HomeMy WebLinkAbout2013-06-05-PB-min
PLANNING BOARD MINUTES
MEETING OF JUNE 5, 2013
A regular meeting of the Lexington Planning Board, held in the Selectmen’s Meeting Room,
Town Office Building was called to order at 7:32 p.m. by Chairman Richard Canale with
members Charles Hornig, Michelle Ciccolo, and Greg Zurlo and planning staff Maryann McCall-
Taylor, Aaron Henry and Lori Kaufman present. Nancy Corcoran-Ronchetti was absent.
************************DEVELOPMENT ADMINISTRATION*********************
CONTINUED PUBLIC HEARING
376 Lincoln Street & 73 Middle Street, Definitive Balanced Housing Development Plan:
Mr. Zurlo was not present for the meeting on May 8, 2013, but listened to the recording of that
meeting and will participate under the Mullins Rule.
Present were John Farrington, attorney, Gary Larson, landscape architect, Mark Barons, project
developer and applicant, Jim DeCelle and Jim Burke, project engineers, Andrew Zalewski,
project architect, and Dan Dulaski, traffic engineer.
The updates to the plan included the following: Each dwelling would be at least 20 feet apart; The
width of the private road would be increased to include the tree easement; The drainage was
modified as per Engineering’s recommendations; and a pedestrian path was added to open space
between lots five and six, but not to Lincoln Street, Engineering did not want the path to Lincoln
Street for safety issues; The drainage plan would still puddle on the roadway for six hours, but the
entire system would drain within 38 hours; and the homes presented on lots one and three would
be the houses designed for those lots and all sides of the houses would have the same level of
detail.
Mr. Farrington said that there would be a Homeowners Association for the seven lots and eight
units and a separate Condominium document regarding the architectural restrictions and
photographs would be used as reference points of what would be preserved.
Board Concerns and Comments:
How would the new intersection feel as you drive over it because of the grade? Like
driving onto a driveway.
Page 2 Minutes for the Meeting of June 5, 2013
Would there be any intention of asking the Town to accept the private road? NO.
Have drafts of the legal documents been submitted? The documents were with Town
Counsel for review.
Do these plans commit to the footprints shown on the proposed plan? Only for lots one
and three.
The ROW width would be 32 feet? Yes. How would the turnaround circle be landscaped?
Keep it simple since that would be the location of an infiltration system.
There was a concern about using the new street as an overflow. The Board has never had
a plan where it deliberately flooded a roadway.
Why was the walkway moved between lots five and six instead of six and seven, which
would lead right to the middle of the open space? It was placed where the water main
would be located.
There would need to be another waiver for the zoning freeze.
Pervious pavement would require maintenance and there should be an enforceable
maintenance and replacement plan submitted.
Build the footpaths with four foot wide pavers like the sidewalks and be sure it would
meet ADA requirements.
The individual deeds for each lot would call out the maximum floor area and impervious
surface.
The legal documents should be reviewed by the Board prior to approval.
What was the cross section of the stone wall and grade level on each side? The stone wall
would be decorative and not a retaining wall and the grade level would be even on both
sides.
Make sure the language in the conditions was spelled out clearly regarding the
articulation on the Middle Street façade so it would meet the expectations presented on
the plan.
Still not pleased about the footpath not going to Lincoln Street, it would not be sending a
good message. It could create a domino effect requiring a curb cut and cross walk. Mr.
Henry advised the Board that staff was uncomfortable requiring a path to Lincoln Street.
Minutes for the Meeting of June 5, 2013 Page 3
udience Concerns and Comments:
A
Walking on Lincoln Street around the curve has been an issue and usually people stay on
the grassy edge and use my current driveway to cross;
The primary concern was water;
Working with Mark Barons has been very good and support the project as detailed;
Would like to have a sidewalk on Lincoln Street but it narrows and very dangerous, but
would be nice to see it fixed; and
Would like to hear from Engineering about solutions on the path to Lincoln Street.
Board Comments and Concerns:
Before the vote want to review the legal drafts;
Plans on drainage should be changed to go directly into the drainage basin and not on the
road;
More information would be required about the 2,000 square feet in the middle of the cul-
de-sac;
The decision could be written with conditions;
The turnaround would be acceptable as open space and maintained as a lawn or maybe a
vegetable garden; and
If a path was not constructed to Lincoln Street then at least provide an easement to
Lincoln Street. .Mr. Farrington said agree to an easement and possibly build a path at a
later time when issues could be resolved.
On a motion duly made and seconded, it was voted, 4-0, to close the public hearing at 9:02 p.m.
The Board will deliberate on June 19 and the revised plans should be submitted to staff by June
12, 2013.
Pine Meadow Farm, change order walking path:
The applicant Joe Gelormini the developer has requested a field change to the design of the
pathway. The changes include the omission of one stonewall, the use of mulch instead of
woodchips for the path surface, and demark the outside edge of the walkway with a staggered
row of hostas.
Page 4 Minutes for the Meeting of June 5, 2013
On a motion duly made and seconded, it was voted, 4-0, that the proposed change to the walking
path is a minor change to the plan.
On a motion duly made and seconded, it was voted, 4-0, to approve the change to the subdivision
plan and adjust the walking path with material that was easily walkable, with a maximum grade
of 10%, and place the hostas adjacent to the edge of the easement.
***************************SPECIAL TOWN MEETING **************************
Article 4, Medical Marijuana Treatment Center Moratorium:
Norman Cohen, Board of Selectmen, explained that the main purpose of the moratorium for the
Medical Marijuana Treatment Center was to give time to Boards and Committees to complete the
needed regulations. If there was no moratorium a group interested in moving forward for an all in
one facility could be located at Hartwell Avenue. At the end of the public hearing the Board
would explain that this was not to ban the process only to allow Lexington time to site the
location in a good and appropriate place.
The public hearing will be next week and the Planning Board will have to make a report setting
forth a motion.
******************************BOARD REPORTS*******************************
The 2020 Vision survey got quite a few responses and the 2020 Vision Committee requested the
Planning Board weigh in on what kinds of information that would help to move forward and how
to proceed to get the information needed. It would be helpful if Board Members became familiar
with the survey structure.
The Greenways Committee would be moving forward with Across Lexington and will be
flagging a second route this fall.
******************************EXECUTIVE SESSION****************************
At 9:45 p.m., on a motion duly made and seconded, by individual poll of the Board – Mr. Zurlo,
Mr. Hornig, , Ms. Ciccolo and Mr. Canale – it was voted 4-0 to go into executive session under
exemption 6 & 7 and would be detrimental to the Town to discuss in public, and would not
Minutes for the Meeting of June 5, 2013 Page 5
return to public session.
On a motion duly made and seconded, it was voted to adjourn the meeting at 10:46 p.m.
The meeting was recorded by Lexmedia.
The following documents used at the meeting can be found on file with the Planning Department:
Memorandum from staff, dated June 5, 2013 on Pine Meadow Farm (4 pages).
Project narrative on 376 Lincoln & 73 Middle Streets (31 pages).
Proposed definitive Balanced Housing Development Plan on 376 Lincoln & 73 Middle
Streets revised May 21, 2013 (9 pages).
Michelle Ciccolo, Clerk