Agenda and Minutes 2009-05-06
City of Northampton
Community Preservation Committee
210 Main Street, City Hall
Northampton, MA 01060
Community Preservation Committee
Agenda
DATE: Wednesday, May 6, 2009
TIME: 7:00 PM
PLACE: City Council Chambers, 212 Main Street (BEHIND City Hall)
Contact:
Fran Volkmann, Chair, Community Preservation Committee
Franv@comcast.net
Tom Parent, Vice Chair, Community Preservation Committee
ParentBridge@hotmail.com
Bruce Young, Community Preservation Planner
byoung@northamptonma.gov
(413) 587-1263
Agenda
Public Comment
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Acceptance of 4/15/2009 Minutes
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Chair's Report
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Expedited Review of OPD Manhan Rail Trail Application
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Request to Appropriate FY10 Reserve Funds
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Report on Historic Commission Survey Conditions
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Expedited Review Policy Discussion
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Other Business
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For additional information please refer to the Community Preservation Committee
website: http://www.northamptonma.gov/gsuniverse/httpRoot/comm/
MINUTES
Community Preservation Committee
Date: Wednesday, May 6, 2009
Time: 7:00 pm
Place: City Council Chambers, 212 Main St.
Members Present: Fran Volkmann, Tom Parent, Jack Hornor, George Kohout, Don Bianchi,
Downey Meyer, Lilly Lombard
Staff Present: Bruce Young, Senior Community Preservation Planner
Fran Volkmann opened the public meeting at 7:00pm.
1. General Public Comment
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Yvonne Boucher of Jackson Street stated that she supports the Jackson Street bike path
project.
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Lola Reid of Williams Street stated that she supports the Jackson Street bike path project.
2. Acceptance of 4/15/2009 Minutes
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Tom Parent requested that the April 1, 2009 date be changed to April 15, 2009. The CPC
approved the minutes as corrected.
3. Chair's Report
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A 2009 summer schedule of one meeting per month was approved by the CPC. Meeting
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dates are set for June 17th, July 15th and August 19.
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The CPC discussed committee work groups for outreach, website construction, expedited
applications and reporting and monitoring.
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Downey Meyer agreed to create draft language on the mayoral role in CPC
recommendations.
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Fran Volkmann stated that the Valley Community Development Corporation received
permission to create two additional units (10 total) at the King Street Single Room
Occupancy project.
4. Expedited Review of OPD Manhan Rail Trail Application
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Wayne Feiden presented the updated application for the Manhan Rail Trail Project.
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Wayne Feiden stated that, earlier in the evening, the Easthampton City Council voted 9-0
in favor of the eminent domain takings for the Easthampton section of the project.
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Wayne Feiden stated that the Northampton City Council takes their second vote on May
7, 2009.
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Wayne Feiden informed the CPC of uncertainties in project funding and referenced three
Northampton rail trail projects as examples: Earle Street section of the rail trail cost an
additional $5,000 in engineering costs; the downtown section of the rail trail cost the City
an additional $35,000 in engineering costs; the Look Park section of the new rail trail in
Leeds requires design changes for drainage that have not yet been calculated.
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Wayne Feiden explained that the range of cost estimates is about ½ now of what it was
when he first presented the project. He stated that the budget is more accurate, but there
could be unexpected costs associated with the project.
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Wayne Feiden explained that the City of Northampton agreed to provide an As-Built plan
to National Grid and in return National Grid will not charge for land takings.
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Wayne Feiden explained that traffic impact dollars from planning permits in the amount
of $20,000 are available for this section of the bike path project and that he would like to
use it for an additional ramp to the bike path.
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George Kohout asked if the $20,000 could be used for a pedestrian crossing to the new
convenience store on Route 10.
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Wayne Feiden stated that the Bike and Pedestrian Subcommittee would look at a
potential pedestrian crossing.
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Wayne Feiden stated that the project needs to be advertised on June 12 and that the City
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would potentially use $20,000 of the funds prior to June 12. He stated that if the project
is not advertised (project not funded at this time) the money would be lost until the bike
path moves forward in the future.
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George Kohout asked if restrictions would be placed on the funds that only allow them to
be used in Northampton.
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Wayne Feiden stated that there may be some potential overlap and used the example of a
public hearing on the entire project that could be held in one town. Wayne stated that
Easthampton would provide their own funds for engineering costs, etc.
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Wayne Feiden stated that once Federal dollars are secured (by advertising the project)
state dollars must be secured prior to going to bid for the project. He stated that this
project is funded 100% by federal dollars so it should go to bid quickly.
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Wayne Feiden stated that once the project is announced the construction company has
two years to complete the work.
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Downey Meyer asked how much Easthampton has funding this project.
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Wayne Feiden stated some funds have been set aside for bike path reconstruction in
Easthampton, which they could use as a loan, and that they are going to request CPA
funding.
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George Kohout if the funds will be in the CPC general fund until they are ready to be
spent. Wayne Feiden answered yes to the question.
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Tom Parent motioned to approve the funding of $100,000 for the Manhan Rail Trail
Project.
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Jack Hornor seconded the motion.
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All those present voted in favor of the motion.
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Wayne Feiden updated the CPC on the Jackson Street Bike Path Project and stated that
some funds may be returned to the CPC because the Federal Government may pay all
construction costs for the project.
5. Request to Appropriate FY10 Reserve Funds
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Bruce Young presented the FY10 CPA Request for Transfer of CPA Funds to the
Community Preservation, Open Space, Recreation, Affordable Housing, Historic
Preservation and Administrative Reserve Accounts.
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Jack Hornor motioned to approve the request.
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Lilly Lombard seconded the motion.
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All those present voted in favor of the motion.
6. Report on Historic Commission Survey Conditions
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Bruce Young presented an additional condition to be added to the project stating that the
applicant must provide, to the maximum extent possible, an indexing system compatible
with the City of Northampton Laserfiche System and the Massachusetts Historical
Commission MACRIS System.
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Lilly Lombard motioned to approve the condition as written.
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Don Bianchi seconded the motion
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All those present voted in favor of the motion.
7. Expedited Review Policy Discussion
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Don Bianchi stated that it is important that standards be clear and the threshold be
significant for an expedited application. He stated that there is a cost of considering a
project out of cycle.
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Jack Hornor stated that he has concerns that the draft has some difficult sections to follow
and includes the statement that, “the CPC considers the following factors included but not
limited to,” which may allow future CPC members to make arbitrary decisions on
expedited review.
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Don Bianchi stated that his draft is simply asking if a project is eligible and any reasons
that require the project to be taken out of cycle. He stated that the proponent should
understand that there is a cost to considering a project out of cycle and should be able to
prove net benefits because the project will not be weighed against other projects.
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Tom Parent stated that if the CPC approves a policy with this much detail, he would
request that an applicant show that they have addressed all legal and permitting issues
prior to requesting expedited review.
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Jack Hornor stated that he would like to see as this adopted as guidelines and volunteered
to work with Don on updating the draft.
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Downey Meyer asked the CPC if there a value to projects being reviewed against one
another.
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Lilly Lombard feels that the CPC should discuss whether or not an out of cycle project
should be exceptional because it is not weighted against other projects.
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Fran Volkmann stated that the CPC might want to provide guidelines to applicants, but
would prefer not to state that a project must be exceptional for out of cycle review
because it could tie the hands of the CPC on a good project that needs immediate
funding.
8. Other Business
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Lilly Lombard reported on the outreach group meeting and listed the strategies of
outreach group, which include: email list, website, project photos-before and after, op-
eds, radio interviews, signage, public outreach meetings
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Lilly Lombard stated that she would like to start the outreach program with an open space
forum with a focus on agricultural protection in Northampton.
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Lilly Lombard also stated that the group discussed Jack Hornor’s term and whether or not
the CPC should be proactive in presenting replacement options for Jack.
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George Kohout asked what the objective is for an open space forum.
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Lilly Lombard stated that, in her opinion, open space protection has focused on wildlife
protection and there should be more focus on agriculture, which would draw new people
to the CPA.
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Jack Hornor stated that the CPC’s work has been transparent and inclusive but the
committee needs to reach out to community to be even more inclusive.
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Don Bianchi stated that he would be interested in participating in a forum.
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Tom Parent stated that he would like the CPC to develop a PowerPoint presentation on
the CPA, funded projects and types of projects that could be funded, which could
presented at other meetings throughout the City.
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Fran Volkmann stated that the CPC should provide food at these meetings.
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Downey Meyer stated that he supports Tom’s idea of generating a PowerPoint
presentation that could be shown at various other meetings in the City.
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George Kohout stated that the CPC could create an RFP for agricultural protection in the
City.
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Fran Volkmann stated that local food production is increasingly important and would like
a briefing on agricultural preservation in Northampton.
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Don Bianchi vacated the premises at 9:15 PM.
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Jack Hornor updated the CPC on the FCBA application and stated that he has not
received a reply on the updated agreement.
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Tom Parent stated that prefers that the allocated fund be decided upon by the next CPA
round.
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George Kohout agreed with Tom and suggested that the FCBA decide by July 1, 2009.
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Jack Hornor motioned that CPC require the FCBA to sign contract to accept CPA funds
for the project by July 1, 2009 or the funds would not be available for this project.
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Downey Meyer seconded the motion
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All those present voted in favor of the motion.
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Fran Volkmann stated that she will write a letter to inform the FCBA of the decision and
that Jack Hornor will be available to work with them to complete the contract.
Fran Volkmann adjourned the meeting at 9:30pm.