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What is the CPA?

The Community Preservation Act (CPA) 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 Community Preservation Act. 

  • A committee of local people draws up plans for use of the funds. 

  • These plans are subject to local approval.

 

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

  • Acquisition and preservation of open space 

  • Creation and support of affordable housing 

  • Acquisition and preservation of historic buildings and landscapes

  • Development of outdoor recreational facilities

 

A minimum of 10% of the annual revenues of the fund must be used each for Open Space, Housing and Historic Preservation. The remaining 70% can be allocated for any combination of the allowed uses, or 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.

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

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Washington Park Renovation

In 2015 a project to improve Washington Park was started with $290,000 of CPA funds. The park used by Groveland Baseball League (GBL) and residents with an attached playground had not seen any town work in over 20 years. The GBL had donated countless hours and funds to make the park useful for baseball however any improvements were too costly. Also, the playground had declined and become a health and safety hazard. Thanks to CPA a brand-new safe play structure was installed. Children can now enjoy the park and play safely. The park now includes a car lot accommodating visitors to the playground and ball fields. Fencing and backstops have been replaced. Netting, lighting, bleachers, and a scoreboard have created a first-class baseball facility our kids can enjoy thanks to CPA and GBL.

How has Groveland benefited from these projects?

Our town has successfully completed many Community Preservation Act (CPA) funded projects over the past 16 years. How have we benefited from these projects?  Scroll through just a few of the project details.

This is just a sampling of the 50 projects and their benefits that have been funded by the CPA in Groveland.

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