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A newcomer joining the planning board in 2025 will be at a bit of an advantage. Relatively speaking, it might even seem quiet after the past few years that saw such a flurry of activities: zoning bylaw changes for the Center Business District, Auxiliary Dwelling Units (ADU), the MBTA overlay district, and the North Main Street Mixed-use District (MSMD). Much credit for that work belongs to departing member, Diab Jerius.
That's not to say the job will be a walk in the park. It's critical that we encourage more commercial and residential development in town. But Winchester has limited developable space. Hence, the MSMD, where mixed-use will be allowed and encouraged: e.g., multi-story buildings with residences and/or offices upstairs and retail on the ground, public-facing floor.
On paper, it sounds promising. Yet, for instance, the Center Business District zoning change was passed by Spring 2015 Town Meeting and, 10 years later, there is little for show for it, except for the condominiums at 15 Dix St. and 36 Elmwood Ave.
We've had two false starts on the 654 Main St. (Fells Hardware) project. It looks like the stalled Converse Place project may be revived in some form soon, and the planning board will play the central role in that. Meanwhile, the long-anticipated "Waterfield Lot" project has been delayed repeatedly by the overdue and oft-postponed completion of the new MBTA station. We hope that will start soon. So, yes, there is progress on the horizon.
What can the planning board do to meet the admirable goal of greater mixed-use development? I'm sympathetic to developers who run the gauntlet of multiple boards for project approval, a daunting, time-consuming and expensive process. Can we simplify this track without sacrificing our core values and the town's architectural integrity? I think we can.
This challenge is not for the planning board alone. Several boards and commissions come into play. But they often seem to work in their own space, at their own pace, with little attention to the inter-connectedness of their efforts. Though each has a distinct role to play, their common goal should be to encourage rational growth that fits into the built architectural environment. To that end, they can do a better job of working together.
This is what motivated me to run a write-in campaign. As a member of the planning board, I would make it a priority to encourage more communication between the boards, and greater cross-fertilization of ideas and approaches, rather than sitting back waiting to see what the other boards do and then reacting. That means the planning board working more closely with the select board, especially, to better anticipate opportunities and encourage the right-size developments that achieve that goal of greater mixed-use development, and more commercial space, especially in places like North Main, without degrading what makes Winchester special.
Background My wife and I moved to Winchester in 1988 and raised our two sons here, both of whom went through Winchester's schools. In 2009, my concern for the preserving the town's unique architectural heritage and my desire to become active in town government led me to seek appointment to the historical commission where I still serve, the past eight years as chair. I've been a town meeting member for 15 years and I'm also a member of the executive board of the Town Meeting Members Association.
In my role as historical commission chair, I have served on numerous temporary and ad hoc committees, including the train station study committee, the Community Preservation Act Advisory Committee, and others. I regularly consult with town officials, including the town planner, building code enforcement officer, town clerk, town manager and other boards and commissions, as well as officials at the Massachusetts Historical Commission.
As a recent retiree, I am fortunate to have the time to devote to the town. Previously, I worked for management consulting firms, helping organizations deal with change and improve their employee communications. I have published two books on the subject. A native Californian, I earned a bachelor of arts degree in English literature from Willamette University (Salem, Ore.), including a year abroad at the University of London. My greatest passion is reading, particularly histories and biographies. My avocation is writing novels, of which I have published two. At present, I am working on a third.
Please write in "Jack LeMenager" for the planning board. (And don't forget to fill in that little oval.)
