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The Town of Carlisle, a small CPA community in northeastern Massachusetts, is nearly finished with the planning for NOAH Benfield Farms, an exemplary ground-lease, mixed-use CPA project. The 45-acre site has benefitted from Carlisle’s dedication to the holistic planning of the land, and the creation of separate restrictions for each use. Volunteers and town officials from recreation, conservation, planning, and housing backgrounds worked together to create a collage of uses that fills the needs of the town. When complete, the land will host public-access conservation land, a 26-unit senior affordable housing development, and possibly an athletic field in the future. “It’s an integrated parcel; town leaders had the vision that all of the programs were planned from the very beginning,” says Elizabeth DeMille Barnett, Carlisle’s Housing Coordinator. A part-time employee of the Town, Elizabeth was hired to support the town on the Benfield project and to help the town implement its five-year housing production plan. Through this role, she has helped the Recreation Committee, Conservation Committee, and Housing Board to draft the three separate restrictions for the active recreation elements of the parcel (Conservation-Recreation Easement), the conservation land (Conservation/Public Access Easement), and the community housing village (Affordable Housing Restriction). This approach has granted the planners the flexibility to tailor allowances and restrictions to the specific use type.
A closer look at the housing development offers a window into the planning process. In contrast to a traditional approach, which would place the units in a denser downtown area, Benfield Farms planners prioritized a more rural experience. Carlisle seniors, a group currently underserved by affordable housing options, expressed their desire to have playing fields located close to the apartments, and asked for a dedicated area to keep snowshoeing gear. The units will also have access to community gardens, wildlife viewing, and recreational facilities. Keys to Success
The apartment building, situated on 4.4 acres, will be Carlisle’s first rental development in 30 years. Of the 26 planned units, 18 will be at 60% of area-wide median income (AMI), and 8 will be capped at 100% of AMI. Though the project is “shovel-ready,” construction is pending a final grant application for project financing from the state’s Department of Housing and Community Development. The entire development is estimated to cost $9M; Carlisle has pledged $425,000 in additional CPA funds, and garnered over $8M from other sources. Already, without a single ad for the units, 109 seniors have requested to have their names put on an unofficial waiting list for residency (with the understanding that they will need to fill out an application, meet income guidelines, and participate in a Fair Marketing lottery once the units are built).
The building is designed to mirror the style of old farming houses in the area: a barn attached to a house. The conservation-recreation land provides for uses that are largely for conservation purposes, but also allows for spaces for a public park or athletic field. Carlisle has appropriated $25,000 of CPA funds for planning and expects to eventually set aside an additional $475,000 in CPA funds for an athletic field. The conservation parcel, where recreation uses are not allowed, is already a popular destination. Wildlife observation decks, educational nature walks, snowshoeing in the winter months, and a town trail which leads to other conserved lands draws naturalists to the site. Project Summary Open Space: 26 acres Affordable Housing: 4 acres, 26 units Recreation Lands: 15 acres |
When asked about Carlisle’s contribution, Elizabeth goes over the funding breakdown, but emphasizes “the sweat equity, which has been donated. Carlisle is barely a 5,000-person town,” she said. “[Benfield Farms] has benefitted from hundreds of hours of volunteer work, and free legal advice,” which helped the project win funding approval at three Town Meetings. So far, the $11.65M project has been funded with $2.65M in CPA funding, a 73% leverage of its CPA contribution.