- Haley Nesmith
CPA17 Updates & Public Meeting
As you're likely aware, we applied for CPA funding at the end of last year to translate our collaborative designs developed with TerraCurra and the community into a reality. We met with the city earlier this week to discuss our application and have some updates. You can review our online application here.
What we discussed:
Construction on City-owned property involves a lengthy, proscribed bidding process that requires stamped landscape drawings and bid documents. The work with TerraCurra has helped us build a great foundation for the redesign. After much discussion, it was mutually decided that to best preserve the mission and vision of the Growing Center moving forward, while making the needed infrastructure changes under the full letter of state law, we need an interim phase.
How we're proceeding:
As a result, we've decided to amend our application. We're now requesting funds to hire a landscape architect to develop detailed stamped drawings and bid specifications. This decision will ensure we comply with city regulations, make sure that the non-profit is protected, and give us more time to build financial support for the implementation/construction phase. Hopefully, this can also help to limit the disruption to the functional use of the Growing Center.
How you can help + Next Steps:
Write letters of support and share with Kristen (note the change in our ask) kstelljes@somervillema.gov
Attend CPA presentation on 1/31, at the VNA Assisted Living at 259 Lowell St at 7:00pm.
If you have questions/suggestions/etc, please reach out and we can coordinate a time to meet. You can learn more about the entire CPA process below.
Thank you! -CPA team
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(broader overview of CPA process and applications)
FEEDBACK SOUGHT ON FY17 COMMUNITY PRESERVATION ACT APPLICATIONS: Public presentations January 11 and 31, written comments accepted through March 16
The Community Preservation Committee is considering $2.9 million in requests for historic preservation and open space projects for funding through the Community Preservation Act. Somerville residents are encouraged to share their thoughts about this year’s projects by participating in a variety of ways. Residents may attend public meetings and comment there or later in writing, watch videos of the meetings and comment in writing, and/or read about the projects online and submit written comments. This year, $880,415 in CPA funding is also available for affordable housing projects. The Affordable Housing Trust Fund will manage the application process for these funds.
Public Meetings: Each applicant will present their projects at one of two public meetings—one on Wednesday, January 11, at 7 p.m. and another on Tuesday, January 31, at 7 p.m. Both meetings will be held at the Visiting Nurse Association, 259 Lowell St. The schedule for the presentations is as follows:
Wednesday, January 11, at 7 p.m.
Rehabilitation of Grace Baptist Church, Somerville Hispanic Association for Community Development
Somerville Museum ADA Project, Somerville Historical Society
Milk Row Cemetery Open Space Master Plan and Implementation, City of Somerville
Healey Schoolyard Landscape Design, City of Somerville
Healey Schoolyard Property Acquisition, City of Somerville
Butterfly Pocket Park at Morse Kelly, City of Somerville and Green and Open Somerville
Tuesday, January 31, at 7 p.m.
Blessing of the Bay Boathouse Park Revitalization, Mystic River Watershed Association and Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation
Renovation of Henry Hansen Park, City of Somerville
Somerville Community Growing Center Rehabilitation and Renovation, Friends of the Community Growing Center
Community Path Survey, City of Somerville
Winter Hill Community Schoolyard, City of Somerville
ArtFarm, City of Somerville
Video or Online Review: If you are not able to attend the meetings, information on all of the proposed projects is posted, and videos of the project presentations will be posted, at www.somervillema.gov/cpa.
Written Comments: Written comments will be accepted through March 16. Please send your comments to CPA Manager Kristen Stelljes by email to kstelljes@somervillema.gov or by mail to: City Hall, 93 Highland Ave., Somerville, MA 02143. You can reach Kristen with any questions at 617-625-6600 x2107.
To find out more about the Community Preservation Act, please visit the following websites: http://www.somervillema.gov/cpa or http://www.communitypreservation.org/
