Community Preservation Committee Meeting

Meeting date: 
Thursday, November 19, 2015

Approved Minutes 12.3.15

 

HARWICH Community Preservation Committee Regular Meeting

November 19, 2015, at the Harwich Town Hall, Griffin Meeting Room

 

Present: Chairman Bob MacCready, Vice Chair Kathy Green, Cindi Maule, Daniel Tworek, Jim Atkinson, and Walter Diggs

Absent: Robert Bradley, David Nixon and Selectmen’s Liaison Peter Hughes 

Vacant: Housing Committee representative

Guests: Selectperson Linda Cebula, town residents, and project presenters.  

 

Called to order at 7:03 PM by Chair Bob MacCready.

 

Chair MacCready called to go into Executive Session, pursuant to M.G.L. Ch.30A, Sec.20 (a)(6), to consider the purchase, exchange, lease or value of real property with regards to the Muddy Creek Headwaters Project, and declared that an open meeting may have a detrimental effect on the negotiating position of the body, and to reconvene in Open Session. 

Jim Atkinson made the motion to move into Executive Session, motion was seconded.  Roll call vote: All 6 committee members voted: Yes.  Motion passed unanimously.  Executive Session Opened at 7:04 PM. 

 

Reconvened Regular CPC Meeting at 7:21 PM.

 

Guests welcome. Meeting open for public comments:

Mr. Brooke Williams asked about the Dec. 4, 2014 CPC meeting.  HECH had said they were going to provide a full accounting of predevelopment funds for the 93/97 Street Project.  It was discussed how to access the new town website’s archived minutes.

 

A motion was made by Kathy Green and seconded to approve the Oct. 29, 2015 CPC meeting minutes.  Vote: 6 Yes.  Motion carried unanimously. 

 

A motion was made by Daniel Tworek and seconded to approve the Nov. 12, 2015 CPC meeting minutes.  Vote: 5 Yes.

1 Abstention.  Motion carried. 

 

New Business:

  • 2015 CPC Project Funding Request Applications for the 2016 Annual Town Meeting – Continue discussions with the following submitters:

 

HP15 – Historic Brooks Free Library Restoration, submitted by Brooks Free Library (BFL), presented by project manager Town Facilities Manager, Sean Libby, and BFL Director, Ginny Hewitt.  Three years ago, BFL requested CPC funding for repainting, but was denied (support).  Going forward, funds were made available for full exterior assessment.  In September BFL submitted the resulting architectural assessment report to the CPC.   A project priority list was sent to the committee, but it did not list work estimates.  Historical preservation work is more expensive.  Mr. Libby suggested starting with the exterior work first and ground work last. 

  • The report clarified the only effective preservation solution is to strip all the exterior paint.
  • There was some discussion about pulling non-CPC fundable projects. 
  • Gutters and roof are not included in the request. 
  • The columns were discussed. 
  • The sidewalk streetscape was discussed: 1) It is a restoration project; 2) CPA allows for funding; 3) The

assessment recommends the project; subcontracted out the estimate; 4) The project will follow historic standards. 5) Responsibility for the sidewalk was questioned.  6) The tree roots have created a problem.  7) The library is a town building.  The town has a maintenance program and the annual work should address this issue.  8) The town’s Capital Outlay budget paid for the last work done on the brick sidewalk.  9) The work would meet the current sidewalk standards, ADA compliant among other things, with the replacements, repairs, and upgrading requirements.  Brick sidewalks are acceptable for ADA, as long as there is no more than ½” change in elevations.  10) The current sidewalk is a problem.  A sub-base is needed to support the brick, preventing them from popping up.  The brick also needs to be cut properly to make it acceptable. 

 

 

Approved Minutes 12.3.15

CPC 11.19.15 Meeting, Page 2

 

CH2 – Kelley Development for Affordable Housing, submitted by the Harwich Housing Committee, presented by HHC Chair, Mary-Louise Secola and Town Planner, David Spitz.  Project manager to be named.  Requesting $230,000 to purchase three land lots for affordable housing.  This project will allow Harwich residents to own their own home.  

  • Harwich needs more affordable housing.  Currently seasonal residents account for some 50% of Harwich’s

housing.  Home buyers need to make $85,000 to be able to purchase a $345,000 medium price Cape home.  The average Cape family income is $65,000.  Harwich currently has 4.85% affordable housing; the town goal is 5-6 %; the State mandates 10%.  AH has a formula to set the selling price of the home, with a deed restriction, and a qualifying income level, in this case 85% of the area medium price.  Currently the price of the Oak Street units range from $146,000 to $190,000.  

  • Better location maps will be sent to committee.  The lots are located in N. Harwich, south of Route 6, on Bog

Lane, the high voltage power lines run through the property.  The first two lots have access off Bog’s Lane; the third lot access needs to be verified. The lots are clean.  The first lot has water, electricity and frontage.  The acreage would support 3-5 units.  The first two lots are easier to see.

  • The land purchase opportunity arose and needed a quick response.  The project has not gone through the

Town’s steps for land acquisitions.  The project has not gone before the selectmen or REOS.  No appraisal has been done.  Habitat has not yet committed, but HHC has high hopes. 

  • The use of CPC funds in purchasing of undeveloped land for affordable housing is not often seen hereabouts. 

More often affordable housing is created on town owned land or package deals come forward with land and a developer to create the structures. Habitat brought Oak Street affordable housing project; it was very successful.  At Thankful Chase, the selectmen had control of the land.  North Westgate is a rental AH project.

  • Referring to the 2011 priorities of the community development strategy – 1) Reuse existing stock. 2) Encourage

village location. 3) Provide rental assistance.  This project doesn’t follow that strategy.  

  • It is unclear if these would be mixed income units.
  • If the town purchases the land for AH with CPC funds, the town could only use the land for that purpose. 

 

 

HP9 - South Harwich Meetinghouse Restoration and Preservation Project, submitted by Friends of the South Harwich Meetinghouse, Inc. (FSHM), presented by project manager, FSHM President, Judith Ford.  Requesting $100,000.00 to complete the restoration of the 1836 meetinghouse.

  • The Friends have been working on this project since 2005.  Their goal is to have the grand public opening in

2016.  The project’s history was discussed.  Historic preservation is not easy work to do; complications arose that were not foreseen, like the fire sprinklers.

  • Funds in accounts are mixed source.  The building breakdown: $444,000 previous allocated CPC funds, plus

$126,000 via Friends fundraising, then additional CPC $100,000 funding request.  Reviewed their budget of work in progress and going forward.  Monies are directed to covering the roof, annual liability insurance premium, working on heating and cooling, plaster, storm window replacements, re-caulking, and prep work for interior decorative painting.  Since there is no heat, finish painting will take place in the spring.  The roof isn’t part of the CPC monies.  More estimates are needed to finish the project.  The Friends have covered the operational costs. 

  • Future use of the historic period building was discussed.  FSHM is modeling after a cultural center, a church in

Yarmouth, a church in Vermont.  As an event location it can be rented out to generate revenue, hosting musical performances, weddings, funeral gatherings (cemetery next door), private functions, etc.  The Friends have a license agreement with the town for historic restoration.  Going forward, the Friends will develop programs and marketing plans; maybe by next June they will have discussions with the selectmen.  Selectperson Cebula reported the Board of Selectmen is interested in having a use agreement in March, not wanting to wait until June.  It was suggested Friends investigate a very successful Concord historic armory.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Approved Minutes 12.3.15

CPC 11.19.15 Meeting, Page 3

 

  • Begin initial committee conversation on applications. 

 

Some questions/answers that arose during the application presentations:

  1. The Albro House Project – the porch was conceptually appropriate and architectural compatible.  But there is no record of a prior porch.  How does the CPC feel about creating something new?  The application doesn’t request funds for ADA access construction; that funding is allowable under CPA guidelines.
  2. Historic Inventory Project – during their presentation committee requested the report they already created and a more detailed desired outcome of this project.
  3. Off-Leash Dog Area Project – a public hearing was held last week.  The Conservation Commission is going to review the project at their next meeting.

 

Homework for committee members - Research the Alliance website:

  1. Review the CPA definition of maintenance.  Is restoration work necessary due to a lack of maintenance?  Impact?
  2. Review the CPA Recreational guidelines – are the proposed projects allowable?  Recreational Uses Graph from website will be emailed to committee.
  3. The database creates precedent, but not a fact base.  Committee members need to interpret what they think.  For example, the committee needs to interrupt if BFL sidewalk work is appropriate.
  4. Review the proposed projects.  Are they valid?  Are they ready for funding?

 

Old Business:

 

RFP - One bid on the Community Preservation Plan was received. 

 

Other:

 

In addition to the planned Thursday, Dec. 10 meeting, committee set another meeting date of Thursday, Dec. 3 @ 7:00 PM.  Absent CPC members will be contacted immediately to update.  Finish before Christmas holidays.

 

Adjournment 9:05 PM.