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Round two questions sent to applicants SAW MILL HILLS CONNECTOR OPEN SPACE ACQUISITION PROJECT 1. What percentage of the parcel do the current wetland protection laws & Northampton’s Wetlands Ordinance already protect? What is the added benefit of the City buying this already protected portion? How does the presence of wetlands on the property constrain development by the City? 2. To the CPC (Bruce and Jack): The applicant proposes to return approx 200k to the CPA upon sale of 2 building lots. Is there a precedent for receiving income like this? Is it allowable within the CPA legislation? 3. How high is the priority for this project? How, exactly, does it relate to other parcels that have been (or are being) protected in the area? 4. What options are available for either selling the lots or using them for affordable housing? How much time is available to explore the options? 5. City’s Planning Office has stated this is the top open space priority of the City and its Conservation Commission. As the applicant, the Conservation Commission should provide a letter confirming this and explaining why this is its top priority. 6. To reduce the amount of CPA funds expended and its risk, the CPC could award the $385,000 requested less a reasonable amount expected to be repaid from sale of the two lots (which would be combined into one permitted lot for the construction of two duplexes. The Planning Office indicated that, if the amount assumed to be recovered from sale of the permitted lot is reasonable (it suggested $150,000 as a conservative figure in today’s market), that it could borrow these funds, reducing the amount of CPA funds needed. Please elaborate. 7. The CPC may want to consider awarding $385,000 (with no repayment from sale of a permitted building lot) if this results in four units of long-term affordable housing, most likely as either four condo units or two for sale duplexes, each with a rental unit. In its consideration, the CPC would want to weigh a number of factors, including the anticipated sales prices and income limits of such affordable housing, the anticipated sales prices if the lots are sold unencumbered by the City, and the location of the housing. To facilitate this analysis, the applicant should inquire of other “partner” organizations (possibilities include Habitat, Valley CDC, HAP, the Northampton Housing Authority, but the City should decide who it wants to approach) and get the answer to this question: If the City were to deed a lot zoned and fully permitted for the construction of two duplexes, and demonstrate that there are no environmental constraints, for the cost of $1, what could this partner organization provide in terms of affordable housing? FITZGERALD LAKE OPEN SPACE ACQUISITION PROJECT 1. This is a very small parcel with private housing lots on both sides. How high is the priority for this expenditure? VENTURES FIELD RECREATION/OPEN SPACE ACQUISITION PROJECT 1. This is described as Northampton’s “prime agricultural land” and yet it is being land banked for a soccer field. There is a high demand for more community gardens in Northampton (there is a waiting list at current community garden). Shouldn’t this be land banked for future food production needs given the future trajectory for energy/food transportation costs, the increased demand for local food production, and the exceptionally high quality of this farmland? 2. What sort of parking needs would this soccer field require? Asphalt pavement? 3. What sort of input would be required for the maintenance of a soccer field: eg, pesticides, fertilizers, mowing? How would this affect nearby agricultural fields, especially organic ones? 4. Given the remoteness of the parcel, would traffic / parking be a concern if the primary usage was to be youth sport teams? 5. If the future use as athletic fields is in question, is the parcel still a priority for the CPC? 6. How high is the priority for this project? 7. Is this place really going to become a soccer field? What are other options for the use of this land? 8. Can you demonstrate community support for this project? 9. Have neighbors and abutters been included in the discussion of this acquisition? JACKSON STREET BIKE TRAIL RECREATION ACQUISITION PROJECT 1. What is the size of this property? Will the cost of the purchase likely exceed $35K? 2. Was the option of taking this property by “eminent domain” explored? 3. Will the access ramp be maintained throughout the year (including plowed during snowy months) to reap the full benefit of the purchase? 4. Is this project of such high priority that an expenditure of this amount can be justified? ACADEMY OF MUSIC HISTORIC PRESERVATION PROJECT 1. Is the Academy either: Listed or eligible for listing on the State Register or Historic Place; or Determined by the Historical Commission to be significant in the history, archeology, architecture or culture of Northampton? (see p. 12 of the Community Preservation Plan) 2. The Community Preservation Plan (see p. 6) lists as one of its criteria that high- priority projects will “receive endorsement by community groups, municipal boards and or/departments.” Does the Historic Commission rate this as a high priority project? 3. Have other funds already been leveraged for this project? If other funds are not obtained, will the project be abandoned? 4. The budget indicates the marquee will cost $30K. Is this amount based on specific bids? CITY CLERK HISTORIC PRESERVATION PROJECT 1. Are there restrictions regarding public access to city records? 2. How long will these records last if we preserve them with this technology? 3. Please comment on the projected locations for long-term storage with respect to space available, climate control, etc. 4. Have or should options for electronic storage be considered? 5. Please give the committee a description of records preservation needs beyond the three-year contract mentioned in the application. In other words, what else will need to be done and what is the anticipated cost? 5. Applicant should provide a budget that clearly shows the following: a. A breakdown of the amount requested by uses (records preservation and shelving) correlated with fiscal year the funds are needed. b. Clarification whether any of the amount requested ($72,333) incorporates the $16,500 approved by the City’s CIC in FY06. To the extent the request for CPA funds includes the amount approved by the CIC, these funds should be subtracted from the CPA request. FLORENCE HISTORY HISTORIC PRESERVATION PROJECT 1. Is the Association a private membership/dues paying association? There is a question of public access to this project. The applicant stated that it did not have plans to have regular hours when the public could visit the museum. Given this, what is the public benefit of the project? How will the preserved items be made available and accessible to the public? 2. It would be useful to have more information about the items to be preserved, their quality, value, and historical significance. 3. What are your plans for leveraging funds from the Association or greater community. The applicant should clarify what amount of local fundraising as a match is feasible. 4. What is the level of technical expertise in terms of initial museum standards and archival specs? 5. Is the Florence History Project either: Listed or eligible for listing on the State Register or Historic Place; or Determined by the Historical Commission to be significant in the history, archeology, architecture or culture of Northampton? (see p. 12 of the Community Preservation Plan) 6. Does the Historical Commission support this project? The Community Preservation Plan (see p. 6) lists as one of its criteria that high-priority projects will “receive endorsement by community groups, municipal boards and or/departments.” GROVE STREET INN COMMUNITY HOUSING PROJECT 1. A project like this in an older building traditionally runs into snags and extra costs. Has the applicant provided for this possible increase? If not, how will the overage be covered? Also, please explain why the budget does not have a contingency line item. 2. This is a city-owned building with a number of additional problems. Among other things, the exterior is badly in need of re-painting and probably some clapboard replacement as well. We would like a capital maintenance plan to be drawn up and presented. Would this present a hardship for the applicant? HISTORIC NORTHAMPTON MUSEUM HISTORIC PRESERVATION PROJECT 1. Please provide information on how the work on the three houses ranks in priority, and a budget broken down with detail on the impact of proceeding in stages with renovation. 2. What sources are you pursuing for matching funds? Do you have any commitments? We would appreciate receiving more information about your capital campaign - its timetable, its success to date, and its long-term role in maintaining the museum. 3. The proposal lists a total project budget of $421,086 and a CPC request of $282,880 or 66%. However, it is clear you are actually asking us for 100% of the funding for the work you propose to do immediately (in fact the Measure Twice Renewal quote says “Total CPA Request $282,880”). Please go beyond the information on p.6 of your proposal and explain why no other funding sources can be used for even a small percentage of this project. 4. Are there permanent deed restrictions placed on these houses? 5. Are there multiple bids for projected work? LOOK PARK FOUNTAIN HISTORIC PRESERVATION PROJECT 1. If the fountain is not restored, have other options for the entrance been explored? If so, what? 2. The way the park entrance is designed and will be re-designed w/ the roundabout does not allow for pedestrian / public access to the fountain. It’s basically between two roads w/ no sidewalk.How does this allow for the public to appreciate the memorial? (driving by at 40 mph) 3. Is this the one and only estimate the park has received? Are there less costly options? 4. If the CPC cannot justify such a large expenditure for a project such as this, is there a minimum amount that would be essential for the project to go forward? 5. Is the fountain either: Listed or eligible for listing on the State Register or Historic Place; or Determined by the Historical Commission to be significant in the history, archeology, architecture or culture of Northampton? (see p. 12 of the Community Preservation Plan) 6. This is a large request ($300,000) and therefore should be held to a high community need standard. The applicant should be asked to provide more information to justify why the restoration of the fountain serves a community historic preservation need commensurate with the amount of funding requested. The applicant should also identify what other sources of funding could pay for a portion of this restoration, and whether a more modest request for CPA funding is workable. PARADISE POND COMMUNITY HOUSING SUPPORT PROJECT 1. Letters of support are very helpful in showing public support for a project. Please provide such letters or explain why you are unable to obtain them. 2. Can any part of the operating budget be reduced/eliminated given the funding gap? 3. Can any efficiency measures be adopted to lower utility & operating costs (cfls, low- flow shower heads, low-maintenance landscaping, etc)? 4. Is the amount requested the actual amount of funds lost for the year in question? If not, why not? SUMMER STREET INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECT 1. Letters of support are very helpful in showing public support for a project. Please provide such letters or explain why you are unable to obtain them. 2. Is there a back-up plan to cover additional infrastructure repair expenses should they be uncovered as the project moves forward? Also, please explain why the project budget does not have a contingency line item. 3. Please obtain two more bids for this work. 4. What is the actual % of low/moderate income residents served by your program? 5. The Agreement with the City of Northampton includes income and rent restrictions, but it is not apparent what the term of the affordability restriction is. Please clarify what the current affordability is.