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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2010-01-14-CPC-min Community Preservation Committee Public Hearing Thursday, January 14, 2010 Cary Auditorium 6:30 pm Present: Betsey Weiss, Chair; Joel Adler, Norman Cohen, Marilyn Fenollosa, Vice Chair; Jeanne Krieger, Wendy Manz, Leo McSweeney, Nathalie Rice, Admin. Asst; Sandy Shaw, and Dick Wolk. Mr. David Kanter of the Capital Expenditures Committee (CEC) was also in attendance. Ms. Weiss called the Public Hearing to order at 6:34 pm. The purpose of the Public Hearing was to hear presentations from twenty project applicants who had submitted applications for CPA funding. 1.Munroe Tavern Restoration and Rehabilitation - Ms. Susan Bennett, Director of the Lexington Historical Society, introduced this request for $400,000 for restoration and rehabilitation work on the Munroe Tavern at 1332 Massachusetts Avenue. She explained that the Historic Structures Report for the Tavern was complete, and gave the Chair a copy of the report. Ms. Bennett explained that there were five aspects of work involved in the restoration of the Munroe Tavern, including; (1) the repair and restoration of historic fabric (including restoration of the historic Colonial fireplace); (2) the renovation of underutilized space to create a museum room and public bathrooms; (3) handicapped accessibility to both the first and second floors and site work to replace deteriorated stairs, landings and railings; (4) systems replacement including installation of heat in the museum, climate control to protect artifacts, complete re-wiring of the house and replacement of the 90- year-old sprinkler system; and (5) curatorial storage improvements. The request before the CPC is for $400,000, half of the proposed project cost. Ms. Bennett explained that there will be an addition to the Tavern which will be constructed in the location of a former shed. She explained that there would be an archeological excavation before the foundation is dug, due to the presence of an old buttery and well in the area. (She stressed that the addition was not to be funded with CPA funds, since it was new construction.) It was the intention of the Society, she noted to make the archeological dig as user- friendly as possible, including ADA accessibility. In response to a question from Mr. Kanter, Ms. Bennett explained that the new construction for the addition would cost $278,000, while the renovations to the museum would cost $541,374. Ms. Bennett said she anticipated construction would commence in the fall of 2010, and that the building would reopen at its customary time in 2011. 1 2.Minuteman Bikeway Preservation Project - Mr. Livsey, the Town Engineer, presented this $320,000 request for CPA funds, explaining that there were seven areas of the 5.5 mile Bikeway through Lexington that required preservation work. He described the type of work needed at several of these locations including sites west of Revere Street and west of Bow Street. In response to a question from Mr. Frank Sandy, Town Meeting Member (TMM), Mr. Livsey explained that the portions of the Bikeway which would not be eligible for CPA funds included maintenance work such as hot-topping and regrading. He added that the work that was not CPA eligible would be paid from a previous unspent appropriation. Mr. Adler commended Mr. Livsey for his follow-through on the project. 3.Stormwater Mitigation Old Reservoir/Marrett Road - Mr. Livsey next addressed the stormwater mitigation project on Marrett Road, (Phase II of a two phase project) which sought $190,047 in CPA funds for FY11. Mr. Livsey explained that the bacteria count in the Old Reservoir had increased over the last several years, and that work on the final storm drain on the southwestern side of the Reservoir would be upgraded to increase the retention time of runoff from Marrett Road. The upgrades to the catch basin and the increased detention time will reduce the bacteria count and make the Reservoir usable on a more consistent basis. Mr. Livsey explained that the source of the bacteria was identified as primarily animal waste. In response to a question from Mr. Adler, he also explained that the Town had sought but not qualified for State grant monies for the project. 4.Center Playfields Drainage Implementation Phase - Mr. Livsey then presented the Center Fields projects, which requested $875,173 in CPA funds. He explained the history of poor drainage on the fields, and said the drainage project would be conducted in three phases, with Phase I being proposed for FY11. The work in Phase I would include regrading and augmenting the soils on the baseball and softball fields along Worthen Road. In FY12 and FY13 CPA funds would be sought for Phases II and III, respectively. Mr. Richard Pagett, (TMM), asked if Phase I would be jeopardized if the subsequent phases were not funded. Mr. Livsey replied that the work in the three phases would all be conducted independently. 5.Greeley Village Siding Replacement - Mr. Steve Keane, the Maintenance Superintendent for the Housing Authority, addressed this request for $386,129 in CPA funding for the replacement of siding at Greeley Village. He explained that the siding on the units was over 40 years old, and was leaking and deteriorating. In certain areas over doorways, he noted that water 2 leaks behind the jamb, causing flooding in the entranceway and freezing doors open in winter. There were no questions about this project. 6.Vynebrooke Village Drainage Project (Design Study) - Mr. Keane then addressed this project which requested $10,000 in CPA funds to design a drainage system for Vynebrooke Village. Mr. Keane explained that at present, there is standing water around many of the units, and that surface flow from rain events drains into the basement crawl spaces, causing flooding and mold problems. The requested funding would enable the Housing Authority to work with an engineer who can design a system to direct surface flow away from the units. It was Mr. Keane’s belief that water can be directed to the storm drain system, but this will require Conservation Commission and potentially state permitting. The $10,000 will cover such permitting costs. There were no questions on this project. 7.Cary Memorial Building Signage - Ms. Candy McLaughlin, Organizational Development Director, introduced this project request for $25,000. She explained that the project would include the purchase and mounting of signs for the interior of the Cary Memorial Building, and the exterior of the Town Offices, Cary Memorial Building, and the Police Station. She said there were also plans to erect a free-standing “campus” sign on the lawn in the circle in front of the Cary Memorial Building. Mr. Pagett questioned if there would be too many signs, to which Ms. McLaughlin responded that there would be approximately twenty. Ms. Jane Pagett, (TMM) questioned if a consultant would be used to aid the Town in designing the signs, to which Ms. McLaughlin explained that a consultant had been used in the initial sign project in FY09, but that the vendor for the signs was so adept at making mock-ups, that they did not feel the need for the consultant for this project. Ms. Fenollosa asked if the Historic District Commission (HDC) had reviewed the project to which Ms. McLaughlin responded that she and Shawn Newell, the Project Manager, had walked the buildings with Mr. Joe Welch, Chair of the HDC, and that he had shown support for the project. 8.Archives and Records Management/Records Conservation - Ms. Donna Hooper, Town Clerk, explained that this $150,000 request for CPA funds was the third year of a five year project. She described the work conducted in the first two years and said that FY11 would be devoted to the digitization of Town records, Historical Commission and Historic District Commission records, Assessor’s records, and the reformatting of ten volumes of Cemetery records. She described the work to be undertaken in year 4, and said that she anticipated that Year 5’s request for CPC funds might be less than $150,000. There were no questions about this project. 3 9.Stone Building Exterior Stabilization - Mr. Pat Goddard, Director of Facilities, presented this project for $202,933. He gave a brief background of the project, and stated that the Historic Structures Report had been completed, and was the basis for the requested $202,933. Although there was approximately $122,000 to $130,000 remaining in the FY 2010 budget from a previous CPA appropriation, Mr. Goddard explained that he felt it would be “cleaner” to return these funds, and commence in FY11 with a new appropriation. There were no questions on this project. 10.Town Office Building Renovation - Mr. Mark Barrett, Project Manager from the Facilities Department, addressed this application for $1,933,947. Mr. Barrett gave a brief history of the project and explained that the proposed work entailed bringing the building up to code from the standpoint of ADA accessibility and fire safety, and relocating certain offices to increase efficiency. The ADA work would include the installation of handicapped accessible bathrooms and counters, installation of a ramp at the front of the building, and a handicapped accessible door on the Post Office side of the building. Mr. Sandy said he recalled an appropriation for handicapped bathrooms a few years earlier, which Mr. Barrett replied had not been spent. Mr. Sandy also asked why there was a need for a handicapped entrance on the east side of the building (facing the Post Office) when there was no handicapped parking on that side of the building. Mr. Barrett responded that the handicapped entrance had been suggested by the architect. Mr. Kanter of the CEC, asked Mr. Barrett if the previous ADA appropriation for the bathrooms was included in the $1,933,947 figure. Mr. Barret replied that it was not, and would be additive to the project. (There is presently approximately $49,000 left in this FY09 appropriation for the ADA bathroom work.) 11.Cary Library Preservation Project - Archives - Ms. Connie Rawson, Director of the Library, spoke to this request for $100,000 for the conversion of an existing storage room into a climate controlled vault for historic document storage. She explained the need for the vault, and said that $10,000 would be devoted to design work, with the remainder devoted to the construction of the vault. There were no questions regarding this project. 12.Building Envelope – Mr. Goddard addressed this request for $73,000 for roof repairs to Cary Hall, restoration of architectural details to the top of the Cary Memorial Building, related work, and updating of the Massachusetts Historical Commission Form B. There were no questions on this project. 13.Muzzey Senior Center Improvements Study - Mr. Goddard also addressed this project which requested $45,100 in CPA funds. He explained that the 4 Senior Center needed upgrades to its heating and air conditioning systems and that it needed access between its two floors for handicapped visitors. Lighting and signage were also a problem in the building, and there were additional upgrades needed to conform to MAAB (Massachusetts Architectural Access Board) regulations. He said the Senior Center would be returning to the CPC for funding in FY12 for approximately $250,000 in construction costs, though he did say the construction could be phased if necessary. In response to a question from Mr. Kanter of the CEC, Mr. Goddard said that the staff of the Senior Center would have to relocate their programs while construction was in progress. 14.Cary Hall/TOB HVAC Controls - Mr. Goddard presented this project, which requested $35,000 in CPA funding to upgrade the HVAC system in the Town Office Building and the Cary Memorial Building. He explained that the two buildings now share a pneumatic system for heating, and that valves must be opened manually. Upgrades to the system would enable them to be controlled by computer, thereby saving on heating and cooling costs. In response to a question from Mr. Kanter, Mr. Goddard said that he believed the cost saving would be approximately $5,000 per year. 15.Police Station Ventilation - Mr. Goddard also introduced this project, which sought $31,700 in CPA funds to upgrade the ventilation system in the lower floor of the Police Station. He explained that at present, there is inadequate ventilation from the lower floor of the station, particularly the holding cells. There is no air conditioning in the men’s or women’s locker rooms, and the lack of recycled air in the entire floor has lead to mold and condensation problems. Mr. Pagett questioned why the project was eligible for CPA funds, and was not simply in the operating budget. Ms. Weiss explained that the project was enabling the Police Station, which was in a Historic District, to be made functional for its intended use. She added that it had been approved by Town Counsel, a process which Ms. Manz explained in more detail. 16.White House Historic Structures Report - Mr. Goddard addressed this project, which requested $18,000 for a Historic Structures Report for the White House. Mr. Goddard explained the key features of the Report, and said that is was important that the Report be conducted in order to assess the appropriate next steps for the building. He said the Report would be the first step toward stabilizing the building until the Town could decide upon its use. There was a great deal of discussion of this project, with Mr. Sandy, Ms. Jane Pagett and Ms. Dawn McKenna (TMM) stating their opinions that enough money had been spent to date on the building. Mr. Goddard explained his opinion that the Historic Structures Report would describe the history of the 5 various aspects of the building and help the Town assess which sections of the house might be stabilized and which might be removed. 17.Cary Memorial Building Venue Improvements Study - Mr. Goddard outlined this proposal for $60,000 in study monies for the evaluation of the Cary Memorial Building as a performance venue. Mr. Goddard explained that the mechanical systems in the building are in need of repair/replacement and that those attending performances cannot hear over the heating or air conditioning systems. He said that over time, the various rooms in Cary Hall have been used for non-performance uses, to the point where there is now no available room for musicians to store instruments. There are also no ADA bathrooms and no ADA access to the stage. Questions arose about a previous appropriation which evaluated Cary Hall as a major venue for performances. Mr. Goddard explained that it was decided that the Hall was not appropriate as a formal venue for large performances, but that even as a smaller local venue, it was still insufficient. He said the cost of the study would roughly break out as follows; $12,000 for an engineering evaluation, $30,000 for an architectural evaluation, and $10,000 for a consultant who could assess the theatre. 18.Battle Road Master Plan - Ms. Dawn McKenna presented this proposal for $25,000 for a Master Plan of the Battle Green, representing the Battle Green Master Plan Committee. She described the work of the Committee which had resulted in the realization that the Committee needed a consultant help to develop a plan to address issues related to lighting, sidewalks, public use, etc. There were no questions on the project. 19.LexHAB Purchase of Two Properties - Mr. Bill Hays, Director of LexHAB addressed this project, stating that LexHAB intended to move ahead with securing funding on two properties, one at 142 Emerson Gardens, and a second at 454 Marrett Road. He described the units and explained that LexHAB would rent them according to newly approved rental provisions approved by the DHDC. He also raised the issue of LexHAB’s request for 100% funding this year, which did not conform with previous CPC requests for 80% funding. He explained that LexHAB will be putting approximately $30,000 into each unit in significant repairs before they are ready for the rental market. There were no questions on this project. 20.Comprehensive Cultural Resources Survey - Supplemental Appropriation – Ms. Sally Zimmerman of the Historical Commission spoke to this request for $5,300 in supplemental funding to complete a final phase of the Cultural Resources Study, approved at the 2007 Annual Town 6 Meeting. The supplemental funding would enable the Historical Commission to leverage the CPA funds and apply for a grant of $15,000. The grant would be used to continue the survey of historic neighborhoods in Lexington, particularly mid-century “modern” neighborhoods. These neighborhoods would then be listed on the National Register of Historic Places, with the owners’ permission. There were no questions on this project. 21.Land Acquisition - This project was passed over pending further information. 22.Cotton Farm Land Acquistion - This project was passed over pending further information. 23.Busa Debt Service - Ms. Weiss spoke to the issue of the debt service for the Busa property, for which CPA funds were appropriated at the Special Town Meeting in May 2009. She explained that with the help of Mr. Rob Addelson, the Assistant Town Manager of Finance, the CPC had decided to front end load the Busa debt payment for FY11, resulting in an approximate payment of $2.7 million. The discussion of the debt service prompted a larger discussion of the CPC budget, in which Mr. Pagett questioned the number of projects and their total cost. He suggested that just because projects are “legal”, or have been approved by Town Counsel, they should not automatically be approved by the CPC. Mr. Sandy echoed this sentiment, asking what the annual CPA revenue was, and suggested that approving $5.7 million in FY11 exceeded the CPA FY11 revenue of $4.0 million. Ms. Weiss explained that the CPC had reserves from the two previous years, and would not “overspend” its budget in FY11. 24.Administrative Budget - Ms. Weiss stated that the Administrative budget for the CPC was $150,000, which included $50,000 in land planning fees reserved for the land acquisition, funds for legal fees, and funds for the salary of the part-time Administrative Assistant. There were no questions about the CPC budget. The Public Hearing was adjourned at 8:35 pm. Respectfully submitted, Nathalie Rice Administrative Assistant Community Preservation Committee 7