Information about the Community Preservation Act - IN GENERAL
Information about the Community Preservation Act - IN GENERAL
Berlin’s Fiscal Year 2020 property tax bills include a 3% property tax surcharge for the Town’s share of the newly established Community Preservation Fund. Berlin’s contributions will be matched by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts according to distribution formulas and availability of program revenues to fund land and historic preservation, community housing and recreation projects in Berlin.
Adoption:
The Community Preservation Act was established by the Massachusetts legislature and signed by the Governor in September, 2000.
Berlin voters accepted the Act at the May 7, 2018 Annual Town Meeting, and subsequently ratified local acceptance of the Act by ballot vote at the November 6, 2018 State Election.
A bylaw establishing Berlin’s Community Preservation Committee was approved at the May 9, 2019 Annual Town Meeting and again at the June 22, 2020 Annual Town Meeting. On October 16, 2020, the Attorney General’s Office approved the bylaw, permitting the permanent seating of a Community Preservation Act Committee (CPA Committee). The CPA Committee will be responsible for developing a community preservation plan, reviewing and recommending community preservation projects, and keeping records and reporting on the community preservation budget.
Description and Purposes:
The Act establishes a local Community Preservation Fund that is funded by property tax surcharges and matching revenues from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
These funding sources can be used by the Town to address core community concerns:
• Protect farm land and forests from future development
• Acquire and preserve land for conservation and recreation
• Restore and preserve historic properties
• Help meet local families’ housing needs
The Act requires at least 10% of the monies raised to be distributed to each of three primary categories:
1. Open space (excluding recreational purposes),
2. Historic preservation, and
3. Community housing
The remaining 70% of funds may be allocated to any one or a combination of the primary categories, including public recreational purposes, at the discretion of the Community Preservation Act Committee and subject to the approval of Town Meeting. Up to 5% can also be spent on administrative needs of the Community Preservation Act Committee.
Berlin’s acceptance of the Act includes a 3% property tax surcharge, and exempts property owned and occupied as a domicile by any person who qualifies for low income housing or low or moderate income senior housing in the Town, $100,000 of the value of each taxable parcel of residential real property, and $100,000 of the value of each taxable parcel of class three commercial property, and class four industrial property.