GPS Small Grant.docCOMMUNITY PRESERVATION
COMBINED SMALL GRANT
ELIGIBILITY AND APPLICATION FORM
Project Title: GPS purchase for conservation property preservation
Project location, including address and parcel number: N/A
Project Sponsor/Organization: Northampton Office of Planning & Sustainability
Contact Name: Wayne Feiden
Property Owner, if applicable: Various Properties owned by the Conservation Commission
Mailing Address: 210 Main Street, Room 11, Northampton MA 01060
Daytime phone #: 413-587-1265
Fax #: 413-587-1264
E-mail address: wfeiden@northamptonma.gov
CPA Program Area (check those that apply):
X Open Space � Historic Preservation
� Community Housing � Recreation
Project Purpose (check those that apply) :
X Preservation
� Rehabilitation/Restoration
Applicant’s Signature:
Date Submitted: February 1, 2017
For CPC Use Eligible: _____ Not Eligible: _____ Date: __________ Reviewer: ____________________
Appropriate for Small Grant Process_____
Referred to Traditional Funding Round______
Total Project Budget (not to exceed $6,000.00): $600
CPA Funding Request (not to exceed $3,000.00): $500
Funding from other sources: $100 cash match from Planning and Sustainability Funds
CPA Request as % of Total Budget: 83%
Budget Summary: Please specify how CPA funds will be spent. Itemize all projected expenditures. If budget is based on a quote, please attach it. List any additional funding sources
or donations of in-kind service. These funds must be secured at the time of application, as evidenced by a signed commitment letter referencing the content of the application, and
including any restriction on the use of funds.
Estimated budget:
Purchase of a Handheld Global Positioning System Unit $600
1) Please provide a brief description of the project.
CPA funds are requested to purchase a hand-held GPS unit for use by Conservation Commission staff. The unit will allow for:
Inspection of properties prior to acquisition
Completion of required baseline documentation upon acquisition of fee-simple or conservation restriction properties
Monitoring of conservation properties
Location of encroachments and violations
Boundary blazing
Documentation of vernal pools and other features
Mapping of invasive species
Trail creation and maintenance, including multi-use paths and woods trails
Staff have been utilizing a GPS that is nearly a decade old, is no longer supported, is difficult to integrate with mapping software, and is missing many critical features. CPA funds
are being requested to purchase a new unit to assist in all of the functions necessary for effective open space preservation. It will also allow some items, such as required baseline
documentation, to be done easily in-house, resulting in an overall cost-savings. Through initial research and contact with other communities and land preservation partners, we have
identified several units in the $500 - $600 range that will suit our needs for several years to come. Any cost in excess of $500 will be covered through department funds, but funds
are not currently available to purchase a full unit without a CPA award.
2) What Community Preservation criteria – both general and program-area specific – does this project meet? Please refer to the Overview CPA Plan Section, Page 6), and applicable program
criteria. (Historic Preservation – Page 14, Community Housing, Page 22, Open Space, Page 24, Recreation, Page 31)
General Criteria:
Addresses recommendations contained in the Sustainable Northampton comprehensive plan and/or the Northampton Open Space, Recreation, and Mixed Use Trail Plan 2011-2018 or is consistent
with other city-wide planning efforts that have received broad-based scrutiny and input and can demonstrate wide community support
The unit will allow for effective preservation of all of the areas catalogued in the open space plan, as well as acquisition of new areas.
3) What community need(s) does this project serve? If the project serves multiple needs and populations, please describe them. If the project serves a population that is currently underserved,
please describe.
In addition to other functions, the unit will allow for effective mapping of our trail systems, a frequently requested item. It will also allow us to mark trails and property boundaries,
eliminating any confusion about the location of our protected open spaces.
4) What specific guarantees will assure the long-term preservation of the project?
The GPS unit will in itself help to assure the long-term preservation of trails and open spaces.
5) What community support does the project have? Explain the nature and level of the support.
Members of the public often work with staff on mapping projects, and the GPS unit currently available is not viable for most of these needs.
6) How will the success of this project be measured?
Success of this stage of the project will be measured by ongoing identification and mapping of problem areas, property boundaries, trails, and natural features.
7) Is ongoing maintenance and upkeep required? If yes, please explain how this will be accomplished.
The unit will come with support and software integration.
8) Explain the various steps of the project and when they will be completed
We are ready to purchase and utilize the GPS as soon as funding is available.
9) Provide any additional information you think would be useful in considering your project.
This is a small award that will have a tremendous and immediate impact on the quality of our open space preservation activities, and will allow us to capture meaningful data that we
can share with the public to make our open spaces more accessible. It will save funds in the future by allowing us to do work in-house that we must currently work with others to complete.