Great Barrington Open Space and Recreation Plan Great Barrington Open Space and Recreation Plan May 2013 An Update of the 2007 Open Space and Recreation Plan Acknowledgements: The Great Barrington Master Plan Committee thanks the following for assisting in development of this Open Space and Recreation Plan update: Appalachian Mountain Club Appalachian Trail Conservancy Bard College at Simon’s Rock Berkshire Hills Regional School District Berkshire Grown Berkshire Natural Resources Council Berkshire Regional Planning Commission Community Development Corporation Fairview Hospital Great Barrington Agricultural Commission Great Barrington Board of Selectmen Great Barrington Conservation Commission Great Barrington Council on Aging Great Barrington Fire District Great Barrington Historical Commission Great Barrington Land Conservancy Great Barrington Parks and Recreation Commission Great Barrington Planning Board Great Barrington Trails and Greenways Housatonic River Walk Housatonic Water Works Lake Mansfield Alliance Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation Multicultural BRIDGE National Parks Service Ski Butternut Trustees of Reservations Upper Housatonic Valley National Heritage Area A special thank you is extended to Mark Maloy, GIS Manager at the Berkshire Regional Planning Commission, for his work developing the maps throughout this plan. Cover photos: Clockwise from top left: Housatonic school park; Housatonic River Walk in downtown; Squaw Peak on Monument Mountain; Benedict Pond in Beartown State Forest; Downtown; Lake Mansfield; McAllister Wildlife Refuge; East Rock and First Congregational Church steeple. Contents Section One: Plan Summary ............................................................................................................... 1 Overview and Purpose ..................................................................................................................................................... 1 Vision and Goals .................................................................................................................................................................. 1 Section Two: Introduction ................................................................................................................. 3 Purpose ................................................................................................................................................................................... 3 Planning Process and Public Participation .............................................................................................................. 4 Section Three: Community Setting ................................................................................................ 10 Regional Context ............................................................................................................................................................... 10 History of the Community ............................................................................................................................................ 12 Population and Demographic Characteristics ...................................................................................................... 12 Growth and Development Patterns .......................................................................................................................... 15 Section Four: Environmental Inventory and Analysis ........................................................... 22 Geology, Topography, Soils and Landscape Character ..................................................................................... 22 Surface Water .................................................................................................................................................................... 23 Aquifers and Drinking Water Supply ....................................................................................................................... 28 Wetlands .............................................................................................................................................................................. 29 Floodplains and Flood Hazard Areas ....................................................................................................................... 30 Vegetation and Agriculture .......................................................................................................................................... 31 Biodiversity and Habitat ............................................................................................................................................... 33 Scenic Resources and Unique Environments ....................................................................................................... 36 Environmental Challenges ............................................................................................................................................ 36 Section Five: Inventory of Lands of Conservation & Recreation Interest ....................... 37 Open Space and Protected Land................................................................................................................................. 37 Parks, Playgrounds, and Open Space Equity ......................................................................................................... 51 Walking and Bicycling .................................................................................................................................................... 54 Boating, Fishing, and Hunting ..................................................................................................................................... 59 Skiing and Other Winter Sports ................................................................................................................................. 60 Fitness and Recreation Centers .................................................................................................................................. 60 Section Six: Community Vision and Goals ................................................................................... 61 Description of Process .................................................................................................................................................... 61 Statement of Open Space and Recreation Goals .................................................................................................. 61 Section Seven: Analysis of Needs ................................................................................................... 62 Summary of Resource Protection Needs ................................................................................................................ 62 Summary of Community Needs .................................................................................................................................. 62 Management Needs ......................................................................................................................................................... 63 Section Eight: Goals and Objectives .............................................................................................. 65 Section Nine: Five Year Action Plan .............................................................................................. 69 Section Ten: Public Comments ....................................................................................................... 75 Maps and Figures Figure 1: Regional Context, Housatonic River Watershed ..........................................................................................................10 Figure 2: Upper Housatonic Valley National Heritage Area .......................................................................................................11 Figure 3: Environmental Justice Map, Berkshire County ............................................................................................................13 Figure 4: Land Cover, 2005 Aerial Survey ..........................................................................................................................................16 Figure 5: Map of Maximum Build Out Scenario (“Base Build Out”) ........................................................................................17 Figure 6: Zoning Map, 2012 ......................................................................................................................................................................18 Figure 7: Water, Sewer, and Natural Gas Infrastructure, 2012 ................................................................................................19 Figure 8: Key Geographic Features .......................................................................................................................................................22 Figure 9: Unique and Scenic Features ..................................................................................................................................................23 Figure 10: Surface Water Resources and Wetlands .......................................................................................................................24 Figure 11: Water Supply Areas ...............................................................................................................................................................28 Figure 12: 100-Year Flood