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HomeMy Public PortalAboutOpen Space Summary Paper 1 | P a g e BREWSTER VISION PLANNING COMMITTEE SUMMARY PAPER OPEN SPACE July 2022 I. BACKGROUND Open space figured prominently in the first Vision workshops in 2017. As a treasure, participants valued protected open space because of its contribution to Brewster’s rural character, low density, tranquility, protection for the Town’s drinking water supply, recreation, and preservation of natural habitat. Related to open space, participants also noted the value of open space-based recreation including specific locations such as bike trails, Nickerson State Park, the Punkhorn Parklands, the Brewster tidal flats, and the Captains’ Golf Course. Acquiring land for recreation and habitat protection and improving the use of Drummer Boy Park were noted as significant opportunities. Finally, open space was the second most mentioned theme in participants’ vision statements, with specific references to natural beauty, rural character, environmental responsibility, and a “green” community. The community survey also reinforced the importance of open space in Brewster. The building block received the second highest average score of all building blocks after water resources. Further the single highest scoring action in the survey was “Identify and protect priority parcels in sensitive natural resources areas, particularly in designated drinking water supply areas”, listed under the Open space building block. Indeed, land protection in drinking water supply areas (Zone IIs), has become a leading criteria for land acquisition for both Town of Brewster and Brewster Conservation Trust land acquisition projects. By these characteristics, open space is closely linked to many other Vision building blocks including Town character, the local economy, water resource protection, and community infrastructure. In other words, actions to protect open space will contribute to these other building blocks. These findings are consistent with the results of the survey conducted as part of the update of the Town’s Open Space and Recreation Plan in 2021. The results highlighted the importance of hiking and walking trails and making them more accessible. The results also indicated support for the Town’s continuing its partnerships in protecting land and strengthening zoning to encourage conservation. Survey respondents strongly supported the development of a Town-wide plan for trails, sidewalks, and biking routes. In addition to the contributions to the Town’s character and recreational opportunities, open space contributes in many ways economically and financially to the Town. In contrast to other Cape Towns, Brewster’s past open space investments have, in part, allowed the Town to avoid the high cost of sewering large areas of Town in sensitive watersheds. A recent study by the Trust for Public Land found that every dollar of investment in conservation generated $4 in natural goods and services to the Massachusetts economy. A study of the cost of services in Brewster in 2001 found that for every dollar of revenue generated, average residential development required $1.30 in public services while open space and farmland required only 31 cents making them net contributors to the Town’s fiscal health. 2 | P a g e While Brewster residents and visitors appreciate the rural feel and low density development, it is important to recognize what is “open space”. Protected open space generally refers to the “green infrastructure” of a community. It may include woodlands, agricultural lands, marshes, scenic vistas, and recreation areas. Many people may perceive much of the undeveloped land in Brewster as permanent open space, but in fact much of it is not. A study by Mass Audubon in 2014 characterized Brewster as 29% protected open space, 29% developed, and 42% vacant. In comparison to Brewster, 34% of Barnstable County is protected open space. A recent analysis of the conversion of “vacant land” in Brewster from 2013 to 2020 indicated that an equal amount of land has gone from vacant to developed as from vacant to conservation – 158 acres. Current Status and Trends The Town of Brewster currently has many open space and recreation resources protected from development. The Town’s Open Space and Recreation Plan provides a detailed summary of currently protected lands, but a partial list includes: 2,200 acres of state and non-profit protected lands, 1,000 acres of municipally owned lands, and 822 Town-owned acres controlled by the Conservation Commission. The not-for-profit Brewster Conservation Trust owns 618 acres of permanently protected land and an additional 253 acres through conservation restrictions on private land. Orenda Wildlife Land Trust owns another 27 acres, and the Brewster Conservation Commission also has conservation restrictions on a number of privately held properties. The Town’s commitment to open space started many years ago with the purchase of over 800 acres in the Punkhorn Parkland in the late 1980’s and early 1990’s to protect the wellfields in West Brewster. During the same period, the Town also purchased several hundred acres in south-east Brewster to protect wellfields in that part of Town. Even though water supply protection has been an important criterion for land acquisition in recent years, only approximately 40% of the “Zone II” (area of draw-down around Town wells) is currently protected. Many recent land purchases have involved multiple funding sources: this means that significant lands have been protected with only a portion coming from Town funds. For example, in 2015 the Town purchased three acres adjacent to Drummer Boy Park for $500,000 which included a state grant of $260,000 and $100,000 from the Brewster Conservation Trust, leaving the Town to pay $140,000. Similarly, the recent purchase of four pond front acres on Rt. 137 in East Brewster (also in the Zone II) for $400,000 by the Brewster Conservation Trust included a $100,000 Town contribution, a state grant, and private contributions. From 1999 to 2014, for every $1 invested in open space acquisition, the Town has leveraged $1.11 from other sources. As a heavily used public park and scenic vista, Drummer Boy Park represents a unique asset in Brewster. The Drummer Boy complex includes 17 acres of Town land purchased in 1988, an acre owned by the Brewster Historic Society which houses the iconic Higgins windmill and the BHS historic village, two acres of Windmill Meadows owned by the Brewster Conservation Trust, and the recently acquired three-acre Town property to the east of the open area. The Town updated the Master Plan for Drummer Boy Park in 2021, and is currently in the permitting phase to develop a raised board walk across the marsh, linking the park to the coastal beach and uplands at Wings Island. 3 | P a g e With the acquisition of protected open space comes the responsibility for maintaining it: keeping trails open and picking up along roadsides. Currently, this is largely done by Town staff, BCT staff, and crews of volunteers. II. RECENT ACTIONS BY THE TOWN Brewster’s Open Space Committee completed an update of the Town’s Open Space and Recreation Plan (OSRP) in 2021. The OSRP is a comprehensive look at open space issues, needs, goals, and actions. The Plan identifies the following overarching goals: 1. Protect the Town’s drinking water supply to meet the needs of residents today and in the future. 2. Provide open space and recreation opportunities that maintain Brewster’s rural character and small coastal community identity and support a sustainable local economy as a center for eco-tourism. 3. Preserve and enhance habitat diversity and protect marine and fresh surface water resources to maintain their ecological functions and values to the community. 4. Provide a variety of recreation and open space opportunities to promote active and healthy lifestyles for Brewster residents, ensuring equitable access for all users and abilities. 5. Support coordination and communication of regional open space and recreation needs. Acquiring and managing open space to protect water resources and provide outdoor recreation has been an important goal for the Town and other organizations, such as the Brewster Conservation Trust. Between 2018 and 2020, 13 parcels totaling 133 acres in the drinking water supply areas have been protected, often through a partnership of Town and BCT. The Brewster Water Commissioners have also recognized this priority and have created funding within their tariff structure for land protection. To assess the importance of land parcels for protection, the Town and BCT use criteria such as location in Zone 2 drinking water supply, presence of rare and endangered habitat, and potential for walking trails. This places most of the high priority areas for conservation in east and west Brewster. The Trust has developed a detailed matrix of weighted values for parcel assessments. Much has also been accomplished in Town to improve access to open space and recreation resources. The Town expanded the satellite parking lot at Crosby Landing and a new access linking the Rail Trail at Nickerson State Park to the bayside at Linnell Landing has been designed and permitted. This multi-use trail will provide walking and bike access to a large stretch of state owned beach. The Town and BCT have opened up new public trails and published an updated guide to Brewster’s walking trails. In addition, BCT’s expanded walks and talks programs explore many of the open space resources in Brewster. Indeed, during the pandemic, there has been a dramatic increase in the use and demand for public walking and hiking trails in Brewster. 4 | P a g e III. KEY ISSUES MOVING FORWARD Acquiring and managing open space to protect water resources and provide outdoor recreation will continue to be an important goal for the Town and other organizations, such as the Brewster Conservation Trust. The acquisition of the former Cape Cod Sea Camps, including a 55-acre parcel on Rt. 6a with frontage on Cape Cod Bay and a 66-acre parcel stretching from Rt 137 to Long Pond presents enormous possibilities for the expansion of open space and passive and active recreation. The Town has established planning committees for both the Bayside and Long Pond properties, each charged with the development of a comprehensive plan for the respective properties. The planning committees for the properties will consider all potential uses for the properties to develop a master plan consistent with community needs. A new access linking the Rail Trail at Nickerson State Park to the bayside at Linnell Landing has been designed and permitted but funding sources are yet to be determined. IV. BUILDING BLOCK GOAL Maintain and expand open space assets to provide passive recreation, protect fragile plant and wildlife habitat, protect water resources, and contribute to carbon sequestration.