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2006-2011 Open Space and Recreation Plan Highlights
Section 1 – Plan Summary The Mendon 2006 Open Space and Recreation Plan is designed to serve as a comprehensive guide to plan Mendon’s future in terms of preserving critical parcels of land for resource protection and passive recreation enjoyment, balanced with providing active recreational facilities to meet the needs of Mendon’s growing population. The plan reflects the vision of Mendon’s residents, the expertise of the town boards and the analysis of the data collected during this project. The overall goals for this project are: 1. To protect critical parcels of land for conservation and passive recreation 2. To provide active recreation areas to meet the needs of Mendon’s growing population 3. To access funding and land protection strategies to protect or purchase land for open space or recreation 4. To protect the town’s water resources (wetlands, ponds, aquifers etc.) 5. To provide support to farmers who want to keep their land in agriculture and maintain productive farms 6. To help guide business and residential development to shape Mendon’s growth, avoiding haphazard development 7. To provide cemetery space for future needs 8. To assist in the acquisition of land for the Town of Mendon’s needs 9. To work toward the goal of 10% affordable housing units for the Town of Mendon
Section 2 – Introduction A. Statement of Purpose Mendon has made many strides forward in the last five years since the last Open Space and Recreation Plan (OSRP) was written. The purpose of this OSRP plan is to update the needs and goals for Mendon, in terms of open space and recreation and to articulate how Mendon hopes to accomplish meeting these goals. This OSRP will serve as a framework and reference to guide the Town of Mendon to work toward achieving the goals set forth in this OSRP plan. The major reason that this plan was developed is because of the intense pressure for residential development in Mendon, which affects both the recreational facilities and the open space. Factors putting pressure on Mendon include; first, the towns around Mendon are reaching build out capacity and the growth is rapidly moving to Mendon. Second, the connection of Route 146 and the Massachusetts Turnpike has made commuting from Mendon easier. Third, with the increase of new families in town, Mendon needs to build recreational facilities to meet the needs of the growing population. Fourth, Mendon has retained much of its rural character making it an attractive town in which to live. Mendon still has a good portion of land that is open space. Although the Town has worked to preserve land, most of the open space is not permanently protected. This plan will be a foundation to guide Mendon’s growth, avoiding unplanned development. The Town of Mendon has accomplished many of the ongoing objectives set forth in the previous OSRP. The accomplishments follow. In 2001, the Town of Mendon purchased land from three separate landowners. The first piece was the 150-acre Wood property, the second was the 96-acre Kelly Farm and the third was the 14-acre Paddock property. These three land purchases helped to complete an 800-acre tract of contiguous, protected open space, which straddles the Towns of Mendon and Blackstone. These purchases were done with collaboration between, the MA. Department of Fisheries and Wildlife, the Metacomet Land Trust, the Mendon Land Use Committee, other Town boards and a private donor. Much of this open space that the Town protected is designated as Core Habitat and Supporting Natural Landscape by the Massachusetts Natural Heritage and Endangered Species Program’s BioMap. In 1999-2000, a summer day camp program was started at the Memorial Field and Town Beach Area. In 2001, John Gannett donated 29+ acres to the Town to be used as open space or open space and a library. This land has a river running through it and abuts hundreds of acres of open space. It has a high potential for trails and outdoor environmental education programs. In 2001, the Town passed a Rate of Development Bylaw, which allowed only 39 new building permits for residential units to be issued each year through 2006, in order for the Town of Mendon to promote orderly growth. In 2002, after much education and community outreach, the Mendon voters passed the Community Preservation Act. Voters approved a surcharge on real property at 3% of the annual real estate tax levy against real property; with an exemption from such surcharge of $100,000 of the value of each taxable parcel of residential real property. In 2002, a soccer field was created on Town-owned land. Grover Field is constantly in use during the spring and fall soccer seasons. In 2002, 50 acres of open fields on the Town-owned Kelly Farm was leased to a Mendon dairy farmer to reseed and hay the fields. This was done to maintain the open fields and forest edges to encourage a diversity of plants and wildlife, at no cost to the Town. It was also done to support the survival of one of the last working farms in Mendon. In 2003, a handicapped accessible bathroom was built for Memorial Field. In 2003, the Land Use Committee worked with MassGIS to update the mapping data on Mendon. A CD was developed specifically for Mendon where parcel lines were included which could be layered with other important data, such as the Mass BioMap. This has been very helpful in identifying who owned the environmentally sensitive land in Mendon and therefore, where the Town needed to target land protection efforts. In 2003, a mobile classroom was moved to Memorial Field to be used for the recreation program. In 2004, the Planning Board coordinated the compilation of the Community Development Plan for Mendon. This included compiling a profile for Mendon, defining its strengths and weaknesses and developing an action plan. This report compliments the OSRP. In 2004, an Affordable Housing Overlay District was approved by voters in an area in the southeastern part of Mendon on Route 140 (see zoning map). This affects open space by helping to relieve the pressure of 40B Comprehensive permits on the Town’s resources. In 2005, the Town purchased the 78-acre Fino property of which 24 acres of the land was preserved as open space and paid for with CPA funds. The rest of the land is planned for commercial development, potential municipal use, affordable housing and standard housing all designed to fit with Mendon’s rural character. This development hopes to generate funds to pay off the debt incurred from buying the property. In 2005, forest stewardship plans were developed for the Town-owned properties. Boy Scout Troop 44 camped several times on the Town-owned Kelly Farm property and worked with the forester to blaze the borders of the property and perform wildlife cutting of trees to create nesting sites for birds and mammals. In 2005, in conjunction with the Bay State Trail Riders Association, a loop trail was cleared from old cart paths, with available parking for horse trailers. An Eagle Scout built picnic tables, fixed the stonewall at the entrance to the parking area and made a kiosk with maps of the trails to have available at the trailhead. In 2005, a handicapped playground was built by “My One Wish Foundation.” An appropriate surface for wheelchairs needs to be put in for the floor of the playground to complete the project. In 2005, eight new Scenic Roads were added to Mendon’s Scenic Road Bylaw. This makes a total of 15 Scenic roads in Mendon. Designating these roads will help preserve the historic trees and stone walls along these roads, as well as protect roadside scenic vistas. See Historic Resources Map in the Community Setting section to see where the roads are located. In 2005, a Groundwater Protection District was proposed at a town meeting. Much work was done to analyze how to promote safe drinking water and to conserve and prevent contamination of Mendon’s environment. The Planning Board is still addressing this issue, since it did not get voted into law. In 2005, Charles Allaire donated 15+ acres that abuts hundreds of acres of open space and has a river running through the property. Mendon has met many of the goals from the last OSRP, but there is still more to do. The Land Use Committee and the Community Preservation Committee continue to protect land. The Town of Mendon currently has 2,456 acres of land under Chapter 61, Chapter 61A and Chapter 61B, but the majority of open space in Mendon is not permanently protected. The Land Use Committee is currently consulting with private landowners who are interested in possibly putting conservation restrictions on their land. The Park Commissioners have expanded the park programs and recreational facilities for Mendon over the past five years, but see many projects that still need to be done to serve Mendon’s growing population. Section 7 – Analysis of Needs
A. Summary of Resource Protection Needs The pressure for development in Mendon is ever growing. Below are several sources of data to support this point. With the connection of the Mass. Pike and Route 146 and the suburbs outside of Boston reaching their build-out limits, Mendon becomes more desirable for development each day. Channel Five’s Chronicle on October 3, 2005 highlighted Mendon as the new growth area because of its open land and its affordable housing as compared to the towns closer to Boston. Sprawl is a serious issue in Mendon. In the Mass Audubon’s November 2003 report, Losing Ground: At What Cost, Mendon was listed as 10th out of the 351 towns and cities in Massachusetts in being designated as a Sprawl Hot Spot. This designation as a sprawl hot spot confirms what the Mendon townspeople have been witnessing. The average house lot price has jumped from approximately $90,000 in 2000 to $250,000 in 2005. The houses, lawns and lots are getting bigger and adding to the destruction of wildlife habitats and making it more expensive to protect these habitats. The 2000 Statewide Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan for Massachusetts also refers to the “suburban growth explosion,” of which Mendon is feeling the pressure. It also states that the preservation of open space and building of recreational facilities has not kept up with the need of the growing population. The Massachusetts’s BioMap has indicated the valuable wildlife habitats that exist in Mendon. The Land Use Committee worked with MassGIS to get parcel lines for Mendon digitized so the BioMap could be layered with the Town parcel lines. What was revealed was that many large contiguous parcels of open space that are currently privately owned contain large areas Core Habitat and Supporting Natural Landscape as designated by the Massachusetts Natural Heritage and Endangered Species Program’s BioMap. Data supports the need to protect land and land conservation is a high interest to Mendon residents according to the OSRP Survey results (Appendix B), town meeting votes over the last five years and from the information collected from Mendon’s town committees, boards and reports. Land conservation and protection of natural resources was a high priority with 84% of the OSRP Survey respondents wanting the Town to spend money to protect conservation land. Items that survey respondents thought should be a high priority for the Town of Mendon over the next five years included: 74% protection of water resources, 71% protection of farms, 66% protection of conservation areas and 50% protection of wildlife habitats. All these statistics indicate the will of voters to protect land. Massachusetts’s BioMap shows that the beauty of Mendon’s open space, which Mendon residents appreciate, also holds a critical mass of land that has high ecological value. Protecting large greenways of land will provide wildlife corridors, scenic beauty and protection of natural resources as well as areas that can be productive in agriculture. The Land Use Committee needs to continue to use the MassGIS mapping system to help guide the Town as to what privately owned land is worth buying for open space, wildlife corridors and potential trails. There is increasing pressure to protect land that is getting more and more expensive. Since there are still many acres of open space to protect in Mendon, more funding for land preservation will need to be raised. This funding needs to be stretched and used efficiently, therefore, the Town of Mendon needs to continue to find opportunities to creatively preserve land that are not as costly as outright purchase of land. B. Summary of Community’s Needs
The Census population for 2000 was 5,286. The Town Clerk’s Office reports a population of 6,143 for the year 2005; this represents a 20% growth over 4 years. 28% of the population is under the age of 18, the state median is 16%. As the Town’s population has grown, especially the under 18 age group, the needs for recreational facilities have increased. There is a need for more sports fields. Additional factors include that football and lacrosse have been added as popular sports and these new teams add to the pressure of needing more sports fields. Additionally, the increase of children playing baseball, softball and soccer from 2000-2005 has increased by 224 children. More sports fields and better utilization of fields are needed in Mendon. The OSRP Survey indicated the need for recreational facilities. 66% of the OSRP Survey respondents wanted the Town to spend money on recreational purposes. Items that survey respondents thought should be a high priority for the Town of Mendon over the next five years included: 63% biking/hiking areas, 44% upgrading of the Town beach area and 39% land acquisition for active recreation. The Park Commissioners need to address the improvement and creation of new recreational facilities. Mendon needs to develop a balance between recreation and open space. One issue that the Land Use Committee has been facing is the issue of motorized vehicles on trails. In the 800-acres of open space in the southwesterly part of Mendon, cart paths are being cleared only as loop trails and not connected to trails in abutting towns or to the power line easements. The reason is that there are ATV motorized vehicles that are on the power line easements and trails in abutting towns. Hooking into a statewide system of trails is very desirable, but currently Mendon does not have a plethora of ATVs on their trails. In the abutting towns the ATV’s are a hazard and a problem on their trails. Monitoring of the motorized vehicles on the trails is extremely difficult. This is an issue that the Town of Mendon has to carefully work through. Special interest groups voiced concerns. The Cemetery Commissioners continue to alert the Selectmen to the fact that the space for burial is getting used up rapidly. Land that is appropriate has not become available in the past five years; however this issue needs to be addressed.
Not many people commented about more needs to accommodate the disabled, but the Park commissioners are aware that although Mendon has improved recreational facilities for the handicapped, more needs to be done as seen in the ADA Transition Plan.
Section 9 – Five-Year Action Plan
1. GOAL: To protect critical parcels of land for conservation and passive recreation OBJECTIVES: 1a. Determine where land preservation should be targeted taking into consideration potential for greenway corridors (contiguous land parcels) and other areas that are scenic or environmentally sensitive 1b. Evaluate level of protection for each parcel and identify most critical areas for protection 1c. Help to coordinate the exchange of information between town boards 1d. Investigate trail linkages to adjacent towns and trail potentials in Mendon, while Considering the impact on the current trails in Mendon 1e. Educate the public on the environmental and financial benefits of open space 1f. Collect information from residents to understand their needs and interests ACTIONS: 1a. Work with a Professor and his students at Clark University to upgrade the GIS mapping in Mendon, specifically to align the parcel lines. Information on the various maps should include: all protected and unprotected open space, water resources, zoning, environmental aspects, the BioMap and other necessary information – Responsible Party: Land Use Committee Potential Funding: volunteers YEAR: 2006-2007 1a. Give MassGIS information on Mendon’s open space to keep the maps accurate Responsible Party: Land Use Committee Potential Funding: volunteers YEAR: 2006-2011 1a. Define the greenway corridors on the new maps and identify other parcels that are of high priority for protection Responsible Party: Land Use Committee Potential Funding: volunteers YEAR: 2006-2011 1b. Evaluate level of protection needed for each parcel, especially using the BioMap, as well as other data Responsible Party: Land Use Committee Potential Funding: volunteers YEAR: 2006-2011 1c. Have the Land Use Committee stay in close communication with the Assistant Assessor and the Selectmen to monitor the Chapter 61, 61A, and 61B property for possible purchase when they come up for sale Responsible Party: Land Use Committee Potential Funding: volunteers YEAR: 2006-2011 1c. Have each Land Use Committee Board member keep their represented boards up to date on land use issues and keep communication lines open Responsible Party: Land Use Committee Potential Funding: volunteers YEAR: 2006-2011 1d. Develop a trail system in Mendon, following the greenways designated on Map 5; work with neighboring towns, the Metacomet Land Trust and other groups (e.g. Bay State Trail Riders Association, the Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts and the Blackstone River Valley National Heritage Corridor Commission); work to accommodate the handicapped and senior citizens on a portion of the trails Responsible Party: Land Use Committee/BSTRA Potential Funding: volunteers /BSTRA YEAR: 2006-2011 1e. Educate residents to the importance of saving open space through a series of newspaper articles, information sheets and meetings Responsible Party: Land Use Committee Potential Funding: volunteers YEAR: 2006-2011 1e. Write letter to large land owners letting them know the advantages of Chapter 61, 61A and 61B and other conservation techniques Responsible Party: Land Use Committee Potential Funding: LUC Budget/volunteers YEAR: 2006-2007 1e. Update the goals, objectives and 5-year action plans for open space and recreation each year Responsible Party: Land Use Committee Potential Funding: LUC Budget/volunteers YEAR: 2006-2011 1f. Mail out a survey to all residents and town board members to reevaluate the current open space and recreation goals Responsible Party: Land Use Committee Potential Funding: LUC Budget/volunteers YEAR: 2010-2011 GOAL: To provide active recreation areas to meet the needs of Mendon’s growing population
OBJECTIVES: 2a. Determine what current facilities need upgrading and what new facilities are needed 2b. Increase the number of fields and facilities and make an efficient use of recreational assets 2c. Work with the various athletic clubs to coordinate projects 2d. Provide funding sources for ADA upgrades on Transition Plan ACTIONS: 2a. Continue to evaluate old facilities and determine needs (i.e. athletic fields, beach area upgrade etc.) Responsible Party: Park Commissioners Potential Funding: volunteers YEAR: 2006-2011 2a. Finish handicap playground at the Town Beach. Responsible Party: Park Commissioners Potential Funding: Town Budget, grants, CPA Funds YEAR: 2006-2007 2a. Complete the ADA Transition Plan suggestions Responsible Party: Park Commissioners Potential Funding: Town Budget, grants, CPA Funds YEAR: 2006-2009 2b. Have Park Commissioners evaluate the suggestions for the 2005 OSRP survey Responsible Party: Park Commissioners Potential Funding: volunteers YEAR: 2006-2007 2c. Work with the Mendon-Upton Soccer Club and the Mendon Junior Baseball- Softball League Responsible Party: Park Commissioners Potential Funding: volunteers YEAR: 2006-2011 2d. Secure funding at Town Meeting for ADA upgrades Responsible Party: Park Commissioners Potential Funding: volunteers YEAR: 2006 GOAL: To access funding and land protection strategies to protect or purchase land for open space or recreation OBJECTIVES: 3a. Investigate possibility for state matching funds 3b. Build-up the funds in the Land Bank Trust account 3c. Collect data on potential use of deed restrictions, easements and other methods of land preservation that save taxpayer’s money 3d. Locate land that the Town could possess for unpaid taxes 3d. Look into the possibility of open space subdivisions Responsible Party: Land Use Committee Potential Funding: free ACTIONS: 3a. Review guidelines for the Self-Help and the Urban Self-Help programs under the Division of Conservation Services and where applicable apply for matching funds for appropriate open space or recreation projects Responsible Party: Land Use Committee Potential Funding: volunteers YEAR: 2006-2011 3b. Look at town-owned properties and evaluate the possibilities of making income on the properties (selling house lots, forestry, lease for farming etc.) that will not damage the integrity of the properties and then use the income for future purchase of open space Responsible Party: Land Use Committee Potential Funding: volunteers YEAR: 2006-2011 3b. Evaluate use of the CPA Funds and publicize the CPA funded projects to promote continued voter support of the CPA tax levy Responsible Party: Community Preservation Committee Potential Funding: volunteers YEAR: 2006-2011 <
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