HomeMy WebLinkAbout2018-12-13-LCC-min Town of Lexington
Lexington Center Committee
Minutes for the meeting of December 13th, 2018
Parker Room, ground floor 1625 Massachusetts Avenue, Lexington, Massachusetts
Members: Richard Brown, Katherine Huang, Frederic Johnson, Jeffrey Lyon, Pamela
Lyons, Jerold Michelson (Chair), Pamela Shadley, David Tabeling
Liaisons: Joe Pato, Board of Selectmen, Melisa Tintocalis, Economic Development
Director, Megan Zammuto, Economic Development Office
Melisa gave the economic development update. Melisa met with the owner of LaDolda,
which is coming into the vacant Great Harvest space. LaDolda will have fresh, frozen
and dried pasta for takeout. There's been an unsettling rumor that a bank may be
moving into the vacant Goodfeet space. This caused some consternation due to the new
requirement for incoming banks. There is no news as to anything coming into the Vine
Brook space (now vacant for 2 years.)
As for the new Visitors Center. The staff recommendation is to rent a mobile unit with
restrooms and limited retail at the current site in order to maintain focus on that area.
Utilize the temporary unit to inform the public as to what is going on with the new
Visitors Center. Pamela Shadley floated the idea that we use space in the Cary Library
(already conditioned, major cost savings, good restrooms.) The consensus was that we
stay with the temporary space on site as we had voted previously to support.
Megan indicated that the bike share racks in the Center would be split up into 2 sets
with one set in the Center and the other likely moved to East Lexington.
Casey Hager and Jenny Gingrees (Building Department) are working on a flow chart
for new businesses. A draft was passed around for comment, with comments requested
by the following Tuesday.
Jerry suggested that it would be helpful to reactivate the Parking Management Group.
Jerry also noted that some parking meter screens are unreadable. This might be a
battery issue. Also, the plastic bag ban takes effect on January 1, 2019. The use of twine
for bag handles was discussed. The Lexington Retailers Association is considering
moving Discovery Day back to Massachusetts Avenue.
Concern was expressed over the dilapidated condition of a building on Muzzey Street
and the Verizon building. How to get the landlord to keep the buildings in better repair;
what entity should reach out in the first instance; and how.
Jerry also discussed the issue of sandwich signs in the Center. Some businesses would
like to put them out but are prohibited by the HDC and the Town Manager, while non-
profits are permitted to do so. Meanwhile the HDC is revising its guidelines. Outreach
meetings will be held in February and March. The meeting for businesses will be held
on March 121H
The Center Committee voted 7-0 to approve the minutes for the September and
November, 2018 meetings. The Center Committee voted 6-0 to accept and not release
the minutes for the September executive session.
There will be a citizen's article before Town Meeting requesting a ban on non-reusable
straws and polystyrene.