UPDATED December 2018 TABLE OF CONTENTS SECTION 1: PLAN SUMMARY ................................................................................................... 1 SECTION 2: INTRODUCTION .................................................................................................... 3 2.1 Statement of Purpose ............................................................................................................. 3 2.2 Planning Process and Public Participation ............................................................................ 3 2.3 Enhanced Outreach and Public Participation ........................................................................ 4 SECTION 3: COMMUNITY SETTING ....................................................................................... 6 3.1 Regional Context ................................................................................................................... 6 3.2 History of the Community..................................................................................................... 6 3.3 Population Characteristics ..................................................................................................... 9 3.4 Growth and Development Patterns ..................................................................................... 12 3.4.1 Patterns and Trends: ..................................................................................................... 12 3.4.2 Infrastructure: ............................................................................................................... 15 SECTION 4: ENVIRONMENTAL INVENTORY and ANALYSIS ....................................... 17 4.1 Geology, Soils, and Topography ......................................................................................... 17 4.2 Landscape Character ........................................................................................................... 21 4.3 Water Resources .................................................................................................................. 22 4.3.1 Salt Water Bodies ........................................................................................................ 25 4.3.2 Fresh Water Bodies ...................................................................................................... 26 4.3.3 Surface Water Quality.................................................................................................. 29 4.3.4 Floodplains ................................................................................................................... 30 4.3.5 Wetlands ...................................................................................................................... 31 4.3.6 Groundwater Resources ............................................................................................... 33 4.4 Vegetation ........................................................................................................................... 35 4.5 Fisheries and Wildlife ......................................................................................................... 36 4.6 Scenic Resources and Unique Areas ................................................................................... 41 4.7 Environmental Challenges .................................................................................................. 48 4.7.1 Contamination Sites ..................................................................................................... 48 4.7.2 Water Resources .......................................................................................................... 48 4.7.3 Wastewater Impacts ..................................................................................................... 49 4.7.4 Stormwater Impacts ..................................................................................................... 50 4.7.5 Chapter 40B ................................................................................................................. 51 4.7.6 Erosion and Sedimentation .......................................................................................... 52 4.7.7 Flooding ....................................................................................................................... 52 4.7.8 Forestry ........................................................................................................................ 53 4.7.9 Environmental Equity .................................................................................................. 54 4.7.10 Other Environmental Concerns.................................................................................... 54 SECTION 5: INVENTORY OF LANDS OF CONSERVATION & RECREATION INTEREST .............................................................................................................. 55 5.1 Private Lands ....................................................................................................................... 58 5.1.1 State-Assessed Agricultural and Forested Land .......................................................... 59 5.1.2 Areas Significant for Water Resource Protection ........................................................ 60 5.1.3 Priority Areas for Protection of Rare Species and Exemplary Natural Communities . 60 5.1.4 Private Recreation Lands ............................................................................................. 60 5.2 Public and Nonprofit Lands ................................................................................................ 61 5.2.1 Public Open Space Land .............................................................................................. 61 5.2.2 Public Recreation Areas ............................................................................................... 65 5.2.3 Conservation Areas ...................................................................................................... 68 SECTION 6 COMMUNITY GOALS......................................................................................... 71 6.1 Description of Process and Results ..................................................................................... 71 6.2 Statement of Community Open Space and Recreation Goals ............................................. 72 SECTION 7 ANALYSIS OF NEEDS ......................................................................................... 73 7.1 Summary of Resource Protection Needs ............................................................................. 73 7.1.1 Enforce Laws for Wetlands Protection ........................................................................ 73 7.1.2 Critical Areas in Need of Special Protection ............................................................... 74 7.1.3 Wildlife Corridors and Strategies for Their Protection ................................................ 75 7.1.4 Managing Information for Future Acquisition ............................................................ 75 7.1.5 Proper Use and Policing............................................................................................... 75 7.1.6 Property Integration ..................................................................................................... 75 7.1.7 Capital Costs and Funding ........................................................................................... 76 7.2 Summary of Community’s Needs ....................................................................................... 76 7.2.1 Recreational Needs ...................................................................................................... 76 7.2.2 Future Land Use Needs ................................................................................................ 81 7.2.3 Managing Growth/Areas in Need of Revitalization or Redevelopment ...................... 81 7.2.4 Access to and Awareness of Conservation Lands ....................................................... 83 7.3 Management Needs, Potential Changes of Use .................................................................. 84 7.3.1 Use of Conservation Lands .......................................................................................... 84 7.3.2 Coordination of Town Staff ......................................................................................... 84 SECTION 8: GOALS and OBJECTIVES .................................................................................. 85 SECTION 9: SEVEN YEAR ACTION PLAN: .......................................................................... 86 SECTION 10 PUBLIC COMMENTS ......................................................................................... 95 SECTION 11 REFERENCES/RESOURCES............................................................................. 96 LIST OF TABLES Table 3.1. Yarmouth Population Characteristics 9 Table 3.2. Yarmouth Demographics 10 Table 3.3. Income Statistics for Yarmouth 11 Table 4.1. Improved Tidal Restrictions 26 Table 4.2. Pond Characteristics 27 Table 4.3. Summary of Drainage Improvements 51 Table 5.1. Protected Private Yarmouth Lands 58 Table 5.2. Unprotected Private Yarmouth Lands 58 Table 5.3. Chapter 61A and B Lands 59 Table 5.4. Land Bank/CPA Open Space Acquisitions 62 Table 5.5. Town of Yarmouth Recreation Lands 66 Table 7.1. ADA Transition Plan Matrix 78 LIST OF FIGURES Figure 3.1. Environmental Justice Populations 12 Figure 3.2. 1971 Land Use 13 Figure 3.3 1999 Land Use 13 Figure 4.1. Scenic Resources 46 Figure 4.2. Geologic