The Town of Ipswich provides a model for smart growth planning in Essex County. Ipswich is a suburban community of approximately 13,000 people. It is known for its vast expanses of salt marsh (known locally as the Great Marsh) as well as open fields and first period colonial homes.
Bylaws have been written to encourage creative development and local efforts have resulted in the protection of hundreds of acres of open space in the past five years. Although many of these positive smart growth techniques have been employed without the guide of an updated comprehensive or master plan (an updated plan will be adopted in 2003), local officials have seen the need to control and manage development based on a potential residential and commercial build-out that officials fear would erode community character. The following smart growth techniques have been instituted to foster sustainable growth in Ipswich.

Great Estates Bylaw – Ipswich has several large estates. To discourage large-scale single-family development of these parcels, the Great Estates Bylaw allows mixed-use development, provided that the applicant concentrates the development, sets aside at least 30% of land as open space that is accessible to the public, protects the view corridor of the frontage street, and preserves the historic buildings on the property.

Open Space Bond – In 2000 Ipswich passed a 10 million dollar Open Space Bond. The Bond is used to purchase conservation restrictions or fee rights to parcels that have high conservation value. To date over 300 acres have been protected, at a cost of $13,000 per acre. Through the efforts of a land protection specialist, paid by the bond, the Town has used the fund to leverage substantial grant moneys, thus greatly extending the purchasing power of the bond.

Open Space Preservation Zoning (OSPZ) – Through innovative clustering 50% or more of a subdivision tract can be protected as permanently protected open space. Ipswich OSPZ (also known as Open Space Residential Design or Conservation Subdivision Design) sets aside open space with high scenic as well as habitat value. For more information on OSPZ go to greenneighborhoods.org.

Inclusionary Zoning - Ipswich, in its outlying rural zones, recently down-zoned from one to two acres. Developers can build at the former one-acre density if they provide affordable housing (at least 10% of total) and build an Open Space Preservation Development. Multi-family developments receive no density bonus for providing 10% of its units as affordable, but projects of fewer than ten units, in lieu of building an affordable unit, may pay $10,000 per unit into an affordable housing trust fund.

Wetlands Bylaw – In 1990 Ipswich passed a comprehensive wetlands protection bylaw that increased buffer zone protection. The wetlands bylaw greatly strengthens the existing state wetlands protection act by toughening the appeal process and increasing the performance standards for resource protection. In 2001 the Conservation Commission adopted regulations requiring a no-disturb wetlands setback of 50 feet and a no-build setback of 65 feet (previously 25 and 40 feet, respectively).

Residential Dwellings in Accessory Buildings – To encourage development in densely built areas with existing infrastructure the Town in 2001 adopted a bylaw to allow a residential unit to be built in existing accessory buildings in the In-town Residence District, by Planning Board special permit. Two such units have approved to date, each of which will be either affordable or will meet a community need.

Scenic Roads - In Ipswich 22 roads are designated as scenic. A scenic road designation allows a measure of control on road widening and tree cutting along designated scenic roads.

While Ipswich has made strides to create a more sustainable future there is still much to do. Village Incentive zoning, a modified form of transfer of development rights, was proposed at the 2002 Town Meeting but action was postponed until 2003. Another smart growth initiative, which would allow the development of vacant lots in central Ipswich that conform to original subdivision layouts but not current zoning requirements, failed in 2001 but will likely be proposed again in the fall of 2003.
Underlying most of the smart growth techniques in Ipswich has been a firm commitment to growth management by the Board of Selectmen and the Town Manager. Ipswich has committed to employing staff to ensure that bylaws are enforced and adapted for changing needs. Ipswich employs a full time planner with a full time administrative assistant, a part time open space coordinator, a full time conservation agent, a part time conservation administrator, and a full time Board of Health agent. For more information on smart growth in Ipswich contact the planning director at (978) 356-6607