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PLANNING BOARD MINUTES
MEETING OF SEPTEMBER 19, 2012
A regular meeting of the Lexington Planning Board, held in the Estabrook Hall, Cary Memorial
Hall was called to order at 7:30 p.m. by Chairman Richard Canale with members Wendy Manz,
Charles Hornig and Michelle Ciccolo and planning staff Maryann McCall-Taylor, Aaron Henry
and Lori Kaufman present. Greg Zurlo was absent.
************************DEVELOPMENT ADMINISTRATION*********************
PUBLIC HEARING
Rangeway Extension, Definitive Plan:
Mr. Grant, the applicant’s attorney sent a letter requesting the public hearing be postponed to
October 24, 2012, to allow time for some issues in the plan to be resolved.
On a motion duly made and seconded, it was voted, 4-0, to postpone the public hearing without
taking any testimony today to October 24, 2012, in the Selectmen’s Meeting Room at 7:30 p.m.
5 Whittier Road, release of covenant:
The property owner in an old 1950’s development project has requested the release of a lot to be
able to complete a real estate transaction. In staff’s investigation of the matter the road has been
satisfactorily completed and accepted as a public way so a covenant is no longer required.
On a motion duly made and seconded, it was voted, 4-0, to release the covenant securing the
Longfellow Estates Section One subdivision.
*********************************MINUTES************************************
On a motion duly made and seconded, it was voted, 4-0, to accept the minutes of August 29,
2012.
*******************************STAFF REPORTS*******************************
Ms. McCall-Taylor gave a status report on LexEngage and Parking(ing) Day and is waiting to get
feedback from residents on LexEngage regarding the parklet.
Page 2 Minutes for the Meeting of September 19, 2012
Ledgemont Three will be going forward. The property has been purchased from the Beal
Company and the new owner will need to go before the Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBA) for a
special permit and file a DSDUP. Vista Print may or may not be the tenant.
147 Shade Street- The Permit Extension Act has kept the special permit alive for another two
years. Staff will contact the applicant to find out the updated status of the plan.
*****************PLANNING BOARD ORGANIZATION, SCHEDULE****************
On October 10 the Board will meet with Mr. Bobrowski regarding the Zoning Bylaw (ZBL)
sections 1-4, October 24 will be the Rangeway public hearing and discussion with Mr. Bobrowski
ZBL sections 6-9, and November 7 another meeting with Mr. Bobrowski definitions and final
items. In December there will be a public information session on the draft ZBL. Staff will work
on ways to get the document to the public for input.
******************************** BOARD REPORTS*****************************
Ms. McCall-Taylor was present for some of the Center Committee meeting. Bill Hadley gave an
update on the paving plan and Pam Shadley presented a plan for the parking lot behind CVS
showing a rough concept plan looking to create connectivity of bike path to downtown. The
Center Committee decided to deal with building heights after the parking issue has been dealt
with. Melisa Tintocalis will be meeting with the Center Parking Management Team on October 2.
The RFP will be going out next week for the parking management plan.
Mr. Hornig said the Historical District Commission was unhappy with the final plans for lot H on
East Street because it was believed that the renovation was excessive compromising the historic
nature of the structure. It would be a good idea to work out wording regarding the external
preservation of a structure and get technical advice from the Historical District Commission for
the future. Ms. Ciccolo suggested getting guidance on the criteria used by the Massachusetts
Historical Commission for a finding of no adverse impact. It is not clear if this could be applied
to private houses.
Mr. Canale said the Bicycle Committee met and the Town is working with Arlington and Bedford
on a grant from DCR for signage information along the bikeway with some of the money being
Minutes for the Meeting of September 19, 2012 Page 3
used to create a three town map of the bikeway. The Bike Committee has created a questionnaire
and Mr. Canale will try to get the link to Board Members and staff will try to put it as a topic on
LexEngage with the link to the survey. Some of the grant money will be used for a kiosk and
signage on the bikeway.
Ms. Ciccolo said there is a MAPC council meeting and the MPO elections are on October 24.
There will be a contested election for the MAGIC seat. The Suburban Transit Mobility survey is
finished and on the website showing how the towns can coordinate suburban transit. The MAGIC
agricultural study was approved.
Ms. McCall-Taylor said there is a rezoning change, which is a level one change for Tracer Lane
an un-zoned parcel of land in the southwest corner of Town. This is the only parcel not zoned in
Massachusetts. The options are to rezone it to a RO or CRO zone and staff should go to owner to
see what is wanted for that parcel.
************************DEVELOPMENT ADMINISTRATION*********************
137-139 Shade Street, preliminary site sensitive development(SSD):
The public information meeting was continued from last week. Present were Fred Russell,
engineer, and Fred Keefe the applicant. Staff provided a draft decision outlining the key points
from last meeting, which were as follows:
Exploring a reduction in the impervious surface of the overall plan in more detail
including the total caliper and number of trees to be removed and comparing the numbers
of the conventional (proof plan) and the proposal before the Board;
Adding trees along Shade Street;
Looking at the subsurface infiltration system and how to reduce the amount of land
disturbance (consider using porous pavement); and
Provide a rendering of the proposed vegetation screening to see how it would look.
The Board needs to consider whether to recommend the applicant come back with another
preliminary plan or go to a definitive plan. Staff received another proposed plan showing a
teardrop turnaround as requested by the Board, but it disrupted more land and so it was not
forwarded to the Board.
Page 4 Minutes for the Meeting of September 19, 2012
Mr. Russell said the conventional plan would require more grading and double the amount of
trees and caliper of trees to be removed as opposed to the SSD. The new turnaround was not what
the Board was looking for. The updated proposed plan has the house flipped around with a
straight driveway from the common drive to reduce impervious surface; keep the T-turn separate
from the driveway to provide adequate turnaround for a fire trucks; and the removal of some of
the lower circle turnaround pavement in front of 139 Shade Street. A rendering was handed out
showing the proposed vegetation from the back of lot one with 5-10 years of growth for
screening.
Ms. McCall-Taylor said at the DRT meeting the representative from the Fire Department was not
as concerned about 18 foot width of the common drive, but in the past the street width had been a
concern and that needs to be ironed out. The Board needs to decide what recommendations it
wishes to make to the applicant.
Board Comments:
Show the total number and calipers of trees slated for removal both on the conventional
plan and on the proposed plan including those to be removed within the setbacks from the
proposed lot lines, consistent with the intent of the Tree Bylaw.
The Board felt another round of preliminary plans for this proposal has no benefit and sees no
reason not to continue onto the definitive plan. The plan is heading in the right direction and the
Board will condition the approval on mitigations that will be required.
On a motion duly made and seconded, it was voted, 4-0, to approve the preliminary SSD plan for
137-139 Shade Street with the addition of expanding the second bullet to include the wording
above regarding the number and calipers of trees being removed on the site.
On a motion duly made and seconded, it was voted to adjourn the meeting at 8:57 p.m.
The meeting was recorded by Lexmedia.
The following documents used at the meeting can be found on file with the Planning Department:
Draft decision for the preliminary Subdivision Plan for 137-139 Shade Street (2 pages).
A Definitive subdivision application for Rangeway extension, dated May 16, 2012.
Minutes for the Meeting of September 19, 2012 Page 5
Agenda Item Summary and Staff recommendation for Rangeway Extension Subdivision
plan (4 pages).
Letter from Ed Grant regarding Rangeway Extension, dated September19, 2012 asking
for a postponement (1 page).
Form K Release of Covenant for 5 Whittier Road (5 pages).
Michelle Ciccolo, Clerk