HomeMy WebLinkAbout2006-08-07-2020-min
2020 Economic Development Scoping Group
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Meeting Minutes from Tuesday August 72006
Attendees: Mary Jo Bohart, Mollie Garberg, Arthur Katz, Jerry Michelson, Fernando
Quezada, John Rosenberg, Carl Valente, and Greg Zurlo
I. Scoping Group Deliverables
The scoping group needs to deliver a taskforce charter and recommended
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membership to the 2020 Executive Committee at their meeting on September 14.
The taskforce is targeted to be formed in September 2006 with recommendations to
be forwarded ideally by June of 2007.
The town’s current discussions about FAR may impact the timing of taskforce
formation and deliverables. However, it was generally agreed that the taskforce
would monitor and add to these discussions as appropriate but that no alterations in
our current thinking about taskforce timing was warranted.
II. Taskforce Membership
The group engaged in a discussion of potential taskforce members. The following
groups/individuals should be considered for membership:
a. A member of the Planning board. The planning board should also be considered
to lead or co-lead the taskforce effort as this issue falls within their purview.
b. A member should have professional consulting expertise and experience in
growth management to lead scenario development and translate results for the
broader community. Consider a consulting professional from Cambridge 7
partners or Sasaki Partners.
c. A member from the Appropriations Committee
d. A member from the Capital Expenditures Committee
e. A member from Board of Selectmen
f. A member should have technical expertise in zoning issues and regulations
g. A member from the Board of Assessors. Carl Valente mentioned Rick
DeAngelis(?) as a potential member.
h. Representation from local commercial enterprises. A member who has LED
certification and/or experience in site development and land use
III. Scenarios
The scoping group agreed that three categories of scenarios should be considered by
the taskforce:
a. Stasis – No change
b. Commercial Development
a. Increase in commercial development using existing commercial zoning
b. and through additional build via an increase in the FAR
c. An increase in residential development as opposed to commercial build
The scoping group will contact the two consulting firms previously identified
(TischlerBise and REMI, Inc.) to get further information, assess costs, data needs and
timing.
IV. Taskforce Relation to Town Sustainability Effort
Mary Jo Bohart provided a handout on Smart Growth Principles for the Metropolitan
Area Planning Council
It was agreed that the goals of the two taskforces are interrelated and that a ‘green’
focus and sustainability should be part of the scenarios developed by the Economic
Development Taskforce. It was generally agreed the Econ Dev Taskforce should have
a member versed in sustainability issues and potentially LED certified.
V. Regulations and Permitting
Carl Valente provided a handout on the Streamlined Permitting Bill Conference
Report currently before the Governor who has line-item veto authority.
The bill allows a developer to build ‘at risk’ during the appeal of a special permit;
once accepted by a town, the bill provides for expedited permitting for ‘priority
development sites.’ These are sites that are commercially zoned and meet specific
standards. The bill also creates regional planning districts and funds technical
assistance to support local governments in expedited permitting among other things.
Opinions varied as to the costs/benefits of adopting the Streamlined Permitting Bill.
It was generally agreed that the taskforce should spend some time researching and
understanding the impact of this piece of legislation.