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Community Preservation Committee
Focus on Historic Resources - Tuesday, December 8, 2009 at 7 PM at New Police Station Conference Room. The Littleton Community Preservation Committee hosts a discussion on historic resources: what is in need of restoring, conserving, and/or purchasing? The CPC seeks input on the preservation needs and goals of our community. To this end the CPC is hosting its second of four discussions on the main purposes of the Community Preservation Act in Littleton. The subject of this month’s meeting is historic resources. In welcoming a full and detailed discussion on the subject the committee has invited members from other boards and an expert in historic preservation of Massachusetts resources. The CPC would, also, like to hear from residents willing to share their own vision for preservation and to brainstorm ideas for projects in town that may need funding with CPA funds. This discussion will take place at the CPC meeting to be held on Tuesday, December 8. 2009 7 p.m. in the conference room of the new Police Station at 500 Great Road.
Project Requests Invited by December 15, 2009. Littleton’s community preservation committee welcomes applications for the funding of projects that fall under the Community Preservation Act. Guidelines and applications are available at the Town Administrator’s office, or on-line Contact: Keith A. Bergman, Town Administrator, Town Offices 3rd floor, 37 Shattuck Street, P.O. Box 1305, Littleton, MA O1460. Applications for eligibility submitted by December 15, 2009 are considered for funding in the spring of 2010 pending a Town Meeting vote. Time sensitive proposals will be reviewed throughout the year, as needed.
CPA Approved. May 4, 2009 Town Meeting voters approved the Town's purchase of the 53-acre Yapp Conservation Property (Lucy's Land) for $930,000, including $150,000 in borrowing under the Community Preservation Act. The Division of Conservation Services has awarded a grant of $500,000 grant towards the purchase. Read more. Town Meeting voters also funded $215,000 in CPA borrowing for replacement to the Houghton Memorial Building roof.
CPA Update. On May 26, 2009, the Littleton CPC heard a presentation from Community Preservation Coalition Executive Director Stuart Saginor. See the presentation.
Is my proposed project eligible for CPA funding? See this chart from the Department of Revenue for guidance.
Funding Applications. The Littleton Community Preservation Committee announces that applications for the funding of projects that fall under the COMMUNITY PRESERVATION ACT are now welcome. Guidelines and applications are available at the Town Administrators office on the third floor at Town Hall 37 Shattuck Street or on-line at www.littletonma.org . Those who, after having reviewed the CPA guidelines, feel their project may qualify for funding should return their completed application to: Keith A. Bergman, Town Administrator, Town Offices 3rd floor, 37 Shattuck Street, P.O. Box 1305, Littleton, MA O1460. Applications for eligibility must be returned by December 15, 2009 to be considered for funding in the spring of 2010.
Community Preservation Needs Assessment. The Community Preservation Committee, which administers Community Preservation Act (CPA) funds for open space, historic resources, community housing, and recreation purposes, conducted a public hearing on needs assessment on Tuesday, December 2, 2008. Read the notice. See the PowerPoint presentation from that hearing. Read a summary of the meeting.
See CPC meeting agendas and minutes here. See the presentation made by the Community Preservation Coalition at the Littleton CPC's first meeting on April 23, 2008.
On April 28, 2008, the Board of Selectmen voted to adopt a statement of qualifications for its appointments to the Community Preservation Committee, as follows: “By statute, the Community Preservation Committee contains representation from five town boards whose jurisdictions include open space, historic resources, community housing, and recreation. To these valuable skill sets the Board of Selectmen wishes to add, by its four at-large appointments to the CPC, a broad knowledge of the community’s overall needs and the financial management challenges the Town faces in meeting those needs within the limits of Proposition 2½.” On July 28, 2008, the Board of Selectmen made four at-large appointments to the CPC.
In 2007, Littleton voters adopted the Community Preservation Act and established a 1% real estate surcharge to be used for open space, historic preservation, community housing, and recreation purposes. Voters approved a ballot question at the May 12, 2007 Annual Town Election, and November 7, 2007 Special Town Meeting voters approved a general by-law to establish the Community Preservation Committee (CPC), which has now been approved by the Attorney General. Contact the Town Administrator's office for more information about the Community Preservation Act.
The 1% real estate surcharge for residential property takes effect with the third quarter property tax bills due February 1, 2008. The first $100,000 of residential value is exempt from the surcharge. Exemptions are also available for those qualifying for low income housing or low/moderate income senior housing. Contact the Assessors Office for more information about the surcharge.
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Appointing Authority
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Appointees
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| Conservation Commission (1 member) |
Dan Lord
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| Historical Commission (1 member) |
John Bowers
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| Park & Recreation Comm (1 member) |
Geralyn Miller
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| Planning Board (1 member) |
Gregg S. Champney
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| Housing Authority (1 member) |
Michael Morey
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| Board of Selectmen (4 appointees) |
Jef Feehan (6/30/2011), CPC Vice Chairman
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Doreen Morse (6/30/2011)
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Mit Wanzer (6/30/2010), CPC Chairman
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Elliot Putnam (6/30/2012)
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May 12, 2007 Annual Town Election Ballot Question: "Shall Littleton accept sections 3 to 7 inclusive, of Chapter 44B of the General Laws, a summary of which appears below?"
Sections 3 to 7 of Chapter 44B of the General Laws of Massachusetts, also known as the Community Preservation Act, establish a dedicated funding source to acquire and preserve open space, parks and conservation land, protect public drinking water supplies, and scenic areas, protect farm land and forests from future development, restore and preserve historic properties, and help meet local families’ housing needs. In Littleton, the Community Preservation Act will be funded by an additional excise of 1% of the annual tax levy on real property to be assessed beginning in fiscal year 2008, and by matching funds provided by the state. Property owned and occupied as a domicile by any person who qualifies for low income housing or low or moderate income senior housing in the Town, as defined in Section 2 of said Act, shall be exempt from this Act. Class three, commercial, and class four, industrial properties as defined in G.L. c.59, §2A, and the first $100,000 of the value of each taxable parcel of residential real property shall also be exempt. Any other taxpayer receiving an exemption of real property authorized by Chapter 59 of the General Laws shall be exempt from this act. A Community Preservation Committee composed of local citizens will make recommendation on the use of the funds and all expenditures will be subject to an annual audit.
The ballot question passing by the following vote: YES 1,151; NO 620; BLANKS 80
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November 5, 2007 Special Town Meeting Article 8 voted to amend the Town Code by adding a new Chapter 14, “Community Preservation Committee,” to read as follows:
Chapter 14. Community Preservation Committee By-law
§14-1. Membership of the Committee. There is hereby established a Community Preservation Committee, consisting of nine (9) voting members pursuant to the provisions of M.G.L., c.44B, §5. The composition of the Committee, the appointing authority and the term of office for the Committee members shall be as follows: one member of the Conservation Commission as designated by said Commission; one member of the Historical Commission as designated by said Commission; one member of the Planning Board as designated by said Board; one member of the Park and Recreation Commissioners, as designated by said Commissioners; one member of the Littleton Housing Authority as designated by said Authority; and four individuals to be appointed by the Board of Selectmen. Each member of the Committee shall serve for a term of three years or until the person no longer serves in the position or on the board or committee as set forth above, whichever is earlier; provided, however, that two of the Board of Selectmen’s appointees shall be appointed for initial terms of three years, one appointee shall be appointed for an initial term of two years, and the final appointee shall be appointed for an initial term of one year. Should any of the officers and commissions, boards, or committees who have appointing authority under this Chapter be no longer in existence for whatever reason, the Board of Selectmen shall appoint a suitable person to serve in their place.
§14-2. Duties. The Community Preservation Committee shall have the powers and responsibilities specified in M.G.L. Chapter 44B, section 5(b) or other applicable provisions of the General Laws.
§14-3. Requirement for a quorum and cost estimates. The Committee shall not meet or conduct business without the presence of a majority of the members of the Community Preservation Committee. The Community Preservation Committee shall approve its actions by majority vote. Recommendations to the Town Meeting shall include the Committee’s anticipated costs.
§14-4. Severability. If any provision of this Chapter is found invalid for any reason by a court of competent jurisdiction, such invalidity shall be construed as narrowly as possible, and the balance of this Chapter shall be deemed to be amended to the minimum extent necessary to provide the Town substantially the benefits set forth in this Chapter.
§14-5. Appointments. Each appointing authority shall have thirty (30) days after the effective date to make its appointments.
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For more information about the Community Preservation Act, contact the Town Administrator's office. |