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MPSC Notes 11/21/13
MASTER PLAN STEERING COMMITTEE
WORKING SESSION NOTES   
November 21, 2013  - 9:00 AM
Conference Room B, 3rd Floor, Town Hall




Voting Members Present:  Charlie Corley, Rodney Frias, Chris Yates, Justin Provencher
Ex Officio Members Present: Dave Stephens, Michael Burks, Linda Ghiloni
Others Present:  Jennifer Burke, Kerin Shea, Michelle Ciccolo, Ralph Wilmer (VHB), Brian Rich
Members Not Present:  Terrence Joyce, Lorraine Nelson, Jim Quinn, Arthur Redding, Lynn Valcourt, Tony Marques, Brian Choquette, John Blood, Chris Sandini, Don Garcia, Sam Wong, Julie Torres, Len Belli

Update
Revisions have been made, incorporating comments into the Housing chapter & the Economic Development chapter.  The Transportation  is still being revised.  VHB hopes to have it to us by next week (week ending 11/1/13).

Review of DRAFT Open Space & Recreation Chapter
There were many comments to include in this chapter.

6.1.1-  Accomplishments –
Recreation
  • Multi-purpose field is Sauta Field Complex
  • 6-acres donated is Sauta Cornfield & opened in 2013
  • Add Fossile Field – purchased land between HHS & elks through CPS, to open in 2014.
Conservation
  • Key land along Assabet is Warner/Loureiro
  • 17 acres along Cranberry Well is Schofield property
  • Add protected 22 acres – Freeman
  • Add – accepted 6.5 acres at May 2013 TM at Kane Well.  Purpose = water protection? Clement/Kane
6.3.1 – Private Parcels –
  • Public water is available everywhere, but not sewer. Remove the word ‘wells” in next sentence. No one is required to build using wells in these areas, only septic.
  • Remove 4th sentence, 2nd paragraph: “Recently, a large parcel along the Assabet River…”
6.4.1 – Open Space & Recreation Partnerships –
  • Hudson Rec does not offer hockey or lacrosse programs
  • Pumpkinfest does not offer rides, a craft fair, or a car show.
  • Add – musical entertainment, moon-bounces provided by non-profit organizations.
  • Reword sentence – event at Tripp’s Pond, which awards prizes…
  • Spelling – publicly not publically
Table 7-1 –
  • Add the word Field to the following locations, Busch memorial, Farina, Intel, Moulton’s, O’Donnell, Riverside Baseball
  • Remove Kindergarten & call it Hubert School
  • Change to Rimkus Clubhouse, not Riverside
  • Warren Chamberlain Rink (not skating)
  • Change address on Morgan Bowl, Riverside Baseball & Riverside Tennis to 120 Chapin Rd.
  • Add Apsley Park, Fossile Field & Sauta Cornfield (Brook St)
6.4.1a – Conservation Commission –
  • Why Town not adopt more stringent bylaws?  What are they?
  • Why bylaw fail to pass at Town Meeting?
6.4.2a – CD Plan & CPA –
  • Remove last sentence, 2nd paragraph – Proposals are then recommended to TM for approval (redundant).
6.5 - Open Space & Rec Needs -
  • Connections recommended include… a river walk from Cellucci Park to liberty Park, not a rail trail.
6.6 – Open Space & Rec Recommendations -
  • Add Mass Central Rail Trail (MCRT)
  • Add Buss Rapid Transit (BRT) to MCRT
  • Add MCRT design.  The Expanded Environmental Notification Form (EENF) was just received today.
  • 2nd phase of ARRT moving forward.  Going out to bid in next year or 2.
  • Remove ‘Adopt conservation subdivision design regulations…” since we have OSRD.

Review of DRAFT Natural, Historic & Cultural (NHC) Resources Chapter
There were many comments to include in this chapter.

5.1 - Introduction –
  • Capitalize Town in last sentence, 1st paragraph
5.2 – NHC Resources Goals -  
  • Add Preserve & protect Hudson’s Historic Resources
5.3.1 – Setting –
  • Remove 29 miles of rivers
  • Capitalize Downtown
  • Delete “…and lack of sufficient fertile land”.  Change to: “Due to other industrial opportunities, agriculture plays a relatively smaller role.”
6.3.2 – Soils, Topography & Geology –
Table 5-1 –
  • Explain Table.  What are these names?
Prime Farmland Soils
  • Add footnote describing 61A like in Open Space & Rec Chapter
  • Add list of 61A parcels – get from Assessor
Topography
  • No mention of Assabet Valley.  We are surrounded by hills.  This affects our history (late settlement due to King Philips War – hills, like Marlboro settled first), weather patterns (storms stall here), potential for alternative energy sources (no wind, shadows from surrounding hills affect solar).  Must also affect soils.
  • What caused slopes to erode – soils or developer?  Clarify.
  • What is new site review process of Planning Board?  Explain.
5.3.5 - Water Resources –
  • Town approached by Stow for water resources.  Add under recommendation – “Work with other communities for water, provided that is is financially beneficial to the Town.”
Surface Water
  • Add something about Bruce’s Pond & dam.  Parcel up for sale.  *MC to send paragraph.
Add acronym DHCD to Dept of Housing & Community Development
  • Reword sentence “…former meadowlands once owned by Digital, created to provide additional water…”
  • Lake Boon or Boone?
  • Change bathing to swimming (twice)
  • White Pond is not connected to Maynard.  Owns not used.  Formerly served by but pipes eroded.
Floodplains –
  • Explain new FEMA maps.  We have to bring to TM within 6 months or loose flood insurance.  MEMA is writing new bylaw for TM & will send to us.   Also add that there is a process for appeal.
  • Clarify that the 500 year floodplain represents 329 additional acres, on top of the 836 acres in the 100 year floodplain.
  • Add Emergency Preparedness. Stormwater management (recommendation?),  MAPC has Regional Climate Change Adaptation Strategy, evaluate what groundwater & drinking water is at risk.
Figure 5-2 – Water Supply & Protection –
  • Make sure do not need wellhead protection areas in the eastern end of town.  *JB to consult with TM.
5.3.4 – Land Cover & Wildlife –
  • Add Bio-Diversity Map.  *LG to send to VHB.
5.4.1 – Natural Resource Protection –
Conservation Commission
  • Why Town not adopt more stringent bylaws?  What are they?
Open Space Plan
  • Change Sauta Property to Sauta Field Complex, reword to “…includes a baseball field & soccer fields.
Community Preservation Plan
  • Reword to “The Committee accepts applications annually for projects to be funded by CPA.
  • Delete last sentence, 1st paragraph
  • Reword 1st sentence, 2nd paragraph -.  Delete “established by committee” & add “consistent with CPA guidelines.”
  • Add town’s ability to borrow against CPA income – recommendation?
  • Add Town’s ability to appropriate additional funds into CPA to take advantage of 52% match.
  • Veterans graves (plural)
Table 5-2 -
  • Check spelling of Hovagmian or Hovagimian
5.4.2 - Water Protection Planning Efforts -
OAR
  • It is OARS not OAR
  • Define eutrophication
Urban River Visions
  • Last paragraph, beginning “In 2005, Hudson received a $19,000 grant…”  *MC to reword paragraph
5.6.1 – Historic Resources -
  • Maintain the Town’s historic character (possessive apostrophe)
  • Explain the Historic District Commission (HDC), their charge, where it comes from – in charter or general bylaw/administrative code?
  • Add HDC expanded in 2007(?) or 2008(?) (TM vote), to include Senior Center.
  • HDC just revised rules & regulations.  Explain.
  • Add Historic Society
  • Historical Commission – what is their charge, where it comes from – in charter or general bylaw/administrative code?  How it is different from the other two?
  • Punctuation – The report identifies three categories of “critical concern”.
  • Mention why Native sites are not publicized: confidential, limit public exposure due to damage & looting.  State oversees them.  Residents can get more info by contacting MHC (confirm?).  
  • Late Archaic Period 6000-3000 BP or BC?
  • Add a Bed & Breakfast in Residential Neighborhoods zoning by-law – meant in part to “…Preserve the viability and encourage the long term maintenance of some of our Town’s larger more significant historic properties.”  This might protect some of our larger Victorian mansions from being bought by a developer & being “condo-ed out.”  A new owner could keep the building intact & still derive income without dividing up the interior.  Only a few properties meet guidelines: Apsley, Jeft’s Block, Mossman? (Confirm which?)
  • Add Demo Delay bylaw – recommendation?
  • Beef up history of Town.  Big mill town.  What was prime industry?  How many mills in peak heyday?  How many remain?  Active lumber mills still in town?  River shaped our history.
  • Goodale Homestead important.  Explain what it is.
5.6.2 – Cultural Resources -
  • We have Hudson Fest, not Spring Fest.  Put on by AV Chamber of Commerce who also puts on Downtown Trick or Treat.  Concerts held in Cellucci Park too. All put on by either Hudson Recreation, Arts Alliance or Intel.
  • Cultural Council – What do they do? How are they made up? Town Charter? General bylaws?  Funded by Parks & Rec, $3500 (confirm?).  Explain further.
  • Add Rivers Edge Arts Alliance
  • Add Ethnic culture – i.e. Hudson has large Portuguese population.  First immigrant was Jose Tavares (confirm?) & his picture even hangs in our library.  Have sister city in Portugal.  Portuguese Club is very active & holds many important cultural festivals.  
5.7 – Recommendations –
Goal 1
  • Why should Town adopt more stringent wetlands bylaw?  More stringent how?  Remove or explain.
Goal 2
  • Develop incentives… or require conservation features… Add Low Impact Development
  • Wayside Trail is Mass Central line not Central Mass line.  Make consistent with Transportation chapter too.
  • Spell Marlborough with the proper “–ough.”
Goal 3
  • It is OARS not OAR
Goal 4
  • Add Explore opportunities for water resources with other communities
Goal 5
  • Remove Acquire Sauta land.  Done.
Goal 6
  • Add Explore ways of leveraging additional state funding for CPA
Historic/Cultural Resources Recommendations
  • Add Update Historic Inventory (last done 1980’s?)
  • Add Demo Delay bylaw
Other Business
Please get any additional comments on these chapters back to Jen or Kerin by November 25th. We will forward along to VHB for inclusion.  The schedule for the New Year has not been set.  We will be in touch with the updated schedule.  We still need to review Energy, Public Buildings/Facilities, Public Health/Social Services & Land Use, as well as the Introduction, Community Vision/Goals & Implementation.

No members had any other questions or concerns at this time.

Minutes
There was no quorum to approve the minutes of March 14, 2013 & May 16, 2013.

Adjournment
The meeting was adjourned at 10:47 PM.