Creating Connections - Open Space and Recreation Plan Town of South Hadley 2019 - 2026 Acknowledgements Open Space and Recreation Plan Committee Judy Gooch Dobosh, Master Plan Implementation Committee, Chair Peter Blain, Resident-at-Large Bill DeLuca, Conservation Commission Lucia Foley, Bike Walk Committee Mariann Millard, Bike Walk Committee Marie Rohan, Gro-South Hadley Linda Young, Tree Committee Michelle Wolfe, Master Plan Implementation Committee South Hadley Planning and Conservation Department Richard Harris, Planning Director Anne Capra, Conservation Administrator/Planner Consultant Team Tracy Adamski, Tighe & Bond Emily Innes, Harriman Associates Table of Contents List of Commonly Used Abbreviations Executive Summary Section 1 Plan Summary Section 2 Introduction 2.1 Statement of Purpose .....................................................................2-1 2.2 Planning Process and Public Participation ...........................................2-3 Section 3 Community Setting 3.1 Regional Context ............................................................................3-1 3.2 Historical Overview .........................................................................3-5 3.2.1 Becoming a Municipality ........................................................ 3-5 3.2.2 The Impact Of River Transportation ........................................ 3-6 3.2.3 Crossing The Range .............................................................. 3-7 3.2.4 The College ......................................................................... 3-8 3.2.5 Early Development Patterns .................................................. 3-8 3.3 Population Characteristics ............................................................. 3-10 3.4 Growth and Development Pattern ................................................... 3-17 3.4.1 Patterns and Trends ........................................................... 3-17 3.4.2 Infrastructure .................................................................... 3-19 Section 4 Environmental Inventory and Analysis 4.1 Geology ........................................................................................4-1 4.2 Soils .............................................................................................4-3 4.3 Water Resources ............................................................................4-6 4.4 Vegetation................................................................................... 4-11 4.4.1 General Inventory .............................................................. 4-11 4.5 Fisheries And Wildlife .................................................................... 4-16 4.6 Scenic Resources And Unique Environments .................................... 4-18 4.6.1 Scenic Landscapes ............................................................. 4-18 4.6.2 Biomap2 – Critical And Core Habitat Areas ............................ 4-18 4.6.3 Major Characteristics Or Unusual Geologic Features ................ 4-19 4.6.4 Cultural And Historic Areas .................................................. 4-19 4.6.5 Areas Of Critical Environment Concern .................................. 4-23 4.6.6 Public Shade Trees / Urban Forestry ..................................... 4-26 4.6.7 Landscape Characteristics ................................................... 4-26 4.6.8 Priority Resilient and Connected Landscapes .......................... 4-27 4.6.9 Northeast Conservation Planning Atlas .................................. 4-28 4.6.10 Environmental Challenges ................................................... 4-29 Creating Connections – South Hadley Open Space and Recreation Plan (2019-2026) i Table of Contents Section 5 Inventory of Lands of Conservation and Recreation Interest 5.1 Agricultural Program Parcels ............................................................5-3 5.1.1 Chapter Lands ..................................................................... 5-3 5.1.2 Agricultural Preservation Restriction ....................................... 5-3 5.1.3 Forest Legacy Program ......................................................... 5-3 5.2 Conservation Restriction Parcels .......................................................5-4 5.2.1 Past Conservation Restriction Efforts ...................................... 5-5 5.3 Private Recreation Parcels ...............................................................5-5 5.4 Public Parcels .................................................................................5-7 5.5 Other Significant Private Parcels ..................................................... 5-16 5.6 Utility Company Parcels ................................................................ 5-16 Section 6 Community Vision 6.1 Public Input and Involvement ..........................................................6-1 6.1.1 Community Survey ............................................................... 6-1 6.1.2 Public Forums ...................................................................... 6-2 6.1.3 Meetings in a Box ................................................................. 6-2 6.1.4 Additional Public Meetings ..................................................... 6-3 6.1.5 Public Meetings .................................................................... 6-3 6.1.6 Final Review and Approval ..................................................... 6-3 6.2 Open Space and Recreation Goals and Objectives ..............................6-3 Section 7 Analysis of Needs 7.1 Summary Of Resource Protection Needs............................................7-5 7.2 Summary Of Recreation, Parks And Facility Needs ..............................7-6 7.3 Summary of Funding and Resource Needs .........................................7-8 7.4 Summary of Public Awareness Needs ................................................7-9 7.5 Summary Of Community Need ....................................................... 7-10 7.6 Management Needs, Potential Change Of Use .................................. 7-13 Section 8 Goals and Objectives Section 9 Seven Year Action Plan 9.1 Accomplishments ...........................................................................9-1 9.2 2019-2026 Seven-Year Action Plan ...................................................9-2 Section 10 Public Comments Section 11 References Creating Connections – South Hadley Open Space and Recreation Plan (2019-2026) ii Table of Contents Appendices Appendix A Community Survey and Results Appendix B Required Maps Appendix C Natural Heritage and Endangered Species Program (NHESP) Priority and Habitats for Rare Species and Estimated Habitats for Rare Wildlife Appendix D Protected Lands and Lands Subject to APR and Chapter 61, 61A, or 61B Appendix E Combined Results of Community Forums and Box Meetings Memorandum Appendix F ADA Assessment Figures Figure 3-1 Regional Context Figure 3-2 1865 Map of South Hadley Figure 3-3 2019 Map of South Hadley Figure 3-4 Environmental Justice – South Hadley Falls Figure 4-1 Cross Section of Sedimentary and Igneous Rocks Figure 4-2 Estimated Limitations of Soils for Specific Uses Figure 4-3 South Hadley Floodplain Zones Figure 4-4 Streamside Forest Buffer Figure 4-5 BioMap2 Core Habitat and Critical Natural Landscape Figure 4-6 Woodbridge Street Historic District – National Register Properties Figure 4-7 Proposed Local Historic District – South Hadley Falls Figure 4-8 Town of South Hadley Resiliency Mapping Figure 4-9 Town of South Hadley Nature’s Network Conservation Design Figure 5-1 Massachusetts Forest Legacy Areas Figure 5-2 Public Water Well Protection Zone and Parcels with Conservation Restrictions Tables Table 3-1 Populations 1970 – 2010 and Projections through 2035 Table 3-2 Population Density 1970 – 2017 (Persons per Square Mile) Table 3-3 Population by Age Groups 1980 – 2010 Table 4-1 Geological Rock Characterization of South Hadley Table 4-2 Integrated List of Waters Table 4-3 Invasive Species Management Table 4-4 Climate Change Projections Table 5-1 Municipal Land Ownership/Management Creating Connections – South Hadley Open Space and Recreation Plan (2019-2026) iii Table of Contents Charts Chart 3-1 Population 1970 – 2010 and Projections through 2035 Chart 3-2 Number of Dwelling Units Permitted by Type 2000 – 2017 Commonly Used Definition Abbreviations ANR Approval Not Required DCR Department of Conservation and Recreation DCS Division of Conservation Services DPW Department of Public Works EEA Executive Office of Environmental Affairs GIS Geographic Information System HG&E Holyoke Gas & Electric HRCAC Mount Holyoke Range Citizen’s Advisory Committee MassDEP Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection MassDOT Massachusetts Department of Transportation MassGIS Massachusetts Geographic Information System MCP Massachusetts Contingency Plan MS4 Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System MVP Municipal Vulnerability Preparedness NHESP Natural Heritage and Endangered Species Program NRCS Natural Resource Conservation Service PVTA Pioneer Valley Transit Authority Creating Connections – South Hadley Open Space and Recreation Plan (2019-2026) iv Section 1 Plan Summary The Town of South Hadley is unique in that it is located in a critical transition zone between developed urban centers to the south and west, and the more agricultural and rural communities to the north and east. This dichotomy serves as the single most important influence on the Town’s growth and development and, hence, its open space and recreation planning. In addition, South Hadley has significant natural