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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2021-10-28-CPC-min RECEIVED 2021 23 IIMov, IV pui °m TOWN CLERK Minutes of the Community Preservation Committee LEXINGTON MA Thursday, October 28, 2021 Remote Zoom Meeting Meeting ID: 826 8627 0371 4:00 PM Committee Members Present: Marilyn Fenollosa (Chair); Charles Hornig (Vice-Chair), David Horton, Jeanne Krieger, David Langseth, Joe Pato (arrived at 4:10PM), Bob Pressman, Lisah Rhodes, Melinda Walker. Administrative Assistant: Gina Federico Other Attendees: David Kanter, Vice-Chair, Capital Expenditures Committee liaison to the CPC; Amber Carr, Conservation Coordinator; Mary de Alderete, Town Clerk; Alex Dohan, Conservation Commission; Phil Hamilton, Chair, Conservation Commission; Carolyn Kosnoff (arrived 4:22 PM), Assistant Town Manager for Finance; Karen Mullins, Conservation Administrator; Althea Yates, Town Archivist (arrived 4:46 PM), Ingrid Klimoff(arrived 4:26 PM), Town Meeting Member. Ms. Fenollosa called the meeting to order at 4:05 PM. FY23 CPA Funding Request-Wright Farm Barn Stabilization and Preservation Ms. Mullins requested $115,000 in CPA funds to tend to the immediate shell stabilization needs of the Wright Farm Barn structure and to make it functional for three-season use by the public, including opening the ground floor of the Barn for local events. Currently there are broken windows, water collecting in the basement and roof root.This request is for phase 1 stabilization efforts. Ms. Fenollosa asked if the project is categorized under open space or historic resources because the Barn is listed as a historic resource and a permit would be required for demolition. Mr. Pressman asked about environmental contamination and if there has been testing to determine if there is environmental contamination in the building. Ms. Mullins responded that she is not aware if a contamination evaluation has been performed. Mr. Pressman asked if the request of$115,000 is enough to address the stabilization efforts. Mr. Horton asked if there has been a study on what the Barn needs and the priorities. Ms. Mullins explained that Conservation hired architect Colin Smith who developed a plan to turn the Barn into an environmental center with cost estimates. Mr. Langseth stated that there should be monetary provisions added to the request for contamination testing. Ms. Mullins explained that contamination testing is approximately$3-$5 thousand. Ms. Fenollosa stated that if the Committee agrees the FY23 funding request can be increased from $115,000 to $120,000 to include soil contamination testing. Mr. Hornig stated that he is not convinced that the work 1 proposed is enough to get a certificate of occupancy. Ms. Mullins said that this request is the first step to address stabilization efforts to prevent damage and there will be subsequent requests. Mr. Hornig explained that he is concerned about the cost of preserving the current building versus building a new one since there is a need for CPA funds in FY23. Ms. Fenollosa stated that there are very few barns left in Lexington and that the Committee needs to do what they can to help preserve a historic resource. Ms. Dohan stated that $115,000 is needed to address the water in the basement, roof gutters and boarding up the windows to keep the building from deteriorating further and that cost to make it usable as a public space would approximately be over$1 million. Ms. Walker stated that what is being proposed is not going to make the Barn functional for three season-use and that an analysis of the soil needs to be done. Ms. Fenollosa suggested waiting on a straw poll until Ms. Mullins consults with Facilities before bringing a revised application to the CPC. FY23 CPA Funding Request-West Farm Meadow Preservation- Ms. Mullins requested $28,175 in CPA funds for the preservation of approximately 10 acres of meadow at West Farm. The FY23 request is part of a conservation meadow preservation program. Ms. Fenollosa asked if DPW would be involved with the site preservation. Ms. Mullins explained that an outside source would be hired because the site requires removal of invasive species. Mr. Hornig asked if the Conservation Commission has a policy to determine which land is brought back to meadow and Ms. Mullins said that there is a land management plan. Ms. Fenollosa explained that a straw vote is not a commitment to fund a project but rather an indication of the Committees willingness to move forward. The Committee voted by a roll call vote in a straw poll to support the project (9-0). Ms. Fenollosa informed Ms. Mullins that Parker Meadow is on the consent agenda for Special Town Meeting (STM) and that a Conservation representative needs to be present to answer Town Meeting Members' questions. Ms. Carr, Ms. Dohan, Mr. Hamilton and Ms. Mullins left the meeting at 4:49 PM. FY23 CPA Funding Request-Archives and Records Management-The Committee introduced themselves to Ms. de Alderete, the new Town Clerk. Ms. de Alderete requested $20,000 in CPA funds for the conservation and preservation of historic municipal documents and records. The documents to be conserved include but are not limited to selected 1927 blueprints for the Cary Memorial Building, Tax Warrants and Acts of Massachusetts, 1778-1823; and a Police Department Journal from 1874-1909.The FY23 request is part of an ongoing annual request. Ms. de Alderete explained that the Clerk's office is seeking funding for a Police Department 2 Journal from 1874-1909 for a second time because the project was unable to be included in the 2020 Annual Town Meeting (ATM) appropriation due to budgetary limits. Ms. Fenollosa informed the Committee that the Historical Commission voted to find the documents to be "Historic Resources". Mr. Horton inquired about access to the documents. Ms. Yates explained that the electronic copies are available on the Town's public records portal and the originals are stored in the Cary Memorial Building basement. The Committee voted by a roll call vote in a straw poll to support the project (9-0). Ms. de Alderete and Ms. Yates left the meeting at 4:58 PM. Review CPC Report to STM-2021-1-The Committee discussed the draft submission of the CPC Report to STM 2021-1. After a motion duly made and seconded, the CPC Report to STM 2021-1 was approved as presented (9-0). Review of CPA bucket distribution- Ms. Fenollosa briefly reviewed the CPA statute requirement of a 10% surcharge distribution into Community Housing, Historic Resources and Open Space buckets. The remaining 70% is currently being distributed into the unbudgeted reserve. Mr. Pressman stated that Rob Adelson, the previous Assistant Town Manager for Finance created a hypothetical fourth bucket for Recreation but does not recall if it was ever put in a document. Whatever the bucket amount is, it is not going to preclude Mr. Pressman from voting a substantial amount. Mr. Pressman stated that he thinks there needs to be a level playing field. Ms. Kosnoff stated that Mr. Pressman's suggestion is a Committee decision and from an accounting prospective a fourth bucket is not going to be created within the Town's accounting system. The remaining 70% is available for all purposes and if the Committee tries to spend the same amount per bucket evenly it may create a surplus of banked funds. Ms. Kosnoff advised that Town meeting and the community may respond negatively to banked funds. Mr. Pato questioned the value that a fourth bucket would generate for the Committee. Mr. Hornig explained that it has not been the goal of the Committee to allocate how much money should go into each bucket and that a hypothetical number with no legal significance would not be helpful. Mr. Pressman stated that his point is greater than the Committee because the Town has a tremendous problem in terms of affordable housing. Ms. Rhodes stated that as the Recreation representative she wished to remind the Committee that the goal is to maintain and preserve Town recreational assets and that Recreation is bidding on available CPA money and encourages everyone to do the same. 2021 Needs Assessment Report-The Committee discussed the yearly Needs Assessment Report and agreed to hold a public hearing on 12-16-21. Mr. Pressman suggested multiple advertising outlets in addition to the required legal notice. 3 Minutes-After a motion duly made and seconded, the Committee voted by a roll call vote to approve the minutes from the Public Meeting on 9-23-2021 (9-0). Committee Business- Ms. Federico discussed the presentation schedule and notified the Committee that on 11-4-21 Facilities and Recreation will be presenting their FY23 CPA funding request, 11-11-21 is Veterans Day and it is anticipated that LexHAB and Lexington Housing Authority will present on 11-18-21. After a motion duly made and seconded, the Committee voted by a roll call vote (9-0) to adjourn at 5:25 PM. The following documents were used at the meeting: 1) CIP- Wright Barn Stabilization and Preservation 2) CIP- West Farm Meadow Preservation 3) CIP-Archives and Records Management 4) Historical Commission Letter dated 9-15-21 5) Clerks proposed projects and cost spreadsheet 6) Draft CPC Report to STM 7) Draft Minutes 9-23-21 Respectfully submitted, Gina Federico Administrative Assistant Community Preservation Committee 4