2010-04-08-CPC-min - Laserfiche WebLink

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Community Preservation Committee Public Hearing Thursday, April 8, 2010 Cary Hall 7:00 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 and Dick Wolk. Also in attendance were Carl Valente, Town Manager; Peter Kelley, Selectman; David Kanter and Shirley Stolz of the Capital Expenditures Committee, Alan Levine, Chair, and John Bartenstein of the Appropriations Committee, Karen Mullins, Director of Community Development, and Todd Cataldo, owner and representative for the Cotton Farm property. The meeting was called to order at 7:07 pm. There were approximately 15-20 other residents and interested board members in attendance. The purpose of the Public Hearing was to receive comments on the proposed purchase with CPA funds of the Cataldo property (Cotton Farm) located at 121 Marrett Road. 1.Purchase of the Cataldo Property (Cotton Farm) Mr. Peter Kelley of the Board of Selectmen opened the discussion, detailing the elements of the purchase. These were; the purchase of 4.2 acres (9 lots) for $4.0 million dollars, the restriction of approximately 2.9 acres of frontage on Marrett Road (included in 4.2 acres), and a restriction on the number of houses that can be built on the back land remaining in Cataldo ownership to 4 lots. Part of the negotiated deal also includes a gift of 14.5 acres of land on Hartwell Avenue, which is primarily wet, but which abuts existing conservation parcels such as the Goodwin piece. The first question for Mr. Kelley regarded the gift of a $200,000 Trust Fund for conservation purposes. Mr. Kelley explained that the gift which the Cataldos had suggested for land management purposes, did not pass Town Counsel review and was therefore no longer part of the negotiations. (CPA funds cannot be used for land management or maintenance purposes.) There was a great deal of interest in the appraisals for the property, and Mr. Kelley explained that there had been two appraisals, one conducted at the request of the Selectmen’s Office, and a subsequent one requested by the CPC. The appraisals had come in at $4.4 and 3.7 million respectively, though the CPC appraisal had not been received in full. Mr. Kanter questioned whether the 1