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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2013-01-10-CPC-minMinutes of the Community Preservation Committee Thursday, January 10, 2013, 2:00 pm Parker Room Town Offices Building, 1625 Massachusetts Avenue Present: Committee Members: Wendy Manz, Chair; Joel Adler, Norman Cohen, Marilyn Fenollosa, Vice Chair; Jeanne Krieger, Leo McSweeney, Sandra Shaw, Bob Pressman and Dick Wolk. Administrative Assistant: Nathalie Rice Also in attendance was David Kanter of the Capital Expenditures Committee (CEC). The meeting was called to order at 2:03 pm. by Ms. Manz. 1. Approval of the Minutes — Approval of the minutes of the regular CPC meeting of December 19 the minutes from the Public Hearing for the Needs Assessment Report of December 19 and the Executive Session Minutes of December 19 were approved as submitted. 2. Updates on FY14 CPA Project Applications a.) Print Shop Renovation, Central Administration Building — Ms. Manz noted the receipt of a revised application for the Print Shop Renovation project. Pat Goddard, Director of Facilities had modified the cost estimate for the project, reducing it from $430,835 to $312,000. Mr. Adler posed the question of whether a more detailed breakdown was needed for electrical costs. Members generally felt this was unnecessary since the project had not received CPC support in a previous straw vote. The final vote on the project was 2 -5 -1. The Print Shop Renovation project will not be forwarded to Town Meeting. b.) Lexington Center Pocket Parks Project — Ms. Manz updated the CPC on the Pocket Park project, for which a revised application had been submitted by Melisa Tintocalis, Director of Economic Development. Town Counsel reviewed the revised application and expressed some reservation about the private ownership of land on which the parks were proposed. Ms. Manz posed this issue to Kathy Roth at the Community Preservation Coalition, who reported that such parks were currently a favored use under the CPA. She suggested that if the private land was not "acquired" but was subject to an agreement such as a contract or a ground lease, a permanent use restriction would not be required. The CPC noted that there will be legal work needed to arrange contracts with the three land owners involved. Mr. Cohen noted that the project could not commence until such legal agreements were in place. Ms. Krieger offered a motion to add $15,000 to the project cost to cover legal expenses. The vote on this motion was 4 -4 -1 and it did not pass. Ms. Manz then called for a vote on the Pocket Park project contingent upon the resolution of the necessary legal issues. The vote was 8 -0 -1 in favor of the project. c.) Hastings Park Gazebo Renovation /Rehabilitation — Dave Pinsonneault, Director of Operations for DPW, reports that the assessed value of the gazebo is $14,000. The Gazebo Renovation Project would require expenditure of more than 30% of the value of the building, which triggers ADA compliance. Mr. Pinsonneault will submit a revised cost estimate during the week of January 21 covering ADA compliance. He indicated that the cost estimate in the revised application would be in the range of $80,000. His preliminary discussions with an architect had indicated that raising the grades on the side of the gazebo or wrapping the required ramp around the gazebo might reduce the ramp's length and visual impact. 3. Discussion of CPA Finances and Wright Farm Bonding — Rob Addelson, Assistant Town Manager for Finance, was invited to the CPC meeting to discuss financial planning for the year ahead. He reviewed a budget breakdown, which showed the balances of the three "buckets" and the Unbudgeted Reserve and Undesignated Fund Balance. Excluding Wright Farm debt service, (or any associated payments on a bond anticipation note) the CPA would have approximately $3.6M after the appropriation of all approved FY14 projects. Mr. Addelson will further verify the balance of the Undesignated Fund Balance. Mr. Addelson also discussed bond options for the Wright Farm acquisition which closed in December of 2012. He said he anticipated that a bond anticipation note (BAN) would be issued in February of 2013 for the bonding of the $2.95M purchase, and that the BAN would come due in FY14. He therefore recommended keeping a placeholder for the BAN, which would include interest and possibly any paydown monies. He said that in light of the negotiations for the possible purchase of 33 Marrett Road, renovations to the Cary Memorial Building and other large capital projects under consideration, it would be premature to set a definite amount for the FY14 debt service on Wright Farm. Mr. Addelson will further update the CPC at a meeting in February. 4. Final Votes on CPA Applications — The following final votes were taken on the FY14 applications under review by the CPC. Discussion is noted where relevant. a.) Archives Records and Preservation /Conservation, $20,000 — 9 -0 b.) 5 -Year Open Space Plan Update, $30,000 — 9 -0 This project has been removed from the list of projects that will go before Town Meeting. The $30,000 cost for updating the Open Space and Recreation Plan will be drawn from the FY14 Administrative budget. Members voted 9 -0 to support this project and its method of financing. c.) CPA Conservation Restriction Enforcement Funds, $25,000 — 9 -0 Ms. Rice noted that Ms. Mullins may revise the budget of this project to include the CR enforcement funds needed for the Busa property. If needed, the CPC will re -vote the project at its January 24 meeting. d.) Cary Memorial Building Upgrades, $550,000 — 8 -1 The Board of Selectmen will be discussing this project on Monday, January 14 The CPC voted to support 2 this project 8 -1 noting that the project could be postponed by the Selectmen if a decision is made to purchase 33 Marrett Road. e.) Muzzey Senior Center Upgrade — Phase 3, $526,818 — 7 -2 This project received support of the CPC, but with the understanding that it would be put on hold should the Town move to acquire 33 Marrett Road. L) Visitor Center Design Phase, $68,950 — 7 -2 Dawn McKenna, Chair of the Tourism Committee, was present for discussion of this project. Ms. McKenna noted that as a result of Selectmen review, the Tourism Committee will be holding public meetings in the upcoming weeks to educate the public and elicit further comment on design and project scope. g.) Installed Wall Units - Air Conditioners, Central Administration Building, $56,000 — 0 -8 -1 This project will not be recommended to Town Meeting for CPA funding. h.) Human Resources Office Renovation, Central Administration Building, $29,500 — 0 -8 -1 This project will not be recommended to Town Meeting for CPA funding. i.) Print Shop Renovation, Central Administration Building, $430,835 — 1 -8 This project will not be recommended to Town Meeting for CPA funding. j.) Park and Playground Improvements, $147,500 — 9 -0 k.) Park Improvements, $65,000 — 9 -0 1.) Lincoln Park Field Improvements, $150,000 — 9 -0 m.) Lexington Pocket Park and Alley Design, $15,000 — 8 -0 -1 This project had been previously discussed under "Updates" and received support of the CPC pending further legal work. n.) Merriam Hill Preservation Project, $3,000 — 6 -3 Ms. Fenollosa described the public notification policy of the Historical Commission regarding addition of homes to the Comprehensive Cultural Resources Survey (the Inventory). In response to a question from Mr. Pressman, Ms. Fenollosa explained that all homeowners in the Merriam Hill neighborhood would be notified of the commencement of the project, and would be invited to a public hearing if their home had subsequently been selected for placement on the Inventory. She explained that while homeowner input is welcomed as part of the decision to include houses on the Inventory, homeowners do not have an avenue for appeal to the Superior Court since a previous court decision had determined that listing on the Lexington Inventory alone did not necessarily result in a loss of property value. However, properties could subsequently be taken off the Inventory if a homeowner presented satisfactory evidence that they had lost their architectural or historic integrity, were unsaleable after good faith evidence to market them or were so 3 severely compromised that they could not be preserved. She said that the Historical Commission had instituted a policy 3 -4 years ago of conducting public hearings when properties were added to the Inventory. The hearings are not a statutory requirement, however. The CPC voted in favor of the project, (6 -3). There was some discussion following the CPC vote of how CPA funds might be accessed for additional administrative support for the Historical Commission. (This does not seem likely, however, since "support" for Historical Resources is not eligible under the present terms of the CPA.) o.) Moon Hill National Register Nomination Project, $6,000 — 8 -1 p.) Greeley Village Front Doors, $172,734 — 9 -0 q.) LexHAB Set -Aside Funds for the Acquisition of Community Housing, $450,000 — 8 -1 r.) Buckman Tavern Restoration and Renovation, $650,000 — 9 -0 s.) Administrative Budget, $150,000 — 9 -0 The $30,000 Update of the Open Space and Recreation Plan will be drawn against this budget of $150,000, as well any appraisals for proposed FYI Open Space acquisitions. t.) 33 Marrett Road Acquisition — Deferred until negotiations are final. u.) Wright Farm Debt Service, unknown at this time — 9 -0 The CPC voted in support of appropriating funds for the issuance of a BAN and the commitment of any paydown monies recommended by the Finance Department for the Wright Farm acquisition. 4. Future Meetings — The next CPC meeting was set for January 24 2013 at 2:00 pm. (The place of the meeting has since been set for the Ellen Stone Room.) The following documents were presented at the meeting: 1. Preliminary Estimate of Funds Available for Appropriation at the 2013 Annual Town Meeting, submitted by Rob Addelson, undated. The meeting was adjourned at 4:15 pm. Respectfully submitted, Nathalie Rice Administrative Assistant Community Preservation Committee E