2010-06-16-PB-min - Laserfiche WebLink

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PLANNING BOARD MINUTES MEETING OF JUNE 16, 2010 A regular meeting of the Lexington Planning Board in the Selectmen’s Meeting Room, Town Office Building was called to order at 7:30 p.m. by Chairman Gregory Zurlo with members Richard Canale, Charles Hornig, Anthony Galaitsis, Wendy Manz and planning staff Maryann McCall-Taylor and Aaron Henry present. *******************HARTWELL AVENUE TRANSPORTATION PLAN******************* An overview of the transportation study and plan was the presented by Rick Bryant of Tetra Tech Rizzo, the Board’s consultant. Comments from the Economic Development Advisory Committee (EDAC) were received in writing prior to the meeting and responses to these comments were provided at the meeting. EDAC Questions Will the two-roundabout (2RB) solution be able to handle the projected capacity needs? What will the traffic impact be at a 40, 50 and 60 percent increased capacity? Information from the study was shared that shows that the critical Hartwell/Bedford roundabout will operate better than or equal to other designs under consideration from a volume-to-capacity perspective. The intersection may still experience peak hour traffic demands that are 20 percent more than the roundabout’s capacity under full build out conditions. However, these projected traffic levels may never be realized given capacity constraints on other elements of the area roadway system (Route 128 and Bedford Street east and west of the study area). Is the proposed one time $3 to $5 per sq-ft district wide traffic improvement assessment (DTIA) on new space, collected at permitting time, to finance town's 25% share of the projected $12 million 2RB cost workable? Information from the study was shared that showed that higher fees are being paid by developers elsewhere in Burlington and in Needham, MA. EDAC representatives expressed concerns that developers will not want to pay fees that do not end up being spent to improve the corridor. It is believed that developers in the Hartwell Avenue area in the past made fee payments which have never been spent on the corridor. Has an analysis (or an assumption) been done on when it is likely the development will take place? No assumptions have been made in this regard. The mitigation fund and need for traffic improvements are