2005-05-12-PB-min - Laserfiche WebLink

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PLANNING BOARD MINUTES MEETING OF MAY 12, 2005 A joint meeting of the Hanscom Area Towns (HATS) Planning Boards held in the Estabrook Hall, Cary Hall, was called to order at 7:10 p.m. by Chairman Harden with members Manz, Galaitsis, Hornig, Canale and planning staff McCall-Taylor present. In addition to the Lexington Planning Board, the Planning Boards from the towns of Bedford, Lincoln and Concord were present. ************************** REGIONAL, INTERTOWN ISSUES********************* Pre-BRAC Planning for Hanscom Fred Merrill and Linda Eastley from Sasaki Associates provided a summary of previous workshops where they had presented findings regarding community impacts, answered questions about the Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) process, and considered reuse principles. They emphasized that their report was not a detailed post-BRAC reuse plan, was not a contributor to the closure decision process, and certainly not a Massport Civil Airport Plan. Many maps were provided to highlight the current uses on the base. The land use is 35% employment, 30% open space, 25% residential, 9% commercial/retail and 1% Airfield related (the Airfield itself is on a separate parcel and not part of this analysis). There are 4.9 million square feet in the buildings, of which 49% is housing or retail; 39% research and development; 7% administration; 4% each of maintenance, supply and warehousing, and operations and 1% or less of medical and utilities. Traffic is and will be a major concern. The presentation suggested that the most congested intersections are 2A/Bedford (Lincoln), 4 and 225/62, and the 2A Cutoff. If redeveloped, the area could serve as a model for Transportation Demand Management measures, with the sub-regional level the most effective. The potential impacts of a closing were estimated. The worst case scenario would be fairly revenue neutral for Bedford and Lexington but would have a negative impact on Lincoln of approximately $7.7 million, as Lincoln schools would have to absorb all of the children. In the event of closure the four towns should: •Establish a four-town Local Redevelopment Agency (LRA) in partnership with state agencies •Prepare / market their plan for reuse •Partner with state agencies to achieve a reuse plan Attorney David Knisely spoke about the process that would be followed should the base be on the closure list. An LRA would control the redevelopment. LRA functions include: Post-BRAC Governance ?? Property Screening ?? Base Reuse Plan Preparation ?? Property Recipient ?? Developer, or Retainer of Master Developer ?? Permitting Authority ?? Taxing Authority ?? Privatization of Environmental Cleanup ?? The disposition follows a sequence of screening to see if there is interest in the property, first federal, followed by state and local screening. The disposition methods range could take the form of federal secretarial transfers, economic development conveyances, public benefit conveyances, conservation conveyances, negotiated sales or public sale. The Air Force wants money and wants it quickly so it is important for the towns to be ready to go by the time the BRAC list is finalized in September. Mr. Knisely also addressed the process that might be followed should the base be on the realignment list, rather than the closure list. He indicated that the formation of an LRA would be appropriate should the base be on the list for closure or realignment.