2009-02-26-CPC-min - Laserfiche WebLink

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conditions at the Playfields complex. He explained that there are a number of issues at the fields, not the least of which is the fact that Vine Brook flows in a culvert under the fields. This, in addition to low lying topography, poor soils, and past undocumented repair work on the drainage system, makes the current project quite complex. He said he would have to meet with Ms. Simmons of Recreation before informing the CPC of a final funding request. He said he was uncertain whether they would be seeking additional design funds, or potentially some construction monies. Under either scenario, he said the request to the CPC would not exceed the original $100,000 amount. In response to a question from Mr. McSweeney, he assured the Committee that he would be seeking the help of the Town’s Engineering Department on the project. He added that Tutela was adequate to assess the problem, but was not necessarily a “field restoration” company, and that he would be researching field restoration companies if they moved forward with any plans for construction. 3.Conservation Acquisition – Ms. Mullins updated the Committee on the progress of the Leary Property Acquisition. She said the Conservation Commission has a verbal agreement with representatives of the Leary Estate, and that the signing of a Letter of Intent is near. She said the appraisal came in at $2,692,00 and that there would be additional costs on top of that for legal, appraisal, survey and 21E work. She said the greater part of the lot would be devoted to conservation purposes, and that LexHAB might do a limited development off the Vine Street frontage. She said the Conservation Commission had been discussing this possibility with Bill Hays of LexHAB, and Maryann McCall-Taylor, Town Planning Director. She said the Conservation Commission is interested in preserving the back section of the property and the lots off Brookwood Road. Discussions of affordable housing, she noted, had focused on one lot off Vine Street, which Mr. Hayes had suggested could support a duplex. The update by Ms. Mullins prompted a larger discussion of the possibilities for affordable housing on the property. Ms. Fenollosa reminded those at the meeting that the Leary house is an historic house, dating back to the 1840’s. She suggested that there might be some potential for restoring it for affordable housing and noted that this would enable the CPC to do a three-way split of the funding between, historic, housing and conservation “buckets”. There was considerable discussion of the possibilities for affordable housing, in what, to date, had been only a conservation acquisition. Ms. Weiss stressed the need to have a meeting of the CPC, Conservation Commission and the appropriate housing groups, to better assess the problem. There was also a preliminary discussion about the wording of the motion, as it related to the two and possibly three “buckets” for CPC funding. Mr. Cohen will address this issue as the project becomes better defined. 2