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PLANNING BOARD <br />MINUTES OF APRIL 2, 1986 <br />The meeting of the Lexington Planning Board, held in Room G-15, Town Office Building, <br />was called to order at 7:06 p.m. by the Vice Chairman, Mr. Cripps, with members <br />Klauminzer and Sorensen, Planning Director Bowyer and Assistant Planner Rawski <br />present. Mrs. Uhrig and Mrs. Wood joined the meeting shortly after it started. <br />********************* ARTICLES FOR 1986 TOWN MEETING ******************************* <br />98. Article 47, Waltham Street, Choate-Symmes Development: Members of the Board of <br />Directors of Choate-Symmes Life Care, Inc., namely Fred Bailey, Eric Clarke, Anne <br />Justice, Donald Reenstierna, Natalie Riffin, Anne Scigliano and Executive Vice Presi- <br />dent Thomas Huebner were present. Members of the South Lexington Civic Association <br />were also present, namely Jacqueline Davison, Carol Grodzins, Louise Kava, Marilyn <br />Mairson, Alan Wade and Caleb Warner. <br />Mr. Huebner reviewed points contained in'a letter to the Board dated April 1, 1986, <br />which described revisions in the plan. One major change is that the number of dwell- <br />ing units has been decreased by 31.6, more than the reduction of 30 units requested by <br />the South Lexington Civic Association. After discussions with the Town Manager, the <br />payment in lieu of real estate taxes has been increased to $175,000 per year, to be <br />adjusted annually with the tax rate. The original estimate was $87,000 per year. A <br />more detailed analysis shows that 361 of projected annual costs are associated with <br />' housing rather than the 50% estimated earlier. The cost of the units has increased by <br />$5-10,000 in response to the decrease in the density and the higher tax payment. <br />To comply with the inclusionary housing policy, a one-time cash payment of $402,000 <br />will be made to the Lexington Housing Authority or LEXHAB to be used at the Town's <br />discretion. While that satisfies the inclusionary housing policy, Mr. Huebner thought <br />the development would also meet the objective of having 25% of the units occupied by <br />households who meet the definition of moderate income. <br />Mr. Cripps inquired about changes in the site plan. Mr. Huebner said about 8,000 sq. <br />ft. would be eliminated from the two floors of the nursing home and community build- <br />ing, with another 30,000 sq. ft. of floor area eliminated from the Waltham Street side <br />of the development. The buildings are still interconnected. <br />Mr. Cripps asked whether Choate-Symmes would accept a provision that the development <br />could not be converted to condominiums, citing the Woodhaven RD development approved <br />at the 1985 Town Meeting as precedent for that provision. Mr. Huebner said that <br />Choate-Symmes had no problem with that provision because all of their financing and <br />other arrangements were predicated on a rental type development using the endowment <br />fee. Mr. Bowyer suggested a provision limiting the age of occupants to senior citi- <br />zens may be as important as the rental condominium -issue. <br />Mr. Sorensen said he was disturbed by the use of part of the property for parking for <br />the Haynes office building. Mr. Huebner said Choate-Symmes did not like it either, <br />but that was the only way they could obtain a second means of access over the Haynes <br />Management property. <br />In order to obtain some direction for the staff to prepare a report, an informal poll <br />of the Board was taken. Mrs. Uhrig and Mr. Cripps said they were pleased with the <br />changes outlined in the letter which indicated a reduction in the density and mass of <br />the development. Mr. Sorensen still had difficulty with the intensity of the <br />