HomeMy WebLinkAbout2025-06-16-PB-minMinutes of the Lexington Planning Board
Monday, June 16, 2025 at 6:30 pm
Held in Estabrook Hall, Cary Memorial Building, 1605 Massachusetts Avenue, Lexington, MA 02420
The meeting was also available via Zoom
The Planning Board attended and participated in the Select Board's Residential Impact Study Debrief of
the report issued in April by Fougere Planning & Development. Members of the School Committee,
Appropriation Committee, and Capital Expenditures Committee also participated. The meeting was filmed
by LexMedia and is available for viewi „N r„e.
The Planning Board meeting was called to order at 6:30 pm. Chair Michael Schanbacher, Vice Chair
Melanie Thompson, Bob Creech, and Charles Hornig were present.
Mr. Bartha (Town Manager), Ms. Kosnoff (Assistant Town Manager for Finance), and Ms. McCabe
(Planning Director) gave a summary in response to the Fougere Report's findings. Ms. Kowalski (Assistant
Town Manager for Development) was also present. Mark Fougere and Jeffrey Donahue introduced
themselves and gave a high-level overview of the study. They were hired to interview various departments
heads to gain insight into the service demands from the multi -family projects submitted to the town over
the last year. When projects are residential and commercial, the commercial square footage is taxed at a
commercial rate.
Various members of each board and committee provided comments on the report. Some people asked
for more specific analysis of breaking points at which time services such as a new school, capital upgrades,
or certain operational cost increases may be needed. Several different scenario strategies in response to
certain conditions were suggested. The Appropriation and Capital Expenditures committee members
expressed concern about the lack of certain details in the Fougere Report and the potential financial
impact of increased services than did members of other Boards and Committees.
Planning Board members had the following comments:
• Recommended monitoring with each development after construction to have more data;
• Noted that the report was reassuring in terms of impacts;
• Clarified that the residential development applications came in the second year after the zoning
changes were adopted;
• In the first 4 years after zoning adoption, the number of new housing units may be close to the
Planning Board's original projection;
• Explained that applicants are required to perform their own infrastructure utility upgrades
adding that sewer and water is looked at with each development proposal. For example, the
Piper Road project has to build and install sewer to extend to their project site;
• The creation of new roadways is not likely a possibility. Roadway improvements would likely
focus on pedestrian improvements such as bike lanes and sidewalks for residents and not
specific for each development;
Planning Board Meeting
June 16, 2025
Page 1 of 2
• Noted the importance of a variety of all types of housing in terms of cost;
• Peak school enrollment was in 1970;
• The recent zoning changes from this spring's Special Town Meeting has already slowed down
new development applications and no new proposals have been submitted since March;
• That years of single-family exclusionary zoning has led to the level of services we have today and
Lexington should lead again to create inclusionary zoning with the same level of service we are
looking to provide with this conversation.
The Planning Board voted to adjourn at 8:01 pm.
List of Documents:
.2r.-.e.:se.nta..i..on....j.r...orn....Staffi:..L.)r.:..J..un..e......6.a..... 2 meeting
In „„ysis„��fi„I�” inti-Farr1_I„y„II����us„i_n„g 2.f���I���sM.int on Lexington, Massachusetts, prepared for the
Town of Lexington, prepared by Fougere Planning & Development in association with Jeffrey Donahoe
Associates, dated April 2, 2025.
Planning Board Meeting
June 16, 2025
Page 2 of 2