Community Preservation Act

Community Preservation Act (CPA), which is found in the General Laws at c. 44B. Under the CPA, any city or town may establish a special “Community Preservation Fund” (CP Fund) that may be appropriated and spent for certain open space (including recreation), historic resource and community housing purposes.  

The Town of Bridgewater adopted the Community Preservation Act (CPA) on April 23, 2005, via a ballot question petition (MGL Chapter 44B) with exemptions. 

Bridgewater accepted Sections 3 to 7 Chapter 44B of the General Laws of Massachusetts, also known as the Community Preservation Act, it established a dedicated funding source to acquire and preserve open space, parks, and conservation land, protect public drinking water supplies and scenic areas, protect farmland and forests from development, restore and preserve historic properties, and help meet local families housing needs.

In Bridgewater, the Community Preservation Act will be funded by an additional surcharge of 2% on the annual property tax assessed on real property beginning in the 2006 Fiscal Year.  In addition to local revenues, a second source of revenue for CP Fund is annual distributions received from the state “Massachusetts Community Preservation Trust Fund,” also created under the act.  Monies distributed from the state trust fund come primarily from surcharges on fees charged for recording various documents with the Registry of Deeds or Land Court.

The Town of Bridgewater adopted the following surcharge exemptions.

1. An exemption for property owned and occupied as domicile by any person who qualifies for low-income housing or low or moderate-income senior housing in the Town.
2. An exemption for $100,000 of the assessed valuation of Class One, Residential Parcels.

To apply for the Community Preservation Exemption, please complete the Community Preservation Exemption Application.

Bridgewater established a Community Preservation Committee (CPC) to make annual recommendations to its legislative body regarding expenditures from the CP Fund.

Please visit the Community Preservation Committee (CPC) webpage for more information.