Lakeville forum outlines proposed Community Preservation Act, cites open‑space, historic‑preservation and housing benefits

Town of Lakeville — Residents and officials from neighboring communities urged Lakeville voters to consider adopting the Massachusetts Community Preservation Act, or CPA, as a means to create a dedicated local funding stream for open space, historic preservation, outdoor recreation and affordable housing.

“The reason why is because residents of Lakeville, through the years, have consistently and repeatedly expressed a wish to preserve our community and its rural character,” said Sarah Kulakovich, organizer of the Lakeville CPA presentation. Kulakovich described CPA as “a way that we can create a steady funding source for preserving and improving our community's character and our quality of life.”

Advocates explained how CPA works and offered local examples and calculations to show likely local cost and potential state matching funds. The presenters recommended a 1% local surcharge — the lowest permitted percentage — with a $100,000 residential exemption. Using figures cited at the forum (an average 2016 single‑family home value of $304,000 and a tax rate of $14.13 per $1,000), presenters calculated the 1%…