Framingham Community Preservation Committee Hosting Public Forum on June 22

The following is a press release from the CPC

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FRAMINGHAM – Framingham’s Community Preservation Committee (CPC) invites City residents to
participate in a Public Forum on Wednesday, June 22.

The meeting will be in the Blumer Room on the lower level in City Hall, 150 Concord Street at 7 p.m.;

The purpose of the Forum is to present a draft Community Preservation Plan for the upcoming fiscal year beginning July 1, 2022 and to get feedback and input from residents before the Plan is made final.The meeting will also be viewable via Zoom at:

 https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83714172051?pwd=ajl4cENYV0VPTUFSWjgyQ3R1bkk2UT09

Framingham adopted the Massachusetts Community Preservation Act (CPA) in November 2020 by voter referendum. In adopting the Act, voters agreed that property owners would pay a 1% annual surcharge on local property taxes that can be used solely for City quality-of-life projects, as defined by the Act.

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Adoption of CPA also made Framingham eligible to receive matching funds from a state CPA Trust Fund.
Projects eligible for funding with surcharge revenues include: open space protection and expanded
outdoor recreation; preservation of historic buildings and resources; and increasing housing affordability.
The City’s goal is that residents throughout the City benefit from these projects.

An appointed Community Preservation Committee has, over the past year, developed an initial plan for
spending the Community Preservation Fund that has been created using the surcharge revenue. This plan will be reviewed and updated annually as the City’s Community Preservation program continues and new project needs and opportunities emerge.

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The Committee is made up of representatives from the Conservation Commission, Historical Commission, Housing Authority, Planning Board, and Park & Recreation Commission, along with four (4) at-large representatives appointed by City Council.

At the June 22 Forum, Committee members will outline the process by which it will solicit and evaluate
grant applications from the community for projects that are eligible for awards under the Community
Preservation Act guidelines.

The Forum will give the public an opportunity to both learn about the application process which will kick
off in August, and comment on Framingham’s needs, opportunities and resources with respect to
community housing, historic preservation, and open space and outdoor recreation.

Project applications will be accepted through mid-October, with the Committee making funding recommendations to City Council in January 2023.