HomeMy Public PortalAbout20130718 - Community Preservation Committee - Meeting Minutes
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TOWN OF HOPKINTON
Community Preservation Committee
MINUTES OF MEETING
July 18, 2013
A meeting of the Hopkinton Community Preservation Committee was held on Thursday,
July 18, 2013 at Town Hall, 18 Main Street, Hopkinton, Massachusetts. Members present:
Henry Kunicki, John Coolidge, Jeff Doherty, Al Rogers, Ken Weismantel, and Eric
Sonnett. Bob Ionta was absent. The Affordable Housing Committee and Conservation
Commission seats remain vacant.
CALL TO ORDER: Chairman Kunicki called the meeting to order at 7:30PM in Room
211.
CITIZEN COMMENTS: Mr. Ken Parker of the Upper Charles Trail Committee asked
about using CPA funding to appraise land on Granite Street. The parcel is being
considered by UCTC for purchase in order to extend the bike trail into Milford. Mr.
Coolidge suggested that UCTC may not have the authority to negotiate such services on
behalf of the Town and suggested that Mr. Parker make his proposal to the OSPC. Mr.
Doherty said he’d see that Mr. Parker’s request be put on a future OSPC agenda for a vote.
Mr. Weismantel said the Town may be better served if issues regarding signage,
conservation restrictions, appraisal services and the like were managed by professional
staff in the Land Use department. He also suggested that 5% be built into project
proposals to cover legal and administrative costs.
ORGANIZATION FOR FISCAL YEAR 2013: MOTION by Mr. Weismantel to
nominate Henry Kunicki as CPC Chair for FY14 SECONDED by Mr. Rogers. There
were no other nominations. VOTE to Approve: Yes-5, No-0, Absent-1, Abstain-1 (Mr.
Kunicki). MOTION by Mr. Coolidge to nominate Jeff Doherty as CPC Vice Chair for
FY14 SECONDED by Mr. Weismantel. There were no other nominations. VOTE to
Approve: Yes-5, No-0, Absent-1, Abstain-1 (Mr. Doherty).
LEGAL INVOICES: Mr. Weismantel said the legal invoices for Elmwood Farm
probably relate to setting up a historic restriction on the house. Chairman Kunicki said the
legal bills related to the acquisition should be paid from the Board of Selectmen’s budget.
Mr. Sonnett said a 90% Town Meeting vote would be necessary to pay a bill for the
previous fiscal year. Mr. Coolidge agreed, adding that the CPC never approved the
expenditure in the first place and cannot spend money without voting in advance.
ELMWOOD FARM STEWARDSHIP: Mr. Coolidge said that $5,000.00 per year over
the next four years will need to be set aside to pay Sudbury Valley Trustees a total of
$20,000.00 for stewardship of Elmwood Farm. The outstanding $20,000.00 owed to SVT
for stewardship of the Fruit Street property will be paid from CPA free cash ($15,000.00)
and $5,000.00 set aside from a prior Town Meeting article related to Fruit Street.
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BERRY ACRES (NSTAR) PROPERTY: Mr. Weismantel said appraisal expenses for
Berry Acres would be closer to $3,000.00 than the $1,500.00 initially approved by the
CPC. He said NSTAR has been approached by a developer regarding the property and
estimated the asking price to be about $400,000.00. MOTION by Mr. Sonnett to approve
an amount not to exceed $3,000.00 for appraisal services for the NSTAR property
SECONDED by Mr. Weismantel. VOTE to Approve: Yes-6, No-0, Absent-1.
CPA SEMINAR REVIEW: Mr. Weismantel presented the matrix distributed by the
Community Preservation Coalition and suggested it be included in the FY15 funding
proposal packet that will be distributed in September. He said applicants should be
advised that restrictions (conservation, historic or otherwise) must be considered with any
proposal for acquisition. He expressed concern that a conservation restriction wasn’t
factored into the affordable housing parcel of the Fruit Street property and requested CPC
permission to maintain the parcel for affordable housing. The other members agreed.
HALT ENDOWMENT PAYMENTS: The stewardship endowments must be paid no
later than December 31, 2013. It was decided to defer the discussion until September.
MINUTES: NONE
ADJOURN: MOTION by Mr. Coolidge to adjourn SECONDED by Mr. Rogers.
VOTE to Approve: Yes-6, No-0, Absent-1. Meeting adjourned at 8:40PM.
Respectfully Submitted,
Elizabeth Aghababian
CPC Administrative Assistant
Documents Used:
1) CPC Meeting Agenda
2) Legal and Stewardship Invoices
3) CP Coalition Matrix and Handout
4) NSTAR Property Map