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Conservation Fund Application 2016Conservation Fund CPA Application 1 COMMUNITY PRESERVATION PROJECT APPLICATION COVER SHEET I: Project Information Project Title: Conservation Commission Conservation Fund Project Summary: The Conservation Commission requests CPA funds to recapitalize the Conservation Fund, established under Massachusetts General Law C40 S 8C. The Fund is used for high-priority, time-sensitive acquisitions to permanently protect open space for conservation and agriculture purposes. $80,000 is being requested to fund soft costs related to permanent open space preservation, hard costs under $20,000 per project, and hard costs over $20,000 with the approval of the Community Preservation Committee. All fee acquisitions funded in whole or part through CPA contributions will have conservation or agricultural preservation restrictions placed upon them. Less-than-fee acquisitions will have conservation or agriculture preservation restrictions held by the Conservation Commission. Estimated start date: Winter 2017 Estimated completion date: Winter 2018 CPA Program Area (check all that apply):  Open Space Historic Preservation Community Housing Recreation II: Applicant/Developer Information Contact Person and or/primary applicant: Wayne Feiden Property Owner (if applicable): Multiple Properties consistent with Northampton Open Space, Recreation, and Multi-Use Trail Plan. Organization (if applicable): Northampton Conservation Commission Mailing Address: 210 Main Street, City Hall, Northampton MA 01060 Daytime phone #: 413-587-1265 Fax #: 413-587-1264 E-mail address: wfeiden@northamptonma.gov III: Budget Summary Total budget for project: N/A CPA funding request: $80,000 CPA request as percentage of total budget: Applicant’s Signature: __________ Date Submitted: September 11, 2016________________ Conservation Fund CPA Application 2 CONSERVATION FUND CPA APPLICATION Narrative: The Conservation Fund is an important tool in the Conservation Commission’s land- protection toolbox. Land acquisitions are often time-sensitive, and the time required to obtain City-Council approval of the allocation of funds would make many land protection efforts infeasible. Having funds readily available for soft-costs, such as appraisals, 21E assessments and recording fees, as well as hard costs for smaller acquisitions, and leveraging for grants, has enabled the protection of many acres that would not otherwise have been possible. The CPA has generously funded the Conservation Fund nine times, and these awards have helped make protection of hundreds of acres of open space a reality. All of the funding awards through 2016 have been closed out, and there are no remaining funds available. The Commission and staff have been working on a number of properties for several years, and in some cases decades. Several of these have come to fruition at the same time, and having funds available to do the required due diligence for these important purchases will ensure that they are able to be completed. Community Preservation Criteria The project meets several Community Preservation general criteria: Contributes to the preservation of Northampton’s unique character, boosts the vitality of the community, and enhances the quality of life for its residents One of the key factors that defines Northampton’s unique character and sense of place is its diverse open spaces located throughout the City. The project will help to protect those open spaces and recreation opportunities. Addresses recommendations contained in the Sustainable Northampton comprehensive plan and/or the Northampton Open Space and Recreation Plan 2005-2010, Open Space, Recreation, and Mixed Use Trail Plan 2011-2017 or is consistent with other city-wide planning efforts that have received broad-based scrutiny and input and can demonstrate wide community support The Fund has been used to protect key parcels identified in the updated Open Space Plan, and has also helped to lay the field for future recreation opportunities identified as priorities. Saves resources that would otherwise be threatened Often, properties protected through the Conservation Fund are immediately threatened by development. There have been instances where the Fund was used to protect land on which approved residential subdivision plans had already been obtained. Receives endorsement by community groups, municipal boards and/or departments Conservation Fund CPA Application 3 The application is presented by the Conservation Commission and Office of Planning and Sustainability. Leverages additional public and/or private funds, or demonstrates that other funding sources are not readily available or sufficient Spending from the Conservation Fund is typically accompanied by leveraging from grants or other funds. These include state LAND grants, private donations and donations from our partner organizations, and funds from trusts and small foundations. In some cases, conservation restriction holders donate the funds and/or staff time necessary to hold the restriction and ensure that the properties are doubly protected in perpetuity. For small purchases less than $20,000 where quick action is necessary, there is no other source of funds that the Commission could utilize. Can be implemented expeditiously and within budget Past awards to the Conservation Fund have all been carried out within the estimated year implementation time, and have used funds wisely to protect many important open space parcels. The Project also carries the potential to meet all of the Open Space Evaluation criteria, depending on the types of land protection opportunities that become available. Community Need/Protections/Project Feasibility and Success The project protects sensitive ecological resources, prime agricultural farmland, and invaluable historic landscapes. All of these resources are identified as priorities in the Open Space and Recreation Plan. Permanent conservation or agricultural preservation restrictions will be placed on all properties acquired with CPA funds. These will vary depending on the location of the property acquired, but could include partners such as MassAudubon, the Broad Brook Coalition, Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources, land trusts, abutting towns, or others. Success of the project will be measured by the number of properties, and the amount of acres able to be permanently protected, either through fee acquisition or conservation restrictions. Fee-simple properties, once acquired, will be owned and maintained by the Conservation Commission. Staff will annually monitor and, if necessary, enforce violations of conservation restrictions held by the City. Project Budget: $80,000 Due to the nature of property acquisitions, it is not possible to establish a project timeline for each individual purchase. Land protection through the Conservation Fund is an ongoing project, and CPA funds could be used for a variety of different types of expenditures, at different stages in the process for each targeted protection effort. A great deal of information must be gathered about each parcel prior to completion of a land protection effort. These are done on a site-specific basis, and could include appraisals, 21E assessments, surveys, zoning and conservation permits, identifying and Conservation Fund CPA Application 4 engaging project partners, and drafting of conservation or agricultural preservation restrictions. Attachments: Annual Report through 2016 Support Letters to be provided as received TO: Community Preservation Committee FROM: Wayne Feiden, FAICP, Director of Planning and Sustainability RE: Conservation Fund #9 CLOSEOUT DATE: June 18, 2016 Thank you for the study funding of the CPA Conservation Fund. Although collectively this has been a significant CPA investment, most of the individual expenditures are relatively small. This fund has allowed us to move quickly on land purchasing and financial leveraging opportunities that often would otherwise be lost. In the past, the CPC asked us to present our conservation fund summary to cover all the Conservation Funds CPA has funded. As a result, even though this report is for Conservation Fund #9, this report covers all CPA funded Conservation Fund projects up to today. The CPA tracking spreadsheets show each charge, if you want that. Open Space Preservation Project Acres CPA share Leveraged Projects January 2016 to May 2016 to close of Conservation Fund #9 Talon Trust, Saw Mill Hills Soft costs (appraisal) 2* $1,600 $0 Broad Brook Greenway Soft costs (survey for survey to support CPA required CR) 0 $7,235 $0 Bobala (Sheldon Field) Land acquisition (split with Conservation Fund 10) 2* $2,227 $2,000 Zewski, Rocky Hill Greenway* Soft costs (closing property tax and recording fees) See entry below $979 See entry below Projects November 2014-December 2015 LaValley, Saw Mil Hills Land acquisition 17 $17,425 $0 Ksiniewicz, Historic Mill River Soft costs (MAS donating CR stewardship and legal costs) 3.31 $3,480 $6,000 Steidler, Saw Mill Hills Soft costs (land donated in lieu of back taxes) 4.9 $275 $4,900 Open Space Preservation Project Acres CPA share Leveraged Zewski, Rocky Hill Greenway* Soft costs (closing on land in March 2016, MAS donating CR stewardship and legal costs and environmental assessment) 4.0* $5,195 $12,000 Derouin, Broad Brook* Soft costs 1.0* $5,365 $0 Connecticut River Greenway CR Soft costs (required as CPA project- Friends of N’Hampton Recreation accepted CR for $5,000 below market) $200 $5,000 Golash, Conte Fish and Wildlife Refuge soft costs (land donated in lieu of back taxes) 0.25 $125 $2,000 Dostal APR, Park Hill APRs Acquisition and soft costs 1.14 $1,570 $0 Baye APR* Soft costs (APR from separate CPA APR account) 0.5 $700 $0 Reutener, Mineral Hills* Soft costs (purchase from separate CPA grant & donations) 1* $1,550 $0 Hayssen, Stone Ridge Pond Soft costs 1.29 $200 $4,000 Hewes, Rocky Hill Greenway* Soft costs (purchase from separate CPA grant & donations) 5* $20,530 $0 Vollinger, Broad Brook* Soft costs (purchase from CPA grant & donations) 1* $1,815 $0 McKown, Broad Brook Land acquisition, soft costs 12.1 $10,044 $3,000 Totals through November 2014 to December 2015 55.7*** $80,513 $36,900 Projects through October 2014 Bosworth purchase: Mineral Hills Conservation Area Leveraged other purchases Saw Mill Hills & Meadows Land acquisition, soft costs 15 $10,000 $20,000 Bean Farm: Mill River Greenway Use of funds for deposit, funds then refunded 2 $0 $47,500 Bleiman: Meadows Conservation Area Soft costs 10 $8,927 $13,000 360 N. King: Broad Brook-Fitzgerald Lake Greenway Land acquisition and soft costs 12 $23,410 $55,000 Beaver Brook Conservation Area* Soft costs 2 $10,434 $10,000 Zimmerman CR: Broad Brook-Fitzgerald Lake Greenway Land acquisition and soft costs 36 $19,475 $10,000 Beaver Brook Arch Bridge: Mill River Greenway Land acquisition and soft costs 4 $24,243 $14,562 Norwottuck Rail Trail extension ROW 2 $1,145 $5,000 Open Space Preservation Project Acres CPA share Leveraged Soft costs West: Saw Mill Hills Conservation Area* Land acquisition and soft costs 18 $9,195 $6,000 James: Venturers’ Field Road APR: Meadows Conservation Soft costs 5 $171 $5,000 Turkey Hill: Mineral Hills Cons. Area* Soft costs 1 $3,500 $6,000 Lane: Connecticut River Greenway cons. & recreation* Soft costs 3 $2,973 $50,000 Main Street/Leeds: Mill River Greenway Soft costs 2 $22,700 $37,500 Boy Scout Island area: Conn. River Greenway Land acquisition and soft costs (50% interest in 26 acres=13) 13 $11,500 $5,500 Girl Scouts (I) Broad Brook-Fitzgerald Lake Greenway Land acquisition and soft costs 23 $21,523 $8,000 Bean Allard/Mill River Greenway and Community Garden* Soft costs 2 $198 $1,100 Ryan Rd/Sylvester Road: Saw Mill Hills Cons. Area Land acquisition and soft costs 22 $13,755 $15,000 Skibiski purchase: Mineral Hills Conservation Area* Soft costs 1 $1,309 $500 Ward Ave: Mill River Greenway Soft costs .1 $6,807 $500 Kestrel Trust Conservation Restrictions** (two transactions to catch up with five years of CPA) $45,000 $10,000 Sullivan: Broad Brook-Fitzgerald Lake Greenway Land acquisition and soft costs 2 $20,617 $5,000 Bookends: Mineral Hills* Soft costs $6,695 $2,000 Girl Scouts II: Broad Brook-Fitzgerald Lake Greenway Land acquisition and soft costs 17 $20,900 $4,000 Forest Legacy: Broad Brook-Fitzgerald Lake Greenway Land acquisition and soft costs 36 $14,132 $9,000 Chatfield Conservation Restriction: Mill River Greenway Soft costs $1,846 $6,000 Gonski: Historic Mill River Greenway Land acquisition and soft costs (50% interest in 20 acres=10) 10 $12,633 $2,500 Dike Road closure: Historic Mill River Greenway Soft costs $75 $5,000 Pomeroy Terrace: Meadows Conservation Area Soft costs 5 $4,825 $10,000 Broad Brook Gap (Vollinger, Gleason and Kubosiak): Broad 7 $7,347 $11,000 Open Space Preservation Project Acres CPA share Leveraged Brook-Fitzgerald Lake Greenway* Land acquisition and soft costs Turkey Hill Road discontinuance: Mineral Hills Cons. Area 2 $375 $1,000 Hatfield Road: Connecticut River Greenway Soft costs 6 $3,500 $13,000 Jail Farm: Meadows Conservation Area (future closing) Soft costs $325 $1,000 Jasinski Agriculture Preservation Restriction: Meadows* Soft costs 4 $1,622 $1,000 Burke CR: Park Hill/Parsons Brook complex Land acquisition and soft costs 19.5 $9,650 $2,000 Rothenberg: Broad Brook Greenway/Fitzgerald Lake Land acquisition and soft costs 9 $11,198 $4,000 Szymanski: Saw Mill Hills* Soft costs 1 $2,820 $1,670 Florence Conservation Area expansion* Soft costs 1 $125 $5,000 Parcel D: Northampton State Hospital APR Soft costs 36 $119 $72,000 Hewes: Rocky Hill Conservation Area Soft costs 0.5 $225 $500 Reutener: Saw Mill Hills Conservation Area* Soft costs 2 $2,475 $1,000 Three Dike Road parcels (Atwood closed): Historic Mill River Greenway* Soft costs 2 $6,840 $2,000 Hayssen: Brookwood Marsh Conservation Area 0.5 $150 $500 McKown: Broad Brook Greenway 4 $2,321 $1,000 Totals through October 2014 3,357*** $346,355 $502,832 NOTES: Costs are approximate because some valuations are very difficult, especially when soft costs and/or bargain sales leverages donations of all or part of the value of land. This is not a formal accounting of expenses, which is available in the CPA spreadsheets) *To avoid double-counting for projects with other CPA funding, this table assigns the acreage directly attributable to the Conservation Fund investment or funding based on the Conservation Fund pro-rata share of the project. Given that the Conservation Fund makes these projects possible, we could claim a much higher credit **CPA-required conservation restrictions as a result of DOR withdrawing their opinion letter are charged here, not to specifically funded CPA projects, which significantly increased the cost per acre. ***This does not include projects funded as separate CPA projects outside of the Conservation Fund.