Last year the CPC received four proposals, totaling $410, 500, for its consideration. The CPC, after meeting with selected proponents and Boards and holding a Public Hearing, recommended that the following projects be approved by Town Meeting:
COMMUNITY HOUSING
Sponsor: Wellesley Housing Development Corp.
Project Description: A grant of $125,000 to the Wellesley Housing Development Corporation to be used for affordable housing purposes.
The CPC is recommending that $125,000 be allocated to the WHDC for FY07 to be used for Affordable Housing purposes. It is anticipated that this amount will be initially applied to pay costs of demolition and removal of debris, costs of required permitting and other costs not otherwise to be paid for by Spaulding & Slye Colliers (under its Inclusionary Zoning Special Permit for the Wellesley Inn site) in connection with the design and construction of a two-family home on Town-owned property at 10 Boulevard Road. Any use of CPC funds by the WHDC for the 10 Boulevard Road project will be conditioned upon the execution of an appropriate covenant or restriction, acceptable to Town Counsel, limiting the use by the WHDC of the 10 Boulevard Road Property and the home for the original purpose of affordable
housing. Any portion of the $125,000 allocation not required for the 10 Boulevard Road project may be used by the WHDC in its discretion for general affordable housing purposes.
Recommendation: $125,000 to be used by the WHDC for affordable housing purposes.
Sponsor: Wellesley Housing Development Corporation (WHDC)/Wellesley Housing Authority (WHA)
Project Description: A grant of 410,500 to the Wellesley Housing Development Corporation to engage a consultant to develop a monitoring system for the Town's affordable housing stock.
Currently there are approximately 416 units of affordable housing in Wellesley that "count" toward the Town's 10% goal under Chapter 40B. While 235,or slightly more than one-half, of the Town's affordable housing units are under the control of the Wellesley Housing Authority , the remainder are privately owned and operated. Over the next several years Wellesley's Inclusionary Zoning Bylaw will result in the creation of a number of additional units of affordable privately-owned housing.
The Town currently has in place no system or method for verifying whether these privately-owned affordable housing units are in fact being made available to and are being occupied by income-eligible families. The WHDC proposes hiring a consultant to design a reporting system that will enable the Town to monitor the Town's privately owned affordable housing stock to ensure that the affordable units continue to be operated as affordable housing.
This project will develop a comprehensive database of all affordable housing units in the Town, develop a simple reporting system to be used to verify whether the developments continue to comply with applicable affordability restrictions, and recommend various enforcement procedures.
Recommendation: $10,500 to the WHDC to engage a consultant to develop a monitoring system for the Town's affordable housing stock.
Sponsor: WHA?WHDC
Project Description: A grant of $25,000 to enable the Wellesley Housing Authority, with technical support from the WHDC, to hire a consultant to help the WHA to determine the cost of capital repairs at Linden Street and the cost of construction of eight additional one bedroom units at Barton Road, and the feasibility of financing (with state or private or a combination of state and private funds) and, if feasible, to prepare a definitive financing and development plan for:
(a) capital repairs to seven of the WHA's twelve apartments at 50 Linden Street that have been unoccupied - some for as long as three years- due to their deteriorated condition.
(b) the development on vacant land at Barton Road of approximately eight new one bedroom apartment units.
The WHA does not generate sufficient funds from its operations to be able to afford to pay the capital costs needed to make the necessary capital improvements associated with the two projects listed above, and the state agency responsible for administrative oversight of local housing authorities has been unable to commit to the WHA as to when it might have sufficient capital funds available for such projects. It is expected that this study may result in this project moving up on the state's priority list of projects.
No tax dollars would be involved, and in the case of Barton Road, the residents of the new units are expected to be existing Barton Road residents. The Linden Street units in question are now vacant, and the Housing Authority is anxious to bring them up to code so that they can once again be occupied.
Recommendation: $25,000 to engage a consultant to determine the cost of needed capital repairs at 50 Linden Street and the construction of eight units at Barton Road, and to study the feasibility and sources of financing.
OPEN SPACE AND RECREATION
Sponsor: Board of Public Works, Natural Resource Commission, Recreation Commission
Project Description: A grant for $250,00 for anticipated capital expenditures for the first year of the proposed Morses Pond Management Plan, to be earmarked specifically for the acquisition of a weed harvester and accessory equipment. This grant is contingent upon approval of the overall Management Plan and provision for funding the Plan.
In 2004, the Community Preservation Committee, Advisory Committee and Town Meeting supported funding for the development of a Comprehensive Management Plan for Morses Pond at a cost of $150,000. The Board of Public Works, Natural Resource Commission and the Recreation Commission formed the Morses Pond Ad Hoc Committee to work with the Town's consultant, Dr. Ken Wagner, in evaluating options for the pond's preservation.
A significant component of the Management Plan deals with the control of rooted plants. Mechanical harvesting is a primary method employed in gaining control of invasive plants and shifting the plant community toward a more desirable mix of species over multiple years with equipment capable of addressing all target areas in an appropriately rapid time frame.
The CPC carefully reviewed the capital list included on the Morses Pond Management Plan and proposed funding the cost of a new weed harvester, which is scheduled in the first year of the Plan. This funding represents over 50% of the capital requests for the first ear of the Plan's implementation. The CPC understands that it will have the opportunity to review the capital list for the Morses Pond project annually and may elect to recommend that additional funds be allocated in subsequent years.
It should be noted that CPC funds may not be used for operating costs. Therefore, this proposal is made contingent upon passage of the Morses Pond Management Plan at the 2006 ATM and provisions for funding the Plan.
Recommendation: $250,000 for purchase of a weed harvester, contingent upon approval and funding by the 2006 ATM of the Morses Pond Management Plan. If the Morses Pond Management Plan is not approved, the CPC may make an alternative recommendation at Town Meeting.
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