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Home My Public Portal AboutCPC Supplemental Packet 022421Report of the COMMUNITY PRESERVATION COMMITTEE The Community Preservation Committee is dedicated to the important work of helping make Brewster a better place to live through support of appropriate projects in Historic Preservation, Community Housing, Recreation and Open Space Acquisition. Now in its fourteenth year, the Brewster Community Preservation Committee (CPC) receives its funding from Brewster taxpayers through a 3% surcharge on local real estate taxes and a supplemental amount from State government as provided under the MA Community Preservation Act (CPA). The State government “match" comes from a small statewide fee on real estate transactions. From 2005-2007 the State provided a 100% match, which percentage has declined ever since. The 2019 match was 29.4%. Through June 30, 2020, over $16.7 million in CPA revenue has been raised: $11.6 million locally and $5.1 million from the state match. When Brewster Town Meeting approved the Community Preservation Bylaw, it provided for expenditures in the following areas: Open Space Acquisition - 50% Historic Preservation -10% Community Housing -10% . Historic, Housing, or Recreation -30% The CPC reviews applications for funding and considers recommendations from the Open Space Committee, Recreation and Historical Commissions, the Housing Partnership and the CPC’s own Housing Sub-Committee before submitting articles for consideration by Town Meeting voters. Over its history, the CPC has recommended and Town Meeting has approved the following net expenditures for activities and projects that have been completed or are in progress: 26 Historic Preservation awards totaling over $2.67 million; 25 Community Housing awards totaling $3,971,500 million; 14 Recreation awards totaling $1,420,000 million and 21 Open space awards totaling $8,858,000 million. Town Meeting approved $840,00x0 in funding for CPC referred projects in 2020. In addition to these projects, Open Space funds were used to pay $271,695 toward bonded indebtedness, as well as $427,274 towards reducing the short term debt for the W H Besse/Long Pond Woodlands open space acquisition. Five projects were approved at the September 12, 2020 Town Meeting: 1.Community Housing: $49,500 Town of Brewster-Part-time Housing Coordinator - This funding will increase the weekly hours of this position from 19 to 25 for Fiscal Year 2021. Like other towns in the region and state that are trying to increase the supply of affordable housing in their community and in tackling complex housing policy concerns, Brewster will benefit from continuing to have a professional on staff to solely focus on affordable housing issues such as coordinating and publicizing the Town’s affordable housing programs and resources, implementing aspects of the Housing Production Plan, working with developers and neighborhoods, monitoring existing affordable housing restrictions, and advising Town boards and committees about potential opportunities to increase the supply of affordable housing. The benefit expense resulting from the increase in hours will be covered by the Town. Total Project Cost: $86,453 CPC Funding: $49,500 2.Community Housing: $15,000 Community Development Partnership-Cape Housing Institute: This funding enables the Community Development Partnership to support years 4 and 5 of the Cape Housing Institute, a 6- week training program and peer group meetings that equip local elected and appointed officials and interested citizens with the knowledge and skills needed to support the creation of more year- round housing in Brewster and the rest of the Lower Cape. Approximately 200 Lower Cape officials/residents attended the first three training sessions, including 29 from Brewster. Total Project Cost: $286,000 CPC Request: $15,000 3. Recreation: $25,000 Pleasant Bay Community Boating – Accessible Dock- This project will enable the only fully ADA compliant dock on the Pleasant Bay estuary to make it possible for Pleasant Bay Community Boating to expand its adaptive sailing and paddling programs and enable people with physical challenges to participate more fully in all marine, environmental, and recreation programs. The accessible dock project consists of six interconnected areas including an accessible drop-off area on Route 28, a pathway to the pier, a permanent pier connected to a staging/viewing area and a seasonal gangway connected to a seasonal float. The dock will provide boating and marine education opportunities for those with mobility issues, and facilitate enhanced safety and operations for all participants. In 2018, PBCB served 2,048 individuals, 1,047 students, and 537 community outreach participants. Total Project Cost: $250,000 CPC Request: $25,000 4. Recreation: $425,000 Brewster Whitecaps/Brewster School Committee – Stony Brook Field Improvements:This funding will pay for improvements to walkways, bleachers, fencing, netting and bathroom access assuring ADA compliance and enhanced fan safety at Stony Brook Field. The project consists of two phases: Phase 1 ($393,703) is designed to improve access for people who are mobility challenged, add handicap seating, improve pedestrian flow, improve fan safety and erosion control. Phase 2 ($134,860) will improve fan safety, ADA compliance and fan experience. The CPC recommends funding for Phase 1 and safety items of Phase 2. Total Project Cost: $528,563 CPC Request: $425,000 5. Open Space: $325,500 Open Space Committee -16 McGuerty Road - Field/Kelley property (10.41 acres): This acquisition represents one of the last remaining large lots abutting the western boundary of the Freeman’s Way Wellfields and within the eastern District of Critical Planning Concern that protects the Town’s wellfields. Aside from being 100% within the Zone 2 Contribution to Public Water Supply, this property also falls 100% within BioMap2 Critical Natural Landscape, is 100% within the Massachusetts Natural Heritage and Endangered Species Program (NHESP) Priority Habitat of Rare Species and 100% within NHESP Estimated Habitat of Rare Wildlife. The Town Board of Water Commissioners, Town Natural Resources Department, Conservation Commission, Open Space Committee, Selectmen and Town Administrator supported this purchase, as did the non- profit Brewster Conservation Trust (BCT). The Water Commissioners also voted to contribute $70,000 towards this acquisition. The BCT has committed to contributing $30,000 towards this purchase and hold the required Conservation Restriction. The Town was also approved for a State LAND grant. The BCT contribution along with the state LAND grant of $193,063 will reduce the amount of CPC Open Space funds needed to be expended for the acquisition, which is expected to close June/July 2021. Total Project: $395,000 ($370,000-land) CPC Funding: $325,000 - (includes $25,000- associated costs) Open Space: a. Community Preservation Bonded Debt Service- This item pays for the $271,695 in FY 2021 principal and interest on 1 Land Bank (Jolly Whaler) and 3 CPA (BBJ Cranberry Trust 1 and 2 and Bates) open space acquisitions that were financed via long term bonding. The CPC inherited an existing land purchase program enacted under prior state legislation providing for a Cape Cod Land Bank. In addition, the CPC inherited responsibility for a long term bond issued by Brewster to finance a prior purchase. The Town has issued additional bonds for three purchases since 2006, but the level of indebtedness on land purchases is relatively unchanged since the CPC was formed. Bond payments are from CPC open space funds. b. Community Preservation Loan Debt Service- This item pays for $427,274 in FY 2021 to make a $400,000 principal reduction along with the interest payment on the Besse Cartway/Long Pond open space acquisition that was financed via a short-term one year loan. As a part of acquiring open space parcels, the Town standardly applies for State Land Grants. From 2006 through 2020 Brewster acquired twenty open space properties (including Conservation Restrictions) totaling 299 acres with a total acquisition price of $14,116,500. State LAND grants, as well as other funding was secured for these purchases resulting in a net cost of 56.6% or $7,997,937, with a final per acre cost of $26,748. Less funding has been available in the last few years, making individual land grants harder to obtain. However, the Open Space Committee has worked closely with the BCT and the Compact of Cape Cod Conservation Trusts to foster partnerships with other conservation trusts, as well as neighboring towns to purchase a number of properties, resulting in reduced costs to Brewster, even without State LAND grants. It is a privilege and pleasure to serve the Town in this manner. Our shared quality of life in Brewster is enhanced because we participate in the Community Preservation Act. Faythe Ellis, Chair Historical Commission Sharon Marotti, Vice-chair/Treasurer Citizen Member Elizabeth G. Taylor, Clerk Planning Board Roland W. Bassett, Jr. Recreation Commission Barbara Burgo Housing Authority Bruce Evans Conservation Commission Peggy Jablonski Citizen Member Diane Pansire Citizen Member Paul Ruchinskas Citizen Member Cost/sf Surface Irrigation Walkway Parking Water Fountain(s)Fence Abington $5.25 pea stone None None Yes Dogs Only 5' Agawan $3.09 grass None 1,170"No Dogs Only 5' Ayer $4.46 pea stone None None Yes None 5' Burlington $10.04 mixed with grass None None Yes Dogs Only 6' Milbury $2.40 grass & wood chips None None Yes Humans and Dogs 5' Danvers $5.49 Stone Dust None None No Dogs Only 4' Boston North End $80.80 Other?None None No None 6' Natick $13.75 Woodchips None None Yes Humans and Dogs 6' Woburn $11.99 pea stone None None Yes None 4' Fitchburg $5.45 grass None None Yes Humans and Dogs 6' Gardner $3.62 grass & pea stone None None Yes Dogs Only 5' Greenfield $8.89 mixed None None Yes Dogs Only 5' Mashpee $5.66 Other?None 100'Yes Dogs Only 5' Medford $23.27 pea stone None None Yes Dogs Only 5' New Bedford $5.90 pea stone sprinkler None Yes Dogs Only 4' Chelsea $61.62 stone dust Nnone None No Dogs Only 4' Oxford $6.74 pea stone woodchip sprinkler None Yes Humans and Dogs 5' Peabody $3.03 pea stone None None Yes Humans and Dogs 5' Quincy $36.61 artificial grass None None Yes Humans and Dogs 5' Boston Ronan Park $65.19 pea stone None 198' cement No Dogs Only 5' Yarmouth $9.23 Other?None 100'Yes Humans and Dogs 5' Scituate $4.33 woodchips None None Yes Dogs Only 5' Arlington $11.39 rice stone sprinkler 100'Yes Dogs Only lighting 5' Uxbridge $3.33 grass & sand None None Yes Dogs Only 5' Ware $6.44 pea stone sand wchi None None Yes Dogs Only no benches 5' Brewster $7.51 rice stone sprinkler Yes 20 cars Yes 5' $500,000÷66.500 sf both parks 200' road + 200' parking handicap Average cost per s f $15.92