2002-06-19-PB-min - Laserfiche WebLink

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PLANNING BOARD MINUTES MEETING OF JUNE 19, 2002 The meeting of the Lexington Planning Board held in the Clarke Middle School auditorium, 17 Stedman Road, Lexington, was called to order at 7:35 p.m. by Chairman Galaitsis with members, Chase, Davies, Harden, Kastorf and planning staff Garber, McCall - Taylor, and Tap present. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * ** COMPREHENSIVE PLAN * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * ** Transportation Element RFP, Candidate Finn Interviews Mr. Garber reported on the June 15 interviews with the two engineering consulting firms that responded to the RFP for the transportation element of the comprehensive plan, Howard/Stein-Hudson and Vanasse Hangen Brustlin. He said that both firms are extraordinarily qualified for the work. The two proposals differ in style but both are good. The staff is in the process of calling the firms' references. Gail Wagner, Lexington's transportation coordinator, will interview them this week as well. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * ** PLANNING BOARD ORGANIZATION, SCHEDULE * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * ** End of June, July_ Schedule Ms. McCall- Taylor reported that a public information meeting for the Johnson Farm preliminary cluster subdivision plan on Bedford Street is scheduled for the June 26 Planning Board meeting. No meeting is scheduled on July 3 so the next Planning Board meetings will be on July 10 and 24. Ms. McCall Taylor said that she would be on vacation on July 10, while Mr. Garber will be on vacation on July 24. Mr. Garber noted that a sizeable cluster subdivision plan might be filed soon as well as a reduced frontage subdivision plan. * * * * * * * * * * ** ADMINISTRATION OF LAND DEVELOPMENT REGULATIONS * * * * * * * * * * * ** SUBDIVISION OF LAND Metropolitan State Hospital, Metropolitan Parkway, Definitive Subdivision Plan, Judith Nitsch Engineering, Inc., PUBLIC HEARING Mr. Galaitsis opened the public hearing on the Metropolitan State Hospital subdivision and parkway plan, dated May 16, 2002, at 7:50 p.m. Present for this item were Mr. Stephen Benz and Mr. William Maher, engineers with Judith Nitsch Engineering, Inc., Ms. Cynthia Keliher, attorney with Gadsby & Hannah, and Mr. Robert Cohen, deputy director with the state Department of Capital Asset Management, the applicant. There were eleven people in the audience. Mr. Benz, chief engineer for the project, presented a definitive lotting and parkway plan for the Metropolitan State Hospital site, located in Lexington, Waltham and Belmont. He noted that the plan is the result of four years of his firm's effort and a decade of planning and negotiating by the stakeholders. The plan shows the layout of a roadway that will provide access to the main development area and describes the waivers needed. He said that housing development is not an aspect of this plan. Mr. Benz described the six new lots (and their disposition). Lots 3 and 6 are the development parcels. Lot 1 will go to the Metropolitan District Commission (MDC). Lots 4A and 4B and Lot 5 combined with a Waltham park will be a proposed golf course. Lot 3 is the main development parcel in Lexington. MDC's Lot 1 would surround Lot 3. Mr. Benz described how the south segment of the parkway provides a connection with the north segment through the parking lot for the golf course. Only emergency direct access would be allowed. He said the parkway follows the path of the current driveway on the site. It includes traffic calming elements, including a traffic circle at one point, and it was designed to the topography, which makes some of the waivers necessary. He said that MDC would be responsible for the entire roadway's maintenance.