CPC receives 18 funding requests totalling $5 million
BY MARY LANCASTER INDEPENDENT WRITER
The Community Preservation Committee received 18 FY09 funding requests by its Sept. 14 deadline that total $4,980,603. Last year the CPC funded 16 projects at $3,034,741. Decisions on who will receive the new allocations must be made by Nov. 23 to go on the warrant for the Annual Town Meeting.

The CPC allocates funds for open space, community housing and historic preservation. The largest request received this year was from the Parks and Recreation Commission for $1 million to create playing fields. There were five submissions for projects under the category of historic preservation, 10 for community housing and three under open space.

Historic Preservation:

• The Maria Mitchell Association seeks $21,775 to complete conservation on the Maria Mitchell House where the Mitchell family lived from 1816 to 1902. The work will stop further intrusion of moisture, clean the roof and repoint root cellar masonry.

• The Cemetery Commission is requesting $513,250 for the second phase of its cemetery restoration project to pay professional conservators to survey each marker in the Newtown and Old North cemeteries and prioritize marker repairs.

• The South Church Preservation Fund seeks $408,000 for various work on the Unitarian Church, including trenching the foundation and repair/replacement of its bricks, a new support system under the vestibule stairs, repair/replacement of heating and cooling components, tower venting, a consultant's analysis of its Trompe l'oeil paintings and other items.

• The Sconset Trust is asking for $250,000 to help with the cost of moving Sankaty Lighthouse as well as its restoration, maintenance and refurbishment of its original site to be used for public enjoyment after the move.

• The First Congregational Church seeks $260,000 for interior preservation of its 1834 summer church and tower interior and installation of security and fire protection.

Community Housing:

• Nantucket Human Services seeks $480,000 for the final design of 14 affordable workforce living units on the proposed campus of the Human Services Center to be built at 7 Miacomet Road.

• The Interfaith Council requests $55,000 for its rental assistance program to help qualified families move into stable housing, for subsidies to reduce family housing costs and to pay a family's rent for a month or two during emergencies causing financial crises.

• The Nantucket Housing Authority is asking for $10,000 to develop a request for proposal and pursue a comprehensive permit for construction of 50 affordable, owner-occupied units on its 9 vacant acres along Surfside Road.

• The Nantucket Planning Commission seeks $83,578 for the salary, benefits and expenses involved with hiring a housing planner whose focus will be affordable housing activities.

• The Nantucket Housing Office requests $245,000 to build a one or two-bedroom secondary dwelling on Clarendon Road because site constraints prevent moving a unit there since most available do not fit the space.

• The Nantucket Housing Office also seeks $235,000 to build a secondary dwelling at 3 Norquarta Drive for the same reason as above.

• The Nantucket Housing Office requests $104,000 for administration of its programs that contribute to community housing opportunities.

• The Nantucket Housing Office is asking for $600,000 to purchase land near sewer, water, transit and jobs where the NHO could build or move affordable housing. Desired locations are existing neighborhoods such as Roberts Lane, Allens Lane and Fairgrounds Road.

• The Nantucket Housing Office further seeks $350,000 for a housing resource center and two affordable rental apartments. The NHO maintains it has outgrown its present office and will pursue a location on Millers Lane for the center and apartments.

• Habitat for Humanity Nantucket is asking for $100,000 to develop an affordable housing unit on land where the NHO is also building.

Open Space:

• The Parks and Recreation Commission seeks $15,000 to install shuffleboard at Children's Beach for general public enjoyment.

• The Parks and Recreation Commission further requests $1 million to construct youth playing fields on Land Bank property off Nobadeer Farm Road. This request is separate from a $3.1 million capital request for the project submitted to the town.

• The Nantucket Conservation Foundation requests $250,000 to reduce the debt service on its $22 million purchase of the 110-acre Nantucket Field Station from the University of Massachusetts. The NCF holds title to the

property now, subject to a mortgage. I