2023-09-26-SLC-min - Laserfiche WebLink

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Sustainable Lexington Committee Minutes of September 26, 2023 o The presentation comes across as being prescriptive. The scenarios should be presented only as ideas, part of a puzzle to consider. o The size of the challenge should be presented very early in the presentation. At the start of the presentation, add the needed rate of change numbers (e.g., GW/yr, acres/ yr) to communicate the challenge in a way that people will understand. o The recommendations should also come at the start of the presentation, not the end. o Scenarios should have higher levels of solar on impervious surfaces and less on landscaped/undeveloped land. o The term "Fair Share" should be replaced with "Lexington's Share". o Lexington should also consider purchasing or joint projects of solar energy from nearby towns (i.e. canopies at Burlington Mall parking lot). o Data sources should be more clearly identified. •Mark Sandeen provided some context for why solar will need to be local because of limitations of existing transmission to bring additional electricity into town. He also described the benefits of local solar including reduced need for transmission lines, substations, etc., which would lower overall system costs. •The committee agreed to hold a special meeting before October 16 to review an update to the presentation that takes this feedback into account. SustainabLY •Atreyi reported that SustainabLY just had their first meeting of the year and that they will be participating in the energy fair. •Building off an idea from Kalea Foo, they are also thinking about creating a webpage about sustainability designed for kids. Noise •The committee discussed the proposed changes to the town’s Noise Bylaw, which were presented at the September 20 Select Board meeting and is planned to be considered at this fall’s Special Town Meeting. •The committee voted unanimously (5 members) to send the following statement to the Select Board, recommending that the Board not go forward with the current edits to the bylaw and to take affirmative steps to reconstitute the Noise Advisory Committee to work on future updates to the bylaw: Noise pollution is a topic of great concern for the Sustainable Lexington Committee (SLC) as it substantially impacts the health of people and the surrounding environment. The SLC supports the Select Board's plan (expressed at their 9/20 meeting) to make limited changes to the Town"s noise bylaw to resolve gaps in the bylaw that have led to .6