Item Coversheet


Town of Arlington, Massachusetts


Article 49
Warrant Article Title:
APPROPRIATION/COMMUNITY PRESERVATION FUND
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.

Requested by:

(Inserted at the request of the Community Preservation Act Committee)

Report Excerpt:

Comment on Vote (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. $2,281,440) 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.)

 

Comment on Vote (2):

The CPAC recommends the above CPA projects to Town Meeting for FY2024 funding, having carefully vetted each application for compliance with the CPA law, feasibility, importance, cost justification, sustainability and other criteria.

 

Comment on Vote (3):

These expenses are explained on page 9 of the report.

Vote Language:

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


(a) Transfer the sum of $228,144 from FY2024 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;


(b) Transfer the sum of $228,144 from FY2024 Community Preservation Fund revenues to a CPA Historic Preservation Reserve account for later Town Meeting appropriation for historic preservation purposes; and


(c) Transfer the sum of $228,144 from FY2024 Community Preservation Fund revenues to a CPA Community Housing Reserve account for later Town Meeting appropriation for community housing purposes.


(2) That the Town take the following actions to appropriate funds for FY2024 CPA projects, with each project considered a separate appropriation:


(a) Appropriate the sum of $500,000 from the Community Preservation Fund revenues for the 10 Sunnyside Avenue project for the support of community housing, subject to the condition that a grant agreement between the Housing Corporation of Arlington and the Town be executed, said funds to be expended under the direction of the Housing Corporation of Arlington and the Community Preservation Act Committee;


(b) Appropriate the sum of $370,000 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;


(c) Appropriate the sum of $30,634 from the Community Preservation Fund revenues for the Leasing Differential 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;


(d) Appropriate the sum of $120,000 from the Community Preservation Fund revenues for the Hauser Building Roof Replacement project for the preservation 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 $400,000 for the Menotomy Manor Window Replacement Project for the preservation of community housing, with $228,144 being appropriated from the Community Housing Reserve Account and $171,856 being appropriated from Community 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;


(f) Appropriate the sum of $400,000 for the Hill’s Hill Mountain Biking project for the rehabilitation of recreational land, with $228,144 being appropriated from the Open Space and Recreation Reserve Account and $171,856 being appropriated from the Community Preservation Fund revenues, said funds to be expended under the direction of the Park and Recreation Commission and the Community Preservation Act Committee;


(g) Appropriate the sum of $12,000 from Community Preservation Fund revenues for the Preserving Town Open Spaces by Addressing Invasive Vegetation project 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 $120,000 from Community Preservation Fund revenues for the Buffer and Beautify Mill Brook project for the preservation of open space, said funds to be expended under the direction of the Department of Planning and Community Development and the Community Preservation Act Committee;

 

(i)  Appropriate the sum of $15,000 from Community Preservation Fund revenues for the 21 Pond Lane Feasibility Study and Preliminary Design Concept project for the creation of open space, said funds to be expended under the direction of the Department of Planning and Community Development and the Community Preservation Act Committee;


(j)  Appropriate the sum of $20,000 from Community Preservation Fund revenues for the NoName Brook Preservation Feasibility Study project for the preservation of open space, said funds to be expended under the direction of the Department of Planning and Community Development and the Community Preservation Act Committee;


(k) Appropriate the sum of $2,500 from Community Preservation Fund revenues for the Find Your Way to the Orchard project for the preservation of open space, said funds to be expended under the direction of the Department of Planning and Community Development and the Community Preservation Act Committee;


(l)  Appropriate the sum of $187,750 from the Community Preservation Fund revenues for the Arlington Friends of the Drama Building Upgrades and Repairs project for the rehabilitation and restoration of historic resources, subject to the condition that a grant agreement between the Arlington Friends of the Drama and the Town be executed, said funds to be expended under the direction of the Arlington Friends of the Drama and the Community Preservation Act Committee;


(m)    Appropriate the sum of $71,880 from the Community Preservation Fund revenues for the Digitizing and Rehousing of the Cyrus Dallin Papers project for the preservation of historic resources, subject to the condition that a grant agreement between the Cyrus E. Dallin Museum and the Town be executed, said funds to be expended under the direction of the Cyrus E. Dallin Museum and the Community Preservation Act Committee;


(n) Appropriate the sum of $112,000 from the Community Preservation Fund revenues for the “Foot of the Rocks” Battlefield Memorial project for the rehabilitation and restoration of historic resources, said funds to be expended under the direction of the Town and the Community Preservation Act Committee;


(o) Appropriate the sum of $73,573 from the Community Preservation Fund revenues for the Preservation of the Jason Russell House (Continued) project for the rehabilitation and restoration of historic resources, 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;


(p) Appropriate the sum of $385,000 for the Town Hall Envelope Preservation, Phase 1 (Town Hall Clock Tower) project for the preservation of historic resources, with $228,144 from the Historic Preservation Reserve Account and $156,856 being appropriated from the Community Preservation Fund revenues, said funds to be expended under the direction of the Town of Arlington and the Community Preservation Act Committee;

 

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


Appropriate $62,740 from FY2024 Community Preservation Fund revenues to the CPA Administrative Expenses account for eligible FY2024 administrative expenses, such funds to be expended under the direction of the Community Preservation Act Committee.