Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAbout2025-03-17-PB-min Minutes of the Lexington Planning Board Held on Monday, March 17, 2025 6:30 pm in the Parker Room, Town Office Building Planning Board members present: Michael Schanbacher, Chair; Robert Creech, Vice-Chair; Melanie Thompson, Clerk; Charles Hornig, and Tina McBride. Also present was: Abby McCabe, Planning Director. Michael Schanbacher, Chair of the Planning Board, called to order the meeting of the Lexington Planning Board on Monday March 17, 2025 at 6:30 p.m. LexMedia is filming the meeting for future viewing. Mr. Schanbacher explained that the only thing on the agenda tonight is to discuss the submitted amendment to Article 2 prior to tonight’s Special Town Meeting. He explained that the Board members would discuss and the Board can take a recommended position on the amendment. The Board can recommend support, disapproval, or not take a position. Public comments would be accepted only if time permits since the Board will need to conclude prior to the start of Special Town Meeting. Ms. McCabe reported that an amendment was submitted on Friday to include Lexington Center in the Multi-Family Overlay (MFO) District. Mr. Hornig clarified that the language in the main motion is to remove the MFO and this amendment seeks to eliminate that language. He said he supports housing in Lexington Center and has for a long time. More housing in the Center was an important part of the discussion two years ago with this zoning and numerous studies and goals over many years. Ms. Thompson said that she felt the proposed main motion under Article 2 does not include the Center and she would like to stick with the proposed language that the working group agreed to over the last couple of weeks. Supporting this amendment is not consistent with the nature of the compromise proposal. Ms. McBride said that the proponents and the Planning Board working group worked hard to get to a compromise proposal and things the housing in the Center should be separate from the zoning to achieve compliance with the MBTA Communities Act. She would like to revisit housing in the center in the future. Mr. Schanbacher said that he has always supported housing in the Center because it is an ideal location for more housing given its accessibility for future residents to be close to businesses and local services, and public transportation. He explained that this Amendment is not being brought forward by the Planning Board but the Planning Board is discussing a recommendation on the amendment brought forward by other Town Meeting members as a floor amendment. He added that at vote on housing in the Center sends a message to the Planning Board and Town Meeting about whether or not housing in the Center is desired. Mr. Schanbacher opened the meeting up to public comments. Dawn McKenna – Spoke as a proponent of the main motion and said that the proponent working group was unanimously opposed to this amendment. She recommended the Planning Board not support this amendment because it was not in the spirit of the compromise proposal. She added that the proponents changed the districts at the request of the planning board but they were not agreeable to maintaining the MFO in Lexington Center. Janet Moran – Spoke against the amendment to add housing in Lexington Center. Betsey Weiss – Spoke as one of the floor amendment authors and reported that the Housing Partnership Board meet this afternoon and voted 6 in favor, 1 opposed, and 1 abstained to support the floor amendment to maintain the multi-family housing in the Center. She said that this amendment was submitted because there was support from the Lexington Center Committee to keep the housing in the center and that there are many buildings in the Center that could be upgraded with housing that can bring foot traffic into the Center and provide a strong customer base. Tadd Dickenson – Asked questions about the by-right zoning nature and asked about the Historic District Commission’s authority. He was not supportive of the floor amendment particularly with the allowance for taller buildings on Massachusetts Avenue. Mr. Hornig responded that the Historic District Commission must approve any request for demolition and review any exterior changes to structures in the Battle Green Historic District. Ms. Thompson reiterated that the Planning Board gives recommendations on all zoning amendments including any submitted floor amendments. The main motion still goes forward to Town Meeting no matter the Board’s recommendation. Mr. Hornig added that Town Meeting will ultimately be making the decision and their vote will send a message to the community. He further added that in 2023, the Planning Board knew that requiring first floor commercial use would disqualify the MFO District in the Center from meeting the EOHLC Compliance Guidelines for MBTA Communities but housing in the center was important then so the Board included it in the Overlay Districts. Mr. Creech felt it was important that the Board take a position on this floor amendment. Mr. Creech moved to recommend Town Meeting disapprove the Manz Amendment. The Board voted 3- 2 to recommend that Town Meeting not approve the Manz amendment. (Vote: Creech – Aye, Thompson – Aye, McBride – Aye, Hornig – No, Schanbacher – No). The Board voted to adjourn at 7:10 pm. Exhibits: Amendment to Special Town meeting Article 2- Amendment from Manz, Weiss, Luker, Botla, dated March 14, 2025.