[Adopted 4-26-2004 ATM (Ch. 13 of the General Bylaws)]
[Amended 4-29-2024 ATM by Art. 35; 4-28-2025 ATM by Art. 17]
A. 
There is hereby established a Community Preservation Committee, consisting of nine voting members pursuant to MGL c. 44B. The composition of the Committee, the appointment authority and the term of office for the Committee members shall be as follows:
(1) 
One member of the Select Board as designated by the Select Board for a term of three years.
(2) 
One member of the Finance Board as designated by the Finance Board for a term of three years.
(3) 
One member of the Conservation Commission as designated by the Conservation Commission for a term of three years.
(4) 
One member of the Planning Board as designated by the Planning Board for a term of three years.
(5) 
One member of the Historical Commission as designated by the Historical Commission for an initial term of one year and thereafter for a term of three years.
(6) 
One member of the Recreation Committee as designated by the Recreation Committee for an initial term of one year and thereafter for a term of three years.
(7) 
One member of the Housing Authority as designated by the Housing Authority for an initial term of one year and thereafter for a term of three years.
(8) 
Two members of the general public—who are neither town employees nor currently holding elected or appointed positions—shall be recommended by the Community Preservation Committee and appointed by the Select Board. One member shall serve an initial term of one year, and the other an initial term of two years.
B. 
Each member of the Committee shall serve for the term as set forth above, or until the person no longer serves in the position or on the board or committee as set forth above, whichever is earlier.
C. 
Should any of the commissions, boards, councils or committees who have appointment authority under this section be no longer in existence for whatever reason, the appointment authority for that commission, board, council, or committee shall become the responsibility of the Select Board.
D. 
Any member of the Committee may be removed for cause by their respective authority appointing after a hearing.
[Amended 4-24-2023 ATM by Art. 16; 4-28-2025 ATM by Art. 17]
A. 
The Community Preservation Committee shall study the needs, possibilities and resources of the Town regarding community preservation, including the consideration of regional projects for community preservation. The committee shall consult with existing municipal boards, including the Conservation Commission, the Historical Commission, the Planning Board, the Recreation Committee, 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 Town regarding community preservation possibilities and resources. Notice of the meetings shall be posted publicly and published for each of two weeks preceding a hearing in a newspaper of general circulation in the Town.
B. 
The Community Preservation Committee may make one or more recommendations at Town Meeting 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; for the acquisition, creation and preservation of land for natural resources and conservation purposes; and for the rehabilitation or restoration of open space and community housing that is required or created as provided in this section; provided, however, that funds expended pursuant to this article shall not be used for maintenance. 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.
C. 
The Community Preservation Committee may include a recommendation at Town Meeting 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 those specific purposes or to set aside for later spending funds for general purposes that are consistent with community preservation.
D. 
In every fiscal year, the Community Preservation Committee must recommend either thatTown Meeting spend, or set aside for later spending, not less than 10% of the annual revenues in the Community Preservation Fund consistent with the provisions in MGL c. 44B.
[Amended 4-24-2023 ATM by Art. 16; 4-28-2025 ATM by Art. 17]
The Community Preservation Committee shall comply with the provisions of the Open Meeting Law, MGL c. 30A, §§ 18 through 25. The Committee shall not meet or conduct business without the presence of a majority of the members of the Community Preservation Committee, which shall constitute a quorum. The Community Preservation Committee shall approve its actions by majority vote. Recommendations to Town Meeting shall include the Committee's anticipated costs.
This bylaw may be amended from time to time by a majority vote of the Town Meeting consistent with the provisions of MGL c. 44B.
In case any section, paragraph or part of this bylaw is, for any reason, declared invalid or unconstitutional by any court, every other section, paragraph or part shall continue in full force and effect.
Following Town Meeting approval, this bylaw shall take effect immediately upon approval by the Attorney General of the commonwealth, and after all requirements of MGL c. 40, § 32 have been met. Each appointing authority shall have 30 days after approval by the Attorney General to make their initial appointments. Should any appointing authority fail to make their appointment within that allotted time, the current acting Chairman on each of the nine groups listed under § 111-21 will sit on the Community Preservation Committee until another representative is appointed.