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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2013-06-12-PB-min PLANNING BOARD MINUTES MEETING OF JUNE 12, 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, Nancy Corcoran-Ronchetti, and Greg Zurlo and planning staff Maryann McCall-Taylor, Aaron Henry and Lori Kaufman present. ***************************SPECIAL TOWN MEETING ************************** PUBLIC HEARING Article 4, Medical Marijuana Treatment Center (MMTC) Moratorium: Mr. Canale called the public hearing to order at 7:32 p.m. There were 3 people in the audience. Ms. McCall-Taylor explained that this was a proposed temporary moratorium on the MMTC and would be in effect no later than July 31, 2014. This would allow sufficient time for the Town to engage in a planning process and create a comprehensive approach, which would include suitable local regulations, licensing process and fees. The Article would be placed on the Warrant for the Annual Town 2014 by the Planning Board and a public hearing held for public comment before the Town Meeting discussion. Board Concerns and Comments:  If there was to be a Special Town Meeting in late fall was there any reason it could not be completed by then? That would be a very short time to do a public hearing since the summer was not a good time for heavy discussions.  This process should be moved along aggressively and not held up until spring.  There would need to be feedback from committees on the location of the dispensary and production of the products.  There would not be any harm in waiting the year to get it right and not rush this. Audience Concerns and Comments:  In favor of a moratorium to learn more about the second hand effects and understand all the implications.  Do not rush this through Fall Special Town Meeting. Page 2 Minutes for the Meeting of June 12, 2013 On a motion duly made and seconded, it was voted, 5-0, to close the public hearing at 7:56 p.m. On a motion duly made and seconded, it was voted, 4-1, (Mr. Hornig opposed) to recommend a favorable action on Article 4, Medical Marijuana Treatment Center Moratorium. ************************DEVELOPMENT ADMINISTRATION********************* 495 Lowell Street, sketch plan: Present was Todd Cataldo, applicant, Rick Waite, engineer, and Jeff Thoma, landscape architect with approximately eight people in the audience. Mr. Waite explained the proof plan showed a two lot conventional subdivision with a cul-de-sac and 40 foot right of way that could be done by right. The applicant was proposing a balanced housing development or a public benefit development. The balanced housing development being proposed would have four smaller units and the public benefit development would have five buildings one with two units, which would include an affordable unit. Board Concerns and Comments:  Try to arrange the balanced housing development frontage another way. Mr. Cataldo responded that it would be just like the rest of Lowell Street and any other configuration would remove more trees.  Would like to see a more diverse housing stock, but in this case a conventional plan would be more desirable.  This would have an impact on Lowell Street.  This would be too dense an arrangement.  There would be no need to build a cul-de-sac for a conventional plan there would be adequate frontage on Lowell Street.  Supportive of the plans presented after walking the site and this would be the right location for the houses on this site.  Consider treatment of the whole site there was a lot of trash and invasive species that would need to be removed. Mr. Cataldo said that healthy trees would be identified and dead and unhealthy vegetation including invasive vines, brush and plants would be removed.  Consider more attached units. Mr. Cataldo said that would be a hard sell and a turn off for a lot of buyers. Minutes for the Meeting of June 12, 2013 Page 3  The location would be on a busy section of Lowell Street and good sight lines would require grading.  The smaller units would be preferred creating a diversified housing stock.  The conventional plan would require too much tree removal.  If the applicant goes with a conventional plan the process with the Planning Board would stop. With the other plans the Board could have some oversight on the proposed project and possibly require some sidewalks to address some of the safety issues on Lowell Street.  Want to hear from the abutters. Audience Concerns and Comments:  There were wetland concerns and a whole lake was in the back of the property at times.  Increased traffic and overburdening the schools with too many children would be a problem.  The applicant did not speak with the neighbors in the back.  There was concern about safety on Lowell Street and a sidewalk half way would not address the existing safety issues.  It was already hard to get out of Fulton Road and East Street and adding to the traffic flow would make it more difficult. Six units would increase the traffic by one percent.  How about three houses? It would not work out financially.  Leaving the tree line as proposed would be preferred and this project would be acceptable.  No Problem with four units, but leave the trees between the properties.  Get wetland issues defined early.  Two 7,000 square foot homes would not fit in this location.  Keeping houses closer to the street to save trees was a good idea. Board Comments and Concerns:  The development closes itself off to the community, change the model and make it less unified looking. Mr. Cataldo explained that these would not be cookie cutter homes, it would be similar to the East Street plans. Adjustments could be made to the proposed development to look more like houses on the street and not a gated community.  After listening to the abutters/neighbors the preference would be for the balanced housing Page 4 Minutes for the Meeting of June 12, 2013 development to protect the trees and a conventional plan would not be desirable at this site.  Residents that have concerns about traffic issues should discuss them with the Engineering Department to consider if there could be appropriate traffic calming methods that would help.  The next plan should be a preliminary plan for the balanced housing development with four units.  Mr. Cataldo should reach out to the Cooke Road residents. ***************************SPECIAL TOWN MEETING ************************** Article 2, UniQure TIF: The Board of Selectmen released items to the public so there would be no reason to meet in executive session. Deb Mauger, chair of the Board of Selectmen (BOS) said the Town Manager submitted two documents regarding the TIF agreement and the BOS voted, 5-0, in support of the article to Special Town Meeting. The BOS assume the agreement would be signed tomorrow. The EDAC had discussed this proposal and unanimously supported this TIF now that all the particulars have been made available. Work on guidelines for future TIFs would need to be done, but the EDAC would support this TIF on Hartwell Avenue at this time. Board Comments and Questions:  Was there an agreement on a claw back provision? It was still under negotiations. This proposal should be backed up by sponsors with deeper pockets.  The agreement should all be locked up by tomorrow evening’s TMMA meeting.  TIFs should be a tool used for extra ordinary situations, which this was not. It would be unfair to existing tenants that did not have TIFs on Hartwell Avenue. Lexington has an attractive location and Hartwell Avenue will fill up without offering TIFs and Town Meeting should not support this TIF.  The TIF was a tool at the Town’s disposal and should be used to fill those vacancies on Hartwell Avenue. This would be a good opportunity for Lexington and it would be appropriate to recommend approval to Town Meeting. Minutes for the Meeting of June 12, 2013 Page 5  The Town should jump over hoops to encourage UniQure at this point. TIFs in general work against the goal of the Board on Hartwell Avenue to take away the uncertainty and create a more transparent process. Lexington should welcome UniQure but not encourage games. This would be the wrong message at the wrong time and there are other options Lexington could consider to encourage UniQure to locate here.  The goal should be to try to level the playing field and negotiate in a transparent way. If there was a claw back provision there would be more comfort recommending support to Town Meeting for this proposed TIF.  This would be the first marble in the tube and the Town should not wait for a policy first while there was a viable company wanting to locate here.  This was not a game, but a state program, which was real and substantive. It would be nice to have a policy in place to use as a guideline for the future.  It would be a great benefit to Lexington to participate with state programs, which could improve the Town’s relationship with EDO at the state level.  The Board should wait to see the TIF plan before the vote. The Board will vote at the meeting on June 17. ******************************BOARD REPORTS******************************* Mr. Zurlo said the Center Committee is going to discuss banks in the Center, how to incentivize other uses and make the Center more vibrant. Mr. Canale went to a Health in Communities meeting. A survey was done and the number one health concern was traffic and public safety and number two community engagement. It would be beneficial for Lexington to be healthier community to be in a better position to qualify for state monies that could become available. Tomorrow night is a presentation on the digester. The presenters for the Special Town Meeting on the TIF and the Moratorium on Medical Marijuana Treatment Center would be Mr. Zurlo for one article and Ms. Ciccolo for the other. On a motion duly made and seconded, it was voted to adjourn the meeting at 10:10 p.m. Page 6 Minutes for the Meeting of June 12, 2013 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 12, 2013 on 495 Lowell Street (9 pages).  Application for 495 Lowell Street sketch plan, dated May 24, 2013 (9 pages).  Proposed sketch plan on 495 Lowell Street, dated May 24, 2013 (5 pages). Michelle Ciccolo, Clerk