sneapa 2013 friday g3 1_45_what is important to us
DESCRIPTION
Local, Regional and State Prioritization of Development, Preservation and Infrastructure in MassachusettsTRANSCRIPT
WHAT IS IMPORTANT TO US?
Local, Regional & State Prioritization of Development,
Preservation and Infrastructure in Massachusetts
PARTNERS
Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs
Panelists
• Victoria Maguire, State Permit Ombudsman/Director, Massachusetts Permit Regulatory Office, Executive Office of Housing and Economic Development
• E. Heidi Ricci, Shaping the Future of Your Community Program, Mass Audubon
• Kurt Gaertner AICP, Director of Sustainable Development, MA Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs
• Barry Keppard AICP, Public Health Manager, Metropolitan Area Planning Council
• Mike Parquette, Comprehensive Planning Manager, Merrimack Valley Planning Commission
• Trish Settles AICP, Principal Planner, Central Mass. Regional Planning Commission
Victoria Maguire
Planning Ahead for Growth
State Permit Ombudsman/Director, Massachusetts Permit Regulatory Office, Executive Office of Housing and Economic Development
Planning Ahead for Growth
Planning ahead for job and housing growth is critical to our prosperityand to our quality of life.
As a state, prior to 2007, we largely failed to plan ahead.
Since 2007, we have been deliberately and consistently planning ahead.
Economic Competitiveness in MA
6
The Economic Development Plan Choosing to Compete in the 21st Century
(mass.gov/compete)
5 Categories, with 55 ActionsBuilding TalentInnovation EconomyEmpowering RegionsEase of Doing BusinessImproving Cost
Competitiveness
The 4 Core Elements of Our Strategy
1 Identify
Promising places for growth that have community support, are consistent with regional considerations and align with the Sustainable Development Principles
2 CreatePrompt and predictable zoning and permitting in those places (both local and state)
3 InvestIn public infrastructure needed to support growth
4 MarketTo businesses and developers interested in locating and growing in the Commonwealth
Invest
Priority Dev. Areas
Priority Pres. Areas
Gateway Cities
Growth District Initiative
Compact Neighborhoods
CORE ELEMENTS
PROGRAMS AND INITIATIVES
Planning Ahead for Growth in Action
8
Chapter 43D
Chapter 43E
Chapter 40R
District Local Technical Assistance
Compact Neighborhoods
Best Practices Model for Streamlined Local Permitting
MassWorks Infrastructure Program
HDIP
Executive Order 525
District Improvement Financing
Promote Development – Ready Properties
Online Resources
Supporting Stakeholders
Conferences and Events
What is a Regional Planning Effort?
Regional Planning Effort Timeline • South Coast Rail effort began
(31 communities)
• Executive Order 525 was signed by Governor Patrick
• 495/Metrowest Plan Released (37 communities)
• South Coast Rail Corridor Plan released
2007
2009
2010
2012
2013 • Merrimack Valley Regional Plan released (15 comm.)
2012 • CMRPC Regional plan for Blackstone Valley (11 comm.)
2012 • CMRPC Regional plan for Central 13 (13 comm.)
2013 • SCR 5 Year Update (underway)
2013 • CMRPC Rural 11 (underway)
Statewide Housing Production Goal
11
10,000 multi-family units per year
The benefits of housing for local communities
12
• Keeps families and friends close by
• Connects people to jobs
• Revitalizes downtowns
• Reuses historical buildings
Getting the balance right
Jobs • Transportation • Environment • HousingCommunity • Health • Neighborhoods
Thank you
Victoria Maguire, State Permit Ombudsman/DirectorMassachusetts Permit Regulatory Office 617-788-3649 / [email protected]
Victor Negrete, Regional Planning Manager
Massachusetts Permit Regulatory Office
617-788-3601 / [email protected]
Questions? Please visit the Massachusetts PermitRegulatory Office webpage @ mass.gov/mpro
E. Heidi Ricci
Regional Planning for Development and Preservation
Shaping the Future of Your Community Program, Mass Audubon
Rate of Development (1999 – 2005)
Losing Ground: Beyond the FootprintMass Audubon 2009
Bigger Houses on Bigger Lots = More Sprawl
• 47,000 acres of natural land was developed between 1999-2005
• 87% of the land lost is due to residential development
• Lot size increased 47% from 1970 – 2004
Ecological Value - 1971
Value
High : 1
Low : 0.01
Index of Ecological Integrity (IEI)
Ecological Value - 2005
Value
High : 1
Low : 0.01
Index of Ecological Integrity (IEI)
BioMap 2 Critical Environmental Resources
Priority Preservation AreasConservation through Zoning
Less roadway to maintain, reduce stormwater runoff
Reduce clearing and grading
Protect wetland buffers, floodplains, water supplies, forests, farmland
Provide open space and trails
www.mass.gov/envir/smart_growth_toolkit/ www.massaudubon.org/495Toolkit
Kurt Gaertner AICP
Regional Land Use Priority Planning
Director of Sustainable Development, MA Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs
Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs
Sample PPA Approach: MVPC Region• Convened Interagency Lands Committee & Essex Greenbelt
• Examined Merrimack Valley Priority Growth Strategy priorities
• Used GIS to analyze natural resources relative to preservation & development priorities
• Modified GIS data layers & weighting, mapped the top 20% of scores for the region, & analyzed
• Created draft Focus Areas and Priority Preservation Areas
• Met with sequentially with MVPC staff, municipal planners, & then local elected officials and the general public, refining/improving the Priority Areas after each meeting
• Finalized Priority Preservation Areas; they comprise about 15% of the region
Data Layer WeightNHESP BioMap2 Core Habitat 70NHESP BioMap2 Critical Natural Landscape 70NHESP Priority Habitats of Rare Species 70Prime Agricultural Soils 50DEP Approved Zone 2s within 2640 ft of any PWS well 50
Greenway Vision Areas merged with a 500-ft Buffers of long distance and 'Trail Vision' Trails 50Interim Wellhead Protection Areas: 2640 ft buffer of only PWS 40Zone Bs 40NOAA composite shoreline 400-ft buffer 40Outstanding Resource Waters 40Cert. Vernal Pools buffered 150 feet 30Aquifers - High and Medium Yield 30Prime Forest Land 30DEP Approved Zone 2s further than 2640 ft from any PWS well 30DEP Wetlands 150-ft Buffer erased with BioMap2 CNL wetlands 30Rivers Protection Act Buffers 30Areas of Critical Environmental Concern 301000 ft buffer of protected Open Space (buffer only) 20FEMA Q3 Flood (100-Year Floodplains) 15EPA Designated Sole Source Aquifers 5
Example: GIS Analysis for the MVPC Region
Variations & Improvements:
Include historic resources & landscapes Address climate change adaptation –
vulnerability & resilience Customize the approach to handle:
Rural areas with substantial agricultural land use and agriculture as a major component of the local economy
Urban areas lacking large amounts of undeveloped land
Regional Land Use Priority Plans: Implementation
Invest consistent with the Plan:
• LAND • PARC• Conservation Partnership• Gateway City Parks• Drinking Water Supply Protection• Clean & Drinking Water State Revolving Funds• Agency Land Acquisitions (DCR, DFG, DAR, & EEA)
Regulate consistent with the Plan
Barry Keppard AICP
GIS and Regional Screening for
Priority Development Areas
Public Health Manager, Metropolitan Area Planning Council
Regional Screening
Local Priority Areas
Local Priority Areas
Regional ScreeningRegional
Screening
Regional Priority Areas
Regional Priority Areas
495/METROWEST DEVELOPMENT COMPACT PLAN
Regional Screening - GIS
Regional Screening - GIS
Model Builder
Regional Screening - GIS
THEMESCenters – Housing – Regional Plan
Rail – Interchanges – Farms - Open Space Connectivity
NORTH SUBURBAN REGIONAL PRIORITIES SCREENING
Regional Priorities Screening
What kinds of development should be considered?
What are good metrics for assessing suitability?
How should those metrics be weighted in a final score?
Suitability Scoring
Weighted by Development TypePDA Development Types
Criteria
Multifamily
Residential
Mixed Use: Infill
Mixed Use:
Master Planned
Commercial: Retail, Entertainment &
Hospitality
Commercial: Office & Medical
Commercial:
Industrial
Single-Family
Residential
Travel Choices
30% 22% 17% 19% 14% 9% 19%
Walkable Communities
30% 28% 8% 17% 17% 9% 23%
Open Spaces
7% 16% 22% 19% 19% 23% 19%
Healthy Watersheds
19% 6% 14% 12% 22% 23% 23%
Current Assets
7% 16% 17% 19% 14% 14% 8%
Growth Potential
7% 13% 22% 14% 14% 23% 8%
Mike Parquette
Merrimack ValleyPriority Growth Strategy
Comprehensive Planning Manager, Merrimack Valley Planning Commission
Competing public policies
“Need to encourage growth to finance municipal services”
“Need to create job opportunities that pay well and reduce commuting demands”
“Need to keep housing cost affordable for our children and future generations”
“Need to manage development to avoid adversely affecting our quality of life”
Regional Plan to address these challenges
“Where do communities want to encourage regionally significant growth that creates these jobs and affordable housing opportunities”
“Which areas of the valley should be protected from future development due to environmental and other constraints to maintain the character of the valley”
“How well does the region’s transportation network support these land use priorities”
Where do we want to encourage growth?
Local decision Concentrated Development Centers (CDC) CDC: “An area of concentrated
development, including a town center, consisting of existing and appropriately zoned commercial, industrial and mixed use areas suitable for high density development”
Priority Development Site (PDS)
CDCs Map
CDC Evaluation
“Strengths & constraints to development”and
“Smart Growth principles”
Land use Infrastructure Access Environmental
Land Use
“Concentrate a mix of uses that foster a sense of place, increases job
opportunities and sustainable businesses”
Density & potential build-out Zoning / mix of uses Priority development
Infrastructure
“Encourage reuse and rehabilitation of existing infrastructure”
Water Sewer Broadband Utilities
Access
“Provide transportation choices”
RoadAccess to the siteCongestion
Transit Bike & pedestrian
Environmental
“Restore and enhance the environment”
Wetlands Flood plain Water supply protection Rare species
GREATER LAWRENCE SUB-REGION
CONCENTRATED DEVELOPMENT CENTER EVALUATION
ANDOVER LAWRENCE METHUEN NORTH ANDOVER
Strengths & Weaknesses
LOW
MEDIUM
HIGH
Lo
we
ll J
un
cti
on
Riv
er
Ro
ad
Ra
yth
eo
n
Ro
llin
g G
ree
n
LAND USE
D ens ity & B u ild out
Zon ing / M ix use
P rio rity D eve lopm ent
INFRASTRUCTURE
W a te r
S ew er
B roadband
U tilities
TRANSPORTATION
S ite A ccessib ility
C ongestion
T rans it S erv ice
B ike /P edestrian
ENVIRONMENTAL
W ater S upp ly P ro tec t
F lood P la in
W etlands
R are S pec ies
CDC Classification
Smart Growth Center Center of Commerce Business Center Village Center
Where should we protect landfrom future development?
Local decision Protected lands & lands suitable for
protection Protected lands: “Lands protected by
agricultural preservation restrictions, protected federal, state & municipal lands, protected public and private outdoor recreation areas”
New priority areasfor protection
Open space plans Watersheds for public water Farmlands Identified potential regional collaboration
and cooperation opportunities to protect open space throughout the valley
CDCs & PDS & OS Map
How do we connect these land use patterns?
Existing transportation system Connections: “Inter-state highways, regional
roads, transit, bike and pedestrian connections that support the promotion of CDCs and protected lands”
Growth Strategy Map w/Priority Transportation Projects
Trish Settles AICP
Customizing Your Process
Principal Planner, Central Mass. Regional Planning Commission
Project Conclusion
Fundamental Principles• New Commercial & Residential Growth must occur in a manner
respectful of open space, water resources, & transportation networks.
• New Growth will likely require transportation & infrastructure upgrades, beyond what is needed to maintain the existing systems.
• Land use & transportation decisions must account for the Global Warming Solutions Act & the transportation reorganization statute.
• Workforce housing must continue to be produced & preserved within the region at a scale that allows the number of workers living in the region to keep pace with the new jobs created.
• Sustainable growth will involve the creation and maintenance of an effective transportation and public transit system coordinated with existing transit.
• Coordinated planning & implementation efforts are necessary where jurisdictions and boundaries intersect.
Rural- 11 Regional Study Study Process and Timeline
Review of Previous Plans and Studies
Local Meetings
Community-Level Public Meetings
First Regional Forum
Assessment and Identification of Regional Priorities
Second Regional Meeting
Project Conclusion and Final Report
Jan - Mar
Feb - July
June 26
Late Summer
Tonight!
December
JUNE 26TH - REGIONAL FORUM
1st Regional Forum- June 2013 Presented your town’s map along with maps of
neighboring municipalities Participants provided guidance on regional
priorities and investments
Regionally SignificantPriority Development AreasPriority Preservation Areas
Customizing your Process What partners make sense? Information Gathering
Be Thoughtful and Flexible (lots of meetings) Consider what else will bring value to the
towns an the region What will get potential participants excited
about providing input We added an inventory of Working
Landscapes followed by a special Working Landscape Roundtable Discussion.
Already possibilities for Regional Collaboration.
Added a Raffle
Customizing your Process What partners make sense? Information Gathering
Be Thoughtful and Flexible (lots of meetings) Consider what else will bring value to the
towns an the region What will get potential participants excited
about providing input We added an inventory of Working
Landscapes followed by a special Working Landscape Roundtable Discussion.
Already possibilities for Regional Collaboration.
Added a Raffle
Victoria MaguireEOHED617-788-3649 [email protected]/mpro
E. Heidi RicciMass [email protected]/shapingthefuture
Barry Keppard AICPMAPC617-788-3649 [email protected] www.mapc.org
Kurt Gaertner [email protected]/eea
Trish Settles [email protected]
Mike ParquetteMVPC617-788-3649 [email protected]