Community Development

Community Preservation Committee

cpc on a site visit to the Scout House, a candidate for cpa funds in 2006. From left back row: Dorcas Miller, Gary Clayton, Chair; front row: Joanne Gibson, Debbie Bier, George Dallas, Evin Phillips, Connie Levine. not present - Michele O’Brien, Al Easterday

The Town appropriated its first Community Preservation funds this year since adoption of the Community Preservation Act (cpa) at the 2004 Annual Town Meeting. A total of $1,665,000 was approved by 2006 Town Meeting for community housing, historic preservation and open space and recreation.

The Committee consists of nine members, four members appointed by the Board of Selectmen and one each from the Planning Board, Historical Commission, Recreation Commission, Concord Housing Authority, and Natural Resources Commission.

Concord voted in 2004 to assess a 1.5% surcharge on property tax bills. The first $100,000 of each assessed valuation is exempt from the surcharge. In addition, those taxpayers whose incomes are eligible for low and moderate income housing and qualified seniors are not subject to the tax surcharge. The revenues raised at the local level are augmented with State funds, currently a 100% match of local funds. The funds may be spent or reserved 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 open space, land for recreational use and community housing that is acquired or created using cpa funds. A minimum of 10% of revenues must be appropriated or reserved for open space, community housing and historic preservation.

The Committee held a public hearing to present and hear input on its funding recommendations to Town Meeting. The following applications were approved for funding by 2006 Annual Town Meeting:

Community Housing Projects:

• Concord Housing Authority- $350,000 for construction of two affordable duplexes for the elderly to be built at the corner of Bedford Street and Old Bedford Road.

• Concord Housing Trust- $236,000 to be matched with private funds for construction of two affordable duplexes at 129 Old Bedford Road.

• Affordable Housing Committee-$65,000 for site acquisition-related expenses.

Historic Preservation Projects:

Emerson Umbrella - $200,000 to be matched with private fundraising for code- mandated fire and safety repairs and upgrades in this Town-owned building.

Friends of the Performing Arts - $60,000 to be matched with private fund-raising for rebuilding the stage and green room at 51 Walden Street, a Town-owned building.

Town of Concord - $114,000 that will supplement other funds for installation of a fire sprinkler and alarm system in the Town House.

Save Our Heritage - $200,000 that will supplement other funds, for stabilization and preservation of the pre-revolutionary Col. James Barrett House at 448 Barretts Mill Road.

Open Space / Recreation Projects:

• Town of Concord- $250,000 for repair of the Warner's Pond Dam (Allocation of $200,000 Open Space and $50,000 Recreation).

• Bruce Freeman Rail Trail - $160,000 that will supplement other funds for preliminary design of a Town-managed bicycle and pedestrian trail. (Allocation of $80,000 for Open Space and $80,000 Recreation)

Administration:

• Town of Concord - $30,000 for administration of the cpa

Uncommitted Funds:

• Uncommitted funds - $153,782.

In June, the Committee updated the Community Preservation Plan and developed a funding disbursement process and financial and project tracking procedures. cpa application workshops were held by the Committee in July and September prior to the September 29 deadline for receiving applications. Eleven applications were received totaling $4,869,865. A series of meetings with applicants and site visits followed. The Alcott School Auditorium was filled with citizens and Town officials for a public hearing in November with particular interest in the Town's recreational playing fields proposal. Citizen written comments and input from the public hearing were considered prior to the Committee voting in December on its funding recommendations to Town Meeting. A public hearing is scheduled in March of 2007 to discuss the Committee's Warrant Articles and its recommended project funding levels for the 2007 Concord Annual Town Meeting.

Bruce Freeman Rail Trail Advisory Committee

Harry Beyer
Gerry Boyle
Elissa Brown
Jim Coutre
Nancy Crowther
Ken Miller
Barbara Pike
Andrea Siani
Jim Terry

The Committee was established to advise the Selectmen and Town Manager on matters concerning the design, development and long-term maintenance of the proposed 3.5 mile section of the Bruce Freeman Rail Trail in Concord. Selectmen added two additional members to further represent the interests of those living near the White Pond section of the trail.

Committee members learned about trail concerns by participating in two trail walks with neighbors, community meetings and receipt of many communications and comments at meetings. Individual members visited existing rail trails in eastern Massachusetts to provide other members with information about successes and challenges of other trails.

An op ed article was drafted for the Concord Journal to inform citizens about the proposed trail. After Town Meeting approved cpa funding of $160,000 for a 25% design study, the Committee worked with staff to prepare a request for proposals. Proposals were received from seven firms in December, 2006. The recommended designer will be determined in January after interviews with finalist firms.

The designer will meet with citizens, committees and staff during 2007 to address environmental documentation and permitting, historical resources, people management concerns, and trail surface alternatives. In addition a field survey plus 25% design documents and cost estimate will be prepared.

Interested citizens can find information about committee activities on Concord's web site.

CCTV Inc.

~ communication, collaboration, community ~

cctv is an independent corporation that provides residents with Public-Educational-Government television on Channels 8 and 9 through agreement with the Town of Concord. This was the second year of efforts to re-build community cable access television, and it was marked by a number of achievements.

The Town of Carlisle joined the enterprise in 2006. Agreements with both Concord and Carlisle direct Comcast cable franchise fees to cctv for the purpose of operating community studio facilities and providing residents and government groups with broadcasting opportunities. The 2006 Carlisle Town Meeting approved an extended agreement with cctv, Inc. for the period through 2011, so that Comcast and cctv agreements run concurrently. The same cctv programming goes to subscribers in both towns, and live broadcast is now possible from both towns.

cctv staff and volunteers in the new tv studio control room. Charles Paige, Executive Director; Paul Dewey, Courtland Booth, President

Taped broadcasts of the Concord, Carlisle, and Regional School Committees began with the help of cctv videographers and volunteers. Live coverage of Concord and Carlisle Boards of Selectmen continued with improved video and audio signals. cctv agreed to fund the camera crew services for the Carlisle Selectmen and the Concord/Concord-Carlisle School Committees for the first year of meeting coverage, in hopes that financial or volunteer resources will be attracted to continue the coverage. Certain meetings other boards and committees were also broadcast.

Channel 9 was started in 2006, and has been designated as the government channel. All other programming remains on the public channel 8. Channel 10 is reserved for future educational programming and will be started when there is sufficient demand from local public and independent schools.

The capital plan was largely completed in 2006 with the installation of a multi-camera set-up at Carlisle Town Hall, and the purchase of a state-of-the-art portable switcher and three new field cameras for mobile operations. Upgrades at the main studio and cctv offices at the rear of Concord-Carlisle High School were also completed, with the replacement of three professional-grade cameras.

Membership grew from 91 to 167. More than 50 people participated in one or more training programs, and many members received individual instruction. Members are eligible for training, equipment loans, technical support, and broadcast opportunities. They are also encouraged to participate in the corporation's Annual Meeting held each January.

Charlie Paige is the newly appointed cctv Executive Director. Mr. Paige has considerable experience with commercial and cable access television, and a great deal of enthusiasm for the civic, cultural and educational potential of local access television. He is actively promoting the organization's member-based focus and the need for teamwork with the volunteers who are necessary for cctv's success. Staci Bowen is a part-time administrative assistant and a search for cctv's second full-time position, Studio Manager, was begun.

Students, teachers, and parents expanded educational programming in 2006. Sports, music, and drama performances were taped and broadcast, as were some of the more significant lectures and community presentations that took place in the schools. The intergenerational potential of community television became evident as the Concord Council on Aging took an interest in cctv. Staff and volunteers joined classes and learned to tape and edit some of the many events that take place at the Council on Aging, so that they could be broadcast and made available to more senior citizens in Concord-Carlisle.

CCTV Videographer Brian Thompsen with Dylan Booth

Program schedules are published weekly in The Concord Journal, and Carlisle-related broadcasts are published weekly in the Carlisle Mosquito. All programming for both channels is posted on cctv's website.

cctv invites all residents to join their community television project, and learn how to operate a camera and share the fascinating activities of Concord with an interested audience. For more information, a membership form, and to volunteer, please see www.concordtv.org, or email cctv.access@gmail.com, or call the station at 978-369-5038.

The Thoreau Farm Trust, Inc.

Thoreau Farm Trust
Box 454
Concord, MA 01742
978.369.3091
www.thoreaufarm.org

The Thoreau Farm Trust (tft) is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to restore and re-use the farmhouse on Virginia Road where Henry David Thoreau was born in 1817. The near-term goal of the tft is to raise the $1 million needed to restore and rehabilitate the house for community and educational use. The immediate goal is to reach $800,000 in cash and pledges by July 1, 2007, the amount required by the Town before it will transfer title of the birth house and two acres of adjacent land to the tft. By December 2006, the Trust had raised over $412,000 from individuals and foundations, including the Behrakis Foundation and the Sudbury Foundation. In addition, the Community Preservation Committee voted unanimously to include in its proposals to the 2007 Town Meeting the tft's request for a $200,000 Community Preservation Act grant.

This pumpkin party is one of many activities sponsored throughout the year by the Thoreau Farm Trust on Virginia Road.

The tft launched the public phase of its capital campaign in October 2006, with former Poet Laureate Robert Pinsky as Honorary Chair. Three events were held in cooperation with the Concord Festival of Authors: D.B.Johnson inspired a large group of children with an interactive reading of his book Henry Hikes to Fitchburg; Micheal Flaherty of Walden Media spoke of the influence Thoreau has had on his career as an educator and movie producer; and Dick Walton and John Huehnergard premiered their new dvd, "Henry David Thoreau Speaking for Nature," highlighting the sights and sounds of Concord as chronicled in Thoreau's journals. In keeping with its intention to use the Thoreau birthplace for educational purposes and for the benefit of the community, the tft hosted open houses at the property and several lectures in addition to the above events. The tft also participated in community events such as the Musketaquid Earth Day celebration, Picnic in the Park, and the annual winter holiday parade.

The tft moved forward with pre-development work on the house, which will guide the restoration/rehabilitation process. Larry Sorli, historic architect, and Bill Finch, historic materials conservator, have completed a comprehensive investigation of the house and produced a Historic Structure Report and Master Plan. The tft will seek the necessary permits, variances, and engineering studies this winter and spring. Meanwhile, the Town has put in a new driveway adjacent to the proposed boundary of the birth house property for the joint use of Gaining Ground and the tft.

Thoreau Farm Trust Board of Directors standing from left: Court Booth, Nancy Grohol, Executive Director; Michael Kellett, Helen Bowdoin, Lucille Stott, Joe Wheeler, Brian Donahue; Seated: Molly Eberle, Lorna Mack, Richard Fahlander, Ellen Foley Rice, Barbara Lambert

Metropolitan Area Planning Council

Marc D. Draisen, Executive Director

Created in 1963, the Metropolitan Area Planning Council (mapc) promotes inter-local cooperation and advocates for smart growth by working closely with cities and towns, State and Federal agencies, non-profit institutions, and community-based organizations in the 101 cities and towns of Metropolitan Boston. mapc strives to provide leadership on emerging issues of regional significance by conducting research, building coalitions, and acting as a regional forum for action.

mapc provides technical assistance and specialized services in land use planning, water resources management, transportation, housing, environmental protection, economic development, public safety, geographic information systems (gis), collective purchasing, data analysis and research, legislative and regulatory policy, and the facilitation and support of inter-local partnerships. More information about mapc's services and ongoing activities is available at www.mapc.org.

Smart Growth across Municipal Boundaries

The agency helped over 70 cities and towns to rewrite zoning by-laws, evaluate smart growth uses for key parcels, keep traffic under control and expand transit, deal with crime, and prepare for natural disasters.

mapc worked to advocate for sustainable development throughout the Commonwealth and participated in a successful campaign to recapitalize and reform the state's Brownfields Tax Credit; researched, analyzed, and reacted to significant state land use and transportation policy proposals; and advanced research about the impact of sprawling development in Massachusetts.

Getting Around the Region

mapc sponsored a conference on the impact of transportation emissions on public health that began a process to build connections, raise awareness, and stimulate action around the issue of air pollution adjacent to major roadways and rail corridors.

Collaboration to Address Shared Municipal Challenges

mapc carries out fiduciary, planning, and project management duties for the Northeast Homeland Security Regional Advisory Council (nerac), a network of 85 cities and towns north and west of Boston. In 2006, nerac distributed more than $1.5 million in emergency equipment and supplies to member communities, and trained hundreds of first responders in various roles in the United States Department of Homeland Security incident command system.

mapc advanced Pre-Disaster Mitigation (pdm) plans for cities and towns throughout the region. These plans are designed to help communities reduce their vulnerability to damages due to natural hazards. The plans include an inventory of critical facilities and infrastructure in each community, a vulnerability analysis, and a mitigation strategy with specific recommended actions and projects that will protect the communities from future damages.

Collaboration for Savings

mapc's Consortiums Project administered 37 procurement contracts for 42 municipal clients in 2006, saving cities and towns up to 20% on the purchases. As the administrator of the more than 300-member Greater Boston Police Council (gbpc), mapc concluded 7 procurement contracts for public safety, public works and general use vehicles. In all, 142 municipalities purchased 180 vehicles.

Charting a Course to Regionwide Prosperity

mapc developed its annual Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy, an assessment of current regional economic trends and conditions. The report includes background about trends and conditions in the regional economy, including a discussion about the relationship between the economy and factors such as geography, population, labor force, resources, and the environment.

Tools to Improve Planning and Decision-Making

mapc's Geographic Information Systems Lab provides professional services and products and technical assistance in support of local and regional planning projects. In 2006, mapc's gis team completed extensive projects for the Northeast Homeland Security Regional Advisory Council (nerac) region, and maps associated with the Pre-Disaster Mitigation Program, both of which are described above.

Magic sub region

magic held regular meetings at which local officials from 11 communities discussed transportation planning and priorities for state funding, grant programs for municipalities, and other inter-municipal planning issues. magic provided feedback to mapc on legislative priorities and input into various state and regional transportation plans. In addition, magic hosted two productive dialogues between the sub-region's legislative delegation and selectmen, planning board members, town administrators, planners, and business associations to strategize about effective legislative action to address communities' issues.

magic also sponsored a planners' roundtable event, where local planners and planning boards could share information, learn about innovative tools and techniques, and plan cooperative approaches.

At the roundtable, guest speakers led a discussion of Open Space Residential Design, including technical information, issues to consider, case studies, and model bylaws. magic also provided support for preparation of mixed use zoning bylaws for the towns of Bedford and Stow, most of which was funded by the state's Priority Development Fund program. The final bylaws produced, along with the visual preference program, information on existing and model bylaws, and public education materials, are all available for the benefit other interested communities.