Article 2 (with compromises) gives Lexington time to adjust to the unplanned growth
See latest updates on Planning Board webpage
The existing Section 7.5 MBTA Zoning allows up to 13,421 units on 253 acres (including Lexington Center) "by-right" multi-family development, with reduced setbacks, increased building height, and no density limit.
Based on the memorandum by Appropriation Committee on 2/14/2025, every 1,000 units will result in budget shortfall on operational school cost alone $4 million to $12 million annually.
Citizen Petition Article 2
"AMEND ZONING BYLAW AND MAP MULTI-FAMILY HOUSING FOR MBTA COMMUNITIES" ensures that Lexington will continue to comply and exceed the state's MBTA Communities Act requirements:
Reduce acreage from 253 to ~90 acres (vs. required 50 acres);
Reduce districts from 12 to 5
"Unit capacity" - allowing 1,314 multi-family units by-right (vs. required 1,231 units)
Additionally, 10 projects in pipeline of 1,097 units will remain; plus the zoning freeze on 62 acres with unit capacity of 4,856 units that has been filed as of 3/10/2025
Compromises/changes made since 3/5/2025
1) Districts/acreage:
Deleting Concord/Waltham District
Adding Bedford/Worthen District, excluding the parcels where Stop and Shop, Walgreen, and Qdoba stand to ensure the town does not lose the major stores
Adding Merrett/Waltham and Merrett/Spring districts
Lexington Center will not be in the MBTA Zoning
2) Building density and mass:
Increasing unit density limit from 15 to up to 20 units per acre for residential use, 25 units per acre for mixed use
Reducing building height from 60 to 52 feet if 33% of first floor is commercial, 52 to 40 feet for residential;
Adding limit on the number of floors
Ensuring open space with a site coverage (including building and required parking space) limit of 28%
3) No change: 1,097 units in the pipeline plus 4,000+ units on 61 acres that are under zoning freeze as of 3/10/2025 will remain, totaling 6,000+ units, or 50% increase in Lexington's residential units.
Amendment to add back Lexington Center is problematic
On 3/12/2025, after negotiation with Article 2 proponents and compromises made by both sides, the Planning Board voted to unanimously support Article 2 that aims to partially scale back the MBTA zoning.
However, on 3/14/2025 four Town Meeting Members proposed an amendment to add back the Lexington Center.
Adding housing in Lexington Center is desirable but needs more care than the restrictive MBTA zoning allows.
An article for multi-family housing in Lexington Center should be brought to the future Town Meeting on its own merit and only requires simple majority vote (50%+1) to pass.
