Busa Land Use Proposal Committee Report 03-14-2011

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4. SUMMARY of the PROPOSALS 4.1 Lexington Community Farm Coalition The Lexington Community Farm Coalition (LCFC) proposes to transform the Busa Farm into the Lexington Community Farm (LCF), a professionally managed, working community supported agriculture (CSA) farm with educational programs. These programs would be shaped via an ongoing and active engagement with the Town of Lexington and its residents. The farm would be open and accessible to the entire Lexington community as well as surrounding towns. It would require no financial input from the town, now or in the future. A non - profit corporation would manage Lexington Community Farm with governance by a board of directors that would include community stakeholders. A model including a Town agricultural committee could also be used. A paid, professional farmer would carry out the farming. The farmer would be assisted by a staff of volunteers and paid seasonal employees. Farm production activities would be combined with open -space access and passive recreation activities for all Lexington residents. Further, the mixed use of this land would include the historic preservation of the farm landscape, helping to reclaim the farming heritage of the former "Cambridge Farms." The vision and plan of the LCFC is to create a self- sustaining, financially sound, environmentally beneficial, and fully accessible landscape on which food may be grown for sale through purchased shares (CSA), through a farm stand, at farmers markets, and through "pick- your -own" opportunities. A percentage of the food grown would be donated to local food pantries. The LCFC plan recognizes and promotes the role that such a farm can play not only in promoting health and food affordability, but also as a place for educational and participatory programs for school -age groups, adults and seniors, for passive recreation including trails and accessible paths and community events, and enjoyment of open space. The three components of the community farm proposed by the LCFC are: maintaining a sustainable working farm, providing farm -based community education and outreach, and providing access for all to open space. 4.2 Lexington Housing Partnership The Housing Partnership Proposal (LHP) envisions multiple uses for the land: affordable housing, a multipurpose playing field, a community farm, and shared parking. It would take a "green" or low impact development approach to construction and operation and has designed a plan it believes fits into the context of the existing residential neighborhood. The plan preserves large agricultural and natural views on the southern portion of the land and separates the uses so that each can be constructed or developed independent of the others over time. Busa Land Use Proposal Committee Report Page 17 / 52