HomeMy WebLinkAbout2013-03-14-CPC-minMinutes of the Community Preservation Committee
Thursday, March 14, 2013
5:30 pm, Ellen Stone Room
Cary Memorial Building, 1605 Massachusetts Avenue
Present:
Committee Members: Marilyn Fenollosa, Chair; Joel Adler, Richard Canale, Norman Cohen,
Jeanne Krieger, Leo McSweeney, and Dick Wolk.
Administrative Assistant: Nathalie Rice
Also in attendance were David Kanter of the Capital Expenditures Committee (CEC) and Town
Meeting members Ingrid Klimoff and Charles Hornig (Mr. Hornig is also a Planning Board
member).
The meeting was called to order at 5:30 pm. by Ms. Fenollosa.
1. Appointment of the Chair - The CPC voted (7 -0) to appoint Marilyn Fenollosa Chair of
the Community Preservation Committee. (She had previously been Acting Chair.)
2. CPC Report to Annual Town Meeting — The CPC voted to approve the draft CPC Report
to Annual Town Meeting by a vote of (7 -0); the Committee agreed Ms. Fenollosa could
make any final changes prior to the report's release on April 1 st
3. Updates and Verification of Final Votes on Project Applications
a.) Visitor Center — Design Phase — Ms. Fenollosa informed the CPC that she had
spoken with Dawn McKenna, Chair of the Tourism Committee, who expressed
concern over the March 5 th CPC vote to recommend indefinite postponement of
the Visitor Center project. Ms. McKenna felt the CPC vote was premature, since
the Board of Selectmen (BOS) had not yet voted their approval/disapproval of the
project. (They had however, omitted the project in the FYI budget, and had
subsequently voted to approve that budget. The CPC interpreted this as a lack of
Selectmen support for the project.) In the absence of a formal BOS vote, Ms.
Fenollosa reported that she informed the applicant that the CPC would entertain a
request to reevaluate the project, should it receive Selectman approval. The CPC
affirmed this position with a vote of (7 -0).
b.) CPC Date Certain at Town Meeting — Ms. Fenollosa stated that the CPC has a
date certain for Town Meeting — Wednesday, April 3rd
4. Marrett Road Acquisition — Carl Valente, Town Manager, and Rob Addelson,
Assistant Town Manager for Finance met with the CPC to present the ancillary costs
for the proposed Marrett Road acquisition, and to reaffirm its eligibility as a historic
parcel. CPC votes on these issues were needed prior to the discussion of Article 2 to
be held that evening at the Special Town Meeting at 7:30 pm. A CPC vote was also
needed to confirm the eligibility of the parcel for historic preservation funds.
Previously, the CPC had voted to appropriate funds from the Open Space and
Historic Preservation "buckets ".
Mr. Addelson explained the ancillary costs as follows: survey, $15,000; legal
(including the cost of an historic preservation restriction) $120,000; site assessment,
$12,500; and short term debt and issuance costs, $115,000. He also noted that
$100,000 was proposed to be appropriated from the Facilities budget under Article
14(n) with CPA funds for the D &E costs for code compliance and future building
costs.
Mr. Addelson and Mr. Valente explained that the terms of the acquisition had
remained basically the same; the proposed CPA portion remained $7.39M out of an
appraised value of $8.2M, with the Commander's Lot and an area for a gymnasium
held out. Mr. Valente explained that a right of first refusal on the Commander's
House would be part of the acquisition. Mr. McSweeney questioned whether the use
of the Scottish Rite building had been determined, noting that there were 11
gymnasiums in Town. Mr. Adler noted that seniors in their present location are
lacking adequate exercise space. Mr. Valente responded that the building will in all
likelihood be used for a Community Center, but that plans for the gym were not
definite. A task force will be appointed to determine the scope of renovations to the
building and carriage house.
The CPC voted (7 -0) to; (1) support the purchase of the Marrett Road parcel with
$7.39M in CPA funds; (2) to appropriate ancillary funds as noted above; and (3) to
designate that all funds be drawn from the Historic Preservation "bucket ".
The meeting was adjourned at 6:05 pm.
Respectfully submitted,
Nathalie Rice
Administrative Assistant
Community Preservation Committee
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