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Winchester is kicking off its community preservation program with a pilot intended to bring in applications for its inaugural test run.
David Miller is chairing the new Winchester Committee on Community Preservation (WCCP), which was established along with acceptance of the state Community Preservation Act (CPA) last November at Town Meeting.
The committee includes members of other boards, including Julie Broderick of the Historic Commission, John Cortizas of the Planning Board and Select Board representative Christina Marshall, as well as Town Manager Beth Rudolph as an ex-officio member.
“I volunteered,” Broderick said, of her involvement. “I thought it would be interesting to participate in this new program to support projects affecting the quality of life in Winchester.”
The CPA indicates the WCCP or a Community Preservation Committee will study the needs, possibilities and resources of a city or town regarding community preservation, including regional projects; consult with existing municipal boards, hence the composition of the membership of the WCCP; make recommendations to the legislative body, in Winchester’s case Town Meeting, for the acquisition, creation and preservation, including restoration and rehabilitation, of open space, land for recreational use, historic resources and community housing; recommend appropriations and hold informational hearings.
A public hearing will be held Thursday night, June 26 at Town Hall, from 6-8 p.m., in person. Residents can also check out the town website for times and dates of committee meetings, which are held on Zoom.
The Community Preservation Coalition website describes the CPA as “a smart growth (another term for mixed use) tool that helps communities preserve open space and historic sites, create affordable housing and develop outdoor recreation facilities. The CPA also helps strengthen the state and local economies by expanding housing and construction jobs and by supporting the tourism industry through preservation of historic and natural resources.”
More than 200 communities have adopted the CPA statewide, including neighboring Arlington and Medford. The Community Preservation Coalition website lists dozens of CPA projects in each since its passage in 2000.
Restoring Winchester’s tennis courts has long been in resident’s minds.
Funding is based on a 1.5% surcharge on property taxes and matching state funds, although the state funds are not available in the first year of CPA implementation.
Miller said about $800,000 is currently available for proposals that will be brought to Town Meeting in the fall.
In the meantime, the WCCP has set deadlines of Wednesday, July 2 for submission of initial applications and Friday, Aug. 1 for completed applications.
“We’ll work with applicants to improve applications,” Miller said, of the intervening weeks.
