2008-06-18-PB-min - Laserfiche WebLink

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PLANNING BOARD MINUTES MEETING OF JUNE 18, 2008 A regular meeting of the Lexington Planning Board in Cary Auditorium, Cary Memorial Hall was called to order at 7:37 p.m. by Chairman Hornig with members Zurlo, Manz, Galaitsis and Canale and planning staff McCall-Taylor, Henry and Kaufman present. Also present were Carl Valente, Town Manager, Norman Cohen, Chairman of the Board of Selectmen, Jeanne Krieger, Board of Selectmen, Susan Yanofsky, Economic Development Officer, Mollie Goldberg co-chair of the EDTF and several Town Meeting Members. ***************************HARTWELL AVENUE PUBLIC FORUM*********************** Public Forum on Commercial Development on Hartwell Avenue: There were approximately 50 people in the audience. Mr. Hornig explained the reason for this public forum was to discuss changes to the zoning to increase commercial development on Hartwell Avenue, which arose from the debate at Town Meeting on Article 53. The Planning Board has taken on the job of crafting the best possible plan to increase commercial development and then bring it before Town Meeting 2009. Mr. Hornig said the Board started developing a plan after the end of Town Meeting in May. Slides were shown to identify the study area that would be considered to have direct impact, which included all the CM zones and adjacent properties and a list of study topics the Board was considering. The Board of Selectmen’s Ad Hoc Vision 2020 Committee created the Economic Development Task Force. The Cecil Group consultants have been working on the draft report which should be ready this month along with a report from the EDTF focused on the issue of commercial development. Some quick facts about the Hartwell Avenue area: ?? Land area is 17,000,000 square feet; ?? Developable area is 6,600,000 square feet (38%); ?? There are 32 commercial buildings; and ?? The rentable floor area is 1,800,000 square feet. The next steps will include: ?? Working with the TMG (Traffic Mitigation Group) and the Board of Selectmen to find money for technical studies;