Community Plan Project
Second Community Forum
February 8, 2001
7:00. - 9:00 P.M.
High School Cafeteria
Introduction. The purposes of the February 2001 Forum were: (1) review the Community Plan goals that emerged from the Spring 2000 Survey and October 2000 Forum; (2) begin thinking through the application of these goals; and (3) prioritize next steps in the Community Plan process. Approximately 76 members of the community attended and participated in the February Forum.
Review & confirmation of Draft State of Community Plan Goals and Objectives. Following the discussions of the October 2001 Forum the Community Plan Committee had worked with the project’s consultant to draft a statement of goals and objectives for the Community Plan. The February Forum participants reviewed and considered this draft. By show of hands the assembled participants registered their agreement that this statement represents the main points of agreement that the community has reached so far regarding the direction that should be the aim of Belchertown’s growth management efforts. Presented below is the statement that was reviewed and confirmed by the February Forum.
For Review,
Discussion, and Refinement by the Community
Goal I: Maintain Belchertown’s rural New England
look and feel.
A. Support the agriculture and forestry industries.
B. Avoid degradation of natural resource systems.
C. Seek a traditional land use pattern of focused construction with intervening open spaces
D. Identify, prioritize, and work to conserve key open space parcels for natural resource protection, continued agriculture and forestry, and/or recreation and enjoyment.
E. Identify, prioritize, and work to conserve key landscape views.
F. Establish standards for the scale and site planning of construction.
G. Maintain the Town Common and its immediate surroundings as the heart of town.
H. Establish standards for architecture in public places.
I. Avoid suburban-style roadsides.
Goal II: Manage
residential construction to increase the benefits to the community while
lessening the potential negative effects.
A. Evaluate proactive strategies to lessen the amount and impact of residential construction, and choose ones that fit Belchertown.
B. Encourage planned residential development that incorporates open space preservation and other amenities, for example through clustered site plans and/or mixed use.
C. Encourage the development of types of homes that fit the needs, resources, and preferences of groups who are of particular concern, including seniors, retired people, households with modest incomes, and young people who are just starting out.
Goal III: Evaluate
and achieve business development that contributes to town life, and mitigate
potential negative impacts.
A. Support the agriculture and forestry industries.
B. Identify, prioritize, and work to attract the types of businesses we would like to come to our community.
C. Designate areas for non-polluting industrial activities where they can be adequately served by the infrastructure systems and buffered from surrounding land uses.
D. Designate focal areas for shopping and service centers, and specify site plan and construction standards that support Belchertown’s community character. [Centralized or decentralized?]
E. Allow [designate areas for?] outlying, small scale neighborhood business.
F. Provide the infrastructure necessary to serve the kinds of businesses we wish to attract.
G. Encourage home-based business enterprises, with standards for parking, signs, hours of operation, and other elements that might impact the surrounding neighborhood.
From Planning Goals to Planning Tasks. The Public Participation Project’s consultant, Jeanne Armstrong, then presented to the participants a chart that showed how agreements reached during each planning phase shape the tasks that need to happen in subsequent phases. Below is the chart that shows how input and questions at the October Forum led to the February Forum’s discussion questions. The chart also contains sample next planning steps.
Task
|
February 2001 Forum |
Subsequent Phases |
|
Review, refine, confirm statement of goals & objectives |
Refine & endorse as good working draft |
Refine as more information becomes available |
|
Map showing infrastructure systems |
Draft
for Forum
|
Refine map & consider future extensions |
|
Map of currently preserved open space |
Draft for Forum |
Refine map to show priority areas for preservation |
|
Confirm overall approach |
Sense of consensus regarding how assertively to act. |
Explore options and agree on actions. |
|
Detailed review of strategies to conserve open space: what regulations can do. |
|
Keyed to the types of open space prioritized by community. |
|
Further discussion of different types of business, and where they might fit |
Identify potential business areas in “our” part of town |
Consider & agree on zoning districts, standards, regulations for business development and redevelopment
|
|
Assess traffic impact of centralized vs. decentralized business areas |
|
Based upon refined definitions of potential sites and types of business |
|
Identify & seek kinds of housing development that will benefit the town |
Agree on groups of people whose needs aren’t being met. |
Consider & agree on preferred types of housing; choose strategies |
|
|
Begin considering other benefits to seek through housing developments |
Consider & agree on preferred site plans; choose strategies |
|
Design & implement measures to lessen negative impacts of housing development |
Begin to prioritize the impacts that want to lessen or avoid |
Evaluate options and choose most effective strategies |
|
Conceptual plan for center of town: land uses, public investments |
|
Coordination of many objectives pertaining to this key area. Could include community charette design workshop |
|
Fiscal impact of different land use types and subtypes |
|
To assist with decisions regarding incentives for desired types of development |
|
Strategies to lessen impact of ANR development |
|
As part of zoning tools |
|
Management & administrative tools |
|
Roadway improvement policies, standards for permits to connect into infrastructure systems |
Discussion Groups: Moving toward implementation of our goals. Participants then went to their pre-assigned discussion groups, where they shared and compared opinions regarding implications of the Community Plan’s goals. Each group had a recorder who read the talking points identified by the Community Plan Committee. The recorder then noted down the thoughts expressed by persons in the discussion group. Below are presented the talking points for each goal, with the responses recorded for each group. [Each group’s identifying number refers to the room to which the group was initially assigned. Recorders used “*” to indicate points of general agreement.]
1. Goal I is to maintain Belchertown’s rural New England look and feel.
Results
of the recent town survey and the public forum show that residents like the
look and feel of a rural New England community. Given that changes will occur and growth will
happen, how can we work toward this goal?
Talking
points:
A. How assertively do you think we, the town, should seek to conserve open space for agriculture & forestry, natural resource protection, recreation and scenic views?
For example, influence through zoning?
Use Town money to buy land, development rights, or scenic easements? Other?
B. For you, how high a priority is it to preserve the Town Common and its immediate surroundings as the heart of town?
For example, would this be more important to you than preserving open space, directing residential
growth, developing recreation facilities, promoting desired business development…?
C. Would you favor standards for architecture in public places and the preservation of scenic roads?
If so, please list specific examples of where.
What people at
our table favor, and where:
A.
Use whole spectrum: zoning, buying land – very aggressive, raise taxes
Zoning to restrict development; buying land bad: too expensive
Moratorium on building [like Amherst tried]
* Not for buying land; don’t compete with developers
* Zoning and subdivision restrictions to protect open space; cluster development
Zoning should take into consideration character of existing housing; keep adequate buffers
Subdivision controls to restrict rate of subdivisions; phase ins, too
Increase size of lots
* Buy open space with town money; use tools available
Summary: Split 50/50 on using town money to buy land
Zoning & subdivision restrictions to slow development and protect open space
Open space set aside in all residential development plans
B.
* Town Common just the way it is.
Historical Commission should be more powerful
Summary: Preserve Town Common from development
Empower Historic Commission more
C.
*Architecture yes for commercial properties
* Preservation of scenic roads & landscape is important
Summary: Use small town character/architecture for commercial properties
Preservation of scenic roads & landscape is important
Group
202
Scenic Routes really help: brick walls, fields
Recreation space
Lakes – sewer system must be done especially at the lakes
The Lakes District is important – need to become town concerns
Runoff issues into water: trash, oil, etc from road/business – need to be looked at
Public input on design process for buildings
Will need to think about having “modern” visions for New England look that incorporates contemporary
Town Common is a priority
Group 203
Loss of open space, prioritizing permanent open, encouraging housing that is affordable
Open space – drawn to Btown based on open area, keeping the diversity of people.
Open space – new homes cost of taxes, kinds of homes geared toward families with children. Doesn’t cover the cost. Farming and forestry are net contributors to the tax base.
Open space – forestry and agriculture don’t demand services as business and family does. Loss of ecosystem, clean water, clean air, wildlife – as you cut up land these things will be gone. No mechanism to have people hold their land and not feel compelled to sell the land. Issue of land values increases the value i.e. taxes on our land. Find ways to find sustainable practices for families to hold onto their land
Single family homes largest lots possible. Cluster home decrease population density. Traffic & residential development or location and businesses.
Groups 204/205
For our next generation group strongly held town should purchase open space – scenic/visual, wildlife
Town Common priority but other space more critical.
Favor standards for traditional architecture.
Justify that we should own or preserve roadside
Improtant as a town to do this – spend some monies, need to identify which
Absolutely – look and feel, takes in consideration the environment
Absolutely – town asset, land is finite, put pressure for good development
Absolutely, necessary to protect wild places
Hunters more dangerous
Use municipal funds
Safety – slow flow of traffic
Group 206
A.
Be very assertive and use tax dollars
Keep rural by using larger setbacks
Encourage land donations
Seek alternatives to using tax dollars
B.
Town Common stands alone
#1 priority = keep Common
Keep Town Common area and buildings historic
Be more stringent about new buildings
Town Common is core of community
C.
Architectural standards in public places: YES!!
But, need to work with businesses and industry on “reasonable” specs.
Preserve scenic roads: generally yes. Use setback requirements
Group 207
A.
Primary preference: all of the above
B.
Open space #1
Town Common #2
Some feel 1&2 are part of same
C.
202 north toward Pelham
Cold Springs Road
Old Springfield Road
Salem Street
Rte 21 toward Ludlow
View toward Seven Sisters
Groups 208/209
Very aggressive
Forestry management of town open space
Using town resources [gravel, timber] incorporated into town projects or to generate revenue to purchase open space
Leave the Common where it is and preserve its character
Group 210
A.
*Yes, use Town money. Be aggressive.
Assess taxpayers and have the $ available
How about $100, $50, $40, $30 per residence
Show a payoff [in Town Meeting]
Push on Channel 5 ahead of meeting
Back to requirement on developer for open space
B.
Preserve it. We mean center of town Historic District. No more build there.
[Consensus on this. Need teeth in regulations.]
Cafeteria Group
* Very assertive – enact Community Preservation Act
Need the financial sources – need more active participation
* More community education
** Be very assertive – use regulations, education, e.g. cluster development
Use town money to buy land
* Very important to preserve Town Common
*Emphasis on Town acquiring land to preserve
Incentives to farmers and land owners not to sell to developers, include small lot owners
Control location of single family housing
Questions &
suggestions we have about these strategic approaches:
Group 202
Town Common should not be sole focus or other valuable areas will be lost
Need a full list to prioritize
Recreation and open space are not one and the same; balance out recreation/open space & woods options, passive & active options
High priority for open space preservation: adopt policies, use land trust, state programs, etc.
Agricultural districts – ex. near state school
Be aggressive about open space: use regulatory means – create corridors for protection and connecting open spaces
Umass forest area near Mill Valley offers good recreation
Network of trails for recreation, connect spaces. Trail map for Belchertown
Can we think of outdoor recreation as business draw – destination? [Some disagreed, but most agreed]
Do a Little Dig – sink Route 9
Preserve farm houses & stone walls
Group 203
Require developers to set aside property for open space without development rights, donating development rights to town
Preserve wetland in perpetuity
Tax the price of gas in town to set aside $ for preserve land. Get people to live and work in town. Not to degrade. Using goods in town.
Encourage assisted living that doesn’t require school services. Empty nester. Neighborhood land trusts. Sell development rights to a trust to preserve open space
Conserve lots/a portion of open space
Requiring developers not to clear cut land for development, planning around trees
Groups 204/205
Mobile society – want to own part of roadside. I feel it’s important.
Put money where mouth is.
Zoning, public money, and more committee
Falmouth is buying open space
Don’t want to see billboards
Scenic roads act/ stone
walls and trees
Wild life corridors
Committees to identify open space
Privacy: for animals/people, wildlife corridors
Group 207
1. What is a scenic easement?
2. How can Town encourage forestry and agriculture?
3. Define Heart of Town
Group 210
Bypass the traffic through town
Cafeteria Group
Knights Pond & local aquifer – Tri-Lakes area
**Preserve the Town Common and other areas such as
Umass orchard
Areas near the Quabbin
Preserve South Belchertown farmlands
* Town needs to be proactive in protecting open space
Identify forest owners and farm owners, aggressively approach them & inform public of options
*Apply for state grants
Enact the Community Preservation Act
**Town Comon for architectural limitations
Protect properties adjacent to Quabbin
Protect open space, protect habitat for wildlife
Building moratorium – can we put in place?
Cluster development -- plan for residential development, smart growth
Increase lot size?
2. Goal II is to manage residential construction to increase the
benefits to the community while lessening the potential negative effects.
Results of the recent town survey and the public forum show
residents feel that future residential growth and construction should be slowed
or even stopped. Given that residential
growth and construction will occur, how can Belchertown best manage
residential construction to increase the benefits to the community while
minimizing the potential negative effects of this growth?
Talking
points:
A. Specifically, what do you think are the 1 or 2 most negative impacts of residential construction that we should try to lessen? The total number of new homes? The loss of open, undeveloped land? Rural roadsides looking more suburban? Impact on Town services? Other?
B. As a favored alternative to standard subdivisions, do you think the Town should encourage planned residential development that incorporates open space preservation and other amenities? For example, cluster site plans? Maybe with small shops or other special facilities combined with the homes?
C. Specifically which groups of people do you think we should be especially concerned about because their housing needs and preferences are not met by typical 4 bedroom single family houses on their own lots? Retired people? Seniors? Singles and couples who are just starting out? Others?
What people at
our table think:
Modest single family housing community to conserve more land and resources; open space requirements & recreation
Cluster development
*Against cluster development
*Senior citizen housing. Suggest state school housing. Special housing is ok for this class of people
*Tax relief for senior citizens to stay where they are.
*Low income housing
Summary A: Number of new homes
Loss of open space
Summary B: Encourage modest single family housing to conserve land and town resources
Have open space requirement in all classes of residential development
Most were against cluster development
Summary C: Encourage senior citizen housing
Encourage tax relief for senior citizens to stay in their houses
Generally against low income apartments
We have some abandoned housing and lots – can we recycle and reuse? E.g. near Holland Lake
The negative is large lot sizes cut big spaces
Consider co-housing and apartment options [small developments]
Keep housing at reasonable scale – are 3,000 – 4,000 s.f. homes necessary?
Support for open space and cluster housing
Some questions about cluster – likes the look of old farm houses – these should be preserved
Privacy is important to residents – policies must preserve this.
Impact on services [need to expand]
Good public services/not pay taxes
Sprawl and congestion of unplanned, “bacteria growing”, no planning for services & traffic
Traffic
Increase in private roads, not maintained
Congestion on services & roads/ taxes going up/ no reprieve
Loss of open space & views/designate certain toads as vistas
A.
[Negatives]
Loss of open space
Roads that lead to nowhere; not well planned
Cluster housing
Too little frontage is required
Visual blight on rural roads
Lack of sufficient setbacks
Total number of new houses in Town
B.
Not cluster housing
Separate “amenities” from the housing
Small shops should not be nearby the residential areas
C.
Seniors
Retired people
A.
1. Loss of open space
2. # of children
3. Traffic
4. Police, Fire, Tax base
B.
Discourage if increases density of population
Rezone to larger lot size
C.
Preference for senior adult only houses
Lessen poor architecture and tax impact
Need housing for lower income housing
Should have a minimum lot size –[2-3 acres], proper well/septic siting
More public water and sewer
Spread the houses out
Light pollution, vegetated buffers between houses
Re special housing needs: OK but they must be self-supporting; we may have enough already?
A.
Increased traffic
Frontage eaten up by lots
Impact on services
All those driveways [affecting traffic]
B.
Street design – access without traffic
Set aside park-like area in every subdivision
What is open space?
Write zoning bylaws that are usable
C.
Young couples – hard to get in
Elderly. Toward assisted living [discussion on costs, etc]
Lack of rental housing
Council on Aging concerns
Nursing assistance
Set aside usable space – accessory apartments?
Cafeteria Group
Cluster development
Blends in with rural character of town
Ugly architecture
Strain on school system and public service in small community
Both financial and physical appearance
Building moratorium
Increase traffic – drain on existing roads
Housing needs:
1. Seniors
2. Moderate income housing – need more
Questions &
suggestions we have about these strategic approaches:
Is the one acre lot rule helping us?
What impact of homes on 1 acre lots? This is a way to assess 5, 10 etc acre. What is needed.
Big lots mean big houses. If you can afford the land, you have enough for a big house.
Get town planning – Umass – can we work with them?
Protections for maintaining value of existing property
Mixed development – more jobs in areas
Offer incentives and mixed communities so just walk to work
Control clear cutting
Set houses back from road
No restaurants
Traffic/walking/ pedestrian
Recreational
Increased lot sizes – planning
Increased lot size
Larger setbacks
Increased frontage
Keep business areas and residential areas separate
Moratoriums
How did it get out of hand? Why not open space previously?
Change in state regs – cluster by right
Water table!! What are we doing to maintain?
Different rules for different areas
Do developers pay fair share of taxes
For C, something between subsidized and expensive
Property tax abatements
Build smaller housing units
Assisted living facilities
Cluster developments
3. Goal III is to evaluate and achieve business development that
contributes to town life, and mitigate potential negative impacts.
Results of the
recent town survey and the public forum show that residents want businesses and
amenities that are not typically part of a small rural town, but there is
disagreement over the types and locations of these businesses and
amenities. How can Belchertown best
evaluate and achieve business development and amenities that contribute to town
life without detracting from the desired character and appearance?
Talking
points:
A. Where do you think would be the best places for retail and services businesses to be located in Belchertown? Larger, centrally located areas? Smaller, outlying areas throughout town?
Specifically where? How assertively should we set standards for site planning and building design?
B. Please suggest areas where non-polluting industrial businesses could be located – places with adequate infrastructure and buffering from surrounding land uses.
C. Might you favor the Town investing in sewer, water, road improvements or other “infrastructure” if it were needed to attract the types of business desired by townspeople? Under what circumstances?
Where people at
our table think desirable retail, service & industry should be located:
Summary A: Utilize state school property
Central locations – business zoned
Summary B&C: [Didn’t get to these]
Forestry & agriculture – jobs for teens, good experience, many positives!
Continue development of existing centers of business -- 202, 9/202 – but not malls nor box development
Agrees with preceding point, also State School development may offer opportunity
Central – commercial vs. industrial. Landscaping around existing business zones to make them more New England. Would support one consolidated industrial park. Route 9 in Btown not like in Hadley!
Some mix of commercial and industrial, e.g. State Street. Don’t let it sprawl
Agriculture & forestry – use it so it won’t be developed. Farmer: many benefits to agriculture
Center of town is the worst place in town – try bypass road around center of town, Route 9 area around milestone crossing
Creating a bypass road around center of town – corner of 9 & 202 business. Stay away from Town Common.
Agree with bypass of center of town and creating a small business group in town
Agree with bypass with concentration around 9/202
A little of both synergistic stores around super market 9/202 but also idea of having neighborhood convenience stores
Need to look at neighborhood stores if costs benefit neighbors to shop there. Town center a precious commodity. Look at bypass around center. Shops where new post office down back to state school property behind CVS.
202-South/Route 9 & 202 – already there
Architecture New England
Business in town
Discussion on commercial
A.
Business in center of town along Route 9
Larger, centrally located areas in center, maintain historic look and feel; be assertive about standards
B.
Old dump off Hamilton Road
Main campus of former BSS
Along Route 9
Need stronger sewer regs. for industrial discharge
Good oversight; careful site plan review
Noise limits
Control lighting [not big bright lights or spotlights]
C.
Not with tax incentives
Don’t have the town do it; have incoming business pay
If town invests, costs should be recovered from users
Consensus: prefer to have businesses “foot the bill”
A.
Seems to occur naturally Route 9 & 202, State School
South B’town
Don’t want to see additional retail and services
Centralization seems important
Maintain agricultural businesses on outskirts
B.
Some other towns
Piper Farm – passive energy sources. Solar, fuel cells, etc.
Old Springfield Road
Bay Road
State School Property
Routes 9 & 202
Utilize RR tracks
C.
Yes, would want to have happen [1 dissenter concerned about doing it just for businesses sake
State School infrastructure already present
Vicinity Rte 202 & Rte. 9 – controlled development
No blinking lights in historical
State School
Target business to come here, not just anybody
Build sewer/water/road as needed
A.
We haven’t set aside areas – sset aside around intersections, traffic lights, easy access, make it easy to get in
But what about seniors who can’t drive far? Use the shuttle
Needs infrastructure [business in outlying areas]
B.
State school land – obvious
C.
Yes, but up Allen Road [off topic]
**Keep central business location – don’t expand, use existing infrastructure
Encourage satellite areas
* Keep business in center of town and already established
State School, Town center, 9/202
Business zoning changes – light industrial in a designated area near railroad
Court House location – need satellite businesses, e.g. food stores, gas, computer businesses, home based businesses
Keep personal services local with satellite locations [pre-existing]
* Maintain Town Common and community character
Do not want transport facilities, nuclear facilities, prison, mill facilities, large mall, no Walmarts
Questions and
suggestions we have about evaluating potential business
and attracting
the types we want:
Hard to get around on foot or bike. Creating central bike/walkways connecting to rec. trails, etc. You have to drive to get to walk.
Mason Building example of bad design re: preserving look and feel. Would like to use design standards. Could they re retroactive to make existing look like country town? Add trees, landscaping
Kinds of business: food store, restaurants [not chains], movie theater/bowling like Tower theater. Could we convert. Niche stores – anchors to keep
There is support for selective industrial development at appropriate site
Local business ownership
Group
203
Problem with infrastructure due to lack of sewer/water
Road size small
Look at business that doesn’t require that type of infrastructure. Small home based services
I don’t know if I want businesses
Evaluate business in terms of pollution, not regretting business that closes in future which you regret.
Deal with traffic problems and how business would affect traffic
[Need more time on each question]
Groups
204/205
Home business – encourage home, non-invasive
Possibly more employees
Small grocery ok
Groups
208/209
We need day care
Telecom
Family businesses rather than new ones
[questions too complicated and long]
Group
210
If we have infrastructure at State School, why can’t we move on it??
We don’t have the political clout to get $$ from Boston
But once they give it to us, contamination is our problem
Cafeteria
Group
Agricultural business, where does it fit in?
Provides open space – encourage woodlots
Tax incentives
Group exercise to prioritize next planning steps. Forum participants were presented with newsprint sheets on the wall. On the sheets were grouped potential next steps toward a plan of action to implement the goals of the Community Plan. The list of possible next steps had been drawn from community deliberations to this point, and the potential actions were grouped under the goals that they would pursue. Recorders from the evening’s discussion groups raised additional possible next steps that had emerged from their groups’ discussions. In some cases these additional suggestions were combined with items already on the lists, and in other cases a separate item was created. Once there was agreement that the listed items represented promising potential steps that could make progress on the community’s goals and concerns, each participant used 3 green stick-on spots to “vote” for the actions that he/she thought were the ones that should be undertaken over the coming year. Presented below are the results of that “vote”, reported according to way the potential actions were grouped on the posted sheets. The numbers in brackets are the number of green dots that participants placed next to each item.
Identify scenic roads to protect. Pros & cons of “improving” road, including widening. Ways to avoid cutting up road’s edge [with numerous driveways]. [4]
Identify most important open space to conserve. [6]
Study ways to protect open space, including sources of money. Information/education for community and for landowners. [36]
Identify scenic views and road sites. Examine impacts of sprawl. [2]
Evaluate ways to control growth [47]
Study how to gain desired types [0]
Evaluate cluster vs. standard subdivisions. Stop sprawl [16]
Identify desirable types of business and best locations [12]
Study pros and cons of attraction strategies, plus foster local businesses [19]
Evaluate ways to improve permitting regulations and processes [10]
General
[i.e. make progress toward more than one goal]
Compare revenues and service costs of different types of development
[e.g. residential vs. business, different types of business and residential] [1]
Do area plan for Town Center [include preserving Town Common] [23]
Study pros and cons of extending sewer and water [8]
Listed in descending order of the number of “votes” received, here are the next planning steps that were prioritized by the forum’s participants:
Evaluate ways to control [housing] growth [47]
Study ways to protect open space, including sources of money. Information/education for community and for landowners. [36]
Do area plan for Town Center [include preserving Town Common] [23]
Study pros and cons of [business] attraction strategies, plus foster local businesses [19]
Evaluate cluster vs. standard subdivisions. Stop sprawl [16]