HomeMy WebLinkAbout2005-05-04-PB-min
PLANNING BOARD MINUTES
MEETING OF MAY 4, 2005
A regular meeting of the Lexington Planning Board held in Room G-1, Town Office Building, was called
to order at 6:30 p.m. by Chairman Harden with members Manz, Hornig, Canale and planning staff
McCall-Taylor present. Mr. Galaitsis was absent.
***************************** VISION 2020 COMMITTEE ******************************
Update from the Vision 2020 Committee: Ms. Candy McLaughlin and Ms. Stacey Hamilton reported on
recent activities of the Vision 2020 Committee. Lexington 2020 Vision is a town-wide effort to use
"20/20 vision" and empower residents to help determine what Lexington will be like in the year 2020.
The Lexington 2020 Vision Committee coordinates the process. The three Task Forces formed last fall
have completed their work of analyzing the issues and recommending actions related to several of the
community's long-term priority goals. Final reports of the task forces on Forging Constructive
Community Discourse and Strengthening Lexington’s Budget Process and Communications are now
available. The Fostering Economic Development task force identified some key issues but did not agree
to propose any concrete actions at this time.
Mr. Canale said that the economic development group has the most direct impact on the Planning Board
and its responsibilities and that he had participated in some of their meetings. However, although the
chair came up with things that were to be solutions, there seemed to be no high level commitment to the
process. As a result there was no real incentive to put a lot of work into it. A coalition is needed to get real
work done, and authority and direction are needed, with the Selectmen and Planning Board taking more
responsibility.
Ms. Hamilton said that the task force would reconvene again in six months to see where they are and to
keep going forward. Mr. Canale asked who was the Planning Board delegate, and Mr. Harden responded
that he had gone to the October kick-off and then the economic development meetings through November
but that the group seemed to be covering the same ground as the Center Committee. Ms. Hamilton said
that 2020 is not looking at five years out but at the long range of twenty years.
Board members then got into a discussion of the Center Committee, commercial development in general
and how it might all fit together.
Mr. Canale asked what the 2020 group wanted from the Planning Board. Ms. Hamilton said they were
hoping to provide training for chairs and committees on public discourse. Mr. Hornig said he felt the
Planning Board meetings were often contentious but in different ways than at School Committee and
Board of Selectmen meetings. He wondered if communication were a problem or was it just that people
were not interested in the Planning Board. Mr. Canale said decisions by the Planning Board affect the
Town as a whole and for the long term, yet people are only interested when it affects them. He felt that
the public access channels would make information more available.
Mr. Harden said that the Board spends a lot of meeting time on neighborhood development issues and
that doesn’t seem to be slowing down. As chair he is still learning the way but tries to think how
neighbors feel. He thought it might be helpful to have a knowledgeable person sitting and giving some
feedback but there was no appeal in having a general meeting on diverse issues.
Ms. Hamilton asked if it would be helpful to have a joint board meeting. Members felt that given other
issues they were contending with, the 2020 process might not be the most pressing issue. They urged the
group to reach out to new people for membership.
Minutes for the Meeting of May 4, 2005 2
************* ADMINISTRATION OF LAND DEVELOPMENT REGULATIONS *************
PLANS NOT REQUIRING APPROVAL UNDER THE SUBDIVISION CONTROL LAW
Form A/2005-3, Hayes Lane: The Board reviewed an Approval Not Required Plan for land on Hayes
Lane. On a motion duly made and seconded it was voted to endorse the plan entitled "Plan of Land in
Lexington, MA (Middlesex County) ", dated December 6, 2005, prepared by Oak Engineering,
Newburyport, MA, certified by Edward Dixon, Registered Land Surveyor, with Form A/2005-3,
submitted by Mr. John Farrington for Alan Lane, applicant, as it does not require approval under the
Subdivision Control Law.
************************************* MINUTES **************************************
Review of Minutes: The Board reviewed and corrected the minutes for the meetings of January 26, and
April 13, 2005. On a motion duly made and seconded, it was voted to approve the minutes as amended.
The Board reviewed the minutes for the meetings of February 9, April 4 and 6, 2005. On a motion duly
made and seconded, it was voted to approve the minutes as written.
************************************* REPORTS *************************************
Staff Report – Ms. McCall-Taylor gave a brief update on the hiring of planning staff, as well as the
consultant selection process for the Marrett Road intersection study.
Planning Board, Subcommittees – Mr. Canale reported on the meeting at DCAM with Sasaki Associates
on Lot 1 of Middlesex Hospital. It was an outgrowth of the negotiations regarding the outside-548
disposal process. While the lot is no longer being sold using outside-548 the state had committed to a
study of development potential of the lot.
Mr. Canale said that at the charrette on Lexington Center he had talked about the scenic road designation
along the Battle Road. There is an attempt to get together a group to get state designation. The area
includes the North Bridge to the last historic house in Arlington. Mr. Canale said he would represent the
Board at the meetings on this matter.
On a motion duly made and seconded, it was voted to adjourn the meeting at 8:35 p.m.
Richard L. Canale, Clerk