2022-03-09-EDAC-min - Laserfiche WebLink

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Town Of Lexington Economic Development Advisory Committee (EDAC) March 9, 2022 Meeting Minutes Minutes for the meeting of March 9, 2022. This meeting was held remotely pursuant to Governor Baker’s March 12, 2020 order suspending certain provisions of G.L. c. 30A, section 18 and subsequent orders imposing strict limitations on the number of people who may gather in one place. EDAC Members present: Rick DeAngelis (Chair), Larry Smith (Vice Chair), Charles Minasian, David Pronchick, Bridger McGaw, Lisa Murray, Adrienne Ortyl Liaisons and Town Staff: Mark Sandeen (Select Board), Joe Pato (Select Board), Charles Hornig (Planning Board), Sandhya Iyer (Economic Development Director), Casey Hagerty (Economic Development Office) 1. Approval of the Minutes. The meeting was opened with a quorum present. The EDAC voted and approved the minutes from February 17, 2022 by a roll call vote (6-0) with Orytl / Minasian / Pronchick / Murray/McGaw/DeAngelis voting in affirmative and none in the negative. 2. Economic Develop Office Update: The Economic Development Office (EDO) Staff provided a brief update on matters in front of them. Interest was raised around the envisioned new Town Website which led to requests for better understanding of how the new website would help enable connectivity and engagement in economic development activity. EDO staff will discuss with the IT Department leading the website development and bring additional information (i.e. Timeline and process for content hosting) to a future EDAC meeting or share to the committee. EDO Staff also shared the RFP for a new Popup was awarded (2500-3000sqft white box ready and looking for opportunities). The 14-month lease is targeted for June 2022. During the discussion of the Popup, the EDAC Chair raised question around streamlining signage processes in Lexington to ensure business owners looking to open businesses in Town, including Lexington Center. The Chair posed the question to EDO about streamlining signage process in Lexington to ensure developers are not hampered by signage review while trying to develop properties as well. ED Staff mentioned this is a 2-step process with design guidelines known and then frequently signage designs require a Zoning Board of Appeal review which could take 90 days to run through that process. It was noted the HDC recently took issue with the brand logo of the new tenant of Panera. EDAC members Murray/McGaw noted this process seems ineffective if a single step process was now by default requiring ZBA review. The Chair recognized that Town Design Guidelines and process offers the