The town's Open Space and Recreation Plan (161 pages PDF) was discussed at the Community Preservation Committee (CPC) meeting last night. Mr Barry Walker, who is on the CPC, had some concerns with some of the provisions. He writes,
I would like to let people know that there is a new "Open Space and Recreation Plan" posted on the town website. It is quite a lengthy document(at least 133 pages). A small section of it was presented to us at the CPC meeting tonight and to be honest with you, I think there is some material there that needs to be discussed before implementation.One of the inputs ...
For example: "OBJECTIVE--Protect existing scenic roads, views, and sites. ACTION:--Develop regulations to protect scenic landscapes within the town (example, scenic vista protection bylaw). Provide grants or low interest loans for restoration of stonewalls and other significant structures on scenic roads."
... in developing the plan was a survey of town residents. They overwhelmingly supported protection of scenic landscapes and that is part of the reason for the provision cited. What do you think of the Open Space Plan? Tell us in comments.
Posts
8 comments:
We don't need more regulations. They end up getting selectively enforced and politicized anyway which causes lots of hard feelings on the part of residents. EDUCATE instead of REGULATE. Half the people who live on our scenic byways don't even realize that their road is designated as such. How about sending them a postcard informing them and letting them know what the town values most about the byway they live on. Let them know that we as a town value things like stone walls and open vistas of the ocean and rivers.
How about a sign on the scenic byway, designating it as such, or are there signs already and I've missed them?
A sign on a scenic by-way? Doesn't the sign defeat the purpose of a scenic by-way?
I did notice a sign on Bakerville Rd. I think it says something historical.
After I posted, I did remember seeing metal signs here and there, announcing that you were entering a historic district.
Anon. 2:53, I was thinking along the lines of a plaque-like sign in keeping with the environment and surroundings, not a neon sign the height of a wind turbine!
At any rate, maybe if we had (more) signs and maybe more visible or prominently located, NSTAR would recognize where they were.
Why shouldn't we have more regulations regarding scenic roads? Some people crack me up. They think that just because they have paid for their property, they own it. Wake up, your property belongs to the town. You are lucky they let you live there.
I am trying to get through the entire report which is lengthy. I am about a third of the way through it now. So far, I would recommend that people at least give it a quick look, especially if you are interested in how Dartmouth has evolved demographically throughout history. When I finish, I will post once more on the report.
Here is a brief synopsis of the "Open Space and Recreation Plan"
The main body of it is the "what and why" of the plan. Interesting and informative, I would especially recommend that people who haven't lived here their whole life read it to get a better understanding of the evolution and diversity of our town.
Notes that may stimulate debate:
The town and UMASS are our largest employers.
The town may want to consider additional requirements from all employers in the future.
The Planning Board has and will be instrumental in shaping what Dartmouth looks like going forward.
Attempts at consolidating the many recreational associations to a centralized location have been met with resistance.
Preservers of open space include DNRT, MA Audubon, Trustees of Reservations among others. They have been very successful pooling their resources to achive similar objectives.
A large section of the report is dedicated to describing our natural characteristics and resources. This could be useful for education.
Dartmouth has four Historic Districts: Russells Mills, Hixville, Padanaram and Tucker Farm. Russells Mills is the most strictly regulated.
There is a need to respond to the recreational needs of the growing senior demographics.
SRPEDD has developed a Regional Bike Plan connecting 27 communities.
There is a need to encourage private open space protection efforts through education.
Utilization of the Community Reinvestment Act is needed.
Park and Recreation budget needs to be increased to address maintenance of existing parks and increasing demand for recreation.
Staring on page 123 are the "Goals and Objectives" section and 5year "Action Plan". This is the "HOW" section of the plan. If time is limited and you want to cut to the chase, this is where I would start reading. It is in the boxed matrix form with objectives, actions and responsible parties.
All the notes above are the findings of the authors of the report.
Post a Comment