2004-01-14-PB-min - Laserfiche WebLink

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Minutes for the Meeting of January 14, 2004 impervious surface was preexisting and the developer was proposing removal of it but still could not meet, after removal, the impervious surface ratio. The feeling was that if developers are malting an attempt to move toward a more 'greenfields', undeveloped condition, that should be acknowledged and the developer should be given some slack in terms of slightly exceeding the ISR, provided, however, that the overall site coverage for the entire parcel still represents a net reduction. There was further discussion of a possibly more aggressive provision about preexisting impervious surface in terms of whether in some instances applicants shod be encouraged to retain impervious surface for good, public benefit reasons, such as retention of historic buildings, avoidance of a road right- of-way through a wetland or environmentally sensitive area or reuse of a site for affordable housing. In the end, the Board asked the staff to redraft this provision addressing redevelopment of a site to more clearly state its intent. ***** * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * ** REPORTS ****** * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * ** LIAJSON REPORTS Center Committee Mr. Kastorf reported that the Lexington Center Committee intends to submit a parking amendment for the central business district. This amendment would essentially place parking for individual properties into the discretionary special permit granting authority of the Board of Appeals, in terms of waiving or reducing the parking requirement in the Zoning Bylaw. There was extensive discussion by the Board and Mr. Garber handed out his critique of the draft amendment that had been received through Mr. Kastorfs efforts earlier in the day and Mr. Garber pointed out a number of deficiencies starting with the concept itself, that it could be a short term fix that would potentially worsen the problem and create issues of equitable granting of relief to the Bylaw for downtown businesses. He also mentioned the lack of clarity within the list of possible public benefits and the absence of a common value basis for requiring them. He also pointed out that some of that list did not involve public benefits at all but really just involved improvements that would be special permit conditions and should be provided by anyone as part of downtown parking for basic function and safety. It was agreed that Mr. Kastorf would attend the Lexington Center Committee meeting the following morning and urge them to communicate with the Planning Board on this and perhaps, if the group was not ready to go with a fully realized bylaw and article, suggest they should consider deferring to a future date. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * ** BOARD ORGANIZATION AND SCHEDULE * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * ** Meeting Schedule Ms. McCall- Taylor reiterated the January and February schedule of Planning Board meetings every week for certain regulatory items such as Luongo Farm Lane and Clelland Road definitive plans and the pending Hazel Road preliminary plan. She also listed out some proposed hearing dates of the major rezoning articles for the 2004 Annual Town Meeting. Pass - through Plan Review Mr. Garber explained the pending changes to the engineering review of plans for the Planning Board and the Conservation Commission in particular. Due to staff reductions and transfer of personnel, the Engineering Division will not be able to provide plan review services in terms of storm water management and has requested that the Planning Board require a pass though fee arrangement to bring in outside consultants to perform the function of reviewing stormwater plans. Similarly, engineering has indicated that they can no longer not charge for site inspections. They intend to farm out these services to an outside consultant. Staff explained that they would send communications to the development community and invite them to a meeting if they want to speak on this issue. Tentatively, it is scheduled February 1 1`"