AMHERST — Directing a portion of Community Preservation Act money toward renovations to private historic buildings is raising concerns for some members of the Finance Committee.
While the CPA Committee is recommending $2.88 million in new spending, including $359,000 for improvements at two privately owned homes, the Finance Committee will decide Tuesday whether to endorse the same list of projects.
At a recent meeting, District 1 Councilor Cathy Schoen said her concern is whether $240,000 going toward the Conkey-Stevens House, a private condominium building at 664 Main St. in the East Amherst Historic District, is appropriate. The money is to be used for repairing the slate roof, porch and chimneys at the 1840 brick building.
“I’m questioning the use of CPA funds when there is really no public benefit here other than being able to look at it when we drive down the street,” Schoen said.
Schoen said she is concerned this could establish a precedent where other homeowners ask for financial help. Instead, the Town Council could create a policy to be more strict on who can apply for such funding.
Another $135,000 is for painting and repair of the Amherst Woman’s Club at 35 Triangle St., also known as the Alice Maud Hills House. The building is owned by a nonprofit.
Committee member Bernie Kubiak said putting preservation restrictions on both properties could be a way to address the issue.
But Council President Lynn Griesemer said she believes a precedent was set years ago when Town Meeting approved CPA money to preserve the Kimball farmhouse from demolition on North East Street.
District 5 Councilor Ana Devlin Gauthier, who previously served on the CPA Committee, said the Historical Commission strongly recommended the spending on the Conkey-Stevens building because its appearance is important to the surrounding neighborhood.
Many towns invest CPA money in important historical structures, said Assistant Town Manager David Ziomek.
A forum on the CPA spending will be held before the Town Council takes a final vote this spring.
The $2.88 million in various housing, recreation and historic initiatives recommended by the CPA Committee is down from $3.56 million in projects that were submitted.
The most expensive project is $500,000 for acquiring and developing transitional housing that will also use $1 million in federal American Recovery Program Act funds. The idea is to provide homes and services to people who haven’t been able to live independently.
Ziomek said staff is exploring a number of options for a site, both for the transitional housing and a permanent overnight shelter that has been run out of churches since 2009.
Another $250,000 will go toward affordable housing development, such as building projects on Belchertown Road and the former East Street School site, where the town is examining concepts from bidders who responded to the town’s request. Ziomek told the committee the review process is in progress.
“We’re very excited about the project,” Ziomek said. “We think it’s going to result in a very significant number of affordable units for the town.”
Other projects in line for CPA funds include $150,000 for Hickory Ridge trail improvements and $120,000 for pickleball courts, which could be built at Mill River Recreation Area, or possibly near the War Memorial Pool.
Not being appropriated yet is $800,000 for the Amherst-Pelham Regional Schools’ new high school track.
An application for a pavilion proposed for North Amherst Farm was withdrawn, and the CPA Committee determined that any fence improvements to North Amherst Cemetery are not eligible because the fence is not original to the site.