Members of the Open Space Committee are seen looking over what to focus on with the 2019 plan during Thursday night’s meeting. (Photo by Greg Fitzpatrick)
SOUTHWICK – The Open Space Committee met Thursday night at the town hall to continue their progress updating the town open space and recreation plan for 2019.
The open space plan consists of a large outline that goes through all of the different phases of the town that could affect open space, which includes looking at the town’s utilities, roads, infrastructure, and so forth. Town Planner Alan Slessler was present at Thursday’s meeting to offer the committee his advice on what to include in the document.
“It gives the town a guidance,” said Slessler.
Slessler added that the master plan is optional for the Open Space and Recreation Committee and is estimated to cost anywhere from $115,000 to $130,000 as the town would have to hire a consultant to create the master plan. Slessler added that the master plan would contain an abundance of information and would take a year or longer to complete.
Besides discussing the master plan, the committee also went over the responses they have been receiving from the surveys they sent out in November to all homeowners in town. The survey featured 11 questions about various recreational opportunities.
Open Space and Recreation Committee Chairman Dennis Clark reported that they received 400 survey responses thus far of the approximately 2,000 that were sent out. The main points expressed by residents included having residential housing be single homes, have specialty shopping for businesses, offer a new multipurpose center and social area for teenagers, as well as improving the water quality protection areas in town. Clark then suggested that the committee add a blurb in the updated plan that acknowledges that Southwick is a recreational community.
With Slessler and Planning Board member Marcus Phelps in attendance for the meeting, Clark informed them that he’d like to meet with the Planning Board at an upcoming meeting to discuss the open space and recreation plan.
