[Adopted 4-9-2001 STM by Art. 2]
[Amended 5-6-2024 ATM by Art. 42]
There shall be established in the Town pursuant to G.L. c. 44B, sec. 5(a) a Community Preservation Committee (the “Committee”). The Committee shall consist of nine (9) members, which shall include one member of the Hopkinton Conservation Commission as designated by that Commission; one member of the Hopkinton Historical Commission as designated by that Commission; one member of the Planning Board as designated by that Board; one member of the Parks and Recreation Commission as designated by that Commission; one member of the Hopkinton Housing Authority as designated by that Authority; one member of the Hopkinton Open Space Preservation Commission as designated by that Commission; and three members to be appointed at large from the residents of the Town by the Select Board. The members appointed by the Conservation Commission, the Hopkinton Historical Commission, the Planning Board, the Parks and Recreation Commission, the Hopkinton Housing Authority, and the Hopkinton Open Space Preservation Commission shall be appointed annually for a term of one (1) year. The three persons initially appointed at large by the Select Board shall be appointed for terms of three, two and one year, respectively. Upon the expiration of the term of each member so appointed by the Select Board, the Select Board shall appoint one member for a term of three (3) years. After the initial appointment of the members of the Committee, any vacancy occurring in the Committee from any cause may be filled for the remainder of the unexpired term by the Commission, Board or Authority, as the case may be, which made the initial appointment, for the remainder of the un-expired term. Such appointment shall be made not less than seven (7) days following notice of intent to fill such vacancy. The Committee shall elect a Chair and Vice Chair from among its members and shall elect a Secretary who need not be a member of the Committee. After having a public hearing and requesting recommendations from Town boards and committees, the Committee shall adopt policies, rules and regulations for conducting its affairs and for carrying out its responsibilities. Any member of the Committee may, after a public hearing before the Commission, Board or Authority which appointed the said member, be removed for cause by majority vote of such Commission, Board or Authority.
A. 
The Committee shall study the needs, possibilities and resources of the Town regarding community preservation. The Committee shall consult with relevant municipal boards, 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 which 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 Committee shall make recommendations to the Town Meeting for the acquisition, creation and preservation of open space, for the acquisition and preservation of historic resources, for the acquisition, creation and preservation of land for recreational uses, for the creation, preservation and support of community housing and for rehabilitation or restoration of such open space, historic resources, land for recreational use and community housing that is acquired or created as provided herein. With respect to community housing, the Committee shall recommend, wherever possible, the reuse of existing buildings or construction of new buildings on previously developed sites.
The Committee may include in its recommendation to the Town Meeting 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 funds for general purposes that are consistent with community preservation. Recommendations to the Town Meeting shall include the anticipated cost.
The Committee shall not meet or conduct business without the presence of a quorum. A majority of the members of the Committee shall constitute a quorum. The Committee shall approve its actions by majority vote.
A. 
In the event that any section, paragraph or part of this Chapter is for any reason declared invalid or unconstitutional by any court of competent jurisdiction, every other section, paragraph or part shall continue in full force and effect.
B. 
Each appointing authority shall have twenty days after approval by the Attorney General to make its appointment. Should any appointing authority fail to make its appointment within the allotted time, the Select Board shall have the authority to make the appointment.