Affordable Housing In – Leary Farmhouse Out

Following the decision to let LexHAB demolish the old farmhouse, the next step will be for the housing assistance board to determine how many units to build there -- a decision that'll go back to the Board of Selectmen.

The Board of Selectmen, at its Dec. 3 meeting, unanimously voted to demolish the Leary Farmhouse on Vine Street, paving the way for LexHab to build affordable housing there and adding more acreage to Lexington’s conservation land.   The decision came three years after the town purchased the 14.2-acre parcel, using $2.7 million of Lexington’s Community Preservation Act funds. According to Wendy Manz, chair of the Community Preservation Commission, $600,000 of the purchase price and 30,000 square feet of 116 Vine Street were earmarked for affordable housing. The conservation land runs “between Vine Street all the way back to Saddle Club Road,” Manz said. “The part that borders on Vine Street was set aside for affordable houses.” It’s been a …

•  2 Comments
• Photos (1)

Patch Facts

Five Things You Need to Know Today: Oct. 17

Meetings, African history month and the Reader's Digest version of a local author's story today in Lexington.

1. The Board of Selectmen meet at 7 p.m. tonight at the Town Office Building and its hot-button agenda includes continuting a hearing on fiscal 2012 water/sewer rates, discussing the Munroe Center for the Arts license renewall, discussing Leary Housing and more. 2. Other public meetings posted for today on the town website include the Lexington High School Council at 7 p.m. at the high school and the Community Center Task Force at 7:30 p.m. at Cary Hall. 3. Lexington resident/author Donna Harrison's condensed life story could be published in Reader's Digest as part of the “Your Life...The Reader’s Digest Version” conest. Check out Harrison's story and vote for it online at facebook.com/ReadersDigest. 4. African Awareness month is ongoing …

• Photos (1)

Week in Review, June 19 to June 25

An anti-texting program came to Lexington, the school year ended, oh yeah, and Whitey Bulger was arrested.

This week began with Middlesex District Attorney's office and other dignitaries dropping by Lexington High School on Monday, for the "It Can Wait" program, which encourages teens not to text while driving. That evening, the Board of Selectmen heard about the Leary Report, approved a Lexpress-LHS pilot program and approved sale of bond anticipation notes, among other things. On Tuesday, Patch introduced a new feature that profiles vendors at the Lexington Farmers' Market and columnist Audra Myerberg kicked-started a conversation about cafeteria food and chickens.  Also, officials confirmed an investigation into a possible attempted arson on Wood Street.  On Wednesday, a business feature on Help Around Town, introduced resident Reem Yared's …

• Photos (3)

Patch Facts

Five Things You Need to Know Today: June 22

Last day of school, Leary land and a blood trive today in Lexington.

1. School's out for the summer. Today's the last day of the 2010-2011 school year for the Lexington Public Schools -- except for Estabrook, which finishes with a half-day this Friday, June 24. 2. Leary Land's on the agenda tonight for LEXHAB, which meets at 7:30 p.m. at its offices on Militia Drive. Talks are likely to include a new wrinkle -- the possiblity of the White House moving (again) in front of the farm house. 3. In its meeting at 7 p.m. tonight in Cary Hall, the Transportation Advisory Committee will take up a pilot program to connect riders and vehicles, the LHS school bus flexpass and continuation of the Senior Center/housing connection. 4. The American Red Cross is holding a blood drive from 2 to 7:30 p.m. today at the Knights…

• Photos (3)

Town Meeting Tackles CPA Questions

On April 6, Lexington's annual Town Meeting approved several appropriations and refused to slash the 3 percent Community Preservation Act surcharge.

Town Meeting members sent a message to Community Preservation Act critics Wednesday, April 6, voting to support all but one of the CPA appropriations and balking at an attempt to trim the CPA surcharge. With Article 17, petitioner Alan Seferian sought a Town Meeting vote supporting a reduction of the voluntary CPA property tax surcharge from 3 percent to 1 percent, effective in fiscal 2013. Had Town Meeting approved the measure, the question would have been posed to all Lexington voters as a ballot referendum. "This article seeks to give the citizens of Lexington, who voted to adop the CPA, the ability to reduce their surcharge," said Seferian, who cited a sharp reduction of state matching funds and social concerns as reasons to reconsider…

• Photos (1)