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November 8,2021 Special Town Meeting#1(2021-1),cont.
<br /> 8:57 p.m. The Moderator declared Special Town Meeting#1 open under Article 13
<br /> ARTICLE 13:AMEND ZONING BYLAW-DIVERSITY,EQUITY,INCLUSION AND
<br /> PERMITTING
<br /> To see if the Town will vote to amend the Zoning Bylaw to revise permitting criteria to ameliorate
<br /> racial,disability,and other equity impacts;make special permitting criteria and site plan review criteria
<br /> consistent,replace the term "family"with the term "household",permit more than one individual in
<br /> rooming units;or act in any other manner in relation thereto.
<br /> (Inserted by the Select Board at the request of the Planning Board)
<br /> DESCRIPTION: This article would update the Zoning Bylaw to incorporate a variety of changes in
<br /> response to the Systemic Racism Resolution adopted under Article 8 of Special Town Meeting 2020-
<br /> 21 the Full Inclusion Resolution adopted under Article 30 of the 2021 Annual Town Meeting,and the
<br /> site plan review changes adopted under Article 44 of the 2021 Annual Town Meeting. Specifically,it
<br /> would:
<br /> • State the Town's intent that any ambiguities in the Zoning Bylaw be interpreted and applied to
<br /> forbid discriminatory effects;
<br /> • Address and ameliorate racial,disability,and other equity impacts in permitting decisions;
<br /> • Update and simplify the special permit and site plan review criteria to clarify them and make
<br /> them consistent;
<br /> • Replace the definition of"family"with a more inclusive definition of"household",and
<br /> • Permit more than one resident in a rooming unit.
<br /> MOTION:
<br /> Mr. Stevens moves that the Zoning Bylaw,Chapter 135 of the Code of the Town of Lexington,be
<br /> amended as follows(sem text is to be removed and underlined text is to be added),and
<br /> further that non-substantive changes to the numbering of this bylaw be permitted to comply with the
<br /> numbering format of the Code of the Town of Lexington:
<br /> 4. Add a new sentence at the end of§ 135-1.2,as follows:
<br /> It is the intent of the Town of Lexington that Zoning requirements within the town encourage
<br /> diversity and equity among Town residents and do not discriminate against any Person or group on
<br /> the basis of race,ethnicity,religion,gender,sexuality,ability,or any other basis prohibited by federal
<br /> or state law,and further that any ambiguities in the bylaw be interpreted with this intent in mind.
<br /> 5. Amend§ 135-9.4.2 as follows:
<br /> 9.4.2 Criteria. Special permits will sh*14-be granted by the SPCA,unless otherwise specified herein,
<br /> only upon its written determination that the adverse effects of the proposed use will not outweigh its
<br /> beneficial impacts to the Town or the neighborhood,in view of the particular characteristics of the
<br /> site,and of the proposal in relation to that site.The determination will4..,1�consideratieff-e€
<br /> eaek e€the following in addition to any other specific factors applicable to a particular use or activity
<br /> and required elsewhere by this Bylaw,:
<br /> 1. Social,equity,diversity,public health,@^tee or community needs and impacts;
<br /> 2. Transportation access,parking,circulation,and accessibility;T-44-fie fl^T* ^^a saf@t
<br /> 3. Public infrastructure Aa@"aey autilities and e4eepublic services;
<br /> 4. Neighborhood scale;and^4.,,..,,,,4,...ffiia al..4..,,,4ff e;
<br /> 5. Open space,natural features,and the landscape.
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