Town of Shrewsbury Master Plan March 3, 2016 Town of Shrewsbury Master Plan March 3, 2016 Prepared for: Town of Shrewsbury, Massachusetts Prepared by: Horsley Witten Group, Inc. RKG Associates, Inc. McMahon Associates, Inc. Photo Credits: All photos were provided by the Town of Shrewsbury, Horsley Witten Group, Inc., or McMahon Associates, Inc., with the exception of p. 3, photo credit to The Shrewsbury Lantern, Oak Middle School Leaders of Tomorrow volunteers (http:// shrewsbury.net/shrewsbury-massachusetts/shrewsbury-students-on-the-job-before-the-storm/). Acknowledgements The Shrewsbury Master Plan was updated with the support, time, and effort of many regional and local organizations. The residents and businesses of Shrewsbury are thanked for their participation in evening public workshops, focus groups, interviews, and regular meetings of the Master Plan Steering Committee. Many also submitted letters and comments that helped shape this Master Plan. This guidance was critical to the success of the plan. The Town of Shrewsbury would specifically like to acknowledge the following for their contributions: Board of Selectmen Shrewsbury Public Library Building Department Moira E. Miller Ellen Dolan* Patricia Sheehan Chair Library Director Building Inspector Maurice M. DePalo Planning & Economic Development SELCO Vice Chair Kristen Las, AICP* Michael Hale Principal Planner/Economic Development General Manager John I. Lebeaux Coordinator Clerk Central MA Regional Health Alliance Matthew Sarcione* Michael Borowiec James F. Kane Assistant Town Planner Regional Environmental Health Cooridnator Henry J. Fitzergald* Council on the Aging Sharon Yager Master Plan Steering Committee Planning Board Director John Campbell Melvin P. Gordon Historic District Commission Chair Highway Department John Knipe, Jr. John Cygielnik Stephan M. Rodolakis Superintendent Finance Committee Vice Chair Parks, Recreation & Cemetery Sandra Fryc Kathleen M. Keohane Department School Committee Clerk Angela Snell Director Maribeth Lynch Steven Boulay* Zoning Board of Appeals Police Department Mindy J. McKenzie-Hebert* James Hester Dina Nichols Chief Shrewsbury Development Corporation John D. Perreault Associate Fire Department Scott Nolan James Vuona* Resident Town Manager Chief Daniel Morgado Richard Ricker Shrewsbury Public Schools Shrewsbury Development Corporation/ Engineering Joseph Sawyer Shrewsbury Housing Authority Jeff Howland* Superintendent Town Engineer Ron Rosen Water & Sewer Department Zoning Board of Appeals Brad Stone Robert Tozeski Engineer/Conservation & Superintendent Gayle Vigeant Stormwater Cooordinator Resident Public Buildings Department Assessor’s Office Robert Cox Stephen Vigeant Chris Reidy* Superintendent Board of Health Principal Assessor * Also member of the Master Plan Steering Committee. Shrewsbury Master Plan • i Table of Contents Introduction 1 Cross Cutting Themes 2 Future Growth and Public Services and Facilities 2 Transportation-Land Use Connection 2 Civic Engagement & Volunteerism 3 Changing Demographics 3 Sustaining Quality of Life 4 Public Process 5 Master Plan Steering Committee 5 Interviews and Focus Groups 5 Public Forums 5 Community Vision 8 Community Vision 8 Guiding Principles 8 Master Plan Structure 9 Land Use 10 The Importance of Land Use 10 Focus Areas for Land Use 11 Goals, Policies and Actions 14 Future Land Use 16 Land Use Category Descriptions 16 Economic Development 19 The Importance of Economic Development 19 Focus Areas for Economic Development 19 Goals, Policies and Actions 30 Public Facilities and Services 32 The Importance of Public Facilities and Services 32 Focus Areas for Public Facilities and Services 34 Goals, Policies and Actions 40 Housing 41 The Importance of Housing 41 Focus Areas for Housing 41 Goals, Policies and Actions 50 ii • Shrewsbury Master Plan Transportation and Mobility 52 The Importance of Transportation and Mobility 52 Existing Transportation Network 52 Focus Areas for Transportation and Mobility 53 Goals, Policies and Actions 57 Natural, Cultural and Historic Resources 60 The Importance of Our Natural Resources 60 The Importance of Historic and Cultural Resources 60 The Role of the Open Space and Recreation Plan 61 Focus Areas for Natural Resources 61 Focus Areas for Cultural and Historic Resources 64 Goals, Policies and Actions 67 Open Space and Recreation 69 The Importance of Open Space and Recreation 69 The Role of the 2012 Open Space and Recreation Plan 69 Definitions 71 Focus Areas for Open Space and Recreation 72 Goals, Policies and Actions 74 Implementation Plan 76 Land Use 77 Economic Development 79 Public Services and Facilities 81 Housing 82 Transportation 84 Natural, Historic and Cultural Resources 87 Appendix A Public Workshop Summaries Shrewsbury Master Plan • iii List of Tables Table 1. Population Growth of Shrewsbury and Surrounding Communities, 1990-2010 10 Table 2. Property Tax Rates (2014) and Tax Levy in Shrewsbury and Neighboring Cities and Towns 20 Table 3. Municipal Revenue Components, Percent Total (FY 2014) 20 Table 4. Change in Average Home Value and Tax Bill (2000-2013) 20 Table 5. Location Quotients for Shrewsbury’s Employment Base: Snapshot of Strengths and Weaknesses 28 Table 6. Population Growth, Shrewsbury and Region: 1980-2010 42 Table 7. Household and Family Trends 43 Table 8. Median Income by Household Type (Estimated, 2013) 45 Table 9. Owner-Occupied Housing Values and Household Incomes 47 Table 10. Subsidized Housing Inventory in Shrewsbury 48 Table 11: TIP Projects 52 Table 12: Journey to Work: Living and Working in Shrewsbury 53 Table 13: Travel to work for Shrewsbury residents 53 List of Figures Figure 1. Population Growth of Shrewsbury, 1930-2010 10 Figure 2. Conceptual Plan for Centech Park North (prepared by Beta Group, Inc., 2008) 22 Figure 3. 495/MetroWest Development Compact Regional Study Area 25 Figure 4. Population Age in Shrewsbury: 1990-2010 42 Figure 5. Population by Race and Ethnicity 43 Figure 6. Shrewsbury’s Housing Mix 45 Figure 7. Residential Building Permits (2010-2014) 46 Figure 8. Trends in Housing Sales 46 Figure 9. llustration of Access Management for Commercial Development 55 Figure 10. Main Street looking east to the intersection with Route 140. Even with clearly marked crosswalks and pedestrian signals, the long crossing distance is a challenge. 56 Figure 11. Examples of median refuge (left) and curb extension (right) to shorten crossing distances. 56 Figure 12. WRTA’s Route 15 – Union Station to Shrewsbury Center 57 List of Maps Map 1. Future Land Use Map 18 Map 2. Historically Significant Areas and Properties 65 Map 3. Open Space and Recreation Resources (2012 Shrewsbury Open Space and Recreation Plan) 70 iv • Shrewsbury Master Plan List of Acronyms ACS American Community Survey (U.S. Census Bureau) ALB Asian Longhorned Beetles CIP Commercial, Industrial, and Personal Property CMRPC Central Massachusetts Regional Planning Commission CRL Charles River Laboratories EDIC Economic Development and Industrial Corporation EDSAT Economic Development Self Assessment Tool EPA U.S. Environmental Protection Agency FTTH Fiber-to-the-Home HAC Housing Appeals Committee HDHC Massachusetts Department of Housing and Community Development IWPA Interim Wellhead Protection Area LBDA Lakeway Business District Association MassDEP Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection MassDOT Massachusetts Department of Transportation MBTA Massachusetts Bay Transit Authority MEPA Massachusetts Environmental Policy Act MWRTA MetroWest Regional Transit Authority NEFF New England Forestry Foundation NPDES National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System OSRP Open Space and Recreation Plan PAYT Pay-As-You-Throw program PCI Pavement Condition Index PRD Planned Residential Development SDC Shrewsbury Development Corporation SELCO Shrewsbury Electric and Cable Operations SHS Shrewsbury High School SYSF Shrewsbury Youth and Family Services TIF Tax Increment Financing TIP Transportation Improvement Program UMass University of Massachusetts TOD Transit Oriented Development WBDC Worcester Business Development Corporation WPI Worcester Polytechnic Institute WRCC Worcester Regional Chamber of Commerce WRTA Worcester Regional Transit Authority Shrewsbury Master Plan • v Introduction The Town of Shrewsbury is located in central The Master Plan is used by Town staff and elected Massachusetts, approximately 34 miles west of Boston. officials to make decisions about growth, economic With a population of 35,608, it is the second largest development, natural, cultural and historic resource municipality in Worcester County, following its neighbor protection, transportation improvements, and public the City of Worcester. Shrewsbury is a suburban, services. Developers also use it to understand how the residential community about 22 square miles in size. Town envisions its future and how their project might contribute to that vision. Without the Master Plan, The Shrewsbury Master Plan is a road map that guides decisions are made in limited context, not considering the Town toward a prosperous future. The document future needs or implications. Other documents calls for building on the Town’s assets and overcoming that support the Master Plan are the Town’s 2012 barriers to maintain the Town as a great place to live Open Space and Recreation Plan, the 2012 Housing and work today, and for future generations. The Master Production Plan, the Economic Development Self Plan draws from a common vision for the Town’s future Assessment Tool (EDSAT) prepared in December