There is hereby established a Community Preservation Committee,
in accordance with Chapter 267 of the Acts of 2000, Massachusetts
Community Preservation Act.
The Community Preservation Committee shall study the needs,
possibilities, and resources of the City regarding community preservation.
The Committee shall consult with existing municipal boards, including
the Conservation Commission, the Historical Commission, the Planning
Board, the Recreation Commission and the Housing Authority, or persons
acting in those capacities or performing like duties, in conducting
such studies. As part of its study, the Committee shall hold one or
more public informational hearings on the needs, possibilities and
resources of the City regarding community preservation possibilities
and resources, notice of which shall be posted publicly and published
for each of two weeks preceding a hearing in a newspaper of general
circulation in the City.
A. The Community Preservation Committee shall make recommendations to
the legislative body for the acquisition, creation and preservation
of open space; for the acquisition, preservation, rehabilitation and
restoration of historic resources; for the acquisition, creation,
preservation, rehabilitation, and restoration of land for recreational
use; for the acquisition, creation, preservation and support of community
housing; and for the rehabilitation or restoration of open space and
community housing that is acquired or created as provided in this
section. With respect to community housing, the Community Preservation
Committee shall recommend, wherever possible, the reuse of existing
buildings or construction of new buildings on previously developed
sites. With respect to recreational use, the acquisition of artificial
turf for athletic fields shall be prohibited.
B. The Community Preservation Committee may include, in its recommendation
to the City Council, a recommendation to set aside for later spending
funds for specific purposes that are consistent with community preservation
but for which sufficient revenues are not then available in the Community
Preservation Fund to accomplish that specific purpose or to set aside
for later spending for general purposes that are consistent with community
preservation.
C. As provided in the Massachusetts Community Preservation Act, no expenditures
shall be made from the Community Preservation Fund without the approval
of City Council.
D. In each fiscal year and upon the recommendation of the Community
Preservation Committee, the City Council shall spend, or set aside
for later spending, not less than 10% of the annual revenues in the
Community Preservation Fund for open space, not less than 10% of the
annual revenues for historic resources, and not less than 10% of the
annual revenues for community housing. The Community Preservation
Committee will submit an annual administrative and operating budget
for the Community Preservation Committee, which cannot exceed 5% of
the annual revenues in the Community Preservation Fund, to City Council
for approval.