LexingtonNext

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A Pathway Forward

Welcome to LexingtonNext

LexingtonNext is Lexington’s Comprehensive Plan, an update that will guide the community’s physical development over the next 2, 5, 10, 15 years, and beyond.

LexingtonNext.org is regularly updated and intended to serve as the go-to place for all LexingtonNext information, documents, review of drafts, news, events, etc.

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LexingtonNext August-September Events

LexingtonNext Newsletter, August 2021

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LexingtonNext Guiding Principles

LexingtonNext covers the subjects outlined in MGL Chapter 41, Section 81D – however, the Town intends to incorporate the concepts identified as Guiding Principles to meet current trends. Below are the 7 Guiding Principles that will guide LexingtonNext from drafting through the implementation of the Plan

Accessible & Connected Community

Offers and encourages a variety of safe, accessible, and sustainable mobility options
Plans, designs, and maintains effective transportation networks
Supports strong regional multimodal connections
Provides open access to information, encourages innovation, enhances communication, and promotes community engagement

Livable Community

Promotes and sustains a safe, clean, and attractive place to live, work, and play
Facilitates housing options to accommodate a diverse community
Provides safe and well-maintained public infrastructure, and provides adequate and appropriate regulation of public/private development resources
Encourages sustainable development supported by reliable and affordable town services
Supports and enhances neighborhood livability for all members of the community

Healthy & Socially Responsible Community

Cultivates a wide-range of recreational, cultural, educational, and social opportunities
Supports the physical and mental well-being of its community members and actively partners with others to improve the welfare of those in need
Fosters inclusion and embraces diversity
Enhances multi-generational community enrichment and community engagement

Vital & Resilient Economy

Supports an environment for creativity and innovation
Promotes a qualified and diverse workforce that meets employers’ needs and supports broad-based economic diversity
Fosters regional and public – private collaboration with institutions that contribute to the Town’s economic sustainability
Invests in infrastructure and amenities that attract, sustain, and retain diverse businesses

Harmony with Nature

- Supports and sustains natural resource and energy conservation
- Promotes and regulates an ecologically balanced community

Good Governance

Models stewardship and sustainability of the town’s financial, human, information, and physical assets
Supports strategic decision-making with timely, reliable, and accurate data and analysis
Enhances and facilitates transparency, accuracy, efficiency, and quality customer service in all business
Supports, develops, and enhances relationships between the town and community/regional partners
Provides assurance of regulatory and policy compliance

Commitment to Equity

Provides support to all community members so they may participate, prosper, and reach their full potential

Lexington, Massachusetts - People and Places

Lexington, a historic community, located approximately 5 miles north of Boston, is known for its

historic village centers (East Lexington and Lexington Center),
attractive neighborhoods that are comprised of diverse architectural styles (ranging from colonial structures and Victorian mansions, in addition to contemporary architecture),
vast amounts of preserved open space and numerous trail systems,
reuse of the former Boston-Lexington railroad line, and
proximity to Boston and major transportation routes.

Lexington is a community of firsts:

first shots fired on April 19, 1775, of the American Revolutionary War;
one of the first communities in the country to have a Planning Board (1918);
regulation of land use through zoning since 1924;
Massachusetts Ave (East Lexington) being the first hard surface road built by the Commonwealth, etc.

Lexington Trolley Rides — Lexington Tolley

Lex Farm tractors — Tractors at Lex Farm

Bikes in Downtown Lexington — Downtown Lexington

Identifies the goals and policies of the municipality for its future growth and development
Sets expectations for the development of a comprehensive plan via an interactive public process to determine the community's values and goals while identifying development patterns consistent with these goals
Establishes a vision for the future physical development of the community

Identifies present and future land uses
Designates the proposed distribution, location, and inter-relationship of public and private land uses
Relates the proposed standards of population density and building intensity to the capacity of land available or planned facilities and services
Provides a land-use plan map that illustrates the land-use policies of the municipality

Identifies and analyzes existing and forecasted housing needs and objectives
Establishes programs and recommendations for the preservation, improvement and development of housing
Identifies policies and strategies to provide a balance of local housing opportunities for all citizens

Identifies policies and strategies for the expansion or stabilization of the local economic base and the promotion of employment opportunities

Identifies goals and policies of the municipality for the preservation of historical and cultural artifacts

Provides an inventory of recreational and resources and open space areas of the municipality
Recommends and establishes policies and strategies for the management and protection of such resources and areas

Identifies and analyzes existing and forecasted needs for facilities and services used by the public

Provides an inventory of existing and proposed circulation and transportation systems
Establishes recommendations for the expansion or replacement of circulation systems within the community

Defines and schedules the specific municipal actions necessary to achieve the objectives of each element of the plan
Establishes a schedule for the expansion or replacement of public facilities or circulation system
Anticipates the costs and revenues associated with accomplishing the activities established for each element
Specifies a process by which the municipality's regulatory structures shall be amended to be consistent with the plan

Lexington Stats

SETTLED

Population

Land area (sqmi)

HOUSEHOLDS

Over 30 biotech and pharmaceutical companies create over 3,300 jobs in Lexington, which has become a hub for many of the East Coast area’s best innovators
East Lexington comprises a diverse mix of over 50 businesses, including restaurants, retail, farming, and other commercial enterprises.
The average asking price per square foot is roughly $36 in this region versus $86 per square foot in Boston and Cambridge.
Solar energy systems installed on Lexington’s residential, commercial, and municipal properties produce about 18.6 million kWh per year or about 4% of all the electricity used in Lexington. This is enough to power 2,000 average Lexington homes.
Since 2003, approx. $33,100,000 in Lexington Community Preservation Act funds have been appropriated for historic preservation.
As of 2018, approximately 75.1% of Lexington’s housing units are single-family, detached homes
Subsidized Housing Inventory (SHI) units in Lexington are at a high of 1,339 units counted in 2016, which decreased to 1,334 in 2020. From 1997 to 2016, the number of affordable units increased by 113 percent
Approx. 88.8 % of Lexington residents work outside the community, and 11.2% of Lexington residents work within the community