Community Preservation Committee

Agendas & Minutes

Agendas are available prior to the meetings. Minutes are available following approval.
View Agendas and Minutes

Members

  • Nancy MacDonald, Chair, Town Moderator Appointment
  • Eryn Kelley, Vice Chair, Select Board Appointment
  • Kirsten Moore, Town Moderator Appointment
  • David Ellison, Select Board Appointment
  • Philip Edmundson, Conservation Commission Representative
  • Elizabeth Dings, Historical Commission Representative
  • Ruth Bennett, Housing Authority Representative
  • Crystal Kelly, Planning Board Representative
  • Vicki Donlan, Recreation Department 

Important Dates

July 1, 2025 New Round of Funding Begins; see Preliminary Eligibility Application
Sept 9, 2025 Preliminary Eligibility Application Due (required)
Sept 10, 2025 CPC Meeting- Board Reorganization and Grant Review
Sept 17, 2025 CPC Meeting to review Preliminary Application Eligibility
Oct 7, 2025 Final Application Due (only if Preliminary Eligibility Application is accepted)
Oct 22, 2025 CPC Meeting to Review Final Applications
Oct 25, 2025 Site Visits
Nov 4 & 5, 2025 CPC Meeting to hear Application Presentations from Project Proponents
Dec 10, 2025 Member Discussion of Pending Applications
Jan 7, 2026 CPC Meeting- Final Project Presentation (Zoom only)
Jan14, 2026 CPC Meeting -Final Vote 

CPA Application & Instructions

Application Documents and Instructions have been updated.

About the CPC Committee

The Community Preservation Committee is established in accordance with Massachusetts General Law Chapter 44B, sections 3-7. The committee consists of 9 members. The members include an appointed designee from each of the following: the Conservation Commission, the Planning Board, the Historical Commission, the Housing Authority, Recreation Commission; two appointments by the Select Board and two appointments by the Moderator.

The Community Preservation Committee reviews applications submitted by Town bodies and citizens at large for funding projects involving the acquisition, creation, and preservation of open space, for the acquisition and preservation of historic resources; for the acquisition, creation and preservation of land for recreational use; for the creation, preservation and support of community housing; and for rehabilitation or restoration of such open space, historic resources, land for recreational use and community housing that is acquired or created as provided in this section. With respect to community housing, the committee recommends, whenever possible, the reuse of existing buildings or construction of new building on previously developed sites. This committee makes recommendations to Town Meeting regarding the use of the Town's Community Preservation Fund for those purposes. That fund is composed of a 1.5% surtax on Town real estate taxes and state matching grants payable each Fall based on the surtax revenues for the fiscal year ending the prior June 30th, and interest on the accumulated funds. The Community Preservation Act requires that at least 10% of each year's Community Preservation revenues be spent or set aside for each of the three Community Preservation categories. The remaining 70% is available for spending on any one or more of the categories as the Committee and Town Meeting see fit.

The Committee meets each month from September through January during the application process at the Town Hall, 210 Central St., Hingham, MA.