Town of Sudbury 2009‐2013 OPEN SPACE AND RECREATION PLAN June 2009 1 Preface This Plan is the culmination of a sixteen month process by the Open Space and Recreation Plan Committee. Committee members are: Susan Asbedian-Ciaffi Laura Bartlett Abrams Jack Braim, Park & Recreation Commission representative Jan Hardenbergh Susan Iuliano Chris Morely, Planning Board representative Lynne Remington John Sklenak, Conservation Commission representative Debbie Dineen, Conservation Coordinator Jody Kablack, Director of Planning and Community Development Dennis Mannone, Recreation Director Victoria Parsons, Board of Health/Conservation Assistant David Hunter, Planning Dept. intern Jennifer Atwood Burney, Assistant Planner Thanks go out to Bruce Kankanpaa, Assistant Town Engineer, for creating the plan of Lands of Conservation and Recreation Interest; Mark Thompson, Brian Powell and the Sudbury Technology Department, for developing the website survey template; and Lynn Puorro from Comcast for televising the public forum. 1 Table of Contents Section 1: Plan Summary ................................................................................................................ 5 Section 2: Introduction .................................................................................................................... 5 Section 3: Community Setting ........................................................................................................ 6 A. Regional Context ................................................................................................................ 6 B. History of the Community .................................................................................................. 7 C. Population Characteristics .................................................................................................. 8 D. Growth and Development Patterns ................................................................................... 11 1. Patterns and Trends ....................................................................................................... 11 2. Infrastructure ................................................................................................................. 11 3. Long-term Development Patterns ................................................................................. 12 Section 4: Environmental Inventory and Analysis ....................................................................... 13 A. Geology, Soils, and Topography ...................................................................................... 13 1. General Description ...................................................................................................... 13 2. Effects of Geology, Soils and Topography ................................................................... 14 B. Landscape Character ......................................................................................................... 15 C. Water Resources ............................................................................................................... 17 1. General Description ...................................................................................................... 17 2. Watersheds .................................................................................................................... 17 3. Surface Waters .............................................................................................................. 18 4. Groundwater Resources ................................................................................................ 18 5. Flood Hazard Areas ...................................................................................................... 18 6. Wetlands ....................................................................................................................... 19 D. Vegetation ......................................................................................................................... 19 1. General description and inventory ................................................................................ 19 2. Forested land types(9) .................................................................................................... 20 3. Agricultural fields (9) ..................................................................................................... 22 4. Wetlands Vegetation(9) .................................................................................................. 24 5. Rare species(10) .............................................................................................................. 26 6. Unique natural sites : vernal pools, cedar swamp(9) ...................................................... 27 7. Vegetation mapping ...................................................................................................... 27 E. Fisheries & Wildlife .......................................................................................................... 27 1. General Inventory: Habitat types (9) .............................................................................. 28 2. Vernal Pools .................................................................................................................. 30 3. Wildlife Corridors ......................................................................................................... 30 4. Rare, Threatened and Endangered Species ................................................................... 31 F. Scenic Resources and Unique Environments ................................................................... 31 1. Scenic Landscapes ........................................................................................................ 31 2. Major characteristics or unusual geologic features or other resources for potential protection .............................................................................................................................. 32 3. Cultural and historical areas .......................................................................................... 32 4. Unique environments .................................................................................................... 33 2 G. Environmental Challenges ................................................................................................ 33 Section 5: Inventory of Lands of Conservation and Recreation Interest ...................................... 34 A. Private Parcels ................................................................................................................... 35 B. Chapter 61, 61A and 61B Parcels ..................................................................................... 43 C. Public Parcels .................................................................................................................... 45 D. Non-Profit Parcels ............................................................................................................. 48 Section 6: Community Vision ...................................................................................................... 54 A. Description of Process ...................................................................................................... 54 1. Planning 1998-2007 ...................................................................................................... 54 2. Open Space and Recreation Plan Committee Process .................................................. 56 B. Statement of Open Space and Recreation Goals ............................................................... 57 Section 7: Analysis of Needs ........................................................................................................ 59 1. Provide Recreational Opportunities to Meet the Diverse Needs of the Entire Community ........................................................................................................................... 62 2. Develop Trails and Walkways and Trail Linkages for Non-Motorized Recreation ..... 63 3. Maintain and Develop Town-Owned Land for Enjoyment by Residents ..................... 64 4. Increase Awareness Among Sudbury Residents of the Towns’ Open Space and Recreational Assets ............................................................................................................... 64 Section 8: Open Space and Recreation Plan Goals and Objectives .............................................. 65 Section 9: Five Year Action Plan................................................................................................. 67 Section 10: Public Comments ...................................................................................................... 74 Section 11: References .................................................................................................................. 74 Tables: Table 1 - State-listed Plant Species in Sudbury ............................................................................ 27 Table 2- State-listed Wildlife Species in Sudbury 2006 (10) ......................................................... 31 Table 3 – Private Land Inventory ................................................................................................. 35 Table 4 - FY08 Chapter 61 Properties .......................................................................................... 44 Table 5- Town of Sudbury Conservation and Recreation Lands ................................................. 48 Table 6 - Sudbury Valley