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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2023-11-16-CPC-min1 Minutes of the Community Preservation Committee Thursday, November 16, 2023 Remote Zoom Meeting Meeting ID: 996 3020 8967 4:00 PM Committee Members Present: Marilyn Fenollosa (Chair); Jeanne Krieger (Vice-Chair), Kevin Beuttell, Robert Creech, Lisa O’Brien, Robert Pressman, Mark Sandeen, Melinda Walker. Administrative Assistant: Thomas Case Other Attendees: Melissa Battite, Director of Recreation and Community Programs; Sandhya Beebee, Liaison, Capital Expenditures Committee (arrived at 4:06 PM); Mary de Alderete, Town Clerk; Christine Dean, Community Center Director; Caileen Foley, Executive Director, Lexington Housing Authority; David Pinsonneault, Director of Public Works (arrived at 4:30 PM); Althea Yates, Town Archivist. Ms. Fenollosa called the meeting to order at 4:04 PM. FY25 CPA Funding Request – LHA 561/563 Mass Ave Exterior Improvements – Ms. Foley requested $100,000 for exterior improvements on the LHA’s property at 561/563 Massachusetts Avenue. Ms. Foley gave the CPC a presentation on the scope of the project, information on the property, and the project’s CPA eligibility (see LHA’s FY25 CPA Application Presentation for more information). The project will be supplemented with about $50,000 from the Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities (EOHLC). Ms. Fenollosa thanked Ms. Foley for her presentation and commented that the LHA needs to meet with the Historic Districts Commission due to the property’s location. Ms. Fenollosa expressed concern that the Commission may have an issue with vinyl siding and upgraded windows, but suggested that since the property was not built until 1989, these historical restrictions may not be applicable. Ms. Foley added that this concern was discussed at the previous LHA Board Meeting and that she would contact the Commission. Mr. Creech commented that the property record card for 561/563 Massachusetts Ave says the building was built in 1991 instead of 1989. Mr. Creech asked if the LHA has used the Mass Save Insulation Program. Ms. Foley said they had not. Mr. Creech said the LHA needs to do the program. Mr. Creech commented that by code, the siding should be 8-inches above the ground, but that they are currently lower, which will contribute to rotting the siding. Mr. Creech asked if the project will replace all the windows and asked how many windows there were. Ms. Foley responded that the project will replace all the windows and that there are about 12 windows in total. Mr. Creech commented that it is not expressive to replace 12 double hung windows. Mr. 2 Creech also asked if the siding would be replaced around the entire property. Ms. Foley confirmed that the siding would be replaced around the entire property. Mr. Creech recommended not using vinyl siding due to its environmental impact. Mr. Creech shared that in his view, peeling paint is not indicative of the siding being in bad condition and that new siding will not make the property more energy efficient. Mr. Creech expressed concern that the cost of the project was too high for the project’s scope and asked if the project would go through a bidding process. Ms. Foley shared that the LHA is bound by public procurement rules and so the project will have to go out to bid. Ms. Foley added that the cost has a 20% mark-up as compared to the private industry. Mr. Pressman commented that there is precedent for the CPC approving and funding similar projects and shared with the Committee past examples of CPA funded projects that included window replacement, siding replacement, and other exterior improvements. Ms. Walker commented that the property is an LHA property and not a LexHAB property, and thus will have to follow state procurement guidelines indefinitely. Ms. Walker requested that Ms. Foley explain “formula funding” to the Committee. Ms. Foley explained that the state legislature approves a bond funding award to be given to the EOHLC, which is then distributed to the various housing authorities based on their number of units and needs. In the past, the LHA has received between $200 - $300 thousand for capital needs improvements. Ms. Foley added that there are also grants for sustainability and accessibility initiatives. Ms. Walker expressed concern for requiring affordable housing units to use more expensive materials when located in a historic district due to its overall impact on being able to build more housing. Ms. Krieger expressed support for emphasizing energy efficiency on affordable housing projects due to its long-term cost benefits. Ms. Fenollosa commented that the CPC could not make early decisions or hold a straw vote due to the total amount of CPA funds being requested for FY25, but noted that the CPC has supported the LHA in the past and continuing to support the LHA will remain a priority of the Committee. Ms. Foley left the meeting at 4:28 PM. FY25 CPA Funding Request – Archives and Records Management – Ms. de Alderete requested $20,000 for the conservation and preservation of historic municipal documents and records, including Fire Department Journals from 1927-1929, Intentions of Marriage from 1850-1897 and 1889-1908, and Planning Board Records Vol. 1 from 1918-1930. Ms. de Alderete also shared a quote from the Northeast Document Conservation Center with the Committee (see FY25 Archives Cost Estimates for more information). Ms. Yates added that the quote includes both the costs for conservation and digitization of the records. 3 Ms. Fenollosa asked if the digitization portion of the project is only incidental and if the primary purpose of this portion is for preservation. Ms. Yates confirmed that the digitization is for the preservation of the records in case something should happen to the originals and to reduce handling. Ms. Yates added that Lexington is not digitizing and then destroying the originals, as some other towns have been doing due to a lack of space. Ms. Fenollosa also asked if the Town Clerk’s Office could confirm that this project is not part of their mandatory records retention efforts, as opposed to the purpose of historic preservation. Ms. de Alderete confirmed that this project is separate from their mandatory record keeping. Ms. Fenollosa asked what a marriage intention is. Ms. de Alderete explained that a marriage intention is a form that a couple is required to fill when they intend to get married, so as to obtain a marriage license. Mr. Sandeen asked if a marriage intention was still required. Ms. de Alderete explained that they are and that the current waiting period for a marriage intention is three days. Ms. Yates added that the marriage intentions within this project include a lot of genealogical information that is no longer required for modern marriage intentions. Mr. Creech asked where one might go to access past marriage intentions. Ms. de Alderete answered that they could be accessed through the Town Clerk’s Office Ms. Fenollosa thanked Ms. de Alderete and Ms. Yates for meeting with the CPC and reiterated that the Committee is unable to make any early commitments for FY25 requests. Ms. de Alderete and Ms. Yates left the meeting at 4:35 PM. FY25 CPA Funding Requests – Recreation – Ms. Battite requested $545,000 for Park Improvements – Athletics Fields at Bowman Elementary School as part of their annual requests for improvement projects for fields and playing surfaces on school grounds. Ms. Battite added that Recreation is preparing the Town’s playing fields to be in the best shape possible in preparation for the loss of fields at Center Recreation due to the upcoming high school project. Ms. Battite requested $160,000 for the Lincoln Park Fitness Stations Equipment. Ms. Battite shared that the current equipment is beyond its end-of-life and some pieces have been removed. New equipment would be made of longer-lasting materials, be accessible, and meet today’s code expectations for outdoor equipment. Ms. Battite requested $492,000 for Park Improvements – Hard Court Surfaces at the Valley Road Recreation Area. Ms. Battite explained that the Valley Tennis Courts are failing and beyond repair despite having been resurfaced only three years ago because the area is a very wet area, the courts have seen extra use with the Gallagher courts being offline, and because the life of asphalt is less than what it used to be as a result of becoming a more environmentally friendly product. 4 Ms. Battite requested $1,145,000 for Lincoln Park Field Improvements – Field #2. Ms. Battite commented that this request is nearly identical for the previous request for Lincoln Field #1 and that the turf installation would be covered by the tax levy and not CPA funding. Ms. Battite added that the turf would use a BrockFILL infill instead of a crumb rubber. Ms. Fenollosa shared with the Committee that Town Counsel has approved the eligibility of the Lincoln Field Improvements since CPA funding will not be used for the artificial turf portion of the project. Ms. Battite added that the scope of the project that would be covered by CPA funding, would occur regardless of surface type. Mr. Pressman asked if the Bowman Field project includes funding from the General Fund. Ms. Battite replied that the request for the projected is for full funding from the CPA and Ms. Fenollosa added that there was an error in the CPC’s project list that suggested there might be General Funds allocated for the project. Mr. Pressman raised concern for the drainage problems at the Bowman Field and asked about the confidence that the project will resolve this problem. Mr. Pinsonneault commented that the Bowman Field has never been properly graded or amended and expressed confidence that water can be kept off the field once these practices are implemented. Ms. Battite expressed to the Committee that not all CPA funding for the Recreational Resources bucket is allocated to the Recreation Department. Ms. Battite added that if the Recreation projects are not funded with CPA funding, they would either continue to fail and be taken offline or they would be funded via the tax levy. Ms. Fenollosa asked if Recreation would have enough time to submit a request for tax levy funding for FY25 if the CPC elects not to fund the full amount requested. Ms. Battite replied that it would depend on the project but noted that this has been done in the past. Ms. Battite added that some projects, such as Lincoln Field #2, would have modified usage if delayed in order to maintain safety. Mr. Pressman asked if there was an updated Capital Summary Statement from the Recreation Committee. Ms. Battite said there was and that she could share it with the Committee and that it is also posted online. Mr. Pressman expressed his opinion that given Recreation’s importance as a Town activity, there should be a recurring minimum of $3 million for Recreation capital improvement from the tax levy and noted his belief that the lack of such a budget and subsequent reliance on CPA funding for capital improvements was never the intention of the CPA. Mr. Pressman asked if there were any instances in recent years of the Recreation Enterprise Fund funding capital projects other than at the golf course. Ms. Battite replied that the Enterprise Fund paid $100,000 for the Community Needs Assessment in 2020 and about $175,000 to replace a sump pump at the golf course. Ms. Battite also noted that the Enterprise Fund covers a lot of small capital improvement projects that do not reach the $25,000 threshold for capital improvement requests. Mr. Pressman asked if any of the Recreation 5 employees are paid from the Enterprise Fund. Ms. Battite replied that the Enterprise Funds cover all Recreation employees. Mr. Creech recommended that Recreation, and all applicants, consider which projects they would prioritize due to this year’s fiscal constraints for CPA appropriations. Mr. Creech suggested the Valley Rd Hard Court Surfaces and Lincoln Fitness Equipment as possible projects to remove or delay for funding requests. Ms. O’Brien commented that the upcoming high school’s impact on recreation space is an important factor when considering Recreation’s request, particularly for Lincoln Fields. Ms. Walker commented that there has been a disparity in CPA funding for community housing projects and advocated that the CPC should evaluate if CPA funding is being used for the highest good. Ms. Walker commented that the Recreation Committee has numerous volunteers and the support of the Town Manager’s Office and full-time staff, adding that Recreation can spend $100 thousand on a 5-year study, but no one is spending the same amount for housing or racial equity. Ms. Walker also commented that if the public supports continued support for recreation facilities, then they should be funded from the tax levy. Ms. Battite commented that Recreation’s projects are reviewed by the Town Manager and the Finance Office to determine the best place to request funding. Ms. Battite noted that CPA funding is based on annual requests and asked that if the CPC were to change its application procedures, that the Recreation Committee be notified due to the impact it would have on Recreation’s 5-year plan. Ms. Beebee expressed dismay that efforts to increase affordable housing funding are coinciding with the need for recreation funding as a result of the recreational impact from the upcoming high school project. Mr. Sandeen left the meeting at 5:10 PM. Mr. Pressman shared an instance before Covid-19 where the Select Board were presented with a 5-year plan for CPA funding which included projects for each CPA category except for community housing, adding that the current 5-year plan follows the same characteristic. Mr. Pressman also noted that the Town does not have an individual responsible for affordable housing and expressed that this is one of the main reasons why there have been less applications and funding for community housing projects. Ms. Fenollosa thanked Ms. Battite, Ms. Dean, and Mr. Pinsonnault for meeting with the CPC. Ms. Battite, Ms. Dean, and Mr. Pinsonnault left the meeting at 5:12 PM. 6 Minutes- Ms. Walker offered a correction for the Draft Minutes dated 11-09-2023 regarding the Section 8 housing vouchers at the Muzzey Condominiums. Mr. Creech commented that he also had suggested edits but added that it would be better not to try and add them during the meeting. Ms. Fenollosa agreed and requested that anyone with edits submit them, and then the Committee could approve the revised minutes at the next meeting. Committee Business- Ms. Fenollosa shared with the Committee that, per Stuart Saginor at the Community Preservation Coalition, the state’s CPA Trust Fund distribution was delayed and that there would not be any supplemental funding from the state budget. Ms. Fenollosa also requested that the CPC members rank their preferences for the proposed CPA projects in preparation for the Committee’s upcoming meeting on November 30th. The Committee agreed to hold a Public Hearing for the Needs Assessment Report on Thursday, December 14, 2023 at 4:00 PM via Zoom. Following the meeting, the Committee will plan to vote on CPA projects. Ms. Beebee left the meeting at 5:27 PM Mr. Pressman recommended that instead of prioritizing the applications and choosing not to fund certain projects, the Committee could consider funding a certain percentage of all projects. Mr. Pressman also stressed the need for final numbers for all projects before he or the CPA could make any final decisions. Mr. Pressman commented that the Town’s 5-Year CPA plan included about $12 million in funding for FY26, and noted that he would like to verify that planned request before making a decision on the library. After a motion duly made and seconded, the Committee voted by a roll call vote (7-0) to adjourn at 5:30 PM. The following documents were used at the meeting: 1) FY25 CPA Funding Application – LHA 561/563 Massachusetts Ave Exterior Improvements 2) LHA’s FY25 CPA Application Presentation 3) CIP – Archives and Records Management 4) Archives Letter of Support – Historical Commission 5) FY25 Archives Cost Estimates 6) CIP – Park Improvements – Athletic Fields 7) CIP – Lincoln Park Fitness Stations Equipment 8) CIP – Park Improvement – Hard Court Surfaces 9) CIP – Lincoln Park Field Improvements 10) Lincoln Field Working Group Memo dated 10-06-2023 11) Recreation Committee FY25 Capital Summary Statement dated 10-19-2023 7 12) Draft Minutes 11-09-2023 Respectfully submitted, Thomas Case Administrative Assistant Community Preservation Committee APPROVED 11/30/2023