HomeMy WebLinkAbout2019-07-25-LCC-min Town of Lexington
Lexington Center Committee
Minutes for the meeting of July 25th, 2019, Parker Room, 1625 Massachusetts Avenue,
Lexington, MA 02420
Center Committee members: Michael Boudett, Katherine Huang, Frederic Johnson,
Howard Levin, Pamela Lyons, Jerold Michelson (Chair)
Liaisons: Bob Creech, Planning Board, Melisa Tintocalis, EDD, Francine Stieglitz, CD,
Casey Hagerty, EDD, Joe Pato (guest)
Eric Gitschier gave the DPW update: Right now there's more work than funding for
sidewalk brick maintenance around Depot Square. (Did I get this right?)
Mike and Jerry commented on how moving Discovery Day to back to Mass Ave was a
major success with more booths, food and events attracting a larger crowd.
Howard noted that the Center Streetscape Planning continues apace. Right now the
committee is nailing down details such as bike racks, lighting (always a complicated
issue) etc. The plan is to go with the concrete/plastic combo for the ramps as requested
by the Commission on Disability. Bidding will take place in Spring 2020 with work to
commence in Spring 2021. Trees will be a mixture of honey locust and other trees that
will be not too tall, grow fast, hardy, salt tolerant, less dense canopy (to discourage the
massing of small birds that afflict us now) and the lowest limbs will be over 6.5 feet.
There will be "interesting stuff under the sidewalk" so the tree roots will have room to
grow. The overall intent is to have a lower maintenance sidewalk.
Casey gave the EDD update: Melisa obtained a $15k grant to study retail strategy in the
Center. She also has $10K for a strategic marketing plan for tourism. Casey showed us
slides of an "activated" space in Ashland. Sotheby's withdrew its proposal for
expansion into the vacant space next door.
Mike suggested that we look into developing an ordinance to discourage vacant space
in the Center. This will be an agenda item in September. Jerry noted that LaDolda
hopes to open in September (although some members observed that work seems to
have stopped in that space.) We are hopeful. Right now, the spaces formerly occupied
by Goodfeet, Vine Brook, narrow space next to Panera, and Dunkin Donuts are vacant.
DD is not coming back.
HDC sent Melisa a letter regarding the GMA installation. It was agreed that the
committee members needed to see the letter to understand exactly what it at issue. (The
letter was circulated by email after the meeting. The HDC wrote that that the recently
added neon green connect four board was a new item that had not been approved by
the HDC.) Some members were to attend the August 1 HDC meeting to discuss the
issue but that meeting was cancelled due to lack of a quorum.
Howard, Mike and Fred flushed out a number of jurisdiction issues and there was an
informal consensus that the Center Business District should be taken out of the HDC's
jurisdiction. Some members noted that the Center just isn't that historic and it does not
make sense to have authority over the Center. Also, there are no explicit limits on
HDC's authority. Joe noted that the proposed guidelines to not reflrct the HDC's recent
decisions to allow non-natural materials. Howard noted that the enabling statute
Chapter 447 of the Acts of 1956 allows jurisdiction over maintenance. Fred noted the
anomaly that Lexington Place is not subject to the general Center zoning (specifically
the "ban' on new banks and real estate offices.) Jerry, Mike and Howard will meet with
Bob Creech and Bob Peters of the Planning Board to discuss Center zoning issues.
The committee voted to approve the minutes for the June 13th, 2019 meeting by a vote
of 5-0-1.