HomeMy WebLinkAbout2008-09-18-2020-EDTF-rpt� t t
Selectmen's Office
Memorandum
Date: September 19, 2008
TO Donna Hooper, Town Clerk
From: Diana Chabot =-
. `per
RE: Lexington 2020 Vision Economic Development Task Force
At its meeting on September 15, 2005 the Board of Selectmen voted to accept the attached
Final Report of the Lexington 2020 Vision Economic Development Task Force.
Please let me know if you have any questions.
Thank you.
1625 Massachusetts Avenue Lexington, MA 42420 781- 862 - 0500x208 Fax 781-863-9468
e -mail selectmen@cl.lexington-ma.us
EXINGTO
� IsioN
Lexin 2020 Vision
Economic Development Task Force
Final Report
Au 22, 2008
Table of Contents
Section 1: Introduction, Taskforce charge and Process Explanation ..3
Economic Development Taskforce Charge ................................. ..............................3
TaskforceSubgroups ......................................... ................................ ......................,,......4
Section 2: Inventory and Highlights of Existing Commercial Areas ... ■6
Section 3: Economic Development Recommendations r s .. a a a a a a ■ ■ a a a a a a a a a .8
KeyRecommendation ..................................................................... ..............................8
1. Enhance Revenue through Commercial Development with Appropriate
Infrastructure Improvements and Mitigation ..... ........................... ..............................8
Supporting Recommendations ....................................................... ..............................9
2. Revise Zoning and Permitting .... .........................................
3. Create an Economic Development Advisory Committee ... .............................10
4. Develop Transportation Management Strategies .................. .............................
5. Consider Sustainability and Energy Conservation Measures ...........................10
Section `: Recommendation Discussion s ■ a a ■ a ■ a s • a ■ ■ ■ • ■ ■ a . a a ■ a ■ ■ ■ a ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ r ■ ■ r ■ a . ■ ■ ■ 11 ~
Section Summary ■......■ras ....■ ■■aaara■ss ■ar :■■r■a rags ■rs■ar ■aa ■■ara ■r■srar 18
Sect ion 6. Participants s■ a■■■■ s■■■ asaasaas■■ sr■■■s■■ aaaa■ 4aas ■a■■aa*s■ ■aaaa9aaaa ■ssa■ 18
List of Append
- I111 1.�11 - IIIi IIiI1�F
A. Paul Hamburger Analysis
B. Cecil Group and GLC Development Resources Commercial Zone Analysis and
Build Out Study
C. Economic Development Advisory Committee Charter
D. Green Communities Act
Lexington 2020 vision -- Economic Development Task Force - August 22, 2008 2 of 19
Section 1: Introduction Taskforce Charge Process Exglanation
Should Lexington's reliance on residential property taxes for town and school services
be balanced by more growth in commercial property and businesses? what kind of
~ commercial growth would work more effectively in Lexington, and how can we integrate
that growth into our community and neighborhoods? what economic factors determine
the kinds of companies and jobs that will locate in Lexington, and the business success of
our town center and other retail areas? How can we remove obstacles to successful
commercial, office, or retail growth in town and how can processes be improved?
Questions like these lend themselves to public discussion, debate; and consensus building
through our Lexington 2020 Vision process. 2020 encourages community involvement
and participation in government and 2020 created the Economic Development Taskforce
(EDTF) to further our understanding of this area. The 2020 Vision committee created the
Taskforce following a Scoping Group that defined the Taskforce charter.
Economic Development Taskforce Charge
The Economic Development Taskforce charge included:
engage the community in education about Lexington's existing businesses and
potential for further commercial development, and elicit community opinion on
these issues, broadly defined;
a conduct a modeling exercise to explicitly examine the tradeoffs associated with
various commercial - development choices;
examine with the public various regulatory issues affecting prospects for the
current business sector in town and for future commercial development, and how
Lexington 2020 vision - Economic Development Task Force - August 22, 2008 3 of 19
the structure of Lexington's complex regulatory and advisory system may impact
development decisions;
0 coordinate its work With that of the 2020 Vision Task Force on sustainability, and
incorporate considerations of sustainable development in its own work and
recommendations; and
® work with town officials to arrive at an effective, workable mission for an
economic- development officer.
To achieve these goals, the Taskforce formed four subgroups:
Taskforce Sub oups
Financial IM pa and Mode ling Subgrou
Paul Hamburger, of the subgroup, performed an initial financial analysis projecting
what town finances would look like if we simply continued doing what we are doing -- a
no- change scenario. In the analysis, the subgroup discovered that even with revenue
growth at 4 -5% per year, expenses would exceed that by 2 -3 %. This finding directed the
EDTF to address the need for additional revenue sources such as planned, appropriate
commercial development. His work is included in Appendix A.
The subgroup, through the expertise of Larry Smith of Cranberry Hill Associates,
evaluated the potential of three key commercial areas. The analysis evaluated all parcels
in the existing commercially zoned areas -- Rte 2A/Forbes, Bedford Street/Hartwell Ave
and Hayden Ave /Spring Street. It incorporated data from the Planning Department and
Co --Star as well as on -site evaluation of wetlands with an assessment of practical build -
out potential, considering site and zoning constraints as. well as the age of building and
building systems. Mr. Smith's analysis identified significant square footage development
potential.
Lexington 2020 Vision Economic Development Task Norco - August 22, 2008 4 of 19
Based on Mr. Smith's findings and analyses, the EDTF sought Town funding to obtain
the services of a consultant team to further examine existing conditions and the potential
for development in these same commercial districts.
The Cecil Group and GLC Development Resources were selected based on the team's
extensive experience in the preparation of commercial landuse, buildout and impact and
market analysis. Their. final report entitled the Commercial Zone Analysis and Build Out
Study is broadly referenced in this document and is Appendix B. The full report is
available online at the Town of Lexington's website.
htt :H6.1exi.ngton.m.a.us blicdocs /CommZoneStudv07 5O8sm -all . df}
Permitting and Re ulato Sub rou
The Permitting and Regulatory Subgroup assessed the Town's regulations and
procedures relative to those of surrounding communities to determine whether we are
inadvertently discouraging desired economic development. The Subgroup took into
consideration whether Town regulations and procedures are appropriate relative to
competing options available to the commercial enterprises that the Town would like to
attract.
Economic Development Officer Subgroup
The Economic Development Officer (EDO) Subgroup was formed to help shape the
current job description for the then open position. As one could imagine, the roles of this
position include diverse skills such as management and administration, marketing, market
research, regulatory intervention, policymaking, and information - gathering, just to name
a few. In order to accomplish this, the Subgroup met with EDOs from towns such as
Westwood and Belmont among others. In those meetings, we learned that most Metro
West communities are actively pursuing economic and commercial development. This
Subgroup assisted the Town Manager in creating a workable mission for the position and
in collecting candidate resumes. The Subgroup provided support, research, and guidance
during the hiring process.
Lexington 2020 Vision - Economic Development Task Force - August 22, 2008 5 of 19
Communications Sub rou
In order to engage the community on topics associated with economic development,
the Task Force issued press releases and articles as appropriate to keep the community
engaged and informed of the EDTF's progress. The subgroup at varying times received
feature coverage in The Colonial Tunes and The Lexington Minuteman. Internally, the
EDTF reported its progress and general topic substance to the Board of Selectmen and
Planning Board. The face -to face interaction with the public included a public meeting
regarding the Cecil Report and participation in the League of women Voters and the
Chamber of Commerce programs on taxes, commercial development, and the process and
progress of our work. In addition, the reports and updates of the EDTF were made
available on the 2020 link on the Town website.
Section 2: Invents and Hi hli hts of - Existing Commercial Areas
The following section presents a brief understanding of Lexington's large commercial
areas and their contributions and development prospects and the recent histories of these
areas. The Cecil Report goes into greater detail.
The Economic Development Task Force undertook an analysis of the potential fiscal
implications of the three larger commercial areas of Hartwell Avenue, Spring
Street/Hayden Avenue and Forbes Road. These areas have similar characteristics and are
distinct from the local business districts in town by nature of their uses, tax base and
large -lot campus settings. The three areas encompass 30,951,594 million square feet of
land or approximately 759 acres. wetlands amount to 14,897,591 square feet, leaving
16,054,033 square feet of developable land. [Cecil Group and GLC Development
Resources Commercial Zone Analysis and Build out Study, Tables 3 -1 and 3-2, Pg. 3 -2 ]
The Hayden Avenue District is a well- diversified business community; the area is
characterized by its cluster of life sciences companies. Identified by its wide lawns, treed
Lexington 2020 fusion - Economic Development Task Force -- August 22, 2008 6 of 19
vistas and average density of .18 Floor Area Ratio (FAR)', the area hosts leading
companies such as Shire HGT, Cubist Pharmaceuticals and Vista Print. The land area has
a developable square footage of 7.6 million square feet adjacent to the intersection of
Route 128 and Route 2. This area has seen the recent development of Shire HGT and
Cubist Pharmaceuticals.
The Hartwell Avenue district is bordered by Hanscom Air Force base and is home to
MIT Lincoln Laboratory. This district is one of the most prominent defense industry and
life sciences related hubs in the Boston area. The district has almost 6 million square feet
of developable land area. Other prominent businesses in the area include BAE, Synta
Pharmaceuticals, EPIX Pharmaceuticals, Instrumentation Laboratory and Varian, Inc.
Directly adjacent to Route 128/195 is the Forbes Road/Route 2A district which has a
little. over 2 million square feet of developable land. This is the location of Lexington's
newest hotels and globally connected high -tech businesses. Both lab/biotech and
suburban office users are located in this corporate area with an average density of .19
FAR. The area is at the gateway to the National Park. The largest business is Antigenics,
a biotechnology company that focuses on cancer vaccines and other disease treatments.
Most of the site was developed in 1979.
Significant development in these areas, for example development over 10,000 sq. ft.,
has been exclusively through Commercial District (CD) rezoning of parcels.
The Cecil Report states that these areas are substantially underdeveloped relative to
their potential. Some new value has arisen from minor fagade changes and small
Footnote: The Floor Area Ratio (FAR) is a commonly calculated ratio of the gross floor
area of all buildings to the land area. Lexington's definition of FAR uses the net .building area, or
80% of the gross, in lieu of using the gross building area; and, the delineated wetland area is
excluded from the total site area. Throughout this document FAR denotes Lexington's unique
calculation method.
Lexington 2020 Vision - Economic Development Task Force — August 22, 2008 7 of 19
additions but significant commercial development has been limited. New value would be
created through a building addition or by demolition and replacement. Neither option is
likely, in part because the loss of income from the property during the construction
process cannot be offset by the gains in income from the upgrade. In short, density
incentives to allow an adequate return on investment under the current conditions would
require a CIS rezoning. For the Town to capture new value, and therefore new revenue,
landowners must be able to build onto existing buildings or tear down and redevelop the
sites(s) and do so at densities that allow them to make the investment.
The quality of commercial and industrial properties is lacking in Lexington, and this
is an area of opportunity for the Town. In the last several years the value of commercial
and industrial property has not risen at nearly the same rate as residential values. As a
result, Lexington residential tax levy share has gone from 70% to 80% of the total levy,
shifting more of the tax burden onto residential taxpayers.
Section 3; Economic Development Recommendations
Ivey recommendation
1. Enhance revenue throuLyh Commercial Development with Appropriate
Infrastructure Improvements and Mitigation
Given the current constrictive fiscal climate in Massachusetts, it is important that
Lexington continue to actively revitalize and improve its existing commercial areas to
strengthen its tax base. Additional revenue contributions from the commercial sector
would lessen the town's increasing dependence on residential taxation and Proposition 2
Y2 override measures. In addition, vibrant commercial areas help to improve and maintain
local infrastructure and services while offering a direct benefit of increased job
opportunities for Lexington and nearby residents.
Lexington 2020 Vision - Economic Development Task Force — August 22, 2008 8 of 19
The EDTF recommends:
The Town should put in place policies to encourage the growth of its commercial tax
base by approximately $1 million per year over 10 years, which would reduce the need
for periodic overrides in Lexington. Values per square foot of new construction would
reflect an assessment close to $170lsq. ft. [Source.- Economic Development office] In
this valuation scenario, $10 million in tax revenue over ten years might be achieved by
utilizing 66% of the land development potential already zoned for this purpose. A
midpoint revenue target in this scenario, of $5 million, would be possible with
development of 43% of that potential.
In tandem with this recommendation, proper mitigation should be pursued with any
move toward further development.
Supporting Recommendations
2. Devise Zoning and Bermittin
The Town, through the work of the Planning Board, should consider policies and
implementation tools, such as rezoning, which facilitate economic development. The
Cecil Group Report (Appendix B) provides a wealth of information and outlines the
ramifications of various scenarios of increased commercial density. The Planning Board
should weigh the merits of density scenarios versus impacts, considering incentives that
encourage higher value developments and recommend zoning revisions to that end.
The Planning Board should further evaluate the reliance on the CD rezoning process
and consider employing methods to male commercial development approvals predictable
and equitable. with clear regulations in place, the Economic Development office should
initiate public relations programs to communicate the regulatory revisions that promote
Lexington as a business friendly community.
2 Assumes current valuations of $170lsq ft. and taxes of $23/1000 sq. ft. yielding approximately
$4 tax revenue per sq ft and requires approximately 1.28 million sq. ft. to be developed.
Lexington 2020 Vision - Economic Development Task Force - August 22, 2008 9 of 19
3. Create an Economic Development Advisor
Committee
The EDTF recommends the creation of an Economic Development Advisory
Committee (EDAQ, which will support the Town's Economic Development Officer and
develop and recommend programs to the Board of Selectmen pertaining to economic
development, be a proponent for the current and prospective businesses in Lexington, and
educate Lexington taxpayers about economic development issues. This committee would
help inform and advise Lexington leadership and citizenry to optimize this important
economic element of the community's well being. The charter for this committee is
attached in Appendix C.
4. Develop Transportation Management Strate es
Develop traffic management strategies that encourage alternative modes of
transportation to offset, in part, the increase in automobile traffic development may bring.
Traffic level of service measures should be redefined, and broadened, to include varying
transportation modalities and include mechanisms to measure pedestrian and cyclist
safety.
5. Consider Sustainabili and Energy Conservation Measures
The Town should develop sustainable regulations reinforcing Town Meeting's
resolution encouraging environmental sustainability. This requires . an understanding of
the host_ of sustainability and self - sufficiency measures and methods used in existing
projects executed by other municipalities and determine their appropriateness for
Lexington. Examples of such municipal efforts and related resources are included in
Appendix D.. Furthermore, the Board of Selectmen and Town Manager's office should
continue to use their committees to engage the community in a discussion and education
on sustainable issues.
All entities involved in planning and business development should be sensitive to
balancing environmental concerns with economic sustainability, working to maintain a
competitive advantage for Lexington relative to other municipalities
Lexington 2020 Vision - Economic Development Task Force -- August 22, 2008 10 of 19
Section 4: Recommendation Discussion
1. Pursue Revenue Enhancement through Commercial Development with Appropriate
Infrastructure Improvements and Mitigation
The data and range of scenarios evaluated within the Cecil Group and GLC
Development Resources, Commercial ,done Analysis and Build Out Study provide both a
theoretic and practical perspective on the range of estimated revenue to be gained from
development and, moreover, firmly establishes that Lexington stands to gain with any
movement toward encouraging development within its existing commercial zones. Of
course, calculating a revenue estimate depends greatly on the assumptions used about
rents, construction costs, tax rates and market Conditions. If a revenue goal is truly
needed to implement new policy directions, - it should be considered as an order of
magnitude rather than an explicit target.
The Cecil Report identified approximately 3 million square feet of developable net
building potential in the three areas and evaluated development scenarios at a low FAR of
.35 and a high of .90 [Cecil Group and GLC Development Resources Commercial gone
Analysis and Build Out Study, Table 3 -1 or 3 -2, Pg 3 -2] The higher density scenario
would represent a theoretical maximum amount of revenue if full development is
achieved but, as Cecil reports, would likely exceed practical limitations for
implementation and mitigation. The lower density scenario of ..35 as reported by Cecil
would yield approximately $11 million over 10 years. The EDTF recommendation of 5
million is a moderate mid -point and could potentially be obtained using less than half the
developable square footage identified by Cecil available in these commercial areas.
While at one time the commercial sector comprised a high of 33% of the tax levy,
over the last twenty years it has shifted and now comprises 20 %. Residential properties
have appreciated at a far greater rate than commercial properties. In Lexington, this
increase has meant a reduction in the share of the taxes borne by businesses. Residential
taxpayers are bearing more than they have historically.
Lexington 2020 vision - Economic Development Task Force - August 22, 2008 11 of 19
The Town's revenue projections assume 4- 4.5% growth in the tax levy annually,
including new construction (residential and commercial). Expenditures, however, are
projected to increase by approximately 5 -6% annually. [Source: Town Managers Office,
Financial Indicators & FY 2409 --2011 Financial Projections]. A reasonable goal is to not
only alleviate the revenue shortfall but also to try to reduce the burden on residential
taxpayers. Increasingly, the Town is relying on sources of revenue other than State Aid,
which remains still lower than six years ago as a percentage of operating revenue.
Residential property taxes are a reliable but limited source of revenue. Commercial
development and the tax base it provides are an area of opportunity for additional revenue
for Lexington.
The continued revenue shortfall anticipated by the Town's and the Hamburger
Analysis is further compounded by an 11.6% shift in the tax burden from commercial to
residential property owners that has occurred during the last twenty years. Given the
importance of this issue, further explanation and historical perspective is necessary.
Most of the growth in large commercial properties in Lexington took place in the
1950s. Town Meeting's reduction of the floor area . ratio (FAR.), a measure of
development intensity, from .25 to .15 in 1987 happened during the infancy of
Proposition 2 % when Town revenues were less problematic than now. In the years that
followed, the limits of Proposition 2 %2 proved unable to. keep up with inflation resulting
in the anticipated onset of Lexington tax overrides. It is noted that the first override to
fail in Town was in 1997 when the residential share of the tax burden was 75.7 %.
Intended to slow commercial growth, the 1957 FAR. reduction essentially stalled
growth. The current residential share of the tax burden remains at 75.9 %. Increased
commercial revenue would help reverse the 11.6% shift.
The EDTF believes increasing the intensity of commercial development is prudent
and would yield additional tax revenue. The exact revenue gained depends upon the
Lexington 2020 (Vision - Economic Development Task Force -- August 22, 2008 12 of 19
square footage and the quality and nature of the new development. In addition, time will
be required before any revenue is realized as building owners and developers will need to
go through the design, permitting and building process. This makes it imperative to create
incentives for building expansion and renewal now.
In tandem with this recommendation, the EDTF expects proper mitigation would be
pursued with any move toward further development. The Cecil Report suggests that
required infrastructure improvements would be funded by the new development, and
some of the mitigation should be borne by the developers. A cost analysis of
infrastructure improvements needs that would be funded with town or state sources could
yield a better approximation of net revenue projections.
2. Revise to Facilitate Economic Development
Although opinions varied within the EDTF, the general consensus has always
remained to pursue growth in our largest commercial districts. The desire to I increase
revenues from commercial development presents an opportunity for a comprehensive
restructuring of zoning and permitting that accomplishes increases in commercial
development, and at the same time, increases the livability for Lexington residents and
workers. by instituting reasonable conditions of approvals. There are many new planning
tools that were not available when the F.A.R. was reduced. These tools can provide both
safeguards and predictability to developers and citizens.
Presently, in our largest commercial zoning districts, a special permit with site plan
review (SPSP) is required when a developer or property owner (an applicant) wishes to
build a structure with -a total of 10,000 SF or more of floor area,. However, in order to
allow zoning changes customized to a particular parcel, a change in the zoning district
may be pursued via the approval of a Planned Commercial Development (CD). It is this
latter process the EDTF has discussed in the greatest detail.
A CD applies only to one site and is tailor made to its unique characteristics. This
process was developed to allow a developer greater flexibility on the site, at the same
Lexington 2020 Vision - Economic Development Task Force -- august 22, 2008 13 of 19
time allowing the Town greater certainty as to how the site will be used and built. As the
initial step in the rezoning, the applicant files a Preliminary Site Development and Use
Plan (PSDUP) with the Planning Board. This PSDUP is voted on by Town Meeting and
must be adopted by a two- thirds vote. The final approval necessary as part of rezoning to
a CD is the issuance of a Special Permit with Site Plan Review (SPS). by the zoning
Board of Appeals. This requires an applicant to file a Definitive Site Development and
Use Plan (DSDUP) and receive a finding by the zBA that the D SDUP is in substantial
conformity with the PSDUP approved by -Town Meeting. Additionally, it is common for
applicants to have received a full site review with the Conservation Commission
delineating the wetlands and the building areas.
There was general consensus .within the EDTF that the Town Meeting phase of the
CD approval process is too unpredictable and uncertain and should be overhauled to be
more predictable and acceptable to developers and citizens.
While a CD has no pre - determined zoning standards, the five CD districts approved
after 1987 have an average FAR of .25. The Cecil Group concludes that the CD
mechanism does not appear to have shifted densities in a major way from the .15
permitted in the underlying CRD or CM zones, although it is relatively flexible compared
to the limits of other Towns.
The EDTF has focused strongly on the concept of Floor Area Ratio (FAR) as a means
to quantify and discuss the concepts of build -out and density. The Cecil Report goes into
great detail. as to how FAR is calculated and uses illustrations as guidance. In brief, the
FAR of a site in Lexington is based on the ratio of net floor area to the size of the lot less
wetlands. It - is worth noting that some see excluding wetlands from the FAR calculation
to further constrain development potential because development in or outside the
wetlands buffer zone is already regulated under the permitting authority of the Town
Conservation Commission. It has been argued that using developable area only keeps the
development density low. others perceive that the exclusion of the wetland area from the
Lexington 2020 Vision -w Economic Development Task !Ponce- -- August 22, 2008 14 of 19
calculation provides for balanced building, proportionate to the available buildable area
of a lot, thus maintaining a general aesthetic of a district.
3. Economic Development Advisory Committee
Several communities, including Brookline, Needham and Westwood, have formed
economic development advisory boards. Their advisory boards are comprised of residents
with a diverse background of experience in finance, real estate development and law. The
boards regularly meet with developers, review proposals and make recommendations
about the merits of a new project. In some cases they recommend to the Selectmen,
Manning Board and other town officials actions that will attract appropriate business
development in their communities.
The Economic Development Task Force recognizes. the value of taking an active role
in commercial development. The Town's regulatory boards and staff play a vital role in
shaping commercial development. Yet the specific objectives of each of these boards will
be appropriately focused in each of their areas. An economic development advisory
committee can act as a focused resource for the Board of Selectmen to look at specific
measures and general strategies which will enhance the overall commercial base of
Lexington. Moreover, the board can serve as an advisory body to the Economic
Development Officer and the Town Manager.
The draft charter of the Economic Development Advisory Board (EDAQ is attached
in Appendix C.
4. Develop Transportation Management Strategies
The Cecil Deport states that commercial development build -out will not be capped by
the amount of floor area available to be developed, but by "the willingness of the Town
to absorb additional traffic and the ability to mitigate those impact costs effectively." The
Taskforce recognizes if we wish to maximize the commercial development potential, a
shift in hove we view and manage - transportation will be required. The MassHighway
Lexington 2020 Vision - Economic Development Task Force - August 22,, 2008 15 of 19
Design Guidebook provides principles and implementation to improve transportation.
The three commercial areas do not have a pedestrian or bicycle infrastructure.
The area roadways have seen, and will see, several upgrades in the coming years.
Last fall the Town striped a portion of Hartwell Avenue to accommodate bicycle traffic.
The Town has advocated for upgrades by the State for key area intersections and expects
construction of an upgrade at WalthamfMarrett in 2011. Design will begin for sidewalks
along Spring Street and improvements to the intersection of Marrett Road and Spring
Street. Unlike several of the key interchanges off of Route 1281195, the 41225 interchange
has not received an upgrade in thirty years.
The local roadways to these areas experience peak hour congestion. Recently, several
of the Hartwell Avenue area businesses voluntarily took part in an employee survey to
gauge interest and routing for private transit service. These employers together are
exploring options for a private shuttle. The single largest private employer, MIT Lincoln
Laboratory, operates shuttles to Cambridge for its employees. Another business operates
a shuttle bus between its locations in Waltham and Lexington. The 128 Business Council
Alewife shuttle serves Hayden Avenue. In addition, LEXPRESS serves the 16 Hayden
Avenue medical building.
Significant. commercial expansion is occurring in Waltham, and Burlington. This will
likely impact traffic in surrounding communities regardless of whether Lexington pursues
a focused commercial expansion strategy or not. Recognizing that development projects
generate traffic and other regional consequences, the city of Waltham and the towns of
Weston, Lincoln, Burlington and Lexington are now working together to promote more
orderly development. By forming the 128 Central Corridor Coalition, the communities
are looking to improve transit options, bring zoning rules into sync, create a unified
system for mitigation efforts, and consider the effects of seemingly unrelated projects
across all four communities. If Lexington adopts a pro-active approach to commercial
development, the Cecil Report points to the Town's ability to potentially recap some
costs of transportation infrastructure increases via that development.
Lexington 2020 Vision - Economic Development Task Force - August 22, 2008 16 of 19
As stated in the Cecil Report, "without appropriate regulation, new development
could cause a range of negative impacts to the Town; in practice, many of the potential
impacts can be removed or reduced { "mitigated "I as part of the permitting and approval
process." [Cecil Group Inc and GL.0 Development Resources Commercial ,Zone Analysis
and Build out Study, Pg. 1--5.
5. Consider Sustainabilily and Energy Conservation Measures
Although the marketplace is responding to the need for sustainable practices,
incentives such as tax credits, fast - tracking permits or density bonuses that would
encourage the marketplace to adopt sustainable practices sooner, require thoughtful
evaluation. At the State level, one initiative conceived as bringing businesses, utilities
and municipalities together to address our dependence on non - renewable energy, is the
Green Communities Act. See Appendix D.
Municipal government can influence the level of sustainable practices used in Town.
In some instances this may be fairly straightforward with new zoning regulations,
creating incentives for individual and neighborhood efforts such as energy generation,
and charging fees for poor practice, e.g., impermeable surfaces, inadequate insulation,
waste creation. The EDTF assumed sustainable development practices would continue to
be part of Lexington's regulatory structure.
Lexington has in place some regulations and policies that address sustainability
practices but the other existing metrics commonly used are out of synch with our goals of
sustainability. That is, we measure congestion for vehicular movement, not pedestrian
movements; we measure traffic but not carbon emissions; we measure impervious surface
but do not. credit undisturbed sites. The Taskforce supports using resources such as
energy, water, materials and land more efficiently than building just to the State code.
Incorporating sustainable practices into the commercial development process will ensure
long -term economic sustainability.
Lexington 2020 Vision - Economic Development Task Force -- August 22, 2008 17 of 19
Section 5: sumrnar
The Economic Development Task Force's work centered around two key
elements: potential growth in commercial property and the overall regulatory framework
for commercial development. The potential revenues are attractive yet must be balanced
with the character of the community. The choice of the right amount of development is
important and will be determined by community factors and market readiness. In
summary the Taskforce recommends the following efforts:
1. Revenue Enhancement through Commercial Development with Appropriate
Infrastructure Improvements and Mitigation
2. Revise zoning and permitting
3. Create an Economic Development Advisory Committee
4. Develop a strategy to mitigate traffic increases due to development
5. Develop measures to encourage sustainability
As the EDTF concludes its work, it recommends the Board of Selectmen and the
Planning Board move forward on these carefully evaluated and thoughtful
recommendations.
Section 6: Part
The Economic Task Force members have met monthly for two years. The Taskforce
was well represented with active participation by Town officials, local businessman,
developers, residents and business advocates. Members have gleaned an understanding of
the factors influencing and controlling development and engaged in in -depth analysis and
spirited discussions. Members listed in bold attended multiple meetings.
Lexington 2020 Vision - Economic Development Task Force - August 22, 2008 18 of 19
Adam Saes
Art Katz
Carl Valente
Charles Hornig
Colin Eaton
Colin Smith
Richard Canals
Ed Grant
Fernando Quezada
Fred Johnson
Gant Redmon
Gregory zurlo, Co -Chair
Jerry Michelson
John McWeeney
John Rosenberg
Kevin MacGuire
Larry Smith
Mary Jo Bohart
Maryann McCall - Taylor
Mollie Garberg, Co -Chair
Narain Bhatia
Norm Cohen
Richard ]Pagett
Rick DeAngelis
Rod Cole
Sheila Watson
Susan Yanofsky
Torn Fenn
Wendy Manz
Bold = Active
Lexington 2020 Vision - Economic Development Task Force - August-22, 2008 19 of 19