The Community Preservation Committee shall study the needs,
possibilities and resources of the Town regarding community preservation.
The Committee shall consult with existing municipal boards, including
the Conservation Commission, the Historical Commission, the Planning
Board, the Park Commissioners and the Housing Authority, or persons
acting in those capacities or performing like duties, in conducting
such studies. As part of its study, the Committee shall hold one or
more public informational hearings on the needs, possibilities and
resources of the Town regarding community preservation possibilities
and resources, notice of which shall be posted publicly and published
for each of two weeks preceding a hearing in a newspaper of general
circulation in the city or town.
The Community Preservation Committee shall make recommendations
to the Town Meeting for the acquisition, creation and preservation
of open space; for the acquisition, preservation, rehabilitation and
restoration of historic resources; for the acquisition, creation,
preservation, rehabilitation and restoration of land for recreational
use; for the acquisition, creation, preservation and support of community
housing; and for the rehabilitation or restoration of open space,
and community housing that is acquired or created as provided in this
section. With respect to community housing, the Community Preservation
Committee shall recommend, wherever possible, the reuse of existing
buildings or construction of new buildings on previously developed
sites.
The Community Preservation Committee may include in its recommendation
to the Town Meeting a recommendation to set aside for later spending
funds for specific purposes that are consistent with community preservation
but for which sufficient revenues are not then available in the Community
Preservation Fund to accomplish that specific purpose or to set aside
for later spending funds for general purposes that are consistent
with community preservation.
In every fiscal year, the Community Preservation Committee must
recommend either that the Town Meeting spend, or set aside for later
spending, not less than 10% of the annual revenues in the Community
Preservation Fund for open space and land for recreational use, not
less than 10% of the annual revenues in the Community Preservation
Fund for historic resources; and not less than 10% of the annual revenues
in the Community Preservation Fund for community housing.
The Community Preservation Committee shall not meet or conduct
business without the presence of a quorum. A majority of the members
of the Community Preservation Committee shall constitute a quorum.
The Community Preservation Committee shall approve its actions by
majority vote of the quorum. Recommendations to the Town Meeting shall
include their anticipated costs.
In case any section, paragraph or part of this bylaw is for
any reason declared invalid or unconstitutional by any court, every
other section, paragraph or part shall continue in full force and
effect.
This bylaw shall take effect upon approval by the Attorney General
of the Commonwealth and after all requirements of MGL c. 40, § 32
have been met. Each appointing authority shall have 60 days after
the effective date to make its appointments.