By DAN TOMASELLO
LYNNFIELD — Townspeople will be able to enjoy the changing foliage and spooky season in peace this month because Fall Town Meeting has been moved to Wednesday, Nov. 13.
The Select Board unanimously voted on Monday to move Fall Town Meeting from the traditional third Monday in October to Wednesday, Nov. 13, beginning at 7 p.m. in the Lynnfield Middle School auditorium. Similar to previous sessions, a quorum of 175 voters is needed to conduct the town’s business.
“Due to the complexities of the issues before the town this fall, including the library building proposal, the roadway improvement plan and the changes to state zoning requirements brought about by the so-called MBTA Communities law, the board is asked to postpone the Fall Town Meeting to Wednesday, Nov. 13, 2024 at the middle school at 7 p.m.,” said Select Board Chair Dick Dalton.
The Select Board also voted to open the warrant for Fall Town Meeting on Monday. Dalton said the Select Board will be closing the warrant on Monday, Oct. 28 at 6 p.m. He said citizens’ petitions must be submitted to the Town Clerk Office’s by Wednesday, Nov. 6 at 4 p.m. in order to “allow for the verification of signatures.”
Debt exclusions
Fall Town Meeting will be voting on two debt exclusions pertaining to the Lynnfield Public Library renovation project and the Department of Public Works’ road construction program
The town hired Tappé Architects, which designed the $18 million elementary schools expansion project and is currently working on the $63.5 million public safety buildings and Town Hall project, to develop three different library renovation proposals. The Lynnfield Renovation Committee authorized Tappé Architects to develop a design for the third option.
The library renovation project includes constructing an addition at the back of the building where the HVAC units are currently located. The library’s roof will also be razed in order to expand the second floor. The interior of the library will also be reconfigured. The project will address maintenance issues such as electrical problems and roof leaks, and would upgrade the building’s systems.
Tappé Architects has yet to finalize the library renovation project’s price tag.
In addition to the library renovation project, voters at Fall Town Meeting will be asked to approve a second debt exclusion in order to increase funding for the DPW’s road construction program.
Beta Group Senior Vice President Anthony Garro recently told the Select Board that the engineering firm evaluates the condition of Lynnfield streets every three years. He said the firm developed a 10-year road improvement program, totaling $23,458,212.43.
Garro said the Beta Group is recommending that the town invest $2 million annually in order to improve the condition of the town’s streets. In addition to appropriating $300,000 in the capital budget and using $415,000 in Chapter 90 road construction funds awarded by the state each fiscal year, Garro recommended that the town request voters to approve a 10-year capital debt exclusion that will appropriate $1,285,000 annually for 10 years.
“This borrowing results in a residential tax increase equal to $258 (per year) for the average assessed home in Lynnfield for 10 years,” said Garro.
MBTA zoning
In addition to the two debt exclusion votes, Fall Town Meeting will be asked to approve a zoning article pertaining to the MBTA Communities law.
Former Gov. Charlie Baker signed an economic development bill into law in February 2021 that amended the Zoning Act by requiring MBTA Communities to have at least one zoning district of reasonable size in which multifamily housing is permitted as of right. While the town does not have an MBTA station, the law classifies Lynnfield as an “MBTA adjacent community” because the town borders municipalities with MBTA stations such as Lynn, Reading and Wakefield.
Lynnfield, which is currently classified as being in “interim compliance,” is facing a Dec. 31 deadline to adopt a multifamily zoning district in order to comply with the MBTA Communities law.
The MBTA Zoning Committee recently selected three overlay zoning sub-districts that will be brought to Fall Town Meeting on Nov. 13. The Massachusetts Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities defines an overlay district as “a type of land use zoning district that lies on top of the existing zoning and potentially covers many underlying districts or portions thereof.”
Three of the proposed locations that would have overlay districts placed on them are MarketStreet Apartments, Michael’s Landing and Lynnfield Commons because those apartment complexes already exist. Additionally, four parcels located on the existing Herb Chambers Cadillac dealership property and one parcel on a Kelly Automotive dealership property on Route 1 North are included as part of the Lynnfield Commons overlay sub-district.
“Under the MBTA zoning law, we are required to zone 40 acres for multifamily housing in Lynnfield to a density that would yield 607 units,” said MBTA Zoning Committee/Planning Board Chair Page Wilkins during a recent Select Board meeting. “From doing our research, talking with our consultant and seeing what other towns are doing, we learned that we can take advantage of the multifamily housing we already have in town. We already have 491 units.”
There are 200 units at Lynnfield Commons, 180 units at MarketStreet Apartments and 68 units at Michael’s Landing.
“The only possible new development that could happen under this law is at the car dealerships,” said Wilkins. “The most amount of units that could yield is 149. We think this is a really great way to minimize any possible impact to the town. This would be a very small amount left of 149 units that could possibly be built. Nothing has to be built. This is just a zoning amendment that has to be done.”
Dalton noted that the 11 acres included in the MarketStreet Apartments component of the plan pertains to just the apartment complex and not the entire outdoor mall.
“It is strictly just the land associated with the apartment buildings,” said Dalton. “There are two empty parcels at MarketStreet, but they are reserved for office space. That was part of the original development.”
Wilkins agreed.
“We are not recommending any open parcels at MarketStreet,” said Wilkins. “This is a way to take credit for what has already been built. There will be nothing new at MarketStreet.”
Select Board member Phil Crawford expressed his support for the MBTA Communities zoning plan.
“I absolutely love this plan,” said Crawford. “I didn’t know it was possible to take advantage of what we already have. I think it is a wonderful plan.”
Select Board member Alexis Leahy said the only way that the five dealership parcels could be developed was if they were sold to a developer.
“This is just a zoning change,” Leahy.
Wilkins echoed Leahy’s viewpoint.
“We don’t have a crystal ball, but the chance that the very profitable and growing car dealerships would all flip tomorrow seems very unlikely,” said Wilkins.
