VII. Community Facilities and Services

A. Overview

Community facilities and services are a major contribution to the quality of life for Belchertown residents. Residents enjoy a high level of service, but should look to the future demands placed on the system by projected population growth. This chapter provides an inventory and analysis of existing services. The analysis measures the capacity and level of service of capital facilities such as water supply and distribution, waste management, health, public safety and education. All town-owned facilities, infrastructure, and equipment are included in this definition.

B. Goals and Policies

The following policies were developed to work toward the three overall goals for the town determined during the community vision phase of the community plan project.

Goal 1: To maintain Belchertown’s rural New England look and feel.

Policies related to community facilities and services for Goal 1:

§ Development of new infrastructure should occur only after an analysis of how it may affect the community

§ Current and future facility needs of the community including the adequacy and location of facilities should be assessed periodically

§ Municipal projects should be designed to be visually consistent with this goal

§ The town should have a Capital Improvement Plan Program Committee to expend the town’s money efficiently

Goal 2: Manage residential construction to increase benefits to the community while lessening potential negative effects.

Policies related to community facilities and services for Goal 2:

§ Municipal infrastructure decisions should analyzed as to how they will influence residential growth

Goal 3: Evaluate and achieve business development that contributes to town life and mitigate potential negative effects.

Policies related to community facilities and services for Goal 3:

§ Infrastructure development should provide for the types of businesses identified as desirable by the town’s residents

• Traffic patterns should be considered in conjunction with surrounding towns to avoid congestion, to discourage the use of small roads as through-streets, and to facilitate the flow of traffic to business sites

Goal 4: To plan capital improvements systematically to meet and anticipate community needs efficiently and responsibly.

Policies related to community facilities and services for Goal 4:

• All capital expenditure decisions should be reviewed by the Capital Improvement Program Committee recommended in Goal 1

C. Inventory

The Town of Belchertown provides certain basic services, including police, fire, and ambulance service. Town staff and boards are also responsible for administering various state and local regulations, such as wetlands regulations, building codes, and health codes. Additional services, such as road maintenance, water provision, and recreation programs are also the responsibility of town staff. An inventory of town services is discussed in the following sections.

Improvements to capital facilities are planned and scheduled according to the town’s Five-Year Capital Improvement Plan (CIP). The CIP is a moderately extensive estimate of the needs for capital expenditures that is used for budget planning. The CIP is developed by the Town Administrator with input from all town departments, and serves as a useful tool for the Board of Selectmen, Finance Committee, and other boards. The recommendations contained in this plan are to be used in the development of the Capital Improvement Plan. By reference, the CIP is incorporated into this plan.

Similarly, improvements to capital facilities related to the School Department are planned and scheduled according to a Five-Year Schools Capital Improvement Plan (SCIP). The SCIP is a moderately extensive estimate of the needs for capital expenditures that is used for budget planning. The SCIP is developed by the School Superintendent with input from the School Committee, school principals, and maintenance staff, and serves as a useful tool for the School Committee, Board of Selectmen, and Finance Committee in planning the successive school budgets. The recommendations contained in this plan are to be used in the development of the Capital Improvement Plan. By reference, the CIP is incorporated into the community plan.

Town Administration and Services

Belchertown’s government is categorized by function. The categories are General Government, Protection of Persons and Property, Education, Public Works, Human Services, and Culture and Recreation. The main departments under these categories are listed here. General government includes most of the offices managing the daily administration of the town’s business. These are the Selectmen’s Office, Town Accountant, Town Administrator, Town Clerk, Treasurer-Collector, Assessors, MIS, Conservation, EDIC, Board of Appeals, and Planning. Inspection Services, Police, Fire, EMS, and Dog Officer, are under Protection of Persons and Property. Education has both the town schools and the regional vocational school, Pathfinder. Human Services includes the Board of Health, the Quabbin Health District, and the Council on Aging. Under Culture and Recreation are Clapp Library and the Recreation Department.

Town Property and Facilities

The town owns and maintains numerous properties, buildings, and facilities necessary to the provision of services. These facilities provide for the range of public responsibilities, including public safety, health, administration, education, recreation, and more.

The following table and maps show the inventory of town-owned properties. Most properties have a specific purpose, such as a building, recreation field, or well. Some properties belong to the town by default because they were abandoned. The town has foreclosed on some. The table and maps identify the purpose or common name of the parcels.

Table: Parcels owned by the town.

Map	Lot	#	Street	Place	Acres
102	3		FEDERAL ST	Misc.	4.90
102	62		FEDERAL ST	Misc.	0.20
102	77	21	TOWN BEACH RD	Town Beach	1.60
102	80		LAKE DR	Misc.	0.26
103	22		TOWN BEACH RD	Misc.	4.50
105	40		BAY RD	Lake Vale Cemetery	0.87
105	41		BAY RD	Lake Vale Cemetery	0.98
109	51	720	FRANKLIN ST	Family Center (former Franklin School)	1.60
110	39	195	RIVER ST	Misc.	0.10
204	2		OLD AMHERST RD (REAR)	Misc.	5.85
205	8	629	WARREN WRIGHT ST	Misc.	3.20
207	10		GOLD ST	Reed Conservation Area	27.00
207	13		GOLD ST	Reed Conservation Area	52.00
207	14		GOLD ST	Reed Conservation Area	13.90
213	20		KIMBALL ST	Misc. (cemetery?)	0.02
214	5		MUNSELL ST	Munsell Cemetery	0.75
214	6.01		MUNSELL ST	Munsell Cemetery	0.05
215	25		AMHERST RD (REAR)	Misc.	6.00
216	122		GULF RD	Misc.	0.33
216	145		FEDERAL ST	Dwight Cemetery	1.30
217	2		ORCHARD RD	Topping Farm Conservation Area	2.00
217	3.01		WARREN WRIGHT ST	Topping Farm Conservation Area	22.00
217	37		GOODELL ST	Wells	39.00
217	45		ORCHARD RD	Topping Farm Conservation Area	74.00
217	46		WARREN WRIGHT ST	Topping Farm Conservation Area	9.20
217	49		ORCHARD RD (REAR)	Wells	7.68
218	2	763	FEDERAL ST	Wells	8.40
218	39		FEDERAL ST	Wentworth Conservation Area	24.93
218	62		AMHERST RD	Wentworth Conservation Area	36.09
219	1		DANIEL SHAYS HY (REAR)	Misc.	22.00
219	26		DANIEL SHAYS HY	Jabish Brook Conservation Area	17.00
219	27		DANIEL SHAYS HY	Jabish Brook Conservation Area	11.10
219	28		DANIEL SHAYS HY	Jabish Brook Conservation Area	35.00
230	35	135	HAMILTON ST	Dump	98.94
230	7		STEBBINS ST	Misc.	0.46
237	5		SARGENT ST	Constantino Field (ball field)	18.03
237	67		WARNER ST	Warner Brook Conservation Area	11.98
237	68		WARNER ST (REAR)	Warner Brook Conservation Area	16.00
238	2		GEORGE HANNUM ST	Austin-Gaughan Field (ball field)	6.71
238	285		GEORGE HANNUM ST	Misc.	3.52
238	287	290	JACKSON ST	Dept of Public Works & Dog Pound	13.45
241	33		RURAL ST	Rural Cemetery	1.00
242	36		GEORGE HANNUM ST	Sewer plant	3.24
242	37	175	GEORGE HANNUM ST	Sewer plant	12.33
243	139		MAPLE ST	Piper Farm	0.76
Table of town-owned parcels continued.
Map	Lot	#	Street	Place	Acres