The Community Preservation Committee shall study
the needs, possibilities and resources of the Town regarding community
preservation. The committee shall consult with existing municipal
boards, including the Conservation Commission, the Historical Commission,
the Planning Board, the Board of Park Commissioners 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 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 city or town.
The Community Preservation Committee shall make
recommendations to the 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 and preservation of land for recreational use; for the acquisition,
creation, preservation and support of community housing; and for the
rehabilitation or restoration of open space, land for recreational
use 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.
The Community Preservation 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.
In every fiscal year, the Community Preservation
Committee must recommend either that the Town Meeting spend, or set
aside for later spending, not less than 10% of the annual revenues
in the Community Preservation Fund for open space (not including land
for recreational use), not less than 10% of the annual revenues in
the Community Preservation Fund for historic resources; and not less
than 10% of the annual revenues in the Community Preservation Fund
for community housing.
The Community Preservation Committee shall not
meet or conduct business without the presence of a quorum. A majority
of the members of the Community Preservation Committee shall constitute
a quorum. The Community Preservation Committee shall approve its actions
by majority vote. Recommendations to the Town Meeting shall include
their anticipated costs.
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.
This bylaw shall take effect upon approval by
the Attorney General of the Commonwealth and after all requirements
of MGL c. 40, section 32 have been met. Each appointing authority
shall have 30 days after the effective date to make its appointments.