HomeMy WebLinkAbout2006-05-17-CPC-min
Community Preservation Committee
May 17, 2006
Attending: Norm Cohen, Marilyn Fenollosa, Wendy Manz, Leo McSweeney, Richard
Pagett, Sandy Shaw, Betsey Weiss, Dick Wolk
Not attending: Joel Adler
The meeting was called to order at 5:20 P.M by Betsey Weiss.
application forms
1. The for CPA projects, as previously amended, was
unanimously approved. It was agreed that the form would be available to the
public through Lynne Pease in the Selectmen’s Office.
Minutes
2. of the Community Preservation Committee meetings of April 19, 2006,
April 26, 2006 and May 3, 2006 were reviewed and unanimously approved.
3. The Committee reviewed the proposed “Town of Lexington Board of Assessors”
envelope stuffer
, which will go out with the July tax bills to town residents.
Charts use larger fonts to be more readable and other fonts will be made uniform.
The Committee agreed that the presentation of CPA operation in the envelope
stuffer be consistent with that in the FAQ sheet given to town employees; the
FAQ will be revised. The envelope stuffer, with the amendments discussed, was
unanimously approved. It will be available in the Town Assessor’s Office as well
as in the tax mailing. The Committee discussed the need to discuss this
information with individual citizens who have questions after reading the mailing.
A citizen in the audience commented that many residents who have not followed
the CPA will be shocked when they read about it with their tax bill, and that they
should be prepared by a pre-tax mailing or other notice. The Committee noted
that there has been much public discussion of the CPA in newspaper articles, in
.
public hearings and on the floor of Town MeetingHowever, it was agreed that it
re-run explanatory materials
would be a good idea to in The Colonial Times
,
and The Minute Manto include information on exemptions and how to apply for
them, as well as how to propose a CPA project with the new applications forms.
CPA website
4. Candy McLaughlin is working on the , which should be up within a
couple of weeks. It will include the CPC Report to Town Meeting, a list of the
members of the CPC with the entities they represent and their terms, application
forms, minutes, how to apply for exemptions, and any other pertinent
information. [As an aside, the Committee noted that the initial member term is
one year, expiring 6/30/07, and thereafter, two years.]
Needs Assessment Report
5. The CPC is required to prepare a town wide which it
will work on over the summer. It was noted that much of the material for such a
report has already been gathered in the Comprehensive Plan, a Building/Space
Inventory, a Housing Needs Inventory, the five year plan of the Capital
Expenditures Committee and other reports. The town will also be preparing an
Open Space Inventory which was funded by the spring Town Meeting. Norm
Cohen suggested that the CPC review the Needs Assessment Reports of Bedford,
Wellesley, and other towns which have adopted the CPA. Chatham also has some
interesting CPA related articles on its warrant.
proposals for Busa Farm
6. Dick Wolk reported to the Committee on which was
brought to the CPC ‘s last meeting by Lexington and Arlington residents
including Oakes Plympton and Meg Muckenhaupt. The CPC had suggested that
the proponents discuss the proposal with the Conservation Commission, which is
represented on the CPC by Mr. Wolk. Busa Farm abuts the Arlington Reservoir
and wetlands. Residents buy “shares” in the farm and help with farm tasks in
exchange for fresh vegetables in season. They seek to preserve the farm through
an agricultural easement, or even outright purchase by the Town. There are
models in which a town has purchased a farm, granting a life tenancy to the
present owner. Mr. Wolk indicated that the Conservation Commission was
willing to talk to the owner of the farm, Fran Busa, to see if he had any interest in
such proposals.
next meeting is set for Wednesday, June 7, 2006 at 5:00 P.M.
7. The and Betsey
Weiss will notify the members of the meeting place.
adjourn
On a motion duly seconded, it was voted to the meeting at 6:15 P.M.
Respectfully submitted,
Wendy Manz