2001-05-09-PB-min - Laserfiche WebLink

Browse Search

PLANNING BOARD MINUTES MEETING OF MAY 9, 2001 The meeting of the Lexington Planning Board held in the Selectmen's Meeting Room, Town Office Building, was called to order at 7 :35 p.m. by Chairman Galaitsis with members Bridge - Denzak, Chase, Davies, Harden, Planning Director Garber, and Assistant Planner McCall- Taylor present. Ms. Bridge- Denzak left the meeting during the Old Smith Farm discussion. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * ** MINUTES Review of Minutes: The Board reviewed and corrected the minutes for the meeting of April 23, 2001. On the motion of Mr. Davies, seconded by Mr. Harden, it was voted unanimously 5 -0 to approve the minutes, as amended. * * * * * * * * * * ** ADMINISTRATION OF LAND DEVELOPMENT REGULATIONS * * * * * * * * * * * ** SUBDIVISION OF LAND Davis Road Subdivision (Iot 41, Assessors Map 15) - Usually road improvements must be completed prior to the issuance of a building permit, but the Planning Board was asked to allow the Developer to post surety for road construction to be completed after the house is built. The Developer estimated the cost to construct to be $22,190. The Engineering Department reviewed the Estimated Cost to Construct and said the amount with the addition of a 5% contingency for a total of $23,290 was sufficient. On the motion of Mr. Davies, seconded by Ms. Chase, the Board voted 5 -0 to approve the motions in the consent agenda staff summary /recommendation. The motions were as follows: 1) that the amount of surety for the Davis Road Subdivision be set at $23,290. This level of surety is determined to be sufficient through May 15, 2002 only; 2) If the road improvements are not completed by May 15, 2002, or if little or none of the work is completed by that time, and the current costs of the amount of work to be completed have increased, the ainount of surety will be increased to reflect the costs of completing the work and the developer will be required to furnish additional surety to the Planning Board; 3) to accept surety in the amount of $23,290 in the form of a savings passbook; and, 4) to allow the issuance of a building permit for lot 41 on Assessors Map 15 upon the receipt by the planning staff of a savings passbook in the amount of $23,290. Birdhill Road Preliminary Subdivision -- Fred Russell and Scott Seaver were present for the development team. Mr. Russell presented a sketch plan showing four lots with the existing lot lines shifted to create three lots using the more developable portions of the land. The turnaround at the end of Bird Hill Road is the right angle turn onto Davis Road with a slight extension of Bird Hill beyond. The houses have been added to the lots to show their locations. The developer is proposing a median house size of 3,267 S.F. living area with less than 2,100 S.F. of site coverage. The lots themselves are approximately 20,000 S.F. Mr. Galaitsis asked why lots 4 and 3 were not being joined right now. Mr. Russell said that if they were combined the road would have to be constructed across the frontage so, instead, they are creating a non- buildable lot. Mr. Galaitsis then asked what was the basis of the median house size figures? Ms. McCall - Taylor said that she had used the procedure outlined for the computation in a reduced frontage subdivision. Mr. Jack Raffell of 35 Moon Hill Road asked again as to why the fourth lot was being kept separate. There were further questions about whether the fourth lot could ever be built on. Mr. Galaitsis said that a condition prohibiting building on the lot could be a part of the decision. Ms. Lee Morehouse of 37 Moon Hill Road asked how the lot lines were changing. Ms. Bridge - Denzak said that without the subdivision there would be two large lots and that this would create a third lot and, thus, additional density. She asked the Board to consider if two larger lots are better than three smaller ones with presumably smaller houses. She also asked if the subdivision could be denied on the basis of waiver denial. Ms. McCall- Taylor said that the Board could deny design waivers,