Town Government
Boards & Commissions
What Boards & Commissions Are
Beyond the Select Board and the School Committee, much of Lexington’s governing happens on volunteer boards and committees. They approve new development, hear zoning appeals, protect wetlands and open space, guard the historic districts around the Battle Green, and advise Town Meeting on how to spend the town’s money. In a town this active, these are the rooms where an ordinary resident can have the most direct hand in a decision.
Some members are elected at the town election, but most are appointed, either by the Select Board or by the Town Moderator who runs Town Meeting. The meetings are public, and seats open up regularly.
Key Boards & Committees
- Planning Board reviews subdivisions, site plans, and zoning changes that go to Town Meeting.
- Zoning Board of Appeals hears variances and special permits.
- Conservation Commission protects Lexington’s wetlands, ponds, and more than 1,300 acres of town conservation land.
- Historic Districts Commission guards the look of the historic areas around Lexington Green.
- Board of Health oversees inspections, clinics, and public health rules.
- Appropriation Committee and Capital Expenditures Committee study the budget and advise Town Meeting on operating and capital spending.
For the full roster, current members, vacancies, and schedules, see lexingtonma.gov.
How to Serve
- Find an opening on the town’s boards and committees page.
- Submit a letter of interest or application to the appointing authority, usually the Select Board.
- Interview if asked, and await appointment.
- Serve: attend the public meetings and help make decisions for your town.
Sources
Lexington government website (lexingtonma.gov). Verified July 2026.
What this seat decides
Your other boards
Board of Health. Tobacco and nicotine sales, flavored products, food permits, and housing conditions. It can pass a binding regulation on its own without a Town Meeting vote, which makes it the fastest lever in Massachusetts.
Planning Board. Where housing or businesses can be built, height limits, and a specific development. It holds the public hearing, and the zoning change itself is voted by Town Meeting or the Council and needs two thirds.
Conservation Commission. A stream, a wetland, a marsh, or a pond.
Library Trustees. Library hours, programs, and policy. The library's money comes from Town Meeting.
Parks and Recreation Commission. A field, a court, a playground, or a park. The money for building one usually comes from Town Meeting.
Historical Commission. An old building, and whether it can be torn down or saved.
Serving on a board is one of the most direct ways to shape Lexington.