HomeMy WebLinkAbout2019-01-10-LCC-min Town of Lexington
Lexington Center Committee
Minutes for the meeting of January 10th, 2019. 8:30 am, Parker Room,
1625 Massachusetts Avenue, Lexington, Massachusetts.
Committee members: Michael Boudett, Richard Brown, Katherine Huang, Howard
Levin, Jeffery Lyon, Pamela Lyons, Jerold Michelson (Chair) Pamela Shadley, David
Tabeling
Liaisons: Joe Pato, Board of Selectmen, Bob Creech, Planning Board, Frank Smith,
Capital Expenditures Committee, Melisa Tintocalis, Economic Development Director,
David Pinsonneault, Department of Public Works, Casey Haggerty, Megan Zammuto,
Economic Development Office
David Pinsonneault gave the DPW update: the holiday banners are down and the lights
will come down after Valentine's Day. The Center lines and crosswalks will be
repainted before Patriot's Day. The extra center cleaner will end work before the
summer so a new arrangement will be necessary. DPW will go for a full construction
cost for the Streetscape Plan at Town Meeting. Current price tag is $9.3 million dollars.
DPW is hoping to shave that down a bit. The sample curb ramps are on order. DPW
will install both granite and the current model as test samples across from each other in
the Center so people can test and compare them.
Michael Boudett expressed two concerns for the TM vote. No CPA funds are available
and it's a very short test period for the ramps. Pamela Shadley stressed the need for
providing accurate information to TM and the public.
And the skating rink is up.
Melisa Tintocalis gave the EDD update: Love at First Bite opens January 11. There's no
information as to when the BOA construction will end. There's a chance that a Chase
ATM will go into the vacant Goodfeet space.
The Planning Department is not yet fully staffed (following a complete turnover of
personnel last year) so the PMG will have to wait a bit longer.
Megan Zammuto reminded us that no final determination has been made as to where
the temporary Visitors Center will go. But the old one needs to be vacated in May so we
haven't much time. The consensus was that the Committee would stay with its prior
recommendation that a temporary trailer in front of the outgoing Visitors Center is the
best choice.
There was a lively discussion of pop-up stores deriving from the assigned reading for
this meeting. As the rental market softens landlords are more inclined to rent to pop-
ups. Retailers taxes are higher in Lexington than in Concord —rent is about the same.
Interestingly, entities are paying too much for Lexington commercial real estate so the
retail tax rate is increasing. Commercial taxes elsewhere in town are going down.
Pamela Shadley suggested creating a guidebook for Lexington landlords along the
points in the article.
Arlington has a vacancy penalty for landlords. For responsive landlords this helps to
initiate communication. There was a consensus that it would be useful to have a
"gentle"penalty if space is not activated within a reasonable amount of time. TM would
have to approve a change in the by-laws. Jerry will follow up on this. Melisa will
circulate the Arlington by-law.
The Committee voted 9-0 to approve the minutes for the December, 2018 meeting.
Discovery Day is moving back to Massachusetts Avenue after 19 years in the
Michelson's Parking Lot. Logistics is going to be more complicated. How can the LCC
and the EDO help?