In these rules and regulations, the following terms shall have
the following meanings:
APPLICANT
Any person, organization, Town board or commission that submits
an application for consideration by the CPC.
APPLICATION
All documents requesting funding from the CPF that are submitted to the Committee for consideration under MGL c. 44B, General Bylaw, Chapter
18, and these rules and regulations.
CPA
MGL c. 44B, the Community Preservation Act.
CPF
Community Preservation Fund, the Town fund established pursuant
to MGL c. 44B, § 7.
COMMITTEE, CPC
Harvard Community Preservation Committee established pursuant to MGL c. 44B, § 5, and General Bylaw, Chapter
18.
GENERAL BYLAW
Code of the Town of Harvard, Part I, General Bylaws.
MGL
Massachusetts General Laws.
PROJECT
A proposal that has been approved pursuant to the application approval process outlined in §
138-5D of these rules and regulations.
PROJECT TRACKING FORM
A Microsoft Excel report that successful applicants are required to keep up-to-date and forward to the CPC as required. (See §
138-8.)
RULES
These rules and regulations adopted by the Committee and
as set forth herein.
TOWN
The Town of Harvard, Massachusetts.
In reviewing requests for funding, the Harvard Community Preservation
Committee will consider evaluation criteria, including but limited
to the following:
A. The leveraging capability of the grant. Can it be used to attract
other funds?
B. The precedent setting capability of the grant. Will it serve as a
model for other projects?
C. The ability of the applicant to execute the grant. Is the project
feasible and does the applicant have the skills and other resources
to implement it?
D. Does the application fit within the restrictions of the Community
Preservation Act? Can the CP dollars make a difference? Will the funds
have a significant impact? Are there other more appropriate sources
of funding?
E. Consistency with the Town Master Plan goals and objectives.
F. Consistency with the Community Preservation Committee's Goals
and Needs Assessments Reports.
The CPA funds three key community interests: historic preservation,
affordable housing and open space and recreation needs.
A. Historic preservation. Proposals that address as many of the following
criteria possible will receive preference for funding:
(1) Protect, preserve, enhance, restore and/or rehabilitate historic,
cultural, architectural or archaeological resources of significance,
especially those that are threatened.
(2) Protect, preserve, enhance, restore and/or rehabilitate Town-owned
properties with features or resources of historical significance.
(3) Protect, preserve, enhance, restore and/or rehabilitate the historical
function of a property or site.
(4) Demonstrate a public benefit.
(5) Ability to provide long-term protection for the historic resource
via an historic preservation restriction.
B. Affordable housing. Proposals that address as many of the following
criteria as possible will receive preference for funding:
(1) Contribute to the goal of affordable housing as defined by MGL, c.
40B.
(2) Provide housing that is harmonious in design and scale with the surrounding
community.
(3) Intermingle affordable and market rate housing at levels that exceed
state requirements for percentage of affordable units pursuant to
Chapter 40B.
(4) Ensure long-term affordability.
(5) Address the needs of a range of qualified households, including very-low,
low- and low-to-moderate income families and individuals.
(6) Promote use of existing buildings or construction on previously developed
or Town-owned sites.
(7) Convert market rate to affordable units.
C. Open space and recreation.
(1) Open space. Proposals that address as many of the following criteria
as possible will receive preference for funding:
(a)
Permanently protect important wildlife habitat, particularly
areas that include locally significant biodiversity; variety of habitats
with a diversity of geologic features and types of vegetation and
endangered habitat or species of plant or animal.
(b)
Preserve active agricultural use.
(c)
Provide opportunities for passive recreation and environmental
education.
(d)
Protect or enhance wildlife corridors, promote connectivity
of habitat or prevent fragmentation of habitats.
(e)
Provide connections with existing trails, protected open space
or potential trail linkages.
(h)
Protect drinking water quantity and quality.
(i)
Provide flood control/storage.
(j)
Preserve and protect important surface water bodies, including
streams, wetlands, vernal pools or riparian zones.
(k)
Buffer for protected open space, or historic resources.
(2) Recreation. Proposals that address as many of the following criteria
as possible will receive preference for funding:
(a)
Support multiple recreation uses.
(b)
Serve a significant number of residents.
(c)
Expand the range of recreational opportunities available to
Town residents of all ages.
(d)
Jointly benefit Conservation Commission and Park and Recreation
Commission initiatives by promoting recreation, such as hiking, biking,
and cross-country skiing.
(e)
Promote the creative use of railway and other corridors to create
safe and healthful nonmotorized transportation opportunities.
In accordance with MGL c. 44B, § 13, the Committee
shall keep a full account of all of its actions, including its recommendations
and the action taken on them and records of all appropriations or
expenditures made from the CPF. The Committee shall also keep records
of any real property interests acquired, disposed of or improved by
the Town upon its recommendations, including the names and addresses
of the grantors or grantees and the nature of the consideration. All
records and accounts shall be public record.
Any applicant who is dissatisfied with the decision of the Committee
denying, denying in part or approving in part, a request for funding
may seek reconsideration from the Committee. All reconsideration requests
shall be made in writing to the CPC Chairman within 14 days of receiving
the Committee's determination. Upon receipt of a request for
reconsideration the Committee shall review the application as well
as any additional information the applicant may provide at the next
scheduled CPC meeting. The Committee may affirm, reverse or modify
its decision. The Committee's reconsideration determination shall
be in writing and shall be included in the Committee records. The
Committee's decision shall be final.
These rules shall take effect upon filing in the office of the
Town Clerk.