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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2021-11-18-LCC-min Town of Lexington Lexington Center Committee Minutes for the Center Committee Meeting of Thursday, November 18th, 2021 commencing about 8:33 am. Members present: Richard Brown, Michael Boudett, Frederic Johnson, Pamela Lyons, Innessa Manning,Jerold Michelson (Chair), Pamela Shadley Liaisons present: Doug Lucente, Select Board, Frank Smith, Capital Expenditures Committee, Janet Perry, Commission on Disability, Sandra Shaw, Council on Aging, Sandhya Iyer, Economic Development Director, Casey Hagerty, Economic Development Department, Dawn McKenna, Tourism Committee, Erin Sandler-Rathe, Chamber of Commerce, Michael McClean, Acting Chief of Police Guests: Claudia Lach, Eric Ballard Jerry Michelson started with the DPW update and asked for Center DPW concerns: Pam Shadley noted that Edison Way needs trees pruned and limbed up. Janet Perry said that the brick work on Edison way is not good and inquired as to whether that area is completed. John Livsey said that a second crew of bricklayers has arrived and they are targeting the end of the first week of December to complete work. Work will recommence right after Patriot's Day, 2022. Jerry noted that some lights are out in Emery Park and near Panera. Apparently we are waiting for the electrician. Santa is coming late next week (right after Thanksgiving.) Casey Hagerty gave the Economic Development update: CoCo Tea had an amazing turnout for its opening day. Anisoptera had a soft open. Taste of Lexington is coming on December 2. The Visitors Center will be open late that night. A tenant for the Panera space is in the offing. The Haircuttery space is going to a food use. The old Omar's will be a refill store. There have been enquiries as to the Starbucks space. Center rents are lower now. Years ago space was around $80 sf. Now it's around $30-$40. Maxima Books is open (old Revolve space.)The Retailers Assn and the Chamber of Commerce is working on Taste of Lexington. This is going to be more of a shopping night this year. Members noted that the mask mandate has been extended by the Select Board to January 15th. Doug Lucente reminded us that state and Lexington regulations require that masks be worn indoors. "Masks should be worn indoors except when seated and eating." At long last Pamela Lyons asked for a vote to support the installation of a bus shelter at Emery Park. The Center Committee voted six in favor, zero against, and one abstain. Dawn reminded us that Chapter 90 funds were used for the redesign of Emery Park. Jerry suggested that there be a joint meeting of the Center and Tourism Committees concerning the use of ARPA funds. We discussed scheduling, including attending the next Tourism Committee meeting on December 91h- The Chamber of Commerce has requested $10K of ARPA funds. Doug discussed participatory budgeting whereby residents generate requests for set aside funds. This is done in Cambridge and Antony (our sister city.) Jesse Steigerwald and Leslie Masson from LexSeeHer gave a presentation on the artist and bas relief sculpture that will be placed on a granite slab with a spinning wheel motif on the Visitors Center Green to honor Lexington Women. We were invited to the "unveiling" of a mockup on Sunday at 10:30-11. Various committee members indicated their support for the location and appearance of the sculpture. Dawn suggested that the sculpture be located in East Lexington near the Stone Building noting that Tourism has concerns that the sculpture is not integrated into the site. Tourism has not yet taken a formal position. Claudia Lack felt this was high quality public art and a good focus point. Jerry felt the sculpture was "neat envisioning" and that "everything else in Lexington is a rock."Jesse said there would be a stone dust path leading to the sculpture with site specific programming. The archway in the sculpture echoes the archway on the Visitors Center. Pam S. noted that the Center parking lots are a critical issue and urged us to move forward with the CVS lot to support economic vitality and creating some open space. Dick Brown strongly supported Pam's suggestion and urged us to go forward with Pam's excellent design. Dick noted that the Michelson's lot looks good overall and the signs are good in contrast to the CVS lot which looks terrible and faces the bike path. Jerry urged us to think of the CVA and Depot lots are one giant integrated space and that we should think big. Innessa agreed saying that we need better signs, better info and better communication. Pam S. suggested that an urban planner/designer be hired to envision a design because the CVS lot is in failure right now. Just failure. Pam said that design should be separated from implementation so as not to slow things down. Erin noted that the Chamber's position is that we do what we can do and be in constant communication with the public as to what is realistic and possible. Fred Johnson said that he strongly supports Pam's plan for redoing the CVS lot stating "how do we make the back door on the north side of Mass Ave inviting to the public."The Committee than discussed the zoning limits on signage (example: signs on the back must be smaller than signs in the front. This needs to be changed.) And frankly it's dangerous in the CVS lot. Pam's plan has safer walking spaces Jerry suggested making it permissible for parallel signs to be the same size but not adjacent or around the corner signs. Acting Chief McLean gave an update on the one year pay by phone pilot. There have been 5843 transactions since September 15t". More and more people are using it. Lots of senior parking passes are in use, mainly in the Depot Lot. Regular stickers are still free but will be turning over in February. (The note taker thinks the actual date is March 1.)The Streetscape Project has made enforcement tricky, enforcement will be increasing, gently, as we return to normal. Doug has used paybyphone 3x saying that it's quicker than finding a quarter. There were more complaints before the program started. People will get more comfortable with it. There will be little to no enforcement for big events. Once space is at a premium we will tighten up enforcement. Jerry told us there is customer angst when people can't read the meter. Chief McLean said the plan is to put the meters back in piecemeal as the Streetscape Project moves along. He does not know if the meters can be upgraded. Jerry noted that Town Meeting approved funds to upgrade the meters. Jerry thanked everyone and wished us a good Thanksgiving.