INFRASTRUCTURE. For discussion of the town s roadways please refer to the transporta on sec on of this appendix and Chapter 7 Transporta on.

Transcription

1 INFRASTRUCTURE Exis ng Town Infrastructure Sandisfield currently owns five major buildings and facili es including its main administra ve building located at the Town Hall Annex on Route 57. All wastewater is currently treated though on site or shared sep c systems adjacent to private residences and on municipal proper es. (Need confirma on from Board of Health) All drinking water is supplied through privately and municipally owned wells. In the past there have been issues with salt contamina on in private wells located near Route 8. For discussion of the town s roadways please refer to the transporta on sec on of this appendix and Chapter 7 Transporta on. Broadband / High Speed Internet One of the programs of the American Investment and Recovery act of 2009 included significant federal funding for broadband internet expansion. In Massachuse s, state legisla on created the Massachuse s Broadband Ins tute (MBI). This organiza on was tasked with installa on of the middle mile which connects the internet network s core to local distribu on hubs. In February 2014, MBI announced that it had completed work on the middle mile installa on. However, significant work and funding is s ll required before many individual users will see high speed internet in their homes or businesses. In 2011, a group of towns formed a coopera ve called WiredWest to help advance installa on of the last mile, in which broadband internet connec ons are established for individual homes and users. Sandisfield was one of the original member towns that signed the organiza on s charter, and holds a seat on the organiza on s execu ve commi ee and board. In addi on to high speed internet, WiredWest will also provide television and phone service. Data from WiredWest provided in the April 2015 issue of the Sandisfield Times es mates that households could save up to $500 per year on internet, television, and phone services with WiredWest versus other providers. One of the requirements for service to be provided by WiredWest is that 40% of more households within a member town must sign up for service and provide a $49 deposit. This ini al deposit is referred to as the take rate. According to the WiredWest website, Sandisfield has met and exceeded the 40% take rate. With the 40% take rate, WiredWest will be able to pay its opera ng costs and be able to reimburse towns for the costs required to construct and install the broadband network. The total cost to install broadband internet in Sandisfield has been es mated at $3.65 million. State funding will provide $1.25 million of this cost, bringing the town s total costs to $2.4 million. At town mee ng on May 16th, 2015, the town voted to fund development of the broadband network for the full $2.4 million. The vote passed with over 100 voters suppor ng the measure and two opposed. The town also voted to exempt this debt from Proposi on 2 1/2. Proposi on 2 1/2 is a state tax law that creates a tax levy ceiling and establishes limits on how much property taxes can be increased year to year. According to Jean Atwater Williams, chair of the Sandisfield Technology Commi ee and representa ve to WiredWest, broadband internet and other services provided by WiredWest are an cipated to reach the first member towns in 2018 (Personal Communica on 2015). It is C 12

2 Sandisfield Master Plan Appendix unknown precisely when service will reach Sandisfield. Drinking Water For mapped public drinking water supplies, please see Map K Water Resources. All drinking water is currently provided through public and private well systems. Public drinking water wells are listed in Table C8. Public drinking water supply data shows eight public water supply wells in the Town of Sandisfield, including loca ons at the Town Hall Annex (listed as the Sandisfield School in the water supply data) and local inns and restaurants. These wells fall into three categories including Community Groundwater wells (GW), Transient Non Community water systems (TNC), and Non Transient Non Community (NTNC) water systems. TNC systems serve fewer than 25 people daily and are generally located at sites such as restaurants and campgrounds. NTNC systems serve 25 or more people daily for 6 months or more out of the year. GW wells are typically shared by a number of private residences, and act as a quasi public drinking water system. These public drinking water wells are all surrounded by interim well head protec on areas (IWPA), which provide a minimum 500 buffer (NTNC systems) and a maximum 750 (TNC systems) around the well head. In the past, the town has experienced challenges with contamina on in wells, par cularly along Route 8. This contamina on is thought to have been caused by road salt use. In Sandisfield, two wells were tested in Sandisfield between 1995 and Elevated salt levels were found in both of the wells (Ma os, 2002). It is unknown if addi onal well tes ng in Sandisfield has occurred Table C8 Public Water Supply Wells in Sandisfield, MA Source: Mass GIS Public Water Supplies 2014 SOURCE_ID SITE_NAME TYPE PWS_ID G NEW BOSTON INN TNC SANDISFIELD PUBLIC G SCHOOL NTNC VILLA MIA G RESTAURANT TNC G M J TUCKERS LLC TNC G MS MURPHYS RESTAURANT SPIRITS TNC G CONNIES SILVERBROOK CAFE LLC TNC G NEW BOSTON STORE TNC G WELL 1 GW GW = Community Groundwater Well, serves mul ple homeowners (quasi public) TNC = Transient Non Community Well, serve fewer than 25 people daily, such as at a camp or restaurant NTNC = Non Transient Non community Well, regularly serves more than 25 people daily for more than 6 months of the year Note: Public well data is from Some business names may have changed. since then. For addi onal informa on, see Chapter 7 Transporta on or the Transporta on sec on of this appendix. Kinder Morgan Tennessee Gas Pipeline Connec cut Expansion Project Two exis ng gas pipelines currently pass through Sandisfield. The pipelines are collec vely referred to as the 200 line. The 200 line includes a 24 C 13

3 Table C9 Town of Sandisfield Computer Inventory Source: Jean Atwater Williams Personal Communica on 2015 Type Used by Condi on Laptop Town Administrator OK Desktop Clerk OK Laptop Clerk OK (light use by Assistant Town Clerk and for ethics tes ng for staff and town volunteers) Desktop Assessor New (replacement for PC recently destroyed by lightning) Desktop Assessor Old Windows 2000 Server for Land Records System. Replacement planned within 6 months Desktop Library (Librarian) Good Desktop Library (Patrons) Good Laptop BOH Good Laptop Con. Com. Requested, has not yet been purchased Desktop Planning Board OK Desktop Treasurer Older, needs replacement Laptop Assistant Treasurer Good Laptop Highway Superintendent Good Desktop Tax Collector OK Desktop Council on Aging OK and 30 inch diameter pipeline within a roughly 75 foot wide right of way (ROW). The exis ng 200 line ROW crosses into Sandisfield near the intersec on of Route 23 and Town Hill Road. From here the pipeline ROW runs roughly parallel to and immediately south of Cold Spring Road moving southeast across the town. The pipeline crosses South Beech Plain Road and Route 8 and passes into the Town of Tolland. Recently, Tennessee Gas Pipeline and its parent company, Kinder Morgan have announced plans to expand this pipeline in Sandisfield as part its Connec cut Expansion Project (see Figure C2). The project proposes the construc on of 3.8 miles of new 36 inch outside diameter pipeline within or adjacent to the current pipeline ROW, as well as addi onal facili es for opera ons and maintenance including a relocated main line valves and pig launchers and receivers. Pig is used to refer to a variety of devices which are inserted into pipelines for cleaning, inspec on, and maintenance. Specialized launching and receiving areas are required to be able to insert and remove the pig from the pipeline. Within Sandisfield, the proposed pipeline will create a loop along the exis ng Tennessee Gas 200 line, and is referred to as the Massachuse s Loop. The purpose of the loop is to increase the volume of gas that can be transported within the pipeline. The loop is expected to increase gas flow by over 72 million cubic feet per day and serve three natural gas u li es in Connec cut. The proposed expansion project is part of other C 14

4 Sandisfield Master Plan Appendix through O s State Forest, with the remainder on privately owned land. Addi onally, the loop is proposed to cross Cold Spring Road, Hammertown Road, and South Beech Plain Road in Sandisfield. Smaller pipeyards, each several acres in size, are also proposed to be located along South Beech Plain Road, Town Hill Road, and Cold Spring Road. Moreover, the Massachuse s loop is proposed to be hydrosta cally tested using roughly one million gallons of water from Lower Spectacle Pond. Water from the pond will be pumped into the pipeline and held at pressure for a length of me to determine if the pipeline has met design standards and federal regula on. A er the comple on of a sa sfactory test, the water will be discharged to the ground in an vegetated upland area using energy dissipa on devices to prevent erosion. The loca on of this discharge has not been determined. Figure C2 Map of exis ng gas pipeline and proposed Connec cut Expansion project route. regional natural gas infrastructure expansion projects, including the Northeast Energy Direct Project that is proposed to increase natural gas transport from a hub in Wright, NY, to Dracut, MA. Much of this expansion is due to the increase in natural gas produc on currently being experienced across the United States due to the use of hydraulic fracturing, also known as fracking. The main staging area and pipeyard, or pipeline storage area for the project, is proposed to be located in an agricultural field off of Main Road in Tyringham. The Massachuse s Loop is proposed to begin near an exis ng valve in Sandisfield along Town Hill Road and run within or adjacent to the exis ng pipeline ROW located there. Over two miles of the proposed loop is planned to pass At its annual town mee ng in May of 2014, the Town of Sandisfield approved a resolu on to ban the pipeline expansion project in town. The resolu on cited poten al damage to natural resources and the town s scenic beauty, as well as the project s undermining of state climate change mi ga on efforts and commitments to renewable energy among the reasons for banning its construc on. Addi onally, a ci zen s group known as Sandisfield Taxpayers Opposing Pipeline (STOP) was formed to oppose the gas expansion project. Moreover, Sandisfield s Selectboard has been ac vely nego a ng with Kinder Morgan representa ves on a community benefits agreement to compensate the town for expenses related to the pipeline expansion. In an ar cle by Bill Price in the September 2015 issue of the Sandisfield Times, it was announced that the Selectboard had reached an agreement with Kinder Morgan, however details could not be discussed. This issue also noted that Kinder C 15

5 Table C10 Town Owned Buildings and Facili es in Sandisfield, MA Source: Strategic Planning Commi ee 2014, Bryarly Consul ng LLC, 2014 Name Address Needs / Possible Work Iden fied Town Hall 3 Silverbrook Road Remove and replace sep c system, new propane furnace and air condi oning, new window installa on, new office construc on in main mee ng hall, new bathroom installa on Highway Department Garage Town Hall Annex 3 Silverbrook Road Replacement of the structure has been proposed due to structural issues and building code compliance concerns. 66 Sandisfield Road Work on exterior accessibility ramp, new furnace and air condi oning system, work on second floor bathrooms, replace exis ng sep c system, replace windows, install insula on Transfer Sta on Route 57 N/A Library 23 Sandisfield Road Extend roof at rear of structure, replace exis ng sep c system, removal of material to move water away from building, waterproof founda on, new accessible parking for upper level, new furnace and air condi oning with 2 hour fire wall, new bathrooms (upper and lower floors), add custodial closet. Building located in floodplain. Note: Sandisfield Fire Sta on #1 and #2 are owned by the Sandisfield Volunteer Fire Department Inc. For a discussion of town cemeteries, please refer to Chapter 9 Natural and Cultural Resources and the accompanying por on of this appendix. Morgan had begun the project approval process with the Sandisfield Conserva on Commission, triggered by the project s proximity to local wetland and water resources. Addi onally, at the me of this wri ng, legisla on has been submi ed at the state level that would allow the pipeline to pass through state lands currently protected by Ar cle 97 of the Massachuse s Cons tu on. Approval will require a 2/3 vote of the state legislature to be granted. Town Technology Infrastructure The Town of Sandisfield owns fourteen computers, including five laptops and nine desktops. The Sandisfield Conserva on Commission has requested the purchase of an addi onal laptop for their use, but as of the me of this wri ng, this has not yet been purchased. These computers, their primary users, and their general condi on are summarized in Table C9 Town of Sandisfield Computer Inventory. Town Buildings and Facili es For mapped town buildings and town owned lands, please see Map B Community Facili es and Town Owned Land. For a complete list of town buildings and poten al repairs iden fied, please refer to Table C10. Bryarly Consulting LLC Building Assessment In , at the request of Sandisfield s Strategic Planning Commi ee, Bryarly Consul ng, LLC located in Hadley, MA conducted an assessment of town owned buildings to make recommenda ons for future repairs. The report evaluated the Town Hall, the Town Hall Annex, the Library, and the Highway Department Garage. The assessment concluded that the town s current facili es are not compliant with current building code. Addi onally, it noted that a er the cost of code upgrades and other repairs to exis ng buildings, the structures would s ll not C 16

6 Sandisfield Master Plan Appendix meet current or future needs, and that upgrading these facili es would not be an efficient use of town financial resources. The report also highlighted possible repairs to the highway department or DPW garage, saying that due to exis ng structural issues, and the loca on, it is not feasible nor financially prudent to a empt to repair the exis ng town DPW garage. The building assessment and the Sandisfield Strategic Planning Commi ee ul mately recommended the construc on of a new town administra on building, as well as a new highway department or DPW garage. As for poten al loca ons for these proposed structures, the Strategic Planning Commi ee recommended that the exis ng Town Hall and highway department garage structures on Silverbrook Road be removed to create room for an expanded highway department garage at the same site. A poten al loca on for the proposed town administra on building has not been determined. Addi onally, as part of this planning effort, the strategic planning commi ee recommended that the exis ng Library and Town Hall Annex building be sold to help fund the construc on of these new facili es. Library The Sandisfield Library is located at 23 Sandisfield Road. The Sandisfield Library provides books, audiobooks, and DVD s to its patrons and has two internet accessible computers, which are used mostly for research. The Library also par cipates in interlibrary loan programs which allows Sandisfield residents to access books found in other regional libraries. The Library also provides free wireless internet. According to Clare English, of the Library Board of Trustees, the Sandisfield Library also func ons as an important public mee ng space. The lower floor of the library has a open room available for mee ngs and gatherings. The library grounds are also home to the town playground. Town Hall (Old Town Hall) The Sandisfield Town Hall is located at 3 Silverbrook Road and provides a mee ng space for town boards and commi ees, including the Planning Board, Conserva on Commission, and Board of Health. Recently, the roof on Town Hall was replaced. Highway Department / DPW Garage Sandisfield s highway department and DPW garage is located adjacent to Town Hall on Silverbrook Road. The structure houses the DPW department and its equipment. Town Hall Annex Sandisfield Town Hall Annex is located at 66 Sandisfield Road. Most administra ve func ons of the town are conducted from this building, and it houses the town assessor and town clerk. The Board of Selectmen also meets in this building. The Sandisfield Council on Aging meets weekly in the basement of this building to hold its pot luck lunch. The Town Hall Annex is considered a local emergency shelter by the town with a capacity to shelter 25 people. Proposed Structures Proposed Highway Department Garage According to the Bryarly Consul ng report, the es mated size of the proposed highway department garage is around 6,000 square feet. Based on the es mated price of a new standard metal building at $250 /sq.., construc on costs are assumed to be around $1,500,000. Proposed Town Administra on Building While a full assessment of the costs of a poten al new Town Administra on building have not been assessed, the Bryarly Consul ng report iden fied C 17

7 that town administra on space requirements are around 17,000 sq.. (not including the Library), with current available space of around 6,500 sq.. in the Town Hall and Town Hall Annex. Thus the space shortage required for Town Administra on is around 10,500 sq.. Other Buildings and Facilities Fire Station #1 Sandisfield Fire Sta on #1 is owned by the Sandisfield Volunteer Fire Department Inc., and is thus a privately owned building. However, this structure is considered an local emergency shelter for the town. Public Survey Results Respondents were in favor of poten al energy efficiency upgrades to town buildings (83%). A poten al new town administra ve building was favored by 55% of survey respondents. A poten al new DPW garage was supported by 40% of survey respondents. Support for a poten al new DPW garage was above 50% when the responses of only year round residents were tallied. Fire Station #2 Sandisfield Fire Sta on #2 is owned by the Sandisfield Volunteer Fire Department Inc., and is thus a privately owned building. However, this structure is considered an local emergency shelter for the town, with the capacity to shelter people. Transfer Station The Sandisfield Transfer Sta on is located along Route 57 and provides a loca on for waste and recyclable materials collec on. Waste is then brought to regional landfills or recycling centers. Bulky waste and construc on debris is not allowed at the transfer sta on. However, the town usually holds a bulky waste collec on event in the spring, where larger waste such as furniture and appliances can be disposed of. Town Cemeteries There are five town owned cemeteries in Sandisfield. For a discussion of town cemeteries, please see Chapter 9 Natural and Cultural Resources and the accompanying sec on of this appendix. C 18