Click on one of the links below for more information about the Hanover Conservation Commission and Conservation Office.

About the Community Preservation Act (CPA)

Current Membership

Project Selection Criteria

Solicitation of Project Proposals

Committee Meeting Schedule - Agenda & Minutes

Contact the Committee

About the Community Preservation Act (CPA)

The Community Preservation Act (CPA) is a new tool to help communities preserve open space and historic sites, and create affordable housing and recreational facilities.
 

The Act in Brief

The Community Preservation Act is statewide enabling legislation to allow cities and towns to exercise control over local planning decisions. This legislation strengthens and empowers Massachusetts communities:

• All decisions are local.
• Local people must vote by ballot to adopt the Act.
• Local legislatures must appoint a committee of local people to draw up plans for use of the funds.
• These plans are subject to local comment and approval.

The Community Preservation Act provides new funding sources which can be used to address three core community concerns:

• Acquisition and preservation of open space
• Creation and support of affordable housing
• Acquisition and preservation of historic buildings and landscapes

A minimum of 10% of the annual revenues of the fund must be used for each of the three core community concerns. The remaining 70% can be allocated for any combination of the allowed uses, or for land for recreational use. This gives each community the opportunity to determine its priorities, plan for its future, and have the funds to make those plans happen.

Property taxes traditionally fund the day-to-day operating needs of safety, health, schools, roads, maintenance. - and more. But until the CPA, there was no steady funding source for preserving and improving a community’s infrastructure. The Community Preservation Act can give a community the funds needed to control its future.

The Town of Hanover passed the CPA (3% surcharge) at the May 2005 Town Meeting. The Hanover General Bylaws, Section 4-19 provides further information about the Community Preservation Committee.
 

Current Membership

Click here to see the current membership of the Community Preservation Committee.

Project Selection Criteria

The Community Preservation Committee requires that all proposed projects be eligible for CPA funding according to the requirements described in the state's CPA statute.

Projects will be evaluated according to the following criteria:

• All Projects will be evaluated for criteria and goals stated in Hanover’s Community Preservation Plan (plan in development by CPC).
• Consistency with Hanover’s 1997 Open Space and Recreation Plan, and other planning documents that have received wide input and scrutiny.
• Feasibility
• Urgency
• Affordability
• Serving a currently under-served population
• Serving multiple needs and populations
• Consistency with recent town meeting actions
• Preservation of currently-owned town assets
• Acquisition of threatened resources
• Multiple sources of funding
• Use of local contractors where possible

The Town Meeting will have the ultimate say, as the law requires Town Meeting approval for all Community Preservation Committee funding recommendations.
 

Solicitation of Project Proposals

The Community Preservation Committee welcomes new project proposals that may contribute to community preservation in Hanover. Please submit such proposals to the Committee using the form and guidelines.  You can download the Application Form and Instructions here.

Committee Meeting Schedule - Agenda & Minutes

Community Preservation Committee meeting times are posted at Town Hall and are added to the Town Website Calendar whenever possible along with agendas and minutes as they become available.

Contact the Committee

The Community Preservation Committee does not have a staff liaison at Town Hall.  However, we encourage you to fill out the CPC Feedback page and give the Committee your thoughts, suggestions and questions regarding Hanover's preservation of Open Space, Recreation, Affordable Housing, and Historic Resources for future generations.  Your comments will be forwarded to the Committee Chairman.