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Community Preservation Committee Special Fall Town Meeting 2006 The Community Preservation Committee is pleased to recommend three projects to Town Meeting for its consideration and approval. The three projects are (1) the preparation of a historic structure report of the Hancock - Clarke House, for $25,000; (2) the construction of a freight elevator in the Lexington Depot Building, for $44,000; and (3) the installation of moveable shelving in the Cary Memorial Building vault, for $60,000. Each of these projects was evaluated in light of the articulated criteria for acceptable CPA projects (as provided on the CPC page of the Town's website, http: / /ci.lexing!on.ma.us/ Committees/ CommunityPreservationCommittee /CPAUV.htm and vetted at a public hearing held on Thursday, October 5, 2006. In addition to the three Warrant Article projects, the CPC recommends approval of Warrant Article 4(i), which appropriates $20,000 to the Community Preservation Fund- Historic Reserve. These funds were the result of a settlement agreement with a developer who allegedly violated the Town's demolition delay by -law. The Community Preservation Act does not preclude deposits into the Lexington Community Preservation Fund from other sources, and once deposited, such funds are commingled with the tax surcharge receipts and allocated to CPA projects on the recommendations of the CPC with the approval of Town Meeting. Warrant Article 4 (ii)(a) refers to Phase I of the Hancock - Clarke restoration project and requests funding for a pre - construction study for the restoration of the Hancock - Clarke House. The Lexington Historical Society (LHS) has received a $25,000 grant from the Massachusetts Historical Commission (MHC) that must be matched with like funds. The goal of the project is to identify existing conditions that need repair; the LHS is already aware that a too -heavy roof and the transfer of the property back and forth across Hancock Street are causing the walls to bow out. The project will generate detailed architectural drawings, describe options for wheelchair access and provide the basis for construction and bid documents for the actual restoration. This building, a National Historic Landmark, is extremely important to the Town and has been under the stewardship of the LHS since 1896 when the Society saved the building from demolition. The CPC recognizes the importance of maintaining Lexington's historic structures, which define the Town's history and promote tourism, and therefore supports this funding request. The second CPC project being brought before Town Meeting is the LHS's request for funding to construct a freight elevator in the Lexington Depot Building, as described in Warrant Article 4 (ii)(b). The CPC recognizes that the Depot Building is privately owned by the LHS. But its availability for use by Lexington community groups and residents for a nominal rental charge provides a significant public benefit to the Town. The following are a few groups or residents that have used the Depot Building: State Representative Jay Kaufman, for his monthly Open House; the Selectmen, for their goal setting meeting; Peter Kelley, for his election campaign party; Stand for Children; Belfry Hill Neighborhood Association; and the Eagle Scouts, for their recognition ceremony, plus many more organizations. Currently, the Depot has no access — other than by ladder —to the storage area over the function space and offices. There is no place except the elevator shaft itself to store the tables, chairs, sound system and lectern that are used by organizations renting the building. Crowding these items into the elevator shaft has been difficult and unsafe, and access to the second floor storage area is needed. The CPC supports the elevator project for several reasons: