2018-12-00-CPC-rpt (Needs Assessment Report)

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2018, agreed that 18 years is a long time for a program to go without increased funding. Baker said, "It's obvious there needs to be an adjustment made", and he promised to sign such an adjustment, if the Legislature sends it to his desk. (https:Hmacdc.org/highlights-governor-baker- speaks-2018-macdc-convention) While Lexington's FY19 state match (not including the $10 million dollar surplus) is at an all- time low, CPA advocates believe this actually strengthens the argument for a permanent fix to the CPA Trust Fund. A piece of legislation entitled,An Act to Sustain Community Preservation Revenue, calls for a review of the fees collected at the Registries of Deeds (the trust fund's primary source of funding). If passed, it would call upon the Department of Revenue to calculate the necessary fees that would allow for all CPA communities to receive a 50% match in their first round distribution. The bill, co-sponsored by 124 legislators, advanced to the House Committee on Ways & Means in the spring of 2017. Unfortunately, the bill stalled. The Lexington CPC consists of nine members, one each appointed by the Conservation Commission, Planning Board, Housing Authority, Historical Commission, Housing Partnership and Recreation Committee, and three at-large members appointed by the Board of Selectmen. The Committee is supported by a part-time Administrative Assistant. The CPC is required to study the "needs, possibilities and resources" for community preservation in Lexington. To that end, the Committee has reviewed existing plans and documents related to the four purposes designated for funding under the CPA: open space, historic resources, community housing and recreation. In reviewing new projects, the CPC: • Acts as a reviewing body for projects which fall within the CPA purview; • Acts as a funder, not a developer; • Seeks to advance community goals previously set forth in public documents that have received wide review and public input; • Attempts to meet multiple community preservation goals in its selection of projects to recommend to Town Meeting, and to the extent possible, meet multiple goals within each project; and • Communicates its mission and goals to applicants, to other community boards and committees and to the general public. After completion of its review, the CPC's recommendations are forwarded to Town Meeting for discussion and voting by Town Meeting members. Purpose This Needs Assessment Report("the Assessment")is a summary of the CPC's work in developing community preservation goals for Lexington. The CPC has attempted to synthesize all planning efforts addressing the four purposes identified in the CPA. The Committee has 4