CPC. Minutes.08.20.2020 FINALCITY OF BEVERLY PUBLIC MEETING MINUTES
COMMITTEE/COMMISSION: SUBCOMMITTEE
DATE:
LOCATION:
MEMBERS PRESENT:
MEMBERS ABSENT:
Community Preservation Committee
August 20, 2020
Google Meet Virtual Meeting
Chair - Heather Richter, Vice Chair -
Derek Beckwith, Marilyn McCrory, John
Hall, Nancy Marino, Christy Edwards,
Robert Buchsbaum, Wendy Pearl, Thomas
Bussone.
None
OTHERS PRESENT:
Denise Deschamps - Economic
Development Planner, Planning
Department, acting as Committee staff
Jodi Byrne - Recording Secretary
1. Call to Order
Chair Heather Richter calls the August 20, 2020 meeting of the Beverly Community Preservation
Committee to order at 7:00 p.m. and informs everyone that the meeting will be recorded. She
reads an abbreviated version of the following:
Pursuant to Governor Baker's March 12, 2020 Order Suspending Certain Provisions of the
Open Meeting Law, G.L. c. 30A, ยง18, and the Governor's March 23, 2020 Order imposing
strict limitation on the number of people that may gather in one place, this meeting of the
Beverly Community Preservation Committee will be conducted via remote participation to
the greatest extent possible. No in- person attendance of members of the public will be
available, but every effort will be made to ensure that the public can adequately access the
proceedings in real time, via technological means. In the event that we are unable to do so,
despite best efforts, we will post on the City's website an audio or video recording,
transcript, or other comprehensive record of proceedings as soon as possible after the
meeting. Applicants and /or representatives required to appear before the Beverly
Community Preservation Committee must make arrangements to present remotely as
there is not a physical meeting location. Documentary exhibits and/or visual presentations
must be submitted 3 business days in advance of the meeting to Denise Deschamps via
email at ddeschamps @beverlyma.gov. If you wish to have a comment and /or question read
during the meeting please submit them to Denise Deschamps at
ddeschamps @beverlyma.gov.
Chair Richter repeats that the meeting is being recorded, and all participants are given the option
of turning off their video and audio. She says that anyone who would like a copy of documents
from tonight's meeting may contact Denise Deschamps. She states that all votes will be taken in
a formal roll call vote and requests that the chat feature be used only for technical issues. Denise
Deschamps takes a formal attendance roll call: Chair Heather Richter, Vice Chair Derek
Beckwith, Robert Buchsbaum, Tom Bussone, Christy Edwards, John Hall, Nancy Marino,
Marilyn McCrory, and Wendy Pearl.
2) Review /Acceptance of Minutes from July 22, 2020
The minutes from the regular meeting of the CPC for July 22, 2020 are discussed and amended
as needed. Vice Chair Derek Beckwith motions to approve the July 22, 2020 minutes as
amended. Marilyn McCrory seconds. There is a roll call vote with all present Committee
members voting yes: Chair Heather Richter, Vice Chair Derek Beckwith, Robert Buchsbaum,
Thomas Bussone, Christy Edwards, John Hall, Nancy Marino, Marilyn McCrory, and Wendy
Pearl. The motion passes (9 -0).
Chair Richter formally recesses the meeting of the CPC and calls to order a meeting of the CPC
Subcommittee on COVID 19 Emergency Housing Relief.
3) CPC Subcommittee on COVID 19 Emergency Housing Relief Called to Order
3a.) Review /Acceptance of Meeting Minutes from July 22, 2020 and July 30, 2020
Meetings
There is a roll call vote. CPC Subcommittee members present are: Heather Richter, Derek
Beckwith, and Nancy Marino. The Subcommittee is asked by Chair Richter to review and accept
the minutes from two Subcommittee meetings which took place, one on July 22, 2020 and the
other on July 30, 2020.
The minutes from the CPC Subcommittee on COVID 19 Emergency Housing Relief for July 22,
2020 are discussed. Beckwith motions to approve the July 22, 2020 minutes of the CPC
Subcommittee on COVID 19 Emergency Housing Relief. Marino seconds. Chair Richter accepts
the minutes.
The minutes from the CPC Subcommittee on COVID -19 Emergency Housing Relief for July 30,
2020 are discussed. Beckwith motions to approve the July 30, 2020 minutes of the CPC
Subcommittee on COVID 19 Emergency Housing Relief. Marino seconds. Chair Richter accepts
the minutes.
3b.) Subcommittee Meeting Adjourns.
Marino motions to adjourn the Subcommittee meeting. Beckwith seconds. There is a roll call
vote with all Subcommittee members voting yes: Heather Richter, Nancy Marino, and Derek
Beckwith, Thomas Bussone. The motion passes (4 -0).
3c.) CPC Reconvenes
Beckwith motions to return to the full meeting of the CPC. Marino seconds. There is a roll call
vote with all Committee members voting yes: Chair Heather Richter, Vice Chair Derek
Beckwith, Robert Buchsbaum, Thomas Bussone, Christy Edwards, John Hall, Nancy Marino,
Marilyn McCrory, and Wendy Pearl. The motion passes (9 -0).
The full meeting of the CPC reconvenes.
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4) Review and Adoption of Recommendation for FY21 CPA Budget
Chair Richter asks if there are any comments on the proposed FY21 CPA budget.
Bryant Ayles, Director of Municipal Finance is present on the call to review the budget and
respond to any questions.
Ayles says that if the CPC approves the FY21 budget during this meeting, he will submit it to the
City Council in time for their upcoming meeting to be held on the second Tuesday in (September
8). He states that once the City Council receives the filing, they will hold a public hearing on the
3rd Monday of September (21st), and upon approval from the City Council, the funds will be
available.
Wendy Pearl reports that 5% of the budget has been traditionally set up for administrative
purposes and that this amount cannot be moved into another category. She asks if this amount
should be reduced this year if it is not been spent, or completely spent, in previous years, noting
that 5% is the maximum that can be set aside for this purpose. Ayles says that if the 5% is not
spent by the end of the fiscal year, it becomes available to spend in the next fiscal year. Pearl
notes that this budget number equals roughly 50k, and if it were reduced for FY21 to around 3 %,
an additional 20k could be made available for this year's funding initiatives. She asks how much
of this administrative fund the CPC spends each year. McCrory reviews another document that
provides information about spend of CPA funds in previous years and states a range of spending
for administrative costs throughout the years, which has been limited. But McCrory notes that
the 5% may be important to set aside and advises keeping this sum and then using the rollover
for the next fiscal year given that the current economic climate is so uncertain. Vice Chair
Beckwith agrees with McCrory. He suggests reviewing this budget item after FY21, noting that
the rolling fund may benefit FY22. John Hall asks for the history of how the 5% has been used in
the past. McCrory states that this data is on the detailed budget sheet sent to them from
Deschamps. Hall suggests cutting the administration fund by a smaller amount than half.
Chair Richter says that the pandemic has caused uncertain economics and asks Ayles if he has
heard any comments on how this will affect funding of the CPA. Ayles reports that he did hear
from the MA Department of Revenue, and that the Department's recommendation of a 11.2%
match of what was taken in during FY20 is reflected in the budget report. He also notes that any
estimated surcharge is already built into the budget, and that this money will never be lost. Ayles
adds that locally, they are not seeing the decline in 2020 tax collection rates that they
anticipated.
After much discussion, it is decided to reduce the administrative budget from 5% to 3 %. Hall
motions to reduce the CPC administrative budget from 5% to 3% with the extra funds going into
the General Reserve. Edwards seconds the motion. There is a roll call vote with all Committee
members voting yes: Chair Heather Richter, Vice Chair Derek Beckwith, Robert Buchsbaum,
Thomas Bussone, Christy Edwards, John Hall, Nancy Marino, Marilyn McCrory, and Wendy
Pearl. The motion passes (9 -0).
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Beckwith motions to approve the CPC FY21 budget as amended. Edwards seconds the motion.
There is a roll call vote with all Committee members voting yes: Chair Heather Richter, Vice
Chair Derek Beckwith, Robert Buchsbaum, Thomas Bussone, Christy Edwards, John Hall,
Nancy Marino, Marilyn McCrory, and Wendy Pearl. The motion passes (9 -0).
McCrory confirms with Deschamps that the approximate available funds for FY21 are
$977,181.00. Deschamps says that she reviewed all of the past CPC projects approved in order to
assess what projects were completed, which were cancelled and which may have come in under
budget to determine what funds may be available as of FY20. In looking at the FY20 budget,
Edwards notes that although the total amount of available funds is $909,896.00, of that amount
$610,759.00 is in the open space category fund, $23,000.00 is in the community housing reserve,
and the remaining $276,137.00 is in the general fund balance. McCrory notes that this data is
related to FY20, and that the FY21 funds will be added after this.
Chair Richter confirms with Ayles that the CPC may currently recommend funding for project
proposals, with these recommendations going to the City Council at the same time as the CPC
FY21 budget proposal. Ayles says that he will talk to the City Council President, asking him to
consider the CPC budget vote so that CPC funds will be available immediately after the City
Council approves the CPC FY21 budget.
Pearl confirms with Ayles that the carryover money from the CPC budget is currently available
for funding. Beckwith asks Ayles to describe the best process for requesting funds that exceed
what is currently available in FY20. Ayles says that he recommends the CPC request to use the
fund balances that are currently available and in the following language: Take "X" dollars from
the General Reserve FY20, "X" dollars from the Housing Reserve FY20, and "X" dollars from
FY21 (in the specified reserve).
Ayles leaves the call.
5) Review and Vote on Application for Funding Submitted by Harborlight /Beacon for
Project Named Briscoe Village for Living and the Arts
It is noted that Andrew DeFranza (Harborlight Community Partners), Kristin Carlson
(Harborlight Community Partners), and Darcy Jameson (Beacon Communities) are all present on
the call.
Chair Richter says that the Committee's first task is to determine if this project qualifies for an
out -of -cycle recommendation. She says that Harborlight has clearly outlined how this project
meets this criteria on page one of their application. Edwards states that the document answers all
of her questions and clearly shows how this project qualifies for an out -of -cycle
recommendation.
McCrory asks DeFranza for more information about the spending and timing from criteria 95.
DeFranza says that the major part of financing for this project is expected to come from the MA
Department of Housing and Community Development. Securing City funding will provide
leverage in that it will indicate the level of local support for the project and willingness to
provide funding. DeFranza says that if this project is not deemed ready during its first application
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for state funding it will mean waiting for one more calendar year to re-apply. He adds that a
funding commitment from the City will help this project stay on schedule by providing the state
with the most convincing argument to fund the project during the first round.
Chair Richter asks if all of the other funding is in place, and DeFranza answers that all funding
should be committed by this fall.
McCrory motions that the application for funding submitted by Harborlight /Beacon for Project
Named Briscoe Village for Living and the Arts does qualify for out -of -cycle funding. Beckwith
seconds. There is a roll call vote: Chair Heather Richter, Vice Chair Derek Beckwith, Robert
Buchsbaum, Thomas Bussone, Christy Edwards, John Hall, Nancy Marino (computer is frozen
and Marino cannot vote), Marilyn McCrory, and Wendy Pearl. The motion passes (9 -0).
DeFranza is informed that the next step is for the CPC to review the full application submitted by
Harborlight and Beacon Communities. Beckwith asks for this application to include a breakdown
of the different CPA funding categories in which the funds will be spent. DeFranza says that
there is an abundance of cost from each category, but that he could get a rough allocation if
required. Buchsbaum states that the funds would be coming under the recreation category.
McCrory says that the breakdown by each CPC funding category is needed for the review of the
City Council as this project meets the definition for all three CPA funding categories that are
highlighted in the application: historic resources, community housing and recreation. DeFranza
says it could be allocated in even thirds or in any way that is best for the CPC. McCrory asks if
the land will need to be dedicated permanently to recreation, and Edwards requests that it is.
Darcy Jameson (Beacon) says that the open space areas will be improved by this project, but will
be owned by the City. Edwards says that she would want the space to be under the control of the
Parks and Recreation Department.
Hall confirms that the area that will be owned by the city includes the back soccer field and the
front turf bowl. Jameson says that the special permit has been granted by the City Council and
that it is crucial that they are fully permitted before the application is submitted to the state as a
part of showing readiness. Beckwith says that the Beverly Planning Board valued that the control
of the soccer field and turf bowl be open to the public and retained as City land. Edwards says
that according to Article 97, general municipal lands are not afforded the same protection as land
that is held by the City or by the Parks and Recreation Department.
Pearl suggests the CPC only use the historic preservation and community housing categories,
staying away from recreation as it depends on an agreement between the applicant and the City.
After a brief discussion, all Committee members and DeFranza agree that the application will not
request funding for recreation and will instead focus on a 50150 split between the categories of
Historic Preservation and Community Housing.
Pearl notes that in the Historic Preservation area, the applicant selected preservation instead of
rehabilitation, and Kristin Carlson ( Harborlight) says that this project will encompass both
preservation and rehabilitation.
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McCrory thanks the applicants for such a great project and a thorough and strong application.
DeFranza recognizes the Beacon and Harborlight teams.
Deschamps asks if they should discuss the amount of funding. Chair Richter says that they could
vote to fund the total amount, with 50% coming from the Housing category and 50% from the
Historic Preservation category, but that it will be difficult to provide exact sums until official
confirmation of what remains in the FY20 fund accounts.
Pearl asks if the Committee can freely allocate the rollover funding as most is in Open Space.
She reports that there is about $300k that is available from last year, plus additional funds from
this year pending City Council review. Pearl asks if they can motion within the pending City
Council's vote of approval.
Edwards suggests a motion to approve the full funding making use of existing available FY20
funds as well as funds from the proposed Fy21 budget, in specific amounts, totaling $700k.
After some discussion, McCrory suggests that the motion not be specific in dollars, but to use the
wording "the full balance" in each category and then to take the balance from FY21 out of "X"
and "Y" categories. She says that specific dollar amounts remaining from the FY20 budget are
difficult to determine without official reconcilliation and notes the challenge the Committee had
with this during the last funding round. Hall asks the Committee to consider what balance this
leaves for the funding of other projects.
Marino asks DeFranza how the $700k figure was determined. DeFranza answers that this is a big
project, and with knowledge of what they would receive from tax credits and from the state, they
were able to project the smaller amounts needed to fill the gap. Marino confirms with DeFranza
that there are no funds coming from a collaboration with Peabody and Salem.
Pearl asks if the Housing trust's $200k contribution can be increased, and DeFranza answers that
this amount has already been voted upon and approved.
McCrory confirms that $478,600 of the FY21 budget is what would be left available for other
projects and there is a brief discussion on several possible project applications. Pearl says that it
is her opinion that the CPC fund the Harborlight project fully, and all Committee members agree.
Edwards motions to approve $700k of funding for the Harborlight /Beacon for Project Named
Briscoe Village for Living and the Arts with funds coming from the following: the remaining
balance from the Community Housing reserve, the remaining balance from the General Fund,
and the fiscal FY21 Community Housing reserve balance, the FY21 Historical Preservation
reserve balance, and the remaining balance form the FY21 General Fund balance. Hall seconds
the motion.
Pearl asks if the motion must include the pending City Council approval.
Edwards amends to add the qualifier "pending City Council approval of the FY21 budget." Hall
seconds the amended motion. There is a roll call vote with all Committee members voting yes:
Chair Heather Richter, Vice Chair Derek Beckwith, Robert Buchsbaum, Thomas Bussone,
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Christy Edwards, John Hall, Nancy Marino, Marilyn McCrory, and Wendy Pearl. The motion
passes (9 -0).
6) Launch of CPA Funding Round 8
6a.) Review Potential Schedule
The Committee reviews the draft schedule submitted by Deschamps for the upcoming CPC
calendar. Deschamps says that this schedule is the same as the prior year with adaptations for the
2021 calendar. McCrory notes that the draft schedule asks about HDC deadlines, and Pearl
reports that the HDC usually meets the fourth Thursday of each month. Pearl says that a
sufficient deadline for a request for a Determination of Historic Significance is one week prior to
their scheduled meeting. Edwards asks if the CPC wants to schedule a grant workshop for
applicants, and Marino says she supports this idea with the intent of helping applicants in the
application process. Pearl agrees to a workshop once applicants have a project found to be
eligible by the CPC, to help them produce a fully developed full application. She also suggests
adding actual dates of project deliberations to the calendar instead a range of months during
which projects will be vetted so that applicants know the timeframe and milestones in the
process. McCrory says that sometimes the CPC changes or adds meeting dates, so that it may be
best to keep the dates broad such as "meets 3rd Thursday of every month." Deschamps asks for
approval to change the December 17th meeting of the CPC into a workshop forum, and Edwards
asks if there is any issue in not having a scheduled meeting to entertain any questions posed by
applicants as has been typically part of the schedule. Deschamps says that it can be posted as a
meeting of the CPC in order to comply with Open Meetings Laws but it can also be identified as
a workshop. Edwards suggests that the CPC can even add an abbreviated regular CPC meeting
after the workshop. Pearl asks Deschamps to confirm with Emily Hutchings on the October date
of the HDC. McCrory requests that the Monday, January 11 deadline be moved as Monday
deadlines can pose challenges for applicants. All members agree to a Tuesday, January 12th
application deadline, and Pearl requests that the September dates respect all Jewish holidays.
Deschamps confirmed that none of the dates overlap with the Jewish holidays occurring in
September.
6b.) Review Revised Application Documents
The Committee thanks Edwards for her work on the CPC application revisions. Edwards reports
that she reviewed samples to incorporate items without completely changing the application. She
says that the CPC can edit as they review the documents, and that this new application coupled
with a workshop should help applicants produce better applications.
McCrory adds one correction : *historic resources and open space asterisk should only be in
Community Housing. Edwards says she will check on this.
Pearl asks how the CPC will reset the restrictions on properties that will be funded or recaptured
and have them clear and up front in the application. Edwards suggests that it would make sense
to add this information to a "how to, Q &A guide," and asks for help in developing the accuracy
of this. McCrory notes the verbiage in the last paragraph on page 7. She suggests that they add
something like this: "Projects that are funded in the Historic Preservation categories are required
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protection of the investment over time and are noted as a policy of local decision that is
consistent for the CPC." Pearl says she will work with Edwards on this.
Pearl notes that the boxes are formatted as "bullets," and Edwards says that she will make them
fillable check boxes. Edwards reports that she will do some minor revisions on the formatting as
a pdf document. She also says that the final calendar needs to be added into the document and
will work with Deschamps on this. Deschamps says that she will get a revised calendar to
Edwards, based on comments from this meeting, to her the beginning of next week.
Pearl suggests adding resource links to the Housing plan, Preservation plan, etc., and Edwards
says she will integrate available links. Committee members representing the relevant City
Commissions /Boards will check on the links to ensure accuracy specifically as they relate to
Housing, Preservation, Recreation, Secretary of the Interior's Standards, etc. Edwards says that
she plans to have the updated document submitted to Deschamps by Labor Day.
7) Update on Status of COVID -19 Emergency Housing Relief Program
Deschamps reports that NSCAP has provided her with information on how they administer
existing housing relief programs in other communities and how they would oversee the program
funded by the Beverly CPA. As with any project funded with CPA dollars a Memorandum of
Understanding(MOU) must be entered into between the City /CPC and the entity that will receive
the CPA funds, in this case, NSCAP. A draft MOU is reviewed internally and ultimately
requires the signatures of the recipient of the funds, the City's Finance Director and the Mayor.
Deschamps says that the launch is set for the beginning of September and that Beckwith is the
CPC point person who will meet with her and a representative of NSCAP on a monthly or bi-
monthly basis to review program data. Beckwith says that he and Deschamps will keep the CPC
updated and that the subcommittee will now only need to monitor progress. Beckwith notes that
there may be scenarios that will have to be reviewed by the CPC as applications are received
and some citations are atypical.
8) Status of Open Proiects
Chair Richter reports that this is tied to the budget process and is a work in progress. Deschamps
says that her goal was to make sure she had a handle on existing projects that were incomplete
so that she could monitor open projects going forward and how they impact the budget.
Deschamps says that she feels confident that the current budget report for FY20 is accurate.
9) Hale Farm signage
Chair Richter notes that she sent a few signage images for the CPC Committee's review, and that
she feels the acknowledgement of CPA funding should be on the main sign. Both Richter and
Hall say that the cemetery design [as shared by Richter] is the most appropriate design. After a
brief discussion, it is agreed that signage requirements should be a part of each MOU as a
condition of final payout, noting that the signage requirements may be different depending on the
project type. Richter says the CPC needs to be more emphatic about this requirement, and
McCrory suggests mentioning it in the pre - application. Edwards says she will draft some
language for the Committee's review, and Pearl suggests adding this verbiage in a section that
also notes preservation restriction requirements. Pearl says that there is existing language in the
MOU that could be used as a starting point. Deschamps states that she has been requiring
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signage in the MOD's, and McCrory says that applicants should know if they have to allocate
money for signage. Deschamps says that applicants should also know if they will have to allocate
space or time.
Deschamps asks the CPC for their approval of the following language for the Hale Farm sign:
"Funded by the citizens of Beverly through the Community Preservation Act." All agree to the
wording.
10) Other Items Not Previously Identified before This Agenda was Posted
There are no other items.
11) Adiourn
Pearl motions to adjourn the meeting. Marino seconds. There is a roll call vote with all
Committee members voting yes: Chair Heather Richter, Vice Chair Derek Beckwith, Robert
Buchsbaum, Thomas Bussone, Christy Edwards, John Hall, Nancy Marino, Marilyn McCrory,
and Wendy Pearl. The motion passes (9 -0). The meeting is adjourned at 9:15pm.
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