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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2013-07-17-PB-min PLANNING BOARD MINUTES MEETING OF JULY 17, 2013 A regular meeting of the Lexington Planning Board, held in the Selectmen’s Meeting Room, was called to order at 7:30 p.m. by Chairman Charles Hornig with members, Michelle Ciccolo, Greg Zurlo, and Nancy Corcoran-Ronchetti, and planning staff Aaron Henry, and Lori Kaufman present. Mr. Canale was absent. ***********************************HOUSING********************************** Discussion of the Housing Production Plan: Jennifer Raitt, Chief Housing Planner for MAPC gave a presentation on the draft Lexington Housing Production Plan, which included the proposed goals, suggested strategies and the next steps required to get the plan adopted. Board Comments:  Add additional information as appendices for expiration dates on SHI developments. Include a database with dates, deeds and other restrictions.  Schedule time on the Planning Board agenda to discuss goals and time frames.  The plan should be redone since the zoning references have been changed.  Need strategies to address people who make 120% to 200% of the AMI. Young adults without children are not mentioned.  Need a draft with all comments incorporated and allow time for the Board to digest it. Audience Comments: Ms. Manz, a member of the Housing Partnership Board, said the committee has met a number of times regarding the draft and would have their comments completed in two weeks. Board Comments:  The Board will discuss the plan in August prior to the final draft being completed. ************************DEVELOPMENT ADMINISTRATION********************* 28-34 Robinson Road, sketch plan: Present was Todd Cataldo, applicant, Rick Waitt, Engineer, Mike Novak, project engineer, and Jeff Thoma, landscape architect from Meridian Associates. Mr. Waitt said that these parcels were in the RO Zone requiring a lot size of 30,000 square feet and frontage of 150 feet. Most of the parcels surrounding this site on Robinson Road are substandard for the RO Zone in lot size and frontage. Page 2 Minutes for the Meeting of July 17, 2013 Robinson Road is a dead end street at the north end by the Estabrook School. The site includes 28 Robinson Road, which has 231 feet of frontage and 90,174 square feet of area and a portion of 34 Robinson Road, which has 70 feet of frontage and 14,729 square feet of area. The balance of 34 Robinson Road has 161 feet of frontage and 68,667 square feet of area. The existing house was 100 feet off Robinson Road with a driveway that has a 14% grade and a small shed at the rear portion of the lot. The house at 34 Robinson Road was not part of this development and would be 57 feet from the proposed new lot line. The proof plan showed a three lot subdivision by right with a cul-de-sac and substantial homes. Another design option would be to preserve the environment with a three lot site sensitive subdivision (SSD). The SSD houses would be 30-50 feet off Robinson Road, the driveways would have a two percent grade, there would be significant useable backyards, garages would be underneath the homes, the frontage would be 95-105 feet similar to the existing houses on the street, and a large amount of the land in the back would remain undisturbed, which would reduce the amount of tree loss. The benefits of a SSD plan over a conventional subdivision plan include the following items:  Would limit grading to only front portion of the lots.  The total tree loss would be significantly reduced.  The Impervious surface would be reduced from 20,000 to 13,000 square feet.  The buildings would be limited to only three houses.  The new frontages would be similar to those existing on the street.  Blasting would not be required to deal with ledge at the back of the lots and would keep a substantial amount of the lots untouched.  A new road would not be created. Board Comments and Questions:  Was there any more information on the soils? Mr. Waitt said that the maps suggest that there was ledge in the rear of the lots and the SSD plan would prevent blasting into the ledge.  What would be the impact on the street edge and the overall street character? The preference was to not change the character of the neighborhood and based on this presentation it could. Find a way to make the development mesh with the existing homes.  The 2,700 square foot footprint could that yield a 5,400 gross square foot house, which would then be a concern on massing; what would be the setbacks? Mr. Cataldo said the Minutes for the Meeting of July 17, 2013 Page 3 houses would be in the lower 4,000 square foot range and would look at setting the houses back a little further.  Preserving the trees in back would be important.  The preference would be keeping the houses forward rather creating a canyon driven into the ledge.  The houses to the south were back 50 feet from ROW and houses to the north are 75 feet from the ROW and should serve as the set back range to preserve the line of houses.  The house to the north of the lots was different then the house to the south of the lots, consider the architectural design of the new houses to not make it too jarring a boundary. Audience Comments:  Appreciate comments on setback lines of houses.  Was the plan on the rebuilding of Robinson Road taken into account in this plan? Mr. Waitt will look into the upgrade of Robinson Road.  There were drainage concerns my house was directly in the down slope of the site. Mr. Waitt said that drainage matters were a serious concern with any development and would take that into consideration  The consensus of the neighborhood would be to favor the conventional plan over the site sensitive development. There were several of residents who were present and some not at the meeting that preferred the conventional plan. It was recommended by the Board that abutters write letters to the staff regarding their concerns and preferences for the Board’s consideration.  The proof plan would be a better option as opposed to cramming three houses to the front side by side to the limits of the lot. That would not fit the character of the neighborhood.  What type of heat would be used in these homes? The houses would use propane heat. Board Comments:  Need preliminary plan since there was a difference of opinion from the abutters.  Need to hear more from the neighborhood and reach out a little more and get the entire neighborhood involved including Royal Circle.  The preference was for the homes to be further back into the site. Could there be a compromise between the two plans?  Was the preference for a cul-de-sac and a house way in the back by Royal Circle on the top of the hill or for the houses further back off the street but towards the front of the lots? Page 4 Minutes for the Meeting of July 17, 2013  There was no apparent benefit creating a cul-de-sac and would prefer the SSD. There would be a more negative impact of a conventional plan with a cul-de-sac. The conventional plan could be very looming over the neighborhood and would have a more negative impact on abutters. Mr. Cataldo said he could show how the houses would look on the cul-de-sac, but it would not respect the site, and would require blasting but would do a conventional plan if that was neighborhood preference.  Want to see what the amount of tree clearing that would be required.  If the neighborhood does not prefer the SSD could be open to either plan. The Board needs to hear from more of the abutters.  The Board appears to prefer the SSD plan and heard the concerns from the community. The plan should respect the existing streetscape of Robinson Road in house placement, architectural choice, and grading.  The next plan should be a preliminary plan. *******************************ORGANIZATION******************************** Work Plan: The Board discussed the following items regarding the work plan for the next three months:  The Lexington Housing Production Plan.  Overhaul the Development Regulations working with Mark Bobrowski.  Get started on street standards.  Medical Marijuana Treatment Centers with a public forum to be held in September. Staff will provide a more comprehensive list at the next meeting. The next meeting agenda for July 31 will include the Preliminary Plan for 4-6 Robinson Road and further work plan discussion. The Meeting on August 14 will be the definitive plan for 137 & 139 Shade Street. The second August meeting will be either August 21 or 28. Ms. Ciccolo will not be available to attend a meeting on August 28, 2013. A tentative date for the public forum on the Medical Marijuana Treatment Center will be September 11, 2013. ***********************************MINUTES********************************** On a motion duly made and seconded, it was voted, 4-0, to approve the minutes for June 5, 12, and 17, 2013, as amended. On a motion duly made and seconded, it was voted, 4-0, to release the executive minutes of June 5 to the public. Minutes for the Meeting of July 17, 2013 Page 5 Staff should review executive minutes from the past and see if any should be released to the public. ********************************BOARD REPORTS****************************** Ms. Ciccolo will testify tomorrow before the Joint Committee of Legislature about the active street legislation and hoped it would move forward. The Lexington Health Department was moving forward on an 18 month grant and one of the three priorities selected was transportation safety and would be looking to align the community with the active street legislation if it was to be approved. Nancy Corcoran-Ronchetti attended the Hanscom Area Towns Committee, which included a presentation on the military asset and the security task force, as well as, an update on the Crosby Corner construction. The next meeting will be in August. The Hartwell Avenue Association will be meeting on July 30 to hear a presentation on the Anaerobic Biodigester. On a motion duly made and seconded, it was voted, 4-0, to adjourn at 9:58 p.m. The meeting was recorded by Lexmedia. The following documents used at the meeting can be found on file with the Planning Department:  Sketch Plan application for 28 & 34 Robinson Road, dated June 28, 2013 (8 pages).  Memorandum from staff for 28 & 34 Robinson Road, dated July 12, 2013 (1 page).  Sketch Subdivision Plan Set for 28 & 34 Robinson Road dated June 28, 2013 (3 pages).  Table of Development data for 28 & 34 Robinson Road (1 page).  Site Sensitive development sketch plan for 28 & 34 Robinson Road (1 page).  Lexington Housing Production Plan, dated April 2013 (65 Pages).  Lexington Housing Production Plan Summary Presentation, dated July 17, 2013 from Jenny Raitt. (11 Pages). Nancy Corcoran-Ronchetti, Clerk