2009-01-14-PB-min - Laserfiche WebLink

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PLANNING BOARD MINUTES MEETING OF JANUARY 14, 2009 A regular meeting of the Lexington Planning Board in the Selectmen’s Meeting Room, Town Office Building was called to order at 7:30 p.m. by Chairman Hornig with members Manz, Canale, and planning staff McCall-Taylor, Henry, and Kaufman present. Mr. Galaitsis was absent and Mr. Zurlo joined the meeting in progress. *******************************TOWN MEETING************************************* Financial support of Town Transportation System (Lexpress): Ms. Dawn McKenna came before the Planning Board regarding her citizen’s petition to see if the Town would vote to amend the zoning bylaws of the Town of Lexington to require all building and rezoning proposals, except for as of right one and two family residential dwellings, to include financial support of the public town transportation system (Lexpress). She worked with the Board of Selectmen to craft a relatively broad article in hopes of incorporating it into what the Planning Board was working on. Before putting pen to paper to create the motion, Ms. McKenna wanted feedback from the Board. Mr. Hornig said that the Board was working only on a specific district and not a town-wide proposal. The fee discussed was only an alternative fee and could not be required, would be paid one time and made proportional to the impacts the development created. Mr. Canale said in the past the Town had not sought sufficient funds for transit including Lexpress but was unsure how this could be enforced. Unless there was better justification he might not support this proposed change to the zoning bylaw. Ms. Manz said the Board needed to be careful that this was not a fee or tax imposed, since that might not pass muster with the Attorney General’s Office. Instead of imposing standardized requirements, projects could have various conditions imposed within the TDM, for example a plan requiring a series of conditions to reduce the number of automobile trips to its facility. Ms. Manz also expressed concern about requiring a contribution for every development in perpetuity. Mr. Hornig said monies collected for TDM in the overlay district could be used for Lexpress and other items as best needed in the area. The plan for monies in the mitigation fund would be laid out and then the final decision would be made by Town Meeting.