2024-02-07-AHTBT-min - Laserfiche WebLink

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Page 1 of 3 Affordable Housing Trust Meeting Minutes of February 7, 2024 11:30 am Hybrid meeting on Zoom and attended in-person in the Parker Room, Town Office Building Affordable Housing Trust Board Members present: Elaine Tung, Chair; Mark Sandeen, Tiffany Payne, Linda Prosnitz, William Erickson (joined at 11:50am) Staff present: Carol Kowalski, Assistant Town Manager for Development; Liz Rust, RHSO Director; Ragi Ramachandran, Administrative Assistant Other attendees: Richard Jette, Margaret Heitz, Bob Pressman, Melinda Walker Ms. Tung chaired the hybrid meeting and called the meeting to order at 11:32am. 1. Approve Meeting Minutes Ms. Tung requested a motion to approve the minutes of 12/11/23 AHT meeting. Mr. Sandeen moved. Ms. Payne seconded. The Trustees voted in favor of the motion 4-0-0, by a roll call vote (Tung – yes, Sandeen – yes, Payne – yes, Prosnitz – yes). Meeting minutes approved. 2. Chair, Select Board, Board/Committee Liaison and RHSO/staff report Ms. Tung shared the update from the Select Board meeting on Feb. 5. The Select Board member, Jill Hai reviewed the purpose and explained the intent of Article 33 which Ms. Tung confirmed. Ms. Tung shared the community concerns and concerns expressed during the public comment period from the Select Board meeting as follows: 1) Concerns with size of the development, school enrollment, the ecosystem, traffic and walkability; 2) Support for developing the parcel as well as its location and additionally, the importance of adding affordable housing for Lexington to stay above the 10% SHI requirement; 3) Statement that affordable housing should be developed on a location with better transit options; 4) Potential extension of the Minuteman Bikeway to Lowell Street as mentioned in the Town Manager’s weekly update; 5) Concerns with air quality due to traffic; 6) Concerns with accessibility issue and residents not feeling part of the Lexington community; Ms. Prosnitz explained that the Trust is not proposing single family homes but a multifamily housing in which will residents will create their own unique community. Mr. Sandeen felt that the community concerns should be addressed in the FAQs. He mentioned that one of the Select Board goals is affordable housing. Ms. Prosnitz shared that the letter of support from Housing Partnership Board is being drafted, and she anticipates it being sent to the Select Board that week. Ms. Payne updated that Lexington Housing Authority has a meeting on Feb. 8 and they will be discussing support for Article 33 at the meeting. LexHAB’s meeting is in the following week and updates will be shared at the next meeting.