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HomeMy WebLinkAboutSUMMARY OF TALKING POINTS, Oct 5 2017SUMMARY OF TALKING POINTS FOR NEIGHBORHOOD NCD MEETINGS, Fall, 2017 A. Brief history of how the neighborhood got to this point from spring, 2014, to the preparation of the Study Report in spring 2017. Information is on pages 2 and 3 of the Study Report. B. Remaining Timeline in the Process 1. Neighborhood discussions to ensure that everyone understands what has taken place so far and what the timeline is going forward. 2. Joint public hearing will take place with the Historical Commission and the Planning Board to determine if the Study Committee Report has made the case for the formation of the NCD and the joint hearing bodies will vote whether to present the NCD Bylaw to the Spring Town Meeting. Hearing to take place on November 1, at 8 PM in Estabrook Hall (basement of Cary Hall). 3. You will receive a letter with the notice of the public hearing AND a copy of the "Opt-in" or "Opt-out" Letter. 4. If more than 25% of the residents in the proposed area "opt out" then there will be discussion of whether re-drawing the NCD boundaries would make sense and whether there is a cohesive area large enough to establish an NCD. If, yes then it will go to Town Meeting. 5. Once the NCD area has been finalized, the proposed NCD Bylaw will be presented to the Spring Town Meeting. 6. If Town Meeting votes in the majority, the NCD would move forward to create the official NCD Commission and the Bylaw would become effective. 7. If there is a negative vote, the process could begin again or the idea could be abandoned. C. Study Committee Report Proposed NCD Residents are encouraged to read the Study Committee Report which includes the proposed Bylaw. Important aspects of the report are in the Bylaw: 1. property alterations that will be exempt from NCD consideration, page 27; 2. property alterations that will be subject to review by the NCD Commission, page 28; 3. decision criteria that will be used in making decisions regarding proposed alterations to a property, page 29; 4. additional guidelines that reflect the goals of the NCD but do not rise to the level of public review and hearing, page 31. D. Information for Homes Also in the HDC This is information explaining what we feel are the differences between the HDC regulations and the NCD requirements, page 30. E. Question and Answer Period These are some of the questions that have been asked so far: Q. Why should I "Opt-in" to the NCD? A. It is very much in the interest of everyone to join the NCD so that we are all protected from things that would negatively alter our neighborhood, such as large new homes built out to the current Lexington setbacks or homes turned towards another street, to which we have already been subjected. Q: Who will notify me that I am in a NCD? A: The Planning Board will notify residents that they are in the NCD after the vote of Town Meeting. The NCD Commission will meet at least twice per year, and upon a neighbor's request. These meetings will be posted public meetings in a handicapped accessible location. Discussion of possible property alterations can happen at these meetings in an informal way to assist neighbors with making plans. Once there is a design and it is submitted to the Building Department for a Building Permit, that Department will remind you that you are in a NCD and you will need to submit plans to the NCD Commission. A public hearing may, or may not, be required at that point. The details regarding the NCD Review Process are on pages 27 through 31 of the NCD Bylaw. Q: What about the expenses of the NCD process? A: If your alterations are subject to a review, the applicant is responsible for all expenses. Those expenses include an advertisement in the Lexington Minuteman Newspaper and notification by certified or hand-delivered letter to residents of the NCD, and residents within 100 feet of the NCD boundaries. We are estimating that it will cost the applicant between $100 and $125 to go through this process. See Section 4 of the NCD Bylaw at the top of page 27 discussing expenses. Q: Will I be able to put an addition onto the back or side of my house? A: Yes, if the plans meet the NCD guidelines. Everyone understands that these houses, for the most part, are small and will have additional requirements as they age. The purpose of the NCD review is to make sure that houses are not completely demolished or renovated and a very large, out-of-scale house is the replacement. We feel strongly that our neighborhood is special and that we want to keep the elements that make it special. It is important to understand that just because a review is triggered does not mean that it will be a rejection. Q: Is joining the NCD going to negatively affect the resale value of my house? A: The concept of NCDs, in general, is totally new in Lexington, and new in other parts of MA and other states, so there is little data to say one way or the other. One study done in Wellesley proved that it did not have a detrimental effect on house prices and that houses in both historic districts and in neighborhood conservation districts are actually desirable and that the designation can have a positive effect on the selling price. Developers may wish to avoid a house in a NCD due to the process and the guidelines. On the other hand, a family may be pleased to buy a house in a neighborhood where the character is being protected and won't mind a limited process of alterations' review. Q: If I "opt in" now, can I later get out of the NCD? If I "opt-out" of the NCD now, may I later join? A. Yes, to both questions, but it will require an amendment to the NCD Bylaw. The NCD may also be dissolved. The requirements for both of these situations are covered on page 26 of the NCD Bylaw. The NCD will be registered at the South Middlesex Registry of Deeds and future changes to any portion of it must go back through the Study Committee process and be approved by the Historical Commission, and then Town Meeting. For that reason, residents are encouraged to make an informed initial decision about whether to "opt-in" or "opt-out." Q: How can anyone build an addition without decreasing the amount of "green space?" A: The NCD regulations and guidelines ask owners to consider the green space, the shading possibilities, the removal of trees, etc. when they are thinking about building an addition. The Bylaw doesn't say that one can't do any of these things. The Bylaw is designed to encourage neighbors to consider the least impact when planning additions.