[HISTORY: Adopted by the Special Town Meeting of the Town of Groton 10-25-2004 by Art. 17, accepted at 11-2-2004 ballot. Amendments noted where applicable.]
GENERAL REFERENCES
Parks Commission — See Ch. 44.
Historic Districts and Commission — See Ch. 153.
Scenic roads — See Ch. 184.
A. 
There is hereby created a Community Preservation Committee under the provisions of MGL C. 44B, § 5, consisting of seven members as follows:
(1) 
One member of the Conservation Commission as designated by the Commission.
(2) 
One member of the Historical Commission as designated by the Commission.
(3) 
One member of the Planning Board as designated by the Board.
(4) 
One member of the Parks Commission as designated by the Commission.
(5) 
One member of the Housing Authority as designated by the Authority.
(6) 
Two at-large members appointed by the Select Board.
[Amended 10-1-2018 ATM by Art. 14]
B. 
Initially, the members designated by the Conservation Commission, Historical Commission and Planning Board will serve for three years, the members designated by the Parks Commission and the Housing Authority will serve for two years, and the members appointed by the Select Board will serve for one year. Subsequent appointments for members designated by the Conservation Commission, Historical Commission, Housing Authority and members appointed by the Board of Selectman shall be for a term of three years. Subsequent appointments for members designated by the Parks Commission and the Planning Board shall be for a term of one year. If a person no longer serves in the position or on the board or commission as set forth above, his or her term shall end, and any person appointed as a replacement shall serve out the remainder of the original term of that person.
[Amended 10-23-2017 ATM, Art. 16; 10-1-2018 ATM by Art. 14]
C. 
Should any of the officers, commissions, boards or committees who have appointing authority under this bylaw be no longer in existence for whatever reason, the Select Board shall appoint a suitable person to serve in their place.
[Amended 10-1-2018 ATM by Art. 14]
D. 
Any member of the Committee may be removed for cause by his or her respective appointing authority after a hearing.
A. 
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 Parks Commission and the Housing Authority, in conducting such studies. As part of its study, the Committee shall hold one annual public informational hearing, or more at its discretion, on the needs, possibilities and resources of the Town regarding community preservation possibilities and resources, notice of which shall be published for each of two weeks preceding a hearing in a newspaper of general circulation in the Town.
B. 
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 creation, preservation and support of community housing; and for the rehabilitation or restoration of such 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.
C. 
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.
D. 
In every fiscal year, the Community Preservation Committee must recommend either that the legislative body spend, or set aside for later spending, not less than 10% of the annual revenues in the Community Preservation Fund for:
(1) 
Open space (not including land for recreational use);
(2) 
Historic resources; and
(3) 
Community housing.
The Community Preservation Committee shall comply with the provisions of the Open Meeting Law, MGL C. 39, § 23B. The Committee shall not meet or conduct business without the presence of a majority of the members of the Committee. The Community Preservation Committee shall approve its actions by majority vote. Recommendations to the Town Meeting shall include the Committee's anticipated costs.
This bylaw may be amended from time to time by majority vote of Town Meeting consistent with the provisions of MGL C. 44B.