Planning Board minutes 03-13-1995

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PLANNING BOARD MINUTES ( MEETING OF MARCH 13, 1995 The meeting of the Lexington Planning Board held in Room G-15, Town Office Building, was called to order at 7:32 p.m. by Chairman Davison, with members Canale, Grant, Merrill, Planning Director Bowyer, and Assistant Planner Marino present. Mr. Davies was absent. ************ ADMINISTRATION OF LAND DEVELOPMENT REGULATIONS ************* SUBDIVISION OF LAND 45 Lowell and Summer Street. Sketch Subdivision Plan. Mark Moore Homes: Frank Carney and Mark Moore of Mark Moore Homes, Inc. the applicant, Malcolm MacDowell, engineer, of Noonan and MacDowell, and Ronald Wood of Guidelines Design, Inc., landscape architect, were present. A number of residents who either live adjacent to the site, or are interested in the preservation of the old farm house, also were present. Mr. Carney described the sketch plan for property at Lowell and Summer Street in East Lexington. The plans submitted are for a cluster subdivision. He explained that Mark Moore Homes has an agreement with the property owner to purchase the land at 51 Lowell Street. The houses will be of a design suited to "empty nesters" He believes that this type of housing is much needed because of Lexington's changing demographic composition and housing market. The applicant presented a series of site plans for the development of the property Their preferred development scheme for the site is in two parts: five approval not required lots and a seven lot cluster subdivision. F In preparing their plans for the site the applicants considered: • Minimizing disturbance and construction in the parts of the site that are topographically difficult to develop; • Avoiding the requirement in section 9.3.2 of the Lexington Zoning By-Law that requires two means of access in the case of a dead-end street that serves more than ten dwelling units; and • Building the type of housing aimed at "empty nesters" Comments from David Hornstein, 15 Westminster Avenue, included characterizing the historic significance of the farmhouse, and his opinions on the site plan. Alyce Monahan, the occupant of the farmhouse, spoke in opposition to any development scheme that requires demolishing or moving the farmhouse. Comments from the Planning Board indicated general support for the cluster scheme but also the desire to retain and incorporate the farmhouse into the site plan. ************************ ARTICLES FOR 1995 TOWN MEETING ************************ 46. Article 25. Frontage Reduction: The Board reviewed the draft amendment and report to Town Meeting. On the motion of Mr. Merrill, seconded by Mr. Grant, the Board voted unanimously, 4-0, to recommend that the Town Meeting approve the proposed amendment. On the motion of Mr Merrill, seconded by Mr Grant, the Board voted unanimously, 4-0, to approve the wording of the report, dated March 7, 1995, as amended.