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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2024-03-07-HPB-min Lexington Housing Partnership Board (HPB) Meeting Minutes for March 7, 2024 Attendees: Cindy Arens (Sustainable Lexington liaison), Nanette Byrnes, Harriet Cohen (Clerk), Margaret Heitz, Jill Hai (Select Board liaison), Charles Hornig (Planning Board), Wendy Manz (Chair), Bob Pressman, Melanie Thompson, Betsey Weiss (Vice Chair), John Zhao (COA). Absent: Paul Linton, Samita Mandelia, Sarah Morrison (LexHAB) Guests: Abby McCabe (Planning Director), Linda Prosnitz (AHT), Kathryn Roy, Elaine Tung (AHT) The Housing Partnership Board (HPB) meeting was chaired by Wendy Manz and minutes were taken by Harriet Cohen. The meeting was held remotely via Zoom teleconference. 1. Call to Order: Housing Partnership Board Meeting Ms. Manz called the meeting to order at 7:01 pm. The roll was called. 2. Discussion of first SPRD application at Meriam Street and Edgewood Drive Ms. Manz asked for comments and questions on the SPRD application. Ms. Thompson reported that the Planning Board has had a first walk-through of the lot. Mr. Hornig shared the plot plan of the lot with the proposed housing units and responded to questions about the SPRD application. Ms. Weiss moved that the Housing Partnership Board support the letter to the Planning Board in support of 28 Meriam Street. Ms. Cohen seconded the motion. Ms. Manz took a roll call vote: In favor: Ms. Weiss, Ms. Cohen, Ms. Byrnes, Ms. Heitz, Mr. Pressman, Ms. Manz Against: None Abstain: Mr. Hornig, Ms. Thompson, Mr. Zhao 3. Report on AHT Neighborhood Meeting re North St. Ms. Manz reported that the abutters are still concerned about the potential use of the land as affordable housing. Further discussion clarified that the abutters are opposed to the use of the land as affordable housing. Ms. Prosnitz said that they are working to address the concerns of the abutters. She noted that positive comments have also been received about using the land for affordable housing. Mr. Hornig clarified that, as this is a disposition of land, a two-thirds majority of Town Meeting is required to pass the relevant Town warrant article. 4. Report on informal working group on land acquisition Ms. Manz said that the stakeholders for the proposed land acquisition policy will hold an informal meeting as to the best use of the land. 5. Calling and emailing TMMs for support on Article #33 Ms. Tung said that precinct 5 and 6 Town Meeting Members are receiving many emails regarding Article #33. Most of the emails, though not all, oppose Article #33. Ms. Byrnes said that she had emailed Precinct 4 Town Meeting Members. The precinct-wide mailing list did not reach all of the Precinct 4 TMMs, so it is best to use the individual email address. Ms. Byrnes said that most of the precinct TMMs supported Article #33. Ms. Tung said that she is planning to create an informal group to support the passage of Article #33 and asked members of the HPB to join the group. Ms. Hai noted that the Select Board will be discussing Article #33 on Monday, March 11. She asked that HPB members attend the meeting and support the article. Based on comments from the abutters and the Capital Expenditures Committee, Mr. Pressman recommended that the Select Board provide a draft RFP. This would address concerns from both parties. Ms. Hai said that this would be discussed at the Monday meeting. Ms. Tung said that the AHT will hold a working meeting to provide input to the Select Board as to the content of the RFP. Ms. Tung said that the AHT has met with the Conservation Commission which said that it supported use of the parcel for affordable housing. The Tree Committee also intends to provide a statement of support. The article will be heard at Town Meeting on April 3. The HPB will meet on March 21 at 7:30 pm by Zoom to discuss a letter in support of Article #33 to the Select Board and for posting to the Town Meeting website. 6. Select Board action on Warrant Article #27 The report came back that it would be too expensive to rent space for the Town school offices. The economically responsible choice is to keep 173 Bedford Street for swing space which means that 173 Bedford Street is not currently in consideration for affordable housing. 7. Article #50 – Proposed amendments to Inclusionary Housing for Village and Multifamily overlay districts Ms. Weiss moved that we support the Planning Board’s proposed amendments. Ms. Byrnes seconded the motion. Upon a motion duly made and seconded, the HPB voted by roll call of 9-0-0 to approve the motion. 8. Article #51- Amend Zoning Bylaw No motion of support needed. 9. Article #53 and #54 – Proposed addition of 507 Bedford St and 509 Bedford St. to MBTA multifamily zones These articles were withdrawn prior to this HPB meeting. 10. Report on Fair Housing Webinar Deferred to a later meeting. 11. Select HPB member to serve on new Working Group preparing a townwide Housing Needs Assessment Will be discussed at a later meeting. 12. Liaison Updates Liaison reports were sent to the HPB prior to the meeting for ▪ Planning Board (Mr. Hornig) The report is attached below. LexHAB: no report Council on Aging (COA): no report Sustainable Lexington Committee: no report Affordable Housing Trust (AHT): no report Community Preservation Committee (CPC): no report 13. New Business There was no new business. 14. Approve Minutes of February 1, 2024 Ms. Weiss moved approval of the minutes of February 1. Mr. Zhao seconded the motion. Upon a motion duly made and seconded, the HPB voted by roll call of 8-0-0 to approve the motion. 15. Next Meeting Date The next meeting will be on April 11, 2024 at 7:00 pm on Zoom. 16. Adjournment Ms. Weiss moved adjournment; Ms. Byrnes seconded the motion. Upon a motion duly made and seconded, the HPB voted by roll call of 8-0-0 to approve the motion. The meeting adjourned at 8:48 pm. Attachments: Liaison Reports Planning Board (Charles Hornig) Report of Planning Board Liaison Charles Hornig To the Housing Partnership Board, March 7, 2024 The Planning Board met twice In February. We held public hearings on all 8 proposed zoning changes, discussed them, took positions, and adopted reports. The reports should be published soon. The following changes may be of interest to the HPB: • Approve Article 48 (Short Term Rentals): o The change would forbid short term rentals on lots with 3 or more dwelling units and dwellings with rooming units and make a variety of other changes to address complaints during the last few years. • Approve Article 50 (Inclusionary Housing for Village and Multi-Family Overlay Districts): o EOHLC disapproved our request to apply a 15% inclusionary housing requirement of 15% (rounded down), meaning that current projects must supply 10%. This change would reinstate the 15% requirement starting at 14 units based on a supplemental feasibility study. • Approve Article 51 (Maximum Building Height for Village Overlay (VO) District): o This change would modify the requirements to build to 52’ to require a larger amount of only certain commercial uses on the ground floor and for 60’ to require that the lot be in a commercial district. • Disapprove Articles 53 & 54 (507 & 509 Bedford Street to MFO District): o These zoning map amendments were not supported by the Board because the parcels are not contiguous to the rest of the Bedford Street North MFO District, are less than one acre, and are situated at a major intersection where they could worsen traffic. The public hearing on our first Special Residential Development (as approved under Article 33 last year) for 28 Meriam Street will be held on March 13.