Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAbout2008-05-27-PB-min PLANNING BOARD MINUTES MEETING OF MAY 27, 2008 A regular meeting of the Lexington Planning Board in Room 111, Town Office Building was called to order at 7:35 p.m. by Chairman Hornig with members Galaitsis, Zurlo, Manz and Canale and planning staff McCall-Taylor, Henry and McVay present. ******************PLANNING BOARD ORGANIZATION SCHEDULE*************** The Board elected officers for the year ahead. On motions duly made and seconded, it was voted 5-0 to elect Charles Hornig as chair, Greg Zurlo as vice chair, and Wendy Manz as clerk. The appointment of liaisons to the various committees will be done at the last meeting in June. The Board agreed to meet every Wednesday in June. The deadline for expressions of interest in the associate member position is June 4 so interviews will take place at the meeting of June 11. The public forum for residents in the Hartwell Avenue area will be June 18. ****************************** MINUTES************************************** Review of Minutes: The Board reviewed and corrected the minutes for the May 7, 2008. On a motion duly made and seconded, it was voted, 4-0, to approve the minutes as amended. (Mr. Galaitsis abstained, as he had not been present at the meeting.) Mr. Richard Thuma asked how the forum was being publicized. He was told that there will be a press release and an email sent to TMMA. He thought it needed to be mailed and offered to distribute fliers. Mr. Zurlo suggested looking into putting it in the Colonial Times as well. Mr. Hornig said there would be several community forums in the fall, a public information meeting in January and then a public hearing. Mr. Canale said there should be a traffic mitigation discussion. He felt the Board needed to get a better understanding of the present concerns such as speed, volumes, etc. and which are a higher priority to solve. Mr. Galaitsis suggested a Saturday morning charrette type forum to help set priorities in addition to the meetings outlined by Mr. Hornig. Page 2 Minutes for the Meeting of May 27, 2008 There was some discussion of the resources available to planning in the year to come. Funds could be used for technical assistance to aid in traffic modeling, establishing a green policy, as well as toward publicity and printing costs. At 8:10 the Board recessed to join the Board of Selectmen’s meeting. ******************************Selectmen’s Meeting **************************** Update of Open Space and Recreation Plan. Ralph Wilmer, Consultant, VHB, provided the Selectmen and Planning Board with an update on the Open Space and Recreation Master Plan. The Plan was last done in 1997. The updated plan will provide recommendations with timelines that the Town can accept and be responsible for. The Town will be able to apply for grants. There was a public forum one month ago and there is another one planned for June 19 in Cary Hall. Mr. Kelley asked about public and private open space and whether that would be looked at for this Plan as was asked in a letter to the Selectmen from Sheldon Spector. Mr. Wilmer stated that it is required as part of the inventory to identify public and private open space. It is also required to put together a map with all the information coded, which can be used as a tool to determine future land acquisition. You can also create criteria for future land purchases. Mr. Valente, Ms. Simmons, Recreation, and Ms. Mullins, Conservation, are currently drafting a letter in response to Mr. Spector. The Selectmen will also receive a copy. Commercial Zoning Discussion. At the 2008 Annual Town Meeting the Planning Board expressed its intent to look at zoning in the Hartwell Avenue area and come up with a plan for adjustments to zoning that would permit increased commercial space. The Planning Board visited Hartwell Avenue on a Friday morning at 7:30 a.m. to look at the buildings and traffic. They showed the Selectmen the study area they have identified and reviewed the outline for a work plan. The outreach begins tonight with meeting with the Selectmen. They have planned a community forum for June 18 in Cary Auditorium to discuss the work plan and to get feedback from the affected residents and the community. Minutes for the Meeting of May 27, 2008 Page 3 They requested help from the Selectmen on the following: technical assistance with traffic modeling; understanding Green design; and money for publicity and preparation of materials. Sustainability and traffic mitigation are two very important issues to the Selectmen. The Town has a Sustainability Design Policy for municipal buildings and we should hold commercial developers to a similar standard of energy efficiency, selection of materials and minimal environmental impacts. Increased FAR could be used as an incentive to achieve sustainable design in commercial development. There should be incentives for traffic mitigation to minimize the traffic impacts on the community. The Traffic Mitigation Group has discussed two types of incentives: 1) to deal with infrastructure like sidewalks, bus shelters, traffic calming and access to traffic impact fees; and 2) a strong traffic demand program that puts responsibility on business owners to reduce the number of vehicles. The Planning Board should be encouraged to use density as an incentive to get the type of mitigation that is important to Lexington. Mr. Hornig had some concern about being able to require commercial developments to follow the same sustainability design policies that municipal buildings now follow and whether it is outside the state building code requirements. He asked the Selectmen’s help in trying to improve the state building code to make it more sustainable and green than it is now. Mrs. Krieger reported on discussions by Weston, Waltham, Lincoln and Lexington Selectmen and Planning, plus state legislators and state administrative staff that are talking about mobility on Route 128. They are trying to look at ways that vehicle traffic can be reduced and have a commitment to try and fund a corridor study to begin to look at ways we might mitigate traffic along the Route 128 corridor. We cannot talk about commercial development unless we think of ways to encourage transportation and mobility that is no longer dependent on single occupancy vehicles. Mr. Kelley suggests looking for development that would add value, but would not add density. There is a large publicly owned site which would be a good location for a generating plant, but could also be utilized for a business plan that would include a regional recycling or a transfer station, which would have appeal for value, but not generate a large number of additional cars. Page 4 Minutes for the Meeting of May 27, 2008 Mr. Canale stated that the West Lexington Greenway Study will be seeking funds soon to connect the Minuteman Bikeway to the parks bikeway, which will help with future infrastructure and hopes the Selectmen will be able to help get outside funding. Also, the Selectmen should keep the Planning Board advised of information that is provided on the possible Cyber Command mission being located at Hanscom Air Force Base. Mr. Canale also mentioned that there would be a report soon from the Economic Development consultant who is looking at different scenarios. Part of the report will say the town needs to look at the balance between the amount, kind and the impacts of development. There will be a need for guidance from the Selectmen as to what they would like to see. Dawn McKenna plans to bring a citizen petition to the next Annual Town Meeting to define traffic demand management, which will include a contribution to LEXPRESS for any zoning and increase in density changes. She will be looking for guidance from the Planning Board. The Selectmen hope Mrs. McKenna can work with the Planning Board so there will not be a need for a citizen petition. John Rosenberg, Town Meeting Member, believes the Planning Board needs to discuss getting development into Lexington to fill space already available to increase tax revenues at the same time traffic is discussed. Frank Sandy, Town Meeting Member from Precinct 6, asked if incentives that would allow higher density if buildings meet LEED standards could be enforceable. The DPW building is being built to meet the Massachusetts Building Code and will qualify as LEED Silver. When the Planning Board comes before the Selectmen with recommendations, Town Counsel will look at any legal issues. *******************************Planning Board Meeting*************************** At 9:25 the Planning Board meeting reconvened in Room 111. Minutes for the Meeting of May 27, 2008 Page 5 Mr. Hornig reported that the Beal Company was interested in a CD rezoning proposal this fall. They will be asked to come in and present to the Board on June 4. ******************************Commercial Development************************** Ms. Manz spoke about offering density in return for having green development, which implied a site review/special permit process. She wondered if developers would not want to come to Lexington because they would not look beyond the special permit requirement. Mr. Canale said that it was safest in legal terms if giving a density bonus in return for green development. Mr. Zurlo said they had only been discussing green in relation to the site plan, why not the building as well? Mr. Hornig cited Chapter 40A that prohibits the Planning Board from regulating materials that are covered by the building code. Mr. Canale said that he would be interested in what carbon footprint is being created, perhaps instead of using LEED standards for site plan review. Mr. Zurlo said LEED is already structured and people are familiar with the terms. **************************** BOARD MEMBER REPORTS************************ Mr. Zurlo reported that the final draft of the Cecil Report has been printed and will be distributed tomorrow. The Economic Development Task Force will be meeting on Friday morning to discuss it. On a motion duly made and seconded, it was voted to adjourn the meeting at 10:10 p.m. Wendy Manz, Clerk