2009-03-30-CPC-min - Laserfiche WebLink

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Community Preservation Committee Monday, March 30, 2009 Town Office Building, G-15 3:15 pm Present: Betsey Weiss, Chair; Marilyn Fenollosa, Vice Chair; Joel Adler, Norman Cohen, Jeanne Krieger, Wendy Manz, Nathalie Rice, Admin. Asst., Sandy Shaw and Dick Wolk. Also in attendance were George Burnell and Peter Kelley of the Board of Selectmen, David Kanter of the Capital Expenditures Committee, Eric Michelson of the Appropriation Committee, Joyce Miller Chairwoman of the Conservation Commission, Karen Mullins, Conservation Administrator, and Maryann McCall-Taylor, Town Planner. Absent: Leo McSweeney Ms. Weiss called the meeting to order at 3:20 pm. The purpose of the meeting was to discuss the comments from the Public Hearing held on th March 26specifically those relating to the acquisition of the Leary land, and to take final votes on projects that had changed significantly since the Committee’s last vote. 1.Leary Public Hearing Discussion – Ms. Weiss quickly summarized the discussion from the public hearing. Members agreed that much of the discussion at the hearing was premature, since no final decisions had been made about elements such as parking, access etc. Ms. Weiss said it was still unclear how the funding for the article would be determined, specifically how various amounts would be appropriated from the individual “buckets”. Ms. Krieger felt that the purchase should be straightforward, primarily a conservation acquisition, with the rest being appropriated from the affordable housing and historic preservation buckets. Committee members posed the question of the article risking failure if it was too ill defined. Mr. Cohen responded to this, stating that it could happen, and that he had heard from the Leary estate that day, with questions about the likelihood of passage. Mr. Cohen stressed the importance of the acquisition, and said it would be foolish if Town Meeting voted negatively based on the uncertainty of the housing and historic preservation elements. Ms. Mullins noted that Town Counsel had informed the Conservation Commission that a plan with metes and bounds would be needed for the conservation purchase as well as any division of land for affordable housing. Discussion then turned to the parking issues which arose at the hearing. Ms. Mullins said the Commission has to study the parcel and determine the appropriate place for any improvements. (This was the purpose of funding the land plan, which will enable the Commission to adequately study the Leary property and assess its future use and access.) 1