Last week 60 park advocates from all over Boston gathered at the Franklin Park Golf Clubhouse to learn about the Boston Park Advocates agenda for 2016.  Our agenda is to help get the Community Preservation Act (CPA) adopted by Boston voters and to ensure that open space factors prominently in the City’s visioning and long-term planning process. 

Thank you to The Trust for Public Land for sponsoring the summit and to Corey Allen, the new Executive Director of the Franklin Park Coalition, for hosting us.

Community Preservation Act
 

One of our agenda items for 2016 is to help get the Community Preservation Act (CPA) adopted by Boston voters.  The Act, signed into state law in 2000, is a smart growth tool that helps communities develop outdoor recreational facilities, preserve historic sites, and create affordable housing. 



Here are a few things to know about CPA:

• Last week the Boston City Council voted 12 to 1 to put CPA on the ballot this fall. 
• Mayor Marty Walsh has endorsed CPA, saying he is "all in" when it comes to getting CPA adopted in Boston. 
• It would produce over $20M a year (every year) for Boston parks/open space, historic preservation, affordable housing (10% minimum to each). Includes an annual state contribution (which is only available to communities that have adopted CPA). During the past three years this has averaged a 30% contribution from the state.
• Adoption of CPA in Boston would mean the average household contributes $24 per year by way of property taxes.
• For parks, projects may include new parks in under-served neighborhoods, community gardens, urban farms, playgrounds, splash pads, dog parks, trails, athletic fields, etc. (acquisition, improvements, reconstruction, rehabilitation are covered).
• Since the passage of CPA, 161 cities and towns have adopted it.  Now it's time for Boston to adopt CPA! 

Thank you to Linda Orel of the Trust for Public Land for joining us to share information about CPA. 
Learn more here: http://www.communitypreservation.org/content/cpa-overview

Imagine Boston 2030

The City of Boston’s visioning and long-term planning process is called Imagine Boston 2030.  We asked Summit participants to identify what is important to them for Boston’s future.  Here were a few of the responses we received:

Thank you to Tomas Gonzalez for enabling us to take part in a visioning activity. 
To share your ideas with the Imagine Boston 2030 staff, click here to add to the map.
To receive Imagine Boston 2030 updates via text message, text IMAGINE to (617) 682-7483.