2010-07-10-PB-min - Laserfiche WebLink

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PLANNING BOARD MINUTES MEETING OF JULY 10, 2010 A meeting of the Lexington Planning Board held in the Learning Room of Cary Memorial Library, was called to order at 9:45 a.m. by Chairman Zurlo with members Canale, Galaitsis, Manz and planning staff McCall-Taylor and Henry present. Mr. Hornig was absent. ***************PLANNING BOARD ORGANIZATION, SCHEDULE***************** The Board members discussed the anticipated work load for the coming year. There are two major projects for the coming year - the Transportation Management Overlay District (TMOD) Plan for Hartwell Avenue, which will be finalized with a goal of adopting it in September, and a re-codification of the Zoning Bylaw. A request for proposals (RFP) had just gone out for a consultant to help in rewriting the Zoning Bylaw. The consultant will highlight internal inconsistencies, redundancies, noncompliance with statute and case law and omissions that should be addressed and then recommend changes. This will include creating a logical format within which to reorganize the bylaw. The primary purpose of this project is to examine the existing Zoning Bylaw and provide recommendations that will produce a version that is readily understandable, not to make policy changes. Outside of the technical issues addressed with the rewrite, there are areas of the bylaw that lack current planning and zoning practices. The consultant clarity or are in need of updating to reflect will be asked to highlight these. Areas that have already been pointed out as needing review are the definition of impervious surface, the definition of a half story, the size of units required in a Balanced Housing Development, prohibiting rat tail lots, removing the requirement that all special permits be commented on by the Planning Board, and the extension of action deadlines only in 45 day chunks. Board members acknowledged that there may be other zoning initiatives brought forward by committees, over which the Board has no control, so it is important to allow some flexibility in the work plan in order to accommodate these.