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<br /> <br />Town of Lexington <br />Economic Development Advisory Committee <br /> <br />March 14, 2011 <br />Legion Room ,Cary Hall 1605 Massachusetts Avenue <br />Lexington, MA <br />8:00am-9:30am <br /> <br />MINUTES <br /> <br />Members present: Chair. John McWeeney, , <br />Vice Chair, Narain BhatiaFrederick DeAngelis, <br />David Pronchick, Lawrence Smith <br />Also present: Maryann McCall-Taylor, Brianna Olson, Carl Valente and Susan Yanofsky <br /> <br />Meeting called to order by N. Bhatia at 8:09am. <br />Discussion of Annual Town Meeting Warrant Articles: <br /> <br />Article 31, Tree Bylaw: The tree bylaw proposal on Monday was still evolving. <br />Nonetheless the members questioned what the need was for the change. The <br />Committee was concerned that the proposal may create yet another track for <br />permits or a separate authority. A requirement to receive a permit from the tree <br />committee would lead to a situation where there is no finality to the permit <br />process if each authority can open another board’s decision. <br /> <br />Article 37, Assessment: Members understood that this is a resolution article. The <br />EDAC considers the Assessing Department, assessing regulations and the <br />Department of Revenue as providing ample tools to assess property. The <br />Committee took no position on this resolution. <br /> <br />Article 39, Amend Traffic Bylaw: The Committee is in unanimous support of this <br />article which removes “renovation” from the applicability section of the bylaw. <br />Currently it is possible for entirely interior renovation to be required to obtain a <br />special permit. This provision has imposed a requirement for a special permit <br />when re-tenanting a space, where there has been no change in occupancy. The <br />provision has placed a burden on our existing building owners. Removal of this <br />provision is a large step to the Town creating clarity and certainty to the <br />permitting process. <br /> <br />Article 41, Rezoning of Hartwell parcel: The Committee was unanimous in <br />support of this rezoning. This change creates congruity with the district and <br />resolves the transition requirements between districts. <br /> <br />Discussion of District Improvement Financing: Members discussed this financing tool. <br />There was overall a sense that this tool may be politically difficult to pass as the <br />mechanism would lock the incremental tax to improvements in the district. Further it was <br />felt that the development of a DIF has administrative costs and is a significant <br /> <br />