Town of Dedham Open Space and Recreation Plan December 2019 Town of Dedham Open Space and Recreation Plan December 2019 Open Space and Recreation Committee Stephanie Radner, Chair Jonathan Briggs Dennis Cunningham Michelle Kayserman Michael Podolski Georganna Woods Consulting assistance provided by Horsley Witten Group Table of Contents Table of Contents Section 1: Plan Summary ....................................................................................................... 1 Section 2: Introduction ......................................................................................................... 3 2A. Statement of Purpose ..............................................................................................................3 2B. Planning Process and Public Participation ................................................................................4 2C. Enhanced Outreach and Public Participation ............................................................................6 Section 3: Community Setting ................................................................................................ 7 3A. Regional Context .....................................................................................................................7 3A.1 Regional Governance ................................................................................................................................. 7 3A.2 Surrounding Communities ....................................................................................................................... 11 3A.3 Natural Setting ......................................................................................................................................... 11 3A.4 Transportation ........................................................................................................................................... 12 3B. History of the Community ...................................................................................................... 13 3C. Population Characteristics ...................................................................................................... 15 3C.1 Past, Present and Future Population ....................................................................................................... 15 3C.2 Population Density ................................................................................................................................... 16 3C.3 Housing Characteristics ............................................................................................................................ 18 3C.4 Age of Residents ....................................................................................................................................... 19 3C.5 Income, Occupation, and Education ........................................................................................................ 20 3C.6 Environmental Justice and Equity ............................................................................................................ 22 3D. Growth and Development Patterns ....................................................................................... 25 3D.1 Patterns and Trends ................................................................................................................................. 25 3D.2 Infrastructure ........................................................................................................................................... 26 3D.3 Long-Term Development Patterns........................................................................................................... 30 3D.4 Recent and Projected Growth ................................................................................................................. 37 Section 4: Environmental Inventory and Analysis ................................................................ 41 4A. Geology, Soils and Topography ............................................................................................... 41 4A.1 Geology .................................................................................................................................................... 41 4A.2 Soils .......................................................................................................................................................... 47 4A.3 Topography .............................................................................................................................................. 51 4B. Landscape Character ............................................................................................................. 51 4C. Water Resources ................................................................................................................... 55 4C.1 Watersheds .............................................................................................................................................. 55 4C.2 Surface Water .......................................................................................................................................... 57 4C.3 Aquifer Recharge Areas ............................................................................................................................ 62 4C.4 Flood Hazard Areas .................................................................................................................................. 62 4C.5 Wetlands .................................................................................................................................................. 67 4D. Vegetation ............................................................................................................................ 68 4D.1 General Inventory .................................................................................................................................... 68 4D.2 Forest Land .............................................................................................................................................. 69 4D.3 Public Shade Trees ................................................................................................................................... 69 4D.4 Agricultural Land ...................................................................................................................................... 70 4D.5 Wetland Vegetation ................................................................................................................................. 70 4D.6 Endangered, Threatened, and Special Concern Species .......................................................................... 70 4D.7 Sites That Have Unique Natural Resources ............................................................................................. 72 4D.8 Vegetation Mapping ................................................................................................................................ 72 Table of Contents 4E. Fisheries and Wildlife ............................................................................................................. 72 4E.1 Inventory .................................................................................................................................................. 72 4E.2 Vernal Pools .............................................................................................................................................. 74 4E.3 Wildlife Corridors ..................................................................................................................................... 76 4E.4 Endangered, Threatened, and Special Concern Animal Species .............................................................. 76 4F. Scenic Resources and Unique Environments .......................................................................... 78 4F.1 Scenic Landscapes .................................................................................................................................... 78 4F.2 Major Characteristics or Unique Geological Features .............................................................................. 79 4F.3 Cultural, Archaeological and Historic Areas ............................................................................................. 79 4F.4 Unique Environments ............................................................................................................................... 81 4G. Environmental Challenges ..................................................................................................... 82 4G.1 Hazardous Waste Sites ............................................................................................................................ 82 4G.2 Landfills .................................................................................................................................................... 83 4G.3 Erosion ..................................................................................................................................................... 83 4G.4 Chronic Flooding ...................................................................................................................................... 83 4G.5 Sedimentation ......................................................................................................................................... 84 4G.6 New Development ..................................................................................................................................