Lakeville names new town planner; board and CPC begin work on affordable housing trust and CPA use

Stephanie Crampton, the Town of Lakeville's newly hired town planner, introduced herself at the Planning Board meeting on Jan. 8, saying she has 13 years of municipal experience and a background in civil engineering, site-plan review, MassDOT projects and grant writing. "I'm the new town planner," she told board members.

The Planning Board met jointly with members of the Community Preservation Committee (CPC) to review how Community Preservation Act (CPA) funds might be used to support local affordable housing. Board members summarized CPA-eligible categories—open space and recreation, historic preservation and community affordable housing—and discussed creating or activating a local Affordable Housing Trust to help preserve affordable units.

Members noted the town already has money in a local trust (roughly $120,000, as reported in the meeting packet) and raised questions about the funds’ origin and whether current trust language—specifically language that would allow the trust to expend funds without further town-meeting appropriation—makes select-board members reluctant to appoint a trust. Planning members asked the select board to review that language and invited Shelly Goering to present options to the select board later this month.

The board and CPC agreed it would be useful to apply to the MassHousing Partnership for technical assistance to set up a trust and establish spending priorities. Chair and members asked Crampton to serve as a liaison to the select board and to help coordinate next steps. The CPC portion of the meeting adjourned at 6:57 p.m.

What happens next: Select-board discussion with Shelly Goering is tentatively scheduled for Jan. 20; the planning board will continue to coordinate via the new planner and the CPC to draft trust language and determine whether CPA funds should be channeled into a local housing trust under a restrictive agreement.