OSRP Update 2019 0 OSRP Update 2019 STERLING OPEN SPACE IMPLEMENTATION COMMITTEE ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS 1 OSRP Update 2019 TABLE OF CONTENTS SECTION 1 – EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ................................................................................................................ 5 SECTION 2 – INTRODUCTION .............................................................................................................................. 6 A. STATEMENT OF PURPOSE ..................................................................................................................... 6 B. PLANNING PROCESS AND PUBLIC PARTICIPATION ....................................................................... 6 SECTION 3 – COMMUNITY SETTING ................................................................................................................. 8 A. REGIONAL CONTEXT ............................................................................................................................. 9 B. HISTORY OF THE COMMUNITY ......................................................................................................... 12 C. POPULATION CHARACTERISTICS .................................................................................................. 13 D. ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE POPULATIONS .................................................................................... 17 E. GROWTH & DEVELOPMENT PATTERNS .......................................................................................... 19 1. Patterns & Trends ....................................................................................................................................... 19 2. Infrastructure .............................................................................................................................................. 19 3. Long-Term Development Patterns ............................................................................................................. 21 4. Growth Management .................................................................................................................................. 23 5. Recent and Proposed Development Projects .............................................................................................. 23 6. Subdivision Approvals ............................................................................................................................... 24 7. Proposed or Potential Developments ......................................................................................................... 24 8. Infrastructure and Utilities ......................................................................................................................... 24 9. Land Use Change ....................................................................................................................................... 25 SECTION 4 – ENVIRONMENTAL INVENTORY AND ANALYSIS ................................................................ 26 A. GEOLOGY, SOILS AND TOPOGRAPHY .............................................................................................. 26 1. Geology ...................................................................................................................................................... 26 2. Topography ................................................................................................................................................ 26 3. Soils............................................................................................................................................................ 27 B. LANDSCAPE CHARACTER ................................................................................................................... 30 C. WATER RESOURCES ............................................................................................................................. 33 1. Watersheds ................................................................................................................................................. 33 2. Flood Hazard Areas.................................................................................................................................... 35 3. Surface Water ............................................................................................................................................. 35 4. Aquifers and Recharge Areas ..................................................................................................................... 39 5. Wetlands .................................................................................................................................................... 41 6. Outstanding Resource Waters .................................................................................................................... 42 D. VEGETATION .......................................................................................................................................... 42 1. General Inventory ...................................................................................................................................... 42 2. Forest Land ................................................................................................................................................ 43 3. Rare, Threatened and Endangered Plants ................................................................................................... 45 4. Invasive Non-Native Plants ........................................................................................................................ 47 E. FISHERIES AND WILDLIFE .................................................................................................................. 48 2 OSRP Update 2019 1. Inventory .................................................................................................................................................... 48 2. Vernal Pools ............................................................................................................................................... 50 3. Corridors and Large Undeveloped Areas for Wildlife Movement ............................................................. 50 4. Rare and Other Species of Conservation Concern ..................................................................................... 52 F. SCENIC LANDSCAPES .......................................................................................................................... 53 1. Cultural, Archeological, and Historic Areas .............................................................................................. 54 2. Unique Environments and Recreational Assets ......................................................................................... 56 G. ENVIRONMENTAL CHALLENGES ...................................................................................................... 58 1. Water Resources ........................................................................................................................................ 58 2. Invasive Species ......................................................................................................................................... 58 SECTION 5 – INVENTORY OF LANDS OF CONSERVATION AND RECREATION INTEREST ............ 60 A. PRIVATE PARCELS ................................................................................................................................ 65 1. Agricultural Properties ............................................................................................................................... 65 2. Areas of Significant Water Resources........................................................................................................ 65 3. Priority Areas for Natural Heritage ............................................................................................................ 66 4. Private Recreational Lands......................................................................................................................... 66 B. PUBLIC AND NONPROFIT PARCELS .................................................................................................. 67 1. Public, Conservation, and Recreation Resources ....................................................................................... 67 2. Nonprofit Lands ......................................................................................................................................... 75 C. OPEN SPACE WITH LIMITED PROTECTION ..................................................................................... 75 D. OPEN SPACE WITH TEMPORARY PROTECTION ............................................................................. 77 E. OPEN SPACE OF UNKNOWN OWNERSHIP ....................................................................................... 81 F. STATUS OF HANDICAP ACCESS EVALUATION FOR PARKS AND RECREATION AND CONSERVATION COMMISSION LANDS ......................................................................................................... 84 SECTION 6 – COMMUNITY VISION ................................................................................................................... 90 A. DESCRIPTION OF PROCESS ................................................................................................................. 90 B. STATEMENT OF OPEN SPACE AND RECREATION GOALS ........................................................... 90 SECTION 7 – ANALYSIS OF NEEDS ..................................................................................................................