34 Map 6 - Water Resources 36 Map 7 - Flood Hazard Zones 45 Map 8 - Vegetation 47 Map 9 - Plant & Wildlife Habitats 49 Map 10 - Unique Features 53 Map 11 - Open Space Inventory 60 Map 12 - Action Plan 103 DRAFT FOR PUBLIC COMMENT I. PLAN SUMMARY This Plan Update represents Swampscott’s desire to provide, maintain, This Plan Update reaffirms the main goals developed in the 2013 Open enhance and protect its open spaces and recreational factilities. The Space Plan: Plan Update builds upon the previous plan by reaffirming the main goals and developing new objectives to guide the proposed actions 1. Maintain Open Spaces & Recreation Facilities over a five-year period, so that Swampscott’s open spaces can be enjoyed by all residents and visitors. 2. Preserve the Scenic Character of the Town The Town of Swampscott is a small, densely populated seaside 3. Expand & Improve Open Spaces & Recreation Facilities to Meet community whose scenic resources and unique environments are Needs linked to historic settlement patterns, which were largely influenced and defined by the ocean. The Town is largely built out and current 4. Strengthen Environmental Protection projects generally take the form of redevelopment, which makes competition for obtaining and preserving space critical. 5. Improve Public Access & Awareness Swampscott’s beaches are the most visited areas in Town and the most 6. Establish a Green Corridor Network visible. There is a great desire for additional amenities in these areas. However, with increasing effects of climate change and sea level rise, Additionally, this Plan Update establishes the following objectives: amenities should be resilient in design and considerate of any long- term affects. • Commit unbuildable and suitable Town property to open space Parks are used for both passive and active recreation, with many • Improve upon regular maintenance activities and add capacity/ located as companions/access to beaches, such as Johnson Park and resources New Ocean House Beach. There are also small neighborhood parks which are less visible, but no less important. Maintenance continues to • Increase access to and availability of print and online materials be a critical piece of the puzzle, and this Plan Update recognizes that which provide information for and promote open spaces constraints in Town staffing and unforseen financial challenges, such as the COVID-19 crisis, need to be considered and addressed. • Ensure that all amenities planned for Town open space align and comply with standards of the approved OSRP The Town also has significant conservation land available for hiking, such as Harold King Forest and Ewing Woods. Continued • Promote infill and redevelopment over greenfield trail maintenance and promotion of these assets is needed, so new development residents are aware and take advantage of these areas. 7 • Continue to improve accessibility for all residents at Town-owned open space and recreational facilities • Ensure all ages open space and recreation options exist throughout Town • Connect Green Corridor areas with future streetscape projects to improve multi-modal access to open space • Commit all park and open space upgrades to be sustainable and responsive to the effects of climate change • Ensure appropriate protections are in place for existing open space areas This Plan Update presents a new Five-Year Action Plan for the Town of Swampscott, continuing the Town’s committment to improve our valuable open space resources and to provide multi-functional and accessible places to be enjoyed by people of all ages and abilities. 8 9 DRAFT FOR PUBLIC COMMENT II. INTRODUCTION STATEMENT OF PURPOSE The Open Space & Recreation Plan Committee (OSRPC) members are: As stewards of the Town of Swampscott’s Open Space and Recreation Plan, the Open Space and Recreation Plan Committee (OSRPC) » Tania Lillak, Chair aims to identify, inventory, and prioritize Swampscott’s open spaces and recreation facilities, and to propose recommendations for their » Angela Ippolito - also serves as Chair of the Planning Board maintenance, preservation, and expansion. » Toni Bandrowicz - also serves as Vice-Chair of the Conservation In recent months, the COVID-19 crisis has emphasized the importance Commission of open spaces and recreational areas are to the community. These assests provide safe places for outdoor activity, promoting not only » Richard Smith - also serves as a member of the Historical physical well-being but mental health as well. Recreation Director Commission and Vice-Chair of the Historic District Commission Danielle Strauss noted that many open space areas of Town, Linscott Park for example, saw a dramatic increase in usage during » Sarah Koch - also serves on the Organic Lawn Maintenance the Summer of 2020. In light of this crisis, and in recognition that Task Force the Town continues to experience growth within the constraints of its boundaries, this Plan Update is committed to protecting these » Verena Karsten - also serves on the Tree Advisory Task Force open spaces and ensuring that they are multi-functional to address community needs. » Sierra Munoz - also a member of the Swampscott Conservancy PLANNING PROCESS AND PUBLIC PARTICIPATION » Sarah Hepburn - also a member of the Tree Advisory Task Force Swampscott’s Open Space & Recreation Plan Committee is tasked with (who moved out of Town in early 2020, but participated in the the development, organization, and implementation of the Town’s beginning stages of the process) Open Space and Recreation Plan. The Commitee was formed by the Board of Selectmen in 2012 to provide a new plan, as the previous The Committee was also supported by Town staff: plan was from 1983 and had not been updated. After the plan’s adoption, the committee implemented, monitored, and completed » Marzie Galazka, Director of Community& Economic many of the action items called identified. The Committee meets on a Development monthly basis, and has also generated smaller task forces as off-shoots of certain focus areas, including the Tree Advisory Task Force and the » Molly O’Connell, Senior Planner Organic Lawn Maintenance Task Force. » Danielle Strauss, Recreation Director and ex-officio member 10 The Committee meets on a monthly basis and began discussions about The OSRPC continued to meet monthly by Zoom, with agendas and the Plan Update in September 2019. Utilizing the Plan Update Matrix links to access the meeting posted in accordance with the Governor’s provided in the “Open Space and Recreation Planner’s Workbook,” the emergency order regarding Open Meeting Laws. Committee agreed on a schedule and strategy to approach the update. Since the OSRPC could not host an in-person open house, the 2020 Since the initial plan, OSRPC has kept track of all action items through Community Survey became an important tool for information gathers. the use of an online project management software called Airtable. As described in Section VI, the OSRPC decided to promote the survey At each meeting during the Fall of 2019, the OSRPC dedicated time primarily online through various Town and Committee media over the to review all action items to ensure that all items were up-to-date course of several months, in addition to direct outreach by committee in terms of progress tracking and any items that were completed members. The OSPRC and staff also promoted the survey at the were marked appropriately. The OSRPC also took this time to assess Swampscott Farmer’s Market in August 2020. whether or not certain actions not