HomeMy WebLinkAbout2019-08-20-SPRD-min Special Permit Residential Development Committee Minutes(Draft)
Town Hall Parker Room
August 20, 2019
Meeting called to order at 8:21 am
Present: David Trietsch (Facilitator/Consultant),Jill Hai,Taylor Singh, Heather Hartshorn, Scott Cooper,
Richard Perry, Betsey Weiss, Carol Kowalski, Wendy Manz
Absent: Matt Daggett, Richard Canale, and Joyce Murphy
Other present: Ingrid Kilmoff, Charles Horning, Robert Pressman, Victoria Buckley(Commission on
Disability'COD'), Robert Creech,Jyotsna Kakullavarapu Council on Aging 'COA'), Melinda Walker
(Lexington Housing Authority"LHA")), Alex Dohan (Conservation Commision "CC"),Anthony Scerio
(Lexington Dept Human Services "LDHS"), and Hemali Shah (Lexington Senior Services "LSS")
Lexington staff:Jennifer Gingras (Zoning Administrator)
8:21 call to order
Jill Hai-Charge of committee is to look at what is happening under the existing bylaw and gather
information from various stake holders and interested parties with a goal of creating a statement of
values which can be turned into a recommendation for revision for Zoning. We have held a couple of
different listening sections.
Victoria Buckley(COD)-The commission on disability supports accessibility, diversity and inclusion as
being integral values for the community so they believe it applies to affordable housing with civil and
human rights that improve livability. We are asking this committee to aspire to exceed basic access and
aim for inclusive principles of universal design.The Select Boards have been looking at exceeding
regulatory access and looking for a more inclusive perspective and that's called universal design. It
supports design considerations. Universal design emphasizes convenience, adaptability, simplicity and
flexibility and it helps improve safety and livability.We support development of Visitability standards in
the design of new housing. Visitability standards reflect access considerations in a home in terms of
anticipating all visitors can come in. Nearly 80 percent of older adults would like to be able to age in
place. Examples of access considerations are including one flush entry way, 36 inch wide doorways,
lever door and faucet handles, rocker light switches and bathrooms with safety rails and a tub that can
be converted to a roll-in shower.These are standards that have been adopted in some communities
across the country but if they are adopted in Lexington that would make a bold statement about our
communities interest in supporting people in their homes across a lifetime.
Jyotsha Kakullavarapu (COA)-Affordability has been a debate in an expensive town like Lexington.There
is economic disparity and its impact on housing,jobs, and education, and on top of that civil rights and
diversity. In addition, seniors are a significant growing population in the town and aging in place is
desirable. So more affordable housing for them and understanding their needs when they age in place is
important. Not only independent houses but many of them are in need of assisted living.They are
coming up with more emotional and heath care needs. One of the ideas is cluster properties. Seniors
who are living here are resistant to change. When you are making decisions about any changes consider
their emotional needs. Consider financial and a point system. Someone who has lived here for 30 or 40
years should get more points. If someone has health care needs give them more points.
Alex Dohen (CC) Lexington is a head waters community.This gives us extra responsibility to take care of
that water. We have legal jurisdiction within 100 feet of those resources.There are 1300 acres of
conservation property that is protected. We want to look at the bylaw in terms of climate resiliency.
Storm water is an issue. Frequent and stronger storms,the existing bylaw doesn't do much. Climate
resiliency is how individuals and communities can adapt to our changing climate in a way that will
protect us and our life style living into the future. Storm water needs rewrite of special development
bylaw. Another issue is site disturbance. Whether there is an existing building or it's undeveloped, one
of the great ways to help is to maintain plant coverage that exists. If you can maintain what's already
there that's even better. Large trees do more for climate resiliency. We would like to see a portion of
the bylaw require green coverage. My next point is minimizing impervious surface,this is a great way to
help with storm water and general water runoff. Impervious surface is anything that water can't flow
through including buildings, parking areas, and utility boxes. We felt the GFA limits are much higher than
they need to be.The Conservation Commission urges the SPRD to consider climate resiliency as you
work on rewriting the bylaw with consideration to storm water management, green space preservation
and through permanent protection of open space and considering the types of vegetation. Also
including reducing impervious surface through perhaps lower GFA's.
Charles Hornig-We need a much more diverse stock of housing than we have to meet local and regional
housing needs. We have are caused problems by our current zoning.The one type of housing we are
producing in very large quantities are very large single family houses on large lots. It is the easiest type
of house to build under our zoning. It's by right,just get a building permit and build it. All the other types
of housing we need are things such as small houses on small lots or two family houses, mixed use
developments, senior housing and affordable housing, are all made difficult by current zoning. Our
zoning is doing exactly the wrong thing. Goals for the new zoning should result in production of
significant amount of diverse housing, range of affordability, and a range of size. It is also important
small two and multi-family projects be buildable by right and not through special permit. Plan
Development districts should be reserved for unique projects. It's important that all of these types of
housing be economically attractive to build. When you are putting limits a particular housing type it has
to be carefully calibrated so that one housing type isn't obviously preferable and the only one built.To
the extent you do change the rules for single family housing its important to be respectful, making
existing houses non-conforming is an added burden on homeowners.The solution won't be found along
Massachusetts Avenue but town wide.
Anthony Scerio (LDHS)-I work with residents ages 0 through 60.Young families happen to be the major
amount of work. With regards to low income housing a lot of families are struggling to stay in Lexington
or are here for the schools. One issue is families will have enough to make it into Lexington, but can't
sustain a year. We figure out temporary financial assistance to get them through that rut.The bigger
issue is there are not enough units available.The amount of low income housing options are few.The
options that are available,families are not given opportunities to sustain that lifestyle.The other types
of families I deal with are families that have inherited properties or are living with their family and have
lost jobs or changed and can't stay with the family. I recommend the committee think of creative ways
to work with what we have already. Ways we can use current large housing and create small living space
and potentially use property tax relief.
David Trietsch -You mentioned low income housing. Low income housing typically is public housing and
then there is affordable housing, which one are you referring to?
Anthony Scerio- I am referring to both. In general what I've noticed about Lexington is that it's available
but the options are limited.
Hemali Shah (LSS)-I work with individuals 60 and over. Working with seniors is challenging because we
find seniors are moving out of town because they can't afford it. I'm talking about affordability and not
low income housing.They want to stay with friends and family for the social aspect of their lives, moving
out of town you lose connections.This creates depression. I would recommend something closer to city
model where it's easier to modify the home to co-share or having in-law apartments. Continuing Care
Facilities are expensive, if you haven't planned out your financial security your mortgage is paid off but
you don't have the income to make a 5-6 thousand dollar rent, it's difficult.Think about tax exemptions
to developers to build more of these units.
Jyotsha Kakullavarapu (COA)-There are a lot of big properties here in Lexington,they could share like a
live-in situation or share an in-law apartment.
Melinda Walker (LHA)-My main goal is to show you there is more than adequate evidence that there is a
need for Lexington to encourage the development for affordable and low income housing units. First I
want to discuss the number of individual families who are on waiting lists for units in Lexington. At the
Lexington Housing Authority there are 159 people on the waiting list for the federal one bedroom units
for the elderly and disabled.There are 88 families on the waiting list for the Federal family apartments.
There is a waiting list for everyone for state public housing and there are 534 applicants on that list that
indicated Lexington is where they would like to live.All of new affordable housing in Massachusetts has
been built by partnerships of public and private entities. Housing authorities often have to form
nonprofit entities to access low income housing tax credits. Lexhab maintains two waiting lists. If the
citizen of Lexington want to act on their stated support through diversity they are going to have to put
some political will behind requiring builders to be inclusive rather than exclusive.
Bob Creech- I started research in 2014 on construction information. Let me share some of my thoughts
on our current balanced housing situation. Balanced housing and public benefit housing both produce
density, which gives the builder a lot of flexibility. I want to compare construction at 82 North Street
that was purchased for$682,000 dollars and sold for$1,680,000.The builder for less than a million
dollars was able to make a lot of profit. Big money is being made. Compare with that with 2 Jefferson
Drive that is balanced housing, also has a lot of money being made. We are getting affordable housing
on Jefferson Drive. It costs$600 thousand to build affordable housing.The units are selling for$276
thousand dollars.They said we build affordable units all the time, it has to be done through zoning.
There's a lot of profit in building a new house in Lexington.There is no affordable housing out of those
projects. We should require affordable housing with many special permits that increase density.
David Trietsch-Let's open it up for comments or questions.
Bob Pressmen-Jill does your concept of a statement of values preclude a situation where at the end of
the process the committee by a majority says we would like to see the bylaw include x y and z.
Jill Hai-This will be something this committee will be taking up as we move to the next phase of drafting
that statement and then turn it over to the zoning consultant. We haven't defined what that statement
of value is going to be.The drafting will be a public process.
Betsy Weiss-Since 2007, approximately over$11 million dollars have gone into the affordable housing
CPA bucket. As far as units, we have purchased units for Lexhab and contributed to units. We have
added 26 units plus 15 at Douglas house.
Melinda-My comment is about the term affordable. Looking at housing whether it's low income or very
low income or affordable, it's hard for the general public to understand what those definitions mean
and what type of families can afford units.You have to be careful if you require developers to build
more inclusive housing and which population you are trying to serve.
David Trietsch-We should be clear as to what we mean when saying affordable or diversity.
Scott-We often distinguish between affordable housing and obtainable housing. Affordable housing is
more technical and obtainable housing is not as technical of a term.There is a problem in both areas.
Carol Kowalski -1 was speaking with Liz Rust. She reminded me we should try not to use the term
obtainable housing too much. It could mean many things. Moderate income has a specific meaning and
tells the world who we are talking about what their income eligibility is. Now that we are getting into
writing amendment we want to consider whether to use moderate instead of obtainable
Betsy Weiss-1 also spoke to Ms. Rust and she said to use the term work force or moderate.
Bob Creech-Jefferson drive is affordable. I would be a fan of doing the moderate income approach.
Bob Pressman-the term affordable housing came in to vogue 15 years ago to replace low and moderate
income housing.The CPA uses the term community housing and has a definition of low income housing
up to 80%AMI and Moderate income housing not higher than 100%AMI. Work force housing has come
into more recent use by the state. Definitions are not all consistent.
Heather Hartshorn-I am looking forward to put them into bylaw as opposed to statements.
Jill Hai-is there additional information that we want?
Scott Cooper-I feel it would be helpful to hear from a few more developers.The challenge is how we
make it economically attractive to build.
David Trietsch-I suggest it might be more useful to have a draft and have developers responded to
something more specific.
Heather Hartshorn-isn't that site specific?
Dick Perry-Everything is based on what you can do by right. Right now everything is based off of single
family homes. When a developer purchases land it is based off value of land by single family
development because that is all we have by-right.
Jill Hai-Are we ready to say our next session we will begin trying to synthesis to draft information.
Taylor Singh -One thing I felt we haven't spoken about is the impact to taxes on residents from special
permit residential development. Maybe having someone from one of our financial committees to review
the tax impact of allowing more units than by right on a piece of land.
Jill Hai-I'm not sure how we can do that. I am sure there is an overhead cost that can be calculated.
However, we don't know how many people are going to be in any particular unit and what services they
will utilize.
Betsy Weiss-There is a school enrollment working group,they probably have numbers.
Jill Hai-They would only know how to calculate cost per child.
Charles Horning-You have to be careful heading down this route. Please consult with staff about the fair
housing act and not to discriminate families with children.
Jill Hai-As I heard the question it is merely, what is the cost of each new unit of housing to the town.
Adjourned at 9:30