2021-04-05-PB-min - Laserfiche WebLink

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PLANNING BOARD MINUTES MEETING OF APRIL 5, 2021 Minutes of the Lexington Planning Board th Held on April 5, 2021, Virtual Meeting per Governor Baker’s Order at 5:03 pm Present: Charles Hornig, Chair; Robert Peters, Vice-Chair; Clerk; Melanie Thompson; and Robert Creech. Also present were Amanda Loomis, Planning Director, Sheila Page, Assistant Planning Director and Sandhya Iyer, Economic Development Director. Michael Schanbacher, joined the meeting at 5:14. Mr. Hornig stated that this remote participation meeting was being held in accordance with Governor Baker’s March 12, 2020 Executive Order suspending certain provisions of the Open Meeting Law to allow remote participation during the State of Emergency due to the outbreak of COVID-19. Mr. Hornig provided instructions to members of the public, who were watching or listening to the meeting via the Zoom application, regarding the process for making a public comment. *****************************TOWN MEETING********************************** Consideration of Proposed Amendments to Zoning Articles: Article 45, Hartwell Innovation Park: The Board discussed the proposed amendment to Article 45 by Ms. Arens. The Planning Board unanimously voted to oppose that amendment at the last meeting. Ms. Iyer said she and staff prepared a revised report for the Board’s review which Mr. Hornig shared. The report was based on feedback from many stakeholders that included professional staff, engineering firms, sustainability consultants, developers, and landowners in the C-HIP District and will be presented at Town Meeting tonight. Mr. Schanbacher joined the meeting at 5:14 p.m. It was stated in the report that based on staff research and stakeholder feedback that this proposed change would effectively prohibit high value life science redevelopment in the majority of C-HIP District, which would defeat the whole purpose of this district. The Planning Board reaffirmed that this change should not be adopted. Board Member Questions for staff:  Mr. Creech said he still believed that this amendment should not go forward.  Ms. Thompson said she there seemed to be a lack of understanding by people of what the bylaw says and what the article says. Final clarification would really help and getting experts to speak on this would help and this has gone way left and needs to be brought back to the middle.