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PLANNING BOARD MINUTES
MEETING OF MARCH 12, 2014
A regular meeting of the Lexington Planning Board, held in the Selectmen’s Meeting Room, was
called to order at 7:00 p.m. by Chairman Charles Hornig, with members Richard Canale, Greg
Zurlo, Nancy Corcoran-Ronchetti, and Timothy Dunn and planning staff Maryann McCall-
Taylor, Aaron Henry, and Lori Kaufman present.
********************PLANNING BOARD REORGANIZATION**********************
The newly elected member Timothy Dunn was welcomed to the Board.
Election of Officers:
The Board held an election of officers to replace the position of Vice Chair. The floor was opened
for nominations and Ms. Corcoran-Ronchetti was nominated as Vice Chair, and Mr. Dunn as
clerk. There being no further nominations, the nominations were closed. The slate of officers
was elected by a vote of 5-0.
**********************TOWN MEETING PREPARATION **************************
Review positions on Zoning Articles for vote by newly constituted Board:
Citizens Petition, Articles 27, 28, & 29:
The Board discussed the increase in size permitted in the RT and CN Districts that would be
allowed by special permit.
On a motion duly made and seconded, it was voted, 5-0, to reconsider the vote from last week for
Articles 27, 28 and 29 to allow the new member of the Planning Board to weigh in.
On a motion duly made and seconded, it was voted, 5-0, to recommend to Town Meeting the
adoption of Articles 27 and 28 and indefinitely postpone Article 29 as set forth.
On a motion duly made and seconded, it was voted, 5-0, to adopt the reports for Articles 27, 28
and 29 to Town Meeting.
Planning Board Articles:
Article 30: Medical Marijuana Treatment Centers (MMTC)/Registered Marijuana
Dispensaries (RMD):
Page 2 Minutes for the Meeting of March 12, 2014
Mr. Hornig said there were two pieces of information that was important to bring before the
Board to aid in the discussion of the Board’s report and recommendation. Mr. Tom Fenn would
be offering an amendment to the Board’s proposal on the Town Meeting floor. Mr. Fenn provided
handouts which included the following amendments: Restore the 500 foot buffer from anywhere
where children normally congregate and remove the distribution centers from being allowed in
the CB and CRS Districts. See how things go in the CM District and later on the Town could look
into allowing a distribution center in the CB or CRS Districts if things go well. Mr. Fenn would
consider allowing the CRS to be allowed by a special permit so abutters could be allowed to
voice their concerns as long as the buffer would be reinstated. This would provide plenty of
options for a business like this.
Police Chief Corr requested the Board reconsider to reinstate the 500 foot buffer as recommended
by the DPH and allow all aspects of the MMTC be allowed only in the CM District.
Some residents in the audience were in support of Mr. Fenn’s proposed amendment, but there
were mixed concerns about allowing a distribution center in the CRS District by special permit.
The Board discussed the issues presented and the recommended motion, and decided to leave the
DPH defined 500 foot buffer in effect unless and until further local action was taken and require a
special permit for a distribution center to be allowed in the CB and CRS Districts.
On a motion duly made and seconded, it was voted, 5-0, to reconsider the vote from last week for
Article 30 to allow the new member of the Planning Board to weigh in.
On a motion duly made and seconded, it was voted, 5-0, to recommend to Town Meeting the
adoption of Article 30 with the following changes; leave the DPH defined 500 foot buffer in
effect unless and until further local action was taken and require a special permit for a distribution
center to be allowed in the CB and CRS Districts.
On a motion duly made and seconded, it was voted, 5-0, to adopt the report for Article 30 to
Town Meeting. The Board of Health discussions were ongoing and the Board will report on the
current status to Town Meeting.
Minutes for the Meeting of March 12, 2014 Page 3
Article 31: Site Plan Review for Projects over 10,000 square feet:
On a motion duly made and seconded, it was voted, 5-0, to reconsider the vote from last week for
Article 31 to allow the new member of the Planning Board to weigh in.
On a motion duly made and seconded, it was voted, 5-0, to recommend to Town Meeting the
adoption of Article 31 as set forth.
On a motion duly made and seconded, it was voted, 5-0, to adopt the report for Article 31 to
Town Meeting.
Article 32: Technical Corrections:
On a motion duly made and seconded, it was voted, 5-0, to reconsider the vote from last week for
Article 32 to allow the new member of the Planning Board to weigh in.
On a motion duly made and seconded, it was voted, 5-0, to recommend to Town Meeting the
adoption of Article 32 as set forth.
On a motion duly made and seconded, it was voted, 5-0, to adopt the report for Article 32 to
Town Meeting.
Other Warrant Articles:
Article 8, Appropriate the FY 2015 Community Preservation Committee operating Budget and
CPA Projects:
On a motion duly made and seconded, it was voted, 5-0, to recommend to Town Meeting support
for all the CPC projects proposed in Article 8 that support transportation and housing.
Article 10, Appropriate for Municipal Capital Projects and Equipment:
On a motion duly made and seconded, it was voted, 5-0, to recommend to Town Meeting support
of Article 10-A,G, and L specifically.
***********************DEVELOPMENT ADMINISTRATION **********************
111-119 Laconia Street, Sketch Plan 3:
Bill Eycleshymer and Michael Walsh, applicants, Rick Waitt, Mike Novak, project manager and
Jeff Thoma, landscape architect, were present at the meeting. Mr. Waitt confirmed that Mr. Dunn
Page 4 Minutes for the Meeting of March 12, 2014
was present at the last meetings of the previous sketch plans. Mr. Eycleshymer had spent
considerable time speaking with the neighbors.
The plans shown tonight contained the footprints which would only represent the location of the
2,700, 3,500 or two 4,100 square foot homes and were not drawn to scale. The buildings in the
current plans would be shown in the context of their size compared to the surrounding
neighborhood.
Option C would have one common driveway, which would look more like a subdivision street
and not look like homes behind other homes with four dwellings and one curb cut.
Option D would be three structures one of which would be a duplex with that would be 6,200
square feet and two homes that would be 4,100 square feet and three curb cuts. The houses could
be moved around if needed on either plan. Most existing houses on Laconia Street dominate what
these two plans propose. The houses are 50 feet from the nearest abutters.
Board Comments:
There was a question of accuracy on the scale of the plans and are not consistent. Mr.
Waitt said the Town GIS database was used to obtain this information.
The last meeting the Board said support would be for three structures why come back
with four structures? Mr. Waitt said that a balanced housing development would not work
with three houses.
Audience comments:
Laconia Street was upgraded by the neighbors out of pocket and many were still paying
for it.
There was opposition to a duplex it would not fit with the character of the neighborhood.
The preference would be to go back to two single family homes.
Three single family homes had been debated and would be the second option preferred.
A duplex could be designed to fit and keep with the character of the neighborhood and on
Laconia Street.
It would be very hard to fit four houses on this site without impacting abutters.
Three units would be a tight fit, but doable.
Minutes for the Meeting of March 12, 2014 Page 5
Board Comments:
Move forward with investigating three structures with one duplex, but take it off the
street and back the duplex into the property to better fit into the character of the
neighborhood.
Could not approve a special permit for four structures, but would consider three
structures with one duplex.
Three structures with one duplex would be better then two jumbo houses.
It would be helpful to see the drawing of a duplex that would not look like a duplex.
Prefer smaller units of the Balanced Housing Development to bigger units and keep units
up on street since it matches the current street profile.
This project has reached the end of the value of this kind of sketch plan and more
information would be needed to move forward such as renderings and elevations in the
balanced housing development. The Board discouraged the applicant from doing this
same thing one more time.
Mr. Eycleshymer said the duplex should keep to the front by the street to provide safer open
space.
4-6 Robinson Road, endorse mylars and accept a Tri-Partite Agreement:
On a motion duly made and seconded, it was voted, 5-0, to endorse the plans for 4-6 Robinson
Road.
On a motion duly made and seconded, it was voted, 5-0, to accept surety in the form of a Tri-
Partite Agreement between the Town, Developer and Bank.
495 Lowell Street, endorse mylars:
On a motion duly made and seconded, it was voted, 5-0, to endorse the special permit mylars as
they would not require approval under subdivision control.
************************DEVELOPMENT REGUALTIONS ************************
Discussion of Final Draft:
The Board discussed the final draft of the subdivision regulations with some minor items
regarding the fee schedule and street name classifications to be presented at the public hearing for
the subdivision section of the development regulations, which will be on March 24, 2014 at 6:00
p.m. in the Parker Room.
Page 6 Minutes for the Meeting of March 12, 2014
**********************************MINUTES***********************************
On a motion duly made and seconded, it was voted, 4-0-1, (Mr. Dunn abstained) to approve the
minutes of February 12, 2014, as submitted.
********************PLANNING BOARD REORGANIZATION**********************
Liaison Assignments:
The Board discussed temporary liaison assignments to cover Michelle Ciccolo’s assignments
until June 2014 when the Board does its reorganization. Mr. Dunn will be the liaison to the
Sidewalk Committee and Conservation Commission, Nancy Corcoran-Ronchetti will be on the
Housing Partnership Board, as a Representative Voting Member, and Mr. Canale will be the
liaison to the Transportation Advisory Committee.
On a motion duly made and seconded, it was voted, 5-0, to approve the updated list of liaisons
and representatives to the Town Committees and Commissions until the June 2014
reorganization.
*********************PLANNING BOARD ORGANIZATION***********************
There will be a meeting on Monday March 24, at 6:00 p.m. in the Parker Room and a public
hearing on the subdivision regulations and get an update about the regulations from Board of
Health on the Medical Marijuana Treatment Centers. On April 9 there will be a public hearing
regarding 2 Edna Street at 6:00 p.m. in the Parker Room.
********************************STAFF REPORTS******************************
There was an updated open space plan from Conservation, if the Board had any questions, or
comments to please forward them to staff next week since the Planning Board would need to
endorse this plan.
********************************BOARD REPORTS******************************
Mr. Canale said the CPC will meet tomorrow.
On a motion duly made and seconded, it was voted, 5-0, to adjourn at 10:23 p.m.
The meeting was recorded by Lexmedia.
Minutes for the Meeting of March 12, 2014 Page 7
The following documents used at the meeting can be found on file with the Planning Department:
E-mail from James Lowry, dated march 12, 2014 regarding Laconia Street (1 page).
Sketch Plan application for 111-119 Laconia Street, dated February 28, 2014 (8 pages)
Sketch plan set regarding 111 and 119 Laconia Street, dated December 11, 2013 (4
pages).
E-mail from George Whiteside, dated February 26, 2014 regarding Articles 27, 28 & 29
(1 page).
Draft Amended Zoning Bylaw for Articles 27, 28 and 29 ( 4 pages).
Draft amended Zoning Bylaw for Articles 30, 31 and 32 (15 pages).
Draft amended Zoning Bylaw for Article 30 MMTC, dated February 26, 2014 (8 pages).
Timothy Dunn, Clerk