OPEN SPACE AND RECREATION

Transcription

1 OPEN SPACE AND RECREATION Open Space Heritage of a Suburban Community Burlington s heritage as an agricultural community may be traced back to its founding as a farming enclave in the mid-1600s. Colonists moved out of the established Massachusetts Bay Colony into an expanse of wilderness, first known as Charleston Woods. This land would later be known as the Town of Burlington. These settlers first found opportunity as subsistence farmers. They established homesteads amidst the hills and vales that dominated the area s landscape and were successful. This success allowed the community to flourish. While the community s governance shifted from a parish to an independent town in 1799, its agricultural basis remained constant. This consistency is at least partially explained by the town s geography, which limited industrial expansion. A few industrial buildings were developed in locations where waterways could power the mills and support an industry mostly comprised of shoe manufacturing. On the whole, however, the area s geography favored the agriculture-based economy that became the dominant trade Burlington citizens relied upon to prosper. A result of the duration of the agricultural economy was a landscape of open lands that continued until the 1950s. This landscape created a rural character that is a valued part of Burlington s history. While most of the farm land is gone, the few large tracts of land and homesteads that remain reflect the town s open space heritage. Most of the open space Burlington has today is a result of protection efforts that were implemented in the latter half of the 20th century. This agriculture-dominated landscape persisted until the first half of the 20th century, when networks of highways and roadways traced their way to the town, better connecting it to Boston and the region. The most significant of these roadways was MA Route 128. MA Route 128 brought traffic from all over the state to Burlington and considerable residential and industrial growth in the town followed its development. Farmland was sold off for development of residential subdivisions and office buildings. Burlington become known for the DRAFT COMPREHENSIVE MASTER PLAN SUMMARY - OPEN SPACE AND RECREATION 71

2 electronics industry that thrived within the municipality. In the ten years between 1955 and 1965, Burlington was recorded as the fastest growing residential community in the state. Today, Burlington is known for its regional shopping and entertainment destinations, importance as a regional employer, and as middle-to-upper income, residential commuter community. Outdoor Spaces and Indoor Recreation Today The rapid urban development that followed the construction of MA Route 128 brought wealth to the community. This development also brought significant variation in land use pattern, greatly altering the town s rural, agricultural character, and impacting its limited open space resources. Burlington is now in the latter stages of the suburban development life cycle. The town is nearly built-out; the overall land use pattern has stabilized. Developed land and open space is mapped on Figure 1, seen on the next page. This figure outlines Burlington s development pattern of non-residential development clustered along major vehicular routes and residential development competing with open space or recreational-oriented lands. The limited amount of vacant land is seen in gray. This balance between the two is tenuous, however, as higher development trends are challenging existing land use patterns. The recent regional trend of multi-family living and the economic advantages of denser mixed-use development have residents looking for more organized recreational facilities and more access to communal open spaces. The open space and recreation facilities in Burlington are being challenged to provide more benefit to more people, within the same regulatory and ownership controls. These trends have reminded citizens that open space resources within Burlington are finite. These concerned residents have worked to protect what remains. While working to meet future demands of a changing demographic, residents have placed an equal value on different types of open space recreational-type areas, open space areas, and natural resource areas. 72 TOWN OF BURLINGTON DRAFT

3 FIGURE 1 - EXISTING LAND USE PATTERNS DRAFT COMPREHENSIVE MASTER PLAN SUMMARY - OPEN SPACE AND RECREATION 73

4 OPEN SPACE AND PARKS The social strength of a community is often dependent on equal distribution and access to the social services it provides. Schools, public safety, and health programs are well-known social services. Availability and use of land dedicated to conservation and to recreation are also essential. Proximity, availability of, and access to open space and recreational resources are known to positively affect sociological well-being. It is important for the Burlington community to ensure no portion of its population is unduly exposed to an unhealthy environment. Rather, the community should have access to a variety of opportunities for physical exercise and social gathering. The Town has worked extensively to provide a variety of options; the community s open spaces and recreational facilities are well-distributed throughout the town. Open Space Open space is public or private land that may provide active or passive recreation opportunities within woodlands, across farmland and fields, around wetlands, watershed areas, and with scenic views and historic sites. Land of scenic quality and contribution to a community s character can also be considered open space. These spaces are important resources for purposes such as conservation, recreation, and agriculture, and are invaluable and irreplaceable community resources that bring environmental, social and economic benefits to a community. Burlington is gifted with a significant amount of open space resources. These resources are owned by both public and private entities and have varying degrees of protection from development. Most of Burlington s open space is protected by Article 97 or deed restrictions and is controlled by the Town s Conservation Commission, Recreation Commission, or Water Department. Despite their abundance, the uneven distribution of Burlington s population within town means that these open space resources are not evenly dispersed across its residents. As seen in Figure 2, most of the total open space area is relegated to a small number of large parcels that are located near or at Burlington s municipal border with Wilmington, Woburn and Lexington. Notable open space areas of substantial size are owned and managed by the Town. These resources consist of the Landlocked Forest, Vine Brook Wellfields, Mill Pond, and the Town Common. There are no open space parcels owned and managed by state or federal governments, or non-profit organizations. 74 TOWN OF BURLINGTON DRAFT

5 FIGURE 2 - OPEN SPACE INVENTORY MAP (OPEN SPACE AND RECREATION PLAN 2011 TOWN OF BURLINGTON 29 Center Street Burlington, MA Feet ,500 3,000 4,500 6,000 O : 62 Winn Street Middlesex Turnpike Terrace Hall Avenue Peach Orcha r d Road 3A Burlington Mall Road Conservation Areas School Land Recreation Land Data provided by MassGIS ( and the Town of Burlington. This map, and the information herein, is intended to be a reasonably accurate representation, but is not guaranteed. The Town of Burlington shall not be held responsible for the accuracy or misuse of these data. Other Municipal Land Other Protected Open Space Private Parcels with Conservation or Recreation Interest Town Land with Conservation or Recreation Potential DRAFT COMPREHENSIVE MASTER PLAN SUMMARY - OPEN SPACE AND RECREATION 75

6 A substantial amount of Burlington s open space and recreation land is comprised of woodlands, most of which are second-growth forests with a few open clearings. These woodlands provide wildlife habitat and passive recreation opportunities. The largest woodland in Burlington is the 270-acre Landlocked Forest. Unlike the other large woodlands in Burlington (140-acre Mill Pond Conservation Area, 36-acre Little Brook, and 27-acre Sawmill Conservation Area), which are protected with conservation restrictions, the Landlocked Forest is not protected. Rather, it is designated as Article 97 land. Very few of the fields that helped establish Burlington s agricultural heritage remain; most farmland has been developed or is now used for active recreation. The largest remaining fields compose the Mary Cummings Park/City of Boston property. The one remaining farm in town is a seven-acre parcel involved in the Chapter 61A program. Nearly a tenth of Burlington is covered in wetlands. Wetlands are composed of water at or just below the ground surface. These natural or man-made features may hold ground-water, surface water, or intermittently form from rain events. Until a few decades ago, wetlands were considered nuisance areas which obstructed the development of land. Naturally, wetlands suffered degradation and elimination. In the early 1960s wetlands became recognized for their value as a means to reduce flooding and pollution, and as wildlife habitat. In 1972, Massachusetts adopted the Wetlands Protection Act (Massachusetts General Law Chapter 131, 40) to regulate work in and around wetlands. Burlington has also adopted their own local regulations and bylaws to ensure the continued health of their wetlands. The largest protected wetland area in the town is the well field area around Vine Brook (see Figure 3). There are also many scenic and historic places in Burlington that contribute to the community s open space character. The Town Common is the historic and civic center of the town and dates back to when Burlington was founded in the mid-17th century. The Old Burying Ground was well-established before Burlington became an incorporated Town. 76 TOWN OF BURLINGTON DRAFT

7 FIGURE 3 - OPEN SPACE, WETLANDS, AND TOPOGRAPHY DRAFT COMPREHENSIVE MASTER PLAN SUMMARY - OPEN SPACE AND RECREATION 77

8 Parks In addition to its substantial open space resources, the community benefits from numerous parcels that provide public spaces for recreational needs. An inventory of these public spaces show few places designated as a park. The Town has set aside acres of land on 13 parcels to create a system of parks that are primarily located within the town s residential neighborhoods. See Figure 4, below. FIGURE 4 - NAMES AND LAND AREA OF RECREATION RESOURCES (BURLINGTON PLANNING OFFICE 2017) Facility Acres Uses Human Services Center 10.0 Multi-purpose field, playground Marvin Field 4.5 Athletic field Mitre Corporation 5.0 Athletic fields, Multi-purpose field Overlook Park 20.0 Sports court, playground Pathwoods Tot Lot 0.5 Sports court, playground Rahanis Park 15.0 Athletic fields, sports courts, playground, picnic area, restrooms Regan Park 6.0 Athletic fields, sports courts, playground Rotary Field 1.7 Athletic field Simonds Park 22.0 Athletic fields, sports courts, playground, skate park, concessions, restrooms TRW Park 7.0 Athletic fields, playground, walking path Veterans Park 5.5 Athletic fields, sports court, playground Wildmere Park 3.0 Sports court, playground Wildwood Park 12.1 Athletic fields, sports courts, playground, picnic area, walking path Total These parks have been created and developed on land that was actively used for other purposes until the middle of the 20th century. For example, the Town Common dates back to the mid-17th century when it was open space used livestock grazing, which stopped on the seven-acre parcel in the 1950s. Overlook Park was created on land that was formerly a U.S. Army Nike missile site. These two examples demonstrate how Burlington has realized the importance of community space and providing a variety of park types to best benefit its residents. 78 TOWN OF BURLINGTON DRAFT

9 The National Recreation and Parks Association offers a set of classifications that could be used for Burlington s parks. Tot Lot describes a very small park with a playground for children twelve years old and younger. Neighborhood parks have some mix of active and passive uses, such as playgrounds, basketball courts, small playing fields, lawn areas and sitting areas, which serve residents within a halfmile radius. Community Park designates a park that contains a mix of active and passive uses. This type of park tends to be larger in size and draw users from a broader area through community programs and civic activities. Community parks serve the public beyond the half-mile radius of the neighborhood park. Community parks usually provide resources and facilities that draw users who may travel to the park by public transportation or by car. Burlington has a number of Tot Lots, most of which are located at the town s public schools. Only two of the 11 parks in Burlington s park system are a neighborhood parks. While Overlook Park is 20-acres in size, it has only one sports court and is without an athletic field. This park is primarily known as the location of the maintenance division of the Town s Recreation Department and as the home of the nonprofit theater organization, the Burlington Players. The largest and most used park in the system is Simonds Park. This 22-acre community park is located in the center of Burlington, near the Town Common. This park is used for a variety of larger-sized recreational activities and community-oriented events. Sports fields, sports courts, a playground, a skate park, and a seasonal ice rink support active recreation. A picnic area and stand of trees support passive recreation. The annual Easter Egg Hunt held at the park draws residents from all areas of Burlington. Mary Cummings Park/City of Boston Property is not considered a park by the Town of Burlington. This property was left in trust for the purpose of being kept forever open as a public pleasure ground. A non-profit promotes use of land for active and passive recreation. The non-profit also promotes the property as an open space resource due to scenic views, wildlife habitat and value as a site with historic significance. DRAFT COMPREHENSIVE MASTER PLAN SUMMARY - OPEN SPACE AND RECREATION 79

10 RECREATION FACILITIES AND PROGRAMS Burlington has an established network of recreation areas that are well-used by town residents and visitors. This network includes numerous playgrounds, playing fields, a recreation center, a youth center, a community garden, and trail systems within parks and conservation areas. The Town supports this network with year-round programming that structures and manages the activities desired by residents when using the various recreation-based facilities. Facilities Playgrounds and playing fields are integral components of the overall recreation program a community offers its residents. Nearly all of Burlington s playgrounds are located on school properties. Besides the school s population, these playgrounds are also used by the surrounding neighborhood residents. The Francis Wyman school is the primary example of how Burlington has integrated school playground and play fields with the needs of the community. Playing fields are located at some of Burlington s public schools as well as at neighborhood and community parks. At most of these schools, playing fields consist of a singular athletic field along with some cleared open area. The schools without a playground or playing field are served by parks in the neighborhood, which all feature play areas (see Figure 5). In addition, Burlington has a Recreation Center at the Center for Human Services. This Center features outdoor and indoor facilities, and is available to community groups on a space-available basis. Outdoor sports and recreation facilities are a multi-purpose field, a major baseball field, and a softball field. Indoors, the Center provides a gymnasium, along with various rooms for programs provided by Burlington s Recreation Department. A youth center is also integral to the community s park system and recreation facilities. Youth center programs regularly utilize recreation and open space resources as they serve a broad range of the population with a diversity of programs. Youth centers often have recreation-based facilities located within their building or are located close to outdoor public parks and open spaces. An example in Burlington is the YMCA associated with the Francis Wyman Elementary School. This YMCA has access to the indoor and outdoor recreation facilities of the school and has the benefit of the nearby of Wildwood Park. 80 TOWN OF BURLINGTON DRAFT

11 FIGURE 5 - BUILDINGS, PARCELS, PARKS, OPEN SPACE AND SCHOOLS DRAFT COMPREHENSIVE MASTER PLAN SUMMARY - OPEN SPACE AND RECREATION 81

12 Also associated with the Francis Wyman Elementary School is a community garden designed to benefit all of Burlington s residents. This garden provides plots for lease to residents, schools, and a volunteer program structured to grow produce for donation to the Burlington Food Pantry. This community garden is expected to expand to address the increasing garden space needs of the growing Burlington population living in apartments, condominiums, public housing and assisted living facilities. Park trails in Burlington typically take the form of multi-use pathways that can be used for walking, running, bicycling, and other activities. The Mill Pond Conservation Area is the largest and most visited conservation area for passive recreation in the town. The 140-acre property surrounds the Mill Pond Reservoir and offers scenic vistas along the numerous trails that meander through woodlands and wetlands. The Pine Glen Conservation area also has well-maintained trails and is used by the nearby Pine Glen Elementary School for environmental education in the conservation area. Programs Burlington s Recreation Department, which is overseen by an elected Recreation Commission, manages over 130 programs and events each year. Programs exist for all ages and range in topic from sports programs, to music and visual arts, to life skills such as baby sitting and financial investing. The Recreation Department has played an important role in the Town s provision of recreation-based resources to its community. This Town department is popular with Burlington residents, many of whom participate in the extensive programs it offers. This popularity and participation has placed a greater demand on the department to provide more recreation facilities, programs for younger children, increase offerings for senior residents, and expand its recreational therapy programs. 82 TOWN OF BURLINGTON DRAFT

13 Enhancing the Quality of Life through Open Space and Recreation Burlington should continue to preserve and enhance its open space and recreation resources. One reason is, together, these resources represent a substantial proportion of land in the town. This notes how much of a role these resources play in the community. The large area of open space provides a natural means to protect the community from storm events, guards environmentally sensitive areas from degradation, and provides wildlife habit that can be enjoyed by the community. Finally, the recreation areas provide a variety of social gathering spaces for a variety of activities. These resources need to be enhanced to meet current and anticipated needs of the community. First, open space and recreation amenities should be better distributed; the current pattern of consolidated lands negatively impacts the quality of life for some in the community and affects the desired character of the town. Second, Burlington s expanding and shifting demographics require an expansion of open space and recreation areas. IMPROVING OPEN SPACE Increasing the amount of open space in Burlington will be challenging as undeveloped private land is virtually unavailable. Additionally, costs associated with the acquisition and development of possible available parcels tend to be high. Burlington, however, should continue its effort to pursue opportunities to acquire and expand open space when and where feasible. The Town should also explore opportunities beyond land acquisition to increase its open space inventory. One example of such an opportunity is reclaiming landscape at roadway intersections and for streetscape improvements that would provide traffic calming, in addition to pocket parks with small sitting areas or passive-use spaces. Open space resources could also be advanced by improving access and introducing new uses, such as greenways and off-leash dog areas, to serve a greater diversity of the population. These improvements should be carefully planned, with community involvement, to provide benefits to all community members. This would ensure the diversity of resources and uses will properly serve users of different ages, abilities and interests. DRAFT COMPREHENSIVE MASTER PLAN SUMMARY - OPEN SPACE AND RECREATION 83

14 Burlington should encourage incremental modification of its commercial and industrial lands to provide support for a broader range of open space sizes and locations. Land devoted to surface parking and aging buildings can be reconfigured through redevelopment to provide a better allocation and orientation of green space and improve pedestrian connections. As Burlington continues to manage development pressures, the next stages of land use changes in the town will need to provide even greater clarity of both expectations and outcomes. Regulatory and bylaw changes will need to provide greater opportunities to address on-going and anticipated open space and recreation needs. Providing additional open space and recreational amenities, while allowing development to occur, will be a primary goal of the Town. This type of management will generate a sustainable, vibrant community. EXPANDING RECREATIONAL CHOICES There are a variety of ways Burlington could work to improve its recreational resources. One possibility is to expand maintenance operations of existing parks and playgrounds into renovation efforts. Renovation would update facilities so a greater segment of the population could be served. Some of the playgrounds in Burlington need to be renovated to better provide access by physical abilities. A facilities master plan developed for the Recreation Department would help establish an understanding of the population s needs. Such a plan would also develop the sequence, time line, and costs of maintenance and renovation to the Town s recreation resources. Burlington could inventory and document desired locations and areas for access to existing and future recreational areas. This would involve working with utility entities, developers, and private land owners to provide land or easements. One goal would be to provide an amenity, such as multiuse path or trail, that would connect or create access to existing recreational resources. Another goal would be to create a smaller-scale park for the public s use and benefit. Burlington is active in the stewardship of its recreational resources. Additional funding will be require to expand this effort. The Town s adoption of the Community Preservation Act will provide an additional source of revenue for some of the initiatives required to improve the recreational resources Burlington provides now, and will need to provide in the future. 84 TOWN OF BURLINGTON DRAFT

15 Open Space and Recreation Recommendations OS1. Increase annual spending on stewardship of existing land sand acquisition of new lands. The Town should adopt the Community Preservation Act, create public/private partnerships, update the 2011 Open Space and Recreation Plan, and coordinate with organizations such as The Trust for Public Land for funding that would be used to acquire and maintain lands for conservation and recreation purposes. OS2. Improve access to and connections between open space and recreation resources for all citizens and visitors. Establish greenway corridors to connect and guide users to the Town s open space and recreation resources. Construct wayfinding systems to better identify and delineate these routes. Encourage and invest in multi-modal transit infrastructure to provide greater accessibility to destinations near or at open space and recreation resource areas. OS3. Actively manage, maintain, and expand open space and recreation facilities. Identify parcels of land, such as the area along Vine Brook, that, if acquired, would significantly contribute to the Town s open space inventory. Prioritize, and where possible, acquire such lands. Expand regulatory controls that allow the Town to accept land donations or acquisitions. OS4. Improve awareness and use of open space lands and recreation resources. Provide and promote additional programs, activities, and events at Town-owned facilities. Encourage more of such actions on privately-owned land. OS5. Increase recreation oriented uses and facilities. Improve access to outdoor recreation facilities, increase awareness of and programming at indoor facilities, and implement renovations at both outdoor and indoor facilities. DRAFT COMPREHENSIVE MASTER PLAN SUMMARY - OPEN SPACE AND RECREATION 85

16 OS6. Promote the protection of wildlife habitat, woodlands, and water resource areas. Review zoning bylaws to determine if open space provisions are sufficient. Wherever possible, acquire lands abutting streams and wetlands. OS7. Encourage use and appreciation of unique public lands with scenic and cultural value. Burlington should promote recreation consistent with the historic uses of the parkland. OS8. Connect Burlington s diverse and dynamic public spaces and programs to create, inspire, and uphold inclusive social interaction. Coordinate efforts to connect public spaces with other organizations and initiatives, such as the Historic Society and Department of Public Works roadway improvements, to ensure private and public efforts reach the greatest number of citizens. 86 TOWN OF BURLINGTON DRAFT