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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2015-12-03-HPB-min Lexington Housing Partnership MeetingMinutesforThursday,December3,2015 Attendees:JeriFoutter,WendyManz,BobPressman,MelindaWalker,BetseyWeiss Absent:HarrietCohen,MaryHaskell,PaulLinton,NancyCorcoranRonchetti Guest:DesireePelletier,AmericorpsVolunteer,MetroWestCollaborativeDevelopment MelindaWalkerchairedthemeetingandtookminutes.Themeetingwascalledtoorderat7:40pm. 1.ApproveMeetingMinutesofNovember5,2015 Theminutescouldnotbeapprovedbecausetherewasnotaquorumpresent.However,several lengthycorrectionsweremadetotheminutes.WalkeragreedtoedittheminutesHarrietCohen rd meetingandsendtherevisedminutestothemembership hadcirculatedpriortotheDecember3 forapprovalattheJanuarymeeting. 2.MeetingwithSenatorJamieEldridgere:HouseBill1111,ͷ!ƓactrelativehousingƦƩƚķǒĭƷźƚƓ͵͸ Ms.Walker,Ms.Haskell,DonDetweiler(TempleIsaiah),BobBrack(FirstParishChurch,Concord), SueCrossley,(ExecutiveDirector,FamilyPromiseMetrowest)andBethanyRussellLowe(Social ActionandYouthProgramsDirectoratFirstParishinConcord)metwithSenatorEldridgeathis officeinMarlborough.SenatorEldridgeexplainedthatthebillwasdevelopedtoremovesomeof theinstitutionalimpedimentstodevelopmentofaffordablemultifamilyhousinginthe commonwealth.The GreaterBostonRealEstateBoard supportsthebill,and CHAPA hasbeen lobbyingforpassage.Thesenatormentionedthereislikelytobeoppositionfromthe MassachusettsMunicipalAssociation(astatewideorganizationofmunicipalofficials)because increasedhousingdensitycanstressmunicipalservices.Oneofthemajorofthebillwouldbethe abilityofdeveloperstobuildnewmultifamilyhousingbyrightratherthanbyspecialpermit. SenatorEldridgesuggestedhousingadvocatesshouldcontacttheirstaterepresentativestolobbyto bringthebilltothefloor. 3.ReviewofCPAfundingrequestsforthe2016AnnualTownMeeting. Mr.PressmanreportedLexHABwillrequest$180,000.00topurchaseoneaffordablehousing unitatKeelerFarm(EastStreet).Theunit,arenovatedbarn,wouldbepurchasedfromthe developerandwouldbeaddedtotheSHI(SubsidizedHousingInventory). CaileenFoley,thenewExecutiveDirectoroftheLexingtonHousingAuthority,hasmodifiedher requestforfundingtheGreeleyVillagebackdoorandporchreplacementproject.Shehasreduced herrequestto$263,250.00.Astrawvotewastaken,andthevotingmembersofthecommittee unanimouslyapprovedtherequest. 1 Lexington Housing Partnership 4.ReportonactivitiesoftheResidentialPolicyCommittee(RPC). TherewasalengthydiscussionabouttheprogresstheRPChasmadeintermsofadvocatingfor PlanningBoardarticlesrelativetodiversifyinghousingtypesinLexington.Ms.Foutter mentionedthat40RzoningΛͷƭƒğƩƷŭƩƚǞƷŷ͸Μwouldrequireaminimumofeight(8)unitsof housingperacre.Ms.Foutterdiscussedtheconcernsexpressedbyresidentswhoattendedthe publicforums;someoftheseincludedpredictionsthatallowingtwofamilydevelopmentswould notresultinaffordablehousingbecausedeveloperswouldmaximizetheirprofitsbybuilding highendtwofamilystructures.Ms.FoutterremarkedontheexcellentworkdonebyTom HardentoexplaintheproposedtechnicalchangestotheFAR.ItislikelythePlanningBoardwill supportfour(4)articlesonthewarrantatthe2016AnnualTownMeeting;thearticleswill addressheightrestrictions,modificationstothetreebylaw,neighborhoodconservation districts,andarevisiontotheaccessoryapartmentbylawtostreamlinetheapplicationprocess. 5.ReportonPossibilityforSeniorHousingattheformerSeniorCenteratMuzzey. Ms.WalkerwillhavemoreinformationaboutthisinitiativeattheJanuarymeeting. 6.ReviewofLexHABActivities Mr.Pressmanreportedthefollowing: BUSA:Itwillbeatleastthreeorfourweeksbeforethedeed,transferringownershipofthe propertyfromtheTownofLexingtontoLexHAB,willbedrawnup.Theremustbeapublic biddingprocesstoselectacontractor. FAIRVIEW:Thereissomeconcernthattheconstructionisnotproceedingquicklyenough. WRIGHTFARM:Thereportonthefindingsaboutcontaminationonthepropertyhasnotbeen completed. LexHABhasinvitedthreenewpeopletojointheirboard.Ms.Foutterwantedtoknowhowthe LHPmembershipwouldfeelaboutofferingmoredirecthelptoLexHAB.Therewasadiscussion aboutwaystheLHPcouldofferassistance. 7.EligibilityRequirementsforLowIncomeandAffordableHousing Ms.Haskellwithdrewherrequestforfurtherinformationaboutincomeeligibility. 8.NewBusiness Therewasnonewbusiness. 9.SetNextMeetingDate ThenextLHPmeetingwillbeThursday,January14,2016@7:30pm. 10.MeetingAdjournment Themeetingwasadjournedatapproximately9:35PM. 2