2026-08-20 - Economic Development Committee

00:05[music] Hello all to the town of Auburn

00:07economic link committee on August 20th 6

00:12p.m.

00:18on our agenda tonight CMRPC permitting

00:22guide discussion and review.

00:27>> Thank you madam chair. Uh the committee

00:29will recall back in I think sometime in

00:31the spring I want to say it was April.

00:34You need the I just give you the packet.

00:36Thank you. Um Lindsay can get the

00:39scratch over here. Um

00:42uh but gave it a presentation. We had

00:46applied for a grant last uh to get some

00:49technical assistance to do a permitting

00:51guide that would all our various land

00:55use and inspectional service uh

00:58activities kind of in one place u as a

01:01part to um make it hopefully more user

01:05friendly uh instead of having to

01:07navigate a bunch of different web pages.

01:09You still have to do that but this will

01:10guide you where you need to go. And so

01:12that's the URL Joe from CMRPC gave us a

01:15little present. He's been working with

01:17staff over the intervening months. Uh

01:19each each sort of each division of

01:22inspectional services and planning and

01:23development. U took looked at their

01:26piece of the pie so to speak and gave

01:28feedback and

01:32um a draft that I shared with you uh

01:36last week. And so I'm still in the

01:38process of review and other staff will

01:40be reviewing as well to give additional

01:42feed RPC but given that this group had a

01:45a sneak preview of this process. Um just

01:49wanted to get see it's you know uh happy

01:52to discuss it in depth but just wanted

01:53to see if you had any thoughts or ideas

01:55or initial reactions uh whether they be

01:58specific things you know perhaps or uh

02:01or just overall comments. So, um, again,

02:04we're still in the gathering stage of

02:06feedback and so this is luck, I suppose,

02:09for the EDC. Um, so, uh, that was my

02:12intent with you tonight. Uh, like I

02:14said, we can certainly talk about it and

02:16you can certainly all

02:19comment, you know, in the next week or

02:22two if you're still digesting it. An

02:25opportunity just to update the board of

02:26what was happen. We had expected you

02:28know a score of book to be late in the

02:30summer and lo and behold here it is

02:31later in the summer. Uh so I imagine

02:34after a round of feedback uh you know

02:37internal review uh they sort of finalize

02:41this add some additional graphics and

02:43formatting and it it appear that

02:46sometime likely by the end of

02:47Septemberish um we'll have the final

02:51product. So that's where we are in that

02:53process. Um we're not running up against

02:56any deadline. We do have to finish the

02:58end of the calendar year. Uh but we're

03:00well we're certainly well on track at

03:02[clears throat]

03:02as I said I think we'll be done you know

03:05late September

03:07and I don't know if anyone have any

03:09questions or if everyone's fine to

03:10proceed as is and at least wanted to

03:12share and gives the group an

03:14opportunities.

03:16>> Yeah.

03:17>> Great.

03:17>> So I didn't read every word but I I went

03:20through a good chunk of it. Um the

03:22content seems solid of course um it's a

03:25little dense in a sense and the reaction

03:28as a you know business person who came

03:29down is like I mean like it seemed like

03:34[laughter]

03:35so I was just out of the frame of mind

03:37that some kind of lighter easier opening

03:40is kind of I know there's an attempt

03:42this guide but I don't think it helps a

03:45business start a business

03:49which parts of this are are absolutely

03:51you know critical to them which ones how

03:53they can so that I don't know if

03:58infographic might be useful more focused

04:01FAQs from the reader perspective I know

04:04there's FAQs throughout it but I thought

04:06they were a little more specific

04:07sections something along those lines

04:09might be just be worth making

04:13>> I wonder if you could pick guide certain

04:17tips right like might be easier,

04:20>> right? Yeah. Because I mean it's

04:21definitely easier than to certain types

04:24of business,

04:24>> right? Had questions, right? Then they

04:27could get into the granular information

04:30>> just to make it look welcoming to

04:32approach as as the you know, you get

04:34people of all different levels of, you

04:36know, experience. Could be the first

04:37time, could be the 20th time. Bang have

04:39a different point of view. What do I

04:41really need to know

04:43and how do I orient to that?

04:46I um one of my thoughts was that earlier

04:49on we had mentioned if we clicked on

04:51something would it actually that spot

04:54and I didn't think this was what you

04:56would call an active document so I

04:57didn't start to dare to click on stuff

04:59and obviously when it goes forward

05:01they'll verify all of the two froms are

05:04going to happen it's going to loop

05:06correctly but I um I this and I know

05:09that they helped us with this so

05:13a um a P from them to meaning once we

05:18get this and it's up that our IT

05:22division will then work with the

05:23departments to keep up changes and

05:25updates

05:27that um you know it still stays an

05:29active up-to-date document and I think

05:31that was I wasn't already answered

05:34>> that that but that is the case that's

05:36the

05:36>> that's the intent it would be as you

05:38noted there would be live links

05:40>> that would take us to appropriate places

05:42uh and eventually would reside likely

05:44with it. That would make the most sense

05:47and update content and more particularly

05:49contact information uh as as things

05:52evolve and as staff you know switched

05:55off

05:56>> but I was I was like wanting to click on

05:58stuff and I just said it's probably this

06:00is just a sort of stock give us an idea

06:02of content so didn't even dare try.

06:06>> Yeah. Then I didn't find a typo yet I

06:09made it as far as you did. I know what

06:11they are and I'll be sharing with them.

06:14Uh they already been shared with that.

06:16Uh but again this is this is not this is

06:18a not a final draft obviously but this

06:20was I think a very strong progress and

06:23to um and I intend to share all this

06:27feedback with CMRPC but just my own good

06:29thought as far what Mike just noted we

06:31do have a particular section sort of

06:33buried buried uh but we do have uh in

06:37this case it's page 21 because this what

06:39are you looking to do

06:43but you're right you got to get

06:4521. And

06:47>> so, um, I think there are ways, again,

06:49I'll I'll defer to the the design and

06:52graics at themec on that one, but I

06:55agree that that should be um, uh,

06:59>> more highlighted,

06:59>> bring it towards the front.

07:01>> Well, not even. But if you if you look

07:03the contents, it might be prudent to

07:06just go to between 15 and 24 and add in

07:11somehow that that that is access.

07:15to

07:16>> it needs to be closer.

07:18>> You first start and okay, this is the

07:20chance that you get somebody they're

07:21going to time with this, but they're

07:23going to put it in their fold.

07:24>> Well, because

07:26go I don't have time to search this

07:28type, right?

07:29>> One one thing and all the things that

07:31you're considering dealing

07:34who brought the to I don't think I did

07:37any of this specifically. I mean, we've

07:39been in business, so a lot of the

07:41origination stuff was taken care of. you

07:42know, we met with a realtor and made

07:44connections, whatever. We I then somehow

07:46wanted an affirmative work and all that

07:48other stuff. But I was like, so there

07:50that kind of also raises the question of

07:54is available

07:55the overall is there an overall thought

07:57about, you know, distribution,

07:59dissemination, and awareness to it. um

08:02not just when it's available but also

08:05throughout the the town in ways again

08:11through the chamberation

08:19through the check those are strong

08:21points and I think the certainly on our

08:23end what we'll be able to do is you know

08:25we'll be able to pop it on our website

08:27which is if you notice redesign slight

08:30redesign uh that went live last week. Uh

08:33we we have a website. We have the social

08:35media hits. We could do some hits with

08:37that. Uh a meeting with the chamber

08:39tomorrow. They're not proud of this

08:40process, but they will be a festival and

08:43we'll be talking about the chamber later

08:44this evening perhaps. Uh so we'll

08:46definitely tap those resources, but it's

08:48not a um you know, you know, a crime

08:52drop, but perhaps we can get some media

08:55attention. you know, do a press release,

08:57a releases this new business guy, so on

09:00and so forth, and probably get a at

09:02least a small hit and like this, you

09:04know, and Telegram, uh, and some of the

09:07other smaller community bankers.

09:09>> It's also part of the communication you

09:10want to send out about how how the town

09:12wants to partner with businesses that

09:13want to wants to attract businesses,

09:15befriendly ways that are positive for

09:17the town, residents. Um, so it's a

09:20resource that investing in, bring energy

09:23to, etc.

09:26that makes sense. So defin I'm

09:28definitely other piece what's on the So

09:32>> on a positive end, they've given us a

09:34schedule and they pretty much kept to it

09:35which is impressive. They didn't falter

09:37and they

09:38>> Yeah. Well, we we we we push it on our

09:40end cuz July, everyone went on vacations

09:42through July and so we had to fudge a

09:46couple of dates, but again, as you can

09:47see, we're still on target uh uh despite

09:50that. And frankly, you know, it's I I

09:53appreciate a deliberate process. So, I

09:55know you know the various departments,

09:56they're not I'm sure they're not here

09:58and they're not watching. Uh but the

10:00various departments, they did a lot of

10:01work on this. They took it seriously,

10:02which I which I appreciate. Uh so, you

10:05them. We'll we'll definitely uh I'll

10:08definitely share some of this feedback.

10:09We'll be getting more feedback uh and um

10:12maybe possibly at September meeting

10:14there might be a final version out

10:15there.

10:16>> I just want to be clear that I mean my

10:17my feedback is all positive

10:20even more so with those things. So

10:23everybody has put time into it. It's

10:24been spent.

10:27>> Yeah, I'll share that with staff as

10:28well. But they think my gut reaction my

10:30first gut reaction was similar to yours.

10:32My oh wow that's a lot. I mean again

10:33it's not none of it's wrong. I thought

10:35the same thing but was shared. So I just

10:38repeat I didn't want to bring up

10:40something that was already brought up

10:41but I agree it was

10:42>> yeah but it's also think it's just to

10:45you know be again positive towards staff

10:47here. I think it just shows the broad

10:49range of things we do here especially on

10:50this floor. It's it's you know we and

10:54that's it in a form that maybe people

10:55can uh you know when you kind of put it

10:57in front of you on paper you realize oh

10:58wow they do a lot there. So um but this

11:01hopefully will help the processes going

11:03forward. It's already helped us you know

11:05uh our internal discussions and

11:06coordination and ensure this is uh this

11:10is meant to be a living document living

11:11process.

11:14>> Thank you.

11:18>> And then with our director of e

11:22development updates

11:24excuse me

11:25>> absolutely.

11:28>> Ah

11:29okay so we have a few updates. Thank you

11:31madam chair. to get a few updates uh

11:33here. Uh we are uh still we've conducted

11:38some interviews for the development

11:39coordinator position. Uh we're still

11:41hoping to a couple more interviews. Uh

11:44so nothing specific maybe sort of a

11:47definite thing to report tonight. I do

11:49not at this point though the process is

11:51still ongoing. Uh but I'm definitely

11:52encouraged what we've seen so far. Um

11:55but um I guess again maybe a stronger

11:59update at the next meeting.

12:01>> Just a question on this in the interview

12:03process or in your thoughts with the job

12:05description is [clears throat] the

12:06intent for this will to join us as a as

12:09a participant in the boards the meetings

12:12that we're having as well.

12:13>> Yes, that's great. Yeah, they would uh

12:15uh you know this would always be a group

12:18uh participate in uh but they would also

12:20be a a primary support for this group uh

12:24because it might be going forward I'm

12:26not available for some uh you know town

12:29some select

12:31things that I need to be part of. Uh but

12:33no, they'll be they they will be part of

12:34this group will be part of this group.

12:36>> Uh and uh I'm sure you'll

12:40love them like you love me. No, I'm

12:42kidding. Um, no, but that's that is the

12:44that's that's the idea and again that

12:46that and they will be a bit more of a

12:50boots on the ground so to speak with

12:51doing outreach and recruitment and

12:53things like that. So that's part of the

12:55skill set we're looking for as well.

12:58>> That's that one. Again, hopefully a a

13:00definitive update next. Um, and uh I

13:04can't planning. Okay, I I added this

13:06here. I know we had just had previous

13:08meetings on what steps we might take to

13:12uh

13:13revisit some of our existing plans and I

13:16think one of the things we kind of

13:17settled on was we need to start looking

13:19at that strategic plan from 2017 and

13:24update it in some fashion whether it's a

13:26an update or redo however you want to

13:28call it. To that end, uh the warrant

13:31being drafted and finalized, but uh uh

13:34town manager did put a item on there for

13:36funding for an economic develop plan. So

13:40um

13:42then I think that's gets submitted at

13:44the end of next week to the select board

13:47and they they they review it on

13:50Sep.

13:52>> Do they actually forward it to I think

13:54they forward it to the finance committee

13:56before they vote

13:57>> at first? I believe they sent it to

13:59council.

14:00>> Council to

14:02think it'll go to council,

14:04>> but we're not sure yet.

14:05>> Yeah, I didn't set that calendar, but

14:06yeah, that's my understanding. But

14:08that's that's where we are in the

14:09process of it's being finalized. Um I

14:12believe Dory has all the various

14:14petitions and uh articles drawn up that

14:18needs to get, you know, formatted

14:19properly. the board and then I think

14:22officially descends it to council and

14:24then once council says yes, it gets

14:25disseminated to as you said some other

14:28uh

14:30again we're still it's still only August

14:33but we're coming up not too far on

14:35special town meeting.

14:37So, so again, so I guess I guess we

14:39should sort of stay pat for the moment

14:41uh on on that, but I just wanted to

14:43update the the committee that that's um

14:45per our discussion. Uh hopefully town

14:49meeting will authorize us to uh have

14:52funding to pursue that.

14:55Um ah update on assessor's office and

14:58data. So this uh you recall uh the

15:01select board had charged this group uh

15:04late last year to come up with some

15:06different criteria to evaluate uh things

15:09to consider when the town's evaluating

15:11the tax rate. Um so the the directive to

15:17uh from the select board to the

15:19assessor's office was to coordinate with

15:21the EDC on that. Um uh I can tell you I

15:25met with the assessor uh last week in

15:28advance of this meeting. You see a copy

15:30of his last year's presentation um uh to

15:35the I don't know if it was a joint

15:36meeting of the select board in common

15:38but whatever it was a during the annual

15:40tax classification hearing this was

15:43presented. So uh where where we're at

15:45and again I sort of wanted to get this

15:49committee's thought into it. his take

15:52and I I tend to agree with him to some

15:54extent. Many of the criteria we came up

15:56with or that we the BBC came up with

16:00aren't necessarily assessor data you

16:02know um we had things like you know GDP

16:07of New England versus mass there was a

16:09bunch of different standards that just

16:11because they're data doesn't mean the

16:13assessor has that at hand. So his

16:15thought and I tend to agree uh there's

16:18some some things that were mentioned are

16:19obviously in his wheelhouse but a lot of

16:21it wasn't. So his thinking was that and

16:24this would be more uh unless the

16:26committee wanted to be a active

16:27participant which I more than welcome.

16:29Um

16:31uh our thinking was that before

16:35the assess their presentation

16:38um a group of us likely a combination of

16:41me the assessor and the CFO would run

16:45down

16:46the various data points that the EDC had

16:49suggested

16:51and sort of make a uh remind folks of

16:54these are these are different criteria

16:56that were could be we've looked into

16:59that what those specific data are. Here

17:03they are and here's what they might

17:04indicate and this feeds into the

17:07assessor's uh presentation. So the the

17:12concept I was I talking about the

17:13assessment was it would be a you know a

17:16relatively brief certainly briefer than

17:19the assessor's uh PowerPoint

17:22um that would

17:24outline some of the data points that

17:26were mentioned in uh your

17:27recommendations from earlier this year.

17:30So uh more than happy to get additional

17:33thoughts from you ideas about that.

17:38But this is again this is sort of a I

17:40like your idea of it being put out there

17:43because I think some of that information

17:44is important. I don't know that it's our

17:47place to have a seat at that

17:49presentation. I'm thinking that for

17:52instance you mentioned the CFO

17:55um that

17:57the Treasury's office or the CFO

18:00overseeing it. I think that there are

18:02some fiscal benchmarks that can be

18:04sought at the state level and I would

18:07think that um it would be more prudent

18:11to keep it in its arena because for

18:13example we could go out to the DLS

18:15website. We could go out somewhere else

18:17and find out that it's posted somewhere

18:19else and the more credible one is really

18:22here. I just I just don't want there

18:25some area where um

18:30um I like it, but I'm just cur concerned

18:34that it as someone who's had to do

18:36research before, I know sometimes you

18:38can research fiscal information and go

18:40to a certain website and it could be

18:42different than it is somewhere. So I

18:44think that and with the with um having a

18:47CFO in in that seat I would think that

18:50it might be more prudent to keep it in

18:52house as you would the assessor would

18:54have his information and then the CFO's

18:57division could give theirs. I don't

18:59necessarily know and I could,

19:03you know, look for other people's

19:04opinion, but because we're a a board or

19:08a committee that um is more vers um I

19:14would think that we wouldn't want to be

19:16a part of that presentation.

19:22Yeah, I think it would be a mistake to

19:24present ourselves as name

19:25>> as a sub finance

19:27>> or even somebody with all the available

19:28data to tell.

19:29>> Right. Thank you. That's another way.

19:32>> Yeah,

19:34>> that's a good point.

19:38>> I when it was given to us to sort of

19:40close my thoughts on this, we know that

19:44there's a lot of different var that can

19:48go into addressing the tax rate. What we

19:50don't know is what is driven and what is

19:54like there are certain things that the

19:56state requires. There are certain things

19:58that supposedly we change because of the

20:01regulations

20:03have that wherewithal to to be able to

20:05discern those kinds of that kind of

20:09knowledge on a regular basis. But I

20:12would think that we I would be willing

20:15to work as a subcommittee of the

20:18economic develop in in an effort to get

20:22that off the ground the first time

20:24knowing that we helped establish

20:25parameters. For instance, if we were to

20:28with one of those variables, then we or

20:32one of those numbers, we would say,

20:34well, we as believe that this is the

20:37best resource for it and going forward

20:40would use that particular mechanism.

20:43That way, we've given on we vetted and

20:47given some guidance on where and

20:49everybody's going to be aware that

20:50that's the number that's coming in and

20:53that would be the number that would get

20:54shared.

20:56Yeah, I think that kind of along those

20:59lines about expanding it a bit. I mean,

21:00as as an advisory board, uh, you know, I

21:04think it's part of our job to to be for

21:07ideas for other perspectives and that to

21:11identify things that that should be part

21:13of the conversation, but not really our

21:15responsibility to provide the details to

21:19what that conversation results in. Um,

21:22and so to that,

21:24you know, I think it's the fact that

21:26it's not assessor's data and it's not

21:28even data that maybe anyone has their

21:31finger to get is part of the point. Uh,

21:34and that's why and the value of of the

21:36suggestions we made should be because

21:39it's not just about what's the or what's

21:42this or that. It's no single thing. And

21:44and so I think that was ultimately the

21:47ask and what we delivered and I think

21:48that's appropriate with with our role as

21:51I understand I would agree that

21:55even to the extent of your offer I think

21:56that's a little too far.

21:58>> Yeah. Well, that's why I said because I

22:01am trying to to be, you know, helpful.

22:03But the time I uh, you know, we want to

22:06move in the right direction. But again,

22:10I I I'm going to go out on a limb a

22:13little bit and say that,

22:17how can I say this? We wanna we really

22:20wanna

22:24um we're being televised and I'm eating

22:26up time and everything else, but I'm I'm

22:28really trying to say that we have to

22:31imple some form of change. You the the

22:34shorter this the spectrum is that you

22:36make a decision, the less people you're

22:39going to reach. So we have a very

22:41confined this is how we're going to set

22:44the tax rate. And just for example, you

22:47know, we we might it's two variables. I

22:50think one of the things we've suggested

22:51is that the more narrow the scope is,

22:54the tougher it's going to be to reach a

22:56full population.

22:57>> So no, like I don't want to be the

23:01person to start de delegating

23:04departments. You know, that is

23:06responsibility to go find this

23:08information. But

23:11you know what? It's our problem and we

23:14need the employees of our community to

23:16help find those answers. You know,

23:19somebody from Oxford isn't going to come

23:20and say, "Oh, we'll help you. We know

23:23where this information is." Have to do

23:25it ourselves.

23:31You're the chair. Yeah. I I I I I'm here

23:35and I I didn't want to speak for you,

23:36but I know know that during the

23:39[clears throat] the deliberative process

23:41that came up withations, I think I think

23:44and Mike kind of hit on that. We they

23:46didn't you didn't want you wanted to

23:47stradd out the line. You wanted to

23:49provide

23:50ideas

23:52>> but not become like the ownersh.

23:55>> And we stated that in our letter,

23:56>> right? We stated that in our response

23:59sort of coming back to us again. Well,

24:02uh, [clears throat]

24:03yes, indeed. Uh, but I think but I think

24:06based on what what I've heard, I think

24:09some combination of staff,

24:12assessing treasur, collector, CFO,

24:15likely economic development,

24:16>> right? And as as the economic director

24:18working on behalf of an assistant town

24:21manager as well, it would sense that you

24:23have a partial interest in that

24:25information and maybe it would fall as

24:27well not into the CFO but yourself. But

24:29I think to bring someone from the comm

24:31is is

24:33>> I I I I don't I I hear the I hear the

24:36the EDC loud and clear on this one. But

24:38I again at the same time I just don't

24:40want to my goal here also is not make

24:42sure this work didn't go into a bin you

24:45know. So right this is so uh so I think

24:48based on the assessor's willingness to

24:51work collaboratively on something I

24:53think we'll pursue that with with staff

24:56internally and you know some of these

24:58things it's just how you

25:01>> we likely have some of the actual data

25:03but it's how we present it and how we

25:05>> well that and he's he's very it's it's

25:07it's important for him to point that out

25:10because he has an impact on the tax rate

25:12with the with the data that he sets

25:14forth. So the information that he he's

25:16got to say, I can't provide that and

25:18it's it's not something we have access

25:20to, but yet we're the selectman probably

25:23going to say, well, we like that

25:24information because once we look at what

25:26the assessor's office is giving us,

25:28we're going to take this because once

25:30the assessor presents, we may be here,

25:32but then once we get that other

25:34information, we may go here or here. So

25:37it's important that we get it. And it's

25:38important for the assessor to recognize

25:40that's not the source.

25:44>> So, um I'm [clears throat] going to move

25:46forward working with staff on that and I

25:48um I can, you know, keep the the

25:50committee posted. Uh I believe the

25:53presentation is not till November.

25:55>> But it's also important [clears throat]

25:56that maybe we get back to the board of

25:57selectmen be if I could suggest that

26:00maybe we get back to the board of

26:01selectment and say of the things that

26:04Seth Seth pointed out he really can't

26:07you know access what would you like to

26:09see and maybe limit your homework

26:12because you don't want to go after

26:13something that they're not going to give

26:15any consideration to.

26:16>> I I appreciate that attitude of trying

26:18to lighten my workload. Uh [laughter] uh

26:21uh no but that's that's a very good

26:23point though in all honesty uh because

26:25again we don't want to I'm sure we can

26:27get at all this data but is it going to

26:29be useful to select blackboard right so

26:33>> it's up to them to determine that

26:35>> yeah a good idea

26:36>> but if they not provided the data or

26:38thinking about the data won't be part of

26:40the conversation

26:40>> well they certainly received this and

26:42they know this but we could sort of uh

26:44say you know pick your favorite 20 or

26:46something

26:48Um, okay. No, it's a great idea. I'll uh

26:51I'll I'll I'll move on that and and keep

26:53the committee posted.

26:57>> Um,

26:59just keep going.

27:00>> Oh, please.

27:00>> Okay. Next on what I have here, uh,

27:02zoning changes, and I think I've

27:03mentioned this at a previous meeting.

27:05Uh, two measures have already been heard

27:07and recommended by the planning board.

27:10Uh, one being an inclusionary zoning

27:11bylaw. uh the up the tweak to the

27:15dimensional requirements in the regional

27:17mall overlay district. Uh let me

27:19translate that. Um

27:22about seven or eight years ago um uh via

27:26special permit process it was approved

27:28to allow heights up to I think 80 feet

27:30in some places and I think I want to say

27:32110 ft in a couple other places. Um i.e.

27:36you you can build more stories. It's

27:37basically looking at 10tory buildings

27:39looking at that way. Um, however, the

27:41way uh and one of the things I was told,

27:44one of the ideas was to uh make the mall

27:47in particular uh a more attractive site

27:49for potential redevelopment. Um, and so,

27:53however, the way the language was

27:54written in the, uh, in the mall overlay

27:57district, uh, it limited the height to

28:0035 ft, which is basically smaller.

28:02>> That's not 10 tough 10 stories. You're

28:04pretty.

28:05>> Yeah. Oh, and it's also I think

28:06Franklin's maybe smaller than like it's

28:08about the size of the parking decks. You

28:10know, so it's not it's not, you know,

28:11it's it'd be very flat horizontal

28:13development. Uh but the rest of the

28:16highway business surrounding it, you can

28:18kind of see in pink on the map over

28:20there. Um all that you could go up to

28:22the 10, it's calling it 10tory. There's

28:25a specific footage attached to it. Um so

28:30so it is intuitively I just think what

28:31happened was when they changed the

28:33zoning they didn't actually

28:36they changed the dimensional table they

28:37didn't go back to the overlay district

28:39and the way zoning works you have to

28:41defer to the more restrictive measure.

28:44So if one said one section of the bylaw

28:46says it could be another section says 35

28:48ft you can only go to 35 ft. So those

28:51are the two things that have been

28:52already passed by the planning board

28:54will be on the water. Uh there'll be

28:55another uh well, I'm not sure to be a

28:58tandem just yet, but at their at their

29:00meeting on September 8th, the planning

29:03board will be having a hearing about uh

29:05data centers. Um I think a lot of folks

29:09may be hearing about them a lot. There's

29:11especially in the Midwest and the West,

29:12there's lots of um very large

29:15>> I believe we have a couple up north.

29:16Don't we have one in LOL or Lawrence or

29:18something?

29:18>> I think Lawrence LOL definitely has a a

29:21famous one. Westfield has one that's

29:23been approved,

29:25I think. Um, but it's a hot button issue

29:29these days. And so there's two I heard

29:32one would be a ban on data centers. We

29:36actually have provisions already in our

29:39laws for data centers. So uh it doesn't

29:42specify dimensions, doesn't specify

29:44anything else, right? Uh so my so that's

29:47we have a ban proposed but also and I'm

29:50not playing my hand with the board

29:52deliberate but it's also uh a

29:54recommendation for a moratorum

29:55>> moratorium

29:56>> moratorium would allow for a one-year

29:59time period in which to study the issue

30:02and come up with or appropriate

30:05regulation around that. Uh from what

30:07we've heard from other communities, um

30:11you know, projects had impact on water

30:13supply. They they they

30:15>> their cooling center, you got to keep

30:16all of that cool.

30:17>> They they use a lot of water.

30:18>> Robin will just get

30:20>> so well we don't get all well water here

30:23as we know. Uh but there there are a

30:26number of they make a lot of noise

30:27apparently the larger ones kind of more

30:30in rural

30:30>> there are lawsuits now going on.

30:32>> Yeah. think a lot of communities have

30:34already banned and put moratory on them.

30:36So we don't want to get caught unaw sort

30:39of dumped on us. Uh so the board's going

30:42to deliberate that and depending on

30:44which one they recommend a ban or a

30:47moratorum that will be also under town

30:50meeting consideration at the special

30:52town meeting.

30:54>> I'd be curious to understand what the

30:57you know definition of data center is in

31:00the conversation. And I mean you said

31:02there are certain measurements or

31:03whatever but I mean I could put another

31:05server rack of three servers in my

31:07office which technically is a data

31:10center but

31:11>> so was you know for company that's

31:13trying to expand incrementally you know

31:15you have to really be cautious of the

31:17language I think that it's not overly

31:20>> well that's that'sricted right that's I

31:22agree because there are companies that

31:23have data storage so that said the

31:26zoning table is for primary uses so it

31:29would be if the uses is primarily as a

31:31data center like you've heard like you

31:33know a lot of these AI related uh

31:35efforts that are going on but if you

31:37have a if you're if you're a medical

31:40company let's say and you're storing a

31:42lot of data and you have servers or

31:44whatnot that would not be the in that

31:47case the servers would be accessory to

31:48your practical

31:50conversation

31:51>> but it's not obvious right

31:52>> and it needs to be part of the

31:53conversation be sure that the bylaw is

31:56>> in a way that is clear

31:59>> and that's why I feel like you know what

32:00I my recommendation or I know would be

32:03would be let's let's do the moratorum to

32:06analyze and come up with the right

32:07regulation before something that we

32:10don't want again with what I've seen

32:12across the country anyway these are you

32:14know they're often multi multi-acre

32:16sites

32:17>> uh and you know we have some large

32:20heights in Auburn I'm not sure they're

32:21big and flat enough for that kind of

32:24scale of use that said in our particular

32:27circumstances especially as relates to

32:30Um I think we need very deliberate about

32:32that and what we would look at. So um

32:35again that's that I I brought that up

32:37but I usually don't normally bring

32:39zoning issues before the EDC but as it

32:42related to a you know certainly a trendy

32:43topic in development world these days

32:46and you know uh it's it is related to um

32:50you know attracting or not different

32:53types of industries and what industries

32:55do we want. That ties back to our

32:57initial conversation about economics or

32:59future planning. What do we actually

33:01want to attract? Maybe at the end of the

33:02day it is data set. We probably need

33:04tighter you know regulations on that.

33:07Maybe it's something else al together

33:08and we talked about restaurants of

33:09course before.

33:12>> So anyway I just wanted the EDC to be

33:13aware of that. Uh so those are those

33:15things are happening.

33:16>> Um the last thing I have under my items

33:19was Auburn Chamber of Commerce outreach.

33:21Um, I know that's something we uh

33:24briefly touched on uh

33:28at multiple previous meetings. As it

33:30turns out, I'm meeting with the EDC

33:32tomorrow morning in this room. So, um,

33:36>> chair,

33:37>> what's that?

33:38>> You said EDC.

33:40Yeah, I'm not tomorrow morning. I mean,

33:43already meeting with EDC, right? Thank

33:44you. It's been a long day. Um anyway, so

33:47I know we had talked about different

33:49things um before I was going to

33:54roach the topic with uh the chamber

33:56tomorrow uh and see like EDC has talked

33:59about wanting to engage the with the

34:01chamber chamber board recommend we go I

34:06know again whether it's around I know

34:08Patrick last year you were involved with

34:10the the holiday event the the stroll

34:12>> they had actually come to us and asked

34:13for people wanted to volunteer there and

34:15that's really how I got connected.

34:17>> Okay,

34:17>> that's my only experience.

34:19>> Got it. Okay, fair enough. But uh that's

34:21what I'm saying. So that's great. Uh but

34:22is there a more formal way we can do

34:24that? Is there a way to have a more have

34:27more active dialogue?

34:28>> Well, I think one of the things that

34:30they could be a really good resource for

34:31is that, you know, you've got a whole

34:33different group of businessminded people

34:35that are paying attention to other

34:36businesses. So, I'd really like to tap

34:39them to find out what they what kind of

34:41businesses they think would do really

34:42well in here in Auburn and what kind of

34:45businesses we could attract because

34:48those could be customers for all the

34:51other businesses that are here. So, I

34:53mean, I have a need to talk with them. I

34:55have a specific I have specific

34:57questions. I think there'd also be a

34:59need to or a desire to to gain input

35:02from from the chamber members about you

35:06know what their perspective is as a as a

35:08employer you know in and challenges they

35:13have or or you know suggest whatever

35:16that again is part of the role being the

35:19voice of that would be useful in as

35:22well. I don't know if that's some kind

35:24of

35:28have an opportunity to have some kind of

35:30moderating conversation around that that

35:32we don't have to lead or execute but

35:36participate and um you know and to have

35:39that opportunity

35:41to engage might be

35:43>> not just the principles at the chamber

35:45but what do their employees like about

35:47coming to work in Auburn and what don't

35:49they like what are we not providing that

35:51you know the next time a job happens And

35:52some of them they were like, "Well, it's

35:54boring working at Auburn. How good are

35:56you know what what's going to attract

35:58what's going to help them keep their

36:00employee retention?"

36:01>> That's great. Uh just had idea to the

36:04chair. Uh do we want to we want to

36:07invite members of the executive

36:10committee to come to one of our

36:12meetings?

36:13>> Well, what if we one of their meetings?

36:16I think that might

36:18>> Well, well, we have a timing. Let me

36:20caution you that the chamber executive

36:22order at 8:00 on Friday morning.

36:24>> Oh gee. Yeah.

36:26>> Regular chamber events that they have

36:28whe they bring businesses in for

36:29breakfast or things like that have

36:33you know speakers or sessions you

36:37have 20 minutes

36:41type of event

36:43conversation about economic development

36:45in Auburn.

36:54I know uh I know because I'm on the I'm

36:56on the list and I'm on the committee of

36:58course u but there are lots of social

37:00events which are great you know they

37:02have like quarterly they have like a

37:05what do they call like an after hour

37:07business after hours they you know get

37:09get you know go to the pedal post and

37:11get get a cocktail and appetizers and

37:13you know do the smoozing kind of thing

37:15there's that they have an annual um you

37:18know they have their annual meeting uh

37:20which I attended this year and I have no

37:23doubt

37:25Craig Williams who president

37:29um and another one they're doing some

37:30other events uh getting more information

37:33tomorrow but they're going to be using

37:35uh camp

37:37um new memberation

37:40um

37:42I call it

37:46like walking welcoming events.

37:48>> Yeah, welcoming events. And so those are

37:51all great again that they're very

37:53worthy, but they're more like social

37:55opportunities as opposed to let's let's

37:58sit down and talk. So, but I think I can

38:01surely begin to share dates with this

38:03group and I think we're folks to attend.

38:06But how about I ask

38:08I had some ideas just now, but how about

38:10you speak with the committee tomorrow

38:13and express ideas and sort of get their

38:15own thoughts.

38:16uh whether [clears throat] they want to

38:17come to a meeting

38:20officially officially again so they can

38:23come but come and sort of talk about

38:26chambers everything we're talking about

38:28and just um you know what can we do to

38:31either attract kinds of businesses or

38:33what can we do to make uh

38:35[clears throat] you know the working

38:37experience uh more attractive

38:42maybe some people going home after they

38:43getting out here they'll get

38:46or whatever.

38:52I will um I will talk to the team

38:55tomorrow and uh and get back to

38:58Thank you so much for

39:02um

39:04next time the agendas is approval of

39:06minutes. Um the minutes of July 16, 2026

39:11meeting have been distributed. Uh there

39:14any

39:19if not

39:21hearing no question the minutes are

39:23approved as presented

39:27just for for the sake of addition to

39:30a vote to a motion just to cover the

39:33base I'll make a motion to accept the

39:35minutes of the of the um 9 sorry the

39:397:16 meeting second

39:49I backing up and I forgot to mention one

39:51thing that I included in packets. Um

39:55I think I talked about this before but I

39:57just wanted to share this with you right

39:59now. This is something I envision

40:02especially when we get a new economic

40:04development uh coordinator on board

40:07this something like this. This is a

40:09monthly newsletter act in those um and

40:13as you can see I find it to be uh pretty

40:16engaging uh you know you know this

40:20graphics

40:24but again I think it's you look at the

40:37things going on and so on and so forth.

40:39Um I may not do a monthly

40:43quarterly but this is something to tell

40:48folks appreciate this but this is I

40:50think the kind of thing I would like to

40:53see

40:56on my own app

41:00but this is something I think that we

41:02would

41:04side I would like to

41:08increasing

41:16Yeah.

41:17[laughter]

41:22Yeah.

41:30You envision something like this being

41:34being um distributed.

41:38Well, there's a few ways to do it. Um,

41:40with your audience, you know,

41:43things to think about, but

41:44[clears throat] just in terms of the

41:45physical part of it. Um,

41:48website, social media, but one thing

41:52um

41:55to getting

41:56sent to you agenda

41:59um

42:00constant contact is one of the kind, you

42:03know,

42:05[clears throat] tools that people use

42:06for that. So you know on the staff end

42:09you create the letter and you send us

42:10the list number three

42:14people signed up for that. So yes, you

42:17always open to ways of how do how do we

42:19get you know

42:22right if you're posting online

42:27how do we get this into people's hands

42:29how do we distribute it to everybody you

42:32could say that you could pick a select

42:34group that you feel should get it and

42:37just say well you're you're in the group

42:39to get it whether you can't make

42:44for some people to see it easy

42:50for me to

42:52change one and change

42:55that's really helpful but that's

43:02I have it too

43:04you know business certificates

43:07contact and so forth and we could do

43:11essentially

43:12add them to this and include an opt.

43:25I just wanted to share that this is what

43:26I'm envisioning. Uh, or what appealed to

43:29me about this when you first and I saw

43:32it, I'll tell you what captured my

43:33interest. For years while I lived here,

43:35we had the Auburn paper and it just sort

43:38of diminished and you knew everything

43:41that was going on around Auburn and some

43:43or another portions of that broke off.

43:46They either disappeared or they've been

43:48replaced with something else. And what I

43:50would hate to see is for this to fall

43:53flat when I think I think this is great.

43:55I just don't want to see it diminish and

43:57fall apart like the offer and you know

44:00well I think part of which was a

44:01newspaper right and then they didn't

44:03even go to digital right if I'm not

44:05mistaken because I've not heard that the

44:07other is digital [snorts] so that's I

44:10just wanted to point that out that I

44:11thought this was a great way of keeping

44:13tabs on things that are going on around

44:16yeah it used to be in newspapers

44:20change

44:22[clears throat] this is why we're

44:23disconnected and the people in the but

44:25don't necessarily have an awareness

44:27because they don't have correspondence

44:29or information like they used to get

44:31used to. [clears throat] There's

44:32definitely a vacuum of information out

44:33there and I feel like you have some good

44:35staff doing some good things on social

44:37media and whatnot, but again at the end

44:39of the day getting a segment of the

44:42audience really wanted

44:48[clears throat]

44:51[laughter]

44:59to

45:02Uh we have tenative at 9:17. At the last

45:05meeting we had said let's go out two

45:07meetings and uh 9:17 was cancelled in

45:12that

45:16>> works for me

45:23Thursday

45:31but just Um,

45:35we don't have it on the agenda, but

45:37[clears throat] no need any new members

45:40to get up to five members.

45:44to speak to

45:47post

45:58might

46:01the Thursday before is that the Thursday

46:03before Columbus Day weekend

46:07the third of Columbus

46:16>> [cough]

46:19>> I think some towns have renamed

46:22it Thursday. Can we do the 20 seconds? I

46:27suppose we could also before

46:33[clears throat]

47:00So is is there any further business to

47:03come before the committee?

47:08None. This meeting is adjourned at 6:47.

47:11Thank you everyone.

47:14[music]