2015-01-12-PB-min - Laserfiche WebLink

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PLANNING BOARD MINUTES MEETING OF January 12, 2015 A meeting of the Lexington Planning Board, held in the Selectmen’s Meeting Room, was called to order at 7:20 p.m. by Chairman Charles Hornig, with members Richard Canale, Timothy Dunn, and Ginna Johnson, and planning staff Maryann McCall-Taylor present. Ms. Corcoran- Ronchetti was absent. This meeting was with the Board of Selectmen during their regular meeting. **********************************ZONING*********************************** Banks in the Center: Mr. Levin of the Center Committee gave a brief introduction outlining what that Committee felt about banking uses in the CB District. He pointed out the proliferation of banks over time, growing from four banks in 1965 to 12 banks in 2015. He explained that bank use has changed over time as well. Now banks are more office use than retail use and storefronts are being used for office and conference rooms, not active space. He recommended that banks and credit unions be limited to upper stories, with only ATMs with limited store frontage to be allowed on the street floor level. Mr. Pato explained that in the last two elections the number of banks in the center had been a concern. He asked Mr. Hornig to explain the Planning Board’s position. Mr. Hornig referred the members to the Planning Board’s letter to the Board of Selectmen. The letter explained that the Planning Board had been working on the matter of banks in the center over the summer and would like to move forward, but needed input from the Board of Selectmen on how to proceed. What was the perceived problem? He also felt it was important to engage the land owners in this discussion. The selectmen talked about wanting a vibrant center and how the presence of so many banks, or at least so much storefront devoted to banks, was impinging on the vitality of the Center. They were aware of the possibility of unintended consequences in banning banks in the Center. After further discussion they felt that a moratorium to allow the issue to be further studied would be appropriate and asked the Planning Board to submit such a warrant article for the Annual Town Meeting.