The Arlington Land Trust would like you to discuss the Community Preservation Act (CPA). One opportunity to do that was the trust’s annual meeting, held Monday, Jan. 27, at the Senior Center, 27 Maple St., from 7 to 9 p.m. Another is at Town Meeting, if someone files a warrant article for the measure by the Friday, Jan. 31 deadline.
The CPA is a state law that has significance for Arlington’s future by offering potential dedicated funding for open space, recreation, historic preservation and affordable-housing needs.
A warrant article will be presented to this year’s Town Meeting asking to put the act on the ballot so the citizens of Arlington can decide whether to adopt it.
How could the CPA help Arlington?
A news release sent Jan. 17 by Ann LeRoyer of the Land Trust says the CPA could:
— provide an incentive to negotiate a sale of the Mugar land to be used as permanent open space to provide flood storage and some parkland;
— be used to renovate the historic Jefferson Cutter House, which is the home of the Cyrus Dallin Art Museum;
— provide funds for improvements at the Old Schwamb Mill; and
— assist the Housing Corporation of Arlington in their work to provide more affordable housing for Arlington residents.
These are just a few of the possibilities.
Some background
Since September 2000, when Governor Paul Cellucci signed the CPA into law, 155 out of 351 Massachusetts towns and cities have adopted the Act. It operates as a voter-approved surcharge on local property taxes, matched by annual state funds.
Arlington’s restaurant and hotel taxes could also be used to match the state funding. This year the match is 52.23 percent. This means that for every $1 raised locally, the state will contribute more than 52 cents toward the community’s designated projects.
According to the statewide Community Preservation Coalition, the act is “a smart growth tool that helps communities preserve open space and historic sites, create affordable housing, and develop outdoor recreational facilities.
CPA also helps strengthen the state and local economies by expanding housing opportunities and construction jobs for the Commonwealth’s workforce, and by supporting the tourism industry through preservation of the Commonwealth’s historic and natural resources.”
Over the past 13 years, close to $1.2 billion has been raised for community preservation projects, and more than 6,600 initiatives have been approved.
Among the results: More than 7,300 affordable housing units have been created or aided, more than 19,000 acres of open space have been preserved, nearly 1,000 recreational facilities have been supported and over 3,200 historic preservation projects have been started.
This information was was published Sunday, Jan. 19, 2014.
You are invited to discuss this issue at the comment link below. You must provide your real, full name.
