Hubbardston planning board questions accuracy of aquifer overlay, urges updated maps

The Town of Hubbardston Planning Board spent most of its meeting on a detailed review of the sand‑pit/aquifer protection overlay, with the board and its planning consultant concluding the town’s current overlay map may be out of date and should be refreshed.

Planning board consultant Mark Murray said his office recreated an older map and that MassGIS shows a narrower medium‑yield aquifer “finger” running from Pitcherville Road into the pits. Murray said the recreation reflects geologic sand‑and‑gravel deposits and that state mapping now treats some areas differently from the town’s overlay: “This is really just a summation of geological formations,” he said, describing a medium‑yield sand and gravel feature in the area.

Board members pressed for clarity about the different shades shown on the town map (light, dark and medium green), with one member saying the light‑green sections’ origin is unclear and perhaps not based on modern state methods. The chair and other members noted the overlay in the zoning bylaw references a 2017 Places Associates map that was itself a translation of older material, and they expressed concern that the town’s overlay may no longer align with state aquifer or wellhead protection layers.

The discrepancy matters for development and protection of public water supplies. Mr. Murray and others noted portions of the overlay overlap areas the state maps as Zone 2 wellhead protection for Gardner’s water supply, which carries specific wastewater and nitrogen‑loading standards. One board member said that, even if the town’s bylaw references the older map, the town should update its maps so local rules and public expectations reflect the best available data.

Staff said the MassGIS/Oliver layers (including regulated areas and wellhead protection zones) can be shared and will be added to the meeting folder; the board asked staff to provide screenshots or PDF exports and to bundle relevant layers so the public and board can review the same files. The board also asked staff to explore grant funding and to coordinate with planning staff on scope and timing; Alec noted some grant work (led by Nichols/Niche teams) might be available to update maps and recommended that substantive edits may be too late for the immediate town meeting publication deadline.

The board did not adopt any ordinance or map change at the meeting. Instead it directed staff to obtain up‑to‑date MassGIS layers and to report back with options and cost estimates for an updated aquifer/favorability map and corresponding bylaw revisions. The board agreed mapping and recommended use updates should be a high priority for upcoming sessions and for grant funding consideration.