2009-03-05-CPC-min - Laserfiche WebLink

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Community Preservation Committee Thursday, March 5, 2009 Legion Room 4:00 pm Present: Betsey Weiss, Chair; Marilyn Fenollosa, Vice Chair; Joel Adler, Norman Cohen, Jeanne Krieger, Wendy Manz, Leo McSweeney, Nathalie Rice, Admin. Asst.; and Dick Wolk. Dick Kanter of the CEC was also present. Absent: Sandy Shaw The meeting was called to order at 4:04 pm. The purpose of the meeting was to discuss the possibility of affordable housing on the Leary property, and options regarding bonding of the purchase with Rob Addelson, Town Finance Manager. 1.Affordable Housing and the Leary Property - MaryAnn McCall-Taylor, Town Planner, and Karen Mullins, Director of Community Development, were present for the discussion. Ms. Weiss introduced the discussion of affordable housing on the Leary land by asking Ms. McCall-Taylor to share her thoughts with the Committee. Ms. McCall-Taylor said she had met with Mr. Fred Russell, the engineer who had completed the survey work for the appraisal, and said that they had discussed the possibility of one to two lots. With 150’ of frontage, they felt it would be easiest to use the LIP zoning approach, or a friendly 40B. This way, the Town could waive the dimensional requirements, and potentially fit in two duplex units on the Vine Street frontage. Ms. Manz asked Ms. McCall-Taylor why the access to the conservation land was incorporated in the balanced housing development rather than using easements, to which Ms. McCall-Taylor replied that the Conservation Commission did not want to use easements. She said her discussion with Mr. Russell involved three possible scenarios for siting two duplex buildings. There would have to be a small access road on which the units would have frontage, and the access road, could either (1) bisect the units, (2) be sited to the east of them, or (3) be sited to the west of them. She noted that the Engineering Department felt the sight lines were best if the road was placed as close to the curve on Vine Street as possible. In addition to serving the housing units, the road would also access 3-4 parking spaces at its end in a small cul-de- sac. This would meet the need for public parking, which at present does not exist for the Vine Brook Conservation area. Ms. Fenollosa brought up the issue of the historic nature of the Leary house, which dates back to1840, and questioned whether a renovation of the structure might make sense. Ms. McCall-Taylor responded to this possibility, saying that it was unlikely that LexHAB would do such work, and noted that historic rehab is 1