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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1986-01-06PLANNING BOARD MINUTES MINUTES OF JANUARY 6, 1986 The meeting of the Lexington Planning Board, held in Room G-15, Town Office Building, was called to order at 7:31 p.m. by the Chairman, Mrs. Smith, with members, Cripps, Sorensen, Uhrig, Planning Director Bowyer and Secretary Peters present. At about 7:45 p.m. the meeting was recessed and reconvened in the Selectmen's Meeting Room. 1. Resignation of Elizabeth Flemings: The Board was in receipt of a letter from Elizabeth Flemings to the Town Clerk dated December 26, 1985, resigning from the Planning Board. On the motion of Mr. Sorensen, seconded by Mr. Cripps, it was voted unanimously to approve a letter to the Selectmen notifying them of Mrs. Flemings' resignation and requesting a joint meeting to fill the vacancy on the Planning Board. Mrs. Smith spoke of what a great asset Mrs. Flemings has been to the Board and how sorry she is to see her go; other members agreed and added their appreciation of her contributions to the Board. Mrs. Flemings replied that she had enjoyed her tenure as a Planning Board member. ******** COMPREHENSIVE PLANNING, POLICIES ************************************ 2. Housing Element: Meeting with Selectmen, and Other Boards and Committees The Board discussed what it hoped to accomplish at the meeting with the housing oriented committees later in the evening. It was agreed to start discussion of the Housing Element. The people participating would only be able to comment as individuals as their respective boards and committees had not met to take a position on the draft. The boards and committees would be encouraged to make comments and recommendatations as a body later. Mr. Bowyer reviewed the concept of a comprehensive plan, the work completed to date, future work items, and the relationship of a Planning Board comprehensive plan to action by Town Meeting and other Town boards. At 7:45, the meeting was recessed and reconvened in to the Selectmen's Meeting Room for a meeting on the Housing Element of the Comprehensive Plan. Represent- ing the Selectmen were: Margery Battin, Jack Eddison, John McLaughlin and William Dailey. Representing the Housing Authority were: James McLaughlin, Donald Wilson and William Spencer. Representing the Lexington Housing Assistance Board were: Jean Gaudet, and William Hayes. Representing the Fair Housing Committee were: Robert Pressman, Fred D. Rosenberg and Stephen Baran. Represen- ting the Housing Needs Advisory Committee were: Eleanor Klauminzer, Elizabeth Flemings, Eric Clarke, Gail Colwell and Joel Adler. Also present were: Robert Hutchinson, Town Manager, Patricia Swanson, Martha Wood and Margaret Rawls. Mrs. Smith began the meeting by transmitting to the Selectmen the letter request- ing the Selectmen meet with the Planning Board to fill the vacancy on the Plan- ning Board. She then explained that the Planning Board had completed its work on the draft Housing Element to a point where they wished to get a broader review and comment from the boards represented here tonight. She hoped they would go back to their boards and committees and begin this process. Minutes for January 6, 1986 Page 2 She explained the term Master Plan noting that Lexington had been without one for many years, adding that the Housing Element is the first segment of the Master Plan completed, with more segments to follow. Mrs. Battin commended the Board for the thoroughness and balance in the Housing Element document, and for arranging this meeting for all committees primarily interested in housing. She compared the language in the equity and fairness section with a previously approved Town Meeting Resolution. James McLaughlin felt that economics was the factor preventing the growth of Lexington's housing stock, and that some of Lexington's rules and regulations contribute to this impediment. Mrs. Smith suggested that this is a good topic for discussion for the Housing Authority to discuss in depth at their meeting and get back to the Planning Board with their conclusions. Mr. Pressman said that some towns do better in funding for conservation purposes (i.e. land bank bills) than for funding housing, and felt that radical solutions such as placing dollar limits on new privately built housing were needed. Mr. Rosenberg asked how you balance the need for more housing in town with prob- lems created such as increased density, traffic and need for more town services, as well as concern for the preservation of residential character in town. Mrs. Smith answered that the Town boards will be grappling with this issue when they review the Katandin Woods Woods application for a comprehensive permit. She added that the plan is quite different from the first plan presented. Mrs. Klauminzer agreed it was a much better plan, and added that she felt that Housing Element document will contribute to this process as a guide. Joel Adler commented that housing discrimination is a more insidious problem. Mr. McLaughlin felt it does not exist today as it has in the past. Mrs. Smith felt there is still a need for policies to forbid discrimination. Mr. Eddison commented that Lexington is no longer the "bedroom community" it was in the past, and that more people are coming to work in Lexington than are leav- ing it for work elsewhere. He feels the need for a stronger statement to resist pressures to rezone property for commercial use. Mr Clarke commented that not all people agree with these remarks. He noted that Grace Chapel is up for rezon- ing and that this is an individual situation. Mr. Wilson could not think of many other examples of rezoning from residential to commercial districts, and felt that it would be hard to write policy for the whole town based on Grace Chapel's special circumstances. Mrs. Smith felt the balance has worked out. John McLaughlin questioned whether middle income figures and affordable housing fit under the goals of the Housing Element, and felt there was very little af- fordable housing in Lexington today. Mrs. Klauminzer noted that it was easier to create affordable middle income housing than low/moderate housing. Mr. Clarke added that it was harder to provide affordable housing in single units which is mostly what gets built in Lexington today. Mrs. Smith asked for more comments on what the Town can do. She wondered if there might be funding found for staffing Lexhab. Mr. Hutchinson saw the possi- bility for funding, but noted that this is a very tight year for increases in staffing expenditures. He added that he opposed the use of Town pension funds to fund housing construction. Mr. Dailey believed that there is a need for for more 1 1 u Minutes for January 6, 1986 Page 3 housing in Lexington, but the funding of this need should be balanced with the needs of other departments in town such as the Conservation Commission and the Recreation Department. He feels the Town has not encouraged the construction of rental housing. Mr. Wilson mentioned the DiVencent family have developed approximately 1500 apartments in Waltham, and have at least three times tried to build in Lexington without success. He feels they should have been encouraged. John McLaughlin agreed that there is a real need for garden apartments such as the DiVincent family has built in Waltham. Mr. Pressman suggested the surplus school sites as possible land for this use. Mrs. Gaudet commented that this had been proposed at Town Meeting and rejected by the voters. Mrs. Rawls would like to see something done to make the accessory apartment secton of the Zoning By -Law used more. Mrs. Smith thanked all participants at the meeting for their time and said the Planning Board would be waiting to hear more from the boards and committees they represented here tonight. The meeting adjourned at 9:20 Stephen Cripps, Clerk