Town of Hubbardston 2018 Open Space Plan Draft Rev – 8/21/2019 Town of Hubbardston OPEN SPACE AND RECREATION PLAN 2018-2025 Prepared by: Hubbardston Open Space Committee Town of Hubbardston 2018 Open Space Plan Draft Rev – 8/21/2019 CREDITS OPEN SPACE COMMITTEE CONTRIBUTORS Present Members: Bob Hatch – Chair Stephanie Frend - Secretary Jassy Bratko Susan Worth Rick Jones Pat Taylor Mark Kresge Past Contributing O.S.C. Members Joe Cataldo Charles Clark Susan Fox Leslie Greiner BOARD of SELECTMEN Daniel Galante – Chairman Michael Stauder – Vice Chair Jeffrey L. Williams – Clerk Patrick R. Girouard Richard Haddad PARKS COMMISSION MEMBERS Sanda Barry Chris Parego Brian Matheson Jason Guertin David Sacremone PLANNING BOARD MEMBERS Mark Dymek Vin Ritchie Tom Robinson Tom Bratko Kendall Daly Scott LeBlanc AGRICULTURAL COMMISSION MEMBERS Tom Bratko Tom Colyer Cathy Hansgate Keith Tetrault Allison Smith INFORMATION ASSISTANCE Raeanne Siegel, Town Administrator Tim Kilhart, Highway Superintendent Jeff Bourque, Tree Warden Diane Peterson, Regional Assessor Sheri Bean, Montachusett Regional Planning Commission i Town of Hubbardston 2018 Open Space Plan Draft Rev – 8/21/2019 TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE Benjamin Morse, Worcester Polytechnic Institute Ryan Weitz, Worcester Polytechnic Institute Janet Morrison, North County Land Trust Jason Stanton, Montachusett Regional Planning Commission PLAN REVIEW AND ADVICE Melissa Cryan, Division of Conservation Services Executive Office of Environmental Affairs, 251 Causeway Street, Boston, MA 02114 AUTHOR Jassy Bratko, Open Space Committee EDITED BY Sue Fox Bob Hatch Mark Kresge “Readability”Notes All figures, tables, etc use cross references and are hyperlinked - if reading on a computer direct access to the figure can be attained by putting the cursor on the reference and holding down the “Ctrl key” and then perform a left mouse click. (The computer should automatically notify you of this trick when you hold the cursor over the reference.) However, getting back to where you were is equally important. This can be accomplished on the keyboard via holding the “Alt key” down and then using the “left arrow key”. This little trick is very helpful and not displayed automatically. Hope this helps – it helped me (Bob Hatch )) ii Town of Hubbardston 2018 Open Space Plan Draft Rev – 8/21/2019 Table of Contents OPEN SPACE AND RECREATION PLAN ................................................................................................................. i Section 1: Plan Summary ..................................................................................................................................1 Section 2: Introduction ......................................................................................................................................1 2.1 Statement of Purpose ..................................................................................................................................1 2.2 Summary of Actions since the Original Plan .............................................................................................1 2.2.1 Open Space Committee Formed .................................................................................................................1 2.2.2 Malone Road Acquisition ...........................................................................................................................2 2.2.3 Mount Jefferson and Malone Road Conservation Area Management ........................................................2 2.2.4 Basketball Court and Curtis Field Recreation Areas ..................................................................................2 2.2.5 Low Impact Development Bylaw Study ....................................................................................................2 2.2.6 By-law Enforcement Improvement ............................................................................................................3 2.2.7 Chapter 40B Analysis .................................................................................................................................3 2.2.8 Open Space Plan a Valuable Guide ............................................................................................................3 2.2.9 Open Space and Recreation Plan Update Approach and Participation ......................................................3 Section 3: Community Setting ...........................................................................................................................4 3.1 Regional Context ........................................................................................................................................4 3.2 Geographic Context ....................................................................................................................................5 3.3 History ........................................................................................................................................................7 3.3.1 Early Years .................................................................................................................................................7 3.3.2 1800’s .........................................................................................................................................................7 3.3.3 1900’s .........................................................................................................................................................7 3.4 Population Characteristics ..........................................................................................................................8 3.4.1 Population Trends .......................................................................................................................................8 3.4.2 Population Density .....................................................................................................................................9 3.4.3 Income and Employment Trends ................................................................................................................9 3.5 Growth and Development Patterns ...........................................................................................................11 3.5.1 Initial Development ..................................................................................................................................11 3.5.2 Periods of Abandonment and Growth ......................................................................................................11 3.5.3 Town Evolution – Farm to Residential .....................................................................................................11 3.5.4 Commercial and Industrial Development .................................................................................................11 3.5.5 Demand for Recreation Land and Facilities .............................................................................................11 3.6 Infrastructure ............................................................................................................................................12 3.6.1 Transportation and Access .......................................................................................................................12 3.7 Long-Term Development Patterns ...........................................................................................................13 3.7.1 Zoning Regulations ..................................................................................................................................13 3.7.2 Build-Out Analysis ...................................................................................................................................15 3.7.3 Traffic Counts ...........................................................................................................................................17 3.8 Community Setting Summary ..................................................................................................................17 Section 4: Environmental Inventory, Issues, and Analysis...........................................................................17 4.1 Environmental Introduction ......................................................................................................................17 4.2 Geology, Topography, & Soils .................................................................................................................17 4.2.1 Bedrock Geology ......................................................................................................................................18 4.2.2 Groundwater Resources ............................................................................................................................18 4.2.3 Aquifers and Recharge Areas ...................................................................................................................18 4.2.4 Flood Hazard Areas ..................................................................................................................................18 4.2.5 Surficial Geology ......................................................................................................................................18 4.2.6 Topography...............................................................................................................................................21 4.2.7 Soils ..........................................................................................................................................................21