COMMUNITY PRESERVATION COMMITTEE
MINUTES
February 10, 2015
A regular meeting of the Community Preservation Committee (CPC) was held on Tuesday, February 10, 2015 at 6:00 pm at 120 Washington Street, Salem, MA. Present were Chair Helen Sides, Vice Chair Kevin Cornacchio, John Boris, Mickey Northcutt, Tim Shea and Leslie Tuttle. Also present was Jane Guy of the City of Salem Department of Planning & Community Development.
Arriving later in the meeting was Bart Hoskins.
Public Comment
There was no public comment.
Review of Step 1, FY15 Determination of Eligibility Applications (DOE) Received
Ms. Guy provided copies of the 17 DOE’s received:
PROJECT TITLE |
APPLICANT |
SUMMARY |
Forest River Pool |
Park & Rec. |
Conceptual stud to restore the pool |
Cambridge St./Brick Sidewalk Restoration |
Joe Pyfrin |
Re-establish historic brick sidewalks in 4 locations |
Bates Elementary School Playground & Garden |
Bates PTO Playground Committee |
Replace play structure, improve surfacing, add swings, create garden space |
Mary Jane Lee Park Improvements |
DPCD |
Surfacing, trees, fence, grass, reconstruct basketball area |
Hamilton Hall/Fence Restoration |
Hamilton Hall |
Restoration of wrought iron fence |
Hamilton Hall/Window Restoration |
Hamilton Hall |
Window restoration |
Hawthorne Birth House Preservation & Restoration |
House of the Seven Gables |
Roof, rake board, downspouts, gutters, painting, pointing, electrical HVAC |
Retire Beckett House Preservation & Restoration |
House of the Seven Gables |
roof, rake board, downspouts, gutters, siding, windows, electrical HVAC |
Emmerton Hall Preservation & Restoration |
House of the Seven Gables |
Gutters, cornice, roof, windows, painting, fence |
Charter St. Burial Ground |
DPCD |
Headstones, tombs, way finding, signage, paths, lighting, landscaping |
Harbor Lafayette Homes |
Harbor Lafayette Homes/North Shore CDC |
Preserve/rehabilitate 27 units of housing |
Conservation & Restoration of Historic Artwork in City Hall Council Chambers |
DPCD |
Conservation and restoration of 3 historic portraits |
Camp Naumkeag |
Salem YMCA |
Creation of a master plan |
Palmer Cove Lighting |
Park & Rec. |
Lighting for basketball court and baseball field |
Forest River Conservation Area Footbridge Improvements |
Salem Conservation Commission |
Structural assessment, design & construct upgrades |
McGlew Park |
Friends of McGlew Park |
Play structues, landscaping |
McGlew Park |
Park & Rec. |
Conceptual park design |
Forest River Pool
Mr. Shea asked why it wouldn’t be considered maintenance.
Mr. Northcutt stated that the recreational description says what is included and there is no pool listed. He stated that it states what is not included: stadiums, gymnasiums and similar structures. Mr. Northcutt stated that this feels more like a similar structure and did not think the pool was eligible under recreation land.
Ms. Guy stated that, other than historic preservation, it would need to be a significant improvement.
Mr. Northcutt stated that he felt it was more like a gym rather than a field.
Mr. Boris and Mr. Cornacchio were in agreement.
Mr. Shea stated that he felt it was maintenance.
Mr. Boris made a motion to find the proposed project not eligible to be submitted under a CPA funding application based on it being maintenance. Mr. Northcutt seconded the motion. Ms. Sides, Mr. Cornacchio, Mr. Boris, Mr. Northcutt and Mr. Shea voted in favor. There were none opposed. Ms. Tuttle abstained from voting. The motion so carried.
Cambridge St./Brick Sidewalk Restoration
Ms. Guy stated that she inquired to Stuart Saginor of Community Preservation Coalition regarding whether brick sidewalks qualify as a resource. She read an email response from Mr. Saginor, which stated that CPA funds cannot be used to supplant general city spending on a municipal asset – to which sidewalks are considered – which are maintained through the general budget. In addition, historic resources are limited to capital improvements and cannot be used for maintenance, historic resources can’t be created and preservation of streetscape is not a permissible under the definitions.
Mr. Shea made a motion to find the proposed project not eligible to be submitted under a CPA funding application. Mr. Boris seconded the motion; all were in favor and the motion so carried.
Bates Elementary School Playground & Garden
Mr. Northcutt stated that he did not feel that the PTO has site control.
Ms. Guy stated that she has an email in to Paul L’Heureux, the facilities manager, regarding who has the authority to allow an installation on school property. She wondered if the school committee or other entity needs to authorize it.
Mr. Shea questioned if play structures could be funded.
Ms. Tuttle stated that amendment stated that with respect to land for recreation use, rehabilitation can include the replacement of playground equipment and other capital improvements to land and facilities thereon to make them more functional for the intended recreational use. She stated that she thought this applied to the pool, too.
Mr. Cornacchio made a motion to find the proposed project eligible to be submitted under a CPA funding application under Recreation Land: Rehabilitation/Restoration, conditional upon verification of whose authorization is needed and that the application be submitted or co-submitted by the appropriate school representative. Ms. Tuttle seconded the motion; all were in favor and the motion so carried.
Mr. Hoskins joined the meeting at this time.
Forest River Pool (revisted)
Ms. Sides stated she felt better about the pool, in terms of it being maintenance and whether it falls under the category of a structure on a recreation land.
Ms. Tuttle stated that the amendment says the focus of CPA recreational projects is for outdoor passive or active recreation, which the pool does seem to fall into, while the gymnasium would be for indoor use.
Mr. Shea asked if it should be revisited, since the 2012 amendment broadened the law to also allow for the rehabilitation of existing outdoor recreational facilities.
Ms. Guy stated that she felt the facility was eligible, but asked if the scope of work has any capital improvement or is just maintenance.
Mr. Shea stated that he was against it at first because it sounded like maintenance, but stated that the amendment seems to contradict the maintenance.
Ms. Guy stated that the verb for rehabilitation/restoration is to make capital improvements or extraordinary repairs.
Mr. Hoskins stated that if you let things get so bad that it is a hopeless mess that you can’t maintain it any more, it becomes an extraordinary repair and it becomes eligible. He stated he never really had a problem with the liner and thought it was a capital improvement.
Mr. Northcutt stated that he thought it was maintenance and still did not think it was eligible.
Mr. Shea stated that he was fine leaving it as is.
Ms. Sides stated that she would like to revisit.
Ms. Shea made a motion to reconsider the eligibility of the pool. Mr. Hoskins seconded the motion, all were in favor and the motion so carried.
Ms. Tuttle stated a study can be paid for with CPA funds.
Mr. Shea and Mr. Cornacchio felt that the project falls into the definition of a capital improvement due to the eventual work being extraordinary repairs.
Mr. Northcutt stated that he felt it is okay to let them apply and to hope there will be more clarity in what the problems are and the nature of the repairs.
Mr. Shea and Mr. Cornacchio were in agreement.
Mr. Cornacchio made a motion to find the proposed project eligible to be submitted under a CPA funding application under Recreation Land: Rehabilitation/Restoration. Mr. Hoskins seconded the motion, all were in favor and the motion so carried.
Mary Jane Lee Park Improvements
Mr. Shea made a motion to find the proposed project eligible to be submitted under a CPA funding application under Recreation Land: Rehabilitation/Restoration. Mr. Boris seconded the motion; all were in favor and the motion so carried.
Hamilton Hall/Fence Restoration
Mr. Northcutt made a motion to find the proposed project eligible to be submitted under a CPA funding application under Historic Resources: Preservation. Ms. Tuttle seconded the motion. Ms. Sides, Mr. Cornacchio, Mr. Boris, Mr. Northcutt and Ms. Tuttle voted in favor. There were none opposed. Mr. Shea abstained from voting. The motion so carried.
Hamilton Hall/Window Restoration
Mr. Boris made a motion to find the proposed project eligible to be submitted under a CPA funding application under Historic Resources: Preservation. Mr. Boris seconded the motion. Ms. Sides, Mr. Cornacchio, Mr. Boris, Mr. Northcutt and Ms. Tuttle voted in favor. There were none opposed. Mr. Shea abstained from voting. The motion so carried.
Hawthorne Birth House Preservation & Restoration
Ms. Tuttle made a motion to find the proposed project eligible to be submitted under a CPA funding application under Historic Resources: Preservation. Mr. Northcutt seconded the motion. Ms. Sides, Mr. Cornacchio, Mr. Boris, Mr. Northcutt and Ms. Tuttle voted in favor. There were none opposed. Mr. Shea abstained from voting. The motion so carried.
Retire Beckett House Preservation & Restoration
Mr. Northcutt made a motion to find the proposed project eligible to be submitted under a CPA funding application under Historic Resources: Preservation. Mr. Cornacchio seconded the motion. Ms. Sides, Mr. Cornacchio, Mr. Boris, Mr. Northcutt and Ms. Tuttle voted in favor. There were none opposed. Mr. Shea abstained from voting. The motion so carried.
Emmerton Hall Preservation & Restoration
Mr. Northcutt made a motion to find the proposed project eligible to be submitted under a CPA funding application under Historic Resources: Preservation. Mr. Boris seconded the motion. Ms. Sides, Mr. Cornacchio, Mr. Boris, Mr. Northcutt and Ms. Tuttle voted in favor. There were none opposed. Mr. Shea abstained from voting. The motion so carried.
Charter St. Burial Ground
Mr. Cornacchio made a motion to find the proposed project eligible to be submitted under a CPA funding application under Historic Resources: Preservation. Ms. Tuttle seconded the motion; all were in favor and the motion so carried.
Harbor Lafayette Homes
Mr. Boris made a motion to find the proposed project eligible to be submitted under a CPA funding application under Community Housing: Preservation. Mr. Shea seconded the motion. Ms. Sides, Mr. Cornacchio, Mr. Boris, Mr. Shea and Ms. Tuttle voted in favor. There were none opposed. Mr. Northcutt abstained from voting. The motion so carried.
Conservation & Restoration of Historic Artwork in City Hall Council Chambers
Mr. Shea made a motion to find the proposed project eligible to be submitted under a CPA funding application under Historic Resources: Preservation. Mr. Cornacchio seconded the motion; all were in favor and the motion so carried.
Camp Naumkeag
Ms. Tuttle stated that the YMCA used the camp Monday thru Friday and the City uses it on weekends.
Mr. Shea made a motion to find the proposed project eligible to be submitted under a CPA funding application under Recreation Land: Rehabilitation/Restoration, conditional that they submit a lease copy which give the Salem YMCA site control or, if not, that the application be submitted or co-submitted by the City of Salem. Mr. Boris seconded the motion; all were in favor and the motion so carried.
Palmer Cove Lighting
Mr. Northcutt made a motion to find the proposed project eligible to be submitted under a CPA funding application under Recreation Land: Rehabilitation/Restoration. Mr. Shea seconded the motion; all were in favor and the motion so carried.
Forest River Conservation Area Footbridge Improvements
Mr. Northcut made a motion to find the proposed project eligible to be submitted under a CPA funding application under Recreation Land: Rehabilitation/Restoration. Mr. Shea seconded the motion; all were in favor and the motion so carried.
McGlew Park (Park & Recreaction and Friends of McGlew Park applications)
Mr. Boris made a motion to find the proposed project eligible to be submitted under a CPA funding application under Recreation Land: Rehabilitation/Restoration and to advise both that the City will need to be the applicant or co-applicant, and with the preference that a needs assessment be included in the project scope. Ms. Tuttle seconded the motion; all were in favor and the motion so carried.
Request by House of the Seven Gables for a site visit
Ms. Guy stated that the CPC has received an invite to tour the House of Seven Gables campus so that members can “gain a deeper understanding of its historic significance and preservation challenges”. At the last meeting, the CPC decided that it would be happy to respond to an invitation if and when the CPC receives an application and noted that the Gables submitted three.
Ms. Tuttle, Mr. Boris and Mr. Shea stated that they would like to do a tour. The members were in agreement and Ms. Guy will set something up for March.
Other Business
Ms. Guy provided copies of the Footprint Power Community Benefits agreement. It states: “In order to leverage State funding, Footprint will contribute a total of $75,000 per year for 10 years to the City for the Community Preservation Act ("CPA") fund in order to support workforce housing and fund the construction and maintenance of city recreational amenities. Such contribution shall be made annually beginning on January 1, 2020 and shall be reduced dollar for dollar by the amount paid by Footprint in CPA surcharge related to payments made to the City under the Tax Agreement, any successor agreement, or on an ad valorem basis should that agreement be terminated for any reason.”
Ms. Guy will try to get an estimate facilities taxes and what the estimated surcharge would be.
Ms. Guy distributed copies of the monthly budget report.
Approval of Minutes
Mr. Hoskins made a motion to approve the minutes of January 13, 2015. Mr. Shea seconded the motion; all were in favor and the motion so carried.
Next Meeting Date
Ms. Guy stated that the next meeting date is scheduled for Tuesday, March 10, 2015.
There being no further business, Hoskins made a motion to adjourn. Shea seconded the motion; all were in favor, and the motion so carried.
Respectfully submitted,
Jane A. Guy
Administrator
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