Templeton Open Space and Recreation Plan - Winter 2017

OPEN SPACE AND RECREATION PLAN TEMPLETON, MASSACHUSETTS 2017-2024 PLAN The Conway School, Winter 2017 Caitie Dwyer-Huppert Coleen Curley Emma Vautour

1.1.1 2017 OSRP Goals ............................................................................................................................... 2 1.1.2 Overview of Resources and Protection Needs............................................................................... 2

2.1.1 Statement of Purpose ......................................................................................................................... 5 2.1.2 Process and Public Participation....................................................................................................... 5

3.1.1 Location ................................................................................................................................................ 8 3.1.2 Settlement Patterns ............................................................................................................................. 8 3.1.3 Watersheds ........................................................................................................................................... 9 3.1.4 Transportation ..................................................................................................................................... 9 3.1.5 Recreation ...........................................................................................................................................10 3.1.6 Economics ..........................................................................................................................................10 3.1.7 Regional Partnerships .......................................................................................................................10 3.2.1 The 1700s ...........................................................................................................................................11 3.2.2 The 1800s & The Industrial Revolution ........................................................................................12 3.2.3 The 1900s ...........................................................................................................................................12 3.2.4 The 2000s ...........................................................................................................................................13 3.2.5 Templeton, a Historic Town ...........................................................................................................13 3.3.3 Economic Factors .............................................................................................................................15 3.3.4 Environmental Justice Populations ................................................................................................15 3.4.1 Patterns and Trends ..........................................................................................................................17 3.4.2 Long-term Development Patterns..................................................................................................20 3.4.3 Infrastructure .....................................................................................................................................23

4.1.1 Geology ...............................................................................................................................................27

4.1.2 Surficial Geology ............................................................................................................................... 27 4.1.3 Soils in Templeton ............................................................................................................................ 28 4.2.1 Prime Farmland Soil & Important Farmland ............................................................................... 28 4.2.2 Working Landscapes ........................................................................................................................ 29 4.2.3 The Importance of Protecting Farmland Soil and Active Farms ............................................. 30 4.3.1 Rural Character.................................................................................................................................. 31 4.3.2 Preservation of Rural Character ..................................................................................................... 33 4.3.3 Industry in the Landscape ............................................................................................................... 33 4.4.1 Watersheds ......................................................................................................................................... 34 4.4.2 Surface Water .................................................................................................................................... 36 4.4.3 Ground Water & Public Drinking Water ..................................................................................... 36 4.4.4 Sewer System ..................................................................................................................................... 37 4.5.1 Ecological Patterns, Communities, and Rare Species ................................................................. 38 4.5.2 Forested Landscapes ........................................................................................................................ 40 4.4.3 Forestland Management .................................................................................................................. 43 4.5.4 Non-Forested Natural Landscapes ................................................................................................ 43 4.5.5 Agricultural and Residential Communities ................................................................................... 45 4.5.6 Rare Plant Species ............................................................................................................................. 46 4.5.7 Future Ecological Integrity.............................................................................................................. 47 4.6.1 Habitat and Areas of Ecological Integrity .................................................................................... 49 4.6.2 Ecological Connectivity ................................................................................................................... 50 4.6.3 Wildlife Corridors North of Route 2 ............................................................................................. 51 4.6.4 Wildlife Corridors South of Route 2 ............................................................................................. 53 4.6.5 Wildlife Species ................................................................................................................................. 53 4.6.6 Vernal Pools....................................................................................................................................... 56 4.6.7 Wildlife Management Areas ............................................................................................................ 57 4.6.8 Protecting Wildlife into the Future ................................................................................................ 57

4.8.1 Hazardous Waste & Brownfield Area ........................................................................................... 59 4.8.2 Landfill................................................................................................................................................ 60 4.8.3 Water Quality..................................................................................................................................... 60

4.8.4 Hydrology ...........................................................................................................................................62 4.8.5 Non-Point Source Pollution ............................................................................................................63 4.8.6 Erosion & Sedimentation.................................................................................................................63 4.8.7 Forestry ...............................................................................................................................................64 4.8.8 Flooding ..............................................................................................................................................64 4.8.9 Drainage & Impact of New Development ...................................................................................65 4.8.10 Invasive Species ...............................................................................................................................66 4.9.2 Recreation Resources........................................................................................................................67 4.9.3 Informational Resources for Learning about Recreation Opportunities .................................70 4.9.4 Further Analysis: User Experience Necessary ..............................................................................70 4.9.4 Recreation Funding and Maintenance ...........................................................................................71

5.1.1 Open Space ........................................................................................................................................73 5.1.2 Importance of Open Space Planning .............................................................................................73 5.1.3 Methods for Protecting Open Space..............................................................................................73 5.2.1 Private Recreation Lands .................................................................................................................75 5.2.2 Land Enrolled in Chapter 61/61A/61B in Templeton ..............................................................76 5.3.1 Summary of Templeton’s protected Open Space ........................................................................76 5.3.2 Town-owned Protected Lands ........................................................................................................77 5.3.3 Town-Owned Unprotected Lands with Conservation and Recreational Interest ..................78 5.3.4 State-Owned Protected Lands ........................................................................................................79 5.3.5 Federally Owned Protected Lands .................................................................................................80

7.1.1 Protection of Ecological Integrity & Connectivity ......................................................................85 7.1.2 Water Quality Protection .................................................................................................................86 7.1.3 Historic Sites ......................................................................................................................................87 7.1.4 Farms in Transition ...........................................................................................................................87 7.1.5 Woodlands Management..................................................................................................................88

7.1.6 Templeton Developmental Center ................................................................................................ 88 7.2.1 Growth and Revenue Need ............................................................................................................ 89 7.2.2 Open Space Needs ........................................................................................................................... 91 7.2.3 Recreation Needs .............................................................................................................................. 92 7.2.4 Need for Grants ................................................................................................................................ 94 7.3.1 Keeping the Plan in Action ............................................................................................................. 94 7.3.2 Forging and Maintaining Key Partnerships .................................................................................. 95 7.3.3 Legal Issues Surrounding Former Industrial Sites ....................................................................... 96

Section 1: Plan Summary

Photo by Carrie Novak

This update of Templeton’s Open Space and Recreation Plan (OSRP) inventories many qualities and resources that contribute to the town’s rural character, making it a desirable place to live.

Through evaluation of ecological resources, community values, and open space and recreation needs, the plan identifies tangible goals and objectives for preservation of Templeton’s rural character.

1. Preserve the rural and historic character of Templeton by protecting open spaces, agriculture, and historic sites.

2. Improve access to and availability of recreational opportunities.

3. Protect natural resources including water resources, habitat, and rare species.

4. Accommodate growth where the environment can best support it.

5. Develop outreach strategies to involve key partners in achieving OSRP goals and OSRP planning.

Through two community meetings and an OSRP survey, residents expressed strong support for the protection of open space as it contributes to healthy habitat, water quality, agricultural preservation, and expansion of recreational opportunities. Residents are concerned with protecting areas that contribute many of these assets and more, such as the Templeton Development Center (TDC) lands, from development.

The TDC closed its operations in 2013. A property boundary dispute recently revealed that 465 acres included in the TDC land are no longer under permanent protection. Residents strongly oppose development of these parcels and have many ideas for its future use to retain its qualities that contribute to the town character, protect wildlife habitat, and offer recreation.

Water quality is also highly valued among Templeton residents for many reasons. Quality drinking water, health of the environment, and the ability to enjoy water-based recreation all rely on protecting clean water or improving water quality of degraded waters. Historic contamination of the Otter River requires further evaluation to determine possibilities for remediation. More immediate steps may be taken to address nonpoint source pollution (from landowners or from industrial use) that contributes to quality of surface and ground water. A focus area for water quality protection efforts has been determined in this plan and is in the most developed part of Templeton. The town should revisit its Stormwater Management Plan to consolidate current initiatives under the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) Municipal Small Stormwater Sewer System (MS4) Permit and strengthen its efficacy.

Templeton residents generally support the protection of ecological integrity, including diverse vegetation and wildlife, critical linkages for connectivity, and landscapes that support ecosystem processes. Twenty-one percent of Templeton is protected open space, much of which includes areas of ecological integrity. This

achievement means that the town can focus on specific valuable areas that remain unprotected, such as a large wetland core habitat in southeast Templeton at the headwaters of the Otter River. Parcels of land protected along the borders of Templeton to the north and south will contribute to regional ecological connectivity and health. It is important that the town plan for these resources with climate change in mind to promote resiliency and adaptability. Actions taken now can defend against the uncertainties that added stress to the environment and large shifts from normal climatic conditions brings.

Careful reconsideration of the town’s zoning can aid protection of ecological resources. The town may benefit from re-evaluating the zoning of one commercial-industrial district that includes important habitat abutting Templeton State Forest. The use of smart growth strategies like infill development can help Templeton avoid sprawling development that would diminish rural character and degrade the ecology of the landscape, while providing the economic growth the town needs.

A large part of Templeton’s rural and historic character is found in many family farms along its country roads.

Preservation of agriculture is important to the community in the form of active working farms, prime farmland soil and as a visual resource adding to rural character. By working with local land trusts and land owners, the town can address farm affordability and generational difficulties to keep farms from being sold and converted to other uses. This may include new strategies for preservation like Dwelly Farm, a land-trustowned farm recently acquired for community agriculture.

Templeton is a heavily forested town; however, few landowners take advantage of sustainable land management and tax incentive programs like Chapter 61. The town currently relies on homeowners to support most of its tax base. Promoting working woodlands may be a way to preserve forests that are managed sustainably as open space.

Community recreation needs in Templeton should be evaluated thoroughly by gathering feedback from more residents and a wider demographic. The Recreation Committee currently does not run any programming and lacks funding for maintenance of facilities. Recreation in Templeton could benefit from stronger collaboration between the Recreation Committee and the Open Space Committee to coordinate planning efforts. Having well-defined objectives and well-demonstrated support from the community could improve funding.

Residents expressed that informational resources to learn about recreational opportunities in Templeton are lacking. Trails are not inventoried or marked and there is limited signage demarcating recreation areas.

Educating residents via signage and online informational materials, such as maps and trailhead descriptions, could widen usership, and garner further interest in planning and improving upon these resources. Residents would also like to work with outside agencies to increase access to recreational areas on state or federal lands in town.

All of these efforts can be further strengthened by partnerships between the Open Space Committee and other town committees, land trusts, regional landscape partnerships, regional planning agencies, and local organizations invested in preserving open space, recreation, and the overall rural character of Templeton.

Section 2: Introduction

Photo by Steve Castle © Castle Media

The purpose of this plan is to assess the natural and cultural resources located within Templeton and to align the town’s plan of action with the community’s goals for protecting and maintaining these resources. This plan is an update of a previous Open Space and Recreation Plan completed in 2011. The planning process in 2017 included two community meetings and one online survey to gather community input.

The purpose of this plan is to inventory the ecological, cultural, recreational, and open space resources in Templeton and determine measures to preserve and improve these in the future according to community needs and goals. This document reflects the community’s strong interest in preserving the character of Templeton by protecting open space resources. The 2017-2024 Open Space and Recreation Plan (OSRP) is an update of the 2011-2015 plan. Many of the action items listed in the 2011-2015 OSRP have not been accomplished and are still relevant today.

Accomplishments that resulted from the previous OSRP include the following: ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪

Discussion about development of an Otter River Greenway with the Town of Gardner led to the protection of the Cummings Conservation Area in Gardner along the shared portion of the Otter River between Templeton and Gardner.

“Blue Trail” signs, installed at access points along the Otter River, aimed to encourage boating.

A database, including parcels of interest for conservation with ownership information, was developed by a previous member of the Conservation Commission. These files need to be relocated.

Maintenance and management of existing recreation facilities continued as funding was available.

The Open Space and Recreation Plan was reviewed and updated when it expired.

The Templeton Open Space Committee was formed in 1998. Current members include: ▪

Carrie Novak (Open Space Committee chair, Agriculture Committee clerk, Community Preservation Committee member, Board of North County Land Trust)

▪

John M. Henshaw (Open Space Committee member, Community Preservation Committee chair)

▪

Dennis Rich (Open Space Committee member, Community Preservation Committee member, Planning Board member)

Carrie Novak and John Henshaw worked closely with a team of three graduate students from the Conway School (the Conway team) to host community meetings and produce a draft plan completed in April 2017.

Community meetings were held February 2, 2017 and March 2, 2017. To advertise meetings, the Open Space Committee and the Conway team posted advertisements on the Town website, the Town Facebook page, Pauly’s Blog (a local news-watch site), emailed the school, the Senior Center and Town committees and boards. Both meetings were televised by a local television station and attended by a reporter from the Gardner News. The first meeting was held at the Town Hall in East Templeton and attended by seven residents. The purpose of this initial meeting was to gather input from residents about places they valued in Templeton, their perceived threats to those places and to reevaluate goals from the previous OSRP. The second meeting was hosted at the Otter River Sportsman’s Club in Otter River and attended by fourteen residents. This meeting served as a forum for gathering further information about existing recreation resources in Templeton and receiving feedback from the community on preliminary recommendations presented by the Conway team.

A survey produced via Google Forms was released to the public (posted on the Town website) February 7, 2017. The survey received twenty-one responses. The results were used to further inform and demonstrate community desires for open space and recreation in Templeton. The survey also gathered specific ideas from residents about how certain properties might fit into the open space network including the Templeton Developmental Center, Stone Bridge Conservation Area, and Dwelly Farm.

Section 3: Community Setting

Illustration of Depot Pond by Coleen Curley

Templeton is a rural town in the hilly uplands of Worcester County in north central Massachusetts.

The town shares many resources with the five adjacent towns along its borders including drinking water, trail networks, conservation, critical habitat areas, and recreational facilities. They also share a common background with common problems related to revenue, development, and growth.

Templeton encompasses 32 square miles and is bordered by Royalston and Winchendon to the north, Gardner to the east, Hubbardston to the southeast, and Phillipston to the west.

Templeton shares a common dispersal settlement pattern with other communities in the region where development occurred up along a series of major waterways and their tributaries. The hilly terrain and streams in the region powered many of the small mills and industries of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. The river that had the most influence on the town’s development patterns was the Otter River, which was used by both Templeton and Gardner for industry.

Templeton straddles the Millers River and the Chicopee River. The Millers River watershed comprises approximately 200,000 acres in Massachusetts and another 50,000 acres in New Hampshire. The Chicopee River Basin drainage area totals 461,000 acres—the largest in Massachusetts and the largest tributary area to the Connecticut River. It includes all or part of thirty-two cities and towns. About 81 percent of Templeton lies in the Millers River Watershed (16,835 acres), and the remainder, approximately 19 percent, lies in the Chicopee (3,916 acres).

Route 2, a major highway also referred to as the Old Mohawk Trail Highway, bisects the town in an east-west direction and connects Templeton directly to the Boston metro downtown. Templeton is primarily a residential community where only 7 percent of its residents work in town. Ninety six percent of Templeton’s residents drive a car to work, which is highest percentage of commuters in the entire region (townchartsdata).

It is 5 miles from Gardner center, 16 miles west of Fitchburg center, 26 miles to Worcester center, 65 miles

northwest of Boston, and 193 miles from New York City. Route 2 provides excellent accessibility however it also creates a barrier for wildlife and recreational activities.

Templeton is also served by B & M railroad on the Freight Main Line Fitchburg Route. The Ware River Secondary Track was abandoned in 1984. The Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) now owns the line and it became the Ware River Rail Trail in the 1990’s. The trail is fifteen miles long. The northern end connects with South Main Street in Baldwinville and then passes through Templeton, Phillipston, and Hubbardston.

A local snowmobile club maintains portions of the rail trail. Route 2 interrupts the trail’s continuity requiring people using the trail to head west down residential roads to an underpass at the intersection of Route 2A. Templeton is also served by other mass transit, primarily administered by the Montachusett Regional Transit Authority (MART). Templeton is a member of MART. There are two fixed routes: LINK run by MART, and Dial-A-Ride system open to all. MART provides paratransit services to the elderly and disabled through the Council on Aging. A bus stop located in the village of Otter River links Templeton to Fitchburg and connects to the Boston subway system. There is also commuter rail service in nearby Leominster and Shirley.

The Gardner Airport is in Templeton near Route 2; it is a single runway (approximately 3,000 ft. by 75 ft.) facility with approximately thirty-two aircraft based there. Major commercial flights are available at Logan International Airport in Boston, T.F. Green International Airport in Providence, Rhode Island, Manchester Airport in Manchester, New Hampshire, Bradley International Airport in Windsor Locks, Connecticut, and to a lesser degree, Worcester Municipal Airport in Worcester.

The towns within the region share recreational resources. Templeton residents make use of nature trails, ponds, and recreational facilities across its borders. For example, there are few places to swim inside Templeton but there are many big lakes right outside its borders. Town partnerships and shared facilities could be explored more fully, if they aren’t already, to find ways to expand opportunities for citizens and save on the costs.

Historically, the average house price in central Massachusetts has been lower than the state average.

Templeton remains a relatively affordable place to live with an average median home value of $206,000, compared to $333,000 in Worcester (TownChartData).

Templeton, has experienced sudden surges of development and population growth in the past, especially between 2000 and 2010 when the population rose 17%. (Masterplan, pg. 31) Templeton’s affordability, convenient location to urban centers of employment, and its rural charm make it an attractive place to live and thoughtful planning will be needed to prevent the loss of important town and regional open spaces.

Templeton can benefit from participating in and supporting regional organizations that facilitate cooperation and coordination of municipalities in the provision of services and protection of resources. One such organization that Templeton could partner with is the North Quabbin Regional Landscape Partnership, an organization that works with local governments, organizations, and community groups across the Greater Quabbin Region on land protection initiatives and outreach events to preserve ecological, historically, and culturally significant lands. Working with regional partners on protecting valuable lands could help mitigate the impacts of development throughout the region.

Over the past three hundred years, Templeton transitioned from a small agricultural settlement to a hub of industry to largely a rural residential town. Much of Templeton’s agrarian history is still visible in the landscape today, where many open hay fields, stone walls, and old family cemeteries can be seen from the roadways, trails, and sidewalks. The landscape and village centers changed dramatically during the industrial age of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, especially along the Otter River. And, more recently, the landscape in Templeton has changed again during the last real estate boom, when residents saw new subdivision developments along their major roads. Even with these recent changes, Templeton has managed to hold on to its rural charm and small town feel.

The area that is now the northern Worcester County town of Templeton was organized as a township called Narragansett Number 6 in 1734. The first meeting house was built in 1753, a burial ground was laid out in 1754, and the common was laid out in a plan of 1759. The town was incorporated as Templeton in 1762.

The towns economy was mainly agrarian until about 1820, when small industries began to develop. A map surveyed by Jason Lamb in 1831 shows concentration of the population in Templeton Center where the Boston and Albany mail road intersected the Worcester and Keene mail road. Other settlements of note in 1831 include the village of Baldwinville (home of Baldwin’s Saw and Grist Mill) and Baptist Common, located between the villages of Baldwinville and Templeton Center. Several sawmills are visible along the Otter River, including The Day and Holman Sawmill and The Shinglemill on Trout Brook. Other businesses included tanneries, taverns, wheelwright shops, and a mining site on Mine Hill near the Hubbardston border (Henshaw, et al, 7,8). In Templeton Center, John Boynton began manufacturing tin ware in 1825 and selling it to traveling peddlers, which made him wealthy enough to start the Worcester Polytechnic Institute in 1865 (Rowcroft, 5).

The arrival of the railroad in 1835 improved access to regional markets for Templeton’s mills and farms. Population grew steadily, from about 1,500 in 1830 to almost 2,800 in 1875 to over 4,000 in 1910. The mills attracted workers from outside the town and country and the villages saw an influx of immigrants mostly from Ireland, Canada, England, and Germany.

During the 19th century, growth leveled off or declined in the villages of Otter River and East Templeton while it increased in Baldwinville, where the two railroads intersected. Industry expanded through the end of the 19th century, with additional paper and chair factories and greenhouses along the rail lines growing winter vegetables. A commercial center developed along Central Street in Baldwinville. In 1881, Blake Hospital for Cottages for Children opened. Today, all of Templeton’s village centers are mainly residential, although Baldwinville retains some of its civic and commercial uses.

At the turn of the 20th century, Templeton became a popular resort destination, and the landmark Templeton Inn was built in 1900 and expanded in 1910.

The Templeton Farm Colony developed in the early 1900s by the Fernald Corporation for mentally challenged children; it later became the Templeton Development Center, a major employer during the 2nd half of the twentieth century.

Many of the small mills went out of business, but chair making and other larger industries took hold for many years along the Otter River. Most notable among them

was Temple Stuarts in Baldwinville in 1909, and the well-respected Conant & Ball Furniture Company in 1929. In the twentieth century, many of Templeton’s industries began a slow decline, worsened by the Great Depression and compounded by flooding from the Hurricane of 1938 which washed away remaining business along the Otter River. After the destruction of the 1938 hurricane, the federal government took control of much of the northwest area of town and constructed The Birch Hill Dam in 1940. It was completed in February 1942 at a cost of $4.8 million. As of September 2011, the project has prevented $78.1 million in flood damages since it was built (nae.usace.army 2017).

The north-south railroad line was abandoned after the 1938 hurricane severely damaged the line and it has since become The Ware River Rail Trail in the last decade. The Ware Trail is an unpaved recreational trail enjoyed by Templeton residents and visitors throughout the year.

In 1955, Templeton and neighboring Phillipston formed a Regional School District. In 1958, work was completed on the Narragansett Regional High School in Templeton. The high school expanded in 2000 when the high school was converted to a middle school and a new high school was built adjoining the middle school.

Several employment institutions have closed over the past decade, including American Tissue Mills in Baldwinville and Lilly Chemicals in Templeton Center. Together these corporations employed over one hundred and fifty people. In more recent years the biggest employer in town, the state-owned Templeton Development Center, closed in 2014. It employed three hundred and fifty people. As a result of businesses closing and buildings abandoned over the years, there has been the loss of some historic buildings. Most notably are the Landlord’s Inn in Templeton Center and the Grand Army of the Republic Building in East Templeton razed in the 1960’s and 1970’s following their decay.

Currently the Seaman Paper Company is the only large industrial business in town. Today, the majority of the labor force commutes to points off Route 2 (Henshaw, et al, 8).

Many historic mill buildings and their associated residential and civic structures remain in Baldwinville, East Templeton, and Otter River, though their lack of use threatens them with decline. According to the Massachusetts Historical Commission (MHC), Templeton’s inventory documents three hundred sixtyeight properties from the mid-18th century through the 20th century ranging from individual homes, businesses and civic buildings to war monuments and agricultural land. Each of the heritage landscape areas identified by the community as priority resources contain properties listed with Massachusetts Cultural Resource Systems (MACRS): There are 60 listed sites in

Templeton Center, two in Brooks Village, and the Wilder-Gillam House is listed on Henshaw Road in South Templeton. There are 168 properties listed between Otter River and Baldwinville, and the Church House, numerous barns and sheds are listed for the Temple Developmental Center district. MACRIS also lists 27 recorded archaeological sites within the town. Four of these are prehistoric and 23 are historic.

The village of Baldwinville was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1986 and Templeton Center was listed in 1999.

In recent years, suburban development has changed the roadside view, especially in areas with easy access to Route 2, however vast areas behind the roadside frontage remain undeveloped. Today Templeton is a museum of eighteenth, nineteenth, and twentieth century landscape history. And, Templeton Common, a classic village center, is still considered the cherished heart of the community (Rowcroft, 5, 29).

Evaluation of Templeton’s population growth and demographic distribution is essential to understand the open space and recreation needs of the community. In addition to describing demographic patterns, this section discusses implications of social and economic factors that may impact open space planning in Templeton.

Younger age groups require active amenities such as skateboarding parks, playgrounds, ball fields, sports and outdoor adventure and nature programs. Senior citizens may also seek social programming in the town’s open spaces, such as nature programs, and need to access places for passive recreation, including walking trails, near their homes and gathering places.

For the working members of Templeton’s population, the average travel time for residents commuting to work was 33 minutes, compared with the national commute time of 26 minutes (ACS 2011-2015). Though the population of Templeton is bigger than during the mid-1900s, it is more mobile today. Compared to decades ago when people’s lives were more Table 3.3.1: Youngest and Oldest Populations centered around their town, many people readily travel to adjacent towns for services and entertainment and other states for vacations. An Open Space and Recreation Plan considers the Under 5 452 5.6 degree to which the residents of Templeton 5-9 336 4.1 need more access to open space and recreation 10-14 524 6.5 opportunities within their circles close to home.

15-19 494 6.1 Single parent households and senior citizens Older than 65 1430 17.6 may have greater need for safe and accessible recreational activities close to home.

Source: American Community Survey 5-Year Estimate (2011-2015)

Unemployment rates in Templeton reached a high of 11.6 percent in February 2008 during the national and state recession. In the period of 2011-2016, the unemployment rate declined from 10.3 percent to 2.9 percent (Division of Local Services). According to American Community Survey 2010-2014 Estimates, Templeton had a per capita income of $28,918 which was higher than Gardner, Royalston and Winchendon, but lower than Hubbardston and Phillipston and the state per capita income of $36,441. Templeton’s median household income of $68,929 is higher than household incomes in all adjacent towns except for Hubbardston and Phillipston and is slightly higher than the median state household income of $67,849 (MRPC, Master Plan).

There are 427 businesses in Town (ACS 2011-2015).

Seaman Paper Co., the last paper mill in operation in the New England area, is currently the Town’s largest employer with over 100 employees working three shifts seven days a week. JBM Services Inc., Graves Concrete and W.J. Graves Construction Co. are three other large employers located in East Templeton. Other large employers in town are the local school system and health service providers located primarily in Baldwinville. The decline in unemployment has not been due to a substantial increase in local industry. In 2015, the average total employment by industries in Templeton was 1,356 employees (Department of Labor and Workforce Development).

Table 3.3.2: Largest Current Employers

Baldwinville Nursing and Rehab Narragansett School System Seaman Paper Co. of MA Inc. Cottage Hill Academy JBM Service Inc. Narragansett Education District Narragansett Middle School Narragansett Regional High School Wilson Bus Lines Co Baldwinville School CM Chartier Contracting Country Mischief Glenwood Kitchen USA Graves Concrete Huhtala Oil Co J K Crossroads Restaurant Mountain View Family Practice NCHS Baldwinville Otter River State Forest Ragged Hill Inc. Templeton Center School Templeton Fire Department W J Graves Construction Co

100-249 100-249 100-249 50-99 50-99 50-99 50-99 50-99 50-99 20-49 20-49 20-49 20-49 20-49 20-49 20-49 20-49 20-49 20-49 20-49 20-49 20-49 20-49

Significant levels of commercial and industrial activity are important to a town since income derived from these sources shifts the burden of costly public services away from residents who are less able to afford stiff Source: MA Department of Labor and Workforce Development rates. Residential, commercial and industrial uses in Templeton shared a common tax rate of $16.47 per $1000 valuation in Fiscal Year 2016. The average single family tax bill is $2,867. While industrial and commercial uses contributed about 9.7 percent of municipal tax revenues, residential uses contributed approximately 88.5 percent (Division of Local Services).

Finding the right balance to accommodate the needs of Templeton residents is a worthy challenge. Working together with adjacent towns to share and protect resources will benefit both Templeton’s residents and the residents in the region. This may be particularly important for individuals and families who are more vulnerable due to their low income. Just over ten percent of Templeton’s residents are below the poverty level (MRPC, Master Plan).

According to 2010 US census data, Templeton does not have an Environmental Justice (EJ) Population within town limits.

However, there is an EJ block, identified as vulnerable due to the low income if it’s residents, just across the border from East Templeton in the Town of Gardner. Templeton’s collaboration with Gardner could have positive implications for residents in this EJ area, especially as it relates to recreational access to the Otter River and water quality of the Otter River and the aquifer from which town wells in both Gardner and Templeton draw drinking water.

Source: MassGIS Data, 2010 U.S. Census, April 2012

Templeton experienced a low growth rate in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, contrasting with a steep population increase between 2000 and 2010 that lead to new developments and subdivisions. The housing market crashed at the end of this period, leading to foreclosures which has not benefited Templeton’s housing market. Today residents are interested in finding ways to increase the tax-base without creating large housing developments or losing valuable open space.

Zoning bylaws were put in place in 2006 to support infill development of already developed village centers, however additional measures could be taken to encourage appropriate forms of development that avoid undesired sprawl or loss of rural character.

Templeton began as a small, agrarian community founded in 1762. Factories and mills were built along the Otter River in northeast Templeton beginning in the nineteenth century, which eventually led to further development within this part of town (Henshaw et al 8). Today, the northeast, which contains all four village centers, remains the most densely developed area in Templeton.

The Village of Baldwinville, the industrial center of Templeton in the nineteenth century, is still the most densely developed of the four villages and has the highest population. Homes in Baldwinville were built close together in the “Back Bay” portion of the town prior to the one-acre lot size requirement (see section 3.4.2: “Zoning Districts”)(Henshaw, et al. 12). Residential development also increased within the other three villages of Templeton Center, East Templeton, and Otter River, through the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries.

Factories including the Temple Stuart Factory, located close to Baldwinville’s “Back Bay,” Baldwinville Products Paper Mill, also in Baldwinville, and Seaman Paper Mill in Otter River Village, were built in the early twentieth century and were the main employers in the town for many years (MRPC). Though the Seaman Paper Mill is still in operation, the Temple Stuart Factory closed in 1990 and Baldwinville Products was bought by American Tissue Mills of Massachusetts, which went bankrupt in the early twenty-first-century.

The Templeton Developmental Center was also a large employer for many years from its beginning as a working “farm colony,” an extension of a mental health institution run by the Fernald Corporation in the early 1900’s, until the Commonwealth closed the facility in 2013.

Today, Seaman Paper Co, an industrial paper mill in Otter River Village is still the town’s largest employer, followed by smaller industrial operations located in East Templeton and health and education services in Baldwinville (see Section 3.3.3). However, in 2015 the average total employment by industries located in Templeton was 1,356 employees, only 16 percent of the population (Department Labor and Workforce Development).

From 1990 to 2000, most towns in the Montachusett Region were growing at a faster rate than Templeton except for several towns to the east, which was likely because housing prices in Templeton were lower than those cities and towns (MRPC). From 2000 to 2010 the population increased by 17.86% with the addition of 1,214 residents (MRPC). The town’s population density increased from 212 to approximately 250 people per square mile. The housing boom in the early 2000s brought more people to Templeton as a result of the town’s lower housing prices. According to a 2013 town census Templeton has a population of around 8,134 residents.

Table 3.4.1: Historical Population Trends in Templeton

Templeton Population 5,371 Population Increase -Total Percent Increase -Source: Division of Local Services

5,863 492 9.16%

6,070 207 3.5%

6,438 368 6.1%

6,799 361 5.6%

8,013 1,214 17.9%

8,134 121 1.5%

Real estate prices have fluctuated in Templeton over time. Historically, average house prices in Central Massachusetts have been lower than state averages, so housing stock has remained relatively affordable for local residents. This changed as the area, with its lower housing prices, attracted homebuyers who use Routes 2 and 190 to commute to work in the Route 495 belt and Worcester. The result has been a market-driven rise in overall home prices.

According to housing market analyses, the median sale price of a home in Templeton in 1999 was $106,425 compared to a high of $230,936 in 2007 resulting in an increase of almost 117% (The Warren Group). More recent trends show that this has been somewhat reversed; according to 2017 market analyses, the median list price for homes in Templeton is $180,000 (Motovo). Unfortunately, following a national and statewide trend, purchases during the housing bubble led to many foreclosures. A survey completed in 2012 for the 2017 Templeton Master Plan revealed that 18% of respondents had been affected personally by foreclosure. Currently 22% of homes are listed as “distressed” indicating they are bank-owned or affected by foreclosure (Motovo). Foreclosures correlate with declining town revenues and an increase in abandoned and/or dilapidated housing structures.

Given the low housing prices in the early 2000’s, Templeton’s population increased and significant residential development occurred from 2000 to 2010. The number of housing units increased by 542 (20.9%) (MRPC, Master Plan). According to the U.S. Census Bureau, from 2000-2007 it is estimated that 461 building permits were issued for new privately-owned single family and multi-family residences during this time. However, residential housing starts slowed after 2009. The rate of new development in Templeton has remained low since 2009. According to the office of the Templeton Building Inspector, only 53 building permits were issued for new privately-owned single family homes from 2009-2015. From 2000 to 2010, owner-occupied units increased by 19.9% while renter occupied units saw a 17.8% increase. However, vacant units increased by 38.2%, reflecting the housing market crash. The possibility for full recovery of the housing market increased in 2016 with nationally lower interest rates, lower gas prices, and stronger wage growth. However real estate trends for 2017 remain difficult to predict.

Residential construction has increased along Baldwinville Road within the last ten years. This road extends north to south, connects Templeton Center and Baldwinville, and has an exit onto Route 2. The Narragansett Regional Middle and High Schools are also situated along it. Apart from the Day Mill Condominium Complex, developed under the auspices of a Chapter 40B Comprehensive Permit for affordable housing, many of the homes that have been built along this road, are large colonial style homes. The recent Cook Pond Estates and French Quarters housing developments, located elsewhere in town, included open space setasides (Giacobone). According to the Planning Department, there are no newly proposed or pending development projects in Templeton to date (Giacobone).

Residents involved in town planning expressed interest in future commercial development on properties adjacent to Route 2, but any official plans have yet to be made and questions remain about how to best attract the right type of industry to areas zoned commercially along Route 2 (see Map 2). Compared with neighboring communities, Templeton’s commercial sector raises the second highest amount of tax dollars, with Gardner, the principal city in this area, raising the highest (MRPC, Master Plan). Despite this, town residents continue to supply 89 percent of the town’s tax-base.

Over time the decline of local industry in Templeton drastically changed the town’s character. Many current residents who grew up in Templeton remember when most people lived in the village they worked in and walked to work daily (Radigan).

The combined decline in industry and influx of population is consistent with Templeton’s emergent status as a commuter town where today the average work commute for Templeton residents is approximately thirty minutes (MRPC, Master Plan). This transformation has implications for the future of open spaces and recreation. For example, if many residents commute outside of town for work and work long hours, they often do not have a chance to explore or familiarize themselves with the town’s open spaces or develop a relationship with the land they call home. If younger generations grow up without knowing about the many natural resources and recreational opportunities to use and protect, these resources may go unused, unrecognized and lack advocacy against development.

In terms of percent land use, Templeton is currently 7.7% residential, 3.1% commercial or industrial, and 89.2% forest, open space, or temporarily protected under Mass General Law (MGL) Chapter 61 (MRPC). Even with the increase in population and housing since 2000, the majority of the town is made up of natural areas or open space in the form of agricultural land use. However, even within a heavily forested, open-space-dominated landscape, even smallscale, but poorly planned developments can negatively impact the town’s open spaces. Visual resources and environmental quality can be degraded by inappropriate land uses and forms of development, which is why it is imperative that the town carefully selects the type of development it would like to encourage in the future.

According to Templeton’s 2017 Master Plan, Templeton has several financial concerns that will need to be addressed during the next decade (MRPC). If Templeton’s commercial and industrial sectors do not expand, thereby increasing their contribution to the local tax base, it will be up to homeowners to cover a larger percentage of the Town’s annual budget. Part of planning for the protection of natural resources and open space is to identify areas where development will least impact these resources and allocate these for future development that could increase economic growth. Based on the amount of available, potentially developable land in Templeton, along with the existing structure of Templeton’s zoning, there is potential for expanding commercial-industrial growth in a positive way. A combination of using smart growth strategies for mixeduse village centers and encouraging appropriate commercial and industrial businesses to develop could help ease the tax burden on local homeowners, while simultaneously creating jobs and further lowering the unemployment rate. Templeton’s commercial and industrial land use is currently scattered throughout town with most of the larger businesses located in East Templeton, the closest village to Gardner.

A build out analysis completed by the Montachusett Regional Planning Commission for the 2017 Master Plan expounds upon the potentially developable space within all commercially zoned areas (see Section 3.4.2: “2017 Development Potential Analysis”). It is important to note, however, that the numerous negative effects of development – loss of open space, degraded water quality, loss of town character, and other impacts – can be felt long before a town reaches this capacity. Prioritization of parcels for conservation and protection of open space should be closely examined and zoning amended to reflect open space goals before development proceeds.

Prior to 2006, Templeton was one of only two towns in Massachusetts that had no zoning districts by use (Henshaw et al). Dimensional requirements were informally present but, “you could build anything anywhere” (MRPC). Through extensive work with MRPC coupled with community education and outreach efforts, the town was successful in adopting use districts in May 2006. Templeton’s Zoning Bylaws are theoretically designed to help preserve the community’s rural character by keeping development in appropriate areas (see Appendix A and Map 2).

The Residential/Agricultural zoning districts occupy most of Templeton’s land area. Templeton’s RA1 district is intended for primarily residential uses, including customary home occupations. The minimum lot size in this district is one acre. Templeton’s RA2 and RA5 districts are quite similar to the RA1. However, the minimum lot sizes differ substantially: two acres are required for RA2 and five acres for RA5. The aim of large lot zoning is to manage growth by ensuring that land is left open in the form of yards, however, this requirement can have both positive and negative effects on build-out patterns. In the short term, large lot residential zoning can accelerate the conversion of a community from rural to suburban in character by consuming large amounts of land and encouraging sprawled development.

One way to ensure open space preservation, with large minimum lot sizes is through Templeton’s Open Space Residential Development Bylaw which was adopted in 2008. Under this bylaw, a minimum of 50% of a development would be preserved as open space. The intent is to allow greater flexibility and creativity in the design of residential developments, encourage the permanent preservation of open space, agricultural land, forestry, wildlife, and habitat, and encourage a less sprawling and more efficient form of development by allowing for the same or more units in denser patterns. The bylaw has so far not been used and so should be promoted by the town.

The town’s Village Districts encompass the four villages and include Templeton Center Village District, East Templeton Village District, Otter River Village District, and the Baldwinville Village District. These districts are target areas for a mix of single family and multifamily housing and small neighborhood-scale businesses including services, retail, and meeting places. Some non-residential uses are allowed by right including retail, personal service shops, business or professional offices, banks, liquor stores, and ice cream stands. There is a one-acre minimum lot size requirement within the Village Districts. It is important to note that thirty-six percent of the village centers are potentially developable lands and compliance with the oneacre minimum lot size may be inconsistent with the desired village aesthetic and an effort to concentrate development within village centers (see Table X).

Table 3.4.2: Zoning/Overlay Districts within Templeton Residential/Agricultural (RA1,2,5) 18,723.87 90.35% Commercial-Industrial A 668.56 3.23% Commercial-Industrial B 561.63 2.7% Highway Business 64.4 0.3% Village Districts 705.14 3.4% Source: Templeton Zoning Bylaw 2010 and Town of Templeton Zoning Map 2010 Outside of the Residential and Village Districts, the town established three districts to promote commercial activity. The Commercial-Industrial A District (CIA) accommodates larger business and industry than other business districts and maintains a quality of design through vegetative buffers for residential areas and other design standards. Uses allowed by right include retail establishments, lumber yards, contractor yards, building trade supplier or other open area establishment, research and development, and light manufacturing and distribution facilities. The CIB District is similar to the CIA District in terms of uses with some subtle differences. The Highway Business District was established to maintain the town’s character for viable business uses that can co-exist within the residential areas in which many of the town’s business districts are located.

Uses by right range from retail, business or professional offices to outdoor recreational facilities and veterinary hospitals. The HB district is located primarily on Patriots Road in East Templeton and Templeton Center.

In the spring of 2008 the town adopted additional bylaws including the Wind Energy Conversion System Bylaw and Inclusionary Housing Bylaw.

The Wind Energy Conversion System Bylaw allows by special permit through the Planning Board the development and use of wind power as an alternative energy source (prohibited in the Village Districts). The Inclusionary Housing Bylaw encourages development of new housing affordable to households with low to moderate income. At least ten percent of the units in a development that would be subject to this bylaw would be established as affordable housing.

The recently established Zoning Bylaws help protect sensitive natural resources, prevent explosive residential growth and provide for commercial and industrial development that blends aesthetically with the surrounding

community. Combined, these provisions and others will guide development and therefore help to maintain the town’s character and continue to make Templeton a desirable community for living and visiting.

The last official build-out analysis for Templeton was completed by the Montachusett Regional Planning Commission (MRPC) prior to the establishment of zoning in 2006. According to that analysis, land scarcity is most likely not a limit to development capacity in Templeton though full, build-out potential in Templeton will most likely not be reached for several decades if at all.

As part of Templeton’s 2017 Town Master Plan, MRPC conducted an analysis of development potential identifying absolute and partial development constraints. A process of elimination led to identifying developable lands for future use. This analysis included two phases: mapping, followed by quantifying development within different zoning districts.

For this analysis, certain environmental elements were considered inappropriate for development and were defined as “Absolute Constraints” or “Partial Constraints.” Absolute constraints include water (as coded by Land Use data from MassGIS), 100-foot Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) River Protection Act (RPA) Buffers, slopes greater than twenty-six percent and Permanently Protected Open Space. Partial Constraints included 100- and 500-year FEMA Flood Zones and DEP Wetlands (MRPC). Absolute constraints are completely unsuitable for development, while partial constraints “could be developed if pursued in an appropriate manner” (MRPC). In addition to development constraints, MRPC identified lands that have already been developed based on MassGIS Land Use data. Finally, GIS tools were used to combine all of the areas with constraints and already developed lands to identify remaining land as “Future Developable Land” (MRPC). The development potential map depicts these data categories (Absolute Constraints, Partial Constraints, Developed Lands, and Future Developable Lands) and provides information for local officials to identify the location and current zoning of future developable lands.

Based on the previous discussion of town’s financial reliance on future commercial and industrial growth, it seems promising that available space is not currently a limiting factor in promoting this growth. Just 24 percent of land area in the CI Districts has been developed, leaving over one-thousand acres of developable land in this district. The CIA District has the most developable land at 509.98 acres as well as the highest percentage of developable land (76.28%) followed by the CIB District (50.12%). However, it may be advisable to rezone the CIB District based on environmental analyses conducted as part of this open space and recreation plan (see Section 4.5.8). A large portion of this district is permanently protected open space, leaving only 47% of the district undevelopable. Also according to the results of this analysis, 20.15% of the area within Residential-Agricultural Districts is developable, 10.68% is already developed, 69.16% is undevelopable. Residents expressed less desire for residential development than for commercial-industrial development.

It is not so surprising to find that the Village District has by far the most developed land both by acres and percentage. In terms of developable land in the Village Districts, the Templeton Town Center Common has the most developable acreage (93.32 acres). However, this is an area of historical and aesthetic value that is important to residents and reflects the character of the community.

Table 3.4.3: Acreage from Developable Lands Map

Residential-Agricultural 1 Residential-Agricultural 2 Residential-Agricultural 3 Residential Sub-Totals Percent East Templeton Village Otter River Village Baldwinville Village Templeton Center Village Sub-Total All Village Districts Percent CIA Districts CIB Districts HB Districts Totals Percent

2130.99 8,638.57 1,975.49 12,745.05 69.16% 22.16 22.85 10.40 8.53 63.94

972.82 926.32 69.09 1,968.23 10.68% 106.85 61.09 139.39 75.72 383.05

1388.84 2,110.94 214.32 3,714.10 20.15% 91.27 40.95 32.61 93.32 258.15

4492.65 11,676.83 2,258.90 18,428.38 100% 220.28 124.89 182.40 177.57 705.14

9.06% 72.93 267.43 148.23 552.53 24.2%

54.33% 5.2 12.72 73.16 554.58 24.29%

36.61% 0.30 281.48 126.56 1,176.17 51.51%

100% 14.04 561.63 347.94 2,283.28 100%

Source: Templeton 2017 Master Plan

Templeton’s infrastructure consists of roads, sidewalks, a municipal water and sewer system and an airport.

While there may be opportunities to promote economic development, it is unlikely that the commercial and industrial build-out would be possible without public water service. Today, public water is mainly available in the urbanized areas of Templeton. This system is made of up of mostly original water lines, constructed in the 1950’s. In 2011, the town finished replacing existing water lines in the “Back Bay” area in Baldwinville along Forest Street, Fessenden Street., Oak Street., Myrtle Street., and the top half of Pleasant Street. This was funded by using FY 08 and FY 09 Community Development Block Grants. According to the Templeton Municipal Light and Water Department, improvements to the municipal water system were also made in 2005, including installation of filters to remove iron and manganese.

The municipal water supply consists of four wells: The Otter River Well, Birch Hill Well 1, Birch Hill Well 2, and, the Sawyer Street Well. The town should be cautious concerning land use near its wells since, per a Source Water Assessment and Protection Report in 2002, the wells are located in an aquifer with a high vulnerability to contamination due to the absence of hydro-geologic barriers (i.e. clay) that can prevent contaminant migration. The majority of the town is served by private wells (Henshaw et al).

Like municipal water, public sewer is only available in the urbanized areas of Templeton and the remainder and majority of the community is served by private septic systems. According to the Templeton Sewer Department there have not been any recent expansions to the municipal sewer system (Henshaw et al).

There are two waste water treatment plants (WWTP) in Templeton. The Gardner WWTP is located in southeast Templeton next to the border of Gardner just south of Route 2. It primarily services the town of Gardner, but retains five percent of its capacity for East Templeton residents (Henshaw et al 22). There is also a WWTP built in the 1970s in Baldwinville that sits along the Otter River (see Section 4.3.4 for more details on WWTP).

State Route 2 is the most significant roadway within the town and region. It is a limited access roadway and serves as a direct link to the wider region including Fitchburg, Leominster, Gardner, and the Boston area.

Currently, expansions to the transportation network are limited to subdivision roads.

The completion of I-190 in the early 1980s provided good access from Templeton to Worcester, I-290, and the Massachusetts Turnpike. The Route 140 Bypass in Westminster and Gardner is a second limited access roadway that was added to provide better access to Winchendon and other destinations in the north. Route 2A parallels Route 2 from east to west through much of the Montachusett Region. Other roadways passing through Templeton include: Route 202 from Winchendon Town Line to West Road; Route 68 from Gardner City Line to Gavin Road; Route 2A from Gardner City Line to Baldwinville Road; Route 101 from Gardner City Line to Wellington Road; and Baldwinville Road (MRPC).

The Montachusett Regional Planning Commission (MRPC) acts as staff to the Montachusett Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO). The MPO has the responsibility of prioritizing transportation projects within the Montachusett Region. The Regional Transportation Plan (RTP) outlines the transportation priority needs and policies for the region. Before projects receive federal funding, they must be identified and incorporated into the policy goals and visions of the RTP. The Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) is a federally required, annually updated, prioritized listing of short-range highway construction and transit projects proposed for implementation during a four-federal fiscal year cycle. It is a means of allocating scarce federal and state funding resources to projects of high priority in the region. To receive Federal or State funding, a transportation project must be included in the TIP.

A major rail line was constructed in the seventeenth century that expanded through the region. Though now inactive in Templeton, the MBTA’s Fitchburg Commuter Rail Line historically ran from Boston to Fitchburg, Gardner, Templeton, Winchendon and beyond. It historically facilitated growth of manufacturing industries and tourism along its route and some elderly residents in Templeton can still recall riding the line as children all the way to central Vermont. In the mid-twentieth century, this line provided commuter service from Boston to Gardner. Service was discontinued to Gardner in 1987 (Henshaw et al). Subsequently service now runs only from Fitchburg to Boston. A recent extension of the line brought this transportation service four and a half miles closer to Templeton with the addition of the Wachusett Station (RDVO Inc.). A previous rail line in Templeton was later converted into the Ware River Rail Trail (see Section 4.9 for details about trails).

Intercity bus service is provided by MART from Gardner to the Fitchburg Intermodal Center, and once a day in Leominster. Main Stops in Gardner are Mount Wachusett Community College and the City Hall. The

Peter Pan Transit Line provides daily bus service from Leominster to Worcester with connections to Logan Airport, Springfield MA, and Hartford, CT, New York City, and Foxwoods Casino (MRPC).

Gardner Municipal Airport is an important asset to the overall economic prosperity of north-central Massachusetts. It is an 80-acre airport located in southeast Templeton that contains one asphalt runway. In 2006, the airport had an average of fourteen flights per day: ninety eight percent general aviation, two percent military and less than one percent air taxi. There are 29 aircrafts based at this airport: 27 single-engine, 1 multi-engine and 1 ultralight (AirNav LLC). The airport is within the Airport District (see Appendix A Zoning Districts).

During one community meeting residents reported safety concerns about Stone Bridge, a historically significant bridge within the Stone Bridge Conservation Area. Questions have been raised about the soundness of its infrastructure, but have yet to be evaluated. There are also a lack of lighting and guardrails long its narrow passage making it hazardous to cross in the dark.

There are twelve dams located throughout town. The Office of Dam Safety offers a hazard rating system describing the hazard each dam poses should it fail (Office of Dam Safety). Dams in Templeton range from ‘no hazard’ to ‘significant hazard.” Significant hazard dams are defined as those located where failure may cause loss of life and damage homes, industrial or commercial facilities, secondary highways or railroad or cause interruption of use or service of relatively important facilities. Specific concerns were raised at community forums about the safety hazard posed by a structurally failing Depot Pond spillway and dam, which is identified as a “significant hazard” dam. No official evaluation of safety hazard has been generated.

Pedestrian activity is generally limited to small areas within town (i.e. schools, libraries, senior center, town hall, parks, etc.). Some residential streets abutting these areas don’t have sidewalks (MRPC). Sidewalks should be included in new roadway construction, roadway improvements, and residential and non-residential subdivision development such as the Baldwinville Road project which was included in the 2012 TIP (MRPC).

Along major arterial roadways, land should be secured for sidewalks or pathways as development occurs.

The Ware River Rail Trail is an unpaved biking trail that extends the length of Templeton from north to south. According to residents there are also some, unofficial mountain biking trails within protected open spaces in town. There is no known accommodation for bicycles along roadways within urbanized sections of town.

Section 4: Environmental Inventory & Analysis

Photo by Carrie Novak

According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), the underlying geology of Templeton’s watersheds are composed of gneiss and schist bedrock covered with deposits of glacial till. Areas of sand, gravel, and alluvial deposit are confined to the narrow river valleys, where moderate efforts to control erosion are needed. The steep uplands are not well suited for agriculture, but support healthy forest expanses on prime forestland soils (Henshaw, et al, 16).

The bedrock in Templeton formed four hundred million years ago (see Map 4). The hardness of the various bedrock and its resistance to erosion influenced the topography of the land. Hard rocks, such as granites usually form topographic highs in the landscape. The hard granite bedrock coincides with the steeper hill ranges running north-south in west Templeton. The pelitic bedrock, in Templeton is made up of fine grained, clay rich, sedimentary rocks and is more easily eroded. The peltic bedrock area coincides with the low-lying valleys in Templeton.

Ten to fifteen thousand years ago, the glaciers retreated from New England, scouring the land and breaking up the bedrock. The retreating ice deposited mostly unsorted-till, a mix of clay, sand, and gravel, over much of Templeton’s landscape. The glacial meltwater formed rivers in the low-lying valleys of Templeton depositing stratified and sorted deposits of sand and gravel called glacial outwash (see Map 5). The pores of the sand and gravel deposits store water, this is where shallow aquifers can be found. These surficial aquifers are recharged by rain and can be prone to contamination since the aquifers are shallow and covered with highly permeable sands and gravels.

A variety of wetlands can form in sandy depressions, and ponds appear where the ground level layer meets the water table. In Templeton, these deposits support bogs and wooded swamps with rare or uncommon species (see Map 6). These wetland areas are potentially important areas to protect as they contain a high level of biodiversity, though some areas have a degree of protection as wetlands under the Massachusetts Wetlands Protection Act (Motzkin, 2017). ď Ą

Generally, the soils in Templeton are extremely stony and are not well suited to agricultural uses, but they are considered prime forestland soils. Most of the forestland soils occur on the hilly glacial till ridges upland from the rivers and lakes. The sand and gravel and alluvial deposits in the valleys require moderate efforts to control erosion (Daylor Consulting Group, 2002; Henshaw, et al, 7,8).

The Templeton’s soils range from the well-drained soils of the Peru-Berkshire Marlow series formed of the loamy melt-out till on hills in the glaciated uplands to the excessively drained Colton-Adams-Wonsqueak formed from stratified glacial outwash located in the lake and river plains, terraces, and eskers. The moderately well drained Becket-Skerry-Monadnock soils make up most of Templeton’s soils and tend to be gently sloping very stony sandy loams of unsorted glacial till. They are underlain by a sandy loam hardpan at a depth of two to three feet. Basically, soils of this nature are not overly suitable for recreation facilities and activities like playgrounds, trails, paths and camping because of the stony nature of the soil (Soil Conservation Service).

Currently, W.J. Graves is a commercial business in Templeton that operates 10 separate sand and gravel mines, according to their website. These sandy, gravelly soils have been altered by removal and they generally present few limitations for development once the gravel pits are closed and decommissioned. The sand and gravel operations are under the jurisdiction of the Board of Selectmen and a local bylaw which is reviewed and updated as appropriate (Henshaw, et al, 2017).

Prime Farmland as defined by United States Department of Agriculture: Land that has the best combination of physical and chemical characteristics for producing food, feed, forage, fiber, and oilseed crops and is also available for these uses. It has the soil quality, growing season, and moisture supply needed to produce economically sustained high yields of crops when treated and managed according to acceptable farming methods, including water management (USDA website, National Resources Inventory).

Prime Farmland Soils are important to preserve since they require the least work and money to keep healthy, grow the widest variety of crops, and are the most resilient to extreme weather, such as drought and heavy rainfall, all of which contribute to a farm’s profitability. Prime Farmland Soils are at most risk of being developed, their gentle slope and good drainage are ideal for the installation of septic-systems and make them attractive sites to build on. According to the NRCS, fourteen million acres of Prime Farmland Soils were lost to development nationwide during the period of 1982-2007 (USDA website, National Resources Inventory).

The Farmland Soils Map shows a large concentrated area of Prime Farmland Soil in the north east of Templeton (see Map 7). There are smaller concentrations of Prime Farmland Soil in the northwest area of The Old Farm Colony and several patches scattered in the southern part of Templeton.

Farmland of Statewide Importance Farmland of Statewide Importance is a classification of slightly lesser quality but it is still considered high-yield enough to be economically productive (USDA 2017).

These soils of Statewide Importance are largely concentrated in the village centers: Templeton Center, Baldwinville, Otter River, East Templeton, Brooks Village, and in scattered patches throughout Templeton, mostly in the west and north.

Farmland of Unique Importance are areas that include special microclimates that support the production of “specific high-value food and fiber crops, such as citrus, tree nuts, olives, cranberries, and other fruit and vegetables” (USDA, 2017). These Unique Soils coincide with rivers and wetlands in Templeton. The biggest concentration of Templeton Unique Farmland Soils and special microclimates are in the wetlands of the northeast, near the Gardner airport in the southeast, along Trout Brook, and the Burnshirt and Otter Rivers.



Like much of Massachusetts and New England, farming in Templeton was once the dominant industry and had a great impact on the landscape. The farmlands in Templeton are valued by the residents who live there; they take pride in the beauty of these open spaces and like to see productive working landscapes.

Templeton started as a small farm community; today it is primarily a residential town where most people commute to work. In community meetings held in 2017, residents stressed the importance of their farmlands, not only for the scenic quality of these landscapes, but because they want to support productive working lands in their community.

South Templeton is an agricultural corridor zoned for a minimum lot size of 2 acres. Currently, there are several farms that are still active, including the Pease Orchard and Valley View Farm. There are 37 parcels,

approximately 869 acres of farmlands, included in Chapter 61A, a tax incentive program for lands used for agriculture or horticulture There are also open fields in Templeton that are no longer actively farmed, but meadows are still being cut and buildings maintained by their owners. At the OSRP community meetings held in early 2017, residents expressed concern that Templeton farmlands have been transitioning less and less to future generations and could eventually be lost to development.

Dwelly Farm is located in the center of South Templeton. It had been owned by the Dwelly family for a century. It was gifted to Templeton by David Dwelly in 2010 and is now managed by North County Land Trust, Inc. The Dwelly Farm totals 62 acres with only 6 acres cleared and the rest in forest. The soils at Dwelly Farm are considered to be Prime Farmlands both in the mowed fields and wooded areas. The edges around the clearings provide excellent habitat for birds of prey, fox, deer, and other wildlife. The North Country Land Trust (NCLT) is currently working on a management plan to make Dwelly Farm a community agricultural resource. It is working on restoring former fields, installing drainage, and improving access. Its vision is a space of community gardens, hayfields, and pasture land. The Dwelly Farm area is open to the public and in the future, could provide space for community gatherings, passive recreation, and educational opportunities for Templeton’s residents (jclukeydesigns.com).

Well managed Farmlands trap carbon from the air, absorb and filter storm water, prevent flooding, and provide important habitat for native birds, insects, and other wildlife. (farmland.org, 2017) Templeton has active farms on soils not considered by the federal or state government to be important Farmland however, the USDA points out that these farms could be considered "Farmlands of Local Importance" because of the farms ability to produce of food, feed, fiber, forage, and oilseed crops. On the USDA website, they state: “that Farmlands of Local Importance may also include sections of a town designated for agriculture by local ordinance” (USDA website). Identifying areas in Templeton with valuable farmland soils and active farms can help prioritize areas that are important to protect.

Well-managed agricultural land has real value in a time of severe weather events and climate change.

Farmland traps carbon in the soil, controls flooding, and absorbs and filters storm water. Private farmlands and meadows also provide important habitat for many native birds, insects, and other wildlife. Private land managed for agriculture provide more than 80 percent of the habitat of protected species in the United States (American Farmland Trust, farmland.org). At the same time, the EPA states that climate change will likely affect food security, globally, regionally, and locally. The projected increases in temperatures, changes in precipitation patterns, reduction in water resources, and more frequent extreme weather events will all contribute to reduced agricultural productivity and interrupt food delivery (Climate Change Impacts, EPA.gov).

Any kind of reduction or disruption of our national food supply will likely raise food prices, making local production more attractive now and into the future. There has been an increasing trend in recent years of young potential farmers, looking for ways to gain access to land. Small agriculture, local food, and year-round farmer’s markets are a popular and important part of our food system that needs to be safeguarded (Mitchell).

Working farms are part of Templeton’s identity and rural character. Both active farmlands and land with quality soils that have good potential to become farmland in the future should be identified before they transition to development. Active working farms and farmland soils are valuable resources that should protected and available for future generations.

Templeton’s landscape has a rural character including farms, forest and natural water features, which residents of the town have sought to preserve. These offer many recreational opportunities.

Industry also has made its mark on the landscape in the form of historic industrial sites and currently operating sand and gravel mines.

Much of Templeton is forested and this, combined with the relatively low density of its residential areas and the presence of many multigenerational farms, offers a sense of rurality that has attracted many residents to live there. One of the most distinctive aspects of Templeton is the presence of four historic villages where 19th century industry and 20th century residential development was centered, and where many historic buildings still exist. The distribution of population centers and the distinct identity maintained by each village can make the town seem like four much smaller towns than one unified population of 8,134.

Nearly nine out of every ten acres in Templeton is forested or open space. These open spaces include conservation areas, state forests, mowed open fields, ponds, streams wetlands and rivers. Water is a large component of Templeton’s landscape. Many wetlands and bogs are supported by glacial outwash deposits stratified across the landscape. Several ponds are distributed throughout town which, along with the Otter River that runs through northeast Templeton, contribute to the rural atmosphere by offering many chances to see natural waters and the wildlife they support. There are many important wildlife habitats, including habitat for rare species, identified by the Massachusetts Natural Heritage and Endangered Species Program (NHESP) throughout town, but especially concentrated around the edges and within conservation areas.

Abundant natural areas in town also provide ample opportunity for recreation, though documentation, mapping and signage are still lacking for many areas with trails. Residents enjoy venturing on the Ware River Rail Trail that extends the entire length of town from north to south and kayaking or canoeing on the Otter River. There are two active sportsman’s club communities including the Otter River Sportsman’s Club and the Templeton Fish and Game Club. Many residents enjoy hunting and fishing within wildlife management areas and on sportsman club land.

Route 2 bisects the town east to west, which creates separation between the north and south parts of town and fragments large sections of habitat, particularly in the western part of town. However, this well-trafficked highway also connects Templeton’s rural community to regional population and business centers like Boston and Worcester.

Central Templeton south of Route 2 is primarily an agricultural-residential area. Residents value being able to see evidence of their heritage in the landscape as well as the preservation of agricultural soils that were worked and enriched by their ancestors. Several farms, including Valley View Farm where weddings are sometimes celebrated, have sweeping views overlooking rolling topography to the south. There are currently 869 acres of land in Templeton enrolled in Chapter 61A or with a permanent agricultural preservation restriction (APR).

Templeton has three nationally recognized historic districts; Templeton Common, Baldwinville and the Templeton Farm Colony (Templeton Developmental Center). Historic icons like the First Congregational Church abutting the Templeton Common are sources of pride among community members. The Templeton Development Center land covers much of northwest Templeton and embodies many aspects of the town’s rural character in its historic farm buildings, beautiful views of Mt Monadnock to the north and diverse wildlife habitat hosting both common and rare species.

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Residents have taken steps toward preservation of Templeton’s rural character, including adopting the Community Preservation Act and actively working on preserving many historic areas in Templeton. This activism is especially important in light of the sudden population increase between 2000-2010 that led to a large increase in housing developments. Even though growth curbed after the market crashed in 2009, the sudden surge renewed a sense of urgency in residents to make sure elements contributing to Templeton’s rural character are not lost should a similar wave of growth occur. There may also be increased pressure on places like Templeton as the cost of living in Boston rises, leaving people to search for more affordable housing outside the city.

Industry in the landscape may encroach on the natural beauty of Templeton, but also contributes to the town’s character. Like it’s close neighbor Gardner, Templeton’s landscape reflects its make-up of blue-collar workers and its previous transitions from industry that once supported the town. There are five brownfields/former industrial sites as well as current industry like Seaman’s Paper Factory and Graves sand and gravel mining operations. Residents rely on these forms of industry to make a living, but also have concerns about the impact it can have on the landscape including degradation of water quality. Strides have been taken in support of alternative energy like the installation of a wind turbine at the Narragansett High School, a visual landmark from various locations around town. Though there is some support and interest, alternative energy has not had an overall large impact on Templeton’s landscape.

Approximately eighty percent of Templeton is within the Millers River Watershed, while the southern twenty percent of town lies within the Ware River Watershed, a sub-basin of the Chicopee River Watershed. Protecting Templeton’s water quality for its use as drinking water, recreation and aquatic habitat resources is important in both watersheds.

The Millers River Watershed is nearly eighty-one percent forest. These forests include some of the most rugged and untouched mountain wilderness terrain in Massachusetts. Extensive forest lands in public and “quasi-public” ownership provide residents and visitors with abundant spots for hiking, camping, and enjoying beautiful views.

The Otter River is one of the two major tributaries of the Millers River. Its headwaters start in the large wetlands at the shared corner of Hubbardston, Templeton and Gardner. The Otter River flows northwest, first forming the boundary between Gardner and Templeton and then flowing through the village of Baldwinville before entering the wetlands of the Otter State Forest and joining the Millers River in Winchendon.

The Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) has prioritized the following actions for the Millers River Watershed: •

•

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Conduct a watershed-wide Regional Open Space Plan to preserve openspace and manage the region’s growth in a sustainable way.

Complete the ongoing hydrologic assessment study to determine hydrologic impacts and implement recommended actions.

Improve water quality by implementing a nonpoint source education campaign and continuing water quality monitoring through DEP’s Strategic Monitoring & Assessment for River Basin Teams (SMART) Monitoring Program.

•

Support the continuation of efforts to solve and mitigate PCB contamination in the Millers and Otter Rivers (EEA, Millers River Watershed).

Water Recreation Access Residents established that they highly value the town’s water resources in both OSRP community meetings.

Access to the Otter River for boating and walking is important to residents. In 2011, the Millers River Watershed Council (MWRC) started the Millers & Otter River Blue Trails Project (Blue Trail Project) (see Surface Water & Environmental Challenges Map 10).

MWRC has developed two sections of the Otter River. In 2012, the public access point for the first paddling stretch was established on Plant Road with cooperation from Templeton and the City of Gardner. Shoremax mats were installed in the 2014 season to help paddlers launch boats without sinking in the mud (see Surface Water & Environmental Challenges Map 10). MRWC is close to finalizing the Upper-Millers-Otter River Blue Trail Guide, which has a separate map for the Otter River Blue Trail, and plan to publish the map for the 2017 paddling season. They will also be adding access signage at several locations throughout the Blue Trail system, including Three Pipes in Baldwinville, downstream of Route 202 off of Maple Street on Army Corps of Engineers Flood Control land (Ussach).

The Chicopee River Watershed is the largest drainage basin in Massachusetts, draining over 720 square miles before flowing into the Connecticut River. Thirty-nine towns make up this watershed and the Quabbin Reservoir is located within its boundaries. The reservoir has a water capacity of 412 billion gallons and serves this precious resource of unfiltered drinking water to nearly 2.5 million Massachusetts residents, as far as Boston (Henshaw et al.).

Drinking Water Protection Waters of the Burnshirt River and Canesto Brook originate at Templeton’s southern borders and flow south into the Ware River. The Ware River enters the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority (MWRA) intake facility in the town of Barre where it is diverted to either the Quabbin or Wachusett Reservoirs through the Quabbin-Wachusett Aqueduct. The DCR owns approximately 23,000 acres in the Ware River Watershed and is responsible for managing these lands to maximize the natural filtering capacity of the land to safe-guard the drinking water resource. The DCR owns two tracts of protected open space, equaling 163 acres, in southern Templeton. The Ware River Watershed Management Plan indicates that these tracts, one along Canesto Brook managed by DCR and the Division of Water Supply Protection Property (DWSP), and the second along the town’s border with Phillipston, a DWSP/DCR Conservation Restriction, are managed according to the provisions of the Cohen Act, legislation protecting the Quabbin watershed (Ware River Watershed).

According to the Ware River Watershed Land Management Plan (2003-2012), DWSP’s main objective for forest management in the Ware River Watershed is implementing “silviculture that develops and maintains a

forest cover that best supports the production of high quality drinking water” (Ware River Watershed Land Management Plan, 73). Sustainable forest management that protects water quality could benefit Templeton town-wide. In addition to preserving land along the town’s southern border, the town could promote sustainable forest management in this area.

Five percent of the land in Templeton is considered open water or wetlands. There are many wetlands scattered throughout Templeton, including those lining Trout Brook in north-central Templeton and at the headwaters of the Burnshirt River in southwest Templeton. Templeton has a diversity of wetlands including bogs, deep and shallow marshes, wet meadows, fens, shrub swamps, deciduous and coniferous swamps and swamps with mixed trees. Wetlands and floodplains provide flood storage services by absorbing water and releasing it slowly following a rain event. They also provide water filtration, purifying water from toxins and sediments. A diversity of wetland types hosts a great biodiversity of species. Wetlands provide important habitat for wildlife, including rare species and the juvenile stages of organisms that must spend part of their lives in water. Wetlands pose a development constraint since they are protected under the Massachusetts Wetlands Protection Act and therefore play a part in keeping Templeton from becoming heavily developed.

A few wetlands are large and visually contribute to Templeton’s rural character, including Edgewater, a 102acre wetland near East Templeton that can be seen from Routes 2 and 101. This area was the historic site of a trolley car station that once ran through Templeton and was a popular swimming site before the Edgewater Pond dam deteriorated (Taintor). The Otter River is a dominant water feature in eastern Templeton. From its headwaters in southeast Templeton, the Otter River flows north and creates part of Templeton’s eastern border with Gardner before winding between the villages of East Templeton, Otter River and Baldwinville.

These three villages were built along the river to support the mill industry. In addition to the Otter and the Burnshirt Rivers and Canesto Brook, which empty into two large water tributaries, Templeton also has many smaller water features including ponds, brooks and streams. Residents enjoy walking by ponds, including the Partridgeville Pond, Depot Pond, and Stone Bridge Pond (see Water Resources Map 9).

Two shallow aquifers lie within and beneath Templeton’s glacial outwash deposits. One spans north to south from beneath Trout Brook and the Otter River up to Winchendon. The border between Templeton and Gardner zigzags above the other aquifer situated beneath the Otter River and parts of both towns.

Templeton’s public water supply uses four wells. Maple Street Wells Number 1 and 2 tap the aquifer spanning the northern border with Winchendon and the Otter River and Sawyer Wells tap the aquifer under the border with Gardner (see Drinking Water Protection Map 11).

Without a layer of clay to block contaminants, such as motor oil, migrating from the surface, the permeable sand and gravel deposits leave the aquifers vulnerable to contamination. Mass DEP characterizes the aquifers as highly vulnerable to contamination based on their geologic setting. Mass DEP’s Source Water Assessment Program (SWAP) completed an assessment of drinking water sources in 2003 and characterized Templeton’s wells as highly susceptible due to one or more high-threat land uses within the aquifer recharge zones (SWAP Report). The high threat land use is the Graves Sand and Gravel operation on Depot Road next to the Otter River Well. Mass DEP has required Graves to put any high threat material into containment and they are now compliance. Mass DEP requires the Templeton Water Department to keep the SWAT report in the Water Quality Report every year (Davan). In 2012, Tata & Howard Inc. redelineated the Zone II protection areas for the wells. These zones identify more specific zones around the wells than the previous Zone II areas (Driscoll) (Tata & Howard Inc.) (see Drinking Water Protection Map 11).

Approximately 6,500, eighty percent, of residents are served by the town’s public drinking water supply (Driscoll). In 2001, Templeton installed a new 750,000-gallon water tank on Hospital Road, new water mains, and a new booster pump. These projects expanded water service to several areas of town including Baldwinville, South Road, Ladder Hill Terrace, and Templeton Center. An April 2003 USDA Rural Development grant funded expansion of its existing water system to serve residents of Baptist, Common, Lord and South Roads, and South Main Street due to high levels of iron and manganese in private wells (Henshaw et al.). Templeton Water has an Authorized withdrawal volume (MGD) of 0.95. The Residential Gallons Per Capita Day is 45 gallons. Every year the Templeton Water Department does a leak detection survey on the water distribution system (Davan).

Sixty-two homes in town are currently unoccupied, victims of foreclosure during the 2009 recession. There are no new developments planned for the town (Davan). The combination of available homes and the newly expanded capacity of the well system leads the Templeton Municipal Water & Light Plant to anticipate focusing only on maintenance, rather than expansion, for the next decade. They are operating under the assumption that the current capacity will serve Templeton for the next decade (Driscoll).

Only East Templeton and the village of Baldwinville are served by municipal sewer systems. More than 1,400 homes and businesses are tied into the municipal sewer system in these areas (Sewer Commission). Residents of East Templeton are connected to the Gardner Waste Water Treatment Plant (WWTP), located along the Otter River in Templeton. Templeton reserves five percent of the capacity of the Gardner WWTP through an inter-municipal agreement with the City of Gardner. Templeton built a WWTP along the Otter River in Baldwinville in the 1970s. This plant, built using federally guaranteed loans, was designed for the paper mill which produced large quantities of high fiber paper waste but served as a treatment facility for both the town and the Baldwinville Products paper mill. The paper mill was responsible for approximately ninety-five percent of the flow to the WWTP. The contract for operation of the Templeton WWTP was transferred by Baldwinville Products to American Tissue Mills (ATM) of Massachusetts in 1991. ATM ceased operations in 1996 and abandoned the plant in 2002. ATM has since declared bankruptcy and has been involved in litigation, along with Baldwinville Products owner Erving Industries, with the Town of Templeton since 1996. The Templeton WWTP has been the site of an Administrative Consent Order (ACO) from Mass DEP (Henshaw et al.).

As a result of the consent order, the town was obligated to upgrade the WWTP to a modern facility designed for treating domestic waste rather than paper waste. Citizens of Templeton approved a Proposition 2 1/2 override to fund the WWTP upgrade completed in 2005. Residents of Templeton not connected to the WWTP can use haulers to pump their septic systems and transport waste to the plan (Henshaw et al.).

Templeton has a heavily forested landscape accented by several other vegetative communities.

These support local and regional biodiversity, several rare species, and a number of habitats identified as being of statewide importance. Naturally vegetated landscapes also have recreational value and some economic value to town residents. Conservation of Templeton’s naturally vegetated landscapes supports species adaptation to climate change and allows people to continue to enjoy these resources in the future.

Land cover in Templeton is over 80 percent forested, and consists of a mix of northern hardwoods, hemlock, white pine, and forested wetlands. Most of this forest is first generation growth or younger: most land in Templeton was cleared by pioneer settlers in the late 1700s. In addition to forested areas, other vegetation communities in Templeton include cultural grasslands, emergent marshes, shrub swamps, and level bogs.

There are eleven core wetland habitats within Templeton, which are identified by the Massachusetts Natural Heritage and Endangered Species Program (NHESP) as most likely to “support critical wetland functions” including sustaining diverse plant species. These range in size from less than 1 acre to 698 acres (see Section 4.5 Fisheries and Wildlife for more Core Habitat data). A total of five plant species found in Templeton are listed as either endangered, threated, or as species of concern in Massachusetts. Additional areas that contribute to Templeton’s ecological integrity are the diverse wetlands, blocks of undeveloped forest, and cultural (agricultural) open spaces which contribute increased habitat diversity through edges, grasslands, and rich soils.

The Massachusetts Natural Heritage and Endangered Species Program (NHESP) identifies areas of statewide ecological importance according to the presence of rare, endangered, and threatened species and species of conservation concern. The NHESP and The Nature Conservancy developed BioMap2 to help conservationists identify and protect biodiversity of statewide importance. BioMap2 combines NHESP’s thirty years of work gathering rare species and natural community data with spatial data from Division of Fisheries and Wildlife’s 2005 State Wildlife Action Plan (SWAP) identifying wildlife species and habitats.

BioMap2 also integrates The Nature Conservancy’s assessment of large, well-connected, and intact ecosystems and landscapes across the Commonwealth, incorporating concepts of ecosystem resilience to address anticipated climate change impacts.

BioMap2 identifies two ecological components, Core Habitat and Critical Natural Landscape. Core Habitat areas are “critical for the long-term persistence of rare species and other Species of Conservation Concern, as well as a wide diversity of natural communities and intact ecosystems across the Commonwealth” (see Section 4.6 Fisheries and Wildlife for more Core Habitat analysis).

Critical Natural Landscape includes “large natural Landscape Blocks that are minimally impacted by development.”

Protection of Critical Natural Landscapes provides habitat for wide-ranging native species, supports intact ecological processes, maintains connectivity among habitats, and enhances ecological resilience to natural and anthropogenic disturbances. In Templeton, BioMap2 critical natural landscapes include wetland landscape blocks, core buffers, and aquatic core buffers. These are located primarily along the edges of southern Templeton and along Trout Brook in north Templeton (see Map 12).

The following are natural communities found in Templeton, as described by the NHESP. (Full descriptions of each community type can be found within the following sections: 4.4.2 Forested Landscapes, 4.4.4 NonForested Natural Landscapes and 4.4.5 Agricultural or Human Modified Landscapes).

Forested Natural Communities • • • • • •

Northern Hardwood-Hemlock-White Pine Forest Successional Northern Hardwood Forests Successional White Pine Forests Hemlock-Hardwood Swamps Red Maple Swamps Spruce-Tamarack Bogs (Rare)

Non-forested Natural Communities • • • • •

Deep Emergent Marsh Shallow Emergent Marsh Shrub Swamp Wet Meadow Level Bog (Rare)

Agricultural or Residential Communities • Cultural Grasslands

Forest in Templeton provides abundant habitat for ecological communities, and shapes the rural character of the town.

Templeton began as a small agricultural community and much of the landscape was cleared for crops and pasture as was typical of most Massachusetts towns during that time period. This means that most of the forest is first generation growth and the composition of communities in most places has been influenced by historical human disturbance. The terrain in Templeton is sometimes steep and often rocky, making it much more well-suited to forestland than agriculture.

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The following upland (terrestrial) and wetland (palustrine) forested natural communities, described by the NHESP, are found throughout Templeton, and are representative of the town's typical forest vegetation (for brevity Latin names have been omitted):

Northern Hardwoods-Hemlock-White Pine Forest (terrestrial)

The constituent species of this community type range from Eastern hemlock in pure stands to a deciduous forest with scattered hemlocks. There are variable combinations of hemlock, sugar maple, white ash, yellow birch, black cherry, red oak, and white pine. American beech grow on southeast-facing slopes. There are often scattered paper birch, quaking aspen, and red maple. The shrub layer is usually open, but, often containing scattered clumps of hobblebush, red-berried elderberry, fly-honeysuckle, and striped maple. The herbaceous layer is sparse, but fairly diverse, with intermediate woodfern, Christmas fern, club mosses, Canada mayflower, white wood aster, and wild sarsaparilla. Occasional spring herbaceous species include painted trillium, early yellow violet, broad-leaved spring beauty, and trout-lily.

Successional Northern Hardwoods (terrestrial)

A broad age spectrum occurs within northern hardwood forests in response to past major disturbance such as cutting, hurricane, or fire. These communities range from thick young sprouts with little diversity to older, mature trees diversifying with the undergrowth of more shade-tolerant tree species. Quaking aspen, white birch, red maple, and/or black cherry dominate the community. Gray birch tends to be more common on very well drained soils. Pin cherry is a common associate. Shrubs and herbaceous species are variable, and their presence depend on surrounding seed sources and the type of disturbance that established the early successional community.

Successional White Pine Forest (terrestrial)

This community included old field white pine, many decades-old. Scattered individuals of other species, primarily red oak and red maple, can co-occur in the canopy with the white pine, but seldom share dominance. The shrub layer varies in density, from sparse to thick, including elderberry, black cherry, mapleleaved viburnum, and non-native species such as buckthorn, honeysuckle, or/and multiflora rose. A variety of blackberry vines (often forming thickets), and poison ivy often cover the ground near openings or in formerly open disturbed areas. Lowbush blueberry forms patches, mixed with black huckleberry, on sites with less disturbed soils. The herbaceous layer is variable; the forest floor is often carpeted with needles with only a thin herbaceous layer, while large patches of Canada mayflower, starflower, and clubmosses are particularly common on formerly plowed soil. Bracken fern is often common, and partridgeberry, fringed polygala, and pink lady slipper grow in many longer-established sites.

Hemlock-Hardwood Swamp (palustrine)

Forested wetland characterized by a dense tree canopy dominated by mature, often very large, Eastern hemlocks. Hardwood tree species such as yellow birch, white/green ash, and red maple often form the subcanopy in small openings, known as "wind-throw gaps," created within the surrounding high, dense canopy when large trees are felled by high winds. Large white pines sometimes grow on the higher hummocks (very small, upland "islands" within wetlands). Highbush blueberry, mountain laurel, and winterberry are the most common components of the shrub layer, while ferns, mostly cinnamon and royal fern, together with goldthread, partridgeberry, and starflower, inhabit the herbaceous layer. The lowest areas and saturated hollows are frequently covered with mosses, particularly sphagnum moss, but can also be devoid of vegetation.

Red Maple Swamp (palustrine)

Red maple is usually dominant in the overstory, often providing more than 90 percent of the canopy cover. A variable mixture of tree species co-occurs with red maple, including yellow birch, black gum, white ash, white pine, and Eastern hemlock. Common shrubs of Red Maple Swamps include highbush blueberry and common winterberry, which are often dominant. Ferns are usually abundant in the herbaceous layer; cinnamon fern is common, as are sensitive fern, royal fern, marsh fern, and spinulose wood fern. Grasses, sedges, and rushes are also common, mixed with a variety of herbaceous species, such as skunk cabbage, false hellebore, spotted touch-me-not, swamp dewberry, marsh marigold, and the bugleweeds.

The permanent protection of rare and endangered natural communities is essential to the preservation of the biodiversity of Massachusetts; knowing the location of such natural communities before they are lost to development or some other threat is crucial in guiding local and statewide biodiversity conservation planning efforts. Since rare and endangered natural communities generally have a greater sensitivity to small changes in their surrounding environmental conditions, they are often the first to show signs of local, regional, and/or global environmental stress and degradation. This stress is present and worsening but not yet evident in the more common types of natural habitat. An "early alert system" for environmental problems is critical to successfully addressing such problems before ecological integrity degrades.

Spruce-Tamarack Bogs (palustrine)

A significant occurrence of this rare forest natural community in Templeton has been identified by NHESP. These acidic late-successional peatlands typically occur on thick peat deposits, with an overstory of black spruce and tamarack. Peat deposits occur in kettlehole depressions, watershed divides, and along pond margins. In some cases, red spruce takes the place of black spruce. Other tree species occurring in smaller numbers include white pine, pitch pine, and red maple. A mixture of tall shrubs and short heath shrubs provide nearly continuous cover in the understory. Other common shrubs are mountain-holly, wild raisin, and sheep-laurel. Labrador tea and bog-laurel are usually good indicators of this type of community, but they are not always present. The forest floor is covered in sphagnum moss, along with three-seeded bog sedge, three-leaved Solomon's seal, bluebead-lily, goldthread, and creeping snowberry. Tree trunks and branches are often covered and draped in lichens, especially Usnea spp. NHESP has assigned Spruce-Tamarack Bogs a rank of S2, given to natural communities with six to twenty known occurrences statewide, limited remaining acres, or vulnerability to extirpation in Massachusetts for other reasons.

A large percentage of Templeton’s land area is undeveloped, which allows some forested areas to remain as interior habitat. Interior forest blocks are contiguous blocks of forest that are uninterrupted by roads or other kinds of development. There are some species, like neo-tropical migrant warblers, that have little tolerance to disturbance and rely on unfragmented habitats like interior forests. Templeton is situated between ecologically rich areas (areas with many BioMap2 Core Habitat, Critical Natural Landscapes, and interior forest) to the north and south (see Map 12). While Templeton has relatively few areas of statewide importance compared to the surrounding region, the town is still largely undeveloped, and mostly forest. Templeton’s forested, undeveloped landscapes serve as an extension of connectivity to allow species movement through the landscape, but fewer areas of statewide importance may justify the Town in encouraging more active sustainable management of woodlands as an economic resource where appropriate.

Though most of Templeton’s land is forested, only 4 percent (approximately 880 acres) of forestland is managed in accordance with MGL Chapter 61, Classification and Taxation of Forest Lands and Forest Products. Chapter 61 allows landowners to reduce their tax burden on their woodlands if they agree to leave the land undeveloped and in wood production in accordance with an approved forest management plan. (see Appendix C for full list of properties enrolled.)

In addition to Chapter 61, landowners may choose to participate in the Massachusetts Forest Stewardship Program, an educational, non-regulatory program “designed to help landowners protect the inherent ecosystem values of their forest” by supporting and encouraging private forest landowners' efforts to “manage, enjoy, and care for their land using a long-term approach” (Mass.gov). The enrollment process involves a licensed consulting forester who assists landowners in developing a ten-year forest management plan based on their goals. Management plans document management options and practices, soil and water quality, wildlife and fish habitat, timber and other wood products, and outdoor recreation potential. They recommend actions that will protect or increase the environmental values of the land while yielding desired social or economic benefits. Individuals, joint owners, groups and associations, non-profits, long-term lease holders, and corporations without publicly traded stock are all eligible to participate in the Forest Stewardship Program. Owners engaged in the primary processing of raw wood products are not eligible. There is no minimum acreage, except that properties of less than 10 acres are not eligible for Forest Stewardship Plan preparation cost-sharing. Municipal governments are also encouraged to develop Stewardship Plans for their Town Forests or Conservation Commission woodlands, and may be eligible for cost-sharing. There are 785 acres of forestland enrolled in the Forest Stewardship Program in Templeton. Many properties are jointly enrolled in Chapter 61 and the Forest Stewardship Program.

From time to time, DCR's Bureau of Forestry opens selected small areas of the Otter River State Forest to the sale of forest products through the Bureau's Home Fuel Wood Program, by which private homeowners are permitted to manually harvest a limited amount of cordwood for their own use.

Non-forested natural landscapes in Templeton include non-forested wetlands and wet meadows. These play an important role in supporting overall biodiversity. Likewise, edges between habitat types can be ecologically valuable because of the diversity they house.

The following upland (terrestrial) and wetland (palustrine) non-forested vegetated communities described by the NHESP are common in Templeton and their associated plant species are typical representatives of the town's non-forest vegetation:

Deep Emergent Marsh (palustrine)

These tall graminoid (grasses, sedges, rushes)/emergent herbaceous wetlands occur on mucky mineral soils, seasonally inundated and permanently saturated. Deep emergent marshes generally form in broad, flat areas bordering low-energy rivers and streams or along pond and lake margins. There is standing or running water

during the growing season and throughout much of the year. Water depth averages between six inches and three feet. Tall graminoids, like broad-leaved cat-tail and phragmites, often form extensive dense stands.

Narrow-leaved cat-tail occurs in more alkaline sites or in saline areas along roads. Other characteristic graminoids include wool-grass, common threesquare, Canada bluejoint, rice cut-grass, and tussock-sedge.

Herbaceous associates include arrow-leaf tearthumb, bulblet water-hemlock, swamp-candles, beggar-ticks, bedstraw, common arrowhead, slender-leaved goldenrod, and marsh-fern.

Shallow Emergent Marsh (palustrine)

This community includes grass, sedge, and/or rush-dominated wetlands on mucky mineral soils, seasonally inundated and permanently saturated. Vegetation composition is similar to deep emergent marshes except that shorter grasses, sedges, and rushes dominate. Shallow emergent marshes occur in similar settings to deep emergent marshes, i.g., in broad, flat areas bordering low-energy rivers and streams, often in backwater sloughs, or along pond and lake margins. There is standing or running water during the growing season and throughout much of the year, but water depth is less than deep emergent marshes and averages less than six inches. Cat-tails, phragmites, and wool-grass, the dominant species of deep emergent marshes, can occur but are never dominant. Tussock-forming species, like tussock sedge and Canada bluejoint, often cover broad areas and form a hummock-hollow topography. Reed canary grass, an invasive species, also occurs frequently.

Based on species composition alone, it can be difficult to differentiate shallow emergent marshes and wet meadows, but they occur in different physical settings and hydrologic regimes (see below).

Shrub Swamp (palustrine)

Shrub swamps, or wetland communities dominated by wetlands shrubs, occur in lowlands along the margins of rivers, streams, and other waterbodies, and along or within the boundaries of forested or herbaceousdominated wetlands. Shrub wetlands may be periodically flooded but soils are saturated year-round. Deep emergent marshes are associated with shrub swamps, and the two communities intergrade. Species composition of shrub swamps is highly variable between and within sites, with a number of possible dominant and co-dominant species; speckled alder, highbush blueberry, silky dogwood, winterberry, and meadowsweet are extremely common inhabitants of Templeton's shrub swamps. Widely scattered, stunted specimens of several tree species, including red maple, Eastern hemlock, and yellow birch, are typically found in shrub swamps. The herbaceous layer is usually sparse due to the density of shrubs; cinnamon fern, royal fern, sensitive fern, and tussock sedge occur commonly.

Wet Meadow (palustrine)

These graminoid/emergent herbaceous communities are similar to deep and shallow emergent marshes except they are temporarily rather than seasonally flooded. Since these communities flood only temporarily, continued disturbance, such as grazing or mowing, is necessary to keep these communities open, free from encroachment by woody plants. Wet meadows are very closely related to shallow emergent marshes, but typically have more uniform vegetation (single sedge species dominate). Tussock-forming sedges, such as tussock sedge or marsh sedge, are often dominant with over 50 percent of the cover, with variable proportions of other graminoids and herbaceous species. Canada bluejoint, wool-grass, slender woolly-fruited sedge, slender spike-sedge, stalked wool-grass, rice cut-grass, and brown beak-sedge are typical of wet meadows. Characteristic herbaceous associates include erect water smartweed, pickerel-weed, river-horsetail, nodding bur-marigold, spotted Joe-Pye-weed, northern blue flag, and sweet flag.

NHESP has documented several occurrences of the following rare non-forest natural community in Templeton:

Level Bogs (palustrine)

This community includes acidic dwarf ericaceous (members of the heath family) shrub peatlands, generally with pronounced hummock-hollow topography. Level bogs develop along pond margins, at the headwaters of streams, or in isolated valley bottoms without inlet or outlet streams; these communities receive little or no streamflow and they are isolated from the water table, making them the most acidic and nutrient-poor of peatland communities. Level bogs are characterized by a mixture of tall and short shrubs that are predominantly ericaceous. Leatherleaf is dominant. Other typical ericaceous shrubs include rhodora, sheep laurel, bog laurel, bog rosemary, Labrador tea, and low-growing large and small cranberry. Scattered, stunted coniferous trees, primarily tamarack and black spruce, occur throughout. A mixture of specialized bog plants grow on the hummocky sphagnum moss surface, including carnivorous pitcher plants and sundews. Natural Heritage has assigned Level Bogs a rank of S3, given to natural communities of which there are twenty-one to one-hundred known occurrences covering limited acreage statewide.

Additional types of habitat are provided by the vegetation found on agricultural and residential lands and areas with high human-generated disturbance regimes. Farmlands contribute valuable habitat in the form of successional edge or shrubby fencerows. There are also many residential lawns, including those in the village commons and a golf course located between Baldwinville, Otter River, and Route 2. Lawns provide an open green space for people to enjoy, but on a large scale create sprawls of low diversity, low productivity, high disturbance habitats. In village districts and public spaces, shade trees are planted and maintained by the town. (See Appendix B for a listing of Templeton's public shade trees.) Public shade trees have an important influence on the attractiveness of public spaces and buffer the effects of development by providing habitat and other ecological services in urban areas. Though in many instances public shade trees have a positive ecological and social impact on urban spaces, some non-native species, such as Norway maple, may spread easily and invade surrounding areas.

Cultural Grassland (terrestrial)

Cultural grasslands are dominated by grasses usually occurring on sand or other droughty, low nutrient soils.

Cemeteries, pastures, and hayfields are some of the locations where these grasslands, human created and normally maintained by mowing at least annually, are typically found. Many small airports, such as Gardner Municipal Airport in Templeton, are surrounded by grasslands. Although nearly all grasslands contain many non-native species, airport grasslands tend to have more native grasses, such as little bluestem grass, and Pennsylvania sedge.

Along with common plant and animal life in Templeton, the NHESP identified five rare plant species in town, including: • • • • •

Adder’s-tongue fern Climbing fumitory Philadelphia panic-grass Pod grass Sand violet

Adder's-tongue fern, Ophioglossum pusillum (Threatened): Adder's-tongue is a small, terrestrial fern,

standing up to a foot in height and consisting of a single fleshy green stalk bearing a pale green leaf about six inches in length, narrowly oval to oblong in shape, approximately midway up the stalk. The presence of this species in Templeton is documented in historical records.

Climbing fumitory, Adlumia fungosa (Threatened): An herbaceous biennial vine, it climbs over rocks and vegetation using its stem and leaves. It flowers from mid-June to early August. This species is threatened by excessive shading by maturing forest, particularly Eastern hemlock, and may now be extinct in Templeton, since theonly recorded occurrence in the town dates to 1878.

Philadelphia panic-grass, Panicum philadelphicum ssp. philadelphicum (Special Concern): A slender, hairy,

yellowish-green annual of the grass family, sometimes confused with Witchgrass. Typically growing to a height of 2.5 -3.25 feet in open, full sun on seasonally flooded sands bordering acidic streams, lakes, and wetlands, it can also be found as tiny plants on receding pondshores. The presence of Phildalphia panic-grass in Templeton is known from historical records dating to 1901.

Pod grass, Scheuchzeria palustris (Endangered): An erect rush-like plant of open acidic peatlands, with a

cluster of greenish flowers, sheathing opposite leaves, and a zigzag stem. Pod-grass has unique characteristics, and there are no other species in its genus or family. Often found in areas that are dominated by sedges and sphagnum mosses, pod grass is small and sensitive to trampling. Its last documented occurrence in Templeton was in 2002.

Sand violet, Viola adunca (Special Concern): A low-growing perennial herb with dense rosettes of egg-

shaped leaves and showy purple-violet flowers borne on leafy stems. It grows in disturbed habitats, usually in full sun, in moist to very dry soils. Sand violet competes poorly with other plants and relies on periodic disturbance to remove potential competitors. The last recorded observation of this species in Templeton was in 2008.

Maintaining an accurate inventory of these rare species and natural communities is important not only so that the town can plan for their conservation in the future, but also for educational purposes. Monitoring both plant and animal species may also bring awareness and early detection to any environmental degradation issues that may occur.

To continue enjoying the natural beauty and closeness to wildlife that Templeton residents now experience, the functioning of the ecosystems present must be supported. Currently, approximately 40 percent of BioMap2 Core Habitat and Critical Natural Landscapes in Templeton are permanently protected. Practices that possibly detract from Templeton’s ecological integrity are the common issue of illegal dumping on open space land or land use with the potential to degrade surface and ground water quality, including industrial, commercial, waste disposal and sand and gravel mining. Though development has been slow over the last few years in Templeton (see 3.4 Grow & Development Patterns), future development should be directed away from areas of high ecological integrity, since the addition of required infrastructure and decrease in biodiversity are detrimental to this integrity. Additionally, increased parcelization from subdivisions makes conservation and sustainable management more difficult and should be avoided where possible (Motzkin).

Templeton’s landscapes, like the rest of New England’s, are under new pressures from climate change. There is a warming occurring in all seasons, with the greatest changes in winter, and on average a longer growing season throughout the year. Precipitation patterns are shifting, leading to heavier downpours and longer dry streaks in the summer, increasing the risk of both droughts and floods. While these trends possibly benefit some species, the combined effects pose great challenges to most native fauna and flora. Many of Massachusetts’s forest types, including those in Templeton, are adapted to colder climates and/or higher elevations. Some are vulnerable to pest outbreaks and increased competition with invasive species. The impacts of climate change may favor both invasive plant species and plant pests and disease, so it’s important to not introduce further hardship for native plant communities.

Another conservation mapping effort led by Mass Audubon in partnership with The Nature Conservancy and LandVest helps towns and land agencies map areas of conservation priority and greatest resilience with respect to climate change. Together these organizations developed an online tool, Mapping and Prioritizing Parcels for Resilience (MAPPR), to allow conservationists to rapidly identify specific parcels that, if protected, could contribute the most to achieving land protection goals, including resiliency to climate change. This tool incorporates data from BioMap2, The Nature Conservancy’s Resilient Sites for Conservation, UMass’s Critical Linkages, and the Open Space Institute’s Under-Represented Settings. Using this modeling approach, parcels of high priority include areas with Core Habitat or important biodiversity, places where protection would ensure ecological connectivity to already protected open spaces, and/or areas with microclimates that support diversity and adaptability of species to climate change. Theoretically, protection of high priority areas would protect ecological resources that already exist there and provide strongholds of diversity that will help local ecosystems be resilient to climate change. This online too is an example of one available resource for supporting well-informed decision making and prioritization of open space protection.

In Templeton, the highest priority parcels identified by MAPPR are lands abutting the Templeton Developmental Center, a large wetland in the southeast near the Gardner Airport, and lands along the southern edges of Templeton next to the Stone Bridge Conservation Area, and protected land connecting to Hubbardston State Forest. (see Map 13).

Mapping and Prioritizing Parcels for Resilience (MAPPR) allows land conservationists to identify the parcels within an area of interest that are the highest priorities for protection based on habitat quality, climate change resilience, and other metrics such as parcel size and adjacency to existing protected parcels. Analyses are based on open space data and assessor parcel data available through MassGIS as of April 2015. As a result, ownership information and protection status may be inaccurate for some parcels. Check with your town assessor for the most up-to-date information. Please email any comments to mappr@massaudubon.org.

Source: http://www.massaudubon.org/

In 2014, the North Quabbin Regional Landscape Partnership (NQRLP) developed this GIS-based map that evaluates endangered species habitat and climate resiliency data produced by The Nature Conservancy. The NQRLP uses this map as a tool to work with partners; landowners, local open space committees and regional land trusts to develop meaningful conservation projects.

Source: http://northquabbinrlp.wixsite.com/northquabbinrlp /strategic-biodiversity-map

Roughly 40 percent of Templeton remains undeveloped. The town is home to large tracts of forest, rivers and streams, diverse types of wetlands, ponds, and cultural grasslands which offer large amounts of potential wildlife habitat. Situated between hotspots of wildlife habitat of statewide importance, Templeton’s landscape could potentially play an important role in ecological connectivity within the region. Route 2 poses a challenge to habitat connectivity by causing a major disruption of movement of terrestrial (non-avian) wildlife species. NHESP identified ten rare or threatened wildlife species within Templeton. Wildlife species and wildlife management areas are an important resource for hunters and fisherman in town and Templeton has a very active sportsmen’s club community. Seeing wildlife is an important component of the town’s rural character and is appreciated by residents. Conservation of wildlife habitat, including mating grounds, food sources, and variety of shelter, is critical to maintaining healthy wildlife populations. Maintaining existing habitats and creating new ones will support the ability of species to adapt, and thrive into the future.

NHESP identifies “Core Habitat” areas that support rare and threatened species and “Critical Natural Landscapes” or exemplary and intact ecosystems and has mapped them through BioMap2. This data identifies areas of high ecological integrity since rare species can be sensitive to ecological health.

On a local level, Templeton cumulatively has 2,989 acres of Core Habitat and Critical Natural Landscape, which in total make up approximately 14 percent of the landscape. (Many of the Core Habitat and Critical Natural Landscapes overlap, so a total percentage represents the actual land coverage and not total acres of each.) About 40 percent of these areas are under permanent protection. Protection of Critical Natural Landscapes provides habitat for wide-ranging native species, supports intact ecological processes, maintains connectivity among habitats, and enhances ecological resilience to natural and anthropogenic disturbances (see Section 4.4 for more discussion of critical natural landscapes).

Core Habitat in Templeton includes Forest, Wetland, Vernal Pool, and Aquatic Cores. Forest Cores are prime examples of intact forests, least impacted by roads and development. They support many bird species sensitive to the impacts of development and maintain ecological processes found only in unfragmented forest patches. Wetland Cores are “the least disturbed wetlands in the state within undeveloped landscapes—those with intact buffers and little fragmentation or other stressors associated with development” (NHESP, 2012).

According to the NHESP, these wetlands are most likely to support critical wetland functions like natural hydrologic cycles and diverse plant and animal habitats and are most likely to maintain these functions into the future. Vernal Pool Cores represent a compilation of the top 5 percent most interconnected clusters of Potential Vernal Pools in the state (see Section 4.6.6 Vernal Pools). Aquatic Cores are “intact river corridors within which important physical and ecological processes of the river or stream occur” and provide critical habitat function for aquatic species.

Of these Core Habitat types, Wetland and Aquatic Cores are most common in Templeton. Most are found along Trout Brook, the Otter River, and the Burnshirt River in the south. There are five Wetland Cores and five Aquatic Cores. The largest Core Habitat, which remains unprotected, is at the headwaters of the Otter

River in southeast Templeton, south of the Gardner Airport. It contains a 284-acre Wetland Core, the third largest in the ecoregion and in the top 20 percent of the largest in the state. This piece of Core Habitat supports three species of concern: Eastern whip-poor-will, grasshopper sparrows and vesper sparrows. There are two Vernal Pool Cores in southeast Templeton. The northwest has a large block that is part of the Templeton Developmental Center lands and continues into Athol, made up of Forest, Aquatic and Wetland Cores, and supports five Species of Concern.

Beyond the borders of Templeton, Birch Hill to the north, the Quabbin Reservoir to the southwest, and large patches of land within Hubbardston, Princeton and Leominster to the southeast are hotspots for Core Habitat and Critical Natural Landscapes (see Map 12). Though fewer ecological resources were identified as being of statewide importance in the center of Templeton than are found in the surrounding areas, the many tracts of undeveloped land, wetlands, forest, and aquatic habitats may provide important connectivity between these regional hotspots.

Ecological connectivity supports general ecosystem processes such as maintaining hydrologic and nutrient cycles and community population dynamics.

An important aspect of community dynamics is the ease with which species are able to move through the landscape for dispersal, migration, breeding and regular commuting behavior (Science of Corridors).

Increased structural landscape connectivity in the form of wildlife corridors and patches of habitat, with less interruption from roads and development, generally increases ecological health (Science of Corridors). Ecological connectivity will be increasingly important for species under stress of climate change (see Section 4.6.8). Based on regional patterns and distribution of Core Habitat and Critical

Structural connectivity of the landscape in the form of patches or corridors increases ecological health and aids movement of species, allowing for genetic and species diversity.

Natural Landscapes surrounding Templeton, protection of lands along the edges of Templeton to the north and south could contribute to the overall ecological health of the region.

The presence of Route 2, a four-lane divided highway running through the center of Templeton, creates a large disruption to the movement of non-avian wildlife between the northern and southern halves of the town. This highway is a substantial barrier to habitat connectivity not only in Templeton, but also within the region. The median strip width varies throughout the length of the highway, but is at least 165 feet wide through most of Templeton and is roughly 600 feet wide at its widest section in Templeton. Many wildlife species are not willing to cross or are not able to cross without being hit by vehicles. Improvement of the connectivity across or under the highway in the form of adapted culverts, tunnels, or bridges will require a regional planning effort coordinated with the Montachusett Regional Planning Commission and planning of Transportation Improvement Projects.

A large block of protected open space including 3,414 acres in northwest Templeton is currently the largest wildlife corridor in Templeton (see Map 12). There is less disruption to wildlife habitat (by roads or housing developments) in the entire northwest quadrant than anywhere else in Templeton. Potential wildlife corridors in this area consist of a composite of the Birch Hill Dam Recreation Area, Templeton Developmental Center land, Otter River and Templeton State Forests, and one privately-owned property. These protected open spaces are further connected to a regional complex of protected open spaces extending north-northwest into the neighboring towns of Winchendon and Royalston. Not only does the area provide critical feeding, breeding, migration, and overwintering habitat for an immense variety of wildlife, but it also offers excellent recreational opportunities for Templeton residents and visitors (see Section 4.9). (For a full list of property details see Section 5 Land Inventory.) The following sections describe wildlife habitat, management, and species associated with specific properties in this northern wildlife corridor complex.

Located in Templeton, Winchendon, and Royalston, the Birch Hill Dam Recreation Area (BHDRA) encompasses a total of 7,431 acres, of which the Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife (MassWildlife) owns approximately 3,210 acres in Winchendon and Royalston, known as the Birch Hill Wildlife Management Area (BHWMA). The United States Army Corps of Engineers owns the remaining 4,221 acres, known as the Birch Hill Flood Control Project, 989 acres of which lie in Templeton. The Flood Control Project provides a riparian corridor of protected open space along the Otter River and Trout Brook, extending from the Templeton-Winchendon town line in the north to Route 2 in the south.

BHDRA supports a diversity of wildlife habitats, including mixed hardwood and conifer forest, open fields, meadows, brush lands, shallow-water grass hummock marshes, other types of wetland natural communities, and open water. Common BHDRA wildlife include grouse, snowshoe hare, woodcock, deer, waterfowl, red and gray fox, turkey, aquatic fur-bearers, and great blue heron. Moose and black bear sightings are not uncommon. The local stretches of the Otter and Millers Rivers are highly popular with canoeists and kayakers. Both are stocked with trout by MassWildlife for the benefit of fisherman. MassWildlife also stocks BHWMA with pheasant during hunting season.

Owned by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and managed by the Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR), Otter River State Forest consists of 378 acres in Templeton with an additional smaller amount of contiguous acreage in Winchendon, and abuts the US Army Corps of Engineers' Birch Hill Flood Control Project described above.

Some of the forest area was cleared in the nineteenth century for small farms. After the Commonwealth acquired the land, it was reforested with groves of red pines which were planted by the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) in the 1930s.

The CCC also built the first campground sites in the area. The forest is now in transition between oak and hickory, northern hardwood, and pine forests. These forests are home to many wildlife species including deer, chipmunks, catbirds, warblers and vireos. In addition to its importance as prime wildlife habitat, the Otter River State Forest offers an exceptional variety of recreational opportunities (see Section 4.9).

Owned by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and managed by DCR, the 370-acre Templeton State Forest (TSF) provides a connecting link between the abutting southern tip of the 989-acre US Army Corps of Engineers' Birch Hill Flood Control Project, described above, and the 1,627-acre Templeton Developmental Center property (see below). TSF wildlife habitat includes a diverse mix of upland and wetland forested natural communities typical of Templeton (see Section 4.4 Vegetation).

Owned by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and operated by the Department of Developmental Services (DDS), the Templeton Developmental Center (TDC) land encompasses 1,627 acres of diverse, high quality wetlands and wildlife habitat. Through legislation and a Memorandum of Agreement between DDS and DCR, a Cooperative Management Plan for TDC property has been developed delegating certain land management responsibilities to DCR. Property beyond the TDC campus and agricultural fields is managed cooperatively to benefit both natural resources and the public. In particular, DDS, DCR, and MassWildlife worked together to provide a fall bowhunting-only opportunity for turkey and deer at TDC. In areas where there is still active crop production, hunting activity is, among other purposes, designed to reduce high deer and turkey densities, which helps to reduce the agricultural damage these species can (and do) cause.

The TDC's hay fields have been observed to support bobolinks, a favorite species among avid birders with an estimated population of a few hundred of nesting pairs, and very likely other species of declining grassland birds. In the past, TDC managers did not adjust field mowing schedules to accommodate nesting, and in some years eggs and/or hatchlings experienced severe mortality caused by mowing operations. The hope is that some arrangement can be made with current/future managers to adjust mowing schedules by adhering to an appropriate sequence to lower the risk to eggs and hatchlings.

Wildlife habitat is conserved within an 80-acre, privately owned parcel permanently protected through a Conservation Restriction held by North County Land Trust pursuant to the provisions of Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 184, Sections 31-33. This property abuts the 1,627-acre Templeton Developmental Center. The Conservation Restriction does not allow public access.

There is not as much permanently protected land in the portion of Templeton south of Route 2 compared with the portion north of the highway. However, large areas remain undeveloped in this mixed agriculturalresidential area, and it retains a large diversity of habitats. Though there are more roads and houses distributed throughout this region, a semi-fragmented corridor extends from the Phillipston town line in the southwest to the Gardner town line in the southeast over which wildlife may range relatively undisturbed.

Protected land in south Templeton includes a section of Templeton State Forest, Stone Bridge Pond, and a large parcel connecting to Hubbardston State Forest. Restrictions imposed by the Watershed Protection Act in the Chicopee/Ware River Watershed, bounded roughly by Dudley Road in the north, South and French Roads in the east, and the town line in the south and west, limit development in the southwest quadrant of the town. Outside of Templeton’s borders, MassWildlife's 3,383-acre Phillipston Wildlife Management Area is located not far from the southwest comer of Templeton, and DCR's Hubbardston State Forest lies just to the south of the Templeton - Hubbardston town line

The following lists first present common plant communities in Templeton and associated fauna, followed by rare species found in Templeton.

Northern Hardwood-Hemlock-White Pine Forest (terrestrial) Many animal species use parts of this type of forest, but geographical variation, structure, size, and local conditions will affect which actual species are present. Many species of neo-tropical migrant songbirds nest in large numbers in larger occurrences, including a variety of warblers. Blackburnian warblers are particularly closely associated with hemlock stands. Northern goshawk, barred owl, and pileated woodpeckers are also common. Mammals include red squirrel and gray squirrels, chipmunk, redbacked vole, short-tailed shrew, masked and smoky

shrews, and white-footed mouse. Amphibians include redbacked salamander and wood frog, while expected reptiles include redbelly snake.

Successional Norther Hardwoods (terrestrial)

Successional communities change in structure quite quickly. The animals inhabiting them change as the vegetation grows and changes, and there is a sequence of use. Trees are dense but small, often with blackberry underneath. Fugitive bird species such as chestnut-sided warblers and mourning warbler are common in the first five years after a major disturbance event, especially if there are dead snags left for singing perches. Grouse and woodcock are classic users of younger forest, as is the New England cottontail.

After thirty years, this natural community usually includes most commonly found mammals.

Successional White Pine Forest (terrestrial)

Blackburnian warblers are probably the bird species most closely associated with dense white pine forests.

Other birds of this natural community include ovenbird, yellow warbler, Cooper's hawk, and northern goshawk, and generalists such as the black-capped chickadee and red-breasted nuthatch.

Red Maple Swamp (palustrine)

Parts of red maple swamps that have two or three months of ponding and lack fish can function as vernal pools providing important amphibian breeding habitat.

Cultural Grassland (terrestrial)

Distance to the coast and size of the grassland strongly affect the species that use a grassland. Many species of birds that use grasslands are more common in the prairies and agricultural fields of the mid-western United States. Airports currently support Massachusetts' largest populations of upland sandpipers, grasshopper sparrows, and savannah sparrows. grasshopper sparrows are a state-listed Species of Special Concern in Massachusetts (see below); Gardner Municipal Airport, located in Templeton, is shown as Priority Habitat on Natural Heritage's rare species maps. Other grassland birds are found in different habitats such as bobolinks in hayfield-length taller grass and Eastern meadowlarks in pasture-length short grass. Other grassland birds include killdeer, Northern meadowlarks, and horned larks. Meadow voles, meadow jumping mouse, and the northern short-tailed shrew would be expected in most grasslands. They would be hunted by garter snakes, long-tailed weasels, kestrels, wintering Northern harriers, snowy owls, and short-eared owls.

Deep Emergent Marsh (palustrine)

Deep emergent marshes provide excellent waterfowl habitat and habitat for frogs and newts, especially leopard, pickerel, green and bull frogs, and red-spotted newts. Wood frogs may use areas of deep emergent marsh that are fish free.

Shallow Emergent Marsh (palustrine)

Shallow emergent marshes provide excellent habitat for muskrats. As with deep emergent marshes, shallow emergent marshes support frogs and newts.

Wet Meadow (palustrine)

Wet meadows can function as vernal pool habitat if water remains standing for two to three months; these areas provide amphibian breeding habitat.

According to NHESP, the following state-listed rare vertebrate and invertebrate animal species have been reported to occur in Templeton:

American bittern (Botaurus lentiginosus): According to NHESP, this is an

elusive bird of marshes. They are classified as endangered by NHESP and have been seen both in the area known locally as "Three Pipes" near the confluence of Trout Brook and the Otter River, and also in East Templeton in the wetlands abutting Route 2. These sightings have occurred as recently as 2004 and have been verified by the Athol Bird and Nature Club.

Easter whip-poor-will (Caprimulgus vociferous): Eastern whip-poor-wills

are nocturnal birds of dry, open woodlands and clearings. They have a three-note whistle that gives them their name.” They have small bodies, always held horizontally and are sometimes mistaken for common nighthawks. Whip-poorwills are supported by pine barrens, oak glades, powerline corridors and abandoned gravel operations.

Grasshopper sparrow (Ammodramus savannarum): A small sparrow that

nests in open ground between bunch grasses, this species is one of a number of different species that have dropped in population statewide, primarily due to loss of habitat, but which has been reported to breed in Templeton. The others of this list include Vesper Sparrows and Long-eared Owls. The Grasshopper Sparrow is listed as of “Special Concern” in Massachusetts.

Least Bittern (Ixobrychus exilis): A small, wading bird found in freshwater and brackish marshes with dense, tall vegetation. A smaller relative of the American Bittern this species is also very elusive.

Long-eared owl (Asio otus): Over a foot tall at maturity, with a three-foot wingspan, the long-eared owl has seen its habitat diminish through continued human development. It is classified as of "Special Concern" by NHESP, and was last seen in Templeton in 1978.

Vesper sparrow (Pooecetes gramineus): Breeding vesper sparrows are characteristic of relatively dry and

sparsely vegetated areas with scattered tall structures used for song perches. These features may be found in a variety of habitats. In eastern North America, breeding pairs are most frequently found in pastures, hayfields, and along the edges of cultivated fields where hedgerows, scattered trees, power lines, or other tall structures can be used as song perches. They are listed as “Threatened” in Massachusetts.

Triangle floater (Glasmidonta undulata): This rare mussel occurs in standing and moving water with clean, sandy cobble and gravel substrates. The triangle floater does not tolerate mud. It is classified as of “Special Concern” by NHESP and was last seen in Templeton in 1997 in the southern portion of the town.

Wood turtle (Clemmys insculpta): Much like the spotted turtle, these turtles use uplands for much of their

lives, including foraging for food and nesting, although they depend on wetlands, including stream edges, for some foraging, their mating, and particularly for overwintering. They are classified as of “Special Concern”

by NHESP.

Zebra clubtail (Stylurus scudderi): Clubtails are a distinctive group of dragonflies that generally inhabit

flowing waters, though they can be found in a variety of habitats. It is the only group of dragonflies in Massachusetts with widely separated eyes. The zebra clubtail has a wide club and black and yellow patterning.

NHESP identifies “priority habitats� in Templeton for triangle floater, wood turtle, pod-grass, grasshopper sparrow, and american and least bittern.

Vernal pools, also known as ephemeral pools and temporary woodland ponds, are well-defined depressions that typically fill with water in the autumn and/or winter due to rising ground water, rainfall, and melting snow. They hold water continuously through the spring and into summer, and in most years, dry up completely by the end of summer. At the height of the wet spring season, many species of amphibians and invertebrates depend upon vernal pools because they provide settings for breeding and egg-laying. It is a very important property of vernal pools that they dry out completely in most years, because fish populations cannot become permanently established: the lack of predation by fish allow the evolution of a number of species of amphibians and invertebrates, known as "obligate" vernal pool species (in Templeton primarily wood frogs, mole salamanders, and fairy shrimp), which are able to live and breed only in vernal pools, not in wetlands where fish would feed on the adults, their eggs, and/or larvae (Henshaw et al 30). (Some species of amphibians and invertebrates, known as "facultative" vernal pool species, can survive in both vernal pools and wetlands with fish.) Many invertebrate vernal pool species spend their entire lives in vernal pools, while others, primarily amphibians, lay their eggs and spend a larval tadpole stage there, after which they leave the pools transformed into adults that spend the remainder of their lives in the surrounding woodlands, returning briefly each spring thereafter to the same pools in which they were born and raised to repeat the reproductive phase of their lifecycles, generation after generation. Many other wildlife species that do not use vernal pools for breeding use them on a seasonal basis as feeding and shelter areas.

Vernal pools are found in natural depressions in the middle of vegetated wetlands, in isolation surrounded by uplands, or in landscape features created entirely by human activity that seasonally fill with water to a sufficient depth and duration for successful use by amphibian and invertebrate species. Old cellar holes are a common example of the latter type of vernal pool. NHESP classifies Woodland Vernal Pools as a separate natural community. Indeed, it might be argued that every vernal pool is a unique natural community since the

animals using a given pool have become adapted to, and hence critically dependent on, in most cases over the course of hundreds if not thousands of years, its specific hydrological regime and environmental properties.

Sudden changes to a vernal pool and/or its surrounding environment, often because of human activity, such as structural damage caused by heavy machinery, lowered groundwater levels due to withdrawals by new development, or increased rainwater runoff from nearby impervious surfaces, can have potentially disastrous effects on the viability of the pool. Therefore, protecting vernal pools requires preserving the physical integrity of the basin holding water and the associated woodland habitat and hydrological inflow/outflow systems.

Due to the critical importance of vernal pools as wildlife habitat, and their vulnerability to loss, NHESP developed a database and a process of certification, by which any interested person can identify vernal pools in Massachusetts and register them with the NHESP database. According to NHESP, there are currently ten Certified Vernal Pools (CVP's) and sixty-six Potential Vernal Pools (PVP's) in Templeton. (NHESP identifies Potential Vernal Pools through interpreting aerial photographs and the PVP datalayer is available from MassGIS online.) The MassGIS PVP datalayer indicates the presence of several clusters of vernal pools in Templeton. Vernal pool clusters (identified as vernal pool cores) are important to identify because they support locally high populations of vernal pool dependent species, which in turn support locally higher populations of wildlife further up the food chain that prey upon the vernal pool species. There are two vernal pool cores in southeast Templeton. These are an extension of a broader pattern of dense vernal pool clusters found in Hubbardston southeast of Templeton. PVP's should continue to be certified in Templeton, and all vernal pools should be monitored and protected. Priority should be given to the development and implementation of educational and outreach programs to attract townspeople who are interested in certifying vernal pools.

There are two wildlife management areas (WMA) in Templeton. Birch Hill WMA is located in northern Templeton and Stone-bridge WMA is in southwestern Templeton. WMAs are owned in fee by the Department of Fish and Game (DFG) or the Department of Fisheries and Wildlife (MassWildlife) and are open to the public for hunting, fishing, trapping, and passive recreation activities like hiking. There is also one wildlife conservation easement (WCE) property known as the Burnshirt River WCE that is part of the StoneBridge Conservation Area. A WCE is privately or town-owed where the DFG or MassWildlife own the development and recreation rights and the land is open to the public for hunting, fishing, trapping, or public recreation.

Functioning, diverse, stable ecosystems are an element of Templeton’s rural character. Part of living in a rural town is being close to natural landscapes and to the wildlife species that proliferate there. Templeton can safeguard the health of its ecosystems by maintaining open space, managing productive lands sustainably, increasing habitat connectivity wherever possible, and improving and protecting water quality. Increases in residential, commercial, or industrial development can greatly affect levels of diversity and habitat quality. It is likewise undesirable that growth and development of a town cease completely. Planners and conservationists can make conscious decisions to maintain as much balance as possible between developing land and setting enough habitat aside that species are not lost and systems degraded. Creating a greenway along the Otter

River through northeast Templeton is an example of compromise that could greatly increase habitat quality in the midst of the most developed part of town. A greenway can serve as a wildlife corridor and help rebuild riparian areas (the interface between land and river) which house many ecosystem processes and habitat.

Zoning also plays a large role in habitat protection. Most of the commercially-zoned districts are located along Route 2 or in small patches near village centers (see Map 2). One outlier is the Commercial-Industrial District B (CIB), the largest contiguous commercially zoned area, which abuts Templeton State Forest to the north. This area also contains three core habitat areas featuring wetland cores (BioMap2 town report).

Rezoning this district would decrease the likelihood of development of this area.

Wildlife species will be faced with new stressors from climate change in coming years. These include changes in hydrology, timing of the seasons, changes in winter, increased competition from invasive species, increased pressure from disease, more frequent storms and floods, and temperature changes. Stressors from human modifications to the landscapes in conjunction with these pressures may be too much for some species to handle. To assist wildlife in adapting to climate change, Templeton should consider ways the town can improve aquatic connectivity by minimizing roads and dams and terrestrial connectivity by carefully planning roads and development. It is highly advisable that the town details proactive measures through a Climate Action Plan that can be adapted from existing plans (MassWildlife).

The Templeton Common Historic District, also near two major highways, Routes 2 and 2A, and minor Route 101, was listed on the National Historic Registry in 1983. The historic Town Common provides an open area for the annual Crafts Fair and other activities such as band concerts. The First Congregational Church of Templeton provides an excellent backdrop to the Common and is the site for many weddings in the warmer months. The Narragansett Historical Society Building serves as a museum and hosts events throughout the year. Other historic buildings include the Grange Hall, Boynton Public Library, and the parsonage for the First Church of Templeton. The parsonage is the former home of John Boynton, a tin peddler who went on to found Worcester Polytechnic Institute (Rowcroft et al.).

The Baldwinville Historic District, listed on the Register in 1986, is in the northeastern corner of town near the intersection of Routes 202 and 68. This area served as the commercial center for a thriving industrial

village. While much of the industry was lost to the Hurricane of 1938, the Baldwinville Products Paper Mill and Temple Stuart Furniture Factory employed many families throughout the 1980s (Rowcroft et al.).

Most recently listed on the National Historic Register is the land of the former Templeton Developmental Center which sits atop Church, Elliott and Norcross Hills which provide views to Mount Monadnock in New Hampshire to the north, Mount Wachusett to the east, and Tully Mountain to the west. Commonly referred to as the Templeton Farm Colony, this area includes a dairy farm, associated farm buildings and housing, as well as a greenhouse. While the Center was still in operation, the land was under ownership of the state. After the facility closed in 2013 a lawsuit between the Fernald Corporation and the Commonwealth of Massachusetts determined six parcels of land were deemed under the ownership of the Fernald Corporation and therefore remain outside of permanently protected open space areas. A cluster of group homes continues to house residents with mental health issues. Overall this property offers a large tract of undeveloped scenic and historic landscapes and the road provides excellent access for visitors and views to Monadnock. There is currently potential for this area to be developed but additional land protection could preserve the character of this area that is valued by residents.

The land has been scraped, shaped and dotted by the activity of past glaciers. Features like glacial erratics and eskers make great perches from which to look out on the land. One such example is the esker located behind the Gardner Airport that overlooks the area where Templeton and Hubbardston Brooks meet to form the Otter River (Henshaw et al.).

Features that contribute to Templeton’s character include its glacial history which manifests in surficial geology of sand and gravel outwash deposits, its industrial history, and the Otter River winding through the villages. These features influence the particular environmental challenges the town must tackle as it plans for a future which will likely include increased development and will surely include effects of global climate change.

The Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) is responsible for keeping a database and enforcing the cleanup of sites that are contaminated with toxic or hazardous waste. DEP indicates the five sites have reported releases of hazardous waste that are in various stages of remediation (Searchable Sites).

DEP issued an environmental consent order to Erving Industries and American Tissue Mills regarding polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) contamination and in 2001 DEP referred the Temple Stuart site to the EPA Superfund removal program for assessment and cleanup. This was necessary because the owner, American Tissue Mills of Massachusetts, failed to meet its obligations to the state regarding cleanup. The site was identified as a source of solvent contamination to neighboring yards. Remediation of the soil in the adjacent neighborhood was completed. Though Temple-Stuart is no longer in active status with either the EPA or DEP, it is not in compliance (Waste Site Cleanup and Reuse in New England).

There are also several old dumps whose cleanup has not been addressed (Henshaw et al.). To prevent illegal dumping, Otter State Forest staff have locked gates, closing off access, to Otter State Forest and Army Corps of Engineers land in northern Templeton (Travaglini).

Table 4.8.1: DEP Waste Sites

2-0000664 2-0000924 2-0011246 2-0011301 2-0016594

Millers and Otter Rivers 4 Holman St

Birch Hill Dam Reservoir

10/15/89

DPS

12/5/01

Phase II Phase IV

Hazardous Materials Oil

Temple Stuart FMR

1/15/93

Tier 1

10/21/94

17 State Rd Winchendon Rd 131 Patriots Rd

Woodskill Inc. L and L Towing

5/17/96 7/6/96

Tier 1D Tier1D

7/7/08 7/7/08

Oil Oil

Bankowski Parking Lot

2/23/07

Tier 1D

3/3/08

Oil

Source: MassDEP Waste Sites Reportable Releases Lookup

Capped and closed in 1996, the Templeton Sanitary Landfill holds a 12-acre municipal solid-waste landfill onsite and sits on a parcel of land that encompasses 61.2 acres in the north central part of town just south of Route 202. Today, there is still post-closure monitoring going on at the 12-acre landfill site. Crow Hill Brook and its associated water features cross through the northern part of this site, and wetland resource areas are present as well (Henshaw et al.).

Today, Templeton is in a stage of transition regarding where to go with the landfill. A project was proposed for 2004 to expand the Templeton Sanitary Landfill following an agreement between the Templeton Board of Health and a private waste company. This led to significant political upheaval that recalled all three members of the Board of Health. The new Board withdrew the proposed expansion plans. The issue remains unresolved despite acceptance by the Attorney General of the Town’s repeal of the bylaw allowing waste from outside of town (Henshaw et al.).

Currently, recycling is offered on a limited basis to residents. Residents must contract for their own curbside waste removal services. The new Board of Health has proposed additional recycling, composting, and bulk waste disposal (Henshaw et al.).

According to the Mass DEP, the water quality of the lower 9.9 miles of the Otter River is impaired. The Millers River Watershed Water Quality Report (2000) sections the Otter River into three stretches (35-06, 3507, and 35-08) and assessed the aquatic life, fish consumption, contact, and aesthetics of each section (Kennedy and Rojko) (See Surface Water & Environmental Challenges Map 11).

Section 35-06: The headwaters of the Otter River flow near the southeast edge of town near the Gardner municipal airport where they are joined by Pond Brook. The Pond Brook sub-watershed is thirty-eight percent impervious, thus it is classified as a “non-supporting” waterbody, predictive of poor water quality.

The Otter River then flows under Routes 2 and 2A. This segment ends at the Gardner WWTP (Kennedy and Rojko).

Table 4.8.2: Section 35-06 (see Surface Water & Environmental Challenges Map 10) No assessment

Impaired- mercury contamination (suspected source: atmospheric deposition) and PCB contamination (suspected source: waste sites)

No assessment

Supported

Section 35-07: This section runs 4.4 miles from the Gardner WWTP to the Seaman Paper Dam. It is a

Class B waterway and Warm Water Fishery. Only ten percent of the lands in the watershed for this stretch of river are impervious surface, generally predictive of low threat to water quality from surface runoff (Kennedy and Rojko).

Table 4.8.3: Section 35-07 (see Surface Water & Environmental Challenges Map 10) Impaired- combination benthic/fishes and habitat indicator bio-assessment (suspected causes: dissolved oxygen/saturation, phosphate, turbidity, effluent toxicity; suspected sources: municipal point source discharge, sand/gravel/rock mining, highway road bridge run-off (non-construction related), discharges from municipal separate sewer systems)

Impaired- mercury contamination (suspected source: atmospheric deposition) and PCB contamination (suspected source: waste sites)

Primary ContactImpaired- turbidity Secondary ContactImpaired- turbidity (suspected sources: sand/gravel/rock mining; highway, road, bridge runoff (new construction), discharges from municipal separate storm sewer systems)

Impaired- turbidity (suspected sources: sand/gravel/rock mining; highway, road, bridge runoff (new construction), discharges from municipal separate storm sewer systems)

Section 35-08: This 5.5-mile section stretches from the Seaman Paper Dam to the river’s confluence with

the Millers River in Winchendon. It is a Class B waterway and Warm Water Fishery. Only ten percent of the lands in the watershed for this stretch of river are impervious surface, generally predictive of low threat to water quality from surface runoff (Kennedy and Rojko).

Table 4.8.4: Section 35-08 (see Surface Water & Environmental Challenges Map 10) Impaired- PCB contamination, combination benthic/fishes and habitat indicator bioassessment (suspected causes: dissolved oxygen/saturation, phosphate, turbidity, effluent toxicity; suspected sources: municipal point source discharge, sand/gravel/rock mining, highway road bridge run-off (non-construction related), discharges from municipal separate sewer systems)

Impaired- mercury contamination (suspected source: atmospheric deposition) and PCB contamination (suspected source: waste sites)

Primary Contact- Impairedturbidity and odor Secondary ContactImpaired- turbidity and odor (suspected sources: sand/gravel/rock mining; highway, road, bridge runoff (new construction), discharges from municipal separate storm sewer systems)

Impaired- turbidity, odor, trash and debris, (suspected sources: sand/gravel/rock mining; highway, road, bridge runoff (new construction), discharges from municipal separate storm sewer systems, urbanized high density area)

Segments of the Otter River and Beaver Brook, located in the far northwestern corner of Templeton, have been identified by the Mass DEP as impaired water bodies and rated as category 5. Category 5 waters necessitate a Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) which is determined by a process of developing a nutrient and pollution load budget designed to restore the health of the impaired water body Kennedy and Rojko).

Pollutants cited by the DEP include metals, nutrients, organic enrichment, chlorides and pathogens (Henshaw et al.). PCB contamination as well as habitat degradation, elevated phosphorus levels and effluent toxicity contribute to the lower Otter River’s impaired status (Kennedy and Rojko). TMDLs have not been developed for these waters to date and there is little DEP funding for the development of TMDLs. Instead, the DEP supports work to identify sources of contamination and implement projects to stop or mitigate the effects of these sources on water quality (Capra).

The current source of PCBs is the sediments at the bottom of the Otter River. The original source of PCB contamination is believed to be near the former Baldwinville Paper Products mill, owned by American Tissue Mills, Inc., and the Templeton WWTP. These sources remain a concern because the degree to which they may be future sources of PCB contamination is uncertain (Taggart, Coleman and Cooke).

Currently there is a consumption advisory for the stretch of the Otter River between the Seaman Paper Dam and its confluence with the Millers River in Winchendon due to PCBs. Children under twelve and women of childbearing age should not eat any fish from these waters. All others should not eat Brown Bullhead and White Sucker species and should limit consumption of all other fish to two meals per month (Department of Public Health, Fresh Water Fish Consumption Advisory List).

From 2012 to 2014, the MRWC coordinated E. coli bacteria testing at three sites on the Otter River every other week from June through September. Of twenty-eight samples collected at each site during these summers, samples from five different dates had levels of E. coli that support secondary contact like boating, but not primary contact like swimming, at one or more of the sites. Samples taken on two other dates measured E. coli levels that exceeded the limit for swimming and boating. Days with higher E. coli levels are generally correlated with rainy weather. ConnecticutRiver.US recommends not going into a river until twentyfour to forty-eight hours after a rain event to reduce risk of contracting waterborne illness due to E. coli levels associated with storm water runoff (Connecticut River Watershed Council and Pioneer Valley Planning Commission). This website helps the public understand patterns of bacteria count at sites used for recreation.

Brazell, East Templeton, Bourn-Hadley and Depot Ponds are listed as impaired by Mass DEP. The 2000 Millers River Watershed Water Quality Report identifies the reasons for the impaired status of each pond.

Brazell Pond (16 acres) and Bourn-Hadley Pond (26 acres) were impaired due to high levels of phosphorus, according to their TMDLs, and the presence of “noxious weeds” as reported in the 1998 1039(d) List of Waters in the Millers River Watershed. Depot Pond was impaired due to “noxious weeds.” East Templeton Pond was impaired due to “noxious weeds” and what was deemed to be natural siltation (Kennedy and Rojko 159-160). Unlike the Otter River, these ponds were not assessed for aquatic life, fish consumption, contact and aesthetics (see Surface Water & Environmental Challenges Map 10).

The water quality of the Otter River can be further improved. The Otter River’s water quality has implications for the water recreation of residents and visitors and contributes to the water quality of the Millers River and ultimately the Connecticut River. Water quality is an issue of local and regional importance.

The Otter River is subject to flooding in the Baldwinville section of Templeton when waters are held back by the Birch Hill Dam which was built to provide flood protection following devastating floods in 1927, 1936,

and 1938 and is controlled by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. A river’s hydrology, including the timing, frequency and rate of change of its natural water flows, can influence the ecosystem health of its watershed.

Water withdrawal from industries along a river’s banks can affect flow between the point of withdrawal and the point where the water is released back to the river through the waste water treatment facility. Pulsing flows occur in the Otter River’s waters. Depending on the magnitude of flow fluctuation, pulsing can cause fish and macroinvertebrate stranding and reduce available habitat and effective spawning grounds. Based on the 2003 study by Gomez and Sullivan, the Otter River has a medium stress level based on flow quantity (Gomez and Sullivan).

Point sources of pollution such as sewer discharge and industrial waste have been effectively regulated for decades, but nonpoint source pollution is more difficult to address. Nonpoint sources of pollution appear and increase as a community grows and the quality of the water shifts in response to the changes of the land.

Development is problematic when it consumes former forestland and wetlands that served as natural water filters and buffers to water supplies.

The MRPC was awarded a 319 Nonpoint Source Pollution Grant. The 319 granting-body is the federal government, but funds are channeled through the State with the goal of addressing sources of nonpoint pollution through education and constructing best management practices (BMPs). This has enabled the MRPC and MRWC to hold free educational low impact development (LID) workshops throughout the MRPC region in the Millers River watershed to provide technical assistance to develop Low Impact Development Bylaws. Templeton provided a letter of support for this grant application and seeks technical assistance to draft a LID bylaw (Henshaw et al.).

Templeton’s Pre-disaster Mitigation Plan identifies two areas of concern regarding erosion-related hazards. One area is Brooks Village Road, east of the intersection of the Rice Road and Caruth Road. North of the road is a hilly area susceptible to erosion in times of heavy rain. Though there is a stone trap in this location to alleviate the problem, debris still ends up in the road. The other area is Norcross Hill Road, west of the intersection with Royalston Road. During times of rain debris ends up in the road from the hilly area to the north (Henshaw et al.).

The Millers River Watershed Water Quality Report, characterizes the lower two thirds of the Otter River, (sections 35-07 and 35-08) as impaired for primary and secondary contact due to turbidity. The report sites sand, gravel & rock mining; and highway, road, and bridge runoff (new construction) as the suspected sources of sediment that contribute to the murkiness of waters and degrade the aesthetic appeal of the water for recreation. Turbidity can disrupt the ecological functioning of the river system by lowering dissolved oxygen levels and increasing water temperature.

The numerous sand and gravel mining pits, both active and inactive, are a potential source of erosion and sedimentation. At last count, there were several dozen gravel pits operating legally, most of which are “grandfathered” from requirements for an Earth Removal permit from the Board of Selectmen and Storm water Management permit from the Planning Board. The presence of so many such sites, both regulated and unregulated, and an unknown number of inactive, abandoned gravel pits as well, leads to concerns over potential erosion and sedimentation impacts to wetland resource areas (Henshaw et al.) (see Surface Water & Environmental Challenges Map 10).

Instances of poor forest harvesting practices, as occurred in a 2007 logging operation in Templeton which resulted in a violation of the Wetlands Protection Act, can damage sensitive wetlands and wildlife habitat (Henshaw et al.). Cutting operations typically do not take place in wetlands, but logging roads do often cross wetland resource areas to gain access to forests. Although poor harvesting practices are not the norm, because of the town’s large forest tracts it is important to support sustainable forest management that contributes to the local forest-based economy.

Under Chapter 132, foresters from the DCR’s Bureau of Forestry have sole jurisdictional responsibility for the approval and oversight of Forest Cutting Plans, which are exempt from review by town Conservation Commissions under the MA Wetlands Protection Act (WPA, MGL Ch 131, Section 40). Therefore, the Conservation Commission has no legal right to inspect properties proposed for timber harvesting prior to the start of cutting, or to take enforcement action when logging operations have “gone bad.” The Attorney General prosecuted the violator in the 2007 operation but the law required the fine be paid to the Commonwealth’s General Fund. No portion was available at the local level for restoration and the site was left ecologically damaged (Henshaw et al.). The Templeton Conservation Commission can, however, contact property owners and foresters who submit cutting plans and inform them of their desire to conduct a site visit or communicate with the State Forester about any concerns they may have (Capra).

As rains flow through storm water systems they carry debris that builds up in storm drains, culverts and waterbodies. This can lead to water backing up and can exacerbate flooding. Beaver activity can also dam up infrastructure. Templeton has experienced small instances of localized flooding due to beaver dam construction activity.

Beavers create valuable wetland habitat. However, if dams pose a risk to public health or safety, i.e. flood a well or road, private landowners can secure a permit from the Board of Health to remove the beaver and breach the dam. Mitigation by installing “beaver diverters” and water control devices as well as beaver trapping are strategies the Town has used since the Hazard Mitigation Plan was written in 2008. Participants at the Templeton Local Hazard Mitigation Team Meeting in May 2012 identified eleven culverts or ponds with problematic beaver activity. In one example, the town put in a deterrent system at a culvert under Royalston Road which seems to be working well, due to both the devices and the care of volunteers who maintain the site (MRPC, Hazard Mitigation Plan).

Table 4.8.5: Mitigation Actions for Flood Related Hazards Table

Town-wide maintenance of municipal storm Undertaken by the Highway water drainage systems, includes regular Department cleaning of storm drains and culverts (p 527) Town-wide maintenance of public water Undertaken by the Highway bodies (ponds, streams, rivers, wetlands), Department with guidance from includes periodic cleaning of waterways, i.e. the Conservation Commission remove trash and debris (p 527) Develop a priority list and possibly seek Board of Selectmen and funding through the Hazard Mitigation Grants Highway Department Program (HMGP) for the replacement of undersized culverts throughout Town to reduce or eliminate flooding risk (p 533) Install “beaver diverters� and water control Highway Department devices to mitigate flooding caused by beaver dams (p 535) Hire trapper for removal of beavers to mitigate Highway Department flooding caused by beaver dams (p 535) Source: Montachusett Region Natural Hazard Mitigation Plan 2015

Maintenance continues but additional personnel and equipment needed Maintenance continues but additional personnel and equipment needed Carried forward due to time constraints

Carried forward due to time constraints Completed but carried forward; This action is undertaken as needed

Beaver activity could lead to water quality issues. In the Route 202/West Road area beaver dams are causing water to back up to the landfill which could cause a water supply issue. Beavers are damming up the culvert south of the Gardner WWTP underneath Patriots Road/Route 2A and washing out a 2-foot raised easement.

This easement could collapse and lead to health problems due to tens of thousands of gallons of wastewater flooding from its containment (MRPC Hazard Mitigation Plan, Local Hazards Map 525).

Massachusetts Fish & Wildlife provides strategies for managing lands and infrastructure so both beavers and humans can coexist (Preventing Conflicts with Beavers). Beavers can be difficult to control therefore, Templeton could host a public education workshop to inform landowners about options.

Templeton is a desirable location to live. Even though the town has not grown recently, it is reasonable to expect residential development to continue to some degree in the next decade (See Section 3: Community Setting). There is also a relatively strong potential for commercial development on properties adjacent to Route 2. New development could lead to larger areas of impervious surfaces. This, in addition to undersized or poorly maintained storm water drainage infrastructure, including culverts and detention basins, could lead to increased flooding. Development also changes natural drainage patterns by altering existing contours by grading and filling. This could lead to unexpected flooding during heavy rains (Henshaw et al.).

Replacing undersized culverts can be an opportunity to retrofit new designs to accommodate for the movement of wildlife. This is illustrated by the Crooked Pond Brook Culvert Replacement project in Boxford, MA. The original culverts were a moderate barrier for the movement of aquatic life and they were at risk of failure in a flood. The replacement, one larger culvert, can convey debris more easily during a flood and is lined with natural streambed material making it a migratory corridor for a variety of animals (Crooked Pond Culvert Replacement).

Invasive species threaten the integrity of natural communities and can directly threaten native species who are not adapted to these species and, in many cases, are less opportunistic than invasive species. No specific invasive species inventories have been conducted for Templeton, but common invasive invertebrate species in central Massachusetts include the Asian longhorn beetle, Emerald ash borer, and Hemlock woolly adelgid.

Invasive plant species are also common. The town should consider opportunities for managing town-owned lands for invasive species control. The first step is to inventory the invasive species presence.

Templeton provides opportunities for residents and visitors to fish, hike, walk or enjoy a scenic view. Templeton’s many natural areas include state parks and conservation areas and paddling access to the Otter River. Two active sportsman’s club communities contribute to the stewardship of large recreation, hunting, and fishing areas. Community athletic fields and playgrounds offer recreation facilities closer to village centers, but the town lacks sidewalks connecting villages and recreation destinations. Funding for maintenance headed up by the Recreation Committee has been lacking in recent years and a better understanding of residents’ needs is required to improve recreational opportunities.

Changes in industry have indirectly influenced the type of recreation available in Templeton over the last fifty years. Residents who grew up in Templeton remember a time when most people lived in the same village they worked in and many people walked to work daily. In the 1950s, community recreation spaces like Baker’s Field, which used to host ball games and community dances, or the Otter River Pool, which was a local, natural swimming hole for many years, were more common and contributed to a lively town atmosphere.

Over the years, Templeton has become more of a commuter town. A more thorough understanding of community recreation needs is necessary to assess the needs for additional recreation resources. At times, looking to the past can be a source of inspiration for what could be possible again. For example, 42 percent of respondents to the 2017 Open Space and Recreation survey shared that they would take advantage of outdoor swimming if more opportunities were available. Historic precedence and available space may offer a directive to revitalize areas if public interest exists.

The Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) maintains trail systems in three areas in Templeton: one within Otter River State Forest in the north, another in Templeton State Forest in central Templeton, and a grouping of trails connecting to Hubbardston State Forest along the southern border.

The Ware River Rail Trail runs from Winchendon in the north, through Baldwinville, and to the south all the way to Barre. An on-road detour is necessary through the village of Baldwinville, but the right-of-way is open for public use on an informal basis from the outskirts of Baldwinville to the outskirts of Winchendon. The trail is blocked by the Route 2 embankment 0.9 miles north of Templeton Center and crossing protocol is still unclear.

To cross the four-lane divided highway, bikers, hikers, and snowmobilers must go quite far out of their way to pass under. This unpaved, state-owned trail runs parallel to Trout Brook within Army Corps of Engineers lands, and passes close to Depot Pond and the Senior Center, the Naragansett Regional High School, Stone Bridge Conservation Area, and Dwelly Farm, connecting many recreational opportunities. Two rights-of-way also extend into New Hampshire from Winchendon, making this trail a key link in an extensive regional network of interstate trails (“Ware River Rail Trail”).

A quarter-mile east of the Ware River Rail Trail in southern Templeton, Dwelly Farm may soon be developed into a community farm with walking trails and educational programming. The farm was donated to the North County Land Trust (NCLT) in 2012. There is currently one loop trail on the property. NCLT is currently developing a management plan for Dwelly Farm with hopes to complement efforts of local farmers, provide education about agriculture, and outdoor recreation like hiking, jogging picnicking, nature study, horseback riding and cross-country skiing (“Ideas for Dwelly”).

At open space community meetings in 2017, residents also reported enjoying hiking around Partridgeville Pond in south Templeton within Templeton Fish and Game Club property.

Trails on the Templeton Developmental Center land, like many trails throughout town, are not officially inventoried, mapped, or marked and therefore may be difficult for people to find if they are unfamiliar with the territory. An unmarked public trailhead on the property on Route 202 near the intersection with Route 2A (Patriots Road), provides off-street parking.

It is likely that many of the permanently protected open spaces in Templeton have trails that are not marked, blazed, or inventoried in any way. This makes it difficult to offer a comprehensive assessment of the status of trails and trail use in Templeton. It also decreases any likelihood of ecotourism – visitors coming to Templeton specifically to hike the trails or recreate in natural areas – which could be helpful to Templeton’s economy.

From the spatial patterns of protected open space and formal DCR trails, it appears that there are likely fewer passive recreation opportunities in northeast Templeton, the most densely developed area in Templeton (see Map 14: Trails and Open Space). Recreation opportunities like hiking, walking, or enjoying nature closer to these population centers would be beneficial for improving public health and engagement with nature, and potentially broadening residents’ land stewardship ethic.

Parks provide community gathering spaces, places for people to take children or to relax, and space to play or to walk dogs. Parks generally increase the opportunity for residents to enjoy a healthy lifestyle and offer a different form of recreation than in natural areas. Ballfields and playgrounds are the most common forms of recreation near village centers in Templeton. The Gilman Waite Ballfield is the most popular ballfield: this 30-acre park is close to Baldwinville and includes athletic fields, stadium risers, a food stand, and a playground. Athletic playing fields include three softball fields, one baseball field, two football/soccer fields, a basketball court, and a tennis court. A walking loop also encompasses the property.

Other playing fields in Templeton, including one softball field along Main Street and one baseball field along Cottage Road, are in decline due to lack of maintenance and funding (Davis).

Construction of a new elementary school, replacing the Templeton Center School, may require locating some recreational facilities including a skate park and two playgrounds (Davis). Narragansett Regional High School has one soccer field and one baseball field, which are for school use only and a track that is open to the public.

The Templewood Golf Course is adjacent to the Otter River Sportsman’s Club in the northeast part of Templeton and is reportedly well-used by residents and some out-oftowners (Tourigny). In addition to recreation, it creates a contiguous connection of open space (though unprotected) in this part of town.

The National Recreation and Parks Association (NRPA) offers national guidelines that may serve as a standard by which to evaluate the availability of recreation resources in Templeton. The typical park and recreation agency offers one park for every 2,277 residents served and 9.5 acres of parkland per 1,000 residents (NRPA). While this may be useful for a superficial analysis of Templeton’s recreation needs, an evaluation of residents’ experienced and felt needs is also very important to consider (see Section 4.8.4).

The Senior Center in Baldwinville is run by the Templeton Council on Aging and is the site of community garden plots and senior programming. Staff also offer transportation to disabled or elder residents. The Senior Center is adjacent to a 106-acre open space lot leading to the Greenlawn Cemetery and Depot Pond.

This would be an ideal place to establish a loop trail connecting these three areas and providing a passive recreation opportunity close to the town center accessible to a wider age demographic.

The 115-acre Otter River Sportsman’s Club is mostly forested, but has a pond and a ballfield. Many events are hosted at the newly built club facility throughout the year, including barbeques and occasionally weddings. The 200-acre Templeton Fish and Game Club on Partridgeville Pond has a member clubhouse, beach, pond, two pavilions, barbeque pit, playground, horseshoe area, and a shooting range.

Partridgeville Pond is surrounded by residential lots leased by club members and private citizens. The pond is stocked with bass, perch and pickerel. The Club beach offers a pavilion available to members and their guests.

The sportsman’s club communities are active in stewarding Templeton’s natural resources and are important stakeholders in the protection of open space. The Otter River Sportsman’s Club recently became a member of the American Chestnut Foundation, to help restore the American Chestnut through selective cutting of its own forest and the replanting of American chestnuts (Tourigny).

Two state forests in Templeton support ecosystem health and provide recreation opportunities. The Otter River State Forest is partially located in Winchendon with over 500 acres in Templeton (12,000 acres total), and Templeton State Forest comprises over 700 acres. The Otter River State Forest was first acquired by the State Forest Commission in 1915 and soon after became a popular day-use facility. Some of the forest was cleared in the nineteenth century for small farms, but upon the state’s acquisition, the areas were reforested with pines planted by the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC). The CCC also built the first campground sites in the region, which today contains approximately 85 camping sites. All of the camper-friendly services like showers and toilets were updated in 1998 and are available from May to October. Recreation activities available in Otter River State Forest include camping, fishing, hunting (with restrictions), group day use, hiking (off trail), mountain biking, pavilion use (50 maximum), picnicking, skiing (cross-country), snowmobiling, swimming, and walking (on trail). Templeton State Forest is less developed for recreation than Otter River State Forest, but there is still opportunity to hunt, hike, cross-country ski, and snowmobile.

Floodwoods Conservation Area is a nostalgic place for many residents who grew up in Templeton and remains a place for hiking and camping. It is situated along the Otter River across from another conservation area in Gardner. Stone Bridge Conservation Area is made up of patches of protected land along the southwest edge of Templeton. It has some gated trails and is home to a historical stone bridge. The community would like to preserve the bridge, but it poses a safety hazard since parts of it are beginning to crumble and it has no guard rails or lights.

There are currently no natural, designated swimming areas in Templeton, but swimming areas are nearby at Lake Denison in Winchendon and Lake Wampanoag in Gardner. Water quality conditions along sections of the Otter River make it in-advisable to swim.

Canoeing and kayaking on the Otter River is a popular form of recreation among residents. The Millers River Watershed Council (MRWC) is currently working on increasing access points for paddling along the Otter and Millers Rivers through the Blue Trails project and is creating maps and informational material about the trails (see Section 4.4 for more details about water-based recreation).

Informational resources about recreational opportunities in Templeton are not widely available. Residents who work out of town or did not grow up exploring its natural areas may have a hard time locating existing trails or access to open space. According to one resident, groups like the local Boy Scout troop hike outside town to avoid hazards associated with unmarked trails that have no maps. Educating residents about what resources are available to them could help increase more participation in the planning of future recreation in Templeton. Users would also gain a better understanding of improvements that need to be made.

A total of twenty residents responded to the 2017 Open Space and Recreation Plan Survey. More feedback from a wider range of recreation stakeholders is necessary to understand the user experience of recreation in

Templeton and how it might be improved. A helpful first step may be to create a comprehensive inventory of all the town’s recreational facilities, including those under purview of the Recreation Committee, and then engage residents in a planning process to better understand what they would like to see in Templeton. Many suggestions have been received through the 2017 OSRP process, including increased youth programming, creation of new parks like a dog park, skate park, scenic park, and more playgrounds. However, it would be useful to have a fuller understanding of community need before spending limited funding.

According to Bill Davis, chair of the Recreation Committee, though there has been some success in obtaining two separate grants to fund playgrounds in town, funding for programming and maintenance of recreation facilities is lacking (Davis). In 2014, town meeting eliminated the budget and the Committee has struggled to regain funding. Athletic and playing fields have received little maintenance in the last few years (Davis). There is currently no programming through the Recreation Committee. According to Davis it has been difficult to gain consensus from residents on recreational interest and direction for programming. The Recreation Committee currently functions separately from the Open Space Committee, but would benefit from greater collaboration, especially in planning efforts like the Open Space and Recreation Plan. Greater communication and collaboration between committees can strengthen efforts by allowing joint public meetings, and sharing resources and ideas.

Section 5: Inventory of Land of Conservation and Recreation Interest Photo by Carrie Novak

Open space in the Town of Templeton consists of farms, forests, parks, and recreation areas under both public and private ownership and management. This section describes lands in Templeton that provide open space for wildlife habitat, agricultural and forest products, watershed protection, scenic landscapes, and recreational opportunities.

In general terms, ‘open space’ is defined as undeveloped land but could include sites with historic buildings or vacant lots. Protected open space is usually sheltered from development, although there is sometimes the chance that the protection is limited or temporary and the use of these areas will be changed such as when land is owned by school or public works department and the use changes or land is sold. Privately owned open space is often relatively easy to develop, even if they have been maintained as open space for several years. Open Space also includes recreational facilities with developed areas like tennis courts, ball fields, and swimming pools.

Open space contributes to a community’s life quality of life. Public recreation areas and open space provide a focus for community life and promote a unique and identifiable community character. Open Space and Recreation Plans focus on undeveloped land, which is valued by residents because of its beauty and contribution to rural character.

Open space needs to be protected because it can offer to the community actively managed farm and forestland, wildlife habitat, protection of groundwater, flood control, public access to recreational lands and trail systems, important plant communities, and landscapes that represent the community’s heritage. Open space provides natural resources and healthy ecosystem components such as clean air, soils, vegetation, and wildlife, that people depend on for their livelihood.

Open space and recreation plans typically identify areas of undeveloped land that contain important natural and recreational resources and prioritize them for protection. Establishing criteria for prioritizing open space parcels for protection allows a town and regional conservation partners to strategically make land acquisition decisions. Natural areas can extend across town borders, so natural resource protection is often best achieved through regional collaboration. This approach emphasizes connecting natural habitat areas and corridors and collecting information about sites of special importance, such as vernal pools and endangered or rare habitats and species.

Public open space and park lands are acquired through purchase or donation of land. Private, public, and non‐profit lands that have been dedicated for conservation or recreation uses can be protected under Article

97 of the Articles of Amendment to the State Constitution. In 1972, Massachusetts voters approved Article 97, which establishes that any state‐ or municipally‐owned land taken or acquired for conservation or recreation purposes cannot be used for other purposes unless the Massachusetts legislature approves the change by two thirds vote.

Open space can be protected from development in several ways that differ in the level of legal protection they provide, the method by which they are protected, and by the type of landowner.

Conservation restrictions, known in most other states as conservation easements, are voluntary yet binding, legal agreements between a landowner and a municipality or land trust. The landowner may be offered various incentives including direct payment, estate tax and federal income tax deductions, and property tax relief to keep parcels in an undeveloped state either in perpetuity or for a specified number of years. The owner keeps ownership of the land, while the holder of the restriction promises to enforce the terms of protection. Conservation restrictions leave land on the tax rolls, preserve land without public ownership, and allow, in many instances, for public access. Other restrictions governed by Massachusetts General Laws include historic preservation restrictions, agricultural preservation restrictions, and watershed preservation restrictions. Preservation restrictions are legal agreements to preserve a structure or site for historical significance and require approval by the Massachusetts Historical Commission. Other restrictions that protect open space include the following.

Agricultural Preservation Restriction (APR)

Privately owned, actively farmed land with Prime soils or soils of Statewide Importance. Farmland be eligible for enrollment in the state’s Agricultural Preservation Restriction (APR) Program. The APR program purchases the development rights and attaches a restriction to the deed, which legally bars development, keeping land “permanently” available for agriculture. The development of any parcel of land that is in the APR Program, protected with a conservation restriction, owned by a state conservation agency, or owned by a land trust or a town for conservation purposes, would require a vote by two thirds of the State Legislature as outlined in Article 97.

State River and Wetland Regulations

Portions of some parcels can be substantially protected by the state Wetlands Protection Act and the Rivers Protection Act. Land designated as Restricted Wetlands under the Coastal Wetlands Restriction Act (M.G.L. Ch.130, s.105) is also somewhat protected, assuming vigilance in monitoring. Similarly, the state’s Chapter 91 can help preserve access to historic tidelands.

Temporary Protection of Lands under Chapter 61 Tax Programs

Privately-owned parcels enrolled in Massachusetts Chapter 61 tax abatement programs are considered “temporarily protected” from development. This program offers landowners reduced local property taxes in return for maintaining land in productive forestry (chapter 61) or agricultural (chapter 61A) or recreational use (chapter 61B) for a period. These “chapter lands” provide many public benefits, from maintaining wildlife habitat and recreational open space to sustaining rural character and maintaining local forest. If a landowner chooses to withdraw land from this classification, the owner must pay a penalty tax to the municipality equal to the number of years a reduced tax has been paid on the land. When the land is put up for sale, the municipality has a right of first refusal to consider whether to buy the land outright. There are many advantages to private ownership of open space. Privately owned undeveloped land contributes to the town’s tax base. When used for farming or forestry, land can also generate revenue, jobs, food, and forest products for the town. Some landowners allow access to their property for recreational purposes. Private working land gives people a sense of place. Private-ownership of open and working lands encourages a sense of community and helps contribute to community stability over time. One disadvantage of chapter 61 private ownership programs is that the undeveloped land is it is protected temporarily and could eventually be converted to other uses.

Limited Protection for Town and Water District-Owned Land

Land in Massachusetts owned by towns or water districts may be considered to have limited protection from development. If a town-owned parcel of land is under the legal authority of a town’s Board of Selectmen (BOS) rather than the Conservation Commission, it is considered to have limited protection from development. The parcel could be called a wildlife sanctuary or a town forest, but not have long-term protection.

339 acres of privately-owned open space provides Templeton with passive recreation opportunities (see Appendix C for a full list of properties).

Orr Association (Temporarily Protected Land Chapter 61-Forestry) 6 acres of managed forest land abutting the Otter River Recreation Area.

Otter River Sportsman Club (Temporarily Protected Land Chapter 61B-Recreation) 110 acres of forested land and a 10-acre pond stocked with trout and bass. Public access through membership. On their website, they state “the club is dedicated to safe responsible hunting, wildlife preservation, conservation of land, and sportsman’s education.”

Peaceful Pines Campground (Unprotected) 69 acres open to the public seasonally. Offers swimming, basketball, horseshoe pits, fishing pond, volley ball, and hiking trails.

Ridgley Country Club (Temporarily Protected Land Chapter 61B-Forestry) 62 acres, open to the public for a membership fee. Ridgley Country Club is primarily a golfing facility however it also offers tennis and swimming.

Royalston Fish and Game Club (Temporarily Protected Land Chapter 61B-Recreation) 92 acres of forested land, open to the public for a membership fee. Forested land for hunting and passive recreation.

Templeton Fish and Game Club (Temporarily Protected Land Chapter 61) 119 acres of forested land, open to public for a membership fee. It offers a playground, swimming, fishing, boating, hunting, horseshoes, volleyball, and badminton.

A total of 2,662 acres is enrolled in the chapter 61 programs and is temporarily protected from development (see Appendix C: Tables C1, C2, and C for a full list of properties).

Twenty-six parcels totaling approximately 840 acres, are enrolled in chapter 61. Forestlands can help to protect and provide clean water, air, and healthy wildlife populations. Many forestlands are large parcels with a low degree of fragmentation and if these forests are sustainable harvested they help support wildlife and plant habitats. Forest soils have a high infiltration capacity preventing surface runoff, and preventing flooding during large storm events.

Thirty-seven parcels totaling approximately 869 acres, are enrolled in chapter 61A. Most agricultural parcels often contain prime farmland soils that should be preserved as a town resource. These privately-owned working lands contribute to the town’s tax base and generate revenue, employment, and food products.

Thirty-seven parcels totaling approximately 954 acres, are enrolled in chapter 61B. Landowners may allow access to their property for recreational purposes, like hiking or snowmobiling.

(See Appendix C for a full list of Properties)

Templeton has 4,282 acres of protected public lands. Templeton’s open space is summarized in the Table 5.3.1.

Table 5.3.1: Summary of Open Space Management

Conservation Commission Templeton Recreation and Cemetery Commission Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) DCR & Division Water Supply Protection Department Fish and Game Department of Developmental Resources Army Corps of Engineers Total protected public lands = 4,282 Source: 2017 Templeton Master Plan

190 30 1225 163 58 1627 989

(See Appendix D for full list of properties)

East Templeton Pond Conservation Area (ETPCA) The ETPCA is approximately 102 acres in East Templeton village. According to the Templeton Master Plan, the Templeton Conservation Commission and Open Space Committee currently considers this area to be a high priority local focus area for expansion. Although there are a few remnants of old structures and debris, the parcels are vacant and undisturbed, and can be physically accessed either directly from public roads or via ETPCA parcels with frontage on public roads. Although there is no organized trail system of any kind and many of the parcels are inaccessible wetlands, at least when not frozen, a trail network could be created around the perimeter of the wetland areas.

Otter River Pond, Wetland Areas, and Parcels abutting Otter River The town owns approximately 88 acres near and containing the site of the old Otter River Pool dam. The dam has fallen into severe disrepair due to lack of maintenance. This area was a very popular local swimming area in the 1950’s and 60’s. Public access is now restricted due to safety concerns over the deteriorating dam.

Some of the parcels in this area are undisturbed wetlands or too small to support a trail system. The two parcels near Whitney St. offer access to the Otter river and may have enough dry land for a small trail system.

Gilman-Waite Park and the Little League Field Gilman-Waite Park is approximately 30 acres that can be accessed from Michaels Lane in the Village of Baldwinville. It is managed by the Recreation and Cemetery Commission. It includes three baseball fields, soccer field, a basketball court, tennis court, playground, and climbing structure, in addition to surrounding areas of trees and vegetation. It is permanently protected through a deed restriction and the town anticipates making recreational improvements to Gilman-Waite Park in the future. The Little League Field is located on U.S. Army Corps of Engineers the Village of Baldwinville and can be accessed from the end of Maple Street.

It includes a tee ball field and a baseball field. Per agreement of the town, there are plans for expansion to include additional fields and clearing has been initiated.

(See Appendix D, Table D3 for a full list of properties.)

Municipal land is town owned land categorized as unprotected open space. Some municipal land, while open now, may be subject to development for municipal purposes or sold as surplus in the future, thus is not classified as protected. However, since it is town-owned, it is less likely to be developed for private residential or commercial uses unless town meeting votes to sell it. The town needs to evaluate their parcel to make sure they are accessible to people with disabilities. Some of the unprotected land owned by the Town is used for educational and municipal purposes. The town’s recreational properties include:

East Templeton Field

An athletic field surrounded with areas of trees and vegetation that can be accessed from Cottage Lane in the village of East Templeton.

Houghton Park

Includes a parking area, baseball field, a basketball hoop, playground, and a gazebo. It can be accessed from Main Street through the Town Hall parking area.

The Templeton Playground

Comprises three recreational areas– two playgrounds and a skateboarding park, on either side of the Templeton Center School in Templeton Center.

Cemeteries

Cemeteries include the Baptist Common Cemetery near the intersection of Baldwinville Road and Baptist Common Road, the Common Burial Ground (an historic cemetery behind the First Congregational Church on Wellington Road in Templeton Center), the Greenlawn Cemetery on the east side of Bridge Street in Baldwinville, and the Pine Grove Cemetery on the north side of Patriots Road, approximately one-half mile west of Templeton Center. Another small cemetery is located on Templeton Development Center property.

Schools

There are four schools include the Baldwinville Elementary School located on School Street near Baldwinville center, the East Templeton Elementary School at 160 Patriots Road in East Templeton, Narragansett Regional School along the west side of Baldwinville Road in Baldwinville, and the Templeton Center Elementary School located on South Road in Templeton Center near the Police Station and playground. Land has been set aside for a proposed new elementary school near the Narragansett Regional School.

Town Commons

Five town commons in Templeton can provide some recreational opportunities. The Baldwinville Common consists of a sidewalk along a portion of Elm Street, a Baldwinville historic information plaque, a World War 1 memorial, a World War 2 memorial, a Korean War memorial, a Vietnam War Memorial, and areas of lawn, mature trees and landscaping. The East Templeton Common is in a small strip of land between Patriots Road and Gardner Road near the intersection of North Main Street in East Templeton. Included in this common are two picnic tables, two areas of lawn, and landscaping improvements. The Otter River Common is a small

island at the intersection of Main Street and State Road, in the village of Otter River and is utilized for directional and informational signage. Amadon Park is a small memorial park for the community, located in a small strip of land between Patriots Road and Scout Hall. It includes a plaque honoring Richard Amadon, a World War II memorial, a Korean War memorial, and small areas of lawn and landscaping. Finally, Templeton Common is a memorial park for the community located within open space at the intersection of and adjacent to South Road and Hubbardston Road in Templeton Center and along Baldwinville Road and Wellington Road. It offers several amenities to the public including sidewalks, access walks to some memorials, a band stand, benches, a Templeton historic information plaque, four war memorials, a Firefighter’s memorial, and areas of lawn, trees and landscaping.

(See Appendix D: Table D5 for a full list of properties)

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The Division of State Parks and Recreation controls and manages land in the Otter River State Forest and the Templeton State Forest. Otter River State Forest and Templeton State forest offer a wide variety of opportunities for passive and active recreation such as hiking, wildlife viewing, hunting, fishing, camping and swimming.

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The Division of Water Supply Protection controls and manages 87 acres abutting Stone Bridge Pond, 15 acres of forested land in the Burnshirt River watershed, and 60 acres of land abutting other DCR lands in Hubbardston.

The DFG controls and manages three parcels, 12 acres abut Stone Bridge Pond and a 23-acre area known at “Day Mill Tree Sanctuary that abuts Birch Hill.

The DDS controls and manages 1,627 acres of land in the former location of the Templeton Developmental Center which closed in 2013. It should be noted that an additional area of 465 acres which was once protected is now unprotected. After the facility closed in 2013, a lawsuit between the Fernald Corporation and the Commonwealth of Massachusetts determined six parcels of land were deemed under the private ownership of the Fernald Corporation and therefore remain outside of permanently protected open space areas. There are now group homes clustered on part of the property that continue to house individuals with mental health issues. Overall, this property offers a large tract of undeveloped scenic and historic landscapes and the road provides an excellent view of Mount Monadnock to the north.

(See Appendix D: Table D6 for a full list of properties)

988 acres of the ACE’s Birch Hill Flood Control Project is in Templeton. The project extends into the neighboring towns of Winchendon and Royalston and is under control of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

The property is open to hiking, hunting, fishing, other forms of passive recreation, and snowmobiling. The property’s extensive wetlands and large expanses of open water provide excellent opportunities for canoeing and kayaking though much of the area is blocked with gates to prevent illegal dumping and paddle boaters are unable to drive to an area close to the river. Athletic fields, used for team sports by organizations in Templeton and other area towns, are located on a portion of the property off Maple Street in Baldwinville.

Section 6: Community Vision

Photo by Carrie Novak

The process of developing the community goals described in this section began with graduate students from the Conway School (hereafter referred to as the Conway School team) reviewing the goals from Templeton’s previous OSRP written in 2011. The 2011 goals were summarized from ten very specific goals into four general goals that captured the vision expressed in the previous OSRP.

1.

2.

3.

4.

Preserve the rural character of Templeton.

Improve access to and availability of recreational opportunities.

Protect natural resources including wildlife habitat, water resources, and rare species.

Accommodate growth where the environment can best support it.

An initial community meeting hosted on February 2, 2017 by the Open Space Committee and the Conway School team at the Town Hall in East Templeton was attended by seven residents. During this meeting, residents were asked which places in Templeton they valued and why, as well as their perceived threats to those places (e.g. problems with dumping or potential future development). A summary of the previous OSRP goals was presented to the community and responses collected as to whether these goals still reflected the town’s current goals. Feedback about the goals identified additional objectives: ▪ ▪ ▪

Concentrate growth and development in areas along Route 2 that are zoned for commercial use.

Resolve litigation issues affecting potential open space.

Work with neighboring towns to improve connections between conservation areas.

A fifth goal was also identified: 5. Work with neighboring communities to connect protected areas and collaborate on open space goals.

An online survey issued February 7, 2017 received twenty-one responses from residents (see Appendix E for results). A second community meeting hosted March 2, 2017 was attended by fourteen residents. The primary purpose was to gather feedback on recommendations developed by the Conway School team. Attendees were first given a chance to attend stations where they engaged with environmental analyses, questions about implementing smart growth, and offered the Conway School team more information about existing or desired recreation areas. Goals were again presented during this forum and community members were given a chance to submit written comments as part of their feedback during the meeting. No feedback was submitted directly in response to these five goals. The rest of the meeting focused on developing and weighting criteria that the town may use for future decision-making about land protection. Feedback was also gathered about the Conway School’s draft recommendations for the OSRP Seven-Year Action Plan, and community shared additional recommendations. The Conway School team then extrapolated additional goals to reflect desires voiced by the community during this second session.

Residents of Templeton would like to preserve the town’s rural and historic character, improve quality of life for townspeople, and maintain the quality of ecological resources, while allowing future development that

does not infringe on town assets. Templeton would also like to collaborate with key partners and neighboring municipalities on areas of commonality to achieve open space and recreation goals.

1. Preserve the rural and historic character of Templeton by protecting open spaces, agriculture, and historic sites.

2. Improve access to and availability of recreational opportunities.

3. Protect natural resources including water resources, habitat, and rare species.

4. Accommodate growth where the environment can best support it.

5. Develop outreach strategies to involve key partners in achieving OSRP goals and open space and recreation planning.

Section 7: Analysis of Needs

Photo by Steve Castle Š Castle Media

Templeton’s natural resources provide people with clean drinking water, agricultural opportunities, timber, and beautiful places for recreation. Forests and wetlands provide wildlife habitat and ecosystem services that contribute to clean waters and mitigate flooding in Templeton and sequester carbon, an important service in light of global climate change. To protect these resources, Templeton can conserve land with ecological integrity, land that provides links between alreadyprotected land, and land that buffers surface waters and surrounds town wells. Templeton needs to be part of efforts that continue to assess water quality and identify sources that could contribute to its degradation. Templeton can use its CPA community status to protect important historic sites and land for ecological and recreational value. Collaborations with local land trusts and regional partnerships can help Templeton conserve land while productively managing its agricultural and timber resources.

Areas of statewide importance for supporting rare or threatened species that remain unprotected are important for Templeton to conserve. These areas are identified as Core Habitat in BioMap2 and are often buffered by BioMap2 Critical Natural Landscape. The largest unprotected core habitat is a 469-acre wetland core, located in southeast Templeton (see Map 12). The commercial-industrial zoned CIB district near the Templeton State Forest, and surrounded by protected land, holds a large area of interior forest and core wetland habitat. This zoning would result in development and loss of this critical habitat. It is also important to consider protection of areas of local ecological significance for wildlife, including wetlands and bogs that are not identified in BioMap2. Edgewater, a large wetland not listed in BioMap2, is an example of a wetland that is locally important due to its size and scenic value.

Because there is a large amount of protected open space in Templeton, conservation efforts can concentrate on preserving unprotected diversity hotspots with high resilience. Resilience is how well land can maintain its biodiversity over time in the face of climate change. Hotspots with high biodiversity and resiliency correlate with areas of high topographical complexity (Open Space Institute Guide). Resources that analyze resilience, such as the Mass Audubon MAPPR online conservation planning tool and the North Quabbin Regional Partnership Strategic Biodiversity Map, can help Templeton identify parcels with the highest resilience (see Section 4.5.7).

Land conservation is US Fish & Wildlife’s number one strategy for supporting wildlife adaptation to climate change (MA Wildlife, Climate Change Initiatives). Parcels of land can be strategically conserved to increase the connectivity between areas of protected BioMap2 Core Habitats and Critical Natural Landscapes. Areas to be considered for protection include those parcels that bridge gaps between protected areas in town and protected areas in Phillipston and Hubbardston along Templeton’s southern borders. These gaps in the “puzzle pieces” of protected land include areas near the Stonebridge Conservation Area.

Route 2 is a barrier to wildlife and recreation connectivity. The Montachusett Regional Planning Commission (MRPC) is the lead agency for coordinating highway improvement and regional transportation goals. The issue of ecological connectivity is not currently a focus for transportation planning by MRPC. It may be possible to coordinate efforts to improve ecological connectivity with efforts to enhance recreational

connectivity and access. Any major crossing project, either under or over the road, would need to involve MRPC as it is the coordinator of the Transportation Improvement Plan (TIP), a regionally prioritized plan of transportation projects receiving state funds, or impacting state roads.

In the two community meetings and through the online survey, Templeton residents said they highly value good water quality when considering prioritizing land for conservation.

Past E. coli sampling on the Otter River shows that bacteria levels have sometimes been higher than state standards for swimming and boating, especially during wet weather. The Millers River Watershed Council (MRWC) will continue E. coli sampling in summer 2017 at several sites on the Otter River. This program relies on volunteers. Organizing residents to work with the MRWC to take water samples at sites along the Otter River and communicate findings to Templeton residents would help educate the public about water quality. Efforts to increase access to recreation on the Otter River, such as building the Otter River Blue Trail, must be accompanied by water quality monitoring and education about elevated E. coli levels to ensure public safety.

Humans and wildlife are at risk of exposure to PCBs in the waters and sediments of the Otter River. Mass DEP has identified two historical sources of the PCB contamination. Thorough assessment is needed to determine all sources of PCB contamination and to investigate whether PCB contamination is solely from historical input or if input from land sources is currently occurring. PCB contamination in the Otter River has contributed to the occurrence of PCBs in the Millers River downstream of the rivers’ confluence (Taggart, Coleman and Cooke). The Mass DEP lists the continuation of efforts to mitigate PCB contamination as a priority for the Millers River Watershed. Templeton officials should remain an active participant in reviewing plans for additional assessment and remediation.

Excessive sedimentation leads to high turbidity in the Otter River, which compromises the aesthetic water quality for recreation potential and the oxygen and temperature conditions for aquatic wildlife. Templeton can explore eligibility for a 604B grant from Mass DEP to identify sources of sedimentation, such as sand and gravel mining, bank erosion, paved and unpaved roads, and winter sanding, and assess their contribution to this problem.

Preserving land around surface waters is the most effective way to protect water quality (Source Protection Handbook). Floodwoods Conservation Area, on the shores of the Otter River in Templeton and Cummings Conservation Area just across the river in Gardner, are two examples of land that protects the water resources in both towns. Protecting riparian buffer areas along the Otter River would help protect water quality and could be the first step in creating greenway walking paths. Collaboration with Gardner could lead to improved water quality and benefit communities on both sides of the river.

Since 2003, Templeton’s four villages and the areas between them have been designated as “urbanized” and regulated by the EPA’s NPDES (National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System) permits program as an MS4 (Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System) (EPA, Regulated MS4 in Massachusetts Communities). An MS4 is a system composed of stormwater drains, pipes, culverts, swales and ditches designed to collect and transfer stormwater from developed areas to the nearest water bodies. An MS4 is not a combined sewer system. The town has a Stormwater Management Plan for its urbanized region and is required to implement

the 2016 MS4 General Permit. Implementing the requirements of this permit is a task shared by other MS4 municipalities in the region. The MRPC provides technical assistance and support to MS4 municipalities.

The Highway Department regularly cleans catch basins, storm drains and culverts, but indicates that their ability to keep up with this maintenance is limited by a lack of personnel and equipment (MRPC, Hazard Mitigation Plan). The town can adopt a collaborative approach to maintaining its stormwater system by sharing equipment and conducting monitoring programs with other municipalities in the region.

Increased impervious surfaces and changes in topography caused by future development have the potential to change and exacerbate runoff and lead to increases in non-point source pollution. The town may need to increase the size of culverts because of the likelihood of greater storm severity and frequency due to climate change. This is an opportunity for drainage systems to be retrofitted to accommodate wildlife passage.

Strategies published in Conserving Nature in a Changing Climate, a case study about the NQRLP partnership’s creation of the Strategic Biodiversity Map, include new culvert designs that make it easier for species to move under roadways and link undeveloped land between vernal pools (Open Space Institute Guide).

Land Use Considerations To prevent pollution of the community’s drinking water, Templeton’s 2010 Zoning Bylaws include a Water Supply Protection District. The protection district includes all land within a half-mile (2,640 foot) radius of a public water supply well. The Zone II maps for the wells were redelineated and drawn up in 2012 (see Drinking Water Protection Map 10). Compared to the previous Zone IIs, the updated Zone II designations provide more specific areas in which to focus efforts to assess and eliminate land use activities that could lead to drinking water contamination.

Templeton’s drinking water is drawn from an aquifer that is vulnerable to contamination from activities on land. Preserving land around groundwater sources is the most effective way to protect water quality (Source Protection Handbook). In addition to conserving land to buffer the Otter River, protecting land within the Zone II well protection areas should be a high priority for the town.

In both community meetings and in the online survey, Templeton residents shared how highly they value the open space within the historic village centers. Many of the town’s historic buildings are unused and in a state of decline, including historic structures associated with the industrial heritage of the mills in Baldwinville, East Templeton and Otter River and those associated with the town’s agricultural heritage, such as the Church House and numerous barns and sheds at the Templeton Developmental Center (see Section 3.2). The town’s designation as a Community Preservation Act (CPA) community allows it to access CPA grants to fund preservation and restoration of historic sites. Members of the Open Space Committee also serve on the Community Preservation Committee. Close communication between the committees will help facilitate the preservation of historic sites as the town moves forward to conserve new parcels in Templeton.

Southern Templeton has many old farms that have been passed down through generations. The former Templeton Developmental Center land is also home to historic farms. Farms contribute to the pastoral, rural character of the town, connect people to the history of the town and embody an American tradition of pride in working the land. Residents value preserving agriculture in the landscape to support local food systems,

both for local farmers working to make a living off the land and to strengthen the network of townspeople who enjoy growing gardens and engaging in other small-scale activities to generate supplementary food and products. There are currently 869.5 acres of land in Templeton enrolled in Chapter 61A. Parcels in Templeton larger than five acres and with agricultural activities generating more than 500 dollars per year would be appropriate and eligible for the 61A program (Vanfleet, Catanaro and Kittredge). The town can encourage enrollment in 61A and Agricultural Preservation Restriction (APR) programs to support the economic viability of modern farming.

If recent trends continue, few, if any, farms will be passed down from one generation to the next. Alternative preservation methods may be necessary to pass land valued for farming on to farmers looking for it. The Dwelly Farm was donated to the North County Land Trust (NCLT, Ideas for Dwelly) in 2012 with the hope that it might serve as an agricultural, recreational, and educational resource for the community. Dwelly Farm is a quarter mile from the Ware River Rail Trail and Stone Bridge Conservation Area. The NCLT hopes to turn the land into a working farm with an education center. In this arrangement, the land trust received the donation of land from the Dwelly family and is partnering with the town to figure out how to best manage the site (NCTL, Ideas for Dwelly).

Templeton’s Conservation Commission is advocating for a change to the Wetlands Protection Act exemption for timber harvesting. Currently, timber harvests within Resource Areas do not require a Notice of Intent so long as the project has a Forest Cutting Plan approved by the State Forester. The Commission believes that this provision prevents wetland protection and wants to be involved in reviews of these plans (Henshaw et al.).

According to the Strategic Biodiversity Map created by the North Quabbin Regional Landscape Partnership (NQRLP), Templeton does not have as much unprotected land characterized as hot spots of biodiversity, compared to towns to its west (see Section 4.5.7). NQRLP posits that the hot spots will be most resilient to climate change, continuing to support biodiversity even as climate changes in the future. Therefore, based on this information, land conservation that includes sustainable timber harvesting is appropriate for much of the town’s forests. If managed sustainably, forests can continue to provide Templeton with valuable ecological services such as wildlife habitat and connectivity, water filtration, cooling of surface waters, and carbon sequestration.

Active forest management is important, economically, as well as environmentally, to owners of forestland in town (see Section 4.4). The town should encourage enrollment in Chapter 61 and the Forest Stewardship program and work with private landowners to support the small-scale wood products industry. The Mount Grace Land Trust and the NQRLP, of which it is a member, work to conserve forests and promote sustainable forestry on the lands. By working with Mount Grace and becoming a partner in the NQRLP, Templeton can contribute to regional land planning efforts, potentially helping the town secure funding to purchase lands and arrange for restrictions and easements to support active forest management and the local forest products economy.

The use and management of some of the former Templeton Developmental Center land in northwest Templeton is under negotiation. As a result of a property boundary dispute between the State and the Fernald Corporation, the courts determined that the Fernald Corporation owns seven parcels equaling 465 acres previously thought to be permanently protected under state ownership. This land is now privately owned and

could be available for development. The rest of the land referred to as Templeton Developmental Center is state-owned.

Residents have strongly stated at community meetings that protection of the Fernald Corporation land is “a number one priority.” Through the online survey and at the community meetings, residents shared their desires to use this land in many ways. Potential land uses suggested are re-instatement of the annual Ferncol Fair, leasing land to farmers or offering community farm space, preserving wildlife habitat, creating a scenic park, developing passive recreation trail networks, and maintaining public access.

Templeton’s residents value their town’s rural character and want to protect the open spaces that give the town its charm. Templeton will need to balance its need for revenue, through development and population growth, with the need to protect, and maintain the open spaces that enhance quality of life for its citizens.

In the past eight years, since the great recession ended, growth and development has been relatively slow in Templeton; however, the sudden increase in subdivision developments between 2000 and 2010 increased awareness of the potentially negative impacts of development. As a result, the town implemented zoning laws which direct development to the already populated areas of town and try to reduce subdivision development in more rural areas. In the OSRP community meeting held in January 2017, and in the 2017 OSRP online survey, residents expressed concern over continued and sudden population growth. They are concerned about losing valuable community assets and their picturesque landscapes to development. They are concerned about the potential strain on the town budget when additional town services are needed, such as schools, roads, water, sewer, and recreational facilities.

Population growth and commercial/industrial “The town doesn't have control of its finances now; business development can require municipal investment in infrastructure expansion but it also we don't need additional pressures by adding more has the potential to creating additional revenue for people who bring more expenses to the mix. If we the town in the form of increased tax base.

Currently, 89 percent of town tax revenues come develop more, it should be sustainably done.” from residential property taxes rather than Templeton resident from 2017 OSRP survey. business. Residents expressed at both OSRP community meetings that they do support business and industry expansion. In the OSRP survey a resident stated, “Some commercial development in the right areas would help our tax base.”

Considering Templeton’s financial needs there is strong interest among residents in Templeton to increase commercial and industrial development. Most commercial industry is concentrated in East Templeton close

to Route 2 or scattered throughout town in the form of sand and gravel mining operations. However, some residents and municipal officials desire more commercial-industrial growth to increase the tax base. To maintain the town’s rural character and desired open space resources, there is an explicit need to coordinate planning of future development with open space goals and to use Smart Growth strategies to keep Templeton rural by design.

According to the 2017 Master Plan’s analysis of Development Potential, 51 percent of Templeton’s commercial-industrial zoned districts are potentially developable. However, some of this developable land area falls into the Commercial-Industrial-B (CIB) District in the northwest area of Templeton, it includes areas of Core Habitat (BioMap2). The future use of this zoning district and the type of development appropriate for it, given the sensitive ecological context of much of the land, needs further evaluation. A public planning charrette may also assist the town in developing a vision for this area that is consistent with the goals of this OSRP. Even with zoning in place, the Town must consider the longterm impacts of introducing development that requires new infrastructure into undeveloped areas. Increasing the extent of infrastructure that supports development can provide developers or planners a stronger argument or incentive for further expansion, potentially making sprawl more likely to occur.

There is a hope among residents that commercially zoned districts along Route 2 will be the focus of concentrated commercial and industrial development in Templeton and provide the town with a wider tax base. They hope that commercial development along the exits of Route 2 would attract visitors traveling along the highway. Commercial or industrial development along Route 2 would greatly change the character and ecology of the landscape in those areas. To make the tradeoffs worth the investment, and create an economically sustainable commercial district in the long-term, Templeton’s planning and development entities should carefully consider the design of this development. It’s important to encourage developers who are willing to make accommodations for more limited impact development. The town should strive to attract clean industry and consider mixed-use for these areas. If infrastructure is going to be expanded for commercial development, second-story or other alternative housing options can be included to increase use and make it an attractive area to both visit and return to.

Zoning for mixed use in all of Templeton’s four villages aligns with the EPA’s Smart Growth strategy of concentrating business and population growth in the already populated areas to preserve and protect surrounding rural lands. This strategy helps to conserve a town’s resources financial and natural by concentrating infrastructure and services and prevents sprawling development over the rural landscape-as shown above.

Sprawl not only affects the landscape but also the community, its sense of place and small-town feel.

Creating denser neighborhoods near existing retail shops, work places, schools, places of worship, community parks, and other amenities give residents and visitors the chance to walk and bike rather than drive as they go about their business. Walkable neighborhoods can help create supportive community interactions, more business opportunities, and a stronger local tax base (EPA.gov).

Zoning districts and regulations can help protect important town features and affect how a community grows over time. The Templeton Open Space Residential Bylaw tries to discourage sprawl of housing developments by requiring developers to submit site plans for both conventional and open space residential developments.

Templeton’s planning board can impose design restrictions on these plans that include fifty percent open space preservation, but it hasn't been used. The town should consider how they might change this bylaw and incentivize it further to make it work more effectively.

Zoning incentives are an important tool to both shape development and gain valuable protected open space for residents without using precious town revenues. Zoning bylaws and special permits shape development, protect open space and can also be used to encourage adaptive reuse of valuable industrial and historic buildings.

As discussed in Section 6, the community open space needs and goals have not changed significantly from the last OSRP. The last OSRP was written before The Templeton Development Center closed and the Fernald Corp won their property dispute with the state leaving 464 acres of historic, scenic, farmland at risk for development. At the OSRP community meetings and on the OSRP online survey, residents expressed both consensus and a sense of urgency to prioritize the protection of Fernald Corporation lands from development.

Respondents of the OSRP online survey offered various suggestions related to this area and what they would like to see there: ▪ ▪ ▪

“Agriculture, wildlife protection, not development.”

“Make the area into a park. The scenic views are most important to retain and share with everyone.”

“Conserve as much of that (area) as possible, especially the agricultural fields, introduce more towns”

▪

“The natural beauty and land that was used annually for the Ferncol fair.

Fairgrounds would be a wonderful thing.”

Residents also communicated in the second OSRP community meeting that the town lacks a public area large enough to accommodate a festival or other large event with the needed parking.

Seventy-six percent of respondents to the OSRP survey enjoy dog walking. The need for a dog park was discussed at the second OSRP community meeting. There is currently no dog park in Templeton.

Section 4 of this OSRP reports that the four villages of Templeton lack nature trails and passive recreation in the most densely populated areas. Residents expressed in the town meeting and in the online OSRP survey that they would like to see more walking trails, public parks, and playgrounds in the villages. Templeton Common with its historic buildings rated high on resident’s list of favorite places. Since the villages are zoned for dense mixed development, priority needs to be taken to protect open space in the villages and create more opportunities for passive recreation.

In recent years, Templeton has struggled to balance its annual budget and cuts have had to be made in many departments. According to the recreation committee chair Bill Davis, programing activities have been underfunded for the past few years. This has affected youth summer programs and the upkeep of fields and facilities with many of the fields lacking adequate fertilization and irrigation.

Respondents to the OSRP survey expressed the need for more youth parks and activities in the summer and better maintenance of the existing parks. According to the recreation committee, Gilman Waite Field needs new basketball hoops and the tennis courts need resurfacing. Consistent funding is needed to revitalize and maintain the current recreational parks and bring them up to full operational status.

Considering the limited budget for management, acquiring more active-recreational parcels may not be the best use of town resources unless the town can come up with a recreation plan which includes a commitment to managing them. This OSRP recommends creating a recreation plan that includes regular management alternative funding, and recruitment of volunteers. Templeton could also work with neighboring towns to help meet common needs while saving costs.

A new and bigger elementary school in Templeton Center has been in the works for many years now. The bigger footprint of the new school will take over an existing skate park, ball field, and playground. These recreation facilities are not only needed for the elementary school but they serve the whole community of southern Templeton. Identifying parcels to replace these facilities before they are lost is important to do now.

This plan recommends exploring sustainable strategies to save on the money and water resources associated with typical fields and parks such as those suggested in the online article “Creating Sustainable Parks” by Andrew Gilchrist (conservationtools.org, 2017). This plan also recommends focusing on creating more parks and recreational programming for all ages, especially in the more densely populated areas:

56 percent of respondents to the OSRP survey enjoy hiking in Templeton, but there are no formal nature trails in the more densely populated village centers, other than a couple of sidewalks. There is one extensive

four-mile sidewalk along Baldwinville Road that connects Templeton Center with Baldwinville. Residents in the second community meeting suggested an additional sidewalk to connect all four villages of Templeton Center, East Templeton, Otter River, and Baldwinville. A sidewalk along the streets of Route 2A, Main Street, Depot Road, and Route 68 would not only provide a safe walking trail but walkable connectivity to all the village centers. Templeton should consider protecting open space in each village that would provide residents with nature trails or parks. At the 2017 OSRP community meetings, residents suggested the following areas: Depot Pond At the OSRP community meetings, residents discussed Depot Pond, near the senior center, as an area that could potentially provide a nature trail and other passive recreation opportunities for all ages. Baldwinville has the densest population and a wide demographic range with an elementary school and senior center in the center of town, however currently lacks passive recreation opportunities to serve all ages as shown in the Analysis of Recreation section.

Edgewater Pond

In both community meetings, residents spoke of the Edgewater area in East Templeton as providing a nature trail and an area that could attract business opportunities off the highway.

Boynton Road

There was also discussion of the protecting the forestland behind Boynton Road in the historic district of Templeton Center. This area has the potential of providing the village with a nature walk and/or educational self-guided historic tour.

Sixty-six percent of respondents to the OSRP survey like to kayak and canoe in Templeton. The Otter River and Trout Brook are valued assets but residents indicated there is a need for more paddle access points with parking. The Millers River Watershed Council (MRWC) is an organization formed to help gain more access to waterways in the region. MRWC has helped Templeton in recent years to set up two Blue Trail access points along the Otter River. Residents in the community meeting spoke of a beautiful waterway to kayak in Templeton called Trout Brook. Currently Trout Brook is hard to access with most of the forest blocked off with gates. Residents have been denied entry to the river in recent years. In an interview with Mike Travaglini from the Otter River State Forest, he indicated there had been ongoing problems with illegal dumping in the forest resulting in the need to block the access. Travaglini mentioned he is open to proposals from residents of Templeton, the MRWC, and the Army Corp of Engineers to identify specific areas for paddle access and parking. This plan recommends the town solicit more input from residents of where they would like to see more access and parking along its waterways and develop a plan to assess appropriate areas. Gaining access to waterways may also mean Templeton will have to deal with the negative impacts of illegal dumping in the forest. Templeton may want to propose a plan which enlists volunteers in cleans-ups twice per year and find additional solutions to illegal dumping so access will remain open.

In both OSRP community meetings and on the online survey, residents indicated they would like to see more trail connectivity with increased signage both at the trailheads and along all the trails themselves, including the Ware River Trail. Improving signage throughout Templeton should be explored and could include signs off the major roads directing people to trails, as well as educational signs along trails and in front of buildings that inform people about Templeton’s ecological and historic assets. Templeton’s Master Plan also recommends mapping and creating a website to help attract tourism.

These suggested improvements of nature trails, access, mapping, and unified signage throughout Templeton would enhance the recreational experience of its residents and potentially increase tourism revenue for the

town. More input is needed from residents about what is lacking in their neighborhoods and what they would like to see more of. More communication and coordination is needed between committees in neighboring towns not only to help each other fulfill recreation needs, but to develop better trail systems and access points to waterways along town borders.

In the past, residents, the Town Planning Board, and other Town committees have supported Town land acquisition for open space and recreation, however, funding can often be an issue. The median household income in Templeton is approximately $66,588, and increasing the residential tax rate is not considered to be a practical solution for financing future land acquisition.

The adoption of the Community Preservation Act in 2008 led to the acquisition of community preservation funds and access to grants. Becoming a Green Community in the future could allow Templeton to apply for additional grants, find clean energy solutions that reduce long-term energy costs, and possibly strengthen the local economy.

The most prominent need for managing open space and recreation in Templeton is improving communication and outreach between the Open Space Committee and other key partners for achieving open space and recreation goals. The Open Space Committee currently has only three members, so there is a need to for collaboration between town committees, local and regional stakeholders, and volunteers to distribute responsibility.

There is also a need resolved on-going litigation affecting former industrial sites (and potential open space) in Templeton.

An important aspect of this plan is that it remains accessible and in use over time by the Open Space Committee which currently oversees its implementation. There are currently three volunteer members of the Open Space Committee. Accomplishing objectives described in this plan will require sharing responsibilities and strong communication between the Open Space Committee and all partners involved. There is a need to increase public participation and identify lead individuals or groups tasked with specific action items from the OSRP. The Open Space Committee will also need to revise the plan as necessary to keep it relevant. The protection and preservation of open space and natural resources, as well as maintaining adequate recreational facilities, depends on the Committee’s commitment to keeping this document current and active.

Communication between open space and recreation stakeholders is a primary management need. Because there are few members of the Open Space Committee and all are volunteers, it can be challenging to coordinate communication with the many players involved in the town’s open space and recreation resources.

There is a need for a streamlined, accessible channel for communication such as an email link shared by Committee members available on the Town website.

Communication and collaboration is more readily achieved between some Town boards and committees than between others. The Community Preservation Committee is closely tied to the Open Space Committee, sharing most of its members. Therefore, preservation of historic sites and the protection of open space objectives are currently well-coordinated. Other local boards and commissions such as the Conservation Commission or Planning Board have less contact with the Open Space Committee; numerous other responsibilities may prevent them from focusing entirely on implementation of this plan. Closer collaboration between the Recreation Committee and Open Space Committee is needed to further evaluate community recreation needs. The more the burden of OSRP task-implementation is shared among town committees, the more effective the effort is likely to be.

Stronger collaboration between the Recreation Committee and the Open Space Committee, would also help in coordinating planning efforts through future Open Space and Recreation Plans. Coordinating both internal and public meetings among the Recreation, Cemetery and Parks, Open Space, and Community Preservation Committees could bolster efforts to improve Templeton’s recreation resources, which contribute to quality of life, community and a land ethic. Conducting a more in-depth analysis of recreation needs in Templeton (e.g. the number of residents that desire summer programming, or where there is a lack of adequate maintenance) may help the Recreation Committee clarify goals for maintaining or expanding Templeton’s recreation resources and make a stronger case for increasing funding.

There is a need to develop creative and diverse outreach strategies to garner resident participation, a muchneeded element for the success of open space planning. It is not only important to increase community member attendance to community meetings as part of the planning process, but also boost involvement and build sub-committee participation in the implementation of open space and recreation objectives. In the past, the planning process has not had community participation from all representative demographics. It is important to develop specific and creative outreach strategies to improve this in the future. Groups suggested by community members as local open space and recreation stakeholders for targeted outreach include the sportsmen’s clubs, Lion’s Club, and the local school system.

Coordinating open space initiatives with regional planning, town improvement and land protection goals can increase opportunities for funding and implementation of open space and recreation objectives. The Montachusett Regional Planning Commission (MRPC) is responsible for regional planning for twenty-two municipalities that make up the Montachusett Region including Templeton. The Montachusett Regional Strategic Framework Plan lists open space preservation among its goals for the region. As the regional planning agency, it is able to provide technical assistance to municipalities, such as helping a town revise zoning or obtain grants for trails that have regional connections. It is also responsible for coordinating goals

and funding for the regional Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) which may be key in coordinating efforts to improve ecological and recreational connectivity across Route 2 (see Section 7.1).

Templeton could develop stronger partnerships with groups and agencies working toward environmental resource protection in the region, including watershed councils and land trusts. The Open Space Committee would benefit from a stronger partnership with the Millers River Watershed Council (MRWC). The MRWC is the lead agency responsible for connecting Blue Trails along waterways and plays an active role in stream connectivity surveys, water quality monitoring, and river clean up days within the Millers River watershed, including the Otter River. The MRWC could be helpful in water quality protection and improvement efforts, while the Open Space Committee may be able to rally volunteers to help the MRWC under a shared concern for water quality. Templeton is included within the focus areas of the North County and Mount Grace Conservation Land Trusts, two agencies dedicated to conserving “the farms, forests, and landscapes that define the character of [the] region.” The Town has had good success working with NCLT in the past and is currently working with them to plan for the management of Dwelly Farm (see Section 7.1). Both land trusts are important partners in the preservation of agricultural resources in Templeton.

In community meetings residents expressed a desire for expanding trail networks and open space that could connect trails and open space in neighboring towns. Coordination with Templeton’s neighboring municipalities would consolidate efforts to protect shared resources and improve connectivity of trails in the area. An example of a shared resource is the 284-acre wetland core in southeast Templeton near the Gardner Municipal Airport, which lies within a well protection zone for a drinking water well in Gardner (see Drinking Water Protection Map 11). Templeton’s Open Space Committee should coordinate with Gardner’s Planning Board and Conservation Commission (Gardner does not have an Open Space Committee) to coordinate efforts to protect the wetland core. There could also be a coordinated effort to protect more land along the Otter River and gain funding for contaminant removal projects to improve water quality of the Otter River.

Trail system planning could be coordinated with all towns surrounding Templeton since many of Templeton’s trails are located toward the outer edges and along town borders.

A significant portion of Templeton’s land is owned by either state agencies or the Army Corps of Engineers, which presents a need to coordinate desired land use goals with these agencies. Based on comments made by residents at community meetings, there is an undertone of distrust in Templeton toward state and federal agencies’ land use decisions that could perhaps be repaired by successful collaboration to protect the Templeton Developmental Center lands from development. Also, recent changes in public access rights within Army Corps of Engineers lands in north Templeton has frustrated residents who would like to have increased access to these areas. Residents are no longer able to access areas that were previously available to them because of newly gated roads leading onto this property (see Section 7.2). Communication with these agencies may lead to agreements that can satisfy both parties.

An on-going issue in Templeton has been the question of how the Town could resolve legal issues involving land owned by the American Tissue Mill (ATM). This land has been tied up in a court case between the Templeton Board of Sewer Commissioners and American Tissue Mills for Massachusetts since 1996 and is keeping the Town from repurposing areas like the Temple Stuart Factory or officially developing recreational walking paths surrounding Depot Pond. Any progress that can be made to ease this dispute and move proceedings forward should be pursued.

Section 8: Goals, Objectives, & Recommendations Photo by Steve Castle Š Castle Media

1. Preserve the rural and historic character of Templeton by protecting open spaces, agriculture, and historic sites. a. b. c. d. e.

Protect open space where it contributes to rural character.

Protect farmlands and prime farmland soil.

Encourage active agricultural production.

Preserve open space as a visual resource contributing to rural character.

Conserve forest and encourage sustainable land management.

2. Improve access to and availability of recreational opportunities. a. b. c. d. e.

Assess and improve availability of parks.

Increase availability of passive recreation close to village centers.

Develop and expand trail systems both in town and with surrounding towns.

Increase ease of access to waterways and trail systems for recreational use.

Increase public awareness of Templeton’s recreational and open space resources.

3. Protect natural resources including water resources, wildlife habitat, and rare species.

a. Protect and improve quality of ground and surface water. b. Protect important habitat areas that contribute to regional ecological health and safeguard diversity of species.

4. Accommodate growth where the environment can best support it.

a. Use smart growth strategies to retain the town’s rural character. b. Revise zoning bylaws to further incentivize open space preservation. c. Coordinate funding for infrastructure updates within open spaces throughout town.

5. Develop outreach strategies to involve key partners in achieving OSRP goals and open space and recreation planning.

a. Improve communication between Open Space Committee and potential partners. b. Coordinate goals and projects with local groups and regional agencies. c. Work with other town committees to address safety and infrastructure needs in open space areas.

As identified in Templeton’s 2017 Master Plan, the lack of official criteria to prioritize land protection may hinder Town decision making about land protection in the future. Criteria for decision making are important for the Town to have ready since there is a very limited window of time for the Town to exercise first right of refusal when lands are removed from Chapter 61, 61A or 61B. When land is removed from these programs, the Town has 120 days to exercise its right of first refusal to purchase property. With the numerous legal complications that can arise, and procedural requirements that must be met for a municipal purchase of land, 120 days does not provide much margin for the Town to in exercise this right. Evaluating decisions against explicit criteria can accelerate decision making. Prioritization is important for any open space acquisition scheme, no matter how big or small the potential acquisition. Before any parcel is to be purchased or money is sought for preservation, the Town should assess the natural and cultural assets of the land and determine in advance which lands are of highest priority to preserve.

Furthermore, prioritization of parcels for conservation can help the Town, a private land trust or another entity proactively seek preservation opportunities for highly valued parcels rather than waiting passively for these opportunities to arise. Priorities stated clearly in advance can assist with land protection opportunities, by improving probability of receiving grant funding, private donation, or contributions as a result of a land use approval process.

The Conway School team compiled a list of “Qualities for Consideration” to help the Open Space Committee prioritize parcels in future decisions. The list was presented to residents at the second open space community forum. Residents were asked to consider the attributes they care about most that land can contribute to a town and were given a chance to rank various qualities under consideration. These consisted of a wide range of assets the land may contribute through its protection. The resultant list in Table 7.3.1 includes assets residents consider to be the most important attributes a parcel of land may contribute. Beyond assets and resources, it is also necessary to evaluate any unique opportunities presented by acquisition of the land in question. Lastly ranking the threat of development can give more or less weight to the priority of a particular parcel. By looking at all of these considerations together, parcels can be qualitatively ranked by level of priority for protection. Prioritization using this community-value-based approach is complemented by Mass Audubon’s Mapping and Prioritizing Parcels for Resilience (MAPPR) conservation tool online which incorporates ecological assessments for consideration (Map 13).

Table 8.1: Prioritization of Parcels for Decision Making:

• • • • • • • • •

Habitat of regional or local importance Proximity to protected lands Connection to existing regional or local recreational networks Protection of water quality Presence of scenic views Visual resources in the landscape that contribute to the town’s rural character Features of historic or cultural significance Active agricultural use, visual agricultural features, or presence of prime agricultural soils Access to water

• • • •

Potential for education and tourism Proximity to neighborhoods that lack access to open-space Potential for remediation of a polluted site Proximity to village centers with insufficient open space

 High

 Moderate

 Low ……

Section 9: Seven-Year Action Plan

Photo by Steve Castle © Castle Media

The purpose of the OSRP Action Plan is to help Templeton protect natural and cultural resources vital to its historic and rural character and its ecological integrity by summarizes tangible actions to be taken toward that end. The Action Plan assists the town in balancing a need for revenue through growth and development and a need to acquire, protect and maintain the open spaces that enhance quality of life for its citizens. A Seven-Year Action Map is included at the end of this section illustrating actions that require spatial reference (see Map 17).

OBJECTIVE

RURAL CHARACTER

A. Protect open space that contributes to rural character

PARTNERS & RESPONSIBLE GROUP(S)

TIMELINE

Use Criteria for Protection Prioritization (Section 7.3) when making decisions about future land protection or acquisition

OSC

On-going

Determine action plan to protect or acquire Fernald Corporation lands

OSC, DCR, DFG, CPC

Continue to coordinate protection of historic sites and open spaces

OSC, CPC, HS

Protect open spaces within village centers

OSC, CPC

ACTION

LEAD AGENCY

PRIORITY

FUNDING SOURCE Volunteer time Land Grants

2017

On-going

Matching CPA grants FLP Grants for land owners

B. Protect farmlands and prime farmland soil

AGRICULTURE

C. Encourage active agricultural production

D. Preserve open agricultural space as a visual resource contributing to rural character

Explore and prepare project proposals that meet the Community Preservation Act (CPA) criteria

OSC, CPC

Inform landowners about the Chapter 61A provisions for sustainable land management and encourage enrollment in appropriate instances

OSC, AC, CPC, NCLT

Discuss conservation goals with local land trusts

OSC, AC, NCLT, MGLT

Educate citizens about the APR program

OSC, AC, NCLT, MGLT

Identify land parcels coming out of enrollment in Chapter 61A to be ready to exercise first right of refusal when appropriate

OSC, AC

Discuss ways to provide land protection and estate planning information to landowners in the region

OSC, AC, NCLT, MGLT

Continue to work with NCLT to plan the management of Dwelly Farm as a community farm and provide community feedback from OSRP survey

OSC, AC, NCLT

Volunteer time

North Country Land Trust (NCLT)

APR grants

WOODLANDS

D. Conserve forest and encourage sustainable land management.

RECEATION AVAILABILITY

OBJECTIVE A. Assess and improve availability of parks

B. Increase availability of passive recreation close to village centers

Evaluate how agriculture can be preserved on former Templeton Developmental Center lands

OSC, AC, NCLT, MGLT

Educate land owners about Chapter 61 provisions for active woodland management and resources provided by the Forest Stewardship Program

OSC, NCLT, MGLT, NQRLP, MassWoods Program (UMass)

Discuss ways to increase local, sustainable woodland management

OSC, NCLT, MGLT, NQRLP, MassWoods Program (UMass)

ACTION Coordinate with Templeton’s Recreation Committee to conduct a thorough analysis of community recreation needs Evaluate the need for additional parks (youth park, dog park, scenic parks, athletic

LEAD AGENCY

PARTNERS & RESPONSIBLE GROUP(S) OSC, RC, NRSD

TIMELINE

PRIORITY

FUNDING SOURCE Volunteer time DCR Grants

OSC, RC, CP

Private donations CPA funds

fields, courts, swimming & skating areas, and playgrounds) Develop recreation plan that identifies highest priorities spending limited budgetary funds Develop plan for maintenance needs of current and future recreation properties and facilities Research potential locations for community park(s) if need is determined, and hold a community design charrette to generate ideas Identify outside sources of funding for planning, construction, and maintenance of community parks Identify an area large enough to hold festivals and other special events Develop preliminary design for a possible scenic park in Fernald Corp lands and seek grants for design and construction Construct a proposal of possible trail systems in areas of Edgewater, Templeton Center, Depot Pond, and an Otter River Greenway Inventory sidewalks and develop proposals for desired sidewalks; consider connection of village centers

OSC, RC

OSC, RC

OSC, RC, DCR

OSC, RC

OSC, RC, DCR

OSC, RC

OSC, RC

OSC, RC

RECREATION CONNECTIVTY

C. Develop and expand trail systems both in town and with surrounding towns

RECREATION ACCESS

D. Increase ease of access to waterways and trail systems for recreational use

Survey existing trail systems and conduct a needs assessment for their improvement or expansion Develop an action plan for mapping, blazing, and adding signs around trail systems

OSC, CC, RC, DCR

Work with MRWC to assess accomplishments of recent Otter River Blue Trail project; discuss maintenance needs and next steps Solicit suggestions from residents for additional paddle access to the rivers Develop plans to create more parking at river access points and trail heads and established boat launch areas Evaluate how an Otter River Greenway, including riverside paths and pocket parks, might offer recreation opportunities in the densest residential part of town Coordinate with Army Corps of Engineers to regain access along Birch Hill Flood Control Area Develop plans to deal with illegal dumping that may result from increased recreational access

OSC, RC, DCR, G, W, PLO, HD

Volunteer time DCR Grants

OSC, CPC, RC, CC, DCR, WG Volunteer time DCR Grants

OSC, G, W, MRWC OSC, CC, RC, DCR, MRWC, HD, PLO OSC, CPC RC, G, MRWC, MRPC,

OSC, ACE, MRWC, DCR

OSC, RC

PUBLIC AWARENESS

E. Increase public awareness of Templeton’s recreational and open space resources

Develop action plan for broadening efforts to inventory and map resources throughout town including trails, conservation areas, historic sites scenic roads and farms Make maps and information available on town website and as hard copies at various locations throughout town Develop an action plan for increasing signage along roadways indicating recreational, community agricultural, historic, or scenic resources Mark trails and include signs indicating nearby local resources (e.g. signs along Ware River Rail Trail indicating mileage to nearby locations) Seek funding for increased educational signs in applicable locations

OSC, ACE USFW G, P, H, CPC, PB, HS, AC OSC

OSC

OSC

OSC

Volunteer time

OBJECTIVE

WATER RESOURCES

A. Protect and improve quality of ground and surface water

ACTION Revise the Town Stormwater Management Plan to implement NPDES for MS4 (Prioritize improvements within village districts and near Otter River) Provide educational opportunities to landowners in critical areas to help residents minimize the amount of runoff and pollution leaving their land Reinstate the Otter River “Stream Team” to facilitate watershed clean ups Reevaluate requirements for special permits for industry within aquifer recharge zones and revise if necessary Work with regional partners to review plans for water quality assessment and remediation of the Otter River Protect open spaces that contribute to ecological health and water quality Develop plans for an Otter River Greenway project within the area between Floodwoods Conservation Area to Birch Hill

LEAD AGENCY

PARTNERS & RESPONSIBLE GROUP(S) OSC, MRWC, MRA, TNC, American Rivers, MRPC, HD, CC OSC, MRWC

OSC, CPC, MRWC, RC, Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, NRDS OSC, BOS

OSC, BOS, CC, MRWC

OSC, BOS OSC, MRWC, TNC

PRIORITY

TIMELINE

FUNDING SOURCE Volunteer time Drinking Water Supply Protection Grant Program (DWSP)

DEP Clean Water Act Section 604B Grant

HABITAT & ECOLOGICAL INTEGRITY

B. Protect important habitat areas that contribute to regional ecological health and safeguard diversity of species

Prioritize parcels for conservation, using Mass Audubon MAPPR data, BioMap2 data and NQRLP’s strategic biodiversity map when considering parcel prioritization for protection Protect the 284-acre wetland core area near the Gardner Airport Expand conservation areas around the southern borders of town including Stone Bridge Conservation Area; prioritize linking areas of permanent protection to create corridors Develop a Climate Change Action Plan to identify measures to preserve ecological resources Continue to certify potential vernal pools through the MA NHESP/Division of Fisheries and Wildlife Work to ensure that recreation activities are consistent with the protection of wildlife.

Consider revision of zoning in the CIB District to decrease likelihood of future development in this critical habitat area and hold community charrette to develop a vision for land use in this area

OSC, NCLT

Volunteer time Grants

OSC, BOS OSC, BOS

OSC, BOS Volunteers

OSC, CC, DCR, RC OSC, CC, DCR, BOS

OBJECTIVE

ACTION

SMART GROWTH

A. Use Smart Growth strategies to retain the town’s rural character

Encourage infill development within village centers Review and consider ways to incentivize the Open Space B. Revise zoning bylaws Bylaw to further incentivize Develop an Agricultural Overlay open space preservation District through local zoning Strategize ways to encourage desired types of development within commercially zoned areas along Route 2 Pursue becoming a Green Community

COMMUNICATION

OBJECTIVE A. Improve communication between Open Space Committee and potential partners

ACTION Develop an easily accessible channel of communication between the Open Space Committee and local and regional partners (e.g. a shared email link from Town website) Communicate with neighboring towns about connecting open

LEAD AGENCY

PARTNERS & RESPONSIBLE GROUP(S) OSC, BOS, PB

TIMELINE

PRIORITY

FUNDING SOURCE Volunteer time

OSC, BOS, PB

Grants

OSC, BOS, PB OSC, BOS, PB

OSC, BOS

LEAD AGENCY

PARTNERS & RESPONSIBLE GROUP(S) OSC, ACE, USFW

OSC

TIMELINE

PRIORITY

FUNDING SOURCE Volunteer time

COLLATORATION

B. Coordinate goals and projects with local groups and regional agencies

spaces and trails, and protecting shared natural resources Develop creative strategies to inform all members of the community about public meetings and opportunities to be involved Enlist volunteers and develop a mailing list Hold joint meetings with local stakeholders in open space protections like local sportsman’s clubs Discuss land preservation goals with local land trusts to coordinate efforts Work with regional planning and conservation agencies to achieve open space objectives and coordinate efforts to gain sources of funding Become a partner in the North Quabbin Regional Landscape Partnership Work with MRWC to organize volunteers to steward access areas to Blue Trail system and participate in water quality monitoring Communicate with school system and connect with interested teachers to engage students and classes in planning and implementation

OSC

OSC G, P, H, NRSD OSC, NCLT, MGCLT OSC, MRPC

OSC, NQRLP OSC, MRWC

Volunteer time

SAFETY

C. Work with other town committees to address safety and infrastructure needs in open space areas.

Evaluate and pursue funding for the restoration of the historic Stone Bridge Evaluate and pursue funding for the Depot Pond Spillway

Agricultural Commission Army Corps of Engineers Board of Health Board of Selectmen Cemetery and Parks Committee Community Preservation Committee Conservation Commission Department of Conservation and Recreation

Department of Fish and Game Department of Public Works Development Committee Environmental Protection Agency Gardener Historical Society Hubbardston Mass Dept of Agricultural Resources Mass Office of Dam Safety

AC ACE BH BOS CP CPC CC DCR DFG DPW DC EPA G HS H MDAR MODS

OSC, CPC, HD OSC, CPC, DPW

Massachusetts River Alliance Millers River Watershed Council Montachusett Regional Planning Commission Mount Grace Land Trust Narrangasett Regional School District North County Land Trust North Quabbin Regional Landscape Partnership Open Space Committee Otter River Sportsman Club Phillipston Plannning Board Recreation Committee The Nature Conservancy US Fish & Wildlife Wachusetts Greenways Water Department Winchendon

MRA MRWC MRPC MGLT NRSD NCLT NQRLP OSC ORSC P PB RC TNC USFW WG WD W

Section 10: Public Comments

Illustration of Baldwinville by Coleen Curley

Public comments will be added here.

Section 11: References

Photo by Steve Castle Š Castle Media

AirNav LLC. "Gardner Municipal Airport." AirNav: KGDM | AirNav.com. N.p., 02 Mar. 2017. Web. 21 Mar. 2017.

“American Community Survey (ACS) Demographic and Housing Estimates (2011-2015).” Bureau, US Census. N.p., n.d. Web. 02 Apr. 2017.

Arendt, Randall. Rural by Design: Planning for Town and Country. 2nd ed. Chicago (Ill.): American Planning Association, Planners Press, 2015. Print.

Berleant, Anne. “Small farms on the rise in Maine despite challenges, industry poised for more gains.”

Penobscot Bay Press. N.p., 25 Apr. 2013. Web. 11 Apr. 2017.

“Blue Trail Project.” Millers River Watershed Council. N.p., 04 July 2014. Web. 02 Apr. 2017.

Bureau, US Census. "Censtats." Censtats. N.p., n.d. Web. 21 Feb. 2017.

Capra, Anne. Personal communication. Mar. 2017.

CCSG. Connectivity Conservation Specialist Group. "The Science of Corridors." Conservation Corridor.

N.p., n.d. Web. 18 Feb. 2017.

Connecticut River Watershed Council and Pioneer Valley Planning Commission. “Is It Clean?” connecticutriver.us. N.p., n.d. Web. Mar. 2017.

“Crooked Pond Brook Culvert Replacement.” PIE-Rivers. N.p., n.d. Web. 02 Apr. 2017.

Davan, Ronald. Templeton Municipal Light & Water Plant, Water Superintendent. Personal communication.

17 Mar. 2017.

Davis, Bill. Personal communication. 15 Mar. 2017.

Daylor Consulting Group. "Assessment of Potential Non-Source Pollution for the Millers River Watershed in Massachusetts." (2002): 1-8. Web. DCR and Division of Water Supply Protection. “Ware River Watershed Management Plan, 2003-2012.” MA Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs. 10 Nov. 2003. Print (p 73) DCR. “Dam Safety.” Office of MA Energy and Environmental Affairs. Office of Dam Safety, 16 May 2013.

Web. 11, Mar. 2107.

DCR. “Ware River Watershed.” MA Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs. N.p., 05 Apr. 2013. Web. 02 Apr. 2017.

DCR. "Forest Stewardship Program." MA Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs. 07 June 2013. Web. 16 Mar. 2017.

"Department of Conservation and Recreation DCR.” MA Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs. N.p., 30 Jan. 2017.

Department of Environmental Protection. “Source Water Assessment and Protection (SWAP) Report for Templeton Municipal Light & Water Plant.” MA. 26 Feb. 2002. Web. 02 Apr. 2017.

Department of Fish and Wildlife. “Preventing Conflicts with Beavers.” MA Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs. 11 Feb. 2013. Web. 02 Apr. 2017.

Department of Fish and Wildlife. "Types of Agency Properties." MA Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs. DFW, 23 Aug. 2013. Web. 15 Mar. 2017.

Department of Labor and Workforce Development, MA. "Employment and Wages (ES-202)." Labor Market Information. N.p., 07 Feb. 2013. Web. 12 Mar. 2017.

Department of Public Health. “Fresh Water Fish Consumption Advisory List.” MA Health and Human Services. N.p., Oct. 2016. Web. 01, Apr. 2017.

De Phillips, Lauren M. "The Rise of Small Farms."theepochtime.com, N.p., 22 Aug. 2013. Web. 10 Mar. 2017.

Division of Local Services. "Division of Local Services." MA Department of Revenue. N.p., 04 Oct. 2011.

Web. 12 Mar. 2017.

Driscoll, John. Templeton Municipal Light & Water Plant, General Manager. Personal communication. 09 Mar. 2017.

Eea. Mass.Gov. “Open Space Planner’s Workbook.” MA Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs. N.p., n.d. Web. 30 Jan. 2017.

Eea. Mass.Gov. “Massachusetts Statewide Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan (SCORP.)” MA Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs. Jan. 2017.

Eea. “Millers River Watershed.” MA Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs. N.p., 26 Aug. 2008. Web. 02 Apr. 2017.

EPA. "Climate Impacts in the Northeast." Environmental Protection Agency. 22 Dec. 2016. Web. 26 Mar. 2017.

EPA. “Regulated MS4 in Massachusetts Communities.” Community Specific Information, Templeton. 10, Apr. 2017. Web. 11 Apr. 2017.

EPA.gov. "Smart Growth." Environmental Protection Agency, 15 Dec. 2016 Web. 15, Mar. 2017.

Farmland.org. American Farmland Trust. N.p., n.d. Web. 11 Apr. 2017.

Francis, Judy. "Creating a Climate Resilience Toolkit for the Nation." UNC GA. N.p., n.d. Web. 10 Mar. 2017.

Giacobone, Carl. Planning Board Department Assistant. Personal communication, Mar. 2017.

Gomez and Sullivan Engineers & Environmental Scientists. “Hydrologic Assessment of the Millers River Basin.” Mass Department of Environmental Management, Apr. 2003, Print.

Henshaw, John M., JoAnne Burdin, Christine Symonds, Justin Duplessis, Carrie Novak, Robert Olsen, Dennis Rich, Joy Taintor, Karen Tucker, Raymond Voutila, John Hume, and Renee Marion. “Templeton Open Space and Recreation Plan.” Town of Templeton, 2011. Print Henshaw, John M. Preservation Committee Member. Personal communication. Mar. 2017. jclukeydesigns.com. Dwelly Farm. North Country Land Trust Inc. Janet Morison, n.d. Web. Mar. 2017.

"MAPPR Tool." Mass Audubon. N.p., n.d. Web. 7 Mar. 2017.

"MassWildlife Lands Viewer." N.p., n.d. Web. 22 Mar. 2017. http://maps.env.state.ma.us/dfg/masswildlifelands/.

MassWildlife. "Climate Action Tool." N.p., n.d. Web. 7 Mar. 2017.

McDermott, Jennifer. "Demand for Local Food Makes New England Fertile for Crop of Young Farmers." CBS Boston. Associated Press, 22 Aug. 2014. Web. 10 Mar. 2017.

Mitchell, Jennifer. “A Young Generation Sees Greener Pastures in Agriculture – NPR.” Around the Nation.

NPR, 03 Jan. 2015. Web. 11 Apr. 2017.

Montachusett Regional Planning Commission (MRPC). “Montachusett Region Hazard Mitigation Plan 2015 Update.” May 2016. Print. www.templeton1.org Montachusett Regional Planning Commission (MRPC). Town of Templeton Massachusetts Master Plan 2017. Templeton: n.p., 2017. Print.

Motovo. "Templeton, MA Real Estate Market Trends - Movoto." Movoto Real Estate. N.p., n.d. Web. 10 Feb. 2017.

Motzin, Glen. Personal communication. Feb. 2017.

NCLT. North County Land Trust. “Ideas for Dwelly” Informal planning document. Morrison, Janet. Email correspondence.

"North County Land Trust, Inc.” Dwelly Farm. N.p., n.d. Web. 10 Mar. 2017.

“New England District.” nae.usace.army.mil. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, N.p., n.d. Web. 21 Mar. 2017.

NHESP, MassWildlife, and The Nature Conservancy. BioMap2 Town Report: Templeton. Publication no. 2.

Vol. 1. N.p.: NHESP, 2012. Print.

NHESP. "Natural Community Fact Sheets." MA Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs. N.p., 14 Feb. 2013. Web. 16 Mar. 2017.

NQRLP. "Strategic Biodiversity Map." North Quabbin Regional Landscape Partnership. N.p., n.d. Web. 18 Mar. 2017.

NRPA. "The National Recreation and Parks Association." NRPA Park Metrics, National Recreation and Park Association. N.p., n.d. Web. 19 Mar. 2017.

Open Space Institute and the North Atlantic Conservation Cooperative. “Conserving Nature in a Changing Climate: A Three-Part Guide for Land Trusts in the Northeast.” Mar. 2017. www.climatechange.lta.org.

"Our Story." American Farmland Trust. N.p., n.d. Web. 10 Mar. 2017.

Radigan, Glenn. Personal Communication. 2 Feb. 2017.

RDVO, Inc. "MBTA History." Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority. N.p., n.d. Web. 21 Mar. 2017.

Rowcroft, Jessica. Templeton Reconnaissance Report. Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation. N.p., n.d., 2008. Print.

“Searchable Sites.” DEP Waste Sites, Reportable Releases Lookup. Mass DEP, n.d. Web. 01 Apr. 2017.

Soil Conservation Service. "Soil Survey Manual.” NRCS Soils. N.p., n.d. Web. 10 Mar. 2017. Print Tata & Howard, Inc. Redelineation of Zone II: Otter River Well, Sawyer Street Well, and Maple Street Wells No. 1 and 2. Templeton, MA. Dec. 2012. (*The Zone II outlines in Map 11 were drawn in by hand based on these maps.)

Taintor, Joy. Personal communication. Feb. 2017.

Taggart, B.E., Coleman, J.A., Cooke, M.G. Tracking polychlorinated biphenyls in the Millers River Basin, Massachusetts. U.S. Geological Survey Fact Sheet, 2003. FS 093-03, 6 p.

Templeton Zoning Bylaw. Tech. Templeton: Town of Templeton, 2006. Print. Amended 2010.

The Trust for the Public and American Water Works Association. Source Protection Handbook: Using Land Conservation to Protect Drinking Water Supplies.

The Warren Group. "Warren RE Market Trends." Warren RE Market Trends | N.p., n.d. Web. 2010.

Tourigny, Don. Personal communication. 2 Mar. 2017.

Travaglini, Mike. Personal communication. 14 Mar. 2017.

“Towncharts.” Towncharts.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 08 Mar. 2017.

USDA.gov. "Farmland of State or Local Importance, Massachusetts." National Resources Inventory. N.p., n.d. Web. 10 Mar. 2017.

Ussach, Ivan. Millers River Watershed Council, Watershed Coordinator. Personal communication. 13 Mar. 2017.

Van Fleet, Tyler, Paul Catanzaro and David Kittredge. Chapter 61 Programs: Understanding the Massachusetts Ch. 61 Current Use Tax Program. UMASS Extension and DCR Mass. Web. “Waste Site Cleanup and Reuse in New England: Temple-Stuart Site.” Environmental Protection Agency. n.d. Web. 01, Apr. 2017.

“Watershed Issues.” Millers River Watershed Council. N.p., 19 Aug. 2014. Web. 01, Apr. 2017.

"Ware River Rail Trail." Massachusetts Trails, TrailLink.com. Rails to Trails Conservancy, 01 Oct. 1970. Web. 10 Mar. 2017.

Wjgraves.com. "Sand, Gravel, Stone, Loam." N.p., n.d. Web. 10 Mar. 2017.

(URL: http://www.mass.gov/anf/research-and-tech/it-serv-and-support/application-serv/office-of-geographic-informationmassgis/datalayers/layerlist.html) Original date produced by Authors

▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪

Airports, Dec. 2016 Aquifers, July 2007 Bedrock Lithology, Jan. 2004 Bicycle Trails, Sept. 2004 BioMap2, Feb. 2011 Community Boundaries (Cities and Towns) from Survey Points, June 2004, last update Mar. 2017 Dams, Feb. 2002 DCR Trails and Roads, June 2015 Elevation Contours (1:5,000), June 2003 Fema Q3 Flood Zones from Paper FIRMS, July 1997 Interior Forest, Oct. 2009 Land Use (2005), June 2009 Level 3 Assessor’s Parcels, Dec. 2016 MassDEP Hydrography (1:25,000), March 2017 MassDEP 2014 Integrated List of Waters (305(b)/303(d)), May 2016 MassDEP Wetlands (1:12,000), Jan. 2009 MassDOT Roads: EOT Roads, June 2014 NHESP Certified Vernal Pools, Updated continually NHESP Potential Vernal Pools, Dec. 2000 NRCS HUC Basins (8,10,12), Nov. 2005 NRCS SSURGO-Certified Soils, Nov. 2012 Protected and Recreational Open Space, Feb. 2017 Public Water Supplies, Oct. 2016 Shaded Relief (1:5,000), Feb. 2005 Surficial Geology (1:24,000), August 2015 U.S. Census (2010), Environmental Justice Population Block Group, April 2012

Section 12: Appendices

Photo by Carrie Novak

Currently the Town of Templeton has two Commercial and Industrial Districts; three Residential Agricultural Zones; four Village Districts; one Highway Business District and an Airport District.

Source: Templeton Zoning Bylaw 2010 and Town of Templeton Zoning Map 2010 The Residential/Agricultural (R-A) districts are low to very low-density residential use districts intended primarily for residential uses, including customary home occupations, for single-family and two-family homes, both allowed by right, together with agricultural and recreational uses, which are permitted throughout the town. There are three different zones within this district, each denoting the minimum lot size that can be developed for uses by right. These are the R-A-1-acre district, R-A2-acre district and the R-A-5-acre district. Other uses permitted by right in the RA districts include minor and customary home occupations that employ 1 person, parks, playgrounds, and other recreational areas, and accessory units on single-family homes where relatives of the primary occupants may reside. The Planning Board has authority to grant special permits for multifamily residences, Bed & Breakfasts, hospitals and nursing homes (RA5), non-profit clubs and lodges on at least three acres. Public and private utilities are sited in this district. The minimum lot frontage required in this district is 150 linear feet in R-A-1 & 2, 500 LF in R-A-5.

The Commercial/Industrial (CI A &B) districts reserve areas for tax-generating non-residential uses that can be located in Templeton while preserving the rural character of the community. The CI-A district accommodates larger business and industry than in the other business districts and maintains a quality of design through vegetative buffers to residential areas and other design standards. Uses allowed by right in the CI zoning district include retail establishments with a minimum of 20,000 square feet in size, lumber yards and contractor yards at 20,00 sf, Research and Development and light manufacturing, distribution facilities, restaurants and fast food, and nonresidential uses allowed by right in the Village district. Site Plan Approval is required by the Planning Board. Minimum lot size for development is 1 acre in the CI district with 150 LF frontage and amaximum height of 2.5 stories.

The Highway Business district is to maintain Templeton’s character for viable business uses that can co-exist with the residential areas in which many of the Town’s business districts are located.

The H-B district is intended to compliment the Village Districts and Residential-Agricultural Districts and the more intense Commercial-Industrial Districts. Uses allowed by right in the HB district include retail sales; personal service shops such as salons and barber shops; business offices, banks; convenience stores and supermarkets; restaurants; liquor stores; post office and other municipal services; instructional studios; small appliance and repair; and recreational facilities on at least 1 acre. Lumber yards, gas stations, hotels and larger restaurants all require special permits.

The Village (V) district includes four Villages: Templeton Center; East Templeton; Otter River; and, Baldwinville. This district enables the development and re-development of these village areas “in harmony with the existing historical, cultural and natural assets in each Village.” Intended uses include single and multi-family residences and mixed use. The development of businesses and

services that accommodate the personal and social needs of are encouraged as is the development of upper floor housing units to provide a mix of commercial and residential uses and diversity of housing types in Templeton.

The Airport District Templeton is the host community of the Gardner Municipal Airport (“Airport”). The Airport serves the aviation needs of the surrounding region and is an important asset to the overall economic prosperity of north-central Massachusetts. The purposes of the Airport District are: 1. To provide for future development of the Airport so that it may better serve the aviation needs of the region. 2. To protect the health, safety, and welfare of the Town of Templeton, while fostering a strong relationship between the Airport and the Town and minimizing adverse impacts on natural resources and residential neighborhoods. 3. To promote the economic development of Templeton by encouraging non-airport uses that are compatible with the safe operation of the Airport.

Public Water Supply Protection promotes the health, safety, and general welfare of the residents, institutions and businesses of the Town of Templeton by ensuring adequate quality and quantity of drinking water by preventing the pollution of the community’s public drinking water. 4.1.2 There is created hereby a “Water Supply Protection District” which is defined to include all lands within the Town of Templeton as located within a half-mile (2,640 feet) radius of a public water supply well.

Prohibited uses in this area include waste disposal junkyards; stockpiling or storage of deicing chemicals, manure commercial fertilizers; storage of hazardous materials; industrial or commercial wastewater disposal; and land uses that result in impervious surfaces covering greater than 25% of any lot. This district is shown on a plan entitled “Water Supply Protection District Plan for the Town of Templeton” prepared by Szoc Surveyors, which plan is on file with the Town of Templeton Town Offices and the Town of Templeton Water Department Office. This plan shall be considered a zoning map for purposes of establishing the district under this section. 24 If the location of the boundary of the Water Supply Protection District in relation to a particular parcel of land is in doubt, the burden of proof shall be upon the owner(s) of the parcel of land in question to show where the bounds should be located properly.

The Flood Plain District is designed to protect the public health, safety, and general welfare, to protect human life and property from hazards of periodic flooding, to preserve the natural flood control characteristics, and the flood storage capacity of the flood plain, and to preserve and maintain the ground water table and water recharge areas within the flood plain. This district is delineated by the Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRM) for Templeton. Permitted uses within this district include agricultural uses such as farming, grazing, truck farming, horticulture, etc; forestry and nursery uses; outdoor recreational uses including fishing, boating, play areas, etc; conservation of water, plants, wildlife; wildlife management areas, foot, bicycle, and/or horse paths; temporary non-residential structures used in connection with fishing and building lawfully existing prior to the adoption of these provisions. No structure of building shall be erected, constructed, substantially improved, or otherwise created or moved; no earth or other materials dumped, filled, excavated, or transferred, unless a special permit is granted by the Board of Appeals.

Other Provisions and Requirements Wind Energy Conversion Systems (WECS) Bylaw provides for the development and use of wind power as an alternative energy source, while protecting public health, safety and welfare, preserving environmental, historic and scenic resources, controlling noise levels and preventing electromagnetic interference. The Planning Board is established as the Special Permit Granting Authority (SPGA) when WECS are requested to be constructed. WECS are allowed in all districts by special permit except in the Village and Historic Districts, where they are prohibited. At this time, there is a wind turbine located behind the Narragansett High that provided 1,148,312 kilowatt hours of electrical power in 2013. The town also purchases wind energy from generation sources outside the town including from a wind farm in Hancock. In Early 2014, Templeton Municipal Light and Water Department contracted with First Wind of Boston to purchase electricity generated from the Hancock Wind Project in Ellsworth Maine. This agreement will provide for 2.5 million kilowatt hours of power to be made available to TMLWP customers. The town is well on its way to achieving its mandate issued by the Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources that calls for 20% of every municipal power plant’s power portfolio to be made up of renewable energy sources by the year 2020. Though not part of this bylaw the Town also constructed a 4.5 Mw solar field on Farnsworth Road that generated 7,360 Kwh in 2013. This is a privately-owned facility with which Templeton has a power purchase agreement for twenty years.

Inclusionary Housing Bylaw encourages development of new housing that is affordable to households up to moderate-income, or 80 of area median income (AMI) as defined by HUD. Any affordable housing units created as a result of this bylaw will be considered Local Action Units to be in compliance with the state Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) Local Initiative Program. The Local Initiative Program (LIP) seeks to stimulate the production of affordable housing opportunities by fostering cooperation between municipalities and housing developers. The program provides technical assistance to developers and municipalities seeking to develop housing that serves households at or below 80% of the area median income within mixedincome (market and affordable) housing developments. Templeton has a current Housing Production Plan (HPP) filed with the state that enables the Town to produce a certain number of housing units annually that will be occupied by persons qualifying for the purchase of affordablypriced homes. Chapter 40B of the Mass General Laws cites that affordably-produced and priced homes must be available to households whose incomes do not exceed the 80% threshold.

Templeton’s HPP layout a production goal of at least 19 new affordable housing units created each year until the required threshold of 10% of all housing units. The HPP also committed to creating the inclusionary housing by-law and the Senior Housing Planned Community Manufactured Home Parks Bylaw to increase the amount of affordable rental units in the town with the intent of retaining an increased number of young people who, according to the previous two decennial census’ have been leaving town, and to provide manufactured housing sites to help senior and retired residents who can no longer afford to maintain larger homes. Other goals include: adopting a Senior Housing Bylaw; continue the CDBG Housing Rehab program; continue to promote home ownership; improving collaboration between the town and developers to build affordable housing; and adopting bylaws that would preserve the rural character of the town such as a scenic roadway bylaw.

Open Space Residential Development Bylaw is designed to preserve agricultural, forested and other natural lands, and to discourage sprawl in terms of housing development. Any developer of a Major Residential Development (creating more than 4 residential lots) is required to apply for a Special Permit by submitting both a conventional and Open Space Residential Development

(OSRD) site plan. This allows the Planning Board to consider the impact of the development on surrounding parcels. If the proposed development is deemed to be contiguous to some form of open space the Planning Board can impose design restrictions upon the development. These include the preservation of at least 50% of the area of the development to remain as open space, and the open space portion of the development remain contiguous to the open spaces adjacent to the parcel under consideration. The natural state of the parcels is to be preserved by minimizing the clearing of trees and soil, and off street parking is to be encouraged by requiring a minimum number of parking spaces per unit. Paved areas may be required to use Low-Impact Development techniques that enable infiltration. The Open Space is required to be used for conservation, historic preservation and education, outdoor education, recreation, park purposes, or other such uses. Furthermore, the open space is to be conveyed to the town, its conservation Committee, the Cemetery and Parks, or to a nonprofit agency whose mission is to conserve open space. The bylaw expressly prohibits the encroachment upon any open space land without legal authorization.

Site Plan Review. A site plan review is required for any construction or exterior alteration or change of use within any nonresidential or nonagricultural building or lot or the construction or expansion of any parking lot for a nonresidential or nonagricultural building, structure or lot. The Planning Board will hold a Public Hearing within 60 days of submission of a complete site plan. Site plans are required to include a locus map; site layout; topography and drainage plan; a utility plan; and architectural plan; and a landscaping plan. Approval is granted when new construction is designed to minimize clearing of natural features such as trees and stonewalls; provide adequate access for fire service equipment and storm water drainage; maximize safety to pedestrians; minimize obstruction of scenic views; minimize sources of pollution such as air, water and light; minimize departure from the character of the vicinity; the compliance of all provisions of the Town’s zoning bylaw.

The following is an inventory of public shade trees found in Templeton (Henshaw et al 36). These include all trees within or on the boundaries of a public space as defined by MGL Chapter 87 Section 1.

Green Lawn Cemetery

Subtotal Pine Grove Cemetery

Subtotal

Blue Spruce Eastern Red Cedar Heritage Elm Lodge Pole Pine Northern Red Oak Norway Spruce Scot Pine Silver Maple Sugar Maple Sycamore 10 Blue Spruce Catalpa Chinese Elm Colorado Blue Spruce Common Choke Cherry Dwarf Apple Dwarf Flowering Pear Eastern Hemlock Eastern Poplar Eastern Red Cedar Heritage Elm King Crimson Maple Lodge Pole Pine Northern Red Oak Norway Pine Norway Spruce Scot Pine Sugar Maple Sycamore unknown dwarf tree White Pine 21

4 28 1 16 8 98 1 12 4 1 173 1 1 2 2 1 2 2 1 1 24 1 1 22 2 1 5 7 6 3 1 99 185

Common Burial Ground

Subtotal Baldwinville Common

Subtotal Otter River Common Subtotal East Templeton Common Subtotal Templeton Common

Subtotal Gilman Waite Field Subtotal TOTAL Source: 2011-2015 OSRP (Henshaw et al. 36)

Common Choke Cherry Heritage Elm King Crimson Maple Northern Red Oak Sugar Maple White Ash White Pine 7 Dwarf Flowering Plum King Crimson Maple Norway Spruce Sugar Maple 4 Norway Spruce 1 Norway Spruce Silver Maple 2 Chinese Elm Common Choke Cherry Douglas Fir Dwarf Cherry Ginko Heritage Elm Hickory Northern Red Oak Norway Maple Sugar Maple Sycamore White Ash 12 Lodge Pole Pine 1 31 species

1 10 2 1 27 16 4 61 1 2 1 1 5 1 1 1 2 3 1 1 1 3 1 1 1 4 11 38 1 31 94 350 350 897 trees

Privately-Owned Forestlands in Temporary Protection from Development, Enrolled in Chapter 61 Taxation Program in Templeton

4-10_128_1 4-10_128 4-11_149 4-11_153 3-14_40_2 3-14_42 4-12_171 2-09_17 2-09_37 2-09_34 3-08_60_8 3-08_62 3-09_75_1 2-12_52 2-12_31 2-13_1 2-12_32 1-13_7 1-13_6 2-13_3 2-13_4_1 3-02_2 3-02_3 1-03_25

25.64 25.64 52.70 47.00 0.10 44.40 69.57 31.00 10.00 35.00 1.00 20.00 45.07 29.00 26.00 16.50 7.00 18.00 60.00 34.90 29.97 2.00 88.00 73.00

Partridgeville Rd 102 Partridgeville Rd 200 Partridgeville Rd Hubbardston Rd Hubbardston Rd 482 Hubbardston Rd 314 South Main St Queen Lake Rd Brooks Village Rd Skunks Misery Rd 26 Sandy Pine Rd Patriots Rd Patriots Rd Stone Bridge Rd Cook Rd Cook Rd Cook Rd 92 Henshaw LN Henshaw LN 23 Haskell Rd 77 Haskell Rd Royalston Rd Royalston Rd State Rd

Fletcher Realty LLC Fletcher Scott Templeton Fish & Game Club Templeton Fish & Game Club Wood Jerrold C & Diantha G Wood Jerrold C & Diantha G Kozlowski Kenneth C & Sandra K Starzynski Christopher A Radigan Glen & Sharon L Pease David R Coppering Alicia R Needham Arthur B Macchia Susan Aukstikainis Stephen D & Heidi Dwelly Jack E & Tammy C Dwelly Jack E & Tammy C Dwelly Jack E & Tammy C Barnes George W & Shirley Barnes George W & Shirley Duguay Bruce R & Deborah Giruoard John A Nixon Brent R Nixon Brent R Stone Land Trust

1-03_20 6-06_71 TOTAL

13.60 35.50 840.59

Crotty Ave State Rd

Stone Land Trust Stone Land Trust

Privately-Owned Agricultural Lands in Temporary Protection from Development, Enrolled in Chapter 61A Taxation Program.

1-14_8_3 4-12_176 4-12_172_1 3-10_13 2-12_21 2-12_23 2-12_22 2-12_24 3-10_19 1-14_8_2 1-14_8 1-14_11 1-13_4 2-13_30 2-15_5_1 4-09_47_1 4-10_58 4-10_52_1 4-10_56 3-13_4 3-13_3 3-13_5 3-13_6 3-12_49_8 3-11_30

10.00 5.50 11.73 170.03 37.00 7.40 15.00 20.00 54.00 6.60 15.60 10.00 134.00 2.30 25.53 26.50 11.80 1.03 1.40 5.00 6.00 15.72 60.00 5.07 29.52

Barre Rd Cross Rd South Main St 190 Dudley Rd Barre Rd Barre Rd 179 Barre Rd Barre Rd 125 Barre Rd Barre Rd 521 Barre Rd Henshaw Rd 147 Henshaw Rd Henshaw Rd South Rd Patriots Rd 18 Johnson Ave Hillcrest DR Hillcrest DR South Rd 376 South Rd South Rd South Rd South Rd 2 Dolbier Hill Rd

Henshaw John M Jeleniewski Morgan T Jeleniewski Morgan T Racette Family Realty Trust LLC Leclerc Matthew P & Kellye E Leclerc Matthew P & Kellye E Leclerc Matthew P & Kellye E Leclerc Matthew P Henshaw Kirke R & Nancy F Henshaw John, M Henshaw John, M Henshaw Ralph C & Mildred G Henshaw Ralph C & Mildred G Henshaw Ralph C & Mildred G Bartolomeo Trust January 17, 2009 Wilson Richard M & Cynthia Wilson Richard M Wilson Richard M Wilson Richard M Laine Paul A & Alice Laine Paul A & Alice Laine Paul A & Alice Laine Paul A & Alice Chartier Stephen E & Michelle A Young Gwen

3-12_56 3-12_49_5 3-12_49_3 3-12_49_6 3-13_2 4-07_81 4-07_46 4-07_29_1 4-07_90 5-08_14 4-07_46_2 3-09_75_3 TOTAL

18.40 1.33 3.97 18.42 40.00 7.15 59.50 16.25 1.02 9.50 1.10 6.10 869.4701

229 Hubbardston Rd South Rd 268 South Rd South Rd 360 South Rd 268 Baldwinville Rd 342 Baldwinville Rd 362 Baldwinville Rd Baldwinville Rd 203 Brooks Rd Baldwinville Rd 23 Pine Point Rd

Young Gary T Chartier Stephen E & Michelle Chartier Stephen E & Michelle Chartier Stephen E & Michelle Laine Daniel R Leslie & Joyce Dossett Living Trust Brooks John L & Doris R Haley Benjamin B & Madeline P Brooks John L & Doris R Skagerlind Paul R & Brooks John L & Doris R Fontaine Harold & Dawn M

Privately-Owned Recreation Lands in Temporary Protection from Development, Enrolled in Chapter 61B Recreational Open Space Taxation Program

4-13_16 5-14_1_2 4-11_162 3-11_10 3-11_11 3-12_12 3-12_13 3-12_53 2-12_29 1-15_1_7 2-13_9 2-12_28 2-15_3_4 2-08_17_4

52.50 122.00 11.50 30.00 28.00 5.00 40.00 50.00 36.00 7.91 42.97 13.50 13.50 17.97

137 Shady Ln Pail Factory Rd 52 Pail Factory Rd 162 Barre Rd Barre Rd Cook Rd Cook Rd Cook Rd Barre Rd 661 Barre Rd Barre Rd Barre Rd Otter River Rd 992 Patriots Rd

May Deborah D Swift River Retrievers LLP Wilson Dean Scott & Jane Balchuinas Steven R & Amy L Brooks John L & Doris R Brooks John L & Doris R Brooks John L & Doris R Perkins Charles H & Mary L Salame Stephen E Living Trust Brooks Philip R & Audrey S Robillard Jerry A North County Land Trust Inc Banas Michael S & Kathy J Moschetti Peter A

3-02_4 3-02_5 3-02_6 3-02_7 3-02_10 3-02_9 6-12_8 5-09_41 5-09_29 5-09_28 5-06_74_3 5-06_74_6 5-06_74 5-08_17 5-08_6 5-08_16 5-08_11 5-08_7 5-08_10 4-07_68 5-08_20 6-08_18 6-08_19 TOTAL

2.00 3.50 13.00 27.00 40.00 2.00 32.00 27.00 8.00 25.00 5.28 1.18 39.70 43.00 68.00 67.20 14.00 16.83 3.51 30.00 2.00 4.00 9.50 954.55

Royalston Rd Royalston Rd 73 Royalston Rd Royalston Rd Royalston Rd Royalston Rd 11 Patriots Rd Depot Rd Otter River Rd 409 Otter River Road 36 Brooks Rd Brooks Rd Brooks Rd 250 Lord Rd 160 Brooks Rd Lord Rd Brooks Rd Brooks Rd Brooks Rd Brooks Rd Willow St Liberty St Liberty St

Royalston Fish & Game Club Royalston Fish & Game Club Royalston Fish & Game Club Royalston Fish & Game Club Royalston Fish & Game Club Royalston Fish & Game Club Eames Adrian R & Ridgely Country Club Ridgely Country Club Ridgely Country Club Matusewicz William P & Annette Matusewicz William P & Matusewicz William P & Annette Otter River Sportsman’s Club Matusewicz William P & Annette Otter River Sportsman’s Club Matusewicz William P & Annette Matusewicz William P & Annette Matusewicz William P & Annette Matusewicz William P & Annette Otter River Sportsman’s Club Szymcik Charles F & Szymcik Leon P &

Privately-Owned Land with Conservation Restrictions Protected from Development Conservation Restriction: Protected by Restrictions pursuant to the provisions of Chapter 184, Sections 31 – 33.

4-04-0003

Karen Tucker

80.137

68 Norcross Hill Rd

Conservation / North County Land Trust

Gift / 1997

1-15 / 0001 -0011

John & Doris Brooks

59.65

Barre Rd

Watershed Preservation / DCR

Sale / 2001

(Source: Templeton Master Plan)

Privately-Owned, Unprotected Open Space of Recreational Interest

2-07_23

69.5

(Source: Templeton Master Plan)

Peaceful Pines Campground

Buckley Marie

High

Yes, with fee

Publicly-Owned Town Land Permanently Protected from Development (Properties managed Templeton Conservation Commission)

4-10 / 00750002 5-10 / 00610001 4-10 / 0078

89.9

Good

High/Hiking

Y

3.7

Rear Lot – North Main St and Patriots Rd Rear Lot – North Main St

Good

High/Hiking

Y

2.65

Patriots Rd

Good

High/Hiking

Y

1-2 / 0180

1.852

North Main St

Good

High/Hiking

Y

5-10 / 00530001 1-2 / 0154

1.18

North Main St

Good

High/Hiking

Y

1.123

Rear Lot – North Main St

Good

High/Hiking

Y

1-2 / 01820002 1-2-1/ 01500002 5-10 / 00520002 1-2 / 01860001 1-2-1/ 01510001

.406

Rear Lot – North Main St

Good

High/Hiking

Y

.2

Rear Lot – North Main St

Good

High/Hiking

Y

.17

Rear Lot – North Main St

Good

High/Hiking

Y

.15

Rear Lot – North Main St

Good

High/Hiking

Y

.134

Rear Lot – Patriots Rd

Good

High/Hiking

Y

Mixed use Mixed use Mixed use Mixed use Mixed use Mixed use Mixed use Mixed use Mixed use Mixed use Mixed use

Gift, 1984 Transfer from Selectmen, 2009 Gift, 1984 Transfer from Selectmen,2009 Gift, 1984 Gift, 2008 Gift, 1984 Transfer from Selectmen, 2009 Gift, 1984 Gift, 1984 Gift, 1984

1-2-1/ 01500001 5-10 / 00580001 1-2 / 01820011 1-2 / 01540001 5-10 / 00550001

.11

Patriots Rd

Good

High/Hiking

Y

.089

Rear Lot – North Main St

Good

High/Hiking

Y

.083

Rear Lot – North Main St

Good

High/Hiking

Y

.077

Rear Lot – Patriots Rd

Good

High/Hiking

Y

.073

Rear Lot – North Main St

Good

High/Hiking

Y

Mixed use Mixed use Mixed use Mixed use Mixed use

Transfer from Selectmen, 2009 Gift, 1984 Transfer from Selectmen,2009 Gift, 1984 Gift, 1984

5-10 / 00520001

.07

Rear Lot – North Main St

Good

High/Hiking

Y

Mixed use

Gift, 1984

5-8 / 0019

5.4

Crotty Ave

PoorDAM

Low

R

Ag-1

Gift, 1997

1-3 / 0019-0001

4.5

Crotty Ave

Low

R

Ag-1

Gift, 1997

1-3 / 0019-0002

.3

Crotty Ave

Low

R

Ag-1

Gift, 1997

5-8 / 0019

2.3

Willow St

PoorDAM PoorDAM Good

Low

Y

Ag-1

4-10 / 0081

3.7

Route 2A-Patridgeville Rd

Good

Low

Y

Ag-1

Transfer from Board of Selectmen,2005 Gift, 1993

4-5 / 0008

23

Rear Lot – Baldwinville Rd

High

Y

Ag-1

Gift, 1970

5-14 / 0013

9.2

Off Whitney St

High

Y

Ag-1

Gift, 1998

5-14 / 0013

40

Whitney St

PoorATV’s PoorATV’S Good

High/Paddle Access & Hiking

Y

Ag-1

Transfer from Board of Selectmen,2009

190.367

Publicly-Owned Town Land Permanently Protected Recreational Land The following town-owned property is under the control of the Board of Selectmen. It is managed by the Recreation and Cemetery Commissions as permanently protected recreation land pursuant to the provisions of the deed from the grantor to the Town of Templeton. The property is also subject to the provisions of Article 97.

5-4 / 0032

RC, CC

30.

Michaels Lane

Active Recreation

Good

High

Y

Mixed use

Yes Yes

Mixed Mixed

(Source Templeton Master Plan)

(Use is unknown for parcels with recreational interest)

1-01_09 1-01_16_1 1-01_16 1-01_64 1-01_85 1-01_86 1-01_87 1-01_96 1-02_154_1 1-02_159 1-02_180 1-02_182_11 1-02_186_1 1-02_227 1-02_251 1-04_247

3

Athol Rd 9 Boynton Rd Common 27 Boynton Rd Common 466 Patriots Rd Center Elementary School Center Elementary School 33 South Rd Wellington Rd Patriots Rd Patriots Rd North Main St North Main St North Main St Gardner R Sawyer St Bridge St

R R

Gift / 1931

1-2_1_150_1 1-2_1_150_2 1-2_1_151_1 1-2_1_156 1-2_1_19_1 1-2_1_19 1-3_1_31_1 1-4_1_275 1-4_1_286 1-4_1_287_2 1-4_1_287_3 1-4_1_288 1-4_1_384 1-4_1_390 1-4_1_407 2-11_2 3-02_8 3-06_5 3-07_50 3-07_58 3-10_17 3-10_18 4-02_2 4-06_19_1 406_19 4-07_49 4-07_82 4-09_28 4-09_46_40 4-10_119_7 4-10_46_36 4-10_64 4-10_75_2 4-10_78 4-10_81

Patriots Rd Patriots Rd Patriots Rd 135 Patriots Rd Conti Ave 160 Patriots Rd State Rd 19 Central St 3 Elm St Elm St Elm St Central St School St Cottage St Baldwinville Rd Dudley Rd Royalston Rd King Philips Trail Patriots Rd Athol Rd Barre Rd Barre Rd Royalston Rd Narragansett Regional Baldwinville Rd 252 Baldwinville Rd Otter River Rd Minuteman Dr Laurel View Rd Patriots Rd Johnson Ave North Main St Patriots Rd Patriots Rd

R

Yes

AG-1

4-11_101 4-11_108 4-11_136 4—11_99 5-04_30-_1 5-04_30-_2 5-04_32 5-05_19 5-08_19 5-08_31_5 5-08_34_1 5-08_34 5-10_52_1 5-10_52_2 5-10_55_1 5-10_58_1 5-10_61_1 5-10_82_1 5-10_92_1 5-11_63 5-14_7 6-05_5_1 6-05_5_2 6-06_34_6 6-08_57 6-08_58 6-08_8_1 6-01_8 6-12_26 6-12_9 6-08_8_2

5.8

Fourth St Fifth St Sixth St Fourth St Elm St Elm St Elm St Ware Dr Willow St Albert Dr Willow St 6 Willow St North Main St North Main St North Main St North Main St North Main St Depot Rd Sawyer St Baker Ln Pail Factory Rd Bridge St Bridge St Highland Ave Willow St Willow St Main St 9 Main St Gardner Rd Patriots Rd Old Otter River School Playground

R

Y

3-08_66_1 4-07_52

24.4 .7

Pinegrove Cemetery Baptist Common Burying Ground Green lawn Cemetery

6-05_20_1 17.3 6-05_20_2 6-05_20_3 6-05_20_4 (Source: Templeton Master Plan)

H H

Y Y

H

Y

Under the control and management of the Department of Conservation and Recreation, Division of State Parks and Recreation (DCR).

4-2 / 0100

DCR

369.6

Royalston Rd (Rte. 68)

3-2 / 0011

DCR

50.0

Off Royalston Rd (Rte. 68)

6-4 / 1000

DCR

87.0

Winchendon Rd

3-7 / 0200

DCR

303.9

West Road, off King Phillip’s Trail (Rte. 202)

Passive Recreation Active Recreation Passive Recreation Active Recreation Passive Recreation Active Recreation Passive Recreation

Otter River State Forest

High

Y

Otter River State Forest

High

Y

Otter River State Forest

High

Y

Templeton State Forest

High

Y

3-13 / 0150, DCR 251.4 Hubbardston Rd Passive Templeton State Forest High 4-12 / 0250 Recreation Under the control and management of the Department of Conservation and Recreation, Division of Water Supply Protection (DCR).

Y

2-12 / 0054

DCR

87

Stone Bridge Rd

Stone Bridge Pond

L

1-15 / 0003

DCR

15

Barre Rd

L

2-15 / 0008 0011

DCR

60.98

South Rd

Forest land in the Burnshirt River watershed Abuts additional DCR watershed land n Hubbardston

Passive Recreation Passive Recreation Passive Recreation

L

Under the control and management of the Department of Fish and Game (DFG) 2-12 /0053

DFG

12

Stone Bridge Rd

Abuts Stone Bridge Pond Day Mill Tree Sanctuary

4-5 / 0006, 4-5 DFG 23 King Phillip’s Trail (Rte. 202) / 0007 Under the control and management of the Department of Developmental Services (DDS) Diverse area of open space consisting of diverse wildlife habitats, agricultural use, and opportunities for passive recreation.

2-7 / 0040 DDS 1627 King Phillip’s Trail (Rte. 202) Day Mill Tree Sanctuary

High

Y

High

Y

High

Y

(source Templeton Master Plan)

The following parcel is under the control of the US Army Corps of Engineers (ACE). Degree of Protection: Article 97

4-4 / 0001

ACE

(Source: Templeton Master Plan)

988.8

King Phillip’s Trail (Rte.202)

Passive Recreation Active Recreation

Birch Hill Control Flood Project

High

Y

An OSRP survey, publicly released February 7, 2017 via Google Forms, received twenty-one responses. The following pages include survey questions and summaries of all responses.

2. What improvements do you think are most needed for recreation in Templeton? (15 responses) Improve ballfields, increased trails better access, safe areas Instituting a summer playground groups for kids at each park More community activities at the ORSC as well as youth group activities surrounding the outdoors.

Skate park for kids.

Playground for East Templeton, trails People who care recreational place for youth Improvements to the rail trail, including signage A town park in Templeton Most of the spaces I use a near cosntruction making it noisy.

Gain more space More access to our water ways Maintain or improving land we already have.

Private property protections

5. What prevents you from doing more of the above activities you want to do? Please check all that apply. (20 responses)

6. What improvements are most needed for recreation in Templeton?

Improve ballfields, increased trails better access, safe areas Instituting a summer playground groups for kids at each park More community activities at the ORSC as well as youth group activities surrounding the outdoors.

Skate park for kids.

Playground for East Templeton, trails People who care recreational place for youth Improvements to the rail trail, including signage A town park in Templeton Most of the spaces I use a near construction making it noisy.

Gain more space more access to our water ways Maintaining or improving land we already have.

Private property protections

9. What would you like to see done with the State lands at the former Templeton Developmental Center? What is most important to retain? (14 responses) Agriculture, wildlife protection NOT DEVELOPMENT do not develop The natural beauty and land that was used annually for the Ferncol fair. Fair grounds would be a wonderful thing Make the area into a park. The scenic views are most important to retain and share with everyone.

Community Garden, retain its farming qualities.

Protect from development, keep open for agriculture, limit expansion of state usage Return to town no development or houses Conserve as much of that as possible, especially the agricultural fields, introduce more town's people to the area so that they care about its future.

Should be open to the town of Templeton Not sold off too highest bidder leased to local farmers is great so far use as open space as it is now with same restrictions open them up for hunting ,hiking and open space Farming opportunities for all towns people & area farmers. Remove the New Housing for Criminals, claiming to have a mental health issue! open accessible community farmland

Section 13: Maps

Map 1: Regional Context Templeton is a rural town in the hilly uplands of north, central Massachusetts.

The town is approximately 32 square miles bordered by Royalston and Winchendon to the north, Gardner to the east, Hubbardston to the southeast, and Phillipston to the west.

Route 2, also referred to as the Old Mohawk Trail, is the most significant road in Templeton and bisects the town in an east-west direction. Route 2 connects Templeton directly to the Boston metro downtown and it provides excellent accessibility to the following local urban hubs: 5 miles west of Gardner (8 minutes) 15 miles west of Fitchburg (24 minutes) 62 miles northwest of Boston (1hr 14 minutes) 32 miles northwest of Worcester (44 minutes) Other major roadways in Templeton are Routes 101, 202, and 68.

Templeton is primarily a residential community where only 7 percent of its residents work in town.

96 percent of Templeton’s residents drive to work, which is the highest percentage in the region (towncharts.com).

Map Legend

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Map 2: Zoning Districts ROAD

OLD BALDWIN SVILLE ROA D

ATE E ST STATE FOREST

AD RO

T

ON

ET

A

NUE VE ET RE ST ASH

5-040036

GR AV ES

6-040095

ND

RE

EE

3-020007

TR

ST

M IL

STATE FOREST

L

G

LE

N

RO

AD

OAD

NS

M

AD

ISO

EL

GARDNER ROAD

VILL

NN

Residential-Agricultural Districts 3-020006

DE

USA

USA

4-020100

N DENCE DR IVE

WIN

3-020011 3-020003

TOWN FARM ROAD

Town of Templeton, MA Zoning Map Amended May 11, 2010

BALD

USA

LS

H

R

TR S LIP IL PH G KIN

4-050008

6-0800080002

6-080019

5-0600480001

5-060048

ET RE ST

1-030015

W

HO WA RD STRE ET

LEO DRIVE

1-030025

68

CLAR

6-080027

1-32-0058

1-3-10052

1-32-0061

OT

6-080029

REET

1-3-20046-0003

6-080037

RO

5-080018

K ST

1-3-20017

1-3-20059

1-31-0083

5-060044

AD

5-0600740003

UE EN AV

! (

1-3-10032

1-31-0046

5-060072

5-060049 5-0600745-06- 0004 0050

TY ER LIB

6-080018

5-060073

5-060022

5-0600250002

1-030020

Y

1-030012

6-060080

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RIV ER RO AD

2-0700210031

2-080001-0013

2-080005 2-080011

3-080009

N

3-090054

3-090075

4-0900120001

4-0900470001

AD

O

ADIA

RYAN STR EET

C

A

PRINCETON STR EET

AD

HALFORD STREE T EUCLID STREE T PELLE Y STREE T

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5-1100260002

5-110056

5-1100390002

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4-090012

4-090009

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5-140019

5-140018

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4-120171

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5-140021

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3-130003

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1-1400080003

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5-12- 5-120030 0030

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4-114-11- 0153 0153

3-120052-0027

5-140023

5-12- 5-120030 0030

4-110149

4-110153

5-140026

5-120030

5-120085

4-110162

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4-110153

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2-130003

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1-140008

3-120058

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4-110153

5-120030

5-1200460001

2-130005

2-130009

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5-120033

5-110024

4-110170

4-120174

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SPA ROAD

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Zoning Districts: Commercial - Industrial - B

1-130006

OR

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RO A

OL

NARROW

BAKERS LANE

1-130005

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5-110022

5-120078

5-120046

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5-120044

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2-130008

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2-130003

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3-120050

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3-120046-0003

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( town established three districts to promote commercial Outside of the Residential and Village Districts, the! activity. The Commercial-Industrial A District (CIA) accommodates larger business and industry than other ! ( business districts and maintains a quality of design through vegetative buffers for residential areas and other design standards. Uses allowed by right include retail establishments, lumber yards, contractor yards, building trade supplier or other open area establishment, research and development, and light manufacturing and distribution facilities. The CIB District is similar to the CIA District in terms of uses with some subtle differences. The Highway Business District was established to maintain the town’s character for viable business uses that can co-exist within the residential areas in which many of the town’s business districts are located.

Uses by right range from retail, business or professional offices to outdoor recreational facilities and veterinary hospitals. The HB district is located primarily on Patriots Road in East Templeton and Templeton Center.

2-090012

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4-090024

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The town’s Village Districts encompass the four villages and include Templeton Center Village District, East Templeton Village District, Otter River Village District, and the Baldwinville Village District. These districts are target areas for a mix of single family and multifamily housing and small neighborhood-scale businesses including services, retail, and meeting places. Some non-residential uses are allowed by right including retail, personal service shops, business or professional offices, banks, liquor stores, and ice cream stands. There is a one-acre minimum lot size requirement within the Village Districts. It is important to note that thirty-six percent of the village centers are potentially developable lands and compliance with the one-acre minimum lot size may ! ( be inconsistent with the desired village aesthetic and an effort to concentrate development within village centers (see Table 3.4.3 in Section 3.4).

4-050001

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6-060071

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The Residential-Agricultural zoning districts occupy most of Templeton’s land area. Templeton’s RA1 district is intended for primarily residential uses, including customary home occupations. The minimum lot size in this district is one acre. Templeton’s RA2 and RA5 districts are quite similar to RA1, but the minimum lot sizes differ substantially: two acres are required for RA2 and five acres for RA5. The aim of large lot zoning is to manage growth by ensuring that land is left open in the form of yards, however, this requirement can have both positive and negative effects on build-out patterns. In the short term, large lot residential zoning can accelerate (rural to suburban in character by consuming large amounts of land and the conversion of a community from! encouraging sprawled development.

AD

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DISCLAIMER: The information depicted on this map is for planning purposes only. All data are representational and are not adequate for boundary definition, regulatory interpretation, or parcel-based analysis.

Prepa red by: GIS Department, September 2 010 R142 7 Water Street Fitchburg, MA 0142 0 Phone: 978-345-7376 E-ma il: mrpc@mrpc.org

Miles

TR

DATA SOURCES: MassGIS, Town of Templeton

Montachusett Regional Planning Commission

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Town of Templeton, MA Zoning Map Amended May 11, 2010

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DISCLAIMER: The information depicted on this map is for planning purposes only. All data are representational and are not adequate for boundary definition, regulatory interpretation, or parcel-based analysis.

Prepa red by: GIS Department, September 2 010 R142 7 Water Street Fitchburg, MA 0142 0 Phone: 978-345-7376 E-ma il: mrpc@mrpc.org

Miles

TR

DATA SOURCES: MassGIS, Town of Templeton

Montachusett Regional Planning Commission

2

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NE

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Map 3: Infrastructure Infrastructure in Templeton includes roads, railways, an airport, and public water and sewer lines (not mapped).

Roads and Railways State Route 2 is the most significant roadway within the town and region, linking eastern and western Massachusetts and bisecting Templeton. It is a limited access roadway and serves as a direct link to the wider region including Fitchburg, Leominster, Gardner, and the Boston area. There is one active freight line in Templeton, the Pan Am Railway, that runs through the northern part of town. One previous railway was converted into the Ware River Rail Trail.

Gardner Municipal Airport The 80-acre Gardner Municipal Airport is located in southeast Templeton. It contains one asphalt runway. For a 12-month period ending in 2006, the airport had an average of 14 flights per day: 98% general aviation, 2% military and <1% air taxi. There are 29 aircrafts based at this airport: 27 single-engine, 1 multi-engine and 1 ultralight.

Public Water and Sewer Community drinking water is sourced from four public wells: the Otter River Well, Maple Street 1, Maple Street 2, and, the Sawyer Street Well. The majority of the town relies on private wells and septic systems.

Dams There are twelve dams in Templeton. According to the Massachusetts Office of Dam Safety these range from posing no hazard to a significant hazard. Significant hazard dams are defined as those located where failure may cause loss of life and damage homes, industrial or commercial facilities, secondary highways or railroad, or cause interruption of use or service of relatively important facilities. Specific concerns were raised at community forums about the safety hazard posed by a structurally failing Depot Pond spillway and dam, which is identified as a â&#x20AC;&#x153;significant hazardâ&#x20AC;? dam. No official evaluation of safety hazard has been generated.

Map Legend

/ "

# *

/ " / "

/ " Trout Brook

/ "

Baldwinville

Depot Pond Spillway and Dam

Depot Pond

/ "

/ "

# *# *

Maple Street Well 2

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te

Maple Street Well 1

68

rR

ive Otter River r Village

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# *# *

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# * / "

# *

/ " Sawyer Street Well

/ "

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# * / "

2A

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Edgewater East Templeton

# *

Templeton Center

# *

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2

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Otter River Well

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Ware River Rail Trail

202

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o

Patridgeville Pond

101

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/ "

/ "

/ "

# *

" / / " / "

Stone Bridge Pond

/ "

/ " / "

# *

/ " / " INFRASTRUCTURE

2017 OPEN SPACE AND RECREATION PLAN TEMPLETON, MASSACHUSETTS

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# *

1

/ "

±

# * # * # * # # * * # * # * / "

2 Miles

# * # *

Map 4: Bedrock Geology The bedrock in Templeton formed four hundred million years ago. The hardness of the various bedrock and its resistance to erosion influenced the topography of the land.

Hard rocks, such as granites usually form topographic highs in the landscape. The hard granite bedrock (shown in red) coincides with the steeper hill ranges running north-south in west Templeton.

The pelitic bedrock, in Templeton (shown in blue), is made up of fine grained, clay rich, sedimentary rocks and is more easily eroded. The peltic bedrock areas coincide with the low-lying valleys in Templeton.

The metamorphic rock (shown in yellow and brown) results from a transformation of different bedrocks that have melded together from high heat and/or pressure, which caused physical and/or chemical changes. This rock can be formed by pressures deep inside the earth, by tectonic processes such as continental collisions, or when they are heated up by an intrusion of hot molten rock called magma from the Earthâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s interior. Examples of these rock types include marble, slate, gneiss, schist (onegeology.org).

The schist metamorphic bedrock in Templeton (shown in brown) is a coarse-grained rock that consists of layers of different minerals and splits into irregular plates.

Mafic rock (shown in light green) is rich in magnesium and iron. This bedrock â&#x20AC;&#x153;typically weathers into deeper, higher-pH soils with higher concentrations of iron, calcium, and magnesium than typical mountain soil types, thus producing soil characteristics that benefit agricultureâ&#x20AC;? (Francis).

Map Legend

Baldwinville Otter River Village

202 £ ¤

2 " )2 East Templeton Templeton Center

BEDROCK GEOLOGY

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Map 5: 7: Farmland Topography Soils of Templeton Topography was created by the great glaciers of the Pleistocene Epoch.

As the glaciers retreated, they churned over the landscape carving out the valleys and leaving topographic highs in the bedrock. The topography of Templeton shows a range of steep hills that run in a north-south direction on the western part of Templeton that coincide with the more erosion resistant, granite bedrock, while the more easily eroded, sedimentary bedrock, contributed to the formation of the valleys.

River and wetlands are found in Templeton’s valleys, on the east-side of hills. This pattern shows a more humid micro-climate on the east-side of Templeton’s hills which contributes to unique vegetation and wildlife habitats.

Population dispersal and the emergence of the four village centers coincide with the flatter areas of Templeton. Three out of the four villages are near the Otter River which was used to power Templeton’s industries during the industrial revolution that took place between 1760 and 1840.

Topography and surficial geology had an effect on Templeton’s settlement patterns in the past. Today, the highway that bisects Templeton in half may change these settlement patterns into the future, this change may put more development pressure on the town’s pristine scenic and ecological resources.

Map Legend

Old Farm Colony Baldwinville Otter River Village

202 £ ¤

" )2 Brooks Village

East Templeton Templeton Center

SOILS IN TEMPLETON TOPOGRAPHY OF TEMPLETON

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Map 6: Surficial Geology & BioMap2 Glacial Deposits Ten to fifteen thousand years ago, the glaciers retreated from New England, scouring the land and breaking up the bedrock. The retreating ice deposited mostly unsorted-till, a mix of clay, sand, and gravel, over much of Templetonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s landscape. The glacial meltwater formed rivers in the low-lying valleys of Templeton depositing stratified and sorted deposits of sand and gravel called glacial outwash (shown in yellow).

Glacial Outwash The pores of these sand and gravel deposits store water and this is where shallow aquifers can be found. A variety of wetlands can form in sandy depression and ponds appear where the ground level layer meets the water table. In Templeton, the outwash deposits support various wetlands, such as bogs and wooded swamps with rare or uncommon species (Motzkin). These wetlands areas in Templeton are potentially important areas to protect as they contain high levels of biodiversity.

According to BioMap2, the areas of critical and core habit in Templeton, shown in purple, support a wide range of native species, some of them endangered.

Zebra-Endangered (Photo: OdonataCentral

Map Legend

American Bittern-Endangered (Photo: Pittman)

Baldwinville Otter River Village

2 Templeton Center

SURFICIAL GEOLOGY & BIOMAP2

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Map 7: Farmland Soils Prime Farmland Soils Prime Farmland Soils, are defined by the USDA, “as land with the best combination of physical and chemical characteristics for producing food, feed, forage, and oilseed crops”(USDA. 2017). This map shows a large concentrated area of Prime Farmland Soil in the north east of Templeton. There are smaller concentrations of Prime Farmland Soil in the northwest area of The Old Farm Colony and several patches scattered in the southern part of Templeton.

Farmland of Statewide Importance Farmland of State wide Importance is a classification of slightly lesser quality but it is still considered high-yield enough to be economically productive (USDA. 2017). These soils of Statewide Importance are largely concentrated in the village centers: Templeton Center, Baldwinville, Otter River, East Templeton, Brooks Village, and in scattered patches throughout Templeton, mostly in the west and north.

Farmland of Unique Importance Farmland of Unique Importance are areas that include special microclimates that support the production of “specific high-value food and fiber crops, such as citrus, tree nuts, olives, cranberries, and other fruit and vegetables”(USDA, 2017). These Unique Soils coincide with rivers and wetlands in Templeton. The biggest concentration of Templeton Unique Farmland Soils and special microclimates are in the wetlands of the northeast, near the Gardner airport in the southeast, along Trout Brook, and the Burnshirt and Otter Rivers.

The Importance of Protecting Farmland Soil Well managed Farmlands trap carbon from the air, absorb and filter storm water, prevent flooding, and provide important habitat for native birds, insects, and other wildlife. (farmland.org, 2017) This map helps Templeton identify and prioritize important areas for conservation for both preservation of farmland soil and protection of ecological assets.

Map Legend

Old Farm Colony

Baldwinville

Otter River Village

202 £ ¤

Brooks Village

)2 2" East Templeton Templeton Center

SOILS IN TEMPLETON

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Map 8: Scenic, Historic & Unique Features Historic and Natural Features Templeton has many historic sites and three districts that are included in the State Register of Historic Places, including the Templeton Developmental Center lands (formerly the Templeton Farm Colony), Baldwinville Historic District, and Templeton Center Common. Three hilltops at the Templeton Developmental Center lands are well-known in Templeton for scenic views of Mount Monadnock to the north and of rolling hills across town. A large portion of northwest Templeton remains undeveloped landscape through the combination of the Templeton Developmental Center lands, a portion of Otter River State Forest and the Army Corps of Engineers lands.

Water Features There are many water features throughout town that are scenic and give Templeton its unique character including the Otter River and Trout Brook (see map X for more detail on water features).

Clubs and Golf Course Both Sportsman’s Clubs are located near ponds where members can fish. Both include hunting and other recreational facilities as well. The Templewood Golf Course abuts the Otter River Sportsman’s Club on the northern side of Route 2.

Agriculture There are 869 acres of farmland in active production (37 parcels) enrolled in Chapter 61A, many of which form a central band across south Templeton. Agricultural landscapes are a significant contributor to the rural character of Templeton that residents appreciate and are a reminder of cultural heritage for many. Dwelly Farm, an 62-acre farm, was donated to the North County Land Trust (NCLT) in 2012 and may represent a new model for agricultural preservation in town as NCLT is working on developing it into a community farm.

High School The Narragansett Regional High School is centrally located in town. It houses the only large wind turbine in Templeton which has become a prominent landmark that can be seen from many locations throughout town.

Map Legend Historic Districts listed in the National Register of Historic Places

Narragansett Regional High School

State Forests and Conservation Areas

Templewood Golf Course

Army Corps of Engineers lands

Hills with scenic views

Sportsman’s Club

Farmland enrolled in Chapter 61A

Gardner Airport Dwelly Farm

Gilman Waite Field

Templeton Developmental Center Land

Trout Brook

Otter River State Forest

Baldwinville Depot Pond

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te

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Army Corps of Engineers land

Otter River Sportsman’s Club

Otter River Village

Floodwoods Conservation Area

Templeton State Forest

2 Edgewater

East Templeton

Templeton Center

Stone Bridge Conservation Area

Patridgeville Pond

Stone Bridge Pond

Templeton Fish and Game Club

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Map 9: Water Resources Watersheds and Wetland Diversity The Otter River winds along the border with Gardner and through the villages into a water and wetlands expanse as it flows north to the Millers River in Winchendon. Both the Burnshirt River and Canesto Brook flow south to the Ware River within the Chicopee Watershed and enventually contribute to the drinking water supply of the Boston area.

Protected land at the headwaters of Canesto Brook is owned and managed by DCR. Some land in Burnshirt River’s headwaters bordering Stone Bridge Pond is protected, as is a sizable buffer along the town’s southwestern corner.

Wetlands in town are composed of six wetland types, as identified by Mass DEP. Many of the town’s wetlands are protected, but some, including several large bogs, are not.

Conserving wetlands and land that buffers ponds and rivers can protect important wetland diversity and surface water quality.

Prominent Ponds and Wetlands Residents enjoy walking around Partridgeville Pond in the southeast and thus imagine Depot Pond’s potential if it were protected and its walking trail maintained in Baldwinville. Edgewater Wetlands, seen from Routes 2 and 101, gives passersby an expansive sense of openness and wetland riches.

Residents could gain greater access to wetlands and ponds they enjoy if these water bodies were protected and walking paths into the properties were improved and maintained.

Map Legend Open Space Protected in Perpetuity Bog Deep Marsh Open Water Shallow Marsh, Meadow or Fen Shrub Coniferous Wooded Swamp Deciduous Wooded Swamp Mixed Wooded Swamp Chicopee River Watershed Millers River Watershed

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WATER RESOURCES

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Map 10: Surface Water & Environmental Challenges Water Quality The Millers River Water Quality Report (2000) characterizes Otter River segments MA 35-07 and 35-08 as impaired for aquatic life, fish consumption, contact, and aesthetics. Polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) contamination, sedimentation, elevated phosphorus levels and effluent toxicity contribute to the impaired status (Kennedy and Rojko).

Sand and gravel mining and road and bridge runoff are sediment sources suspected to contribute to murkiness and degrade the water’s recreation appeal. Turbidity can disrupt ecological functioning by lowering dissolved oxygen levels and increasing water temperature (Kennedy and Rojko).

The historical source of PCB contamination is believed to be near the former Baldwinville Paper Products mill and the Templeton WWTP (Taggart, Coleman and Cooke). As PCBs discharge into a river they attach to fine-grained particles suspended in the water column. They move downstream and settle to the river bottom. The current source of PCBs is sediment at the bottom of the Otter River. PCBs can leach from sediment back into the water column. As fish eat contaminated food over time, PCBs build up in their body fat. PCBs can cause cancer and can seriously affect the immune, reproductive, nervous, and endocrine systems in humans (Taggart, Coleman and Cooke). There is a fish consumption advisory for segment MA 35-08 due to PCBs (Fresh Water Fish Consumption Advisory List). Efforts to promote recreation need to include education about risks of PCB exposure.

Brazen, Bourn-Hadley, Depot and East Templeton Ponds are impaired due to “noxious weeds.” Brazen and Bourn-Hadley Ponds are also impaired due to high phosphorus levels (Kennedy and Rojko, 159-160). Compared to unimpaired ponds, impaired ponds in Templeton seem to be closer to more densely populated areas or more heavily traveled roads.

Flooding Flooding due to beavers or a 100-year flood event could lead to water quality issues.

Beaver dams in the Rt. 202 area are backing water up to the landfill, which could contaminate wetlands and Trout Brook. Beavers are damming the culvert south of the Gardner WWTP underneath Rt. 2A and washing out a 2-foot raised easement. If the easement were to collapse, overflowing wastewater could contaminate wetlands and the Otter River (Montachusett Regional Hazard Mitigation Plan, Local Hazards Map, 525).

Land Protection Land in the southeast corner of Templeton could be protected to safeguard the water quality at the headwaters of the Otter River and additional land could be protected to improve water quality in the more stressed downstream reaches of the river.

Map Legend A B C

B C River Segment MA 35-07 D River Segment MA 35-08 River Water Quality-Impaired Pond Water Quality-No uses assessed Pond Water Quality-Impaired Open Space Protected in Perpetuity Junkyards

1

2

100-Year Flood Plain

River Segment MA 35-06

River Water Quality-Attaining some uses

± 0

Waste Treatment and Disposal Industrial Commercial Sand and Gravel Mines Chicopee River Watershed Millers River Watershed Otter River Blue Trail Access Points

4 Miles

D

er R Ott

ROYALSTON

a Be

r ive

WINCHENDON

ve ok ro rB

Depot Pond Baldwinville

Former Baldwinville Paper Products

Templeton WWTP

Otter River Village

C

GARDNER

Ot

te

rR

Landfill

ive

r

Trout Brook

202

Floodwoods Conservation Area

TEMPLETON

B

2

Brazen Pond

East Templeton

2A

Bourn-Hadley Pond

Ott

East Templeton Pond

r

ive

Templeton Center

er R

PHILLIPSTON

Gardner WWTP

Partridgeville Pond

Stone Bridge Pond

A

ok

o Bro

Burnshir

t Canes

t River

HUBBARDSTON

SURFACE WATER & ENVIRONMENTAL CHALLENGES

2017 OPEN SPACE AND RECREATION PLAN TEMPLETON, MASSACHUSETTS

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Map 11: Drinking Water Protection Town Wells Templeton’s four public drinking water wells draw from two shallow aquifers that lie within and beneath glacial outwash deposits. Maple Street Wells 1 and 2 tap the aquifer spanning the northern border with Winchendon and the Otter River and Sawyer Wells tap the aquifer under the border with Gardner.

Zone II Well Protection Areas The Zone II Protection Areas for the wells were redrawn in 2012 based on a scientific study by Tata & Howard Inc (Driscoll). Mass DEP characterizes the aquifers as highly vulnerable to contamination because they sit in porous sand and gravel deposits. Contaminants on land can percolate through the glacial outwash deposits and enter the aquifer.

Sand and gravel operations occupy a significant part of the Zone II prtoection areas for both the Otter and Sawyer Street Wells. In 2003, Mass DEP’s Source Water Assessment Program (SWAP) characterized the Otter River Well as highly susceptible due to the high-threat land use of the Graves Sand & Gravel operation on Depot Road. Mass DEP has required Graves to put any high-threat material into containment and, according to Water Superintendent Ronald Davan, they are now in compliance.

Protected Land Within Zone II Protection Areas Protected land makes up half of the Zone II protection areas of Maple Street Wells 1 and 2 and land use threats are minimal.

The Otter River and Sawyer Street Wells are in the more urbanized part of town where residential settlement is denser and roads more traveled. Land immediately around the Sawyer Street Well is protected within the Floodwoods Conservation Area. There is no protected land around the Otter River Well, though the Cummings Conservation Area borders the Zone II to the east immediately across the river in Gardner. Conserving land in the southeastern corner of Templeton could help protect Gardner’s drinking water supply. Like surface water quality protection, the effort to safeguard drinking water requires the cooperation of neighboring towns.

It is important to consider how contaminants associated with land use could affect Templeton’s drinking water supply.

Conserving land within Zone II protection areas and educating residents and business owners about the effects of contaminants are two ways to help protect drinking water quality.

Map Legend Town Wells

Sand and Gravel Mines

Open Space Protected in Perpetuity

Aquifers

Junkyards

Glacial Outwash

Waste Treatment and Disposal Industrial Commercial

Zone II Well Protection Areas

!

ROYALSTON WINCHENDON

Maple Street Well #2

!

!

Baldwinville

!

Maple Street Well #1

Templeton WWTP

Otter River Village

GARDNER

!!

!

Otter River Well

Landfill

Cummings Conservation Area

!

!

Floodwoods Conservation Area

! !

TEMPLETON Sawyer Street Well

Depot Rd

!

!

!

2 Gardner WWTP East Templeton

PHILLIPSTON

Otter River Conservation Area

Templeton Center

!

! !

!

HUBBARDSTON

DRINKING WATER PROTECTION

2017 OPEN SPACE AND RECREATION PLAN TEMPLETON, MASSACHUSETTS

!

0

0.5

!

1

2 Miles

!

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! !

!! !

Map 12: Ecological Resources Core Habitat and Critical Natural Landscapes Core Habitat and Critical Natural Landscapes are primarily found in the northwest and along the southern borders of Templeton. In the northeast, Core Habitat is limited to a portion of the Otter River between Baldwinville and Otter River Village. Core Habitat and Critical Natural Landscapes are valuable to protect because they represent areas of high ecological integrity that support rare and threatened species and habitat for wide-ranging native species, support intact ecological processes, maintain connectivity among habitats, and enhance ecological resilience to natural and anthropogenic disturbances. Roughly 40 percent of the core habitat and critical natural landscape in Templeton is under permanent protection. This means that the town can focus on protecting some of the larger areas that remain unprotected like the large wetland core in southeast Templeton.

Vernal Pools Potential vernal pools can be found throughout Templeton with concentrations in the northwest and southeast.

There are ten certified vernal pools found in south-central Templeton. Vernal pools support certain wildlife species during critical points in their lifecycles and are important to protect to sustain diversity of species.

Interior Forest Templeton has several blocks of interior forest that are habitat for species that rely on unfragmented landscapes. Similar to Core Habitat and Critical Natural Landscapes, much of the interior forest habitat present in Templeton is already under permanent protection. Remaining uprotected areas would continue to contribute ecological function and habitat if kept undeveloped. If the town encourages more active sustainable management of woodlands as an economic resource, these areas should be excluded from that initiative to avoid unnecessary disturbance in interior forest blocks.

Regional Connectivity Templeton is surrounded by large contiguous blocks of Core Habitat and Critical Natural Landscape.

While Templeton has relatively few areas of statewide importance compared to the surrounding region, the town is still largely undeveloped, and near regional contiguous blocks of such landscape. Templetonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s forested, undeveloped landscapes serve as an extension of connectivity to allow species movement through the landscape. Since Templetonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s woodlands are largely not of statewide importance, the town might encourage more active sustainable management of woodlands as an economic resource where appropriate.

Map Legend

WINCHENDON

Baldwinville

Otter River Village

GARDNER

2 TEMPLETON East Templeton

Templeton Center

PHILLIPSTON

HUBBARDSTON

ECOLOGICAL RESOURCES

2017 OPEN SPACE AND RECREATION PLAN TEMPLETON, MASSACHUSETTS

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Map 13: Mapping and Prioritizing Parcels for Resilience Mapping Areas of High Priority for Conservation This map is sourced from the Mass Audubon online mapping tool called Mapping and Prioritizing Parcels for Resilience (MAPPR). Mass Audubon partnered with The Nature Conservancy and LandVest to create an online tool to help towns and land agencies map areas of conservation priority based on ecological significance and greatest resilience with respect to climate change. Parcels of high priority include areas with core habitat or important biodiversity, places where protection would ensure ecological connectivity to already protected open spaces, and/or areas with microclimates that support diversity and adaptability of species to climate change.

Theoretically, protection of high priority areas would protect ecological resources that already exist there and provide strongholds of diversity that will help local ecosystems adapt to climate change. This conservation priority modeling system incorporates data from BioMap2, Resilient Sites for Conservation (The Nature Conservancy), Critical Linkages (UMass), and Under-Represented Settings (Open Space Institute).

Resource for Prioritization The user-friendly interface of the MAPPR online too allows any interested person to run various predetermined models for a given area of interest and rapidly identify specific parcels that, if protected, could contribute most to protection of ecological resources and aid adaptation into the future. This map has been included as an illustration of available resources supporting well-informed decision making and prioritization for open space protection. It could be used in conjunction with Criteria for Prioritizing Parcels for Decision Making (section 7.3.4) to support well-informed and carefully plotted acquisition schemes.

Map Legend: Priority for Protection

Parcel with Core Habitat next to protected open spaces

Baldwinville

Otter River

Parcel within the CIB District

2 East Templeton

Templeton Center

Wetland Core near Gardner Airport

Parcel with Core Habitat next to Hubbardston State Forest

MASS AUDUBON MAPPR DATA

2017 OPEN SPACE AND RECREATION PLAN TEMPLETON, MASSACHUSETTS

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Map 14: Trails and Open Space Formal Hiking Trails There are three areas with formal trails in Templeton (identified using the MassGIS layer DCR Road and Trails).

These are associated with Otter River State Forest, Templeton State Forest and the southern edge of Templeton that abuts Hubbardston State Forest.

Unmapped Hiking Trails An abundance of protected open space in Templeton likely contains informal trails that are unmapped and unmarked either by blazes or signs along trailheads. Further inventorying is needed to gain a better understanding of where specific trail connections can be made or where trails networks can be expanded in these areas.

Hiking Trails near Villages There appears to be a lack of trails near village centers, which may represent a need for more passive recreation in the most densely populated areas. Sidewalks along some road in Templetonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s villages are available for passive recreation, however, walking trails within village centers can further improve quality of life for residents in those areas.

Map Legend

Otter River State Forest

WINCHENDON

Baldwinville

Otter River Village

GARDNER

Templeton State Forest

Floodwoods Conservation Area

TEMPLETON

2 East Templeton

Stone Bridge Conservation Area

Templeton Center

PHILLIPSTON

HUBBARDSTON

Hubbardston State Forest

TRAILS AND OPEN SPACE

2017 OPEN SPACE AND RECREATION PLAN TEMPLETON, MASSACHUSETTS

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Map 15: Templeton Developmental Center Lands Land Ownership This map depicts current land ownership boundaries within the former Templeton Developmental Center.

After the Templeton Developmental Center ceased its operations in 2013, a property boundary dispute between the Fernald Corporation who ran the Developmental Center, and the Commonwealth of Massachusetts who owned the land in-fee. A court case determined that seven parcels (A-G) totaling 465 acres previously identified as state-owned land, are under the private ownership of the Fernald Corporation and therefore without permanent protection. The state still owns the largest portion of the Templeton Developmental Center lands which remains protected in perpetuity. Because parcels A-G, are not protected and they could be developed depending on who purchases the properties from the Fernald Corporation.

High Priority for Protection Residents of Templeton strongly urged protection of this land from development. The Templeton Developmental Center lands embody many of the rural characteristics that are valued by residents including historic farmland, scenic views, and forestlands for hiking, recreation and wildlife habitat.

History and Resources The Templeton Developmental Center began in 1899 as the Templeton Farm Colony, an extension of the Fernald State School for intellectually challenged individuals in eastern Massachusetts. The Farm Colony was built on two hills that offer views of Mount Monadnock to the north. It was a working farm for many years raising dairy and beef cattle, and growing hay, apples, and vegetables. The Center remained a large employer in town until it was closed in 2013. There are still some active farming operations occurring today through leasing land to farmers. The Ferncol Fair was a community festival annually hosted on Templeton Developmental Center lands for many years and at community meetings residents expressed a desire to revive the fair. A large portion of these lands also include Core Habitat and Critical Natural Landscapes. (see Map X: Ecological Resources).

Map Legend

Fernald Corporation-owned Land

State-owned Templeton Developmental Center Land

Otter River State Forest

F

Birch Hill Dam Flood Control Project

E

PHILLIPSTON

D

G C A

TEMPLETON

B

¯±

Source: Esri, DigitalGlobe, GeoEye, Earthstar Geographics, CNES/Airbus DS, USDA, USGS, AeroGRID, IGN, and the GIS User Community

0

TEMPLETON DEVELOPMENTAL CENTER 2017 OPEN SPACE AND RECREATION PLAN TEMPLETON, MASSACHUSETTS

0.5

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¯´

2 Miles

Boundaries on this map are for planning purposes only.

Source: Esri, DigitalGlobe, GeoEye, Earthstar Geographics, CNES/Airbus DS, USDA, USGS, AeroGRID, IGN, and the GIS User Community

0

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0.5

1 Miles

Map 16: Inventory of Lands of Conservation and Recreation Interest Protected Lands

Open space in the Town of Templeton consists of farms, forests, park, and recreation areas under both public and private ownership and management.

This map describes permanent and temporarily protected lands in Templeton that provides open space, wildlife habitat, agricultural and forest products, watershed protection, scenic landscapes and recreational opportunities.

This map describes unprotected privately owned lands in Templeton which provide residents with recreation and access opportunities.

The town owned lands, (shown in orange) mostly correspond to conservation lands such as wetland areas and Dwelly Farm, managed by the North County Trust.

Most of Templetonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s protected land is located in the northwest and is owned by the State and Federal governments. The town-owned protected lands are smaller, more fragmented and correspond to farmland and conservation land adjacent to protected land along the town borders.

Land enrolled in the Chapter 61 tax incentive programs

Most of the temporarily protected chapter 61 lands are located in the southern part of Templeton, especially the chapter 61A, agricultural lands . In the northwest, the majority of temporarily protected lands are enrolled in chapter 61, managed forestland, and chapter 61B, recreation access.

This map helps identify areas that are undeserved, in regard to protected open space, in order to prioritize parcels. This map also helps identify and prioritize unprotected land that is adjacent to protected land to help enhance connectivity and expand valuable ecological areas.

Map Legend

Baldwinville

Otter River

2 Templeton Center

INVENTORY OF TEMPLETON LANDS 2017 OPEN SPACE AND RECREATION PLAN TEMPLETON, MASSACHUSETTS

East Templeton

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Map 17: Seven-Year Action Plan This map summarizes Seven-Year Action Plan items that require spatial reference (details on all action items including those without spatial components can be found in Section 9).

These are areas to focus efforts in expanding open space protection. Protecting parcels adjacent to alreadyprotected open space within this area would contribute to ecological connectivity in the region. Northwest patches of land contain core habitat and cultural resources threatened by development ( 1 The Templeton Developmental Center lands are high priority for protection. Areas situated along the southern border of Templeton contain Core Habitat and Critical Natural Landscapes ( 2 The 284-acre wetland core near the Garnder Airport is high priority for protection). Green patches next to Baldwinville and Templeton Center represent undeveloped land that, if protected, could provide open space and support trails needed within those areas.

These are areas to focus efforts on trail inventory and expansion. These areas overlap with many other areas of focus, adding another element of consideration to how parcels fit within the open space and recreation network. They represent where many trails likely already exist, but have not been mapped, or the community would like to have trails established. Inventory, connection, and expansion of trails can improve recreational opportunities for both residents and visitors.

These areas represent the highest concentration of operating farms in Templeton and therefore are areas to concentrate efforts on preserving active farming. The Town should work with land trusts to assist farms facing possible conversion due to an inability to pass farmland on to the next generation, or affordability or other issues.

Protecting and improving water quality is a high priority in this area ( 3 ). It is defined by the northeastern portion of the Well Water Protection Zone II (Map X: Water Resources). This area overlaps with the areas where infill in village centers, and new concentrated commercial-industrial development is recommended (see below). Concentrating development within an area where water quality protection is a priority requires careful consideration of possible development impacts and mitigation techniques prior to implementing plans.

These areas are existing zoning districts where it is recommended the Town encourage smart growth development strategies to concentrate development and avoid suburban sprawl. By directing development into Village Districts (red) and certain Commercial-Industrial Districts along Route 2 (purple), Templeton can preserve the rural character that residents appreciate elsewhere in town, while also providing for economic growth.

This area correlates with the Commercial-Industrial B (CI-B) District. The future use of this zoning district and the type of development appropriate for it given the sensitive ecological context of much of the land, needs further evaluation. A public planning charette may also assist the town in developing a vision for this area that is consistent with the goals of this OSRP. The dashed arrows represent areas that need improved connectivity. The darker green arrow shows where Route 2 blocks recreational and habitat connectivity. Connectivity may be improved via adapted culverts, tunnels or bridges. The lighter, blue-green arrow represents a potential Otter River Greenway that could restore and protect portions of the riparian area along the Otter River and feature pocket parks and river-side walkways. This greenway could simultaneously contribute to water quality protection and improved recreation opportunities close to village centers.

Currently protected open space.

WINCHENDON

Baldwinville

Otter River

1

3

2

GARDNER

East Templeton

TEMPLETON

Templeton Center

2

PHILLIPSTON HUBBARDSTON

SEVEN-YEAR ACTION PLAN MAP

2017 OPEN SPACE AND RECREATION PLAN TEMPLETON, MASSACHUSETTS

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TEMPLETON, MASSACHUSETTS 2017-2024 OPEN SPACE AND RECREATION PLAN In 2017, the Town of Templeton Open Space Committee collaborated with the Conway School to update Templeton’s Open Space and Recreation Plan (OSRP), which inventories many qualities and resources that contribute to the town’s rural character and make Templeton a desirable place to live. Through evaluation of ecological resources, community values, and open space and recreation needs, the plan identifies tangible goals and objectives to preserve Templeton’s rural character. In two community meetings and a survey, residents expressed strong support for the protection of open space where it contributes to healthy habitat, water quality, agricultural preservation and expansion of recreational opportunities. Residents of Templeton would like to protect areas with these assets and allow for sustainable growth and development in a way that supports environmental and community well-being.