State Approves Harwich’s Open Space And Recreation Plan

 HARWICH – The town’s open space and recreation plan was approved by the state Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs earlier this month. The final approval makes the town eligible for Division of Conservation Services grants through 2035.

 The grants are important to a coastal community such as Harwich, said Planning and Community Development Director Christine Flynn. The town often pursues grants to address coastal resilience, open space and recreation and natural resources issues, she said.

This is the fourth update to the plan that was first adopted in 1998 and last updated in 2017. The newly updated document incorporates new data and goals, objectives and an action plan for implementation.

It includes an updated inventory of existing open space tracts and other related infrastructure and resources, an inventory of existing recreation facilities, an assessment of current open space and recreation needs, a statement of goals and objectives to meet such needs, and a 10-year action plan.

The plan is more than 200 pages long, and the full document will not be included within the town’s local comprehensive plan (LCP), which will go before voters in the annual town meeting Monday, May 4. Flynn said a lot of the open space and recreation plan goals and objectives have been folded into the LCP, as were the town’s housing production plan goals and objectives.

The open space plan was spearheaded by the planning department and multiple town departments, Flynn said, including conservation, recreation, natural resources and the department of public works. She also said Margo Fenn of the local planning committee and Harwich Conservation Trust’s Executive Director Michael Lach were major contributors. 

 “It was a really collaborative effort,” said Flynn.

Consultants Tighe and Bond, who worked with the planning department and the local planning committee in updating the LCP, also played a major role in developing the open space plan, said Flynn. The plan identifies stakeholders, including department heads who will be responsible for implementing the plan, she added.

 “The goal of the plan is to protect ecosystems and natural resources as much as possible,” Flynn said. “It’s a great document for the town and a great resource for town departments and the public.”

From 2017 to 2025, the town experienced shifts in how land and open space are developed, valued and frequented, according to the plan. The COVID-19 pandemic brought many more residents to the town’s many unique spaces. This heightened public appreciation for outdoor recreation opportunities as well as what open space and recreation resources are missing in town, according to the document.

 “This [plan] will explore what the town continues to value and what additional resources are needed based on changes to the social and economic landscape of the town and its residents,” the plan reads. “The core values for the 2025-2035 plan have been updated to reflect a heightened focus on recreation in addition to land preservation and management.”

Among the key values cited in the plan are to preserve and enhance the management of open space; improve recreation and community programing for all demographic groups, including young families with children and teenagers; protect natural resources and community character through growth management strategies and wildlife and plant habitat; preserve and enhance opportunities for passive and active recreation in the natural environment to meet the needs of both residents and visitors; and preserve and enhance groundwater and surface water, coastal water and adjacent shoreline areas as well as inland and coastal wetlands.

The plan evaluates community resources and needs and provides a roadmap for town employees, elected officials, and residents to make progress toward achieving open space and recreation goals, objections and actions.

The town has received a brief notification of approval from Melissa Cryan, grant programs supervisor with the state agency.