2003-07-09-PB-min - Laserfiche WebLink

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PLANNING BOARD MINUTES MEETING OF JULY 9, 2003 The meeting of the Lexington Planning Board held in the Selectmen's Room, Town Office Building, was called to order at 7:00 p.m. by Chairman Harden with members Chase, Davies, Galaitsis, Kastorf and planning staff Garber, McCall- Taylor, and Tap present. **** * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * ** MINUTES ******* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * ** Review of Minutes The Board reviewed and corrected the minutes for the meeting of June 4, 2003. On the motion of Mr. Davies, seconded by Mr. Kastorf, it was voted to approve the minutes, as amended. * * * * * * * * * ** ADMINISTRATION OF LAND DEVELOPMENT REGULATIONS * * * * * * * * * * * ** SUBDMSION OF LAND Lexington Hills Cluster Subdivision Definitive Plan_ Walnut Roseland, Continued Public Hearing Present for the hearing were Mr. Jeff Nadherny, Belmont Advisors; Mr. Gary Larson, Larson Associates; Mr. John Farrington, attorney; Mr. Rick Waitt, Meridian Engineering; Mr. Steve Hurley, Janovsky & Hurley Architects; and Mr. Charles Kalauskas, traffic engineer, BSQ and Mr. Roger Wruble of Habitat. There were 14 people in the audience. Mr. Larson gave an overview of the project's progression thorough the permitting process, which began with a sketch submission in December 2001 and a preliminary submission in 2002. The definitive plan was filed in April 2003. It shows 27 dwellings in a mixture of detached and attached units. Three attached units will go to the Lexington Housing Assistance Board, one at no cost, two at building materials costs only. Still missing from the application is a signed right of easement from the City of Waltham relative to the emergency access road, part of which is in Waltham. The Planning Board agreed to go ahead with the public hearing anyway, though it would not vote on the definitive plan tonight. Mr. Larson briefly presented the locus and existing conditions plans as well as the road layout plan, which has not changed significantly since the sketch plan, except for a reduction of six units. However, the turnarounds are now shown as loops instead of hammerheads in response to requests from the fire and engineering departments. The plan meets the open space requirement of the cluster bylaw but falls short on usable open space, some of which will be mounded to provide a buffer between the dwellings and the road. The berms are meant to enhance the character of the site. The affordable units account for 4,000 of the 46,000 square feet site coverage figure. The development team has been working with Roger Wruble, director of Habitat in Belmont, one of 41 Audubon Society nature sanctuaries, to come up with a way to tie the proposed regional nature trail associated with the Western Greenway project, into this subdivision approval Mr. Hurley described the style of the proposed dwellings, pointing out that the style of the LexHAB units blends with that of the market rate units as the Board had requested. . Board Questions and Comments Walking Trails: There was a lengthy discussion about the proposed walking path and how it could Iink up to an existing nature trail. Mr. Wruble was present to describe the original trail as it went through the site, linking Habitat with Trapelo Road, east to west. He said that the Lexington Hills development will interrupt a forested wildlife corridor but he is glad that a trail connection can be made, preserving access from east to west. Mr. Nadherny assured him that the area where the disrupting work is done would be landscaped so that the corridor perhaps can be reestablished. The construction work, however, is unavoidable. The Board asked that a concrete agreement be reached before the Board votes on the definitive plan.