Lin Jensen Launches Campaign for Lexington Planning Board Seat
S T A T E M E N T
Lin Jensen has announced her candidacy for the Planning Board.
Jensen began her 20 years of volunteer and civic work in Lexington within weeks of her family moving here.
Her service to the community includes:
- Town Meeting member (Precinct 8) since 2018
- Member of the Sustainable Lexington Committee
- Co-founder of the award-winning LPS Green Teams, helping students, staff and residents on composting and waste-reduction
- Former Hastings PTO co-president, volunteer, METCO Family Friends host
Jensen holds a B.Sc. from Peking University and an MBA from Columbia Business School. She has lived in cities and suburbs in the U.S., China and Germany.
“My international experience,” Jensen said, “allows me to recognize the extraordinary history and conservation efforts of Lexington. I think we owe it to our future generations in this beloved town to plan for sustainable growth and the well-being of all community members.”
Jensen’s vision for Lexington is:
- Proactive, thoughtful, long-range planning;
- Real community engagement and data-driven analysis before rezoning;
- Preserve Lexington’s historic and leafy neighborhoods while promoting housing affordability and a vibrant business environment.
Jensen has a 10-year track record of advocating for the town and residents on Planning Board issues. In collaboration with community groups and town staff, she co-authored five policies and bylaws on Sustainability, and the following on Zoning:
- Amendments to by-right zoning Articles 33 (Special Resident Developments) & 34 (MBTA Multifamily) that would have given the Planning Board and community the ability to shape projects and utilize more effective zoning tools to reach the town’s goals (2023)
- Amendment to Article 30 to increase affordable housing in Special Residential Developments from 15% to 17.6% (2025, adopted by Town Meeting)
- Zoning regulation amendments on Site Plan Review and Sustainability (2025, adopted by Planning Board)
In 2023 Jensen voted “No” in Town Meeting on the 253-acre MBTA zoning proposal. Last year, she supported Article 2, the citizens’ petition to scale it back. She presented data to help residents understand the situation. As a Town Meeting member, she voted “No” on a proposed amendment to add back the 25-acre Lexington Center to Article 2, which would have resulted in by-right zoning that limits the Planning Board’s ability to shape projects in this historic area.
If elected, Jensen will bring a unique and much-needed perspective and skill set honed from her work in corporate finance at a global conglomerate.
“Having been educated and worked in finance,” Jensen said, “I gravitate toward solid facts and data analysis. I have learned that good intentions are not enough. Transparency and public scrutiny are key to avoiding unintended consequences and to helping us make informed decisions.
“Zoning is complex and not binary: housing versus no housing. It requires care and foresight of the impact on our lives, town services and the more vulnerable among us.” For more information, please visit www.LinJensen.org.