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Minutes for the Meeting of August 6, 2008 Page 3 <br /> <br />and mitigation funding. Mr. Constable said the criteria would need to be very clear with the expedited <br />permitting. <br /> <br />Ms. McCall-Taylor asked if there would be any interest by Board members in having some by-right <br />development. Mr. Hornig said the Town was so steeped in special permits for everything that while the <br />concept seems appropriate he was not sure that Town Meeting would endorse this leap of faith. Mr. <br />Galaitsis said the Board could not write rules that would address every contingency. Mr. Canale <br />supported keeping .15 FAR as of right and go up from there by special permit or site plan review <br />depending on the amount of density bonus. Let’s see what can be recaptured and what the funding would <br />do, but do not give up site plan review. <br /> <br />Ms. McCall-Taylor said that site plan review is tied to the building permit and therefore could be <br />appealed to the Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBA). Mr. Hornig asked the Board if it would be willing to <br />accept pure by-right for small developments, site plan review for a set of things, and beyond that would <br />require a special permit. Mr. Galaitsis said smaller developments by-right should be possible, but <br />defining “small” would be the issue. He also supported the retention of the special permit with site plan <br />review for larger sites. Mr. Canale said Lexington does so many unique things and perhaps the Town <br />should try to be more like other communities and make the Planning Board the special permit granting <br />authority (SPGA). Mr. Hornig said the Planning Board should be the SPGA for large projects like <br />commercial development as a policy making board is needed. Ms. McCall-Taylor said this is a political <br />hot potato in Lexington and the Board should be flexible on this matter. <br /> <br />Mr. Canale said the Economic Development Task Force (EDTF) wants the Town to be more like other <br />towns; some feel the ZBA is more developer-friendly. He suggested surveying other comparable <br />communities and count the FAR (gross floor area vs. net floor area) as do others, gather information to <br />bolster the position of the Planning Board being the SPGA, and be more objective. Mr. Henry said the <br />Planning Board members should speak with the ZBA. Mr. Hornig said that 43D would not fit into the <br />policy here and that rezoning of Hartwell Avenue to a 43D district was not necessary. Ms. McCall-Taylor <br />said that 43D should be considered for use in the Beal project. <br /> <br />**********************************MINUTES****************************************** <br /> <br />The Board reviewed and corrected the minutes for the July 23, 2008 meeting. On a motion duly made and <br />seconded, it was voted, 4-0, to approve the minutes as amended. <br /> <br />