Town Planner Beth Dahlstrom presented this update to the Town Council meeting on 11/18/09

1. 2008 Open Space & Recreation Plan
Summary
November 18, 2009
Public Land Use Committee
Liz Festa
James Esterbrook
Timothy Twardowski
Phyllis Messere
Raymond Willis III, Conservation Commission Representative
with assistance from
Department of Planning
& Community Development
Bryan W. Taberner, AICP, Director
Beth A. Dahlstrom, Town Planner

2. 2008 Open Space & Recreation Plan
Overview
Statement of Purpose:
The purpose of this plan is to help ensure that the open space and recreation
resources of Franklin are protected as the Town continues to face rapid
development pressures and the impacts of sprawl.
Planning Process and Public Participation:
The 2008 update of the OSRP was conducted by Franklin Public Land Use Committee
in conjunction with the Department of Planning and Community Development.
Input was solicited from a large number of Franklin residents via two public hearings
(March 13 & 20, 2008) and a questionnaire, as well as from Town personnel and non-
profit organizations.
Public Land Use Committee Department of Planning and Community Development September 16, 2009

3. 2008 Open Space & Recreation Plan
Approval of Plan
On June 11, 2009 the Town of Franklin received notice from the Executive Office of Energy and
Environmental Affairs that the Town’s Open Space and Recreation Plan was approved.
The final approval allows the Town to participate in DCS grant rounds through February 2014.
The approved OSRP will be utilized to form the Open Space and Recreation element of the
Town’s Master Plan update, expected to be finished in 2010 calendar year.
Public Land Use Committee Department of Planning and Community Development September 16, 2009

4. 2008 Open Space & Recreation Plan
Goals and Objectives
PRIORITIES
All the information gathered from the various sources was assessed and used to formulate the
Town’s goals and objectives. The four goals and numerous corresponding objectives, formed as
a result of the public input process, are meant to be cohesive and complementary of each other
and served to address the desires, needs and concerns of the residents of Franklin regarding
open space and recreation in the Town of Franklin. The four goals that were formulated as a
result of the public input process are as follows:
GOAL 1: Increase public awareness of open space and recreation opportunities in Franklin.
GOAL 2: Preserve, protect and enhance existing Town open space resources.
GOAL 3: Maximize recreational opportunities to meet the community’s evolving needs by
maintaining current inventory of facilities and programs and by providing new facilities
and programs.
GOAL 4: Protect natural, historical, and cultural resources and maintain Franklin's New England
character.
Public Land Use Committee Department of Planning and Community Development September 16, 2009

5. 2008 Open Space & Recreation Plan
Goals, Objectives and Action Items
PRIORITIES
Once the four goals were established, objectives were created related to each goal. Action items
were then developed, which once implemented, will carryout the objectives of each goal.
Within the OSRP’s 5-year Action Plan (Section 9), each action item was assigned a responsible
implementation party and a year in which each item should be carried out.
The following slides are a list of the top priorities that the Public Land Use Committee believes
should be addressed over the course of the next year:
Public Land Use Committee Department of Planning and Community Development September 16, 2009

6. 2008 Open Space & Recreation Plan
Goals, Objectives and Action Items
PRIORITIES
GOAL 1: Increase public awareness of open space and recreation opportunities in Franklin.
Objective 1.1: Install signage at open space and recreation areas, including but not limited to
walk/hiking trails, bike paths and bike lanes that states the name of the area and the
areas allowed usage.
• Action 1.1b: Identify open space and recreation areas where signage is needed.
• Action 1.2a: Use list of open space and recreation areas compiled under objective to
create a map/guide of all open space and recreation areas in Town.
Create topographic map of each area. Write brief descriptions of each
area.
Public Land Use Committee Department of Planning and Community Development September 16, 2009

7. 2008 Open Space & Recreation Plan
Goals, Objectives and Action Items
PRIORITIES
GOAL 2: Preserve, protect and enhance existing Town open space resources.
Objective 2.1: Provide access to open space and conservation areas throughout own for residents of
all ages and levels of ability.
• Action 2.1a Assess ADA compliance of conservation areas and other Town owned
open space parcels as part of the OSRP development process.
COMPLETED
• Action 2.1b Prioritize list of non-compliant land.
Objective 2.3: Identify and prioritize unprotected open space properties and work with property
owners to protect these important resources from over development.
Action 2.3d Transfer Town owned tax title and unresolved parcels to Conservation
Commission for designation as conservation lands.
Public Land Use Committee Department of Planning and Community Development September 16, 2009

8. 2008 Open Space & Recreation Plan
Goals, Objectives and Action Items
PRIORITIES
GOAL 3: Maximize recreational opportunities to meet the community’s evolving needs by
maintaining current inventory of facilities and programs and by providing new
facilities and programs.
Objective 3.1: Maximize recreational opportunities to meet the community’s evolving needs by
maintaining current inventory of facilities and programs and by providing new
facilities.
• Action 3.1a Assess ADA compliancy at all recreation areas. - COMPLETED
• Action 3.1b Prioritize list of non-compliant recreation areas.
Objective 3.2: Increase usage of existing recreational space and modify existing recreational space
as the needs of the Town require and evolve.
• Action 3.2a Establish a dog park
• Action 3.2d Create passive recreation area out of a portion of the Town-owned Pond
Street Property (former sewer beds), including a portion of its wooded
area along Pond Street.
Public Land Use Committee Department of Planning and Community Development September 16, 2009

9. 2008 Open Space & Recreation Plan
Goals, Objectives and Action Items
PRIORITIES
GOAL 3: Maximize recreational opportunities to meet the community’s evolving needs by
maintaining current inventory of facilities and programs and by providing new
facilities and programs.
Objective 3.4: Increase connectivity to and between Franklin’s recreation areas, conservation areas
and open space. * AS RELATED TO SNETT TRAIL
Objective 3.5: Increase access to SNETT trail and State Forest Trails.
• Action 3.5a Limit/restrict use of motorbikes (at SNETT trail).
Public Land Use Committee Department of Planning and Community Development September 16, 2009

10. 2008 Open Space & Recreation Plan
Goals, Objectives and Action Items
PRIORITIES
GOAL 4: Protect natural, historical, and cultural resources and maintain Franklin's
New England character.
Objective 4.1: Preserve natural resources for the protection of priority habitats.
• Action 4.1a Review Natural Heritage Resource Atlas for estimated rare habitat for
wildlife and plant species.
• Action 4.1b Request information from Division of Wildlife and Fisheries regarding
priority habitats in Franklin.
Objective 4.3: Implement growth management techniques that will help to preserve the Town’s
natural, historic and cultural resources..
• Objective 4.3 Implement growth management techniques that will help to preserve the
Town's natural, historic and cultural resources.
**As it relates to Green Communities Initiative
Public Land Use Committee Department of Planning and Community Development September 16, 2009

11. 2008 Open Space & Recreation Plan
NEXT STEPS
TIMELINE
The Public Land Use Committee has regularly scheduled meetings
on Monday’s at 6:30 PM in Room 205.
A portion of each meeting will be used to work on implementing
action items. Between each meeting, Public Land Use Committee members,
with the assistance of DPCD staff and relevant Boards and Committees responsible
for completion of specific actions will work to create materials and contact the
appropriate responsible party to assist in completing the identified task. This
information will then be utilized by the Public Land Use Committee to complete the
implementation items.
It is the goal of the Public Land Use Committee and the DPCD to
complete as many of the priority action items in the as possible by
July of 2010.
Public Land Use Committee Department of Planning and Community Development September 16, 2009

12. 2008 Open Space & Recreation Plan
NEXT STEPS
TIMELINE
In October, DPCD was informed by the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs
(EOEEA) that communities are allowed to extend the eligibility period of the Five-Year Action Plan
component of the OSRP.
An extension would describe the next seven years of open space and recreation activities in
Franklin and would make Franklin eligible for Division of Conservation Services grant programs
for seven years instead of five.
Members of the Public Land Use Committee have agreed to expand the OSRP action plan by two
years and submit the revision to the EOEEA by the February 28, 2010 deadline to gain an
addition 2-years worth of grant eligibility.
Public Land Use Committee Department of Planning and Community Development September 16, 2009