HomeMy WebLinkAbout2005-11-17-HPB.min
Lexington Housing Partnership
Meeting Minutes for November 17, 2005
Attendees:
Iris Wheaton, Inky MacDougall, Jeri Foutter, Bill Carlson, Bob Bicknell, Mary
Haskell, Martha Wood, Betsey Weiss, Harriet Cohen, Ken Kreutziger, Julie Duncan, Winifred
McGowan
Bob Bicknell chaired the meeting; Harriet Cohen took the minutes.
The meeting was called to order at 7:45
1. Approval of September minutes
The minutes for the September and special November meetings were approved
unanimously.
2. Reports from Sub-committees
CPA – Betsey Weiss
Ms. Weiss briefed the Partnership on CPA activities, which are focused on making
presentations and getting endorsements from Lexington residents and town committees
and organizations. New members are welcome and needed.
Zoning – Mary Haskell
On Wednesday, Nov. 16, the Planning Board held a hearing on the Inclusionary Zoning
by-law. There was substantial concern at the Planning Board as to how the accessory
apartments are counted vis-à-vis the town affordable housing stock.
Motion
: The LHP recommends that the provision for accessory affordable apartments
not be included in the by-law at this time. Rather, the issue should be studied
so that the town can determine how those apartments can be included as
affordable units in a way that makes sense for both the homeowner and the
Town.
The motion passed unanimously.
Motion
: Endorse Section (4) Part (b) of the Inclusionary Zoning Article, with the
requirement that the Planning Board retains the authority to depart from the
proportionality requirement for units on multiple sites. Section (4) Part (b)
may be found in Appendix A.
The motion passed unanimously.
Exploring Options – Iris Wheaton
Mansionization continues unimpeded. The Exploring Options committee is considering a
variety of alternatives to preserve the current housing stock. One of these alternatives is
to establish “neighborhood conservation districts”. A neighborhood conservation district
is a “group of buildings and their settings that are architecturally and/or historically
distinctive and worthy of protection based on their contribution to the architectural,
cultural, political, economic or social history of the community.” In some
implementations of neighborhood conservation districts, major alterations, additions,
demolitions and new construction receive a binding regulatory review. This review would
seek to slow the process of mansionization.
Lexington Housing Partnership
Other alternatives are awaiting study or on hold because of lack of resources. Ms.
Wheaton asked for help in developing some of these new and innovative ideas for
providing affordable housing.
Web Site Development – Harriet Cohen and Jeri Foutter
The web site development committee has not made much progress. It will meet shortly to
determine next steps.
3. Foundation Report – Jeri Foutter
Report from Lexington Housing Foundation – Jeri Foutter
No changes since last report.
4. New Business – Bob Bicknell
No new business.
5. Next meeting
The next meeting is Thursday, January 12, 2005.
The meeting adjourned at 9:29 pm.
Appendix A: (Draft) Inclusionary Language Refinements (dated November 10, 2005)
"(4) Multiple site provisions. Permitting may be sought and determination of required
Inclusionary Units may be based upon housing units on multiple sites subject to the
following….”
"(b) The total number of Inclusionary Units required shall be based upon the total net
addition of housing units summed over the sites involved. The number of
Inclusionary Units in relation to total housing units on each site shall be
approximately the same for each site unless a departure from that relationship is
authorized by the Planning Board upon its determination that doing so, even to the
point of having no Inclusionary Units on some sites, better serves the Town’s
housing objectives (as documented in its Comprehensive Plan and other plans)
than would strict proportionality, for reasons such as facilitating services for
special needs households, or taking advantage of existing structures more suitable
for one type of unit or occupancy than another.”