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Resolve: To apply for, accept, and expend a grant from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs, Division of Conservation Services’ Parkland Acquisitions and Renovations for Communities (PARC) Grant Program
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RESOLVE: That it is the sense of the City Council that the Mayor file and accept grants with and from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs (EEA) Division of Conservation Services (DCS) through the Parkland Acquisitions and Renovations for Communities (PARC) Program for the acquisition of land at the former Malden Hospital site, which is so described: Consisting of two parcels of land with a total of 6.79+/- acres located north of Murray Hill Road on both sides of Hospital Road. The area is noted as “Malden Community Parcel 1” and “Malden Community Parcel 2” on the survey conducted by Feldman Geospatial on August 1, 2024.
RESOLVED: That the Mayor be authorized to apply for grants and execute documents required to affect the acquisition of land at the former Malden Hospital site, and that actions taken prior to this vote be ratified and confirmed.
RESOLVED: That the Mayor be authorized to file and accept a PARC grant from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs (EEA) Division of Conservation Services (DCS) for the acquisition of land at the former Malden Hospital site.
WHEREAS: Tufts Medicine is partnering with Acadia Healthcare to construct a behavioral health hospital on the former Malden Hospital site, and the redevelopment proposal has received a Special Permit from the Malden Planning Board which includes a condition that “the city of Malden and Tufts shall execute an agreement satisfactory to both parties for the transfer of approximately 6.7 acres of land in Malden, intended for use as open space…”; and
WHEREAS: This option is contingent on the City using good faith and diligent efforts to obtain gifts and/or grants from available public and private funding sources to pay the owner an acceptable purchase price; and
WHEREAS: The parcel of 6.7 acres referenced here would be dedicated for recreation purposes under M.G.L. Chapter 45, Section 3, and managed and controlled as such by the Department of Public Works of the City; and
WHEREAS: The acquisition and protection of open space is a priority of the City of Malden per its 2025 draft Open Space and Recreation Plan; and
WHEREAS: The Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs (EEA) has awarded a $425,000 grant to the City of Malden through the PARC Program, which offers reimbursable grants to cities and towns to support the acquisition of land for park and outdoor recreation purposes; and
WHEREAS: The total proposed cost for the acquisition of this parcel is $1,155,000; and
WHEREAS: On February 1, 2024, the City Council and the Mayor approved the appropriation of $730,000 from the Community Preservation Act Fund to partially fund this acquisition (Paper #12 Series of 2024); and
WHEREAS: In anticipation of PARC grant reimbursement, the City appropriates the total cost of the award, $425,000, subject to the execution of the grant agreement, before the City is reimbursed by PARC in the amount of $425,000;
NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED:
1. That the Mayor be and is hereby authorized to file and accept grants from EEA; and
2. That the Mayor be and is hereby authorized to take such other actions as are necessary to carry out the terms, purposes, and conditions of this grant to be administered by the Malden Office of Strategic Planning and Community Development; and
3. That the Mayor be and is hereby authorized to execute any deeds, instruments, and/or contracts to effectuate the purposes herein, including the conveyance of a perpetual Conservation Restriction in accordance with M.G.L. Chapter 184 as required by Section 12(a) of Chapter 44B or Chapter 293 Section 10 of the Acts of 1998 as amended, to any organization qualified and willing to hold such a restriction; and
4. That all actions taken to effectuate the purpose of this Order through the date of its passage are hereby ratified and affirmed; and
5. That this Order shall take effect upon passage.