Planning Board Minutes, 1994-04-06

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PLANNING BOARD MINUTES MEETING OF APRIL 6, 1994 The meeting of the Lexington Planning Board held in Room G-3, Town Office Building, was called to order at 7 12 p.m. by Chairman Domnitz, with members Canale, Davison, Grant, Merrill, Planning Director Bowyer, and Assistant Planner Marino present. ************************ PLANNING DIRECTOR'S REPORT *********************** 67. Recent Activity a. Asnaraffus Lane Preliminary Subdivision Plan Mr. Marino rolled out a preliminary plan for the proposed Asparagus Lane development off Grove Street, near the entrance to the Estabrook School The plan, prepared by Larson Associates for John and Debra Cary, was submitted on April 5, 1994 A sketch plan for this land was reviewed by the Board on June 30, 1993 ************************ REGIONAL, INTERTOWN ISSUES ************************* 68. Met. State Reuse Plan The Board began its review of the proposed Met. State Reuse Plan by following a questionnaire dated April 6, 1994, prepared by the staff Mr. Bowyer said the questionnaire would act as a guide to help the Planning Board develop a position and recommendation to be given to the Met State Hospital Task Force and to the Board of Selectmen At a later date, after a developer has been designated, a proposal will be submitted to the Planning Board for a rezoning to the RD Planned Residential Development zoning district The Board agreed with two of the three primary uses of the site - a major public open space, and reuse of the parts of the site now occupied by buildings for housing and institutional use Three of the members agreed on the third primary use, a public nine-hole golf course. Mr. Canale has reservations about the golf course and felt its fiscal and environmental impacts should be closely examined Mrs Davison preferred open space rather than a golf course Mrs Davison said that the golf course should contribute a higher percentage of the money needed for the state to break even in meeting its costs for the removal of hazardous materials, demolition of certain buildings, and site preparation If the proposed housing use has to pay a disproportionately high percentage of the cost for the state to break even, then it will be more difficult to meet housing objectives for subsidized housing and housing for disabled and mentally ill persons Mrs. Davison said that the City of Waltham should pay the fair market value for the land, which she thought was 3 to 4 million dollars She would look more favorably upon a golf course if Waltham pays the fair market value Mr. Domnitz suggested the consensus position of the Board would be that the use of a part of the site for a golf course was acceptable but its financial arrangements needed further discussion With respect to the traffic criteria, Mr. Canale said he was equally concerned with the traffic impacts along the roadway in addition to that at intersections If the criterion were reworded to express concern about the impact on residents abutting roadway segments as well as congestion at intersections, that would be acceptable to him Mrs. Davison noted that the traffic criteria, that no more traffic be generated than existed five years ago when the hospital was in operation, would