Good morning and welcome to LexObserver’s weekly news roundup. It’s Friday, April 14.
Driving the news this week: Town Meeting voted to pass Article 34, the Planning Board’s proposal for multi-family zoning, unamended Wednesday evening. We have lots of news about Town Meeting and more in today’s edition.
But it is also time for me to say goodbye! LexObserver is about to move into a new chapter (more from Nicco here in case you missed his update last weekend), so while you’ll still receive Friday news roundups, this one is the last you’ll receive from me.
I am amazed to see how far we’ve come and how much we’ve grown as an organization thanks to your readership and support. Thank you to everyone who has taken the time to speak with me for a story, share a tip, write a kind note or constructive criticism, and generally made my work possible for the past two years. This job has not been easy, but it has left me with a deep affection for Lexington and the Observer that I will carry with me (and I’m sure I’ll be covering Town Meeting in my dreams for the rest of my days).
It will bring me joy to see the Observer keep growing from afar! I hope you’ll keep reading.
Here’s this week’s news:
Town Meeting approves Planning Board’s multi-family zoning proposal
Lexington is the first community in Massachusetts to approve zoning changes to comply with new state housing requirements.
Keep readingZoning amendment intended to encourage more diverse housing options approved by Town Meeting Â
At Town Meeting’s sixth session on Monday, members approved a set of zoning changes to a bylaw regulating special residential developments, a set of alternatives to the conventional subdivisions where single-family homes are typically built, with the goal of encouraging the development of smaller and more affordable homes.Â
Keep readingTown Meeting approves design funds for 173 Bedford St., other capital projects
The request for $100,000 to fund designs for renovation of 173 Bedford Street, a building currently being used by the police department as temporary headquarters while the new station is completed, generated the most debate among the three projects.
Keep readingA Revolutionary Fifer
Fifer Sherry Madden is one of the few women to accompany the Lexington Minute Men.
Keep readingLexington Police Log: Noise guidelines, dangerous driving, animals and scams
Incidents from the week prior to April 10
Keep readingCommunity Submissions
To submit a community announcement, please contact community@lexobserver.org. Thank you!
That’s a wrap for today. Was this roundup useful to you? What do you want to see in this email next week? Let us know, and please ask your friends to sign up and DONATE too! Reach out to sophie@lexobserver.org with tips and questions anytime. As always, you can also check out and share our website, Twitter, Instagram and Facebook pages. Thank you so much for reading and have a great Patriots’ Day weekend!
Nicco Mele, Sophie Culpepper, Susanne Beck, Julie Turner and the LexObserver Team
Edited by Lauren Feeney
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