Town of Pelham Open Space and Recreation Plan
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SECTION 8: GOALS AND OBJECTIVESPelham’s 2002 Open Space and Recreation Plan had numerous goals and anticipated actions to achieve those goals. Unfortunately, because of financial and time constraints many of the actions have not been completed. Volunteer efforts have focused on related initiatives such as the Growth Study Committee, Pelham Hills Forest Conservation Project and efforts to promote passage of the Community Preservation Act. While these initiatives further the goals identified in the 2002 Plan, they were not listed as actions in that Plan. The Committee decided to emphasize four main goals. Those goals reflect the Committee’s priorities over the next five years. Goal 1: Conservation Area Stewardship. Two related needs are to take better care of the conservation areas already under the Conservation Commission’s jurisdiction and to increase public environmental awareness. These needs can be addressed by better informing residents of the resources administered by the town and by engaging residents in the protection of conservation areas through creation of “Friends” groups to monitor and maintain each area. Not only can this goal be achieved within the next few years, but it could contribute significantly to Pelham residents’ sense of responsibility for protecting their resources. An investigation of the need for forest management of town conservation areas would be useful to the extent funds exist. Goal 2: Water and Other Resource Protection. The goal of protecting Pelham’s water and natural resources encompasses the need to:
Updated studies, maps and inventories would be helpful aids in identifying additional open space priorities. Such information also would be useful in determining and implementing the most appropriate policy and/or regulatory changes. Policy and regulatory initiatives to protect Pelham’s natural resources and to maintain its rural character are currently being discussed at public meetings held by the Forest Conservation Project. The Open Space and Recreation Plan Committee supports the efforts of the Forest Conservation Project. The Committee also supports passage of the Community Preservation Act and determining the best means of preserving Pelham’s scenic vistas as well as whether closure of certain roads in Pelham would help protect Pelham’s water and natural resources. Goal 3: Increased Public Environmental Awareness. Members of the public who attended Open Space and Recreation Plan meetings expressed a strong interest in monitoring the challenges to Pelham’s resources, namely, the spread of invasive plants, the infestation of hemlock wooly adelgid and any impacts of climate change. Those members were interested in developing a strategy to address these problems. First, invasive plants in high risk areas and conservation areas need to be inventoried and mapped. Then, an appropriate plan can be developed. This information should be shared with the public to further the goal of increasing public environmental awareness. The inventories, maps and plan could form the basis for public programs and presentations which hopefully would generate additional public interest and involvement. Goal 4: Regional Cooperation and Collaboration. While not a new concept, the Committee identified the need to ensure that regional understanding and cooperation in meeting environmental goals is ongoing. Pelham is part of watersheds that provide drinking water supplies to metropolitan Boston, Springfield and Amherst as well as Shutesbury, Belchertown and its own residents’ private supplies. As a regional watershed of some importance, Pelham’s large roadless areas also provide uninterrupted wildlife corridors between Pelham and its neighbors. The town is acutely aware of the need to work with its neighbors in the region on matters of watershed, natural resources and wildlife habitat protection. Pelham has for many years worked on regional goals with The Kestrel Trust and has begun to work in recent years with the North Quabbin Regional Landscape Partnership as well. The Committee recommends that Pelham continue all of these conservation partnerships and maintain a regional perspective as it pursues Pelham’s open space plan goals. CHART OF GOALS AND OBJECTIVES
SECTION 9: FIVE-YEAR ACTION PLAN This Five-Year Action Plan provides a proposed timetable for each of the goals and objectives. The Committee established its priorities in part by what was achievable given time and budgetary constraints as well as what is most urgently needed. The Action Plan recognizes that many of the objectives listed in Section 8 are also actions and that actions listed under one goal often further the other goals identified by the Committee; for simplicity and readability each action is only listed once rather than under each goal. The Action Plan identifies the Town Boards with major responsibility for the action proposed. The Conservation Commission will review the Action Plan twice per year to monitor and as necessary, revise it. Members of the public who were interested in working on a specific aspect of the Plan can report to the Conservation Commission at those meetings. Required Map 6: Action Plan Map can be found in Appendix F. Actions Related to Goal 1: Conservation Area Stewardship
Actions Related to Goal 2: Water and Other Resource Protection
Actions Related to Goal 3: Increase Public Environmental Awareness
Actions Related to Goal 4: Regional Cooperation and Collaboration
SECTION 10: PUBLIC COMMENTSThe public was invited to meetings early in the process to develop and revise the Open Space and Recreation Plan. All meetings of the Committee have been open public meetings. Public comment helped refocus the Committee on the issue of protecting existing conservation areas and better informing town residents of such areas. Public comment also indicated a strong interest among at least a subgroup to pursue the issue of invasive plants. Following completion of the final draft of the plan in February of 2008, the plan was distributed to the Planning Board, Select Board, Conservation Commission, and Regional Planning Agency. The plan also was distributed to the Board of Health, Historical Commission and the Recreation Commission. The final draft was placed in the town library and Rhodes Building for review and a public forum was held on February 28, 2008 for further input. Copies of announcements to involve the public follow this section. Letters received from the Planning Board, Board of Selectmen, Conservation Commission, Historical Commission and the Pioneer Valley Planning Commission also follow this section. The plan has been revised to incorporate input received from all of these sources including responses of the public and the various boards and commissions. The plan will be submitted in April, 2008 to the Division of Conservation Services for final approval as well. ANNOUNCEMENTS PLACED IN THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL NEWSPAPER, THE PELHAM PRESS NOVEMBER ANNOUNCEMENT: OPEN SPACE PLAN MEETING The Pelham Conservation Commission is in the process of revising the Town’s Open Space and Recreation Plan; the plan was last revised in 2002. The plan can be a great vehicle to discuss our town’s open space priorities and to discuss the potential for and advisability of more recreational and educational uses of already existing town conservation lands. If you are interested in working on the plan or otherwise providing input, please contact Pelham Conservation Commission member Cynthia Weigel at 256-4606. An initial informational meeting to discuss the plan is scheduled for November 13, 2007 at 7:00 pm at the Pelham library. We look forward to seeing you there. DECEMBER ANNOUNCEMENT: OPEN SPACE PLAN MEETING The Pelham Conservation Commission is in the process of revising the Town’s Open Space and Recreation Plan; the Commission updates this plan every five years. The Commission will be discussing the plan at its next meeting on Wednesday, December 12, 2007 at 7:00 p.m. at the Rhodes Building. Please come to the meeting to learn about the plan and to provide input on our town’s open space priorities. SECTION 11: REFERENCES In preparing this Open Space and Recreation Plan Update, the following sources were used: Bigelow, Paul J. 1998. The Stone Industry, Pelham, Massachusetts. Privately printed by the author (36 pages). Bigelow, Paul. 1993. Wrights and Privileges, the Mills and Shops of Pelham, Massachusetts from 1740 to 1937. Haley’s Athol, MA ( 139 pages). Draft Growth Management Plan for the Town of Pelham, Pioneer Valley Planning Commission, 1988. Environmental Handbook for Conservation Commissioners, Alexandra D. Dawson, J.D. and Sally A. Zielinski, Ph.D., ninth edition, 2006. Natural Heritage and Endangered Species Program Information. Natural Resources Program of the Town of Pelham, Massachusetts, April 1971. Parmenter, C. O., History of Pelham, Mass. From 1738 to 1898, Amherst MA, 1898. Pelham Growth Study Committee Report 2004-2006. Pelham Hills Forest Conservation Project Report 2007. Pelham, Massachusetts Land of Historic Heights, Pamphlet published by Pioneer Valley Association, Inc., Hampshire County Commission. Pelham Residents, Boards and Commissions. Preliminary Strategic Master Plan for Pelham, Massachusetts, University of Massachusetts Regional Planning Study, John Mullin, Jack Ahern and Rod Warnick, advisors, 1987. Valley Vision 2: the New Regional Land Use Plan for the Pioneer Valley, Pioneer Valley Planning Commission, September 2007. APPENDIX A Pelham Growth Study Committee 2006 Progress Report and Survey, Press Release and Final Report APPENDIX B Pelham Hills Forest Conservation Project 2007 Summary and Mailings APPENDIX C Information from the Division of Fisheries and Wildlife Natural Heritage and Endangered Species Program Obtained in 2007 Regarding Pelham APPENDIX D Butter Hill Sanctuary Species Data 1998 - 2007 APPENDIX E Americans with Disabilities Act Accessibility Report Kim Leahey is the town of Pelham’s new ADA Coordinator. Together with the Conservation Commission and other appropriate boards she will be reviewing the town’s compliance with the American Disabilities Act. She already has certified that the town’s employment practices are consistent with the ADA. Pertinent parts of the ADA Access Self-Evaluation Forms are included for the elementary school playground as well as the town’s conservation and recreation areas under the jurisdiction of the Conservation Commission or Recreation Commission. Of these areas, the Pelham School playground is ADA compliant. Buffam Falls Conservation Area is partly accessible. The Harkness Road Conservation Area entrance, lower trail and Partridge Meadow possibly could be altered to make them more accessible. However, the Butter Hill Wildlife Sanctuary is located in hilly terrain and cannot be reasonably altered to make it accessible to wheel chairs. Nor can the other areas be reasonably altered (see evaluation forms). The Committee will continue to monitor and improve the accessibility of conservation areas to those with disabilities (see Goal 1: Action 6). APPENDIX F MAPS Required Maps 1. Zoning Map 2. Soils and Geologic Features Map 3. Unique Features Map - Landscape Points of Special Interests 3A. Mills and Shops of Pelham, MA from 1740 to 1937 3B. Pelham, MA Stone Quarries 4. Water Resources Map 5. Open Space Inventory Map 6. Action Plan Map Additional Maps 7. FEMA, Hazardous Sites and Public Water Supplies Map 1 The Pelham Conservation Commission was established by vote of the 1970 Town Meeting and is now a five-member board finding its authority under Chapter 40, Section 8C of the Massachusetts General Laws (the Conservation Commission Act.) The general purposes of the Commission include the promotion and development of the natural resources and the protection of the watershed resources of the town. By law, the Commission is granted at least seven specific functions that involve economic, water management, recreation, preservation, design, coordinating and regulatory elements. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||