2002 needs assessmentt local CPA bylaw what is the CPA

The Community Preservation Act (CPA, MGL 44B) allows any city or town in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts to adopt a property tax surcharge with revenues from this surcharge (and state matching funds) devoted to open space, historic preservation, community housing, and land for recreational use.

Westford accepted the CPA in the spring of 2001, approving this at a Special Town Meeting in March 2001 and a Town Election on May 1, 2001. The surcharge went into effect with the start of the Fiscal Year 2002 on July 1, 2001. In 2001, 35 Massachusetts communities passed the Community Preservation Act.

The Community Preservation Act enables Westford to establish a Community Preservation Fund. Monies collected for this fund are from a 3% surcharge on local property taxes, with the following exemptions:

a) property owned and occupied as a domicile by any person who qualifies for low income housing or low or moderate income senior housing in the town; and

b) $100,000 of the value of each taxable parcel of residential real property.

The state will offer matching grants from the Community Preservation Trust Fund, whose revenue is generated from an increase in certain fees at the Registry of Deeds. The Community Preservation Act surcharge is assessed on each property owner's quarterly tax bills. On the FY 2002 bills, the CPA surcharge was divided only between the 3rd and 4th quarters.

Consistent with the terms of the Community Preservation Act and with a bylaw adopted at Westford's 2001 Annual Town Meeting, a Community Preservation Committee has been formed to study the town's needs relevant to funding by the Community Preservation Act and to recommend how Westford's Community Preservation Act revenues should be spent. The nine-member committee, appointed by the Board of Selectmen, includes four at-large members and representatives of the Town's Conservation Commission, Historic Commission, Housing Authority, Planning Board, and Recreation Department.

A community must set aside a minimum of 30% of all funds generated with even 10% allocation towards open space, historic resources, and community housing. The remaining 70% of the funds can be allocated to any of the above-defined areas including the creation and preservation of recreational lands without a percentage restriction. While the Community Preservation Committee presents its recommendations to the Town, it is the voters at Town Meeting who make the final decision of how Community Preservation Act funds are spent.

The Community Preservation Committee held it's first meeting on October 23, 2001, when the officers 2001- 2002 were appointed. The committee meets twice monthly on the first and third Tuesdays at 7:30 p.m. at the Westford Museum, 2 Boston Rd.