Planning Board minutes 1989-01-09

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PLANNING BOARD MINUTES MEETING OF JANUARY 9, 1989 The meeting of the Lexington Planning Board held in Room G-15, Town Office Building, was called to order at 7:37 p.m. by the Chairman, Mrs. Uhrig, with members Klauminzer, Sorensen, Wood, Planning Director Bowyer, Assistant Planner Nordby and Secretary Peters present. Mr. Williams arrived prior to Item 3. ********************** AFFORDABLE HOUSING ************************************ 1. Suggested Guidelines for the Vacant Public Sites: At 7: 38 p.m., the Board recessed its meeting to join the Selectmen in the Selectmen's Meeting Room for a joint discussion of "Suggested Guidelines for the Vacant Public Sites", dated 12/7/87, revised 1/9/89. Mrs. Uhrig asked for comments from the Select- men on the draft. William Spencer, Chairman of the Housing Authority, and William Hays, Chairman of LEXHAB, also joined the discussion. Selectman Eddison stressed the importance of neighborhood involvement, and, under the first guideline, recommended more flexibility in determining the ratio of affordable housing to market rate housing. In response to a question from Mr. Eddison as to why no market rate housing units were proposed, Mrs. Uhrig replied that since the Town was donating the land, it should expect to get 100% affordable housing. Selectman Marshall stated that the possibility of some market rate housing should not be excluded from consideration. He also thought that the sixth guideline, which stated that the town should be responsible for the develop- ment process, eliminated development options before it was necessary to do so. Chairman Smith described Guideline 1, which stated the vacant school sites should be developed entirely for affordable housing, as a "laudable goal", and agreed with Mr. Marshall's assessment of Guideline 6. She also wished to see more work done on clarifying Guideline 4, as to how details dealing with the connection of paper streets, water loops and the Town's infrastructure would be handled, adding that she agreed the Town should be a major partner. Mrs. Klauminzer thought Guideline 6 could be interpreted broadly, but that the Town should have the final authority. There was general consensus that rental units should be the first option for any affordable housing constructed on the sites. Mrs. Smith thanked the Board for joining the Selectmen and Mssrs. Spencer and Hays. She said the next step would be to meet with LEXHAB and the Housing Authority for further discussion. At 8:05 p.m., the Planning Board reconvened its meeting in Room G-15, and discussion of Agenda Item 1 continued. The Board was in agreement with most of the recommendations proposed by the Selectmen, and agreed that the guide- lines should be revised to reflect their recommendations.