2008-12-11-CPC-min - Laserfiche WebLink

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Community Preservation Committee Public Hearing Thursday, December 11, 2008 Cary Memorial Auditorium 6:30 pm Present: Betsey Weiss, Chair; Marilyn Fenollosa, Vice Chair; Joel Adler, Norman Cohen, Jeanne Krieger, Wendy Manz, Leo McSweeney, Nathalie Rice, Admin. Asst.; Sandy Shaw. Absent: Dick Wolf The Public Hearing was called to order at 6:31 pm. Approximately 20 residents were in attendance. The purpose of the Public Hearing was to receive comments on thirteen projects under consideration by the CPC for Spring Town Meeting. Discussion of the CPC’s administrative budget was also on the agenda. 1.Athletic Field Improvements – Dave Pinsonneault, Superintendent of Public Works, spoke to this request for $100,000 for FY 2010 to conduct field improvement work on the Town’s Athletic fields. The total cost of the improvements was expected to be $200,000 with half the cost to be appropriated from the tax levy. This request by the Recreation Department was the follow-up to recommendations made in a Field Renovations Report funded by the CPC in 2007. The FY 2010 request is for drainage improvements to the area between the varsity baseball field and the main varsity softball field. The CPC monies would not be used for turf, but would be used specifically for piping, catch basins, and other drainage related needs. Mr. Pinsonneault said funds would be used only for aspects related to the protection of the resource. Several questions arose at this point both in regard to the project, and to the larger issue of CPC project review. Mr. Ken Kreutziger posed the question that while the Athletic field project might fall within the letter of the CPA statute, there might be other projects with greater priority. He also questioned the eligibility of the athletic field project, given the recent Seidemen vs. Newton case. Ms. Fenollosa addressed this legal point and noted that restoration can only be on recreational facilities acquired with CPC funds, but that protection of an existing resource (the athletic fields in this case) is allowable under the statute. Mr. Cohen added that all the projects under consideration by the CPC for FY 2010 have been approved by Town Counsel for eligibility. Mr. Kreutziger raised the larger issue of CPC policy, and suggested that the Committee develop policies for project acceptance. He said the legality of the 1