WESTFIELD – The City Council voted unanimously Thursday night to approve funding for three Community Preservation Act projects which will increase the city’s inventory of open space and affordable housing.
The Council approved $381,500 in funding to purchase more than 62 acres of farm lands off Northwest Road currently owned by John Pitoniak.
The Community Preservation Commission (CPC) had voted to recommend the purchase nearly two years ago. Last year the City Council, which has to appropriate the purchase funds under the provisions of the Community Preservation Act (CPA), heard the details of the deal from Thomas Pitoniak, John’s nephew. However the City Council could not act on the CPC’s recommendation at that time because of a technical issue. Under the CPA there is a requirement for an organization to act as the agency to ensure conditions of the conservation restriction are enforced.
Originally the city, which will now own the property, had planned to have the city’s Conservation Commission serve as that agent, but was informed by state officials that the city could not be both the owner and conservation restriction enforcement agency.
City Planner Jay Vinskey said the issue was recently resolved and the new funding request, which was increased by $21,500, includes money for the National Audubon Society, through a local chapter, will serve as the conservation restriction enforcement agency for the city.
The purchase of the 62.9 acres is part of 113 acres parcel which will be under conservation restrictions. The land abuts Little River and includes woodlands adjoining city-owned property where a municipal water well is located.
The CPC had placed the funds into a open space reserve account after the first vote to support the project, so the money has been available, just waiting for the City Council action to complete the purchase.
The council also voted to approve $45,000 to purchase the development rights, under a conservation restriction, on 20 acres of farm and wood lands at the northeast corner of the intersection of Southampton and North Road (routes 10 and 202 respectively).
Siblings Joan Corell and her Robert Seher, applied for the conservation restriction which will be held by the Winding River Land Conservancy. The siblings will continue to own the property at 1277 and 1295 Southampton Road , but are selling the right to develop it for commercial or residential use in the future.
The City Council also approved $80,000 requested by DOMUS to purchase the form St. Peter’s convent at 33 State Street which will be converted to affordable housing for three siblings with developmental disabilities and whose aging parents can no longer provide for the adult children.
DOMUS had to apply under the affordable housing statute and will place a low-income restriction on the property. The former convent will be converted into an assisted living facility.
Westfield residents approved a 1 percent surtax to fund the community preservation account under the state law intended to increase low and moderate housing stock, as well as to preserve open space. The state provides matching funds, allowing communities t9o leverage additional funding for local projects.
Under the state law 30 percent of the of CPA funds are put into three dedicated accounts, 10 percent each, for open space preservation, recreation and affordable housing. Communities can mix those three dedicated funding sources with the remaining 70 percent unrestricted funding to finance projects.
