Candidate Q&A: Charles Hornig for Planning Board

In advance of the annual town election on March 7, Lexington Patch is posting Q&As with candidates who are running for election or re-election to town boards or committees. 

The following Q&A is with Charlie Hornig, who is seeking re-election to the Planning Board. Michelle Ciccolo and Bruce Embry are also candidates.

Q. Please give a brief history of any town experience you have, including serving on a committee or being involved in the community.

A. I grew up in Lexington, in the house on Marrett Road where my father still lives. I attended the Lexington schools for 12 years, graduating in 1975 and had the privilege of marching with the rest of the LHS band at the very front of the 1975 Patriot's Day parade (the advantage of playing trombone). I moved to the city for college and work, but returned to Lexington with my wife, Ingrid Klimoff, in 1985. Since then, my own children have grown up and attended the Lexington schools, graduating in 2003 and 2004.

I'm a member of Church of our Redeemer and the Lexington Bicentennial Band (recently rejoined after a 30-year break). My experience in the town's government includes:

• Planning Board, 2005 to present. Chairman 2007 -2009.
• Capital Expenditures Committee, 1997-2003. Chairman 1998-2000.
• Town Meeting Members Association, treasurer 2002-2004, vice-chair 2004-2005. 
• Town Meeting Member, Precinct 8, 1990-1993, 1995-present

Q. What prompted you to run for re-election?

A. I don't want to leave the board in the middle of its effort to overhaul Lexington's commercial zoning. While we have done good work on Hartwell Avenue, the Town has other commercial areas. We told the town that we would keep working after Hartwell Avenue, and I want to be part of keeping that promise.

It is also very important to me that Lexington continues to be a welcoming community. Our housing policies should try to ensure that housing is available for all.

Q. What do you hope to accomplish if elected?

A. I want to use my experience to help the Board adapt the zoning principles we used on Hartwell Avenue for other areas of town and present those changes to Town Meeting. We need to provide more flexibility, predictability and timeliness for commercial landowners if we want them to invest in Lexington. I don't see any reason this can't be done while continuing to protect the community.

We also need to start implementing the plan we have developed for Hartwell Avenue. In particular, we need sidewalks and safe street crossings in that area now, not after years of waiting for development.

Q. What do you think are the important issues the Planning Board is facing? 

A. Two issues seem to dominate our discussions:

• How should we balance the town's desire for economic development with its concerns about the potential negative impacts, such as traffic and noise.
• How can we ensure that new development is 'sustainable.' That word means a lot of different things to different people, but, however you define it, we need to make sure our vision of Lexington can be sustained for the next generation.

Q. What would you try and change?

A: Our current zoning bylaw and development regulations are long, hard to understand,and not always consistent with each other or state law. Over the years, I have spoken to many citizens who don't understand the rules the board must follow in making decisions. I want to make sure that the effort now ongoing to re-codify the regulations results in something that doesn't take years to understand.

Q. What statement would you like to make in closing?

A. Whether we have a lot of money or only a little, young or grown children or none, a large house or a small apartment, there should be a place for all of us in the Lexington community.