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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2024-02-13-SLC-DRAFT-minSustainable Lexington Committee DRAFT Minutes of Meeting of February 13, 2024 A meeting of the Sustainable Lexington Committee (SLC) was held by Zoom conference. A quorum of seven was present throughout. Members Present: Cindy Arens (chair), Celis Brisbin, Lin Jensen, Andy Joynt, Rick Reibstein, Todd Rhodes (vice-chair), Charlie Wyman Members Absent: Paul Chernick, Dan Voss Staff Present: Maggie Peard Other Attendees: Jill Hai (Select Board liaison), Mark Sandeen (Select Board), Gerry Paul (Tree Committee), Barbara Tarrh (Tree Committee), and Nancy Sofen (Tree Committee), Charles Hornig (Planning Board), Mike Boudett (Capital Expenditures Committee liaison), Ricki Pappo (LexCAN), Dora Liao (SustainabLY), Atreyi Basu (SustainabLY), Tina McBride, Marcia Gens, Richard Jette, Jeanne Kreiger, Mark Lang, Andrei Golesteanu The meeting was called to order at 6:04 pm. Cindy referenced the opening statement requested by the Town Clerk and all members and staff present responded that they could hear. Minutes: The draft minutes of January 16, 2024, were unanimously approved as written. Comments from residents; emails to committee inbox; new business: •Ricki reported that several folks met with Nexamp, and in addition to their power wall rental work, which she mentioned in January, they also do community solar. They have a good reputation and she asked if there was interest in exploring opportunities in Lexington. There was agreement in favor, and Ricki will work with Cindy and Maggie to arrange for a presentation to the Committee. •Todd said we received an email from a resident interested in starting up a zero waste member-owned food cooperative, beginning with bulk dry goods, and asking if SLC would be interested in a collaboration with the town. Committee members replied it was probably not appropriate, but suggested they connect with LexZeroWaste and also the town’s economic director, and responded positively to the possibility of a new business supporting the goals of the town. .1 Sustainable Lexington Committee Minutes of February 13, 2024 SustainabLY update: Atreyi reported that they are focused on raising awareness about the town election, especially among high schoolers, with posters, social media, and possibly a voter registration event. The committee alerted him also to Article 43, which would lower the voting age in town elections to 16. ATM Articles 34, 35, 36 - Tree Bylaw updates: Nancy Sofen provided a summary of the three articles, and reported that the DPW is supportive of all three. A few clarifying questions were asked, and lots of kudos and encouragement expressed. The committee will take up the question of endorsement at its next meeting. ATM Article 33 Affordable Housing Trust. Mark Sandeen presented a summary of the proposal. Members of the committee had a number of comments. Most are sympathetic to the need and the proposal, and focused on how sustainability measures can be incorporated into the project (net zero, reduced parking requirements, etc.). Some measures will be required and make for healthier, more resilient and lower operational cost housing, thanks to the Specialized Stretch Code and Fossil Fuel Free Bylaw. Interest was also expressed in understanding transportation issues (walking safety, multimodal options). In response to a question about whether endorsing an affordable housing article is within SLC’s charge, Mark replied that simply by providing local housing options for local workers so that they don’t have to commute from distant towns will have a very positive climate impact. Lin asked for a comparison of this site with the three town sites that were part of the housing feasibility study. Mark Lang, a neighbor of the project, expressed concerns about the speed with which the proposal is being considered for approval, its exclusionary nature, the lack of further Town Meeting or Planning Board review, and the potential for labeling residents as living in the “projects”. It was suggested that whether or not the committee takes a position on the article, we could offer specific suggestions and conditions for the town to include. Cindy referred everyone to the FAQ that are on the Town Meeting website, and said questions of endorsement and comments will be taken up at our next meeting. Sustainability & Resilience Officer discussion and updates: •Maggie reported that she met with the senior management team and reviewed the actions called for in the Resilient Lexington plan. She will soon be sitting down with individual department heads to discuss implementation. •Maggie gave a shout-out to Andy and Ricki for their great work in the successful roll-out of the LexElectrify campaign. A town-wide flyer has gone out. •Maggie is working with others in Lexington and Wellesley on two events with Quiet Communities and AGZA (American Green Zone Alliance), focusing on the transition to battery-powered leaf blowers. One will be for residents and will include advice on how to .2 Sustainable Lexington Committee Minutes of February 13, 2024 talk with your landscaper about the transition; the second will be for landscapers and municipal departments and will include equipment demonstrations. The question of whether we should take a position on the proposed delay in the commercial leaf blower ban (Article 29) will be discussed at our next meeting. SBC/High School - Integrated Process Update. Cindy provided a brief update on the four focus groups, and several committee members have attended. Questions and issues committee members mentioned included examination of lifecycle cost; incorporating existing natural spaces into the design; pushing the designers to be creative in responding to town concerns; the value of SITES and other elements of our integrated policy; the overriding importance of providing a healthy environment; and the tension between desiring an open campus vs. a campus that keeps kids safe. Mark noted that the design team seems genuinely excited about trying to achieve the town’s goals. Town Meeting Articles. At our next meeting, we will discuss whether to make comments or take a position on Town Meeting Articles 29 (noise bylaw amendments), 31 (single-use plastics water bottles), 33 (Lowell Street affordable housing), 34-37 (tree articles), and 40 (Second Generation Anti-Coagulant Rodenticides). Article 30 is being indefinitely postponed. Next Meeting: The next regularly scheduled meeting of the Sustainable Lexington Committee is scheduled for 6 pm on March 19, 2024. Depending on what articles are scheduled for discussion on March 18, a short meeting may be held on March 12. The committee voted to adjourn at 8:29 pm. Respectfully submitted, Charlie Wyman .3