Salem Community Preservation Act Hearing Next Week

Have a pet project you'd like to see completed?

The city is looking to local residents to bring their Community Preservation Act ideas to a public hearing in Salem next week. 

The hearing, scheduled to begin at 6 p.m. on Nov. 12 in the third-floor meeting room of the City Hall Annex on Washington Street, is aimed at providing city residents with the opportunity "to comment on Salem’s needs in regard to open space, historic preservation, outdoor recreation, and community housing and to suggest criteria for the selection of projects to be funded with CPA funds," according to a release.

The act, which was approved by Salem voters in November 2012, established a local dedicated fund, financed by a voter-approved property tax surcharge and matching funds from the statewide CPA Trust Fund, to undertake open space, historic preservation, outdoor recreation, and community housing projects.

Implementation of the CPA in Salem is overseen by the Community Preservation Committee, which is composed of representatives from the Conservation Commission, Historical Commission, Planning Board, Park & Recreation Commission and Salem Housing Authority, along with appointees from Mayor Kim Driscoll and the City Council.

The CPC’s first responsibility is to develop a local Community Preservation Plan.

In a prepared statement, CPC Chair Helen Sides said "We are all excited to see projects implemented utilizing CPA funding. The Committee is working to ensure that the process is open and transparent to Salem taxpayers and that the selected projects reflect the priority needs and goals of our community.”

Massachusetts regulations require that a minimum of 10% of annual CPA revenues be set aside or spent for each of three categories: housing, historic, and open space/recreation projects. For FY14, Salem’s CPA revenue is estimated to be $400,000.

“This public hearing is an opportunity to get an overview of the CPA as it applies to Salem and to suggest criteria for the Community Preservation Committee to consider when it begins to review proposed projects,” Salem Mayor Kim Driscoll said. “I urge anyone interested in how these funds are spent to voice their ideas on Salem’s needs and goals.”

In addition the public hearing, written comments may be sent to the Department of Planning and CommunityDevelopment, 120 Washington St., Salem, MA 01970 by noon on Nov. 22.