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Agenda and Minutes 2013-06-19 City of Northampton Community Preservation Committee 210 Main Street, City Hall Northampton, MA 01060 Community Preservation Committee DATE: Wednesday, June 19 , 20 1 3 TIME: 7:0 0pm PLACE: City Council Chambers, 212 Main Street (BEHIND City Hall) Contact : Downey Meyer , Chair, Community Preservation Committee downeymeyer@gmail.com Sarah LaValley , Community Preservation Planner slavalley@northamptonma.gov ( 413) 587 - 1263 Agenda (Amended)  General Public Comment  Minutes  April 3, 2013  May 1, 2013  Chair’s Report  Request for Expedited Review, CT River Greenway  Administrative Fund Spending Request  Set Round 2 Application Round and Summer Schedule s  Discu ss ‘Small Projects’ Procedures  Review and Approve Christopher Heights MOU  Sign Previously Approved Contracts and MOU  Adjourn For additional information please refer to the Community Preservation Committee website: http://www.northamptonma.gov/cpc/ Community Preservation Committee Minutes June 19 , 201 3 Time: 7:0 0 pm Place: Cit y Council Chambers, 212 Main Street Memb ers Present: Downey Meyer, Bill Breitbart , David Drake , Marlene Morin, Dave Rothstein Staff Present: Sarah LaValley Downey ca lled t h e meeting to order at 7 : 37 PM. General Public Comment Nora Blake, President of Northampton Youth and Community Rowing, expressed the group’s support for additional funds for the Connecticut River Greenway. This will allow essential project elements to b e completed, as bids received were hig her than expected. The groups committed fundraising for this portion of the project is already complete and the amount raised provided to the City. Request for Expedited Review, CT River Greenway Wayne Feiden, Direc tor of Planning and Sustainability, stated that the City closed on the property, and that Lane will be providing utility connections when the site is developed. The constructi on contract is signed, but the b ad news is that bids came in much higher than an ticipated, and some items had to be cut from the budget. Some of these were wish - list add - ons that were included of bids returned low. Others were essential items that would make the project work better and save money later. A construction schedule hasn ’t yet been provided, but its anticipated that it will be a 90 - day process. City Council approval will be needed this summer to be able to include these additional items in the work. Bill asked about removal of some of the wetlands mitigation. Wayne stat ed that all wetlands mitigation will be required before a certificate of compliance can be issued, but can be phased if necessary since not all site work is being done now. Downey asked if there is any assurance that the contractor will be able to add the items to the contract at the costs shown. Wayne replied that the estimates were provided as add - ons to the RFP and were also included in the contractor’s bid. Downey asked about the change in the parking lot that may not meet zoning requirements. Wayne r eplied that in order to be determined a parking lot, it would need to be paved, but may not need to be if it were only an overflow lot. Wetlands review would not be required since this is outside the jurisdictional area. David asked about any planned chan ges in accessibility. Wayne replied that none are planned, but the pavement will be thinner and could break up sooner . Access to the dock itself will be accessible, but the grade will fluctuate with changes in water levels. Programs are not yet known. D ave expressed concern about items being removed, since the project was already approved by the CPC and approved by Council. Wayne stated that the many of the items dropped were add - alternatives, but none were discussed specifically by the CPC. However, r emoval of some items from the project scope will necessitate additional work later. Dave asked for a breakdown of cost and priority of the items removed. Wayne will add these to the application if expedited review is approved. Bill noted that the timing o f construction is a negative impact of not reviewing under the expedited timeframe. David added that expedited review is required to be successful at this phase of the project. Marlene asked if project amendments have ever been discussed as expedited revi ews. Sarah noted that any additional funding allocation would require approval by City Council. Wayne added that the construction contract has been approved at $696,000; a contract cannot be executed without available funds. David moved to approve expedi ted review of the project. Seconded by Dave, the motion carried unanimously. Northampton Community Preservation Committee Minutes 1 June 19, 2013 The Committee agreed that July 10 will be the next meeting date, to allow for a possible late file for the July 11 City Council meeting and a second reading in August. The Comm ittee requested that the application include: A list of items that will not be able to be completed if additional funds are not awarded, including a cost for each item, and projected cost if each is completed at a later phase of the project An explanation of the reductions necessary to achieve the reduced scope (ie, what are the differences between the planned walkway and what would be constructed with less funds) The portions of the wetlands mitigation that are proposed to be removed from this phase Projec ted differences in future repair and maintenance costs between full and reduced scopes. Chair’s Report Downey noted that there is a perception that CPA funded the planned boathouse, but that is not correct, and suggested that he prepare a letter to the ed itor . The Comm i ttee supported the idea, and agreed it should be sent following the override vote. Administrative Fund Spending Request Sarah asked that the CPC consider approval of spending on administrative funds on a new staff laptop, as her current l aptop is five years old and no longer is reliable for all uses and has had several parts replaced and upgraded. The existing laptop will be provided to preservation planner John Frey for use. Marlene suggested that there are other areas that the Committee could better spend administrative funds on, including hiring a consultant for the CPC plan. Downey noted that very few administrative funds are spent each year. Dave stated that reliable computers are important for CPC business. Marlene moved to approv e administrative fund expenditure of up to $1,200 for a staff laptop. Seconded by Dave, the motion carried unanimously. Review and Approve Christopher Heights MOU Dave moved to table discussion until the next meeting. Seconded by Bill, the motion carrie d unanimously. Minutes April 3, 2013 , May 1, 2013 Bill moved to approve both sets of minutes with revisions proposed by Dave. Seconded by Dave, the motion carried unanimously. Adjourn On a motion and second, with unanimous vote , the meetin g was adjourn ed at 8 : 37 PM Northampton Community Preservation Committee Minutes 2 June 19, 2013