Lost Villages Scenic Byway Corridor Management Plan June 2009 Central Massachusetts Regional Planning Commission (CMRPC) 2 Washington Square – Union Station Worcester, MA 01604 www.cmrpc.org With funding from the Federal Highway Administration National Scenic Byways Program Table of Contents CHAPTER 1 – INTRODUCTION.............................................................................................. 3 CHAPTER 2 – OUTREACH....................................................................................................... 5 CHAPTER 3 - LAND USE AND ZONING................................................................................ 7 Introduction................................................................................................................................... 7 Land Use in the Byway Region....................................................................................................7 Petersham................................................................................................................................ 7 Barre........................................................................................................................................ 7 Oakham................................................................................................................................... 8 Rutland.................................................................................................................................... 8 Paxton ..................................................................................................................................... 8 Overview of Land Use in the Communities ........................................................................... 8 Land Use Changes in the Byway Communities 1971 - 2005 ................................................. 8 Protected Land............................................................................................................................ 11 Permanent protection ............................................................................................................ 11 Limited or no protection ....................................................................................................... 12 Protected Land in the Byway Towns and within the Byway Corridor................................. 12 Zoning Along the Byway ............................................................................................................ 14 Petersham.............................................................................................................................. 14 Barre...................................................................................................................................... 14 Oakham................................................................................................................................. 15 Rutland.................................................................................................................................. 16 Paxton ................................................................................................................................... 17 Potential for Future Development Along the Byway............................................................... 18 Petersham.............................................................................................................................. 18 Barre...................................................................................................................................... 18 Oakham................................................................................................................................. 18 Rutland.................................................................................................................................. 19 Paxton ................................................................................................................................... 19 CHAPTER 4 - ARCHEOLOGICAL, HISTORICAL, & CULTURAL RESOURCES ...... 20 Historical Overview .................................................................................................................... 20 Petersham.............................................................................................................................. 20 Barre...................................................................................................................................... 23 Oakham................................................................................................................................. 24 Rutland.................................................................................................................................. 29 Paxton ................................................................................................................................... 37 Archeological, Historical and Cultural Resources................................................................... 41 Overview............................................................................................................................... 41 Petersham.............................................................................................................................. 43 Barre...................................................................................................................................... 46 Rutland.................................................................................................................................. 52 Paxton ................................................................................................................................... 56 Lost Villages Scenic Byway Corridor Management Plan Page 1 June 2009 CHAPTER 5 – NATURAL, RECREATION & OPEN SPACE RESOURCES ................... 60 Natural Resources....................................................................................................................... 60 Topography........................................................................................................................... 60 Environmental Inventory ...................................................................................................... 62 Open Space and Recreation Resources..................................................................................... 71 CHAPTER 6 - SCENIC VIEWS AND UNIQUE NATURAL FEATURES ......................... 86 Petersham .................................................................................................................................... 86 On or near Route 122............................................................................................................ 86 Elsewhere in Town ............................................................................................................... 86 Barre............................................................................................................................................. 87 On or near Route 122............................................................................................................ 87 Elsewhere in Town ............................................................................................................... 87 Oakham........................................................................................................................................ 88 On or near Route 122............................................................................................................ 88 Elsewhere in Town ............................................................................................................... 88 Rutland......................................................................................................................................... 88 On or near Route 122............................................................................................................ 88 Elsewhere in Town ............................................................................................................... 89 Paxton........................................................................................................................................... 89 On or near Route 122............................................................................................................ 89 Elsewhere in Town ............................................................................................................... 90 CHAPTER 7 - TRANSPORTATION RESOURCES ............................................................. 91 Introduction................................................................................................................................. 91 History of the Road Development ............................................................................................. 91 Inventory of the Road Characteristics and Conditions........................................................... 92 Functional Classification ...................................................................................................... 93 Roadway Characteristics....................................................................................................... 94 Pavement Condition and Pavement Management Analysis ................................................. 99 Roadway Operations ................................................................................................................ 101 Traffic Volumes &