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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2004-05-25-HPB.min Appendix 1 Affordable Housing Partnership Meeting Minutes for May 25, 2004 Attendees: Bob Bicknell Tom Harden Iris Wheaton Winifred McGowan Paul Sodano Mary Haskell Donald Graham Maryann McCall-Taylor Ruth Ladd Inky MacDougall Jeri Foutter Bob Bicknell chaired the meeting; Jeri Foutter took the minutes. The meeting was called to order at 7:08 pm. 1. Previous Meetings Minutes were approved by unanimous vote. Lexington Housing Partnership Meetings Minutes: April 28, 2004 March 23, 2004 February 24, 2004 January 22, 2004 December 10, 2003 Housing Action Forum/Housing Partnership: November 19, 2003 Future approval votes will occur at the beginning of the Meeting, for the previous Meeting’s Minutes. 2. Dan Smith announcement. Dan Smith will be leaving the Hancock Church for a promotion to Associate Minister at the First Church in Cambridge. Subsequently, he will be resigning from the Lexington Housing Partnership. He has enjoyed his work with the Partnership and the group expresses their thanks for his contributions, enthusiasm and constant advocacy. Efforts will be made to find someone to serve in his place as representative of the Lexington Interfaith Clergy Association. 3. Hear Reports from Sub-committees. Zoning By-Law Changes (Mary Haskell). At the Zoning By-Law Meeting on Thursday, May thst 20, attendees discussed Mr. Herr’s 1 draft for an adaptive re-use overlay district and determined that the language needed more clarity. Mr. Herr will be revising the draft. It has been proposed that a mechanism be developed that would allow commercial buildings to be adapted for multi-family residential use, in order to increase affordable housing opportunities. The proposed zoning mechanism would facilitate this process. The next meeting is Wednesday, June 23 at 1 pm at Pat Nelson’s conference room. HOME Consortium (Bob Bicknell for David Burns): See Attachment 1 for an update from David Burns. 1 Appendix 1 The next meeting is Thursday, May 27 at 7:30 am in the Planning Office at Town Hall. The focus of this work session will be to develop our housing plan and begin to find appropriate uses for future funds. Jeri Foutter and Iris Wheaton offered to help with this process. Housing Trust (Jeri Foutter): Pat Nelson has completed most of the incorporation papers for the 501(c)(3) and has some questions about specifics. The next meeting is Friday, June 11 at 11:30 am at Pat Nelson’s conference room. Items on the agenda will include finalizing the details of the 501(c)(3) and By-Laws, the Trust formation and further discussion of CHDOs and how those requirements might be included in the Trust. Land Use (Iris Wheaton) Iris Wheaton will continue to review the overlay zone topic. In addition, she will investigate the process for obtaining a destruction certificate and the corresponding possibilities for affordable housing opportunities. 4. Boston Globe Editorial Mary Haskell distributed copies of the Boston Globe Editorial dated May 25, 2004, about the approval of the AvalonBay/Met State Proposal. The article was a positive and reaffirming description of Lexington’s role as a leader in using smart growth ideas for affordable housing. 5. Franklin School Apartment Update The Selectmen and LexHAB met with Community Builders, and they worked together on a letter to the tenants. Community Builders agreed to change their approach to rent increases for current tenants. It was mentioned at the meeting that Community Builders might be filing for Chapter 11 protection. 6. Chapter 40R – Smart Growth Zoning and Housing Production Bob received e-mails from Rep. Tom Stanley and Jay Kaufman’s office indicating numerous phone calls from Lexington residents about their support for Chapter 40R. Rep. Stanley detailed the committee contacts he had made to encourage adoption of the Senate language by the House. Under Chapter 40R, the AvalonBay project would be grandfathered to potentially qualify for several one-time payments: $350,000 payment – upon approval of the project as qualifying under the smart growth rules. $3,000 payment – upon the release of each unit’s permit (x 387 units). In addition, Chapter 40R contains a Hold Harmless clause for school-age children. This would provide Lexington with additional assurances that the AvalonBay project would remain revenue neutral with respect to school costs for the students living in the project. We may need to create a smart growth overlay district, but the 40R language is unclear about requirements for existing projects. 7. Next Meeting Plans and Adjourn The next meeting will be on June 24. Location to be determined. The meeting adjourned at 8:35 pm. 2 Attachment 1 Attachment 1. Report of David Burns To Lexington Housing Partnership May 24, 2004 I have received copies of Housing Plans from other Metro West Consortium members. Harriet Cohen and I are reviewing and consolidating them. At the most recent consortium meeting it was determined that we need to develop our housing plan and target market quickly. We are in the process of putting together the basic housing plan information and will forward it to the Partnership shortly. We must determine who and what we are going after regarding our target market, elderly rental, family rental, home ownership etc. We will be meeting Thursday, May 27, 2003 at 7:30 A.M. for a work session in the Planning office at Town Hall. All are invited and welcome. Respectfully submitted; David E. Burns 3