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HomeMy Public PortalAboutOSRP Section 3 Draft Brewster Open Space and Recreation Plan DRAFT – SECTION 3 1 June 8, 2020 SECTION 3. COMMUNITY SETTING A. Regional Context Brewster is a Massachusetts town located within what is referred to as “lower Cape Cod” (Figure 3-1). The approximately 22.55 -square-mile coastal town within Barnstable County is bordered to the north by Cape Cod Bay, to the east by the Town of Orleans, to the west by the Town of Dennis and to the south by the Town of Harwich. Brewster has an abundance of natural resources and miles of both coastal and freshwater shoreline. The town has been committed to the protection of its valuable natural resources for decades, and established the groundwork for the acquisition of dedicated open space with its purchase of large expanses of coastal wetlands in the 1960s. Brewster has largely retained its physical natural beauty and serenity, to which the residents of the town have added a strong sense of historical continuity and present-day community. Brewster lies within the Cape Cod Watershed, which extends 70 miles into the Atlantic Ocean, and is surrounded by Buzzards Bay, Cape Cod Bay, the Atlantic Ocean, and Nantucket Sound. The watershed encompasses a drainage area of approximately 440 square miles and includes 559 miles of coastline, 360 ponds, 145 public water supply wells, eight Areas of Critical Environmental Concern, numerous rare and endangered species, approximately 116 square miles of protected open space, and 52 separate embayment watersheds (EEA, 2013). The Town of Brewster encompasses six of these embayment watersheds, which it shares with neighboring jurisdictions, including Cape Cod Bay, Herring River, Namskaket Creek, Pleasant Bay, Quivett Creek, and Stony Brook watersheds. Brewster also contains a very small portion of the Bass River watershed. Cape Cod was formed by glaciers approximately 20,000 years ago and is comprised of a series of interconnected broad, glacial outwash plains and hilly moraines. There are 15 towns in the Cape Cod Watershed that comprise Barnstable County. Many of the towns on the Cape are divided into villages, each with its own unique personality. The watershed supports a year-round population of approximately 250,000 people and a peak summertime population of approximately 500,000 people. In 1961, 70 square miles - or approximately half of the Outer Cape - was granted National Park status and named the Cape Cod National Seashore, which currently receives 5 million visitors a year. Residents and visitors make heavy use of the natural resources in Brewster and across Cape Cod. The beaches and ponds provide places to sunbathe and swim, picnic, and relax. Salt marshes, teeming with life, provide inspiration for artists, opportunities for canoeing, kayaking and shellfishing, and salt hay for gardens. These resources draw visitors to Brewster and provide refuges for wildlife and plant species. In an effort to protect and conserve natural resources, Cape Cod’s regional planning agency, the Cape Cod Commission is in the process of developing a Regional Open Space Plan. The Plan will include a web-based mapping tool to identify and aid the protection of green infrastructure. By providing a means to analyze the interrelationships between natural resources (for example, rare species habitat, wetlands, wellhead protection areas), the Regional Open Space Plan may help identify significant ecological systems at the landscape scale. The mapping tool and plan are anticipated to help towns and land trusts to set priorities for open space acquisition that will protect and connect Cape Cod’s most sensitive natural resources. Brewster Open Space and Recreation Plan DRAFT – SECTION 3 2 June 8, 2020 Brewster shares many of its resources with neighboring communities (Table 3-1). As such, protection and maintenance of these resources often requires regional collaboration. Table 3-1. Brewster’s Shared/Abutting Resources Resource Communities/Regions/State Cape Cod Bay Bourne, Sandwich, Barnstable, Yarmouth, Dennis, Orleans, Eastham, Wellfleet, Truro, Provincetown, State of Massachusetts Pleasant Bay Orleans, Chatham, Harwich Long Pond Harwich, State of Massachusetts Quivett Creek Dennis Paine’s Creek Dennis Namskaket Creek Orleans Inner Cape Cod Bay Area of Critical Environmental Concern Brewster, Orleans Diadramous Fish Run Harwich Coastal Plain Pond Shores and Priority Habitat (Cahoon Pond, Mill Pond, Grassy Pond, Mud Pond, Black Pond, Seymour Pond, Round Pond) Harwich Bakers Pond - Coastal Plain Pond Shores and Priority Habitat Orleans Bakers Pond Conservation Area Within Orleans Zone II SE Brewster Reed Kingsbury Conservation Area Within Orleans Zone II Sandwich Moraine Outwash Plain Bourne, Sandwich, Barnstable, Yarmouth, Dennis, Harwich, Orleans Monomoy Lens (Zone II Groundwater Protection Districts) Dennis, Harwich, Orleans, Chatham SW Brewster Punkhorn Parklands Conservation Area Abuts Harwich Wellfields SW Brewster Conservation Lands: Mother’s Bog, Meetinghouse Road, Windrift Conservation Areas Abut Dennis Water District Wellfields Cape Cod Rail Trail Dennis, Harwich, Orleans, Eastham Wellfleet Cape Cod Pathways Trail All Cape Cod Towns, Barnstable County B. History of the Community John Hay, well-known Brewster author, conservationist and educator, once wrote: We have "to turn back to the lessons of the past, in hopes of saving the future" (Hay, 1979). To understand Brewster today, one has to look to its past. The very early history of Brewster has been described by Dr. Fred Dunford, past staff archaeologist at the Cape Cod Museum of Natural History, in Brewster Open Space and Recreation Plan DRAFT – SECTION 3 3 June 8, 2020 excerpts from the book, Secrets In The Sand by Dr. Dunford and Greg O'Brien. The record of human activity on the Cape is rich and diverse, covering almost 8,000 years of Native American pre-historic use, followed by 500 years of European involvement. "When Native Americans arrived at Cape Cod some 10,500 years ago, they found an environment entirely different from that of today. Cape Cod was a foothill at one end of a vast plain that stretched as far eastward as George's Bank.” As European settlers began to arrive, the area now known as Orleans, Eastham, Wellfleet, Truro and Provincetown were purchased from the Native Americans in 1644 and incorporated as Nauset in 1646. The area which became Harwich and Brewster was originally a lower cape territory which included Native American land and land known as “Purchases of Old Comers Reserve.” One of the first settlers in the “Brewster” area, known as the North Parish of Harwich, was John Wing in 1658. The Parishes of Harwich were incorporated through the Massachusetts Bay Colony in 1864. Harwich remained intact until 1772, when the southeastern part separated off to become Eastham. Then, in 1803, after a bitter struggle, the north and south parishes separated into the Towns of Brewster and Harwich. Brewster’s population was only 1,111 in 1810 As the North Parish had developed, the Stony Brook Herring Run was an important fishery for the settlers, most of whom were farmers. As the forests were cleared for farming, the lumber was used for houses, boat building and salt works. Many sections of Brewster were originally divided into a series of long narrow parcels, forming the familiar "Long Lots." Looking at Brewster town assessor’s maps today, one still sees many of these long narrow wood lots. Early agricultural practices and the demand for hardwoods such as oak to build homes and Atlantic white cedar for ships led to rapid deforestation. Once the forests were gone, the soil quickly dried out and blew away in the ever-prevalent winds. Anything that did grow was soon grazed off by sheep, 10,000 of which were reported in Barnstable alone in the late 1600s. As the soil was exhausted, farmers took to the sea. By 1676 with much of the vast forests gone, some towns had bylaws that exacted fines for wasting wood or letting it rot. By 1800, there had been a total clearing of more than 31,000 acres on Cape Cod and lumber had to be imported. Brewster's early economy remained centered on Stony Brook. The first grist mill was built there before 1662. The establishment of other small enterprises in what was known as "Factory Village" brought customers from afar to purchase cloth, boots and food during the late 18th and early 19th centuries. The salt marshes also played an important part in the lives of early colonists. Livestock was pastured on them and salt hay was cut for fodder. By the late 1600's, many of the resource areas were overused and depleted. In the early 1700's, colonists were actively trying to prevent erosion of the beaches, thereby protecting the marshes. In 1732 they banned livestock from some beaches, except for oxen that were still used in the fishing industry. Beach areas were extensively used for the production of salt, becoming a big business for Brewster. In 1802 there were twenty-one salt works in the town. By 1831 the number of salt work had climbed to seventy-six scattered along the Brewster shore with an annual capacity of 104,717 feet representing one tenth of Cape Cod’s 1.4 million feet of salt works. Salt production and repair of the wooden works provided many jobs to Brewster residents, bringing badly-needed income to local farmers. Brewster Open Space and Recreation Plan DRAFT – SECTION 3 4 June 8, 2020 When salt became less expensive to produce elsewhere, the salt works were gradually dismantled and the lumber reused in buildings that are still in use today Based on 1831 maps, cranberry bogs in the freshwater wetlands, together with the related ditches, were a predominant feature of the landscape. The ditches were installed to drain standing water from the cranberry bogs, once it was no longer needed. Many of these ditches remain to this day. Early attempts at resource protection were too little and too late. Clear-cutting and neglectful agricultural methods took their toll. When Henry David Thoreau visited the Cape between 1849 and 1855 he described "singular barren hills, all stricken with poverty grass, desolate, with soil no farmer would think of cultivating. It was hard to distinguish soil from sand.” Yet Brewster still prospered towards midcentury as the population rose to 1586 by 1850. With limited economic opportunities in Brewster many local sons turned to the sea starting in the early 1800’s. Some turned to fishing, although Brewster had no port, and some were involved in the packet ships that brought goods from Boston to the Cape. While Brewster built a pier for the packet ships making it a transportation hub of the area, the building of the Cape Cod Rail Road in the 1860s and through to Orleans by 1865 spelled the end of the Packet ship era. Other young men signed on to sailing ships that plied the oceans from port to port, their captains arranging cargoes for delivery to other ports. This process might keep them at sea for several years. A tally by the late1800’s listed over a hundred ships captains and officers buried in Brewster’s cemeteries. The captains and crews of these ships shared in the profits of these voyages. Returning to Brewster with their riches ship captains often used their gains to build mansions for their families along 6A. Their travels, often dangerous and sometimes deadly are well documented in books by several authors. The days of entrepreneurial sailing ship captains faded in the second half of the 1800’s with the end of the cotton trade and the rise of subsidized and scheduled British steam shipping. Thus many young Brewster men shifted their sights seeking riches in the frontier town of the West, Chicago. Some later returned to Brewster towards the end of the century with their riches to build great stately mansions. Nickerson and Crosby are two whose legacy homes still grace Brewster today. Coastal residents also had other means of making a living: “In the mid-1850s shipwrecks occasionally occurred off the beaches. Many of these so-called shipwrecks were really instances of ships running aground on the Brewster Flats, since many sea captains were unaware of the areas’ extremely low tides. Moreover, residents often hung lighted oil lamps from the necks of mules and walked the animals along the beaches at night, hoping to trick ships into mistaking the mules for lighthouses, thereby causing wrecks from which residents could scavenge cargo” (Saint, 1996). An insight into the economies of the time can be obtained by looking at real estate valuation lists of this period. Brewster resident Paul F. Saint in his book, The Saints of Brewster, reports that “in 1862 Saint’s Rest had an assessed value of only $20, while the cow of the Saints had an assessed valued of $30 as it was considered ‘income producing’ property” (Saint, 1996). Brewster, during this time, was primarily a rural pocket along the "King's Highway" between Barnstable and the developing Eastham-Orleans centers. By the late 1800s, after much of Brewster’s original woodlands had been cut, second-growth pine/oak forests started covering the area. With limited commerce, only some farming and cranberries, there was little to keep the younger adults from moving to the more prosperous cities. Thus the year round population shrank to 631 by 1910, only Brewster Open Space and Recreation Plan DRAFT – SECTION 3 5 June 8, 2020 40% of the 1850 level. Although Brewster was still a quiet town, at the turn of the 20th century the beaches slowly grew more active as summer vacation communities were built along the shores of Cape Cod Bay. During prohibition residents kept up their beach “activities”, now scavenging for whiskey. Walkers on the flats would often come upon cases of alcohol tossed overboard by rumrunners attempting to evade arrest by federal prohibition officers. While there was little industry the town folk still suffered during the Depression. There was not starvation with food from the garden; clams and fish from the sea. But many of the old sea captain homes were boarded up and most children dropped out of high school before graduation to find work to help feed their families. Oral histories from residents who grew up here in the 1920’s and 30’s talk about working in family cranberry bogs, picking beach plums, harvesting fish from the numerous fish weirs, and hunting local woodlands as ways to supplement meager incomes and put food on the table A major event during this time period was the establishment of the 14,000 acre Nickerson State Park in the 1930's, a gift of the Nickerson family’s hunting and fishing preserve. This acquisition, along with the expansion of summer camps and cottage colonies along the beaches increased the use of the Cape and especially Brewster as a "summer escape" destination. After World War II the Cape started to grow more rapidly. More people summered here, but Brewster’s year-round population remained very low, at 827 in 1940. In the 1950's the new Route 6 was created, connecting eastern portions of the Cape to the bridges over the Cape Cod Canal. By 1970 Brewster’s population had finally inched above the previous peak of 1850 to 1790 souls. As Brewster became a summer recreation destination the era of “Second Homes” commenced. With it came a boom in the year round population to ten thousand by the turn of the twenty first century. Fortunately in the 70’s and 80’s the Brewster joined other towns along Route 6A in creating a historic district; the core of Brewster along 6A was designated a national historic district. This action helped maintain the historic nature of Brewster’s village core to this day. Furthermore, in the 1960's, Brewster had initiated acquisition and control of sensitive wetlands, marshes and ponds as well as established Cape Cod Bay access points. Large residential subdivisions were developed, however increasingly restrictive zoning law limited densities. The Town attempted to balance this growth by acquiring land with additions such as the Punkhorn Parklands and other significant parcels. The Town’s continued process of land acquisition and restrictive zoning have helped maintain the quiet, rural atmosphere valued by residents and visitors alike. The Brewster Historical Society, established in 1964, collects and preserves the artifacts and history of Brewster to ensure their future accessibility. At Windmill Meadow, adjacent to the Town Drummer Boy Park, the Society has the restored 18th century Higgins Farm Windmill, the circa 1795 Harris Black House and the working Hopkins Blacksmith Shop circa 1867. Recently, the Society restored the circa 1799 Captain Elijah Cobb House, gardens and outbuildings. The House, now a museum, also functions as the Society’s headquarters. The Museum holds five permanent galleries and an extensive documents research area accessible by appointment. The Town leases an historic site, the Crosby Estate from the state. The 1888 eclectic 35-room Crosby Mansion is the centerpiece of Albert Crosby’s seaside estate. The mansion, named Brewster Open Space and Recreation Plan DRAFT – SECTION 3 6 June 8, 2020 “Tawasentha” was built around Crosby’s childhood home, an early 19th century Cape Cod-style house. Following the death of Crosby’s widow Matilda in 1930, the mansion was used as a hotel, a school for the arts, and in 1959, became Camp Seascape for Girls. In 1985, the Division of Conservation & Recreation (DCR) purchased the mansion, several outbuildings, and some cottages once connected to the Nickerson family estate, as well as the former Camp Monomoy. In 1999, legislation designated the Town of Brewster, in partnership with the Friends of Crosby Mansion, as lessees for the Mansion, the Crosby Cottage and Garage, and two seaside cottages (i.e., Sully and Graham). A 25- year lease was executed in 2003, which is managed through the DCR’s Historic Curatorship Program. The Friends now rent the three cottages and use revenues generated to rehabilitate the mansion. Since the lease began in 2003, the Town of Brewster and Friends of the Crosby Mansion “have invested over to $500,000 and thousands of dollars in volunteer labor and donated materials” into the rehabilitation, management and maintenance of the property as a house museum and event center (Foley 2015). The Friends offer six open houses annually and rent the mansion for weddings and other functions. The state also leases the former Camp Monomoy to the Cape Repertory Theatre. Robert J. “Captain Del” Delahanty founded the boys’ camp in 1922, started Camp Wono for Girls in 1939, and added a day camping program in the 1960s, forming the Cape Cod Sea Camps. The camp was purchased by the state in 1983 and added to Nickerson. In 1991, the Cape Rep was named lessee of some of the camp buildings as well as the Cape House and Barn through special legislation. Under the 25- year lease agreement, the non-profit theater uses the properties for theatrical programs and performances. The buildings include the 1790 expanded Cape Cod style residence that is used as offices, the late 19th century barn, which is used for storage, the mid-20th century outdoor theater, which was an outdoor chapel at Camp Monomoy, and the former Camp Monomoy dining hall which is used as an indoor theater. The Cape Rep has restored and rehabilitated a number of the buildings over the years, with the help of donations, grants and town funds. The Cape Rep maintains buildings and grounds within their control and offers six to eight plays per year. Please see Appendix C for a complete history of the town’s open space accomplishments. C. Population Characteristics 1. Population Growth/Trends Cape Cod has experienced some of the state’s highest population growth over the last century. Table 3-2 shows that population growth in the region has always been high, ranking in the top three regions across the state. The exception is in the last two decades (2000 – 2019), where Barnstable County had the lowest population growth among the State’s 14 counties. Brewster Open Space and Recreation Plan DRAFT – SECTION 3 7 June 8, 2020 Table 3-2. Cape Cod Population Growth Rate, 1920-2019 (sources: Cape Cod Commission; US Census 2010,) Years Rank Among All MA Counties Growth/ Decline (%) Population (in latter year) Gain/Loss in Decade 1920–1930 3 21.10 32,305 5,635 1930–1940 1 15.4 37,295 4,990 1940–1950 1 25.5 46,805 9,510 1950–1960 1 50.2 70,286 23,481 1960–1970 1 37.5 96,656 26,370 1970–1980 1 53 147,925 51,269 1980–1990 2 26.1 186,605 38,680 1990–2000 3 19.1 222,230 35,625 2000–2010 14 -2.9 215,888 -6,342 2010-2019 -1.34 212,990 -2,898 Brewster’s growth rate has been variable over the same period, but the town experienced a similar trend from 2000 – 2020 with a decrease in total population. Table 3-3 shows Brewster's growth rate between 1920 and 2020. In the 1960's, Brewster had a 44.8% growth rate, moderately higher than the county's 37.5%. From 1970 to 1980 the town experienced a significant population increase from 1,790 to 5,226 year-round residents, a 192% increase. This was the largest population increase of any town on the Cape. Over the next decade the town’s population increased to 8,440, a 61.5% increase, the third highest increase on the Cape. The town’s population still increased, but a bit more slowly (19.6%) between 1990 and 2000 to 10,094 year-round residents in 2000. Table 3-3. Brewster Population Growth Rate, 1920-2020 (sources: Cape Cod Commission; US Census 2010, Brewster Town Clerk, 6-2020) Years Growth/ Decline (%) Population (in latter year) Gain/Loss in Decade 1920–1930 769 1930–1940 7.5 827 58 1940–1950 19.3 987 160 1950–1960 25.2 1,236 249 1960–1970 44.8 1,790 554 1970–1980 192 5,226 3,436 1980-1990 61.5 8,440 3,214 1990-2000 19.6 10,094 1,654 2000-2010 -2.71 9,820 -274 2010-2020 -4.79 9,349 -471 Brewster Open Space and Recreation Plan DRAFT – SECTION 3 8 June 8, 2020 Brewster has experienced a 2.71% population decrease between 2000 and 2010, a 4.79% decrease between 2010 and 2020. The current population is estimated to be about 9,349 year-round residents. Population growth rates are affected by many factors including economic trends, employment opportunities, real estate costs, and the availability of buildable land. The reasons for Brewster’s slowing growth rate are unclear; possible factors include the relatively sluggish economy, an increase in second home purchases, high real estate prices and the decrease in developable lots. Like most of Barnstable County, Brewster has a large proportion of seasonal housing stock and experiences substantial population fluctuations due to its summer resort/retirement community status. Currently, the population more than triples in the summer, from a year-round population of about 9,349 to an estimated 35,000 people during the summer season (Brewster, 2019). This large influx of seasonal residents places added stress on the town’s natural resources as well as its open space and recreational facilities. The likelihood that many second homeowners will transition to year-round residents is also an important consideration for long-range planning. 2. Population Density The approximately 23 square mile town has a year-round population density of about 406 people per square mile. Seasonally, the population density in Brewster increases to 1,521 people per square mile. This increased density, which is experienced across Cape Cod places stress not only on the town’s natural resources and recreation facilities, but also infrastructure, such as roads and public water and wastewater infrastructure. 3. Age The demographics on Cape Cod, particularly as they relate to age, have shifted considerably in recent years. The flight of youth raised on Cape Cod (that don’t return) combined with the increasing retirement population, has led to this dramatic shift, which was evident in the 2010 US Census. The number of school-age children in Brewster decreased by about 25%, between 2000 and 2010. This decrease in school-age children is of critical importance in planning educational services for the town. In addition, the 20-44 age group, those of prime child-bearing years, experienced a 26% decrease from 2000–2010. The number of people aged 65 and over increased by 4.2%, and those aged 60 to 64 increased by over 100%. The median age also increased between 2000 and 2010 from 46.9 to 53.5, a 14% increase. This decline continued through the next ten years. By 2020, the number of school aged children declined to x, a x% decrease. The 20-44 year age group declines to x, a x% decrease. This data supports what has been evident to Brewster residents and reflected in decreasing elementary school enrollment: the town is losing its young adults and young families. The decrease in the young professional population is also thought to have had large impacts on the local economy, job market, and public transportation opportunities. The number of 44-64 year old adults has also x, by x%. While the population of 64 and older increased to 3,729, a dramatic 35.2% increase, with the median age increasing from 53.5 to 57, a 6.5 % increase. Brewster Open Space and Recreation Plan DRAFT – SECTION 3 9 June 8, 2020 Table 3-4. Brewster Age Profile (source: U.S. Census 2000 and 2010, Brewster Town Clerk 6-2020) Age Group 2010 2020 Percent Change Total population 9,820 9,349 4.7% decline Under 5 years 345 5 to 19 years 1,451 20 to 44 years 1,803 45 to 64 years 3,463 65 and over 2,758 3,729 35.2% increase Median age (years) 53.5 57 6.5% increase These age trends have impacts on needs related to open space and recreation resources also. For example, there may be more of a need currently for passive recreation opportunities for the town’s senior population; whereas opportunities for school-age children may be experiencing a lack of enrollment and/or interest. Brewster and the Cape in general, are experiencing a shift in demographics, with a decreasing young professional population and increasing senior population. (Table 3-4) This shift is anticipated to have impacts on the socioeconomics of the region and may be one of the causes for the trend observed in Table 3-5. This is important to note since a decrease in overall socioeconomic conditions in the town could have impacts on the community’s tax base and ability to purchase and maintain open space and recreation resources. These age trends are something that is being experienced across Cape Cod, and the town will be working with neighboring communities and the region to help identify ways to address the associated challenges with the region’s changing demographics. 4. Income and Employment There has been a national downward trend in median household income and employment over the last decade as a result of the national recession, housing crisis, and related factors. As can be seen in Table 3-5, these trends have trickled down to the state, county and town. Unemployment rates have more than doubled at the state and county level, and have more than tripled in the Town of Brewster over the last decade, although Brewster’s unemployment rate (5.0%) is still lower than both the state (7.4%) and county (6.2%) average. Despite recent projections that the national economic conditions are improving, the higher unemployment rates experienced in Brewster and across the country have had important repercussions in all sectors of the economy and society over the last decade, including those related to open space and recreation. For example, high unemployment rates lower the economic well- being of the public and its ability to pay for goods and services, such as recreation fees and tourism- related expenses. (Table 3-5) Brewster Open Space and Recreation Plan DRAFT – SECTION 3 10 June 8, 2020 Table 3-5. An Overview of Brewster, MA data from American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, STATSCapeCod and Cape Cod Commission BART (Barnstable Area Regional Trends) Data, 2018 Brewster town, MA Overview Located in Barnstable Co.MA - Part of Barnstable Town MA Metropolitan Area People & Housing Employment & Income Population Estimate (2018) 9,868 Labor Force (persons working in the area) (2018) 4,860 H.S. Diploma or More - % of Adults 25+ (2018) 97.20% Unemployment Rate (2018) 3.3 Bachelor's Deg. or More - % of Adults 25+ (2018) 50.90% Avg. Wage per Job N/A Households (2018) 4,282 Median Household Income (2018) $73,765 Total Housing Units (2018) 7,993 % Derived from Earnings (2018) 48.90% % of Total Units Vacant for Seasonal or Recreational Use (2018) 43.40% Median Family Income (2018) $85,591 Median Value of Owner Occupied Housing (2018) $428,000 Poverty Rate (2018) 5.0% Total Building Permits Issued N/A Mean Travel Time to Work (minutes) (2018) 21.2 * American Community Survey 5-year estimates Like most other Cape Cod communities, Brewster maintains a generally high socioeconomic status, particularly when considering the seasonal population. However, Brewster’s year-round population has been experiencing a slight decrease in socioeconomic conditions when compared to the State and County for median household income and poverty status; the town currently has a slightly lower median household income and poverty rate than the county (Table 3-6). Table 3-6. Median Household Income and Poverty Status for Town of Brewster, Barnstable Co., and MA in 2010 and 2018/20(sources: US Census 2006 - 2010 American Community Survey, STATSCapeCod, Cape Cod Commission BART (Barnstable Area Regional Trends) Data, 2018) State of Massachusetts Barnstable County Town of Brewster 2010 2018 2010 2018 2010 2018 Median Household Income $64,509 $77,378 $60,317 $69,001 $58,374 $73,765 Poverty Status – All Families 7.5% 11.1% 5.0% 7.5% 5.5% 5.0% As can be seen in Table 3-7, the percentage of people employed within the service industry (including food and retail service) and construction industry within the Town of Brewster and Brewster Open Space and Recreation Plan DRAFT – SECTION 3 11 June 8, 2020 Barnstable County is higher than the Massachusetts average. This is typical for a tourist destination such as Cape Cod. However, slow growth and decreased economic conditions, which have impacted the tourism industry that Cape Cod depends on, have affected these tourism- dependent sectors as well, likely exacerbating the increase in unemployment rates, decrease in median household incomes, and increase in the poverty rate experienced in Brewster. Table 3-7. Income and Employment for Town of Brewster, Barnstable County, and State of Massachusetts in 2000 and 2010 (sources: US Census 2000; US Census 2006 - 2010 American Community Survey) Subject State of Massachusetts Barnstable County Town of Brewster 2000 2010 2000 2010 2000 2010 Percent Unemployed 3.0% 7.4% 3.0% 6.2% 1.4% 5.0% OCCUPATION Management, business, science, and arts occupations 41.1% 42.8% 35.1% 37.5% 37.2% 36.2% Service occupations 14.1% 16.6% 18.2% 19.3% 17.6% 18.6% Sales and office occupations 25.9% 24.2% 27.5% 24.9% 27.7% 27.4% Natural resources, construction, and maintenance occupations 7.7% 7.4% 11.7% 11.5% 11.0% 11.7% Production, transportation, and material moving occupations 11.3% 9.1% 7.5% 6.7% 6.5% 6.0% INDUSTRY Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting, and mining 0.4% 0.4% 0.9% 0.8% 0.6% 0.0% Construction 5.5% 5.9% 9.7% 10.0% 10.7% 9.8% Manufacturing 12.8% 9.9% 4.8% 4.3% 3.3% 4.0% Wholesale trade 3.3% 2.7% 2.2% 2.1% 1.4% 1.4% Retail trade 11.2% 10.7% 14.9% 12.7% 16.1% 17.7% Transportation and warehousing, and utilities 4.2% 3.8% 4.3% 4.1% 3.7% 2.5% Information 3.7% 2.7% 2.6% 2.3% 2.4% 2.0% Brewster Open Space and Recreation Plan DRAFT – SECTION 3 12 June 8, 2020 Finance and insurance, and real estate and rental and leasing 8.2% 8.1% 6.6% 6.5% 6.4% 6.6% Professional, scientific, and management, and administrative and waste management services 11.6% 12.7% 10.1% 11.6% 10.8% 8.8% Educational services, and health care and social assistance 23.7% 26.7% 22.6% 23.9% 22.2% 24.8% Arts, entertainment, and recreation, and accommodation and food services 6.8% 8.0% 11.3% 11.1% 12.5% 12.5% Other services, except public administration 4.4% 4.5% 5.1% 5.5% 5.8% 6.4% Public administration 4.3% 4.1% 5.0% 5.1% 4.0% 3.5% Median household income (dollars) $50,502 $64,509 $45,933 $60,317 $49,276 $58,374 Percentage of families below the poverty limit 6.7% 7.5% 4.6% 5.0% 1.6% 5.5% 5. Environmental Equity/Justice Population’s Brewster does not have significant populations meeting the income and minority criteria used by the 2010 MassGIS work that identifies and maps environmental justice populations for all communities in Massachusetts. The criteria used for identifying environmental justice populations include: • Income – households earn 65% or less of the statewide median income; • Minority – 25% or more of residents are minority; • Foreign Born – 25% or more of residents are foreign born; • Lacking English Proficiency – 25% or more residents are lacking in English proficiency. There are no populations identified based on either minority classification or based on the income data layer. However there are certainly populations in Brewster whose income is at poverty level, 10.9% as of 2011 per STATS Cape Cod. According to a report entitled Monitoring the Human Condition 2009 prepared by the Barnstable County Department of Human Services, the following populations of need are found in the County, and in Brewster: • Low-income young households with one to two children who rent their home and may receive some financial assistance; • Low-income young to middle-age households with at most one child who rent, are homeless or live in a group home; and • Low-income young to middle-age households with no more than one child who rent, are homeless or live in a group home. These households also may be cultural minorities, receiving financial Brewster Open Space and Recreation Plan DRAFT – SECTION 3 13 June 8, 2020 assistance, or chronically ill. This group is considered by the report as the most needy among Cape Cod households. There do not appear to be specific low economic population pockets, but populations may be spread in all areas of town. In setting priorities and allocating resources for open space and recreation facilities and programs the town has made sure that adequate open space and recreation areas are spread throughout the town. Since the 1984 OSRP was first developed, there has been community involvement in planning and environmental decision-making to maintain and/or enhance the environmental quality of all neighborhoods. Location of Conservation & Recreations Areas throughout Brewster: • North West Brewster –Quivett Marsh Vista, Drummer Boy Park & Recreation area, • South West Brewster – Mother’s Bog and Meetinghouse Road Conservation Areas, Punkhorn Parklands • Central Brewster – Sheep Pond Woodlands, Long Pond Woodlands Conservation Area, Stony Brook and Eddy Elementary Schools Fields and Tennis Courts & Town Hall recreation fields • North East Brewster – Bakers Pond Conservation Area • East Brewster – Nickerson State Park • South East Brewster - Reed Kingsbury Conservation Area & Freeman’s Way Recreations fields 5. Patterns and Trends: While Brewster retains many of its small town, rural qualities, many areas are characterized by single-family, residential development with areas of commercial development concentrated along Route 6A as well as along Underpass Road and at the Route 137/Millstone Road intersection. There is also an industrial district in the southeastern section of town. Through the later part of the twentieth century, Brewster’s permanent population steadily grew. In the 1980s and 1990s, new residential development concentrated south of Route 6A, which moved from west to east until it abutted the border of Nickerson State Park. These subdivisions were designed with lots ranging from ¼ to ½ acre in size. Larger lots were developed around the town’s ponds. The Town has constructed two elementary schools. In 1973, the Town had built the Stony Brook Elementary School off Underpass Road. In 1999, a second school, the Eddy Elementary School was constructed on Main Street to meet increased student enrollment and projections. In the late 1980’s the town approved Ocean Edge, a large planned unit development in east central Brewster near Nickerson State Park that covered 390 acres and was planned to have more than 1,200 units. This development was large for Brewster, and its effects on traffic and service needs are still being felt today. Dealing with the complexities of Ocean Edge and the increased pressure of new residential development required the town to revisit its approach to future development. It became necessary to consider where development would be located in relation to the town’s natural resources, and how anticipated future impacts would be mitigated. Further, visitors to the area nearly triple the town’s population during the summer months. These visitors are staying in either newly constructed seasonal homes or camping in Nickerson State Park and other sites. Most are drawn Brewster Open Space and Recreation Plan DRAFT – SECTION 3 14 June 8, 2020 to the area for its outdoor recreational opportunities, and it is anticipated that this seasonal influx will not wane. The demands for open space and recreational resources are driven by both year-round residents, which are increasing in age, and seasonal visitors, which have a wide range of ages, from young families to retirees. Meeting these demands while maintaining and enhancing the integrity of the town’s natural features will need to be balanced. 2.Infrastructure: Describe the existing infrastructure and the effects it has had on development patterns. The intent is to understand the effects of the community’s “gray” infrastructure on its “green” infrastructure, or open space, and to help define and preserve the community’s character. a. Transportation Brewster is located midway on Cape Cod and is accessible by major highways (Route 6, 6A, 124 and 137). Route 6A extends the length of Brewster and is Brewster's Main Street. It is synonymous with the scenic, aesthetic, historic, economic and rural character of the town. It is a designated scenic road and also registered as the Old King's Highway National Register District to further protect it from pressure to accommodate increased traffic that would extinguish the roadway's historically valuable character. Pressure increases each year to expand the roadway in order to accommodate bike traffic, and reconfigure some intersections where left hand turns cause back-ups in traffic. Attempts to expand the paved width of roads in order to accommodate pedestrian, bike and skate traffic have been met with strong opposition from abutters to the roads. Only three roads have sidewalks, albeit incomplete ones. Many pedestrian paths run along portions of these roads. Shoulders tend to be narrow and somewhat steep, with utility poles, trees and smaller vegetation interrupting the shoulders, pathways and sidewalks. Despite the impediments, bike traffic along Route 6A is encouraged to travel on the sidewalk or on the unpaved shoulders, instead of in the vehicular lanes. Residents and visitors also have use of the Flex Bus Service which will drop people off at the beaches. 6,700 riders boarded buses in Brewster in 2011. The 22-mile Cape Cod Rail Trail (CCRT) provides passage through the Town from Dennis to South Wellfleet. About six miles long in Brewster, it is the only designated bike path in town. This trail is heavily used by cyclists, roller-skaters, roller-bladers, skate-boarders, cross-country skiers, walkers and occasionally equestrians. It is a major step toward promoting alternative types of transportation. It serves as a primary corridor, allowing the town to bring bicyclists, horseback riders and walkers to interesting destinations with connector trails. Thousands of bicyclists, hikers and riders use the trail each year. Nickerson State Park also has an eight mile bike path, which connects to the CCRT. Bikes are also ridden along local roads using non-delineated trails. This is dangerous and illustrates a serious need for local and roadside bike lanes. The Brewster Bikeways Committee has coordinated an effort to place “Share the Road” signs on all beach roads throughout town, as well as sticker all Brewster patrol cars with the same bike safety message. A number of trail directional signs have been erected along the CCRT as well as message board signs along the Brewster section. The Committee is working with neighboring Brewster Open Space and Recreation Plan DRAFT – SECTION 3 15 June 8, 2020 towns to coordinate activities, creating the Lower Cape Bikeways Coalition. There is also now a “Bike Brewster” Facebook page. As part of the Cape Cod Pathways Program, Brewster Pathways has a goal of a walking path from Dennis to Orleans, with connections to Harwich and "fingers" extending into various parts of town. Pathways through Nickerson State Park and on to Orleans have been dedicated, as well as a pathway connection routed through the Punkhorn Parklands. This trail is now complete except for a few connecting sections in the middle of Brewster. The Committee has been negotiating with private property owners/associations, but has been unable to plot the trail along property edges to connect open space parcels. A seven-mile section from the Dennis town line to Route 137 has been plotted with GPS, and has been marked with trail signs. Brewster has four walking trails as well as many informal walkways throughout its many acres of conservation land. The majority of walkways and pathways in Brewster are useful mainly for recreational purposes. It is not likely that these pathways will provide alternative means of transportation, because most of them do not lead to destination points, or conveniently connect with other links or modes of transportation. By linking recreational resources and facilities with safe bike or pedestrian paths, a significant amount of vehicular traffic could be eliminated in the future. b) Water Supply System Drinking water in Brewster comes from the Cape Cod Aquifer, a sole source aquifer, through public wells owned and operated by the Brewster Water Department, and a number of private wells, owned and operated by individual homeowners as well as businesses. The Cape Cod Aquifer is comprised of six lenses, including the Monomoy Lens, the second largest of the Cape Cod groundwater lenses. The Monomoy Lens is 66 square miles with a maximum elevation of 30 feet, and provides water to the Town of Brewster, but also to the towns of Dennis, Harwich, Chatham, and Orleans. The Brewster Water Department currently operates five public water wells connected to its distribution system, with a sixth that could be developed into a full production well in the future. The first two wells (well #1, and well #2) initially became operational in 1972, followed by well #3 in 1986. All three of these wells are located off of Freeman's Way. Well #4, located within the Punkhorn Parklands, went into operation in 1992. Well #5, also located within the Punkhorn Parklands, was drilled in 2012 with the Water Department building a pump house and water treatment system to adjust the pH of the water. Well #6 was approved to be put online and fully operational by DEP in January of 2014. The Cape Cod aquifer has a high vulnerability to contamination due to the absence of hydrogeologic barriers (i.e. clay) that can prevent contaminant migration. As such, the town has implemented wellhead protection regulations and a Groundwater Protection District, as well as the District of Critical Planning Concern (DCPC) to oversee land use within that District. Brewster’s Zone II areas are dominated by forests with smaller areas of residential use (7%) and a very small percentage of commercial and industrial land use” (Brewster, 2011). The vast acreage surrounding Brewster’s wellfields also provides for ample passive recreation areas with miles of trails for walking, hiking, birdwatching, dog walking, biking and horseback-riding. Brewster Open Space and Recreation Plan DRAFT – SECTION 3 16 June 8, 2020 a) Wastewater System Wastewater discharges in Brewster are mostly from individual onsite septic systems. Brewster is not served with public sewers or private sewage treatment facilities. The Tri-Town Sewage Treatment Facility in Orleans used to provide a receiving facility for the disposal of septage from Brewster, Orleans and Eastham. This facility has now been closed and the buildings have been demolished. It is uncertain whether a new facility will be built in the future. Managing the impacts of wastewater-associated pollutants, primarily nutrients, on groundwater and surface water resources is a major priority in Brewster. To address these impacts, the town has been involved in a multi-phase Integrated Water Resource Management Plan (IWRMP), which is currently in Phase III. During Phase II, the town commissioned a comprehensive assessment of wastewater management alternatives in Brewster. Phase III will include further examination and prioritization of these alternatives. 7. Long-Term Development Patterns: a. Zoning The town has implemented specific land use controls to minimize the impacts of future development on natural resources. Table 3-7 outlines the town’s current zoning districts, and Figure 3-3 shows the town’s zoning districts geographically. Specific overlay and floating districts and bylaws are used by the town to minimize impacts to natural features and gain protected open space and recreational resources. The Wetland Conservancy District (§179-6) is intended to preserve and maintain the surface water and groundwater that support public water supplies, as well as natural habitats. Lands within the districts include those that border vegetated wetlands, freshwater banks, land subject to flooding, land under a freshwater body, land under the ocean, coastal beaches, barrier beaches, rocky intertidal shores, land under salt ponds, fish runs, coastal dunes, coastal banks, salt marshes and land containing shellfish which are subject to the jurisdiction of the Wetlands Protection Act, MGL c.131, § 40, as amended. They also include specific soil types identified in the bylaw. Uses allowed in Wetland Conservancy Districts are those associated with outdoor activities, such as fishing, hiking, and boating, among other uses that promote and maintain the natural features in these areas. Table 3-7. Brewster Zoning Districts and Bylaws District Minimum Lot Size (square feet) Residential Rural (R-R) 100,000 Residential Low Density (R-L) 60,000 Residential Medium Density (R-M) 60,000 Commercial High Density (C-H) 15,000 Village Business (V-B) 15,000 Industrial (I) 20,000 Overlay Districts Wetland Conservancy District (WCD) - Brewster Open Space and Recreation Plan DRAFT – SECTION 3 17 June 8, 2020 Water Quality Protection Bylaw - Groundwater Protection District (GWPD) - Flood Plain District (FPD) - Site Plan Review –replaced Corridor Overlay Protection District (COPD) - Personal Wireless Services Communications (PWSC) - Facilities Overlay District (CT) - Cluster Residential Development Natural Resource Protection Design Planned Residential Development The Water Quality Protection Bylaw (Article XI) is an overlay district encompassing the entire Town of Brewster. The intent of this bylaw is to establish specific requirements for land uses and activities within those portions of town mapped and identified on the Brewster Zoning Map as the District of Critical Planning Concern (DCPC) entitled “Brewster Water Protection District.” The DCPC includes areas designated as Zone I and Zone II as well as the Groundwater Protection District and the Pleasant Bay Watershed. The bylaw outlines uses that will be exempt from its oversight, but specifically calls out uses that are prohibited town-wide as well as those prohibited in Zone I, Zone II, and/or the DCPC. Performance standards are provided. While not mandatory, cluster development is promoted in Brewster to allow for more flexible residential subdivision design in order to preserve natural features of a property. Under the Cluster Residential Development Bylaw (§179-35) any parcel of at least 10 acres in size in the R-R, R-L and R-M Districts may use cluster development design. The bylaw requires at least 60% of a site be set aside as open space, which must be permanently protected for passive recreational purposes such as walking or riding trails or wildlife corridors and habitats. Cluster development that occurs in DCPC Zone II areas and the Pleasant Bay Watershed is encouraged to follow specified design and layout standards based on the town’s Natural Resource Protection Design (NRPD) Bylaw (Article XIII). The NRPD Bylaw requires applicants for the subdivision of land to conduct a natural resource analysis and development impact statement, which assesses how the proposed development may impact the natural environment, including air quality, water resources, soils, plants and wildlife. Guidance on conducting the analysis and impact statement is provided in Subsection B.3 of Section 290-10 of the Brewster Subdivision Rules and Regulations. The NRPD Bylaw also dictates minimum requirements for dedicated open space acreage, as follows: • R-R District: minimum of 80% • R-L District: minimum of 65% • R-M District: minimum of 65% Among other performance standards and requirements, the bylaw outlines how the maximum number of residential units is calculated. The town also provides density bonuses for projects that include, for example, wastewater treatment for properties outside of the project area that are using Brewster Open Space and Recreation Plan DRAFT – SECTION 3 18 June 8, 2020 Title 5 systems, providing open space greater than the minimum percentage or if the applicant deeds public access to the open space portion of the project. b) Buildout As experienced across the region, the 2010 U.S. Census indicated that Brewster’s population was stagnant, and it had slightly decreased from 2000. Whether declining population is a new trend or a reaction to the 2008 economic and housing market downturn remains to be seen, but the town must consider how much new development will actually occur and at what rate. A build-out analysis was conducted in 2012 for the town as part of the Brewster Integrated Water Resource Management Plan. It looked at two scenarios: a baseline scenario, which was considered “worse case” and assumed development would occur under current zoning regulations, and a Smart Growth scenario, which assumed that development would occur using the town’s cluster development bylaw. The analysis indicated that at full buildout, between 765 and 800 new housing units could be built on existing vacant or underutilized parcels and between 330 and 460 acres of open space could be protected. Under the Smart Growth scenario, more conservation could be achieved around Brewster’s ponds. Table 3-8 summarizes the build-out analysis. The town does not have updated buildout numbers. The Local Comprehensive Plan process is tasked with developing that data and it is in the initial stages. Table 3-8. Summary of Brewster Buildout Analysis (Source: Town of Brewster Buildout Analysis, Prepared by Horsley Witten Group, Inc., 2012) Scenario Number of New Residential Units Acres of Preserved Open Space Acres of Commercial Development Acres of Industrial Development Baseline Scenario 765 329.5 11.3 49.8 Smart Growth Scenario 801 458.6 11.3 49.8 The study also examined the impact of the additional growth, and included an analysis of impervious surface. The findings indicated little difference between the two scenarios. Under the baseline scenario, impervious cover was estimated to be an additional 129.8 acres, and the Smart Growth scenario could add an additional 131.4 acres. The use of stormwater best management practices can help mitigate the impacts. It is ultimately uncertain as to when the town will experience full buildout considering the slow economic recovery in the region. While local development interest has increased, it is anticipated the outlook for future development will fluctuate and the town will have to reevaluate growth expectancy periodically.