Lexington Select Board approves Lowell Street housing redesign, accepts conservation land gift

LEXINGTON -- September 29, 2025, Lexington's Select Board approved a revised design for a 40-unit affordable housing project on Lowell Street, accepted a nearly 1.78-acre conservation land donation, and reaffirmed its 2018 safe-and-welcoming-communities resolution in a fully remote Monday night session. Vice Chair Joe Pato presided over the three-member quorum, members Deepika Kumar and Mark Sandin joining him, with Chair Jill Hay and Douglas Lucente absent, and all three substantive votes passed unanimously, 3-0. Developer Dave Trigorth of Causeway Development presented a redesigned site plan that consolidates four buildings into three residential structures plus a mixed-use community room building, expands parking to 60 spaces, eliminates most retaining walls, and preserves the native tree canopy along Lowell Street, all while holding the unit count at 40 and the all-electric, passive-house design standard. Two abutters asked the board to delay the vote for additional neighborhood input, but Planning Director Carol Kowalski noted that the Zoning Board of Appeals comprehensive permit process, with multiple public sessions and third-party peer review, still lies ahead. The Widnall family of 22 Summit Avenue donated two parcels and a trail easement totaling 1.78 acres near Mount Independence, which Conservation Commission land acquisition subcommittee chair Charlie Wyman said will allow an off-road re-routing of the Across Lexington Trail. On the immigration resolution, Town Manager Steve Bartha stressed the police department has been in compliance with the 2018 policy throughout, calling the vote "a communicating of support to the community" rather than a change in practice.