GOVDOC S~JS~9 *&£« <****& ft 3/6 fr/7 V-rl larles - to - Charles * ^^^ W'3^ 3 ** ■*km .1 ■ * «... ■ .^'- 2&&.J**: ■:-■ w mm V* f '^v'' %, ■im>*A:\ ■ & Mt^1 5«S! !*»> m*.xt*. k**1: r •-> *f^i «% ■>*- ^«i2 ~f:«ir~*-f ■ ■<*lf; 3£p 3sc Vt V Et^'Al z^^m \£*& &&£&& * ;~ *" 3r3fc ~- •*i*C ..> £safe "**'. ^ -_•"/--' '■><■ THE CORRIDOR CONCEPT FIGURE 1 From earliest days as a peninsular settlement, Boston has been surrounded by the Charles River. Flowing by West Roxbury on the southwest, it encircles Newton and Brookline and reappears as the northern boundary of Boston throughout the Charles River Basin. Linking the two parts of the Charles is a green and open corridor extending through the Fens, along the Boston/Brookline line and through the Sawmill Brook marshes near the Boston/Newton line to the Middle Charles at Cow Island Pond. This open space corridor is in part the creation of Frederick Law Olmsted and includes an estate area not intensely developed as well as marshland not yet filled. It is the only remaining natural landscape in the heart of metropolitan Boston. The Charles-to-Charles Corridor is a precious recreational resource. Outdoor recreation - hiking, bicycling and picnicking - can be made available to many people close to their homes, where recreation space is most needed. But if we do not act quickly, this open space resource will be lost to intense residential development. Already in the middle segment of the Corridor, between Jamaica Pond and the intersection of V.F.W. Parkway and West Roxbury Parkway, there is pressure for residential development on some of the remaining estates in both Boston and Brookline. In this report the Conservation Commissions of Boston and of Brookline point to the need to increase public open space, describe the opportunity to expand the framework of existing public and private open spaces into a Charles-to-Charles conservation and recreation corridor, and propose a general program of EARLY ACTION in the middle segment. We hope to open discussion between landowners and public agencies and to carry on the detailed planning needed to achieve a corridor from Charles to Charles. OUR NEEDS ARE GREAT In spite of the many recreational activities which the existing park system provides, Boston, Brookline and Newton fall far short of accepted standards for public open space per thousand residents in urban areas. Boston's deficiency is serious, since the city contains nearly a quarter of the population of the entire standard metropolitan region. The standard of 70 acres of public open space per thousand residents is derived from fifteen sources summarized and averaged in the U.S. Bureau of Outdoor Recreation 1967 publication Outdoor Recreation Space Standards. Space is needed both for passive recreational and conservation uses and for a variety of active outdoor interests. The 1966 Massachusetts Outdoor Recreation Plan recognizes that recreation space and facilities for all types of activity are scarce in the Boston region. It proposes emphasis on activities such as picnicking, bicycling, hiking and camping which have broad appeal, are in short supply, and are of traditional interest to the state. EXISTING PUBLIC OPEN SPACE 1965 UNMET NEEDS OF BOSTON. BROOKLINE AND NEWTON 10O-| 90 STATE PARKS •SSxSSS TOTAL MUNICIPAL BOSTON Unmrt nrrdt Sowce Ch*'l*t ff-*f Study JkppendiM G CO'pt O' fnyr I J ' % w .,!+&. tit €&P U I- H r& +'*;. *» *Vj Mji . THE CORRIDOR BEGINS In the northern segment, beginning at the Charles River Basin, is Olmsted's system of formal parks and natural areas tied together by the Muddy River, a part of the Boston/Brookline boundary. Since Olmsted's day, parklands have been lost to vehicular traffic and parking. These areas should be restored to public ownership. Increased use of the existing parkland can be made possible by establishing a safe bicycle route through Kenmore Square. It is also imperative to pursue improvement of the water quality of the Fens and of the Charles River. Insufficient flow in normal weather produces stagnant malodorous water in the Fens. Construction of a new pumping station below the Charles River Dam may greatly reduce storm overflow contamination in the basin and in the Fens. Capacity of the Boston Marginal Conduit would be increased by separate new pumps. 1972 is the 150th. anniversary of the birth of Frederick Law Olmsted. The entire Olmsted Park system is on the National Register of Historic Landmarks. Shown is a portion of the. Back Bay Fens. FIGURE 4 THE MIDDLE SEGMENT Within the middle segment, near the crossing of green axes, is the greatest opportunity to link existing park lands and to offer a wide range of active and passive recreational activities. On both sides of the Boston/Brookline boundary, and within 15 minutes of downtown Boston, is an expanse of mature trees and rolling hills. If preserved it will significantly enlarge the outdoor recreation potentials in Boston and in Brookline. Hiking, bicycling and picnicking are identified in the 1966 Massachusetts Outdoor Recreation Plan as most lacking in this region. These are activities most appropriate for these lands. On page 17, figure 8 shows 43 major parcels in the middle segment on both sides of the Boston/ Brookline boundary, comprising some 1,357 acres where no intensive urban development has' yet occurred. Table B, page 18, keyed to Figure 8, indicates the ownership and current use of each of the 43 parcels. Table C, page 20, categorizes the 43 parcels by municipality, and by public, institutional and private ownership. The total acreage is almost equally in Boston (655 acres) and in Brookline (700 acres). About 545 of these 1,357 acres are owned by the municipalities, 227 by Brookline and 319 by Boston. Of the 514 acres owned by institutions, 309 are in Brookline and 205 are in Boston. Of the 297 acres of privately-owned lands, 165 are in Brookline and 132 are in Boston. FIGURE 5 *3& COMPLETION OF THE CORRIDOR the Charles River Watershed Bteries contribute to the :he corridor. Linkages among >rth in Newton by trails and ition. Wetlands "U ** ' -- iW 2«■ Z* ■n a^-r*» *J<^ *;.* ^ ' ' ? mil WHERE TO BEGIN? The middle segment is the crucial link in the Charles-to-Charles corridor. It . offers at once the greatest potential for open space and the greatest threat from intensive development. For these reasons, the Conservation Commissions of Boston and Brookline recommend beginning with this segment and single out for early action thirteen properties which together occupy some 400 acres. The early action parcels contain many outstanding features, including ponds, hilltop vistas, fields, woodlands and streams. In addition, their location makes possible an uninterrupted open space system, with trails connecting Olmsted Park at the Charles River Basin in Boston to Larz Anderson Park in Brookline and on south to the Charles at West Roxbury. All of the thirteen properties shown in Figure 7 are at or very close to the Boston/Brookline boundary and all have public street frontage. Five of them are institutional, two are in private trusts, and six are individual residential properties. Some general comments on these priority parcels and the opportunities they afford are given in Table A, next page. FIGURE 7 TABLE A Recommendations for Early Action SITE OWNER ACRES BROO KLINE/BOSTON COMMENTS Pasquale Franchi . 1 22. 7 The proposal to develop this piece of land at a much higher density than the Zoning Code permits was the event which alerted many people to the need to preserve irreplaceable open lands without delay. If total acquisition for conservation and recreation is not feasible, a low rise planned development could preserve far more open space than any conventional subdivision. Conservation restrictions can be used to protect a strip along the pond as part of the corridor, to preserve views and to protect the stream issuing from the Sargent Estate area. Sargent Estate Properties 28. 7 5.8 A large meadow and the Sargent Pond from which a stream flows into Jamaica Pond are the out- standing features. Scenic easements in the meadow, stream and Sargent Pond might be given to the Brookline Con- servation Commission. As in other instances, appropriate safeguards can be individually arranged. Hellenic College 10. 35.6 An outstanding piece of open space. Although the land is mainly in Boston, the college buildings are mainly in Brookline. Limited academic expansion can be coordinated with the needs of the corridor system, namely protection of pond frontage, the open hilltop, views of the City and the Stony Brook Valley, the wooded areas, and connectors to existing parks. Earle M. & V. Chapman 3.2 2.8 Rights in this parcel and the one just south of it are important in connecting the Jamaica Pond areas and Larz Anderson Park. Perhaps the Town of Brookline could secure the gift of a scenic easement of some width along the town line. James P. & Betty Parker 7.7 Scenic rights in a private way along the town line at the eastern edge of this parcel might be conveyed to the Conservation Commission of the Town. Also, preservation of a wooded strip adjacent to that road could be a condition of creating any planned development here. Frederick S. Mahoney, Jr. 7.6 Scenic rights in a wooded strip along the private way between Mahoney and Parker would preserve and continue the effect of walking or biking through a forest. SITE OWNER ACRES BROOKLINE/BOSTOIM COMMENTS 8 Nazareth School 40.0 A large expanse of open land surrounds the school buildings. The southern part consists of woods and fields near Manning School, a Boston public elementary school with an inadequate playground. Future Nazareth building development could be limited to the northern portion and be governed by other open space agreements with the Boston Conservation Commission. Daughters of St. Paul, Inc. 20.0 Only the western slope of the property has been built on. Scenic rights on the eastern and southern slopes might be acquired by the Boston Conservation Commission. 9 Dexter School 35.0 This large parcel is bounded on much of its perimeter by lands owned by the Lawrences and by the Daughters of St. Paul. A limitation on future development of School-owned lands would protect the rural quality of the neighborhood and would help establish the corridor. An easement through the wooded hillside in the northeast corner might also be obtained. Valuable as a trail connector and for its magnificent views. 10 Brandegee Charitable Trust 18.0 8.0 The Brandegee mansion is surrounded by a formal garden. It is occupied by the American Academy of Arts and Sciences; the stable is occupied by the City of Boston Mounted Police. Both uses are compatible with the corridor plan and are assets to the City and Town. 11 James Lawrence et al. Trustees 72.0 33.0 Topmost priority is given to preservation of this working farm, which is unique in either Boston or Brookline. Its ed- ucational and environmental value in this location is immense. On the eastern edge of the property is a notable woodland. 12 David Bakalar 43.3 This parcel lies between lands of Lawrence and Boston park land. Existing buildings might be adapted to support activities for the entire corridor. Other possibilities are limited parking for cars, which would be excluded from the rest of the corridor, a group camp-ground, a woodland adventure playground, and swimming in a forest pond. 13 President and Fellows of Harvard College (for purposes of the Arnold Arboretum) the Arnold Arboretum and the corridor. 14.0 Along the edge of this property on the steepest part of the slope, an easement for a trail could provide the link between HOW CAN THE LAND BE PRESERVED? Private Contributions Preservation of the Charles-to-Charles corridor will require joint action by public agencies, property owners, and neighborhood groups, and the use of both public and private resources. Federal Funds Boston, Brookline, Newton and the M.D.C. are eligible to participate in the U.S. Bureau of Outdoor Recreation's Land and Water Conservation Fund program, which in Massachusetts is administered by the Commissioner of Natural Resources, Arthur W. Brownell. Reimbursement is available up to 50% of approved project outlays. Assistance is provided for projects ranging from highly urban to primitive, varying in type from bicycle paths, hiking trails, and picnic areas to multi-purpose recreation complexes. Projects which are designed to serve urban populations and the public at large and which provide basic rather than elaborate facilities receive priority consideration. State Funds Massachusetts pioneered in 1957 the "Self-help" program administered by the Department of Natural Resources. Under this program, a Conservation Commission can be reimbursed up to 50% of the non-federal share of approved project costs. Local Funds The combination of federal B.O.R. funds with state Self-help funds means that up to 75% of a project's cost can be obtained provided the necessary local share can be raised to match federal and state monies. Given the other great demands on the municipal treasuries, success in funding the local share of the Charles-to-Charles corridor will depend on raising a large proportion from private sources. Private contributions of cash, land, and rights in land can be counted as local share; thus a private gift can generate up to three times its value in matching funds. Not only are gifts welcome and necessary, they can spur action by raising the sights of municipalities to a much larger program of preservation. Furthermore, gifts by landowners of the fee or of conservation restrictions or easements to their respective Conservation Commission can yield tax advantages to the giver while preserving residential neighborhoods and the openness of the landscape. Conservation Restrictions and Easements Real property can be thought of as a collection of rights to carry on various activities rather than as a plot of ground. There is no master list of these rights and when they are sold or given they can be tailored to individual requirements, both of the donor and of the municipality. Examples are rights to develop, to preserve a view, to provide for a trail, or to preserve land as field or farmland. Enactment of the Conservation Restriction Act (Chapter 666 of the Acts of 1969) by the Massachusetts Legislature has made gifts or sales of conservation restrictions easier to accomplish, more permanent and stronger in their protection of the donor's purposes. Planned Development Zoning In combination with conservation restrictions is another tool which can be of added protection and benefit to the landowner and the municipality. Planned Development Zoning is a means whereby dwelling units can be grouped together and much of the land reserved in common ownership and safeguarded for the future. Both the developer and the residents benefit from saving land by avoiding a grid of roads and driveways. Joint Planning Most planning stops at the town line. The Charles-to-Charles corridor, however, is an area of concern to Boston, Brookline and Newton. Through joint planning municipalities can work together in exploring the opportunities for a common future along the corridor. The benefits of joint planning are already apparent. When a proposal was made for intensive development on the Cabot Estate, it was clear that the Town of Brookline would be affected by Boston decisions. A task force which included representatives from Brookline was appointed by Mayor Kevin H. White. One of the recommendations that group made in its Cabot Estate Report was that the Charles-to-Charles Corridor Committee should continue its work in formulating a joint use open space and development plan. Mayor White accepted the report. Soon after, in October 1971, the Brookline Town Meeting voted to support co-operative open space planning with the Cities of Boston and Newton, particularly with respect to lands at or near common boundaries. This report represents another major step forward in joint planning. We hope that continued co-operation will enable us to move from joint planning to implementation of a Charles-to-Charles open space program. NEXT STEPS Planning, negotiation and acquisition will be carried on concurrently. Each of these activities will require the co-operative efforts of landowners, federal, state, and municipal governments and appropriate community groups. Under the leadership of the Conservation Commissions of Boston and Brookline, project planning by landscape architects on the thirteen priority parcels will begin shortly. Detailed surveys of the natural features of the landscape and the open space opportunities will lead to plans for recreation activities which respect the needs and wishes of the owners. The first step, therefore, in creating a Charles-to-Charles corridor will be to discuss the corridor concept and the potential for preservation and control with the major landowners. Tax-deductible gifts will also be solicited. These can be in the form of money or land or rights in land. In addition, contributions will be sought from individuals, community groups, foundations and business. Acquisition of whole properties, parts of parcels and conservation restrictions will be determined by available resources, the wishes of landowners and the priorities established by the open space plan. Applications for federal and state funds will be made as soon as plans are formulated and agreements are reached. Join us in these efforts. Together we can achieve a Charles-to-Charles corridor. OWNERSHIP IN THE MIDDLE SEGMENT ARNOLD AR60RETUM FIGURE 8 TABLE B identified Properitites In Middle Segment SITE LOCATION ACRES OWNER CURRENT USE 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 Boston, plus .1A in Brk. 231-301 Perkins St., Boston. Brookline, plus 5.8 in Boston, Chestnut, Cottage & Sargent Rds. Boston, plus 10 in Brk. Brookline, plus 2.8 in Boston Brookline Boston Boston Boston, at 50 St. Paul's Ave. Brookline Boston Brookline Boston Brookline Boston, 200 Allandale St. Boston, at Weld, Centre & Walter Sts. Boston Brookline, plus .5 in Boston Boston 17 Boston 18 Boston 19 Brookline 20 Brookline 21 Brookline 22 Boston 23 Boston 22.7 Pasquale Franchi, 425 Watertown St., Newton (Cabot Estate). 28.7 Sargent Pd. Properties c/o Henry S. Rogerson etal. Trustees 35.6 Hellenic College, 50 Goddard Ave., Brk. 3.2 Earle M. & V. M. Chapman, 100 Goddard Ave., Brk. 7.7 James P. & Betty Parker, Jr., 162 Goddard Ave., Brk. 7.6 Frederick S. Mahoney, Jr., 96 Rockwood St., Boston 40.0 Nazareth Child Care Center 414 Pond St., Boston 20.0 Daughters of St. Paul Inc., 172 Tremont St., Boston 35.0 Dexter School, 20 Newton St., Brk. 8. Brandegee Charitable Trust, 82 Devonshire St., Boston 18. Brandegee Charitable Trust 33. James L. Lawrence III etal, 225 Franklin St., Boston 72. James Lawrence et al. Trustees 225 Franklin St., Boston 43.3 David Bakalar, P.O. Box 416, Boston 14. Pres. 8i Fellows of Harvard College-University Hall, Cambridge 75.0 City of Boston 3.0 Brookline Hospital Inc., 165 Chestnut St., Brk. 6.8 Marie D. Palaza, 150 Prince St., Boston 1.1 Carlo Calisi, 34 Billings Lane 11.7 Church of Our Lady of the Cedars of Lebanon, 61 Lockwood Ave. 10.0 H. Kimball Faulkner, 39 Glenoe Rd., Chestnut Hill 12.3 M. duPont Faulkner, 255 Goddard Ave., Brk. 13.2 The Park School Corp., 171 Goddard Ave., Brk. 2.9 Franciscan Monastery St. Clare 920 Centre St., Boston 8.6 Faulkner Hospital Corp., 30 Whitcomb Ave., Boston 5 Houses and stable. Several parcels have assembled by Developer. Pond, 8 houses, meadow Theological School Residence Residence Residence 160 normal and handicapped children Order whose work is printing church literature Independent School City of Boston Police Stable American Academy Farm Estate: residence, recreation bldg., garage, etc. Vacant Olmsted Park (Jamaica Pond) 120 bed general hospital. Residence Residence Church and Community Center Residence Residence Independent School Cloistered Order of Nuns Adams Nervine Asylum, 20-bed adjunct to Faulkner SITE LOCATION ACRES OWNER CURRENT USE 24 Boston 25 At City Line, Brookline .4 26 Brookline, plus 4.2 in Boston 27 Brookline, at Goddard Ave. & Meadow/brook Rd. 28 Brookline 29 Boston, at 130 Louder's Lane 1.6 30 Boston 223.0 31 Boston 7.1 32 Boston 17.6 33 Boston, at 44 Allandale St. 13.5 34 Boston 2.3 35 Boston 1.3 36 Boston 4.2 37 Boston 9.4 38 Boston, at V.F.W. Pkwy. 15. 39 Boston 4.2 40 Boston 3.4 Armenian Women's Welfare Assn., 431 Pond St., Boston 1.1 Wladyslaw J. & Anna Mitus, 71 Avon St., Brk. 61.2 Town of Brookline 12.3 Trustees of Boston U., 725 Commonwealth Ave., Boston 236.0 The Country Club, 191 Clyde St., Brk. City of Boston City of Boston, leased to Harvard for 999 years Home for Italian Children, 1 125 Centre St., Boston Faulkner Hospital Corp., 30 Whitcomb Ave. Faulkner Hospital Corp., 30 Whitcomb Ave. Trinity Lutheran Church, 1193 Centre St., Boston Norwegian Old People's Home 1205 Centre St., Boston Roxbury Home for Aged Women 1215 Centre St., Boston Hebrew Home for the Aged 1200 Centre St., Boston City of Boston Apostolic Exarchate for Melkites in U. S., Inc., 7 V.F.W. Pkwy., Boston 8.7 Jewish Women's Health Ass'n., 1245 Centre St., Boston Home for the Armenian Aged Residence Larz Anderson Park Vacant (potentially for development) Private Club Manning School Arnold Arboretum 58 Children from broken homes 186-bed General Hospital Vacant Church Home for 18 Elderly People Home for 24 Elderly People 50-bed extended care facility Park Church of Our Lady of the Annunciation The Recuperative Center 41 Brookline 42 Brookline 43 Brookline 45.4 Town of Brookline 120. Town of Brookline 12.7 S.G. Realty Corp. 300 South St. Walnut Hills Cemetery Putterham Meadows, Municipal Golf Course Bournewood-Private Hospital TABLE C Identified Properties in Middle Segment Public, Institutional and Private Ownership 1. PUBLIC OWNERSHIP ACRES SITE NAME BRKLN BOSTON 30 Arnold Arboretum 223.0 26 Larz Anderson Park 61.2 4.2 29 Manning School 1.6 14 Olmsted Park (Jamaica Pond) 75.0 38 Park at V.F.W. Parkway 15.0 42 Putterham Meadows Golf Course 120.0 41 Walnut Hills Cemetery 45.4 226.6 318.8 TOTAL ACREAGE IN PUBLIC OWNERSHIP 545.4 2. INSTITUTIONAL OWNERSHIP , ACRES SITE NAME BRKLN BOSTON 27 Boston University 12.3 15 Brookline Hospital 3. .5 8 Daughters of St. Paul 20. 9 Dexter School 35. 3 Hellenic College 10. 35.6 2332-33 Faulkner Hospital 39.7 22 Franciscan Monastery 2.9 21 Park School 13.2 13 President & Fellows of Harvard College 14. 37 Hebrew Home for the Aged 9.4 24 Home for Armenian Aged 3.4 31 Home for Italian Children 7.1 7 Nazareth Child Care Center 40. 35 Norwegian Old People's Home 1.3 39 Our Lady of the Annunciation Church 4.2 18 Our Lady of the Cedars of Lebanon Church 11.7 40 Recuperative Center 8.7 36 Roxbury Home for Aged Women 4.2 28 The Country Club 236. 34 Trinity Lutheran Church 2.3 3. PRIVATE OWNERSHIP ACRES SITE NAME BRKLN BOSTON 12 David Bakalar 43.3 10 Brandegee Charitable Trust 18. 8.0 17 Carlo Calisi 1.1 4 Earle M. & V. Chapman 3.2 2.8 19 H. Kimball Faulkner 10. 20 M. duPont Faulkner 12.3 1 Pasquale Franchi (Cabot Estate) .1 22.7 11 James Lawrence et al 72. 33. 6 Frederick S Mahoney, Jr. 7.6 25 Wladyslaw J. & Anna Mitus .4 .7 16 Marie D. Palaza 6.8 5 James P. & Betty Parker 7.7 2 Sargent Pond Properties 28.7 5.8 43 S. G. Realty Corp. 12.7 165.1 131.8 TOTAL ACREAGE IN PRIVATE OWNERSHIP 296.9 TOTAL ACREAGE IN BROOKLINE 701.2 TOTAL ACREAGE IN BOSTON 655.6 GRAND TOTAL IN MIDDLE SEGMENT OF CORRIDOR 1356.8 309.5 TOTAL ACREAGE IN INSTITUTIONAL OWNERSHIP 514.5 205. "I* ■■It* Sawmill Brook BOSTON BROOKLINE Country Club Larz Anderson Park BOSTON Olmsted Park if\ — Wetlands .i,"¥£- nr 'Ofiiiim** Arnold Arboretum TRAILS ■ Existing i Proposed Charles-To-Charles, a Conservation and Recreation Corridor for Boston, Brookline and Newton wa Boston Conservation Commission: Eugenie Beal-Chairman, Augusta H. Bailey- Vice Chairman, Jos John Lewis, Edward Paul Mattar III, Susan D. Straight Michael H. Bonoff-Executive Seen Thomas J. Grahame and the; Brookline Conservation Commission: Francis X. Meaney-Chairman, Mary P; Nelson-Vice Chairma Edward T. Peters, S. Russell Sylva, Henry T. Wiggin-Secretary and with technical and graphic assistance by the; Boston Redevelopment Authority: Robert T. Kenney-Di rector, Boston Planning Department, Phi William Costa-Chief of Graphic Design, Laurence K. Koff-Senior Planner, David R. Lynch-Landsca, Brookline Planning Board: William J. Geddis-Chairman, John E. Woodward Jr., -Director, James W. Newton Planning Board; Stanley Miller-Chairman, E.C. MTchael Ferris-Planning Director, John L. i. Metropolitan Area Planning Council: Richard M. Doherty-Executive Director, James A. Miller-Din Principal Planner, Robert Joseph-Principal Planner Metropolitan District Commission: John W. Sears-Commissioner, Massachusetts Department of Natural Resources: Arthur W. Research and Planning. Photographs taken by Boston Redevelopment Authority, Marsden Griswold,