2009-03-26-CPC-min - Laserfiche WebLink

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2.Center Playfields Mr. Dave Pinsonnealt addressed this project, explaining that the Center Playfields project had changed significantly since the last public hearing. He said the Recreation Department had received the Drainage Study from Tutela Engineering and it showed that the drainage conditions on the fields were more serious than previously understood. He said the recommendation in the report indicated that the renovations to the fields could cost 2-4 million dollars. With this in mind, he explained that the Recreation Committee had decided to hold off on drainage work this fiscal year, and focus on designing the improvements that were needed to most cost effectively address the problem. For this reason, the request for funding had been reduced from $100,000 to $70,000. There were no questions from the public on this project. 3.Purchase of Land on Vine Street Mr. Wolk, the Conservation Commission’s representative to the CPC addressed this project. The project had not been discussed in a previous public hearing, since negotiations for the parcel were still in the progress at the time of the December Public Hearing. Mr. Wolk described the property with a brief series of slides showing; the location of the parcel relative to abutting conservation lands, the lotting plan (showing 5 lots and associated wetlands and uplands), its trail system, its natural beauty, and the plot plan prepared for Town Meeting, which showed a 30,000 square foot lot on Vine Street set aside for affordable housing. He explained that the Leary land had long been of conservation interest to the Town, and that the parcel was integral to the abutting Vine Brook Conservation land. It contained trails, wildlife, old fields, forest and wetlands, and was important watershed land. He noted that Mr. Leary’s home remains on the land, and is believed to date to 1848. He explained the proposal before the CPC was for a total of $2,763,100, which broke down as follows; $2,692,000 for the purchase of the land; $36,100 for legal, survey and assessment; $25,000 for a land management plan and signage; and $10,000 for the structural assessment of the historic Leary house. He added that the negotiated price of the land ($2,692,000) was less than the appraised value. Mr. Wolk then asked for questions from the public. Ms. Loretta Porter, a resident of Fletcher Road, and a TMMA member asked about the 30,000 sq. ft. lot, stating that she would like to see the lot devoted to affordable housing, specifically senior housing. She said there were few options in Town for senior housing, and that she would urge using the lot for this purpose. Mr. Bicknell, Chairman of the Housing Partnership said the Housing Partnership had not yet voted on the project, but that he was pleased personally to see both the housing and conservation objectives met in the proposal. He felt the land would be a great addition to conservation, and pointed out that the historic farmhouse 2