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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2021-07-28-PB-min PLANNING BOARD MINUTES MEETING OF JULY 28, 2021 Minutes of the Lexington Planning Board Held on July 28, 2021, Hybrid Virtual Meeting at 7:00 pm Present: Charles Hornig, Chair; Robert Peters, Vice-Chair; Michael Schanbacher, Clerk; Melanie Thompson; Robert Creech, and Michael Leon, Associate member. Also present was Amanda Loomis, Planning Director and Sheila, Page, Assistant Planning Director. Good evening. My name is Charles Hornig. I call to order this meeting of the Lexington Planning Board on Wednesday, July 28, 2021 at 7:03 PM. For this meeting, the Planning Board is convening by video conference via Zoom although Board Members are participating from the Select Board Meeting Room to experiment with a hybrid meeting format. Detailed information for remote participation by the public may be found on the Planning Office web page. LexMedia may broadcast this meeting live and will record it for future viewing. At this time, I will ensure that all members of the Board and Town staff can hear and be heard:  Robert Creech  Melanie Thompson  Clerk Michael Schanbacher  Vice-chair Robert Peters  Associate Member Michael Leon  Planning Director Amanda Loomis  Assistant Planning Director Sheila Page I may invite public participation during certain portions of the meeting.  If you wish to ask a question or make a statement during a public participation period, use the Zoom ‘raise hand’ function (*9 on a telephone) and wait to be recognized.  Once recognized, you may unmute yourself (using *6 on a telephone) and speak.  Identify yourself by name and address for the meeting record.  Questions and comments during public participation are limited to 2 minutes or less, except by permission of the Chair, and must be respectful. Written materials for this meeting are available on the Town’s Novus AGENDA dashboard. You may follow the agenda as posted except as I will note. *****************************ZONING PROPOSAL ****************************** Retaining Walls: This zoning proposal was considered for the last Spring Annual Town Meeting but was withdrawn due to problems trying to work out the scope. It is now being brought back for a Fall Special Town Meeting if there is one. Present are Jim Kelly, Building Commissioner and Jennifer Gingras, Zoning Enforcement Officer. Ms. Gingras presented the revised proposed Zoning Bylaw for retaining walls and an amendment to the fencing requirements. Page 2 Minutes for the Meeting of July 28, 2021 Board Member Comments and Questions:  Mr. Peters asked for clarification on how they would regulate a wall less than six feet high.  Mr. Leon said that other town bylaws allow walls less than six feet to not be subject to the structural requirements. Have you considered that? Did you consider a distinction between side and rear yard retaining walls and front yard retaining walls?  Ms. Thompson asked for clarification on §4.3.1.2 for the combination of walls and fences what makes them single or separate structures.  Mr. Schanbacher suggested that at Town Meeting provide samples to make it clear what we are trying to achieve.  Mr. Hornig asked for clarification on if there is a stone wall or fence with stones piled up but not retaining anything is that a wall or a fence? Mr. Hornig asked for clarification on the differences of a wall and a fence. Mr. Hornig said if we are going to treat them differently we need clear definitions for each of them. Special Permit Criteria: Ms. Loomis presented the revised draft proposed zoning bylaw on Special Permit Criteria. Board Member Comments and Questions:  Mr. Schanbacher asked for clarification on how much explanation needs to live in this document to be specific?  Ms. Thompson said this is different from the Novus packet and she needed time to review it.  Mr. Leon said this proposal requires more definitions and specifics to be able to apply this language for criteria.  Mr. Creech supported what was being done here.  Mr. Peters agreed with previous comments and that if neighborhood character is included it would need to be defined in a way that was commonly understood because it would be subject to wide ranging interpretation, otherwise this was heading in a good direction. Mr. Hornig asked that a change be made to remove neighborhood character because it was added to another zoning change.  Mr. Hornig liked the direction this was going and felt it important to keep this simple. Mr. Hornig ask the version presented tonight be sent to Board Members by staff and members can send emails back to staff for additional input. Commercial Signs: This will not be ready for the Fall Special Town meeting and will go to the Annual Town Meeting in 2022. Open Space Residential Development (OSRD): Mr. Hornig presented this updated proposal and said that he had made a lot of edits in response to past discussions and would like to have the final version completed tonight in order to have Town Counsel review it. Minutes for the Meeting of July 28, 2021 Page 3 Board Comments and Questions: Floor Area:  Ms. Thompson asked for clarification on if the maximum gross floor area for each dwelling unit had increased since from the last version.  Mr. Leon asked for clarification on the height limit for the dwellings.  Mr. Creech said the 5,250 gross floor area was not that big and had no problem with that number.  Mr. Schanbacher had no problem with the 5,250 square foot limit.  Mr. Peters was getting more comfortable with the numbers for the gross floor area. Parking:  Mr. Leon said allowing only one additional parking space for visitors per four dwelling units was a little thin and should have a waiver or allow pervious pavers or grass parking for designated parking. Open Land:  There were no issues with the changes and there was general approval for the increase for the open space area.  Mr. Peters asked for clarification if the Special Permit Residential Development Committee had any issues with this change. He believed this would be fine if a developer would use this provision to build a project. This proposal is ready to go to Town Counsel for review. Residential Parking: Mr. Hornig presented the revised draft proposal. Board Member Comments and Questions:  Mr. Peters was concerned that these are two things that are conflicting. He was in line with a reducing parking policy, but was concerned about how we get there in the interim with expanding families and new drivers coming on and where those cars will be going. We also do not know how public transportation will go after COVID and reducing parking without an alternative may be problematic.  Mr. Leon would like a waiver for relief on a case-by-case basis for an additional parking space or maybe have a space in reserve, but not build it.  Mr. Peters would like this to be brought back again for the next meeting to discuss further. Diversity, Equity and Inclusion: Mr. Hornig presented this proposal and said there were only formatting changes to this proposal since two weeks ago. Board Member Comments and Questions:  Mr. Creech asked for clarification on how does removing height limitations for disabled access structures help.  Mr. Leon asked for clarification about the new language in §9.4.2.  Mr. Leon asked for clarification on the definition of a household unit and how it applies throughout the bylaw. Page 4 Minutes for the Meeting of July 28, 2021  Ms. Thompson asked for clarification on rooming unit in number 5 and further down in the proposal why is rooming unit crossed out.  Mr. Creech had concerns about bringing this forward. Public Comments and Questions:  Clarification was requested regarding neighborhood character and is there a way to maintain some element of considering neighborhood and town character specifically thinking about the “Lexington We Want Vision Plan” in a way that is compatible with diversity which we are looking to improve. This proposal will go to Town Counsel for review. Solar Energy Systems: Mr. Hornig presented the updated Solar Energy Systems proposal. Board Member Comments and Questions:  Mr. Leon like the proposed change to §135-6.11.3.3 to require a special permit for large-scale solar energy systems and site plan review for small-scale solar energy systems.  Mr. Hornig suggested that instead for large-scale solar it could be done as a major site plan review in the regulations.  Mr. Peters liked putting this in the regulations to make it a major site plan review it would make sense. Sustainable Lexington Committee last night voted to support the solar energy bylaw in concept. This proposal will go to Town Counsel for review. **********************BOARD ADMINISTRATION************************* Work Plan: Mr. Hornig reviewed the changes to the work plan. Article 45: The Planning Board should look at it again, consider applying the changes elsewhere in town as appropriate, and bring forward to the 2022 Annual Town Meeting. There were no changes to housing. Commercial signs are not ready now and will be brought forward to the 2022 Annual Town Meeting. It was suggested that the Planning Board look at commercial parking and the table of Parking Requirements for Fall Special Town Meeting 2022. Landscape and Sustainable- This is a potential general bylaw for a Fall Special Town Meeting in 2022. There were only minor changes to the work plan. Site Plan Review, Special Permit, Sustainability and Landscaping Regulations: Ms. Loomis presented a proposed plan to create one set of guidelines instead of three which overlap with one another for site plan review and special permit design regulations for the following items: Compliance; Construction standards; Access, parking, and Minutes for the Meeting of July 28, 2021 Page 5 transportation; Building planning and design; Landscaping; Signage and wayfinding; Lighting; Sustainable features; and Utilities. More details will be coming forward in the future. Bedford/Hartwell Complete Streets Project (25% design): Ms. Page said this was put up on the agenda to allow for feedback from the Select Board and Planning Board’s joint meeting Monday night. Mr. Peters was impressed with the presentation the consultant and how much work was done on this to date. Mr. Creech liked the deliverables but was disappointed with the answer to the vision work proposal. Looking forward to the public outreach piece and the reaction. Staff Updates: The Comprehensive Plan Advisory Committee is holding a public forum on September 21 on housing at 7:00 p.m. and will send out invitations. It will be a virtual meeting. Board Member Updates: Mr. Hornig said the Historic District Commission acting as the Historic District Study Committee adopted a preliminary report on the proposed Mount Independence Historic District this afternoon. The Planning Board will have 60 days to consider and comment on the report. The next meeting is August 11: the Board will be voting on the warrant articles and language. The next meeting will be September 1 on matters other than Town Meeting items. Thursday, September 9 will be the first public hearings if there is a Fall Special Town Meeting. September th 22 is for the overflow public hearings and October 6 and 20 there will be more meetings to prepare for a Fall Special Town meeting if there is one. Bob Creech moved that the Planning Board adjourn the meeting of July 28, 2021. Robert Peters seconded the motion. The Planning Board voted in favor of the motion 5-0-0 MOTION PASSED Meeting adjourned at 9:58 p.m. The meeting was recorded by LexMedia. The following documents used at the meeting can be found on the Planning Board website in Planning Board packets. Zoning Proposals:  Draft amend Zoning Bylaw Fences and Walls dated July 27, 2021 (1 page).  Draft amend Zoning Bylaw Special Permit Criteria dated July 26, 2021 (1 page).  Draft amend Zoning Bylaw Open Space Residential Developments dated July 27, 2021 (4 pages).  Draft amend Zoning Bylaw Residential Parking dated July 27, 2021 (1 page).  Draft amend Zoning Bylaw Diversity, Equity and Inclusion dated July 25, 2021 (3 pages).  Draft amend Zoning Bylaw Solar Energy Systems dated July 27, 2021 (1 page). Page 6 Minutes for the Meeting of July 28, 2021 Board Administration:  Work Plan dated July 26, 2021 (2 pages).  Bedford/Hartwell complete Streets project dated July 26, 2021 (37 pages). Michael Schanbacher, Clerk of the Planning Board