The Nahant Community Preservation Committee voted unanimously Monday night to approve three grant applications totaling $119,000.
Before the Jan. 23 deadline, the Committee received a total of 12 applications. The Commonwealth’s Community Preservation Act allows the Town of Nahant to invest in projects related to open space, historic preservation, affordable housing, and recreation. The town’s 3% property tax surcharge is matched annually with state funding to finance potential projects. Once the CPC approves the applications, they will go to the Financial Committee, and ultimately Town Meeting in May.
The first application was for the Flash Road Recreation Master Plan for a total of $39,000. Committee Chair Lynne Spencer said that the true value of the plan is $50,000, however an $11,000 grant from a previous year has been reallocated for this plan. Committee member Paul Spirn thanked Town Administrator Tony Barletta for being a driving force behind the project.
“I think this is so important. I’m glad you started us on this road, and I want to tell you that you’re absolutely right to have labeled this as the most important recreational space in Nahant,” Spirn said. “I think it really deserves first-class attention.”
The next application was for the Heritage Trail at Goddard Drive, valued at $20,000. Spirn posed the question of whether the placement of the trail should be modified due to the relatively new-found flexibility of the land in the aftermath of the Coast Guard Housing situation.
“In terms of the topography, as someone who’s been up and down that trail, it does make sense,” Spencer answered.
The final application was for a Housing Development Feasibility Study worth $60,000.
“This grant would bridge the gap from opportunity site identification to the feasibility and conditions for construction development of the identified sites,” Spencer read from the Housing Production Committee’s application. “Making it an achievable, affordable, housing project for the town. This would take input from the community to set development guidelines, minimum and maximum unit requirements, and construction limitations to determine the viability of potential sites.”
The Committee also heard from resident Dave Elmer on behalf of the Nahant Little League for an application of $100,000 to have lights installed at the baseball field. However, the CPC asked Elmer to work with Barletta and reduce the total grant amount before presenting it again at the Committee’s next meeting.
