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Home My WebLink About2021-11-15 SB-min Select Board Meeting November 15, 2021 A remote participation meeting of the Lexington Select Board was called to order at 6:01 p.m. on Monday, November 15, 2021 via Zoom remote meeting services. Ms. Hai, Chair; Mr. Lucente; Vice Chair, Mr. Pato, Ms. Barry, and Mr. Sandeen were present, as well as Mr. Malloy, Town Manager; Ms. Axtell, Deputy Town Manager; Ms. Katzenback, Executive Clerk. Ms. Hai stated that the meeting was being conducted via Zoom as posted, with the agenda on the Town’s website. Ms. Hai provided directions to members of the public watching or listening via the Zoom application, regarding the procedure for making a public comment. Ms. Hai reminded Board members, staff, and members of the public about Lexington’s Standard of Conduct regarding civil discourse during Town Government meetings. There was no public comment at this time. SELECT BOARD MEMBER CONCERNS AND LIAISON REPORTS 1. Select Board Member Concerns and Liaison Reports No additional reports at this time. TOWN MANAGER REPORT No report at this time. CONSENT AGENDA 1. Select Board Committee Appointments and Resignation To appoint the following committee members with terms as indicated: Name Committee Term Expiration Cristian Delahuerta Design Advisory Committee September 30, 2022 Sudhir Murthy Design Advisory Committee September 30, 2022 Bobak Moshiri Greenways Corridor Committee September 30, 2024 Suzan (Xuan) Chen Lexington Bicycle Advisory Committee September 30, 2024 Mike O’Connor. Lexington Bicycle Advisory Committee September 30, 2024 David Armstrong Lexington Bicycle Advisory Committee September 30, 2022 Richard Brown Lexington Center Committee September 30, 2024 Meg VanNostrand Lexington Center Committee September 30, 2024 Larry Freeman Lexington Human Rights Committee September 30, 2024 Christina Lin Lexington Human Rights Committee September 30, 2024 Justin Pierce Massport Community Advisory Cmte none Jason Connell Tourism Committee September 30, 2022 Elizabeth Xu Tourism Committee September 30, 2022 Vishwanathan Krishnamoorthy Vision for Lexington Committee September 30, 2024 Shannon Murtagh Vision for Lexington Committee September 30, 2024 Meg VanNostrand Vision for Lexington Committee September 30, 2024 To accept the resignation of Melinda Walker from the Housing Partnership Board effective immediately. DOCUMENTS: Select Board Committee Appointments - November 15, 2021, Resignation Letter - M. Walker 2. Approve Select Board Meeting Minutes - PULLED FOR INDIVIDUAL CONSIDERATION, see below 3. Approve One-Day Liquor License To approve a One-Day Liquor License for Spectacle Management to serve beer and wine in the lobby of Cary Memorial Building, 1605 Massachusetts Avenue, for the purpose of one event as follows: Judy Collins in Concert on Friday, December 10, 2021 from 7:00pm to 11:00pm. 4. Approve Small Cell Wireless Installation Policy - PULLED FOR INDIVIDUAL CONSIDERATION, see below 5. Approve Tourism Committee Request for Alternative Benches – Battle Green Master Plan To approve the Tourism Committee's request for alternative benches on the Battle Green as proposed at the Select Board meeting on September 13, 2021. DOCUMENTS: Letter of Support from Commission on Disability - Battle Green Alternative Bench Request, Document Presented at 2021.09.13 SB Meeting - Battle Green Master Plan Bench Request, HDC Certificate of Appropriateness – Battle Green District Benches VOTE: Upon a motion duly made and seconded, the Select Board voted 5-0 by roll call to approve Consent Agenda items 1, 3, and 5. Pulled Consent Items to be addressed at a later meeting: 2. Approve Select Board Meeting Minutes DOCUMENTS: DRAFT Select Board meeting minutes 09.27.21, DRAFT Select Board meeting minutes 10.12.21, DRAFT Select Board meeting minutes 11.01.21, DRAFT Select Board meeting minutes 11.05.21 4. Approve Small Cell Wireless Installation Policy ACTION: This item will be placed on the Thursday, November 18, 2021, agenda for possible consideration at that time. DOCUMENTS: Draft - Small Cell Wireless Installation Policy, Draft - Small Cell Wireless Installation Policy - redlined ITEMS FOR INDIVIDUAL CONSIDERATION 1. Public Hearing: Tax Classification Presentation The Public Hearing was opened at 6:13pm. Carolyn Kosnoff Assistant Town Manager – Finance, Board of Assessors (Greg Johnson, Ed Grant, and Casimir Groblewski), and Assessor Rob Lynch presented to the Board. Ms. Kosnoff stated that the classification amendment requires the Lexington Select Board to consider four (4) selections with respect to the setting the FY2022 Lexington tax rate. These are: 1. Selection of a residential factor: Lexington can have a single tax rate, which is applied to residential properties, and all of the other property classes - commercial, industrial, and personal. Or it can have a split tax rate, in which it can shift up to 1.75% of the tax burden on to commercial properties. Lexington has been using the latter of these two rates for a number of years. 2. Selection of a discount for Open Space – There is no property in Lexington that this would apply to. 3. Residential exemption – This would exempt residential parcels up to 35% of their value. The 35% exempt for each property would then be shifted to the rest of the residential, commercial, and industrial, personal properties. There is a breakeven point for this item. An ad hoc study completed in 2018 recommended that the Town not adopt this item. 4. Small commercial property exemption – This would exempt small commercial properties for up to 10% of their value. The criteria for meeting a small commercial exemption are that the property must be valued under $1M, and there must be less than 10 employees at all locations. Ms. Kosnoff explained that the tax rate is essentially a calculation of the total tax levy, which is essentially all of the Town's budget, divided by the value of all the properties in Lexington, subject to some of those other options.  Total fiscal levy in FY21 was $194.4M.  Excluded debt in FY21 was $12.6M.  For FY22, the maximum allowable levy is $218M, a 5.36% increase over last year.  Residential valuations increased 6.9%.  Total valuation of the Town's property is up to $14 billion, an 8.6% increase over last year.  Standard, flat tax rate across all property classes would be $15.51/$1,000.  With the 1.75% shift, the CIP class would be at $27.14, and the Residential class at $13.75.  Tax rate for FY21 was $14.39 and the average tax bill for a single-family dwelling was $16,241.  If keeping at the 1.75% shift, the FY22 average tax bill for a single-family dwelling would be $16,391.  If a 1.70% shift is used instead, the average tax bill would be $16,531. Mr. Johnson provide an overview of d.o.r. values by class: fy2021 to fy2022, - fy 2022 tax rate shift options & property comparisons Mr. Pato noted that he would like the Board to look at the tax information in its full context. He stated that the commercial sector is now consistently bearing a higher rate, just as the residential sector did years ago. Mr. Lucente noted that commercial properties seem to be making up 11.7% of the total value, but almost 25% of the tax levy. He asked, if the Town picks the 1.75% shift for FY22, what the tax levy percentage breakdown would be between commercial and residential. He stated that this may be the time to look at reducing the shift a bit, due to the current economy. Ms. Barry asked about the reduction of 12 properties within the retail section classification. Mr. Lynch stated that those properties were mixed-use properties, and it did not make sense to remain in that category. Mr. Sandeen asked for actuals for the FY21 residential and commercial tax levies. Dawn McKenna, Precinct 6 Town Meeting member, stated that there are many small businesses in Town that are hurting, and she would like to see something done to ease their tax burden this year. The Public Hearing was closed at 7:08pm. ACTION: The Board will be asked to vote on this on November 30, 2021. There Board will discuss at a future meeting if it would like to hear additional presentations on this item. Members of the public can send comments or questions to the Board. DOCUMENTS: TaxClassification Packet_FY2022 2. Special Town Meeting 2021-1 Article Positions / Discussion The Board reviewed Article 15: Amend Zoning Bylaw- Open Space Residential Developments. The Board remained at a vote of 3-2 for the main motion. The Board is all opposed to Mr. Canale’s amendment. Regarding Article 16: Amend Zoning Bylaw – Residential Parking, all Board members are still in favor. Regarding Article 7: Appropriate for Westview Cemetery Building Construction, all Board members are still in favor. Regarding Article 4: Amend FY2022 Operating Enterprise and CPA Budgets, all Board members are still in favor. The Board will potentially meet tomorrow evening at 6pm, prior to Special Town Meeting, and will meet on Thursday evening at 6pm. DOCUMENTS: STM 2021-1 Position Chart, Moderator’s proposed schedule of articles for the Special Town Meeting 2021-1 (as of 11-10-21), Amend Art 5 McKenna, Amend Art 10. Galaitsis ADOURN Upon a motion duly made and seconded, by roll call, the Select Board voted 5-0 to adjourn the meeting at 7:15 p.m. A true record; Attest: Kristan Patenaude Recording Secretary