10-10-19 CPC meeting notes-FINALCITY OF BEVERLY PUBLIC HEARING MEETING MINUTES
COMMITTEE /COMMISSION: SUBCOMMITTEE:
DATE:
LOCATION:
Community Preservation Committee
October 10, 2019
Beverly Public Library, 32 Essex Street
Ground Floor - Barnet Gallery
MEMBERS PRESENT:
MEMBERS ABSENT:
OTHERS PRESENT:
Chair - Marilyn McCrory, Vice Chair - Heather
Richter, Wendy Pearl, Derek Beckwith, John Hall,
Tom Bussone, Robert Buchsbaum, Nancy Marino
Christy Edwards
Denise Deschamps - Environmental Planner
Blakely Calabrese - Recording Secretary
Citizens of Beverly
McCrory begins the meeting at 7PM. The meeting starts with introductions of all attendees and
committee meetings. McCrory begins with a brief overview of the agenda of the night. The
CPA was adopted by Beverly in 2012 and is a state law that allows communities to post a
surcharge on taxes and can be used by the community for Historic Preservation, Open Space,
Community Housing, and Recreation. Ten percent (10 %) must be spent or set aside each year
for three eligible activities (Historic Preservation, Open Space & Community Housing).
Beverly's surcharge is 1 %. The Act is implemented in each community by a designated
committee. McCrory provides an overview of funding to date. CPC has completed six rounds
of funding with $6.6M in available funds over those six rounds. Fifty projects have been
funded with a total of $4.5M awarded. There is $600,000 currently available. The bulk of
awards have been granted to Historic Preservation. McCrory discusses projects that have been
funded.
McCrory opens the meetings to discuss possible projects across the City. Pearl leads the
discussion to the needs, possibilities and resources for the Beverly CPA. A comprehensive list
of ideas is below.
Open Space
Resources:
1. Sally Milligan Park may be suffering from vandalism to park amenities and bike racks.
The stone monument was dedicated to the chosen women of Beverly. Residents would
like to see Carry In /Carry Out signs like those around the rest of the City. Dog owners
are leaving dog waste.
2. Land across the Bass River near Stop & Shop including The Greenspace that Park and
Rec could use as open space.
3. Dr. Coleman Greenergy Park
4. County Way fire access road leading to Folly Hill. Thoughts were to use this land for
public access and /or a boat launch. Is it currently accessible to the public? It could also
be used as preservation of habitat from development.
5. Dick's Park in Beverly Farms could undergo rehab. It needs water for the playground
and for plants that are currently being maintained by the Beverly Farms Improvement
Society. Other suggested lighting and electricity be installed.
Community members asked how the process worked. McCrory and Pearl explain that CPA and
the Beverly Rec Department could partner and give contribution to projects. Assume a project
was approved, CPA would fund the project and the Rec Department will need to support the
application process. They further explain that citizen initiated projects are primarily how a
handful of CPA projects were completed. McCrory explains that not everything may be
eligible but CPA is able to fund eligible parts of the entire project.
Historic Preservation
Resources: Pearl explains this is anything that is determined to be significant in
architecture /civic planning
1. Cabot Theater 1920. Money has been invested into HVAC and other infrastructure
projects but its exterior elements need restoration /preservation including ADA
compliance, a bathroom that need to be replaced and a full lobby renovation.
2. Solar Field ( Greenergy Park 1982). This has to be deemed historic.
3. Beverly Library
4. City Hall
5. Broadway Corridor in the local historic district
6. Depot District which has been threatened for demolition
7. Beverly Farms and all cemeteries including stone restoration, fencing, vegetation
and landscape plan
8. Nike Site
9. Beverly Depot
10. Horse Trough in Beverly Farms
11. Bridge Street Bell
12. Beverly Farms Church Lighthouse
13. Hospital Lighthouse
14. Carriage House
15. Taft Summer House on Lothrop which is currently privately owned
16. Churches. These are often not funded but the CPA would review applications.
Church restoration often leads to outside legal guidance.
17. Historic Documents related to Beverly Public Library
18. Beverly Police Department Annex when new department is complete
19. Cabot House, Balch House, Hale House
20. Briscoe
To be awarded CPC funding for historic preservation, the Beverly Historic District
Commission has to determine if it is significant to City. If it is on the national registry, it is
generally honored unless it requires state and federal actions.
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Recreation
Resources:
1. Gillis Park stone stairs restoration
2. Maintenance of current open green space specifically on Route 127 around Endicott
College. McCrory and Pearl explain that CPC funds cannot be used for regular,
ongoing maintenance. Community members indicated that sidewalks need widening,
trees need to be maintained and a dedicated bike trail needs to be established.
3. Trail (?� Endicott (Behind stadium)
4. Connect to Danvers Rail Trail
Community Housing
Pearl explains that funds available in this category are dedicated to the acquisition, preservation
and rehabilitation of community housing. Pearl explains that CPA does have a housing plan.
Resources:
1. Briscoe
2. Where is there possible room for affordable housing?
Tom Bussone discusses project eligibility. He explains that CPC funds have very specific
guidelines for each category. He highlights the chart in the CPC booklet. He thoroughly
explains the definitions of what qualifies for an application. A lot of the recreational projects
come through the Rec Department and that community members typically partner with the Rec
Department. Some of the definitions have been challenged in court so some of them have been
redefined. Applicants need to ensure that they fit into each specific category. Before applying,
Bussone suggests reviewing all guidelines to ensure qualification. The Committee reviews
deadlines. They explain that the purpose of the pre - application is for applicant to explain to the
CPC what the project is for and how much funding they are hoping to receive. The CPC then
determines if a project is eligible for CPA funding, based on the allowable uses chart. If the
project is determined to be eligible, a full application must be completed. McCrory and
Bussone review the application schedule for 2019 -2020.
The Committee welcomes questions.
Questions and Answers
1. The Committee suggests that applicants use their best guess for the total project cost
and encourage partnerships with private donors. They suggest applications be cost
effective and meet eligibility criteria. McCrory explains that projects can be submitted
over several years. Pearl explains the determination for preservation of the
feature /resource. A rehabilitation design has to meet the Secretary of Interior's
Standards, which are national standards, and those depend on an operational needs
assessment /analysis.
2. Pearl explains that Recreation and Open Space projects are about creating or enhancing
opportunities for recreational space and open space.
3. Are fences on cemeteries considered Historic Rehabilitation & Restoration? Committee
explains that it must be 100+ years old for the restoration of documents and 50+ years
for other including headstone preservation.
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4. McCrory briefly discusses Camp Paradise application and explains that the City was
able to get a bond, which is being paid over 10 years, and the CPC helps to fund the
payment.
5. Committee explains that a property does not have to be City owned to qualify. It can be
private or owned by a non - profit but an owner must sign off on the project application
and it is possible to partner with several different organizations to complete the project.
Wrap Up
McCrory appreciates everything for coming and ends the meeting at 8:30.
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