Residents on and around Lois Lane in Lexington showed up to last Wednesday’s Planning Board meeting to express traffic and drainage concerns regarding the application for a 31 unit condominium at 89 Bedford Street. The building would be the second development proposed under the MBTA Communities Act, which encourages multi-family housing along public transportation routes. (The location on Bedford street is right next to a bus stop).
According to the Planning Department, three developments were proposed under the MBTA Act since it was announced but none have yet to be approved by the Planning Board’s site plan review process.
Proposed by FK Partners Lexington LLC, the development will contain four inclusionary units at 80 percent of the average median income, and move and restore a historic Italianate 1851 house to another part of the property. The 31 units sit within roughly 1.6 acres and each unit is designated a parking spot in a lot behind the building.
The development is by-right, or permitted in the zoning district and not subject to special approval by the Town, because it lies in one of the Village Overlay Districts Lexington established as part of its response to the MBTA Communities Act. The act, which Lexington signed, requires that the Town have at least one zoning district where this size of multi-family housing is by-right. On top of the Wednesday Planning Board meeting and future ones, FK Partners also hosted 15 public meetings to take input from the neighborhood before making the presented site plan.
“I am here as the face of the neighborhood,” said 34-year resident Cerise Jalelian, one of the first neighbors to speak at the meeting. “While it may be by-right, it is not the right decision.”
Jalelian echoed her fellow neighbors’ concerns that 30 units is an “overburden of acres” and that Lois Lane would “become a catch basin” for the condo’s runoff. Although a stormwater management report was presented with the application, residents were not comforted as flooding is a persistent issue on the cul de sac that the building sits in the middle of.
“Drainage has become more problematic over time,” said Cheryl Meadow of Lois Lane. “I am not confident the water table is okay for this.”
Even if the stormwater management system outlined gave people confidence, neighbor Tom Diaz questioned if there was any possible recourse if it does fail.
“If storm water goes up more than it has before, I will blame the development,” he said.
Residents also pointed out that the property sits between two traffic stops on Bedford that are 0.3 miles from each other. Condo residents would exit the property by turning onto Bedford Street, a main road. They felt that the development or at least the size of it would increase the already clogged traffic and low visibility in the area.
“It frequently takes me two traffic cycles just to turn left out of Lois Lane,” said Meadow.
A primary abutter, Pamela Fowler, said the proposed entrance for the condo parking lot is “in her backyard,” and she would face light and noise pollution “day and night.”
“Please evaluate an alternative location for the garage entrance,” she urged developers Wednesday. “If that is not possible, I highly recommend the implementation of the highest, most soundproof wall and an extra layer of evergreens.”
To address the traffic and drainage concerns, multiple neighbors suggested decreasing the amount of units by up to ten. Lifelong resident Richard Reuben, who lives on Carol Lane, represented 70 neighbors at the meeting who felt that the core demographic of the condos would not actually ride the bus—one of the main policy goals of the MBTA Communities Act.
“It is more likely the residents will be families with school age children drawn to Lexington’s excellent school system,” he said. “This is what drives the housing market in Lexington and causes the shortage.”
Lexington resident Jay Luker, though not a neighbor of the proposed condos, showed up to express his excitement for the development which he called “the kind of denser housing this town needs.”
“Across the street from me right now, they are about to put up a huge mansion,” he continued. “I don’t get to have a public hearing to complain about it—that only happens when we’re doing multi-family housing.”
Developers FK Partners tried to embolden confidence in the Town and neighbors by showing that they have experience in building multi-family housing.
“This type of building is not an experiment,” the group said Wednesday, citing the 21 buildings they already built that house a combined 556 units.
Planning Board member Bob Creech thought that while traffic concerns were valid, the burden of fixing that is not entirely on the developers.
“I think we have to believe this traffic is a problem,” Creech said. “It’s not the applicant’s problem but the Town has to consider this when we’re building multi-family housing.”
For Reuben, four out of 31 units to address a goal of more affordable housing is “inadequate.”
“We understand that [four units] address the letter of the law, but there doesn’t seem to be any good faith beyond that,” he said. “If we’re going to absorb the burden of a massive building in our neighborhood, more good should come of it.”
The Board voted to continue the hearing July 17th once developers update their site plan review to reflect the concerns heard at the meeting. The meeting will start at 6pm.
Actually, the parking that was proposed was BOTH an underground parking garage and above ground parking, I believe 1.8 cars/unit (2 bedroom condos). This is not aligned to the MBTA Section 3A Compliance guidelines, nor the town’s VO District bylaws (1 car/unit). However, only 1 Planning Board member alluded to this during the hearing; the main concern was water, a very important factor. Given that the developer started off the hearing about the walkability, the MBTA Bus stop and covered bus shelter they are proposing to build, and easy distance to the bike path and walk to downtown, one would think this is the perfect scenario for 1 car living. I’m probably not the only one to think about how urban living in a suburban environment doesn’t necessarily work with the current infrastructure, but those are the bylaws. No reason to increase potential water runoff into an already flooded area and have an outdoor parking lot too.
This feels like a money grab by the developers! How much are the developers making when all is said and done? My guess is a-lot of money at the expense of current Lexington residents. A reasonable Lexington idea once again not well thought through & miss managed regarding impacts to existing neighborhoods, road infrastructure etc. just to say they got it done! Units may turn into rental properties where families are in and out just to get kids in the schools … like some of the apartment complexes. Not enough parking, impacting neighborhood values without compensation, developer money grab, rental properties, road infrastructure overload, etc. etc. etc. Too much too fast! Slow down and think through the implications … What if this development abutted your neighborhood. My guess those voting for it would vote NO!
This was overwhelmingly approved by town meeting, this MBTA bylaw change is going to change the face of Lexington, you should have paid more attention, this is nothing, just wait …
It’s great to see much needed housing being built. Affordable housing is good, a growing tax base is good, and new neighbors help support local businesses. Permitting more denser housing supports housing affordability and a growing tax base. These are good things! Of course, the town can and should make improvements to transportation infrastructure to alleviate congestion.
Massachusetts is the third most densely populated state–after New Jersey (#1) and Rhode Island. In my 26 years living here as an adult, traffic has steadily worsened. Where it was easy driving between Lexington, Cambridge, and Boston in the ’00s, it’s become incredibly stressful at most times of day. But most public transportation is so much slower than driving–even in traffic–that I don’t see public transportation replacing driving any time soon. I’d bicycle into Cambridge and Boston, the way I bicycled all over Wash DC (36,000 miles during the ’80s alone) when I lived there if it weren’t for all the distracted drivers.
Massachusetts needs to stabilize its population rather than increasing its growth.
In addition to the flood water hazard, this 30 unit multi-family residence. as planned, will generate continual daily interior traffic on a large expanse of asphalt, housing a 2-way driveway and guest parking lot. The accompanying destruction of numerous mature trees and wild life. will have a direct impact not only on the primary abutting six Lois Lane homes, but possibly all of Lois Lane. The row of evergreens and a wall proposed as the remedy for the noise and air pollution that will result is not a convincing remedy.
The size and configuration of this 30 unit multi-family residence is abusive, although, no doubt, compliant with the by-laws. A reduction in size, with an entrance directly into the residence from Bedford Street would, at least, alleviate the potential harm that an asphalt covered two-way drive + parking lot will incur.
Need I reiterate that this is not only a money-making enterprise? It is important to take seriously the quality of life of the abutting and well as the future 89 Bedford residents.
Lexington desperately needs more dense housing in walkable neighborhoods. This site isn’t in the wilderness – it’s on one of Lexington’s busiest roads and less than a 10 minute walk from the Stop and Shop and Walgreens. I hope the Planning Board approves this project swiftly.
Lois Lane residents concerned about stormwater infiltration could show their commitment to the environment by using permeable pavement for their expansive driveways,
This 30-unit multi-family residence, as planned, will generate continual daily internal traffic on a large expanse of asphalt which will house a 2-way driveway and exterior parking lot. The destruction of numerous mature trees and wild life will have a direct impact not only on six primary abutting Lois Lane homes, but possibly on all of Lois Lane. The row of evergreens and a wall proposed as the remedy for the noise and air pollution that will result is not a convincing remedy.
The size and configuration of this 30-unit multi-family residence is abusive, although, no doubt, compliant with the by-laws. A reduction in size, with an entrance directly into the residence from Bedford Street, would go a long way in alleviating the potential harm that an asphalt covered two-way drive will incur not only for noise and air pollution but water flooding, as well.
Need I reiterate that this is not only a money-making enterprise? It is important to take seriously the quality of life of the abutting as well as the future 89 Bedford residents,
Disappointing that there is so much coverage of the naysayers when this is exactly the sort of development our town meeting was hoping to create and this project seems to be fitting the bill exactly. I appreciate the focus on details such as parking and stormwater mitigation, but at the end of the day I’m glad we’re building more housing and hope this continues. Lexington should be a much more dense and vibrant town that it is currently and this sort of development is hopefully the first of many similar projects in the near future.