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The Community Preservation Committee (CPC) has been busy over the last couple months reviewing applications for funding. The committee is tasked with reviewing applications each year and making recommendations to Town Meeting on which to approve. Readers can learn more about their mission and the provisions of the Community Preservation Act on their web page here. If you don’t have the time, just think of it as Municipal Shark Tank for projects related to recreation, open space, historic preservation and housing.
The Fiscal Year 2025 (FY25) applications requested more money than the CPC has available this cycle, so the committee has been trying to find ways to close a funding gap, though they also have the ability to go “over budget.” They began voting on applications in their December 20, 2023 meeting and were expected to continue on January 3, 2024. Here’s where they netted out after Wednesday’s meeting:
Application | CPC Recommendations |
---|---|
Regional Housing Services Office (RHSO) Membership Fee | This is a somewhat procedural application for the annual membership fee to the RHSO, which supports housing work in Sudbury. The CPC voted unanimously to recommend approval to Town Meeting. |
Wayside Inn Bridge over Hop Brook Tributary | The CPC voted unanimously to recommend approval to Town Meeting. This project will repair the bridge over by the Wayside Inn. A temporary fix has been in place for a few years. |
Bruce Freeman Rail Trail Phase 3 – Design and Construction | This application was amended over the course of their discussions late last year. They voted unanimously to recommend approval of $600,000 for Phase 3. The primary goal is to get the designs to the 100% finish line as soon as possible. The hope is that they can get construction started as soon as possible. This phase takes the BRFT from the intersection with the Mass Central Rail Trail down to the Framingham town line. |
Hop Brook – Water Chestnut Remediation | This is an ongoing project that has received prior funding from the CPC. They voted unanimously to recommend approval. |
Community Garden Improvements – Lincoln Meadows and Broadacres Farm | They voted unanimously to recommend $40,000 for a well at the Lincoln Meadows community garden, but held off on the other $40,000 for the proposed project at Broadacres. This was part of the solution for closing their funding gap. |
Sudbury Housing Authority – Housing Authority Allocation | They voted unanimously to recommend approval of $450,000. The funds would support redevelopment of two properties to produce two duplexes in place of existing single-family homes. |
Sudbury Housing Trust – Housing Trust Allocation | Waiting for more information from applicants. |
Parkinson Field Driveway Access Improvements | Waiting on additional information from applicants. |
Several members of the committee commented in the December 20, 2024 meeting on what they felt was a batch of high-quality applications and worthy projects this cycle. However, others voiced some desire for more details and firmer numbers around cost estimates. The discussion on Wednesday continued, as the committee sought to stay within their budget with creative solutions, or by trimming the funding requests on remaining applications.
Those last two applications will get a vote at their next meeting on January 17, but the committee was able to get through review of the draft warrant articles for most of the applications on Wednesday night. They have until mid-afternoon on January 31 to finalize and submit them before the warrant deadline passes, and it looks like they’re on track to do it.