Community Preservation Committee

The Community Preservation Act (MGL Chapter 44B) allows any city or town in the Commonwealth Commonwealth of Massachusetts to adopt a property tax surcharge of up to 3%, the revenues from which are matched by State funds. This fund can only be used to: preserve open space and historic sites, create affordable housing, and develop outdoor recreational facilities. In 2008 Gloucester citizens voted to adopt the CPA with a 1% tax surcharge.  As required by the CPA a local Community Preservation Committee was formed to make recommendations on CPA projects to the Mayor and the City Council.

Community Preservation Committee Responsibilities include,

• Develop a Community Preservation Plan. To see Gloucester's plan visit: Gloucester's Community Preservation Plan
• Solicit public input to maintain that Plan.  The CPC must hold at least one public hearing annually to get input from the general public, and use that input to keep Gloucester's Community Preservation Plan up to date.
• Review and Recommend CPA Projects.  The CPC accepts project proposals from the community and reviews them with the aim of selecting the most compelling projects for recommendation to the Mayor and the City Council.
• Keep records and report on the CPA Budget.  The CPC is required to keep records of all CPC meetings, proposals, and recommendations, and to submit a CPA budget annually to the City Council.

Applying for CPA Funds

The 2023 CPA Funding Round will take place according to the following schedule: 

• Open for Applications: Wednesday February 1, 2023
• Informational Meeting: Tuesday February 21, 2023
• Project Eligibility Forms due: Tuesday March 7, 2023
• Completed Applications due: Tuesday May 2, 2023
• Recommendations to City Council: October 2023
• Final Application Approval: January 2024
• Funds Available: March 2024

CPC Eligibility Forms and Applications must be submitted by visiting Neighborly, a web-based grant management system.  Please visit Neighborly to register and complete the required forms.  For questions or assistance please contact Gloucester's Grant Manager at Community Development.

Important note for projects involving City-Owned Land.  Applicants proposing a project that includes work being done on City-Owned Land MUST contact the Mayor's Office to execute a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the applicant and the city BEFORE the CPC will accept your Eligibility Application.  This MOU will be considered sufficient documentation of site control.  For questions or assistance please contact Gloucester's Grant Manager at Community Development. 

Meetings

• Community Preservation Committee meetings are open to the public and are typically held once each month. Meeting details will be posted under Public Notices on the City's website. 
• Currently all meetings are being conducted virtually. Go to Virtual Meetings to find out more. All virtual meetings are being recorded. Go to Past Remote Public Meetings on the City's website to view.

Agendas & Minutes

Agendas are available prior to CPC meetings.
Most Recent Agenda | View All

Minutes are available upon approval of the CPC.
Most Recent Minutes | View All

Members

Contacting the CPC

To reach the CPC please contact Gloucester's Grants Manager at Community Development or call (978) 325-5230.

Helpful links for Potential CPA Project Applicants

• CPA Overview
• Is Our Project Allowable?
• CPA Success Stories
• Many more helpful articles are available by visiting Community Preservation Coalition

CPA Projects Recommended in 2023

• Cape Ann Museum-14 Elm Street Preservation 
• Cape Ann Museum-Continued Stabilization Work for the Babson-Alling House
• City of Gloucester Cemeteries Advisory Committee- Bay View Cemetery Restoration Phase 2
• Historic New England- Beauport Chimney Preservation
• City of Gloucester Committee for the Arts- City-owned Artworks Preservation
• Hammond Castle Museum- Hammond Castle Oceanside Exterior Restoration
• Manship Artist Residence and Studios- Manship Improvements Feasibility Study
• Sargent House Museum- Sargent House Museum visitors entrance side restoration
• Gloucester Lyceum & Sawyer Free Library- Saunders House Structural Reinforcement
• Bigelow Real Estate LLC- Whistlestop Apartments at 50R Maplewood Ave.
• YMCA of the North Shore, Inc. - 67 Middle Street. Affordable Housing (Patillo Building) 
• Action Inc.- Tenant-Based Rental/Mortgage Assistance.

CPA Projects Approved in 2022

• Action Inc.- Tenant-Based Rental/Mortgage Assistance Program 
• City-Owned Cemeteries Advisory Committee- Bay View Restoration 
• Gloucester Adventure Inc.- Schooner Adventure Preservation 
• Gloucester High School Baseball Boosters- Renovate Nate Ross Baseball Field 
• Gloucester Housing Authority- Willowwood Gardens Roof Replacement 
• Gloucester Lyceum and Sawyer Free Library- Saunders House HVAC 
• Gloucester Rotary Club- Stage Fort Park Playground Restoration 
• Harborlight Community Partners. Inc- Main Street Affordable Housing 
• Magnolia Library Center- MLCC Outside Renovation 
• Manship Artist Residence and Studios, Inc.- Manship Artists Residency Design Project
• Maritime Gloucester- Waterfront Resiliency Survey
• Our Lady of Good Voyage Parish- Bell Tower Restoration
• Stage Fort Park Advisory Committee- Lucy Davis Pathway
• Young Legends Street Hockey Inc.- Stage Fort Park Street Hockey Rink

All CPA Projects

The Community Preservation Coalition maintains a database of all projects funded by the CPA, in Gloucester and other towns and cities in the Commonwealth.