Town of Sandwich Open Space and Recreation Plan Sandwich Planning and Development Department November, 2018 Open Space & Recreation Plan 2018 Table of Contents Section 1 – Plan Summary ......................................................................................................................... 5 Section 2 – Introduction ............................................................................................................................. 6 Statement of Purpose ............................................................................................................................................... 6 Planning Process and Public Participation............................................................................................................. 7 Section 3 – Community Setting ................................................................................................................. 8 Regional Context...................................................................................................................................................... 8 History of the Community ........................................................................................................................................ 9 Population Characteristics .................................................................................................................................... 10 Past, Present and Future Population......................................................................................................................... 10 Age of Residents ...................................................................................................................................................... 12 Income and Occupation ........................................................................................................................................... 13 Place of Work .......................................................................................................................................................... 14 Housing .................................................................................................................................................................... 15 Growth and Development Patterns ........................................................................................................................ 17 Infrastructure............................................................................................................................................................ 17 Water Supply, Sewer, and Solid Waste Disposal ................................................................................................ 17 Land Use Controls ................................................................................................................................................... 19 Residential Districts ............................................................................................................................................. 19 Non-Residential Districts ..................................................................................................................................... 19 Other Land Use Controls ..................................................................................................................................... 20 Recent and Projected Development Patterns ........................................................................................................... 20 Current Land Use Profile ..................................................................................................................................... 20 Long-Term Development Patterns ....................................................................................................................... 22 Section 4 – Environmental Inventory and Analysis .............................................................................. 24 Geology, Soils and Topography ............................................................................................................................. 24 Geology and Topography ........................................................................................................................................ 24 Soils ......................................................................................................................................................................... 26 Landscape Character ............................................................................................................................................. 27 Agricultural Resources............................................................................................................................................. 28 Water Resources .................................................................................................................................................... 29 Watersheds............................................................................................................................................................... 29 Salt Water Bodies .................................................................................................................................................... 29 Ponds and Lakes ...................................................................................................................................................... 30 Recharge Areas ........................................................................................................................................................ 32 Flood Hazard Areas ................................................................................................................................................. 33 Wetlands .................................................................................................................................................................. 34 Streams and Water Courses ..................................................................................................................................... 34 Vegetation .............................................................................................................................................................. 35 Forest Land .............................................................................................................................................................. 35 Rare Plant Communities .......................................................................................................................................... 37 Fisheries and Wildlife ............................................................................................................................................ 38 Species Inventory ..................................................................................................................................................... 39 Birds .................................................................................................................................................................... 39 i Open Space & Recreation Plan 2018 Mammals, Reptiles and Amphibians ................................................................................................................... 39 Fish and Other Marine Life .................................................................................................................................. 40 Rare, Threatened and Endangered Vertebrates and Invertebrates ........................................................................... 41 Corridors for Wildlife Migration ............................................................................................................................. 41 Scenic Resources and Unique Environments ......................................................................................................... 42 Scenic Landscapes and Roadways ........................................................................................................................... 42 Major Characteristic or Unusual Geologic Features ................................................................................................ 42 Cultural, Archeological and Historic Areas ............................................................................................................. 44 Areas of Critical Environmental Concern and Districts of Critical Planning Concern ............................................ 44 Environmental Challenges ..................................................................................................................................... 44 Water Quality........................................................................................................................................................... 45 Hazardous Waste Sites ............................................................................................................................................ 46 Floodplains and Shoreline Changes ......................................................................................................................... 47 Section 5 –Inventory of Lands of Conservation and Recreation Interest ........................................... 49 Public and Nonprofit Land .................................................................................................................................... 50 Town Land 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