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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2008-11-13-CPC-rpt Town of Lexington Community Preservation Committee Articles 5-6: Community Preservation Committee CPA Projects Report to 2008 Special Town Meeting Released November 13, 2008 Betsey Weiss, Chair Joel Adler Norman Cohen Marilyn Fenollosa, Vice Chair Jeanne Krieger Wendy Manz Leo McSweeney Sandra Shaw Richard Wolk Nathalie Rice, Administrative Assistant COMMUNITY PRESERVATION COMMITTEE SPECIAL TOWN MEETING 2008 The Community Preservation Committee is pleased to recommend two projects to Town Meeting for its consideration and approval, as described on pages 7-11. Each of these projects was evaluated in light of the articulated criteria for acceptable CPA projects as outlined in pages 3-6. The projects have been evaluated at length and vetted at a public hearing held on November 13, 2008. The CPC includes its budget page at the end of this document. For additional information, visit the CPC page of the Town’s website, http://ci.lexington.ma.us/Committees/CommunityPreservationCommittee/CPAapp.htm 2 TOWN OF LEXINGTON COMMUNITY PRESERVATION COMMITTEE General Criteria The Lexington Community Preservation Committee will only consider proposals that are eligible for Community Preservation Act (CPA) funding according to the requirements described in the CPA legislation, specifically: ?? The acquisition, creation, and preservation of open space. ?? The acquisition, preservation, rehabilitation, and restoration of historic resources. ?? The acquisition, creation, and preservation of land for recreational use. ?? The creation, preservation, and support of community housing (including items such as annual payments to the housing authority to preserve or expand the affordable housing supply). ?? The rehabilitation and restoration of open space, land for recreational use, and community housing that is acquired or created using monies from the fund. Preference will be given to proposals that address as many of the following general criteria as possible: ?? Are consistent with current planning documents that have received wide scrutiny and input and have been adopted by the town; ?? Preserve the essential character of the town as described in the Comprehensive Plan; ?? Save resources that would otherwise be threatened and/or serve a currently under-served population; ?? Either serve more than one CPA purpose (especially in linking open space, recreation and community housing) or demonstrate why serving multiple needs is not feasible; ?? Demonstrate practicality and feasibility, and demonstrate that they can be implemented expeditiously and within budget; ?? Produce an advantageous cost/benefit value; ?? Leverage additional public and/or private funds; ?? Preserve or utilize currently owned town assets; and ?? Receive endorsement by other municipal boards or departments. Category Specific Criteria Open space proposals that address as many of the following specific criteria as possible will receive preference: ?? Permanently protect important wildlife habitat, including areas that are of local significance for biodiversity; contain a variety of habitats, with a diversity of geologic features and types of vegetation; contain a habitat type that is in danger of vanishing from Lexington; or preserve habitat for threatened or endangered species of plants or animals. ?? Provide opportunities for passive recreation and environmental education. ?? Preserve and/or restore threatened or deteriorating public lands. 3 ?? Protect or enhance wildlife corridors, promote connectivity of habitat or prevent fragmentation of habitats. ?? Provide connections with existing trails or potential trail linkages. ?? Preserve scenic views. ?? Border a scenic road. ?? Provide flood control/storage. ?? Preserve important surface water bodies, including wetlands, vernal pools or riparian zones. ?? Preserve a primary or secondary priority parcel in the Open Space Plan. Historical proposals that address as many of the following criteria as possible will receive preference: ?? Protect, preserve, enhance, restore and/or rehabilitate historic, cultural, architectural or archaeological resources of significance, especially those that are threatened. ?? Protect, preserve, enhance, restore and/or rehabilitate town-owned properties, features or resources of historical significance. ?? Protect, preserve, enhance, restore and/or rehabilitate the historical function of a property or site. ?? Support the adaptive reuse of historic properties. ?? Are within a Lexington Historic District, on a State or National Historic Register, or eligible for placement on such registers, or on the Lexington Historical Commission’s Cultural Resources Inventory. ?? Demonstrate a public benefit. ?? Demonstrate the ability to provide permanent protection for maintaining the historic resource. Affordable Housing proposals that address as many of the following criteria as possible will receive preference: ?? Contribute to the goal of maintaining at least 10% affordable housing. ?? Promote a socioeconomic environment that encourages diversity. ?? Provide housing that is harmonious in design, scale, setting and materials with the surrounding community. ?? Intermingle affordable and market rate housing at levels that exceed state requirements for percentage of affordable units. ?? Ensure long-term affordability. ?? Promote use of existing buildings or construction on previously developed or Town- owned sites. ?? Convert market rate to affordable units. ?? Give priority to local residents, Town employees, and employees of local businesses. Recreation proposals that address as many of the following criteria as possible will receive preference: ?? Support multiple active and passive recreation uses. ?? Serve a significant number of residents. 4 ?? Expand the range of recreational opportunities available to Lexington residents of all ages. ?? Jointly benefit Conservation Commission and Recreation Committee initiatives by promoting a variety of recreational activities. ?? Maximize the utility of land already owned by Lexington. ?? Promote the creative use of railway and other corridors to create safe and healthful non- motorized transportation opportunities. 5 COMMUNITY PRESERVATION FUND ALLOWABLE SPENDING PURPOSES OPEN SPACE HISTORIC RECREATIONAL COMMUNITY RESOURCES LAND HOUSING Land to protect existing and Building, structure, Land for active or passive Housing for low and DEFINITIONS future well fields, aquifers and vessel, real property, recreational use including, but moderate income recharge areas, watershed document or artifact listed not limited to, the use of land individuals and land, agricultural land, or eligible for listing on for community gardens, trails, families, including low grasslands, fields, forest land, the state register of and noncommercial youth and or moderate income fresh and salt water marshes, historic places or adult sports, and the use of seniors and other wetlands, ocean, determined by the local land as a park, playground or river, stream, lake and pond historic preservation athletic field Moderate income is frontage, beaches, dunes and commission to be less than 100%, and other coastal lands, lands to significant in the history, Does not include horse or dog low income is less than protect scenic vistas, land for archeology, architecture racing or the use of land for a 80%, of US HUD Area wildlife or nature preserve and or culture of the city or stadium, gymnasium or Wide Median Income land for recreational use town similar structure ACQUIRE YES YES YES YES Means obtain by gift, purchase, devise, grant, rental, rental purchase, lease or otherwise CREATE YES NO YES YES PRESERVE YES YES YES YES Means protect from injury, harm or destruction, not maintenance YES SUPPORT NO NO NO , including funding for community’s affordable housing trust YESYESYES REHABILITATE/RESTORE , YES , , Means remodel, reconstruct or if acquired or created with CP if acquired or created with CP if acquired or created extraordinary repair (not maintenance) to fundsfundswith CP funds make property functional for their intended use,including improvements to comply with federal, state or local building or access codes or work to comply with U.S. Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for Rehabilitation (36 C.F.R. Part 68) Adapted from information provided by Massachusetts Department of Revenue, Division of Local Services 6 ARTICLE 5 Project: Land Purchase – Off Cedar Street and off Hartwell Avenue CPA Category: Open Space Amount Requested: $186,100 Amount Recommended: $186,100 CPC Vote: Approval (9-0) Project Description: This project requests funding for the purchase of two parcels and their associated appraisal, survey and legal costs. Acquisition: $140,000. Appraisal/Survey/Legal: $46,100. The total of $186,100 covers all acquisition costs for the two parcels. 1. 9.50 Acres Vacant Land Off Cedar Street Map 73 Lot 6A This 9.50 acre parcel off of Cedar Street, owned by the Goodwin Family Trust, is largely wetland and completely wooded. The wetlands here drain into the Kiln Brook, which serves as a headwater stream for the Shawsheen River Watershed and the Town of Bedford’s water supply. The parcel is sandwiched between the Meagherville conservation area (~ 61 acres) and the Town-owned Pine Meadows Golf Course (~ 88 acres). While the parcel does have frontage on a paper street, it does not have frontage on a currently existing public street, and therefore the only practical access is through Meagherville and Pine Meadows. The parcel serves as an important area for wildlife habitat, extending the forested boundary of the Meagherville area and adding wetland habitat diversity. Meagherville is one of the older forested areas in Lexington, with a relatively flat pine-beech forest in the uplands that provides an important food source in the form of beechnuts to deer, squirrels, turkeys, and birds. Extending the boundary of Meagherville with this parcel also allows for additional passive recreational opportunities for visitors. As a wooded lot surrounded by open space and serving as a headwaters area to the Shawsheen River Watershed, this parcel sits in a key location for acquisition by the Conservation Commission. Protecting the property in perpetuity would benefit the Town’s residents, wildlife, and waterways (as well as Bedford’s water supply) by conserving an additional 9.50 acres of forest and wetlands in the middle of two Town-owned open space areas. 2. 10.7 Acres Vacant Land Off Hartwell Avenue Map 73 Lot 8 This 10.7 acre wooded parcel off of Hartwell Avenue, also owned by the Goodwin Family Trust, is roughly half wetland and half upland. An open area under the NSTAR power easement, it is the only non-forest area of the parcel. Kiln Brook, which crosses the southeastern corner of the parcel, serves as a headwater stream for the Shawsheen River Watershed and Town of Bedford’s water supply. While there is currently no access to this landlocked parcel, there is a possibility of future access through abutting private parcels. 7 The parcel abuts Katahdin Woods (~54 acres) and the Town’s composting facility (~ 68 acres) and sits between the Minuteman Bikeway and the Battle Road Trail, making it a key parcel for the West Lexington Greenway. This parcel also serves as a key area for habitat connectivity in Lexington west of Route 128.Wildlife using this parcel has access to a stretch of open space from the Burlington line to the Lincoln line, including Katahdin Woods, Tophet Swamp, Simond’s Brook, Paint Mine, the conservation land along Wood Street, and Minuteman National Historic Park. As a wooded lot in the West Lexington Greenway area and within the headwaters area of the Shawsheen River Watershed, this parcel sits in a key location for acquisition by the Conservation Commission. Protecting the property in perpetuity would benefit the Town’s residents, wildlife, and waterways by adding an additional 10.7 acres to an important corridor of open space on the western side of Lexington. Project Goals and Objectives: ?? Acquire properties contiguous to existing town conservation land ?? Protect wetlands and water supply ?? Protect wildlife habitats ?? Increase passive recreational opportunities for visitors to Meagherville and West Lexington Greenway Project Benefit: The purchases will benefit Lexington by protecting additional open space, ensuring access to existing conservation lands and promoting active and passive recreational activities for all Lexingtonians. Funding Request: The project requests $186,100 of CPA funds to fund the appraisal, survey, legal and purchase costs of the two properties. For the two properties together, appraisal costs are anticipated to be $4,600; survey, $29,583; legal, $11,891 and purchase, $140,000. A closing on the property is expected after the first of the year. 8 Map of Two Parcels of Land Owned by the Goodwin Family Trust, 73-6A and 73-8 9 ARTICLE 6 Project: Harrington Preschool Playground CPA Category: Recreation Amount Requested: $35,135 Amount Recommended: $35,135 CPC Vote: Approval (9-0) Project Description: This request is for $35,135 in supplemental funding for a Pre-School Accessible Playground for Lexington Children’s Place (LCP), a public pre-school program housed at Old Harrington elementary school. Annual 2008 Town Meeting authorized $75,000 of CPA funds to purchase and install playground structures. During the process of designing the playground, an alternate location adjacent to the proposed wooded site was identified. This new site was level, open, and deemed better suited than the initial site. Design and engineering costs for the initial wooded site amounted to over $20,000, well above what had been anticipated. Design and engineering costs associated with the new level location were only $18,000. This figure of $18,000 still represented a $13,000 shortfall over the monies that had been appropriated in FY 08 for Site Services work ($5,000). The additional $13,000 for Site Services for the cleared site are needed because (1) the open location will still require significant site preparation work and (2) it is within a 100 feet of wetlands and will require the customary design, drainage, and permitting required by state and local wetlands laws. The new site requires additional sidewalk for proper access at a cost of $7,174. The cost of playground structure itself has increased over the last year by $10,361 due to increased steel prices, and a fence around the playground is estimated at $10,400. Because of these increased costs, supplemental funding is needed to build the preschool playground in its safest and most cost efficient location. These increases; $13,000 in Site Services, $6,774 in Site Preparation, $10,361 in the playground structure itself, plus a $5,000 contingency cost, combine for a total of $35,135 . Project Goals and Objectives: ?? An appropriate-sized, wheelchair ramped playground will be constructed, separate from the existing Harrington playground, in an area not previously used for play structures. ?? The play equipment will include transfer platforms, specialized swings, and sandboxes with supports for sitting, to facilitate gross motor development. ?? Specialized playground will encourage daily outdoor play, which is viewed by the Mass. Department of Education as an important preschool opportunity for learning. 10 Project Benefit: The Lexington Children’s Place has recently located at the new Harrington School, which has no appropriate playground for small children with physical challenges. This project would address the need for new play equipment designed to encourage learning and physical development of preschoolers who attend the LCP program. Neighborhood children, as well as kindergartners attending Harrington who may be physically challenged, will also be able to use this specialized playground. Funding Request: The total project cost for the playground is estimated at $130,135. In spring of 2008, Town Meeting appropriated $75,000 for the playground, and LCP parents raised an initial $20,000. The request for the appropriation of $35,135 from CPA funds at Special Town Meeting this fall, will enable completion of the site work and installation of the playground in its new location. The playground will include a ramped structure with two slides, monkey bars, two covered play spaces, a wiggle bridge, two teeter-totters, four handicapped accessible swings and a covered sandbox. Site preparation will include clearing and grading the lot, layout and excavation of play area, installation of geo-fabric and wood-fiber surface, three rubber wear areas, the construction of a four foot-high fence with double gates, and the installation of the sidewalk. 11 CPC RECOMMENDATIONS TO 2008 SPECIAL TOWN MEETING APPROPRIATED TO DATE (by category as of 30 June 2008) Affordable Housing $1,391,640 Historic Preservation 3,071,945 Open Space 82,500 Recreation 232,500 TOTAL$4,778,585 AVAILABLE FOR APPROPRIATION at 2008 Special Town Meeting ESTIMATED REVENUE`, FY09 Property Surcharge $2,754,960 1 State Match (conservatively estimated) 1,550,682 Investment Income (estimated) 40,000 Total FY09 Estimated Revenue$ 4,345,642 UNAPPROPRIATED BALANCESas of 1 July 2008 Affordable Housing Reserve $ -0- Historic Preservation Reserve -0- Open Space Reserve 1,121,411 Undesignated Budgeted Reserve 1,694,884 Undesignated Fund Balance 5,165,595 Total 7,981,890 RECOMMENDATIONS FOR APPROPRIATION FOR 2008 SPECIAL TOWN MEETING Requested Recommended OPEN SPACE Two sites off Cedar and Hartwell $186,100 $186,100 RECREATION Pre-School Playground $35,135 $335,135 TOTAL$221,235 $221,235 11/13/08 1 On October 16, 2008, the DOR distributed $1,927,708 to Lexington, which was the Community Trust Fund State Match amount. This represented a 69.39% match on our local surcharge amount of $2,777,882. We estimated the State Match this fiscal year at $1,550,682, and voted this amount at the 2008 Annual Town Meeting. The difference between our estimate and the actual State Match is $377,026, which will become a component of the Undesignated Fund Balance as of 7/01/09. 12 13