HomeMy WebLinkAbout2002-10-09
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Community
Preservation
Committee
16 Broad St
Nantucket, MA 02554
COMMUNITY PRESERVATION COMMITTEE
MINUTES - WEDNESDA Y- OCTOBER 9,2002
A meeting of the Community Preservation Committee, CPC, was held on Wednesday, October 9,2002 at 2:30
PM in the Performance Center at the United Methodist Church, 2 Centre Street, Nantucket, MA.
Present were: Barry Rector, Chair, Pat Butler, Vice Chair, Virginia Andrews, Ken Beaugrand, Rich Brannigan,
Polly Miller, Neville Richen, Frank Spriggs, and Alice McWade, Administrative Assistant.
The meeting was called to order at 2:35 PM, and a quorum was established. The agenda was approved.
PUBLIC COMMENT
Public Comment is expected to be ongoing throughout the meeting. No comments were raised at this time.
INTERVIEWS
NANTUCKET LAND COUNCIL, INC. - BARTLETT'S FARM - $ 300,000
Linda Holland, Executive Director, Lynn Zimmerman, Associate Director, and Cormac Collier, Ecologist were
present on behalf of the Nantucket Land Council, Inc., NLC, Mrs. Holland reviewed the application. The
substance of the application, eight pages are attached hereto and incorporated herein. It was explained that the
NLC and the Bartlett family have entered into an agreement for the NLC's purchase of the development rights
to 104 acres of the 200+ acre site known as Bartlett Farm. The property in question has potentiality to be
subdivided and support 104 houses with the present zoning. The price set for these rights, secured by a
conservation restriction running in favor of the NLC, is six million dollars,($6,000,000), one third the 18
million dollar. ($18,000,000) fair market value assessment the 104 acre parcel has already received if
subdivided. .
This request is for a small portion of the $6,000,000 needed to purchase the Conservation Restriction. The rest
of the funds will be obtained from private donations and foundation gifts. According to the agreement, a. two-
year option, the Conservation Restriction must be purchased on or before July 31, 2003. There is an option to
extend the deadline for an additional two months. Lynn Zimmerman enumerated some of the many fundraising
activities the NLC has undertaken to raise the money needed.
Inquiry was made relative to the type of restriction chosen. If the property is to remain a farm why had the
NLC not chosen to purchase an agricultural restriction? The entire family would not commit to a restriction that
the land would be maintained as a farm. It is possible that as years go by some in the family may not want to
make their living farming. Cormac Collier explained that the conservation restriction would allow the land to
be used for a small golf course, probably 9-hole. If the option of a golf course is chosen the restriction provides
that all plantings, except fairways and greens, be of species native to Nantucket's Sandplain Grasslands and
Heathlands (globally threatened ecosystems).
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. Disc~ssion ensued relative to the amount of land presently required to build an 18- hole golf course. Currently
the minimum area required is 180 acres. By way of comparison it was noted that the Nantucket Golf Course
has 250 acres for its 18- hole course.
)Inquiry was made as to how much of the $6,000,000 the NLC has raised. To date over $2,000,000 has been
raised. Further inquiry was made regarding the purchase of the Conservation Restriction if the full $6,000,000
isn't raised by July 31. The sizable endowment of the NLC, over $5,000,000,was acknowledged as a possible
source for collateral to make up the difference. If the NLC was unable to purchase the restriction any award
received from the CPC would be returned. It was thought this scenario was highly unlikely. Just a few weeks
ago two pledges were received. One was in the amount of$IOO,OOO and the other $50,000.
A more detailed map of the locus for the restricted parcel as well as the surrounding area was requested. An
inquiry was made regarding why a larger parcel wasn't considered for the Conservation Restriction. Answers
were only speculative since this was the only parcel the Bartlett Family has agreed to restrict to this degree.
It was stated that the requests for funding to the CPC totaled four times as many dollars as available for
allocation. Inquiry was made as to whether receipt of1f4 of the requested amount would allow the project to
continue. It is hoped that the full amount would be allocated, if that is not possible any funds would help NLC
achieve the $6,000,000 goal.
BOARD OF SELECTMEN - AFFORDABLE HOUSING INFRASTRUCTURE - $300,000
John Pagini, Director Nantucket Planning and Economic Development Commission, NP&EDC, summarized
the application. A copy of the substance of the application, three pages, is attached hereto and incorporated
herein. The concept is to provide a source of funding for infrastructure improvements (i.e., road and drainage,
sewer, water, etc) necessary to support the development of affordable housing.
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An example of how a fund of this type could be used to improve infrastructure would be making road
improvements to First Way. The Planning Board has said that First Way is in poor shape. To use that as
access for school employee housing the "affordable housing infrastructure" might assist with the costs incurred
to fix the road to comply with Planning Board recommendations. Another example is the proposed Assisted
Living Complex, Sherburne Commons, to be built off South Shore Road. This proposal has included 13
affordable housing units to be built within the complex. Assistance with infrastructure costs for water and
sewer could be obtained from this fund.
Some discussion ensued regarding how the fund would be administered and why the Board of Selectmen was
chosen rather than the Nantucket Housing Office. Mr. Pagini indicated that some ofthe issues are complex and
it could be administered more easily by the BaS following the chapter 30B bidding requirements.
A request was made for specific projects that would be interested in availing themselves of such a fund. Letters
of interest from such entities are to be submitted to the CPC office on or before November 1, 2002. Clarification
regarding how this would be administered and what the selection criteria would be for applicants was also
requested. The clarification may be submitted to the CPC office on or before November 1, 2002. Copies of the
requested clarifications and letters of interest received, six pages, and are attached hereto and incorporated
herein.
It was stated that the requests for funding to the CPC totaled four times as many dollars as available for
allocation. Inquiry was made as to whether receipt of1f4 of the requested amount would allow the project to
J continue. If $200,000 was received instead of the $300,000 requested it would be useful. In response to the
sustainability of the project after any CPC allocation is depleted it was acknowledged that the fund was not
sustainable.
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BOS - TOWN EMPLOYEE & RESIDENT HOUSING ON TOWN LAND - $125,000
',.Bill Snowden, representing the Nantucket Housing Authority presented the application. A copy of the substance
lofthe application, two pages, is attached hereto and incorporated herein. Mr. Snowden handed out copies of
"Potential Town Land for Homes", a copy of which, 1 page, is attached hereto and incorporated herein.
Finn Murphy representing the Board of Selectmen, BaS, acknowledged that this application was supported by
the BaS.
The concept of the project is to make various parcels of Town owned land, previously identified as appropriate
for affordable housing, available for construction of rental housing for TowlJ. employees and year round
residents. The Nantucket Housing Office, endorsed by Mr. Snowden and Mr. Murphy, is the entity most likely
to administer this project. The Housing Office has recently appointed an interim Executive Director,
Inquiry was made regarding page two of the application and comparable projects administered by the applicant.
Some examples offered were the Monomoy Sewer project and the Polpis Bike Path. It was stated that the BaS
has extensive experience in contracting out work.
Inquiry was made regarding whether the BaS are going into the housing business. In response the Committee
was assured that the BaS was not going into the housing business they are a proactive group offering temporary
assistance to get the project started. It was noted there is a discrepancy of $2,000 between the breakdown of the
"Anticipated Project Cost" and the "CPC funding Request ". Inquiry was made regarding the money required
to make the lots ready for building and what would be the source for the additional funds necessary to actually
build a structure. The funds to build the house would be received from a conventional mortgage. It is believed
that this type of financing would continue the sustainability of the proposed fund. The monies invested from
this fund, for improvement to the lot, would be added to the mortgage amount. That amount would be paid
'back to the fund when the mortgage was granted.
Clarification regarding how this application interlocks rather than overlaps efforts of existing agencies was
requested. It was suggested that the existing agencies provide letters in support of this application. These letters
as well as clarification regarding the mechanics of the application and criteria that will be followed are to be
submitted to the CPC office on or before November 1.
OLD BUSINESS
NEW BUSINESS
ADJOURNMENT
Upon a motion duly made and seconded it was VOTED to adjourn this meeting for the day. The next meeting is
scheduled for Tuesday, October 15,2002. The meeting adjourned at 5:15 pm.
~Re ectful~y su~mitted by,
( . rrn; Alr-.dA
ice McWade
Administrative Assistant
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