Lynnfield committee sets schedule for MBTA zoning amendment, plans public forums after Labor Day

The Town of Lynnfield’s MBTA Communities Zoning Compliance Committee laid out a schedule June 27 for completing consultant work and launching public engagement on proposed zoning amendments.

Chair Page Wilkins said consultant Sarah Maren’s modeling results were not complete and that Maren would not attend the June 27 meeting; Maren told the committee she plans to deliver a formal memo summarizing initial modeling and recommendations by July 5. Wilkins said the committee aims to finalize scenario choices at its July 10 meeting so it can begin public outreach soon afterward.

Emilie Cademartori, a town staff member, told the committee that the consultant is contracted to attend up to four public meetings and that a slide presentation used by another municipality could be tailored for Lynnfield and posted to the town website by the end of July. "Factual information is important to provide to the public as soon as possible," Cademartori said, and Anthony Moccia urged that materials be available before the first public forum.

Committee members discussed outreach elements Wilkins proposed — fact sheets, a "myth busters" page, Q&A and suggested areas under consideration — and possible presentations to local boards and commissions. Wilkins suggested presenting to the Select Board the week of July 22; Dick Dalton recommended scheduling the first public forum immediately after Labor Day, with a second forum to be considered depending on turnout.

When final modeling results arrive, Cademartori said the assessor could review the financial impacts on parcels that comply with MBTA Communities zoning and that the assessor should attend the next meeting. Committee members sketched milestones required before the October Town Meeting and Emilie Cademartori recommended holding a special Planning Board public meeting at the end of September or the first week of October.

Robert (Rob) Dolan suggested postponing the October Town Meeting to November to allow time for the public meetings and for boards and commissions to submit recommendations. Wilkins reiterated that the committee should finalize its best choices on July 10 after reviewing the consultant's memo and related materials.

Next steps assigned at the meeting included finalizing and publishing a calendar of meetings, populating a new MBTA Communities web page, inviting Sarah Maren to the July 10 meeting for questions, and distributing Maren’s memo to committee members in advance for review.

The meeting adjourned at 9:18 a.m. on a 3-0 vote after a motion to adjourn by Anthony Moccia, seconded by Richard Dalton.