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MAP exington Housing Partnership Board
Meeting Minutes for November 25, 2019
Attendees: Bob Peters, Harriet Cohen,Jeri Foutter,Wandy Manz, Rich McDonough, Bob Peters, Bob
Pressman, Mark Sandeen, Melanie Thompson, Melinda Walker, Betsey Weiss
Absent: Mary Haskell, Paul Linton
Guests: Nancy Corcoran-Ronchetti, Len Morse-Fortier
The Housing Partnership Board (HPB) meeting was chaired by Jeri Foutter and minutes were taken by
Harriet Cohen.The meeting was called to order at 6:54.
1. Call to Order
2. Approve Prior Minutes
Ms. Walker moved approval of the July 23 minutes as amended, Mr. Pressman seconded the
motion.The motion was carried unanimously.
Ms. Walker moved approval of the September 19 minutes as amended, Mr. Pressman seconded
the motion.The motion was carried unanimously.
Ms. Walker moved approval of the October 7 minutes as amended, Ms.Weiss seconded the
motion.The motion was carried unanimously.
Ms. Walker moved approval of the October 29 minutes as amended, Mr. Pressman seconded
the motion.The motion was carried unanimously.
3. 186 Bedford Street
Ms. Foutter recognized the HPB in general and Ms. Weiss and Ms. Walker in specific for their
hard work on the 186 Bedford Street rezoning warrant article.Thank you also to the Planning
Board and Select Board.
4. Joint Board of Selectmen & HPB Meeting-40R&40S presentation
Mr. Peters commented on the usefulness of the presentation, as did several of the members of
the HPB.
S. Hosmer House/Leary developments
Mr. Pressman reported that, at the beginning of September, Ms. Barry convened a meeting
regarding the feasibility of LexHAB securing a grant at CPC including consideration of Hosmer
House being a part of the housing on the Leary land..
The initial request from LexHAB was for$75K for design funds for Leary. There was a discussion
at the CPC meeting to add $25K to that request to include an evaluation of the financial impact
of using the Hosmer House for affordable housing.
At the Select Board meeting of Oct. 7, Mr. Malloy discussed having a working group to study the
idea of including the Hosmer House as part of the Leary project. A working group was formed.
Ms. Hai will chair the working group. Les Savage will represent LexHAB. Ms. Weiss will also
participate on the working group.
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MAP exington Housing Partnership Board
The HPB concluded it is too expensive to mix affordable and historical housing; instead, a more
feasible approach would be to build an addition with 6 affordable units.
6. Planning Board Update
Mr. Peters said that the new Planning Director was introduced at the last Planning Meeting.The
new director is Amanda Loomis, most recently the planning director in Framingham.
7. Council on Aging Update
Mr. McDonough reported on a study showing that seniors are being squeezed out of Lexington
by high taxes.
8. LexHAB Update
Thursday was Pat Goddard's last day as Executive Director.
Work is proceeding apace on the Busa property. However, LexHAB still has financial challenges
on this work.The contract with the modular company exhausted the money allocated by the
under the Community Preservation Act. LexHAB has contributed $90,000 for the modular
company. LexHAB requested an additional $320,000 from the CPC for work on Leary.
There are two issues related to the latest funding request:first,the Town is interpreting a
contract signed previously with LexHAB as LexHAB having committed to no further funding
requests.The second issue is that the CPC doesn't allocate money to work that is already
committed, so some of the LexHAB work is not eligible.
Town Counsel has been asked to determine whether LexHAB can be reimbursed for monies
already expended.
9. Lexington Housing Authority Update
No update.
10. SPRD Update
A report was submitted to Town Meeting. A consultant is coming to inform Lexington as to what
other communities have done regarding special permits and to help the committee decide on its
recommendations.
11. Brief Comments
Ms. Foutter has received feedback from HPB members that meetings run too long because
discussions digress from the topic at hand. Ms. Foutter asked everyone's cooperation in keeping
the meeting on track and in keeping updates to the point. Ms. Foutter inquired whether the HPB
members are feeling heard at the meetings and everyone agreed as they were. Ms. Foutter also
asked that when members submit items for the agenda that they include a time allocation for
the items.
The sentiment of the HPB was to reserve space in the Community Center rather than Town Hall.
12. 40R and 40S and Planning Board
Ms. Foutter will work with Mr. Creech regarding the scheduling of a 40R and 40S presentation to
the Planning Board.The presentation will most likely be in the spring.
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MAP exington Housing Partnership Board
Ms. Foutter asked where we could have used Chapter 40R had we acted earlier. It is possible
that the Town could have received Chapter 40R funds for Met State, Lexington Courtyard on
Lowell Street, and 186 Bedford Street. Ms. Foutter suggested that HPB apply to the CPC for a
consultant to identify possible 40R sites within Lexington.
Ms. Weiss moved that the HPB investigate the feasibility of applying to the CPC for study funds
to identify possible 40R sites within Lexington. Ms. Cohen seconded the motion.The motion was
approved unanimously.
13. Housing Choice Bill Advocacy
Ms. Weiss provided an updated version of the June letter in support of Housing Choice Bill
H.3507.The letter was updated to include that fact that the 186 Bedford Street rezoning was
approved, albeit 7 months later than it might have been which substantially delayed
development.
In email, Mr. Sandeen suggested sending the letter to the entire Lexington state legislative
delegation,to the Governor, and to the Select Board members, as well as to the Speaker of the
Massachusetts State house.
The HPB made some wording changes while preserving the message of the letter. Ms. Walker
moved approval of the letter as amended by the HPB. Mr. Pressman seconded the motion.The
motion was approved unanimously.
Ms. Foutter appointed herself and Ms. Weiss to the newly formed Legislative Letter sub-
committee to determine further action.
14. Open Meeting Law
Based on recent judicial rulings, any offering of opinions on email, even between only two
parties, is not permitted. All deliberations must be done in a public meeting.The updates to the
Open Meeting Law will be discussed at the next meeting.
15. New Business
There was no new business.
16. Action Items
There was no update on action items.
17. Set Next Meeting Date
The next meeting will be on Dec. 17.
18. Adjourn
Ms. Weiss moved adjournment and Ms. Cohen seconded.The motion was approved
unanimously.