Warrant Article Text:

To see if the Town will vote to make appropriations from the Community Preservation Fund for eligible community preservation projects; for community preservation reserve accounts for historic preservation, open space and recreation, and affordable housing; for Community Preservation Act Committee administrative expenses or other eligible expenses; or take any action related thereto.

                                    

Report Excerpt:
SECTION 1: These transfers, taken immediately prior to the CPA project appropriation votes that follow, ensure that the Town complies with the state legal requirement to either appropriate or reserve at least 10% of estimated annual CPA revenues (est. $2,490,750) in each of the three CPA project areas. Although these transferred funds are immediately recommended for appropriation in their entirety in the next vote, this action ensures that the Town maintains compliance should Town Meeting reduce or reject the recommended appropriations, or does not become retroactively out of compliance with state law should any approved project not proceed as planned. (In such an event, the reserved funds would remain in or be returned to the dedicated account for future appropriation in that CPA project area.)

 

SECTION 2: The Committee recommends the above CPA projects to Town Meeting for FY2023 funding, having carefully vetted each application for compliance with the CPA law, feasibility, importance, cost justification, sustainability and other criteria. (3) That the Town take the following action regarding administrative expenses: Appropriate $68,496 from FY2023 Community Preservation Fund revenues to the CPA Administrative Expenses account for eligible FY2023 administrative expenses, such funds to be expended under the direction of the Community Preservation Act Committee.

 

SECTION 3: These expenses are explained on page 9 of the CPAC Report.

Vote Language:

(1) That the Town take the following actions regarding dedicated CPA project area reserves:

 

(a) Transfer the sum of $249,075 from FY2023 Community Preservation Fund revenues to a CPA Community Housing Reserve account for later Town Meeting appropriation for community housing purposes.

 

(b) Transfer the sum of $249,075 from FY2023 Community Preservation Fund revenues to a CPA Open Space and Recreation Reserve account, for later Town Meeting appropriation for open space and recreational land purposes;

 

(c) Transfer the sum of $249,075 from FY2023 Community Preservation Fund revenues to a CPA Historic Preservation Reserve account for later Town Meeting appropriation for historic preservation purposes; and

 

(2) That the Town take the following actions to appropriate funds for FY2023 CPA projects, with each project considered a separate appropriation:

 

(a) Appropriate the sum of $600,000 for the Menotomy Manor Window Replacement Project for the preservation of community housing, with $586,414 being appropriated from the Community Housing Reserve Account and $13,586 being appropriated from Community 12 Preservation Fund revenues, subject to the condition that a grant agreement between the Arlington Housing Authority and the Town be executed, said funds to be expended under the direction of the Arlington Housing Authority and the Community Preservation Act Committee;

 

(b) Appropriate the sum of $16,290 from the Community Preservation Fund revenues for the Leasing Differential Program for Arlington Tenants project for the support of community housing, subject to the condition that a grant agreement between the Somerville Homeless Coalition and the Town be executed, said funds to be expended under the direction of the Somerville Homeless Coalition and the Community Preservation Act Committee;

 

(c) Appropriate the sum of $250,000 from the Community Preservation Fund revenues for the Arlington Affordable Housing Trust Fund project for the support of community housing, subject to the condition that a grant agreement between the Arlington Affordable Housing Trust Board and the Town be executed, said funds to be expended under the direction of the Arlington Affordable Housing Trust Board and the Community Preservation Act Committee;

 

(d) Appropriate the sum of $200,000 from the Community Preservation Fund revenues for the Houser Building Electrical Panel Upgrade project for the support of community housing, subject to the condition that a grant agreement between the Arlington Housing Authority and the Town be executed, said funds to be expended under the direction of the Arlington Housing Authority and the Community Preservation Act Committee;

 

(e) Appropriate the sum of $664,244 for the Hurd Field Renovation, Phase II project for the preservation of open space and the rehabilitation of recreational land, with $249,075 being appropriated from the Open Space and Recreation Reserve Account and $415,169 being appropriated from the Community Preservation Fund revenues, said funds to be expended under the direction of the Town of Arlington Recreation Department and the Community Preservation Act Committee;

 

(f) Appropriate the sum of $997,993 from Community Preservation Fund revenues for the Robbins Farm Playground project for the rehabilitation of recreational land, said funds to be expended under the direction of the Town of Arlington Recreation Department and the Community Preservation Act Committee;

 

(g) Appropriate the sum of $57,000 from Community Preservation Fund revenues for the Mt. Gilboa Feasibility Study for the preservation of open space, said funds to be expended under the direction of the Arlington Conservation Commission and the Community Preservation Act Committee;

 

(h) Appropriate the sum of $70,000 from Community Preservation Fund revenues for the Cooke’s Hollow Restoration and Rehabilitation project for the rehabilitation of recreational land, said funds to be expended under the direction of the Town of Arlington Department of Planning and Community Development and the Community Preservation Act Committee;

 

(i) Appropriate the sum of $190,000 from the Historic Preservation Reserve Account for the Jarvis House Preservation and Restoration project for the rehabilitation and restoration of 13 historic resources, said funds to be expended under the direction of the Town of Arlington Legal Department and the Community Preservation Act Committee;

 

(j) Appropriate the sum of $31,785 from the Community Preservation Fund revenues for the Dallin Museum Collections Preservation and Rehousing project for the preservation of historic resources, subject to the condition that a grant agreement between the Cyrus E. Dallin Art Museum, Inc. and the Town be executed, said funds to be expended under the direction of the Cyrus E. Dallin Art Museum, Inc. and the Community Preservation Act Committee;

 

(k) Appropriate the sum of $150,816 for the Historic Preservation of the Jason Russell House project for the preservation of historic resources, $64,742 from the Historic Preservation Reserve Account and $86,074 from the Community Preservation Fund revenues subject to the condition that a grant agreement between the Arlington Historical Society and the Town be executed, said funds to be expended under the direction of the Arlington Historical Society and the Community Preservation Act Committee;

 

(l) Appropriate the sum of $100,000 from the Community Preservation Fund revenues for the Covenant Church Accessibility Improvements project for the preservation of historic resources, subject to the condition that a grant agreement between the Christian Life Fellowship, Inc. and the Town be executed, said funds to be expended under the direction of the Christian Life Fellowship, Inc. and the Community Preservation Act Committee;

 

(m) Appropriate the sum of $20,000 from the Community Preservation Fund revenues for the Old Schwamb Mill Barn Preservation Envelope Preservation & Structural Engineering Report project for the preservation of historic resources, subject to the condition that a grant agreement between the Schwamb Mill Preservation Trust and the Town be executed, said funds to be expended under the direction of the Schwamb Mill Preservation Trust and the Community Preservation Act Committee;

 

(n) Appropriate the sum of $25,000 from the Community Preservation Fund revenues for the Historic Planning Records Preservation project for the preservation of historic resources, said funds to be expended under the direction of the Department of Planning and Community Development and the Community Preservation Act Committee;

 

(3) That the Town take the following action regarding administrative expenses:

 

Appropriate $68,496 from FY2023 Community Preservation Fund revenues to the CPA Administrative Expenses account for eligible FY2023 administrative expenses, such funds to be expended under the direction of the Community Preservation Act Committee.

Additional Materials:

Finance Committee Report

CPAC Report to Town Meeting

Amendment - Weinstein, Ruderman

CPAC Presentation

Letter - Rowe, Mills

Letter - Rowe, AHDC

Letter - Doctrow, Covenant Church CPA Application

Memo - Town Counsel