Community Preservation Committee Reviews Proposals
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The Community Preservation Committee (CPC) has completed its first review of projects for the first round of CPA funding. The committee heard and discussed proposals at their meetings on October 17, October 30, November 7 and November 14. Twelve proposals were submitted, with several in each eligible CPA category – open space, community housing, historic preservation and recreation.
Revenues generated by the CPA surcharge are anticipated to exceed $1 million in the first year, increasing to approximately $2 million in the second year due to the receipt of state matching funds. Funds must be used or reserved as set forth in the Act, with a minimum of 10% of captured revenue used or reserved in each of the following categories: open space, community housing and historic preservation. The remaining 70% of the funds can be used for any of these purposes, plus recreation. All projects must be recommended to Town Meeting by the Community Preservation Committee. Residents or town boards cannot propose projects using CPA funds independently to Town Meeting.
At the November 14th meeting, the CPC narrowed the list of projects to four viable projects – the Cutting land purchase of development rights, the Dickson land purchase, Sudbury Housing Authority rental units, and the Hosmer House restoration and improvements. The Indian Grinding Stone proposal by the Sudbury Historical Society was withdrawn, as was the Curtis Field improvement project proposed by the Park & Recreation Commission. The CPC felt that the Northwood (O’Brien Meadows) proposal submitted by resident Ralph Tyler was not eligible for CPA funding, and similarly the Water Row Pedestrian Park proposal was also not an eligible project. The Community Housing Options proposal was a preliminary list of affordable housing options for future consideration, but had no specific project in mind at this time. The restoration of the bell tower at the Memorial Congregational Church was omitted from the list of projects for the 2003 Annual Town Meeting, and the proponents were asked to explore the creation of a permanent preservation restriction on the bell tower and outside funding sources before coming back to the CPC at its next funding round. The proposal to design a portion of the north/south rail trail was omitted from the final list until the newly formed Bike Trail Committee has the opportunity to conduct more public education and fact finding on the feasibility of constructing this segment of the rail rail. The Davis Field project proposed by the Park & recreation Commission was withdrawn due to environmental concerns raised by the Conservation Commission.
The committee must now decide which proposals will be brought up for a vote at the April 2003 Annual Town Meeting. Public input is sought on the project list at their next meeting on Wednesday, December 4, 2002 at 7:30 pm at the Goodnow Library. The CPC will also give brief presentations on what they have accomplished to date since their inception, review the CPA legislation and their preliminary report on the needs of the community, discuss the project submission process and discuss the Town Meeting process.
For a copy of the CPC report on Town needs, Click Here.