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10-04-18 CPC Minutes - Annual Public Hearing with White Board NCITY OF BEVERLY PUBLIC MEETING MINUTES - ANNUAL PUBLIC HEARING COMMITTEE /COMMISSION: Community Preservation Committee SUBCOMMITTEE: DATE: October 4, 2018 LOCATION: Beverly Golf and Tennis Club, 134 McKay St. MEMBERS PRESENT: Marilyn McCrory - Chair, Wendy Pearl - Vice Chair, Tom Bussone, Christy Edwards, John Hall, Nancy Marino, Heather Richter MEMBERS ABSENT: Robert Buchsbaum, James Matz OTHERS PRESENT: Amy Maxner - Environmental Planner, Chris Carter - Beverly Golf and Tennis; Bill Lowd - Beverly Golf and Tennis; Andrew DeFranza - Harborlight Community Partners; Matt Pujo -Beverly Community Access Media; Joscelyn Ruelle- Kersker - Beverly Parks and Recreation RECORDER: Travis Lovett McCrory calls the public hearing to order at 7:00prn and welcomes everyone in attendance and asks that everyone introduce themselves and their affiliation. McCrory thanks Bill Lowd, Chair of the Beverly Golf & Tennis Club and Chris Carter, management /golf pro for the facility for their offer to host this hearing at the Clubhouse tonight and for their time in preparing the room and snacks this evening. Overview of the Community Preservation Act (CPA) McCrory explains the purpose of the meeting is to hear from community members as to what Beverly's community preservation needs, possibilities and resources are. She notes that CPA requires every community to explore the needs, possibilities, and resources for community preservation. She provides a brief overview of the CPA and its passage in Beverly, noting that it authorizes communities to establish a fund for community preservation in four categories: open space preservation, historic preservation, community housing, and recreation. Three of these categories - open space, historic preservation, and community housing - must receive 10 percent of the total CPA revenue automatically to be set aside or spent specifically for those intended uses. The fourth category, recreation, has no minimum amount set aside and is funded out of the general unrestricted reserve CPA funds. She notes that the general unrestricted funds can go toward any project within those four categories. The CPA fund is created after communities adopt a law to pay a surcharge Community Preservation Committee October 4, 2018 Public Hearing Meeting Minutes Page 1 of 4 on state property taxes. Beverly adopted the CPA in 2012 at a 1% surcharge on property taxes (out of a possible 3 %). CPA Successes to Date Pearl starts by reviewing CPA in Beverly to date and highlights a few significant projects funded so far. She explains that the Beverly CPC has received 58 applications to date, with over $6.1 million of CPA funds requested. To date, 45 projects have been funded, amounting to approximately $4.1 million in total CPA funds awarded. There has been over $500,000 set aside for Open Space. She refers to the pie chart indicating Historic preservation is a large part of where the awards are going. $450,000 in CPA funds were used to purchase Camp Paradise at 44 Cole Street, a 12 acre property for park and recreation use and placed under a conservation restriction that preserves the current condition and use in perpetuity. Pearl explains that the Beverly Golf and Tennis Clubhouse has received $734,000 to date, and the building needs a full study for preservation, but it is a gem of a municipal property. Pearl explains the GAR Hall facade is being restored with CPA funds, which is also a municipal building. Pearl explains Harborlight Community Partners was able to put together a financing plan to bring federal and state sources to make community housing available at 1 Monument Square ( Harborlight House). Harborlight Community Partners also developed a proposal for affordable housing at Hardy Street. Lynch Park has benefited from several projects in the Community Preservation Act, including the play structure was funded in the amount of $115,000. Green's Hill trail improvements were made to make that recreation land more accessible and usable for the residents. Dane Street Playground raised a lot of money privately, Pearl said, to design a new playground, which is in a highly visible location. CPA funds contributed $50,000 toward the $150,000 costs. Over $221,000 has been provided from CPA funds to rehabilitate Ellis Square, which has become more of a focal point for our downtown, Pearl said. The pavilion at Obear Park was supported with CPA funds. If a recreation project comes forward over the last five years, there is a good chance it was funded in part through CPA funds, Pearl said. CPA Needs, Possibilities, and Resources *`See Attached White Board Notes Taken During This Discussion ** Pearl opens the discussion up for the audience to talk about their ideas for Beverly. Pujo notes residents have talked about the former Ventron site on Congress Street as potential for water access and recreation space. There's a river vista and a small beach area at the end of Congress Street. McCrory said Beverly Harbor Management Authority received CPA funding for a plan to renovate that beach area. John and Jeannette Cuffe, members of the Ward 2 Civic Association, express interest in improving waterfront access Community Preservation Committee October 4, 2018 Public Hearing Meeting Minutes Page 2 of 4 particularly along Lothrop Street. General discussion ensues about public access to the waterfront in all areas of Beverly, including off of Lothrop Street, behind Starbucks on Elliott Street and behind the old Bowl -O -Mat. DeFranza said the Bass River rezoning could open up opportunity for development. Maxner said the updated the Open Space and Recreation Plan focused on waterfront access as a need. Ruelle- Kersker said the trail maps and signage around Hannah Elementary School need improvement. DeFranza said people are not aware of how many trails there actually are. McCrory said the OSRC has a grant - funded project to improve signage. Pearl notes that Historic Preservation can include all kinds of things, but the resource needs to be determined historically significant, with a number of critical historical records having been preserved with the last few rounds of funding. Pearl said the Carriage House has been determined to be historically significant and CPA has funded a preservation study of that buiding. DeFranza said that Briscoe Middle School could probably qualify for preservation funds. Pujo said he doesn't think a lot of people know the missile launch site is out there on LP Henderson Road. One resident asked about plaques and how they contribute to the history. Another resident said that signage is much more visible in Gloucester. Pearl said generally, signage is not an eligible expense under CPA. Pearl said the CPA can buy easements, such as an easement for a private property, such as conservation restrictions or preservation restrictions that restrict use and regulate modifications. Pearl said these restrictions have to be managed by a third party and there are costs associated with that. After some general discussion about cemeteries, Pearl said she would add historic cemeteries to the list. General discussion ensues as to historic resources and potential re -use of some sites, such as the Nike Missile site off of LP Henderson Road. Pearl said there is a community preservation plan that is in the process of being updated and will be posted on the webpage. CPA funded a housing study to determine the public housing needs in Beverly. Housing ranges from senior housing to larger new projects to meet a range of income levels of affordability. DeFranza said 80% of the median income in Beverly is about $75,000 for a family of four. Bussone said there needs to be a preference for Beverly residents, especially when private developers come in and make use of the Housing Trust monies. DeFranza said they can only have 70 percent local preference as allowed by law, but that could be the standard part of any agreement. DeFranza said that Beverly, Salem, and Peabody are applying local preference to each other based on the tri- community memorandum of understanding. Marino asked if the project proposed in Beverly could also be funded by other cities and towns. Maxner states CPA funds from one community can be spent in another community, and this could work in all CPA categories. DeFranza explains that that Anchor Point project will bring 75 new affordable housing units to the city, noting there is a lot of need across the income spectrum. DeFranza said they would consider brownfield Community Preservation Committee October 4, 2018 Public Hearing Meeting Minutes Page 3 of 4 sites, but they don't look at them intentionally. DeFranza is looking at the Briscoe property and they are interested in the historic preservation and the housing possibilities there. Ruelle - Kersker said basketball courts, tennis courts, and playing fields are in desperate need of repair, noting that fields and other facilities need to be renovated to enhance accessibility. Marino said Park Street, Pleasant View, Goldway, Bartlett Gardens are within Wards 2 and 3. Livingston Playground in Ryal Side is a huge piece of property, and there should be more amenities there, Marino said. They struggle for meeting space and shelter, and more pavilions to make parks destinations should be looked into, Ruelle - Kersker said. Pujo said to double up on use of the Bass River. McCrory said canoe access would be great. Pearl would love to see the riverfront property bought and turned into an esplanade. Pearl and McCrory thank everyone for the lively discussion and sharing of ideas and encourage people to continue contact with the CPC and its staff throughout the year. They turn it over to Christy Edwards to talk about Round 6 application process. How to Apply for CPA Funds 2018 -2019 Round 6 Application Schedule Edwards explains there is a two -step process for eligibility, the first being pre - applications to determine whether or not the project is eligible for CPA funding. Round 6 pre -apps are due by Thursday, November 1, 2018. She encourages anyone who has questions about the application process to come to the next CPC meeting on October 18, 2018 or contact Amy Maxner in the PIanning Department. She notes that if a project is historic in nature, it must be reviewed by the Historic District Commission by way of determination of historic significance application. The CPC will announce eligible projects by December 3, 2018. She states the full CPA funding applications will be due to the CPC by January 10, 2019. Written public comments are due by February 1, 2019. CPC members will review applications and make project funding recommendations to the Beverly City Council by mid -April 2019. Awards will be announced in May 2019. Adjournment McCrory motions to adjourn the meeting. Pearl seconds the motion. The motion carries 7- 0. The public hearing ends at 8:30pm. The next regular CPC meeting is scheduled for Thursday, October 18, 2018 at 7:00pm in Beverly City Hall. 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