Conservation Fund Application.pdfConservation 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. $50,000 is being requested
to fund soft costs related to permanent open space preservation, hard costs under
$10,000 per project, and hard costs over $10,000 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 2022 Estimated completion date: Winter 2024
CPA Program Area (check all that apply):
Open Space � Historic Preservation
� Community Housing � Recreation
II: Applicant/Developer Information
Contact Person and or/primary applicant: Carolyn Misch
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 #: 413-587-1287 Fax #: 413-587-1264
E-mail address: wfeiden@northamptonma.gov
III: Budget Summary
Total budget for project: $50,000
CPA funding request: $50,000
CPA request as percentage of total budget: 100%
Applicant’s Signature:
Date Submitted: September 13, 2022________________
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, legal
research, surveys, 21E assessments, habitat assessments that help in obtaining other
grant funds, recording fees, as well as hard costs for smaller acquisitions, leveraging for
grants, as well as a source of funds for very time-sensitive acquisitions that could
otherwise be sold for other purposes has enabled the protection of many acres that
would not otherwise have been possible. Although some expenditures may be small,
there is no other source available for these necessary acquisition-related expenses.
The CPA has generously funded the Conservation Fund thirteen times, and these
awards have helped make protection of thousands of acres of open space a reality. All
of the funding awards have been closed out, and there are no additional funds
remaining. Each conservation fund expenditure creates an opportunity for leverage of
additional funding sources that would not otherwise exist. Since the conservation fund
was first established in 2009, several million dollars in funding opportunities have been
secured thanks to the ‘first dollars in’ from the CPA. These include eight state Local
Acquisitions for Natural Diversity grants for acquisition, state Parkland Acquisitions and
Renovations for Communities and federal Land and Water Conservation Fund grants for
recreation, federal trail development grants, private foundation grants, federal wetland
protection grants, and countless private donations.
Beginning in 2016, the Committee required that all hard-cost expenditures in excess of
$20,000 be approved prior to being finalized. In keeping with recent awards, we are
again reducing the hard-cost approval threshold to $10,000. Additionally, we will
update the Committee on all hard-cost expenditures as soon as we are able to without
compromising negotiations. The Commission submits applications for dedicated CPA
funds for identified acquisition projects whenever it has enough lead-time to be able to
do so, but the Conservation Fund can be a critical source for hard-cost funding when
sellers motivation or other factors necessitate quick action so that a parcel is not lost.
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 incredibly
varied scenic and recreational opportunities provided by Greenways and parks in
every area of Northampton, from western hills that feel far from everything, to
small pocket parks and neighborhood trails, are critical in providing a sense of
Conservation Fund CPA Application 3
place. The project will help to protect those diverse open spaces and recreation
opportunities.
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 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
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 grant or other funds
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.
Advances a Public Purpose
Permanent protection of open spaces for future recreational opportunities and
habitat is one of the key missions of the Conservation Commission and will have
an impact not only for current residents, but future generations.
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
Conservation Fund CPA Application 4
Coalition, Leeds Civic Association, Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources,
Kestrel Land Trust, 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: $50,000
Due to the nature of property acquisitions, it is not possible to establish a project
timeline. 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. Some acquisitions require
preliminary surveys and title work
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
engaging project partners, and drafting of conservation or agricultural preservation
restrictions.
Conservation Fund CPA Application 5
Conservation Fund 14 Final Report
Property Name Greenway Unit Expense
Type
Acres* Conservation Fund Expense
owner unknown backland Mineral Hills soft cost -
appraisal
3.1 $775.00
Bercume - MassAudubon Contribution CT River Greenway hard cost 10 $2,000.00
Tyrell Mill River Greenway Soft Cost -
recording
3.3 $125.00
Dike Road - Wilkin, transfer from general city CT River Greenway soft cost -
recording
1 $155.00
Sunwood / Village Hill Bike Path Mill River Greenway Soft Cost -
recording
0 $210.00
Zayac CR Amendment Saw Mill Hills Soft Cost -
recording
0 $105.00
Bartlett Mineral Hills Soft Cost -
recording
3.1 $105.00
mutiple - Kestrel combined CR document multiple Soft Cost -
recording
0 $105.00
Sarafin Mineral Hills soft cost -
survey and
ESA
0 $2,600.00
Warner CR Broad Brook soft cost -
survey and
recording
0 $4,210.00
Matusko Mineral Hills soft costs - 13 $6,100.00
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site
assessment
3 Adams / Mantis Graphics Donation Rocky Hill Soft Cost -
recording
6 $155.00
Seney / Simmons Mineral Hills hard cost,
and soft
cost -
recording
18.4 $20,155.00
Pomeroy Saw Mill Hills soft costs -
appraisal
and
ecological
assessment
0 $3,200.00
Dorcal/Andros Broad Brook hard cost 0 $10,000.00
Total Acres
Finalized:
57.9 $50,000
0 = acreage counted in previous reporting, not yet closed, or linear trail