TOWN OF TEWKSBURY COMMUNITY PRESERVATION COMMITTEE

General Criteria

The Tewksbury Community Preservation Committee will only consider proposals that are eligible for Community Preservation Act (CPA) funding according to the requirements described in the CPA legislation; specifically,

· The acquisition, creation, and preservation of open space.

· The acquisition, preservation, rehabilitation, and restoration of historic resources.

· The acquisition, creation, and preservation of land for recreational use.

· The creation, preservation, and support of community housing (including items such as annual payments to the housing authority to preserve or expand the affordable housing supply).

· The rehabilitation and restoration of open space, land for recreational use, and community housing that is acquired or created using monies from the fund.

Preference will be given to proposals that address as many of the following general criteria as possible:

· Are consistent with current planning documents that have received wide

scrutiny and input and have been adopted by the town;

· Preserve the essential character of the town as described in the

Comprehensive Plan;

· Save resources that would otherwise be threatened and/or serve a

currently under-served population;

· Either serve more than one CPA purpose (especially in linking open

space, recreation and community housing) or demonstrate why serving

multiple needs is not feasible;

· Demonstrate practicality and feasibility, and demonstrate that they can be

implemented expeditiously and within budget;

· Produce an advantageous cost/benefit value;

· Leverage additional public and/or private funds;

· Preserve or utilize currently owned town assets; and

· Receive endorsement by other municipal boards or departments.

Category Specific Criteria

Open space proposals which address as many of the following specific criteria as possible will receive preference:

• Permanently protect important wildlife habitat, including areas that - are of local

significance for biodiversity; - contain a variety of habitats, with a diversity of

geologic features and types of vegetation; - contain a habitat type that is in

danger of vanishing from Tewksbury; or - preserve habitat for threatened or

endangered species of plants or animals.

• Provide opportunities for passive recreation and environmental education.

• Preserve and/or restore threatened or deteriorating public lands.

• Protect or enhance wildlife corridors, promote connectivity of habitat or prevent fragmentation of habitats.

• Provide connections with existing trails or potential trail linkages.

• Preserve scenic views.

• Border a scenic road.

• Provide flood control/storage.

• Preserve important surface water bodies, including wetlands, vernal pools or riparian zones.

Historical proposals which address as many of the following criteria as possible will receive preference:

• Protect, preserve, enhance, restore and/or rehabilitate historic, cultural,

architectural or archaeological resources of significance, especially those that

are threatened;

• Protect, preserve, enhance, restore and/or rehabilitate town-owned properties,

features or resources of historical significance;

• Protect, preserve, enhance, restore and/or rehabilitate the historical function of a

property or site;

• Support the adaptive reuse of historic properties;

• Are within a Tewksbury Historic District, on a State or National Historic

Register, or eligible for placement on such registers, or on the Tewksbury

Historical Commission’s Cultural Resources Inventory;

• Demonstrate a public benefit; or

• Demonstrate the ability to provide permanent protection for maintaining the

historic resource.

Category Specific Criteria (continued)

Affordable Housing proposals which address as many of the following criteria as possible will receive preference:

• Contribute to the goal of achieving and maintaining at least 10% affordable housing;

• Promote a socioeconomic environment that encourages a diversity;

• Provide housing that is harmonious in design, scale, setting and materials with the surrounding community;

• Intermingle affordable and market rate housing at levels that exceed state requirements for percentage of affordable units;

• Ensure long-term affordability;

• Promote use of existing buildings or construction on previously-developed or Town-owned sites;

• Convert market rate to affordable units; or

• Give priority to local residents, Town employees, and employees of local businesses.

Recreation proposals which address as many of the following criteria as possible will receive preference:

• Support multiple active and passive recreation uses;

• Serve a significant number of residents;

• Expand the range of recreational opportunities available to Tewksbury residents of all ages;

• Jointly benefit Conservation Commission and Recreation Department initiatives by promoting a variety of recreational activities;

• Maximize the utility of land already owned by Tewksbury; or

• Promote the creative use of railway and other corridors to create safe and healthful non-motorized transportation opportunities.