LYNN — The city has its first planner in more than two decades.
Mayor Thomas M. McGee announced Wednesday that he has appointed Aaron Clausen as the city’s principal planner, a contracted position effective on April 6. It has to be approved by the City Council.
Clausen has served as director of planning and development for the City of Beverly since 2014. Before that, he served first as associate planner and later senior planner for the City of Lowell from 2007-2013.
Clausen will work out of the mayor’s office, and will work with EDIC/Lynn, the city’s Department of Community Development, Inspectional Services Department and Department of Public Works, and Lynn Housing Authority & Neighborhood Development. He will provide support for the Planning Board, Zoning Board of Appeals and City Council.
There were a number of candidates who applied for the position, but it was that “extensive urban planning experience,” that led McGee to make the appointment.
“We haven’t had this member of the city for a couple of decades,” said McGee. “He will do what he’s been able to do in Lowell and Beverly, which is take the kind of skills that directly relate to the broader vision of planning. He brings a skill set that we haven’t had in a long time.”
The city’s last full-time head planner was Kevin Geaney, who served in that role from 1972-1993.
The position was eliminated shortly after by a home rule petition approved by the City Council and Planning Board because then-Mayor Patrick J. McManus envisioned having a development czar who would have authority over economic development and planning for the city, according to someone who was involved with the planning department at the time.
Clausen was hired based on a job posting that had a listed salary of $115,000. McGee said the city still intends to hire a full-time contracted associate planner at a salary of $90,000, but that process has been pushed back in the midst of the coronavirus outbreak.
The positions will be funded for the next three years with $675,000 worth of gifts from the Economic Development & Industrial Corporation of Lynn (EDIC/Lynn), the city’s development bank; MassDevelopment, Eastern Bank Foundation, Gerondelis Foundation, and the Barr Foundation.
McGee said his long-term vision is to create a “more robust” planning department in the city, but a funding source beyond three years has not been determined.
“We needed a planning staff,” said McGee. “We’ve got a chance for three years to see how we can move forward. The first step is getting someone on board so we can create that plan. Bringing (Clausen) on was the key priority.”
McGee said he was encouraged by a lot of “exciting” things that happened under Clausen’s planning leadership in both Beverly and Lowell.
For instance, in Beverly, Clausen led the department through an “unprecedented period of economic development,” which included the revitalization of the city’s downtown. Because of his leadership and collaborative efforts, Beverly has strengthened its reputation as a vibrant cultural destination where people come to live, work and play, according to McGee.
In addition, Clausen oversaw the development of Beverly’s Community Housing Plan, which created a comprehensive strategy for addressing the city’s many housing needs.
During his tenure, key parts of that plan, such as an update to the city’s inclusionary housing ordinance and the creation of an affordable housing trust, were implemented. That trust has invested more than $700,000 for affordable housing developments in the city since it was created in 2017, according to McGee.
Notably in Lowell, Clausen served as project manager in the development of a City Building Vision for the Hamilton Canal District and the Neighborhoods, a planning study that included an intensive public visioning campaign to identify improved physical and programming links in four inner-city neighborhoods.
McGee said the kind of skill set that Clausen will bring has been missing in Lynn and will complement the skills of other members of the city’s economic development team.
Clausen will be focused on long-range and broader vision planning efforts, such as implementing the city’s newly updated Waterfront Master Plan, overseeing planned developments on the Lynnway and the construction of the city’s portion of Northern Strand Community Trail, which is scheduled to begin this spring, McGee said.
In addition, Clausen will coordinate applications and management of relevant grants, along with state and federal funding opportunities.
“I’m honored Mayor McGee has asked me to join the team and serve the City of Lynn during this time of transition,” said Clausen in a statement. “It is an exciting time for the City of Lynn. I believe this moment presents an opportunity to build on renewed interest and investment in the city to ensure a comprehensive and inclusive approach to development that will benefit the broader community.
“I look forward to jumping in and facilitating the creation of a comprehensive vision for the whole city.”
Clausen is a graduate of Bentley College. He received his master’s degree in urban and regional planning with a concentration in urban design from the University of Michigan.
