Buzzards Bay National Estuary Program

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Improving Land Use Management and Promoting Smart Growth

About the new Buzzards Bay CCMP Action Plans
The Buzzards Bay NEP is now updating our 1992 landmark Buzzards Bay Comprehensive Conservation and Management Plan (CCMP) to reflect the great progress achieved since that plan was finalized. It will include new goals, objectives, and recommendations to meet the environmental needs for Buzzards Bay and its surrounding watershed into the next decade of the 21^st century. This new document will also meet the requirements for a Massachusetts Watershed Action Plan, which will enable new funding opportunities through the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

On this page is a draft action plan from the updated Buzzards Bay Comprehensive Conservation and Management Plan and planned 2009-2014 Watershed Action Plan. The text on this page is a public draft provided to invite comment and discussion of the subject by residents and stakeholders. It may contain goals and recommendations that have not yet been endorsed or approved by the Buzzards Bay Steering Committee. The views or information contained here do not necessarily reflect the views of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts or the US Environmental Protection Agency.

We want your feedback on this action plan. At the bottom of this page is a link for you to provide comments on each goal, objective and recommendation contained in this Action Plan. Based on your feedback, we will update and revise all the action plans in the new CCMP.

Action Plan 4: Improving Land Use Management and Promoting Smart Growth

To fully understand the basis of these goals and recommendations, please read (left click) or download (right click) the complete Land Use Management & Smart Growth Action Plan (1/16/07 draft 65kb pdf).

Goals

Goal 1: To improve land use management through the use of smart growth strategies in the Buzzards Bay Watershed to maintain and improve the natural resources and healthy ecology of Buzzards Bay.

Objectives

Objective 1. To implement smart growth techniques in each of the Buzzards Bay watershed communities to preserve open space, revitalize urban and village centers, focus development on growth centers, and protect natural resources and the environment.

Objective 2. To improve local zoning, subdivision, health and wetlands regulations to manage future growth in a way that protects the environment of Buzzards Bay and its watershed.

Objective3. Promote sustainable agriculture that does not impact water quality.

Recommendations and Commitments

Recommendation 4.1: The BBNEP should work with municipalities to develop and implement model bylaws and local plans that incorporate smart growth techniques, such as transit oriented development and traditional neighborhood design as part of TDRs, nitrogen management overlay districts, and transfer of development rights.

Recommendation 4.2: Towns should work with the USDA NRCS to identify areas with prime farmland soil areas, to protect these areas for agricultural uses.

Recommendation 4.3: Massachusetts should continue to provide assistance in the implementation of smart growth techniques by local government, and the adoption of those techniques by developers.

Recommendation 4.4: The Executive Office of Environmental Affairs should develop guidelines for ACEC management plans and require that towns and regions develop and adopt plans.

Recommendation 4.5: Regional planning agencies (SRPEDD and the CCC) should provide technical assistance to communities in promoting smart growth incentives and assisting communities in the development of regulatory amendments and should encourage the creation of management plans for areas that extend beyond community boundaries.

Recommendation 4.6: CCC, a regulatory agency, should be aggressive in protecting critical resources, and both CCC and SRPEDD, when they comment on development projects through the MEPA process, should focus attention on the protection of critical resource areas.

Recommendation 4.7: The Cape Cod Commission and SRPEDD should encourage the use of "growth incentive zones" to establish village centers and TDR programs.

Recommendation 4.8: Buzzards Bay watershed municipalities should evaluate the wide range of Smart Growth techniques, and implement those that best protect their critical resource areas and minimize growth impacts on water quality and habitat.

Recommendation 4.9: Buzzards Bay watershed municipalities should adopt transfer of development rights (TDRs) to transfer development from identified sensitive resource areas (sending areas) to the identified growth centers (receiving areas).

Recommendation 4.10: Buzzards Bay watershed municipalities should establish buffer zones around agricultural lands by using mandatory (OSRD) zoning or other appropriate land use techniques, including a required setback for residential structures of 200 feet from active cranberry bogs.

Recommendation 4.11: The Coalition for Buzzards Bay should host and coordinate public outreach and education to residents about smart growth techniques, in conjunction with town and BBNEP efforts to promote and implement smart growth techniques with municipal boards.

Recommendation 4.12: The Buzzards Bay Action Committee should continue to host forums and workshops for Buzzards Bay municipal officials to exchange ideas and success stories on growth management and smart growth techniques.

Recommendation 4.13: Massachusetts and Cape Cod Homebuilders Associations should promote Smart Growth techniques through training programs and other education programs.



To fully understand the basis of these goals and recommendations, please read (left click) or download (right click) the complete Land Use Management & Smart Growth Action Plan (1/16/07 draft 65kb pdf).

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