Dunstable Master Plan PREPARED BY: THE DUNSTABLE MASTER PLAN COMMITTEE TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE BY: NORTHERN MIDDLESEX COUNCIL OF GOVERNMENTS SEPTEMBER 2018 Table of Contents Page I. Introduction . 1 The Master Plan Development Process . 2 Organization and Overview of the Master Plan . 6 Contents of the Master Plan . 6 The Master Plan Vision Statement . 7 Principal Goals of the Master Plan . 9 II. Land Use and Zoning . 12 Background . 13 Population Trends . 13 Land Use Trends . 14 Land Use Characteristics of Existing Parcels . 15 Residential Land Uses . 19 Commercial Land Uses . 19 Industrial Land Uses . 19 Public Utilities . 20 Public Lands . 20 Non-profit and Religious Land Uses . 20 Recreation Lands . 20 Agricultural Land . 20 Cemeteries . 21 Forests . 21 Conservation Land . 21 Undeveloped Land . 21 Zoning Overview . 22 Residential Zoning . 25 Commercial and Business Zoning . 29 Overlay Districts . 31 Regulations for Renewable Energy . 33 Inclusionary Zoning . 34 Development Standards . 35 Growth Management . 37 Public Input . 38 Issues and Opportunities . 40 Recommendations . 43 III. Economic Development . 45 Demographic Characteristics . 46 i Households . 47 Employment . 48 Median Family Income . 49 Per Capita Income . 50 Income Distribution . 50 Characteristics of the Workforce . 51 Educational Attainment . 51 Employment Sectors for Dunstable Residents . 54 Commuting Patterns . 55 Employment Levels and Unemployment . 56 Economic and Business Conditions in Dunstable . 58 Business Patterns in Dunstable . 59 Dunstable Employer . 61 Wages . 61 Municipal Taxation and Spending . 63 Infrastructure Analysis . 65 Sewer Capacity . 65 Public Water Supplies . 65 Other Utilities and Telecommunications . 67 Public Input . 69 Issues and Opportunities . 71 Recommendations . 74 IV. Transportation and Circulation . 76 Existing Conditions . 77 Arterials . 77 Local Roadways . 80 Unaccepted Roads . 80 Scenic Roads . 80 Jurisdiction . 80 Roadway Maintenance . 81 Bridges . 84 Traffic Volumes . 84 Public Transportation . 87 Transportation Safety . 87 Key Traffic Issues . 90 Pedestrian and Bicycle Facilities . 91 Non-Motorized Transportation and Healthy Aging . 92 Community Initiatives for Improving Non-Motorized Transportation . 93 Sidewalks . 94 Other Planned Initiatives . 95 Bicycle Facilities and Multi-use Paths . 96 Nashua River Trail (NRRT) . 96 Public Input . 101 Issues and Opportunities . 102 Recommendations . 104 ii V. Housing . 107 Existing Conditions . 108 Housing Inventory . 108 Housing Age and Development . 109 Size and Conditions of Housing Units . 111 Single-Family Housing Units . 111 Two-Family Housing Units . 112 Occupancy, Tenure and Vacancy Rates . 113 Housing Turnover . 114 Housing Development and Sales Trends . 115 New Residential Development . 115 Number of Home Sales . 118 Median Sales Prices . 119 Zoning . 121 Comprehensive Permits . 122 Infrastructure Limitations Impacting Housing . 123 Sewer System . 123 Water Supply . 123 Housing Needs . 124 Demographic Profile . 124 Housing Affordability . 125 Housing Burden . 126 Rental Market . 126 Foreclosures . 127 Affordable Housing Efforts in Dunstable . 127 Public Input . 131 Issues and Opportunities . 132 Recommendations . 134 VI. Open Space and Recreation . 136 History of Open Space and Recreation Planning in Dunstable . 137 Existing Conditions . 138 Permanently Protected Open Space . 140 Town-owned Lands . 140 State Lands . 142 Conservation Restrictions . 142 Land Trust Parcels . 143 Agricultural Preservation Restrictions . 144 Unprotected Land and Lands with Limited Protection . 145 School Lands . 145 Water Supply Lands . 146 Cemeteries . 146 Other Public and Private Lands . 146 Chapter 61, 61A and 61B Properties . 148 Recreation Facilities and Programs . 150 Youth Sports Programs . 152 iii Local Capacity . 152 Public Input . 154 Issues and Opportunities . 155 Recommendations . 157 VII. Natural and Cultural Resources . 160 Water Resources . 160 Rivers and Streams . 162 Surface Water Bodies . 164 Wetlands . 164 Aquifer Recharge Areas . 165 Flood Hazard Areas . 166 Geology and Landscape . 169 Soils . 171 Prime Farmland . 175 Vegetation . 178 Fisheries and Wildlife . 180 Petapawag Area of Critical Environmental Concern . 181 Environmental Issues . 183 Landfill Issues . 183 Non-Point Pollution/Stormwater Management . 184 Cultural and Historic Resources . 186 A Brief History of Dunstable . 186 Historic Architecture . 188 National Register of Historic Places Designation . 189 East Main Street . 189 Dunstable Center Historic District . 189 Massachusetts Cultural Resources Information System . 190 Buildings . 190 Historic Areas . 194 Historic Structures . 196 Historic Objects . 196 Burial Grounds and Cemeteries . 196 Preservation Planning in Dunstable . 199 Demolition Delay Bylaw . 202 Community Preservation Act . 202 Right to Farm Bylaw . 203 Scenic Road Bylaw . 204 Public Input . 204 Issues and Opportunities . 205 Recommendations . 210 VIII. Facilities and Services. 213 Governmental Structure . 215 Public Buildings . 216 Other Public Facilities . 219 iv Community Services . 219 Administration and Finance . 219 Public Safety . 220 Public Infrastructure and Utilities . 223 Planning and Development . 225 Cultural and Recreation . 226 Human Services . 226 Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Initiatives . 227 Public Input . 229 Issues and Opportunities . 230 Recommendations . 235 IX. Implementation Plan . 237 List of Tables Table 1: Master Plan Committee Members . 2 Table 2: Public Input Sessions . 3 Table 3: Population Trends . 14 Table 4: Actual and Projected Population: 2010-2040 . 14 Table 5: Land Use Development in Dunstable (1971-2014) . 15 Table 6: Current Uses of Land in Dunstable . 16 Table 7: Current Zoning Districts and Allowed Uses . 24 Table 8: Zoning District Classifications and Acreage . 25 Table 9: Permitted Residential Uses by Zoning District . 28 Table 10: Dimensional and Density Requirements for Residential Subdivisions . 28 Table 11: Dimensional and Density Requirements for Commercial Development . 29 Table 12: Projected Age Distribution of Dunstable Residents . 47 Table 13: Total Number of Households (2000-2040) . 47 Table 14: Local and Regional Employment Projections . 48 Table 15: Median Household Income for Selected Geographies (1999 and 2011-2015) . 49 Table 16: Median Family Income for Selected Geographies (1999 and 2011-2015) . 49 Table 17: Per Capita Income for Selected Geographies (1999 and 2011-2015) . 50 Table 18: Income Distribution for Households (1999 and 2011-2015) . 51 Table 19: Years of School Completed, Dunstable and Greater Lowell Region (2011-2015) . 52 Table 20: MCAS Performance for Dunstable and Greater Lowell . 54 Table 21: Primary Employment Industries for Dunstable Residents in 2000 and 2011-2015 . 55 Table 22: Journey to Work Data for Dunstable Residents, 2011-2015 . 56 Table 23: Mode of Transportation to Work, 2011-2015 . 56 v Table 24: Total Wages and Average Weekly Wages by Industry: 2005 and 2015 (Q3) . 62 Table 25: Fiscal Year 2015 Tax Rates by Class for Dunstable and the Greater Lowell Region . 63 Table 26: Fiscal Year 2017 Dunstable Tax Classification . 63 Table 27: Water Rates . 66 Table 28: System Development Fees . 66 Table 29: National Grid Rates for General Delivery Services-2016 . 67 Table 30: National Grid Rated for Demand Service-2016 . 68 Table 31: National Grid Time of Use Fee Structure . 68 Table 32: Roadway Centerline Miles by Functional Classification . 77 Table 33: Summary of Arterial Roadway Characteristics . 78 Table 34: Local Roadway Characteristics . 80 Table 35: Roadway Jurisdiction . 81 Table 36: Dunstable Chapter 90 Apportionment . 84 Table 37: Traffic Count Locations in Dunstable . 87 Table 38: Dunstable Crash Summary (2012-2014) . 88 Table 39: Crash Summary at Key Intersections (2012-2014) . 89 Table 40: Future Sidewalk and Pedestrian Pathway Project Locations . 95 Table 41: Trail Usage at NRRT Railroad Square Crossing in Pepperell (2007 and 2014) . 98 Table 42: Trail Users at NRRT Railroad Square Crossing, 2007 and 2014 . 98 Table 43: Housing Units by Type (2010 and 2011-2015) . 109 Table 44: Residential Properties by Land Use . 111 Table 45: Characteristics of Single Family Homes by Age of Housing Units . 112 Table 46: Characteristics of Two-Family Homes by Age of Housing Unit . 112 Table 47: Housing Tenure (2010 and 2011-2015) . 113 Table 48: Housing Tenure in the Greater Lowell Region, 2011-2015 . 113 Table 49: Year Household Moved Into Present Home for Dunstable and Neighboring Communities . 114 Table 50: Residential Permits Issued in Dunstable (2010-2017) . 115 Table 51: New Residential Construction Building Permits by Year (2010-2017) . 116 Table 52: Adjusted Income Limits by Household Size, Lowell Metro MFR Area, 2017 . 122 Table 53: Subsidized Housing Inventories in the Greater Lowell Region (April 2012-February 2018) . 122 Table 54: Household Characteristics: 2000, 2010 and 2011-2015 . 124 Table 55: Monthly Housing Costs as a Percentage of Annual Household Income: 2011-2015 . 126 Table 56: Gross Rent as a Percentage of Household Income (2011-2015) . 126 Table 57: Foreclosure Petitions in Dunstable (2007-2014) . 127 Table 58: 2017 Open Space Acreage by Ownership/Category . 138 Table 59: Land Held by Dunstable Conservation Commission . 140 Table 60: Other Deed Restricted Lands Protected from Development . 142 Table 61: State-owned Open Space in Dunstable . 142 Table 62: Conservation Restrictions in Dunstable . 143 vi Table 63: Dunstable Lands Held by the Dunstable Rural Land Trust . 143 Table