2019-01-10-LCC-min - Laserfiche WebLink

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The Planning Department is not yet fully staffed (following a complete turnover of personnel last year) so the PMG will have to wait a bit longer. Megan Zammuto reminded us that no final determination has been made as to where the temporary Visitors Center will go. But the old one needs to be vacated in May so we haven't much time. The consensus was that the Committee would stay with its prior recommendation that a temporary trailer in front of the outgoing Visitors Center is the best choice. There was a lively discussion of pop-up stores deriving from the assigned reading for this meeting. As the rental market softens landlords are more inclined to rent to pop- ups. Retailers taxes are higher in Lexington than in Concord —rent is about the same. Interestingly, entities are paying too much for Lexington commercial real estate so the retail tax rate is increasing. Commercial taxes elsewhere in town are going down. Pamela Shadley suggested creating a guidebook for Lexington landlords along the points in the article. Arlington has a vacancy penalty for landlords. For responsive landlords this helps to initiate communication. There was a consensus that it would be useful to have a "gentle"penalty if space is not activated within a reasonable amount of time. TM would have to approve a change in the by-laws. Jerry will follow up on this. Melisa will circulate the Arlington by-law. The Committee voted 9-0 to approve the minutes for the December, 2018 meeting. Discovery Day is moving back to Massachusetts Avenue after 19 years in the Michelson's Parking Lot. Logistics is going to be more complicated. How can the LCC and the EDO help?