05/05/2008 Annual Town Meeting - Laserfiche WebLink

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To fund this purchase, $500,000 has been allocated by the Community Preservation Committee. T In addition, a grant of$500,000 will be sought by the Board of Selectmen from State "Self-Help Act"funds, and a second grant also in the amount of$500,000 will be sought from the Federal Land and Water Conservation Fund. To fund the balance, the town will need to borrow $2,146,800, pending the approval of the "Self-Help" grant. This borrowing request will require a ' Debt Exclusion approval by the voters. The land would become dedicated conservation land in F perpetuity. As of the writing of this report, the Finance Committee did not feel it had sufficient information to make a recommendation on this Article. The FinCom will be reviewing the topography of the r parcel to determine whether the parcel has the potential for successful development, or if r "' environmental conditions make the land suitable only for conservation uses. Along with ' reviewing other options, the committee will also try to determine if the site has the potential as a s future municipal water supply source. Approval of this Article will authorize the Board of Selectmen to proceed with the purchase, apply for the grant funding and authorize a Debt Exclusion vote at the May 10, 2008 elections. PC THE FINANCE COMMITTEE WILL MAKE ITS RECOMMENDATION RELATIVE TO ARTICLE 10 AT TOWN MEETING. ARTICLE 11. Authorize Purchase of Lands: Meetinghouse Road. Submitted by: Board of Selectmen. ; 1 ; " The Board of Selectmen requests approval to purchase 1.09 acres of land at 100 Meetinghouse Road,which is adjacent to lands owned by the MA Division of Fisheries and Wildlife. The : lands will be dedicated for conservation and passive recreation purposes and will cost $180,000. Funds for this purchase will be appropriated from the Conservation Commission Acquisition of Land and Maintenance Account, and the land will be held in the care and custody of the Conservation Commission. The Article also seeks authorization for the Board of Selectmen and/or the Conservation Commission to apply for and accept a partial reimbursement for the cost of purchase and the incidental expenses related to the purchase of the land under the MA "Self— s Help Act", or the Federal Land and Water Conservation Fund. Approval of this Article will have no impact on the FY 09 budget or the 2008 tax rate, since Conservation Commission funds are being applied to the purchase. THE FINANCE COMMITTEE RECOMMENDS TOWN MEETING APPROVAL OF ARTICLE 11. " ARTICLE 12. Amend By Law, re: "Building Mounted Wind Turbines. Submitted by: Planning Board. At the October 2007 Town Meeting a zoning bylaw was approved establishing standards and regulations for the construction of various wind power facilities. The bylaw as approved prohibited building-mounted wind turbines. The Planning Board is now seeking approval to amend th,; by law to permit such structures and established the criteria to obtain Planning Board approval. Town Meeting approval is also sought to amend the present by law by establishing 21