Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAbout2021-06-29-SPRD-min Special Permit Residential Development (SPRD) Meeting Minutes of June 29, 2021 Special Permit Residential Development (SPRD) Ad-hoc Committee Members present for the Public Meeting:Jill Hai, Chair;Joyce Murphy; Scott Cooper; Taylor Singh; Heather Hartshorn, Betsey Weiss, Charles Hornig, Richard Perry (joined late) Liasion from the Capital Expenditures Committee: Wendy Manz Lexington Staff present for the Public Meeting: Carol Kowalski, Assistant Town Manager for Development; Amanda Loomis, Planning Director Jill Hai, Chair of the Special Permit Residential Development (SPRD) Ad-hoc Committee, called the meeting to order 1. Staff Presentation—developer review/feedback Amanda Loomis spoke about how she has solicited feedback on OSRD and is still receiving feedback. There is concern about increasing affordability and increasing GFA. 2. Real Estate review Gross Floor Area, Net Floor Area, Livable Floor area Amanda Loomis spoke about how the Gross Floor Area includes the porch and the garage. The livable floor area is more similar to the net floor area. Real Estate listing are different than the square footage the town has on file. Joyce Murphy noted that new construction has less ambiguity than older homes with what the town has listed. Scott Cooper noted that when we speak about net floor area, we ae essentially speaking about the heated area. Taylor Singh requested examples of 2,110 square feet, both gross and net. Betsey Weiss said we need clarification if we are going to include basements in our net or gross floor aea calculations. 3. SPRD next steps : Revise and supplement or replace Section 6.9, Timeline and scope, Public outreach process Jill Hai listed options for next steps under Revise and supplement or replace Section 6.9 as they pertained to SPRD and OSRD: • Add OSRD as an additional tool • Add OSRD and eliminate SPRD • Implement OSRD and see how it does before eliminating SPRD • Noted Planning Board is also looking at OSRD Charles Hornig addressed the committee about where the Planning Board is with the OSRD and added that they are waiting to see if the Select Board will move to have a Special Town Meeting in the Fall 1 Jill Hai said we could hold a joint meeting at an upcoming Planning Board meeting. Betsey Weiss said that she would like affordable units to be part of the SPRD changes. She would also like to see 10% moderate or attainable units for BHD and a linkage fee to be used for future affordable units for Site Sensitive Special Permit Developments. Taylor Singh spoke in favor of meeting with the Planning Board and also noted she feels the OSRD is too dense. Jill Hai proposed a straw man poll to see where everyone on the committee was at on 1. Support of adding affordability if we revise SPRD and 2. Support of adding a byright path • Scott Cooper: Yes and Yes • Heather Hartstrom: Yes to byright; Yes to Affordable if it is something that the committee gets to define later • Charles Hornig: Yes and Yes • Joyce Murphy: Anything over 8 to 10 units should have an affordability component, but 5 is too few. 11 Summit Rd has her wondering if byright is the way to go, so she needs to think about it more. • Richard Perry: Supports byright; supports affordabiliuty in general • Taylor Singh: Yes to affordability; No to byright • Betsey Weiss: Supports both • Wendy Manz: Supports both Carol Kowalski noted that you could build site plan review into the bylaw. Amanda Loomis noted that zoning regulations would help dictate how the development can be shaped. Scott Cooper asked the difference between site plan review and special permit granting. Carol Kowalsi addressed Mr Cooper's question saying that with special permit, there is a presumption that you will be granted a special permit if you meet the standards that are written into the bylaw. More hoops to jump through with special permit. Site Plan Review is not as heavy a burden. Charles Hornig noted that site plan review has specific criteria and takes place over a limited amount of time. Site Plan Review has a more specific set of expectations and that the project will be approved if expectations are met. Richard Perry added he recognizes that we have some new Planning Board members abnd some new Plannign staff members, but that in the past, the Planning Staff was helpful but when you subsequently went before the Planning Board, it was as if you came from another planet. There was no communication or coordination between the staff and the board. There was a great deal of frustration from that. 2 Taylor Singh wanted it noted for the minutes that the Site Plan Review discussion did not quell any apprehensions she had about changing to byright from special permit. Jill Hai moved the board along to discuss the Public outreach process. Heather Hartshorn stated that she was the public representative and that therefore there was no need to go out to the public. Jill Hai noted that the SPRD committee has to go out to the public and that the committee's charge states that the committee will go out to the public three times. Wendy Manz noted that the committee should meet with the Planning Board before giong out to the public. Amanda Loomis reviewed how the SPRD and OSRD can work in tandem and went through highlights of the 6.25.21 SPRD information package. Taylor Singh asks Ms Loomis if it correct that Mr Hornig's original OSRD draft bylaw had 4 to 1 affordable and the package had 10 to 1 affordable. Amanda Loomis said you want at least 10% affordable. Joyce Murphy spoke about how the OSRD draft bylaw requires no minimum lot area. She wanted to know what size of a tract is going to be developed as an OSRD. Charles Hornig said that we are not going to see these OSRDs developed on less than an acre. Jill Hai reviewed the 6 points she noted need to be addressed by our committee per today's meeting: 1. By right with site plan review or Special Permit 2. Unit size; boith number and calculation; Net vs Gross 3. Affordability; percentage and scale 4. Proof plan 5. Percentage of Open Space 6. Minimum Tract Size 4. Summer Schedule+ Possible Joint Meeting with Planning Board Jill Hai said the SPRD committee should hold 7/14/21 for a joint meeting with the Planning Boa rd S. Approval of minutes Unanimous approval of 6/26/20, 3/16/21 and 4/20/21 meeting minutes. 6. Any other urgent business that may properly come before the Committee that could not be foreseen by the chair 3 Taylor Singh asked Jill Hai what the process was for replacing Matt Daggett whom had resigned from the committee. Jill Hai said the Select Board will need to appoint a new member and that she had an email into the Town Manager. Taylor Singh moved to adjourn the meeting. Jill Hai adjourned the meeting with a roll call vote. 4