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September 2008
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CPA News
 
coalition news

Important CPA deadline approaching
As we reported in our special CPA Bulletin in August, the Department of Revenue now requires that all Community Preservation Committees enter their approved CPA projects online by September 15 in order to receive the CPA Trust Fund distribution on time in October.

As of earlier this week, almost 50 communities had not yet entered their FY2008 projects into the online CP-3 database. In addition, many communities also had not yet filed their CP-1 form with DOR. This form, which is jointly prepared by the Board of Assessors and Accounting Officer, is also due September 15th in order for a community to receive their matching funds.

For more information, call DOR's Municipal Databank Unit at 617-626-2384 or databank@dor.state.ma.us. Communities which did not complete any CPA projects during FY2008 should call or email DOR with that information.


CPA Trust Fund Update (as of September 8, 2008)
We now have the figures for collections for the CPA Trust Fund during FY2008, and we can also provide an update on the total amount of funds that will be available for the CPA Trust Fund distribution next month.

Click here for an update on the CPA Trust Fund.


Update on CPA Recreation Lawsuit
In January, the City of Newton filed an appeal of the judge's decision in the CPA recreation lawsuit, Seideman and others v. City of Newton. Oral arguments in the case were held last week at the state's Supreme Judicial Court (SJC).

Click here for an update on this lawsuit and to watch video of the hearing.


Fame and fortune for outstanding CPA projects!
 
The Robert Kuehn Community Preservation Award
Bob Kuehn

The Community Preservation Coalition is pleased to announce the initiation of a new award program - The Robert Kuehn Community Preservation Award - developed to honor the memory and work of Bob Kuehn. Bob Kuehn, President of Keen Development Company, was actively involved in the process of drafting and passing the Community Preservation Act (CPA). Bob was also one of the founders and main supporters of the Community Preservation Coalition, and served as Vice-Chair of the Steering Committee until his death in June 2006.

The Robert Kuehn Community Preservation Award program will honor two completed CPA projects that best exemplify the spirit of Bob Kuehn's legacy. One winner will be chosen in each of two categories. The large community category includes CPA cities and towns with FY2008 local surcharge revenue over $400,000 and the small category includes those whose surcharge revenue is under $400,000. The winning community in each category will receive an award of $3,500. The Keen Charitable Foundation is donating the award money in Bob's memory. Applications must be submitted by December 31, 2008.

Read on for selection criteria and more information on how to apply


Want to work for The Coalition?
 

The Community Preservation Coalition recently received a grant from a private foundation to hire a Communications Coordinator. The Communications Coordinator will handle all communications-related activities for The Coalition, focusing on better serving the needs of member CPA communities. This is a part-time position for approximately 20 hours per week. Knowledge of how the CPA works at the local level is a big plus, so we would encourage those serving on a Community Preservation Committee to consider applying for this position.


Planning Grants for Housing Authorities
 
money falling smaller

Pairing CPA funds with other public funding programs can be a powerful way to make CPA dollars go further. The Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) and the Massachusetts Housing Partnership (MHP) are making available planning grants of up to $50,000 for local housing authorities (LHA). These planning grants will be used to support early stage feasibility activities for housing authorities contemplating the creation of new units on housing authority owned land or the redevelopment of an existing state funded public housing development.


Can a little money for housing go a long way?
 
house in a hand

Many CPC members wonder how to best use CPA funds for housing projects. One cost-effective way to start is to use CPA funds for the creation of a Housing Production Plan (HPP). With a HPP that is approved by DHCD and the certified achievement of annual housing production goals, a HPP can provide more local control over the nature and location of comprehensive permit projects. Currently, 14 communities are DHCD-certified to be compliant with the goals established through their Housing Production Plan.

According to Phillip DeMartino, Technical Assistance Coordinator at DHCD, "This is the most we've ever had certified at one time, even given the current status of the housing market. But, beyond the benefits of certification, there are lots of benefits to creating a HPP, which 83 municipalities have done. For example, officially stating your community housing goals and strategies can improve a community's negotiations with developers to create development that is appropriate for the community."


This Issue's Featured CPA Project
 

This month's featured CPA project is the Bradstreet Farm project in Rowley, which is one of the few CPA projects to combine all four CPA purposes. You may recall that we wrote about this project in the February 2007 issue of CPA Update, "A truly brilliant CPA idea."

The Bradstreet Farm on Route 1A had been in the Bradstreet family since 1635 when the land was granted from King Charles I of England to Humphrey Bradstreet. The property includes an early 19th century farm house and 18th century barn in addition to upland meadow, woodland, and marsh. Sixty percent of the property is part of the Great Marsh.

The Town of Rowley purchased the 120+ acre farm using $2.75M CPA funds. At the time this opportunity arose, the project proponents did not know exactly what CPA purposes the property would be best suited for, but they agreed that it must be preserved. So, they crafted a warrant article to allow the town to buy the property for any of the four CPA uses and further required that Town Meeting approve a land use plan for the property in the future. This allowed the town to purchase the farm and then do the proper planning to decide how to use the property.

Since the authorization of the acquisition in November 2006, the town purchased the land and then created the land use plan for the property which includes all four of the CPA purposes. The land use plan, which was approved at Spring 2008 Town Meeting, includes 103 acres for conservation and passive recreation, nine acres for active recreational use, two acres to construct affordable housing, and seven acres containing the historic farm house and barn which will be protected with a preservation restriction and resold.

The town is currently going through the subdivision process and drafting the various deed restrictions. The next step will be to market the seven- acre historic property for resale to recoup some money and to issue a request for proposals to search for an affordable housing developer for the two-acre parcel.

Susan Jones Moses, Chair of the Rowley Open Space Committee, can be contacted for more information at 978-340-0407 or susanjmoses@comcast.net.



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Stuart Saginor
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