Town of Carver 2010-2015 Open Space & Recreation Plan A 5-year Plan to maintain Carver’s rural character, protect its natural resources, and provide recreational opportunities for its citizens. Town of Carver Open Space Committee 108 Main Street Carver, MA 02330 Buzzards Bay National Estuary Program 2870 Cranberry Highway East Wareham, MA 02538 Photography on cover courtesy of Bob Conway and Sarah Williams. TABLE OF CONTENTS I. Plan Summary.............................................................................................................................. 1 II. Introduction ................................................................................................................................ 4 A. Statement of Purpose .......................................................................................................... 4 B. Planning Process and Public Participation .......................................................................... 6 Open Space and Recreation Survey and Community Meeting ................................... 6 Release of Draft Plan to the Public .............................................................................. 7 III. Community Setting ................................................................................................................... 8 A. Regional Context ................................................................................................................ 8 B. History of Carver .............................................................................................................. 10 Iron and Lumber Industries ....................................................................................... 10 The Growth of the Cranberry Industry ...................................................................... 11 The Cranberry Industry Today .................................................................................. 12 C. Population Characteristics ................................................................................................. 15 Distribution and Age .................................................................................................. 15 Employment ............................................................................................................... 16 D. Growth and Development Patterns .................................................................................. 18 Patterns and Trends .................................................................................................... 18 Infrastructure .............................................................................................................. 21 Zoning and Land-Use Controls ................................................................................. 22 Existing Land Use ...................................................................................................... 29 Future Trends - Residential ....................................................................................... 33 Build-out Analysis ..................................................................................................... 34 Future Trends - Business and Industry ...................................................................... 35 Other Long-term Development Trends ..................................................................... 36 IV. Environmental Inventory and Analysis .................................................................................. 38 A. Geology, Soils, Groundwater, and Topography ............................................................... 38 B. Landscape Characteristics ................................................................................................. 41 C. Water Resources ............................................................................................................... 42 Surface Water and Wetlands ..................................................................................... 42 Flood Hazard Areas ................................................................................................... 46 Aquifer Recharge Area .............................................................................................. 47 Buzzards Bay and Taunton River Watersheds .......................................................... 50 D. Vegetation, Fisheries, and Wildlife .................................................................................. 51 Vernal Pools ............................................................................................................... 52 BioMap ...................................................................................................................... 54 Rare, Threatened, and Endangered Species ............................................................... 54 E. Historic Sites, Scenic Resources, and Unique Environments ........................................... 57 Prehistoric Sites ......................................................................................................... 57 Historic Sites .............................................................................................................. 57 Historic Districts ........................................................................................................ 58 Scenic Roads .............................................................................................................. 60 Unique Environments ................................................................................................ 60 F. Environmental Problems ................................................................................................... 62 Town of Carver 2010-2015 Open Space and Recreation Plan Page i Point Source Contamination ...................................................................................... 62 Non-Point Source Contamination .............................................................................. 62 Hazardous Waste Sites .............................................................................................. 64 Environmental Challenges…………………………………………………………..66 V. Open Space Protection Strategy and Parcel Inventory ............................................................ 70 A. Open Space Inventory ....................................................................................................... 77 Protected Lands ......................................................................................................... 77 Unprotected Lands ..................................................................................................... 83 VI. Community Needs .................................................................................................................. 94 A. Resource Protection Needs .............................................................................................. 94 B. Community Needs ............................................................................................................. 96 Regional Recreation and Open Space Needs ............................................................. 96 C. Management Needs and Potential Change of Use ......................................................... 105 VII. Community Vision: Goals and Objectives ......................................................................... 107 A. Short-term vs. Long-term Objectives ............................................................................. 107 VIII. Open Space and Recreation Plan: Accomplishments Since 2004 Action Plan………….103 IX. 2010-2015 Seven-Year Action Plan ..................................................................................... 115 X. Letters of Support.…………………………………………………………………………..113 XI. References……………………………………………………………………….…….…. 114 XII. Appendix…………………………………………………………………………….…...116 Town of Carver 2010-2015 Open Space and Recreation Plan Page ii LIST OF FIGURES Figure 1. Regional Context Map……………………………………………………………………………...8 Figure 2. Carver Population: 1930-2010………………………………………………………..16 Figure 2A. Environmental Justice Map…………………………………………………………20 Figure 3. Carver Zoning Districts……………………………………………………………….24 Figure 4. Existing Land Use in Carver by Percentage ................................................................. 29 Figure 5. 1999 Land Use Map ..................................................................................................... 31 Figure 6. 2005 Land Use Map…………………………………………………………………..32 Figure 7. General Soils Map of Carver ........................................................................................ 40 Figure 8. Surface Water and Core Wetland Resources in Carver…………………………….....43 Figure 9. FEMA Flood Zone Map ............................................................................................... 46 Figure 10. The Plymouth / Carver Sole Source Aquifer .............................................................. 49 Figure 11. Buzzards Bay and Taunton River Watersheds ............................................................ 50 Figure 12. Potential Vernal Pools in Carver…………………………………………………….53 Figure 13. Carver BioMap……………………………………………………………................55 Figure 14. Scenic Resources and Unique Environments……………………………………….. 61 Figure 15. Carver Open Space Protection Strategy ...................................................................... 72 Figure 16. Open Space and Recreational Lands…………………………………………………87 Figure 17. Proposed Bike Routes in Carver……………………………………………………..93 Figure 18. 7-Year