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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2016-01-20-PB-min PLANNING BOARD MINUTES MEETING OF JANUARY 20, 2016 A meeting of the Lexington Planning Board, held in the Selectmen’s Meeting Room, was called to order 7:04 p.m. by Chair Nancy Corcoran-Ronchetti, with members Charles Hornig, Tim Dunn, Richard Canale, and Ginna Johnson and planning staff Aaron Henry and Lori Kaufman present. *********************************STAFF REPORTS***************************** General updates: Transportation Projects: Massachusetts Avenue Intersections (Transportation Improvement Plan): The Board discussed the transportation improvement plan and that it was very important that the Board of Selectmen (BOS) move forward quickly to make it in time for the state funding and should choose whatever option leads to the best solution. On a motion duly made and seconded, it was voted, 5-0, the Planning Board Chair should send a letter to the BOS in advance of their meeting of January 25, expressing the views of the Board that they recommend these projects move forward in a timely fashion and choosing the option that leads to the best solution. Center Street Scape project: On a motion duly made and seconded, it was voted, 5-0, the Planning Board Chair should send a letter to the BOS in advance of their meeting of January 25, expressing the views of the Board regarding the Center Streetscape and believe the project move forward with the existing design plans to improve overall safety and accessibility for all users as long as it includes equitable treatment of pedestrians, autos, and cyclists. ************* UPCOMING MEETINGS AND ANTICIPATED SCHEDULE************** Discussion of upcoming meeting schedule and known agenda items: The meeting tomorrow is a public information meeting regarding the Residential Policy Committee initiatives. Wednesday, January 27 will be the neighborhood conservation district information session and there is a request from the Economic Development Director to come before the Board with an update on PILOP. Page 2 Minutes for the Meeting of January 20, 2016 There will be public hearings on February 3 and 10 for the proposed zoning articles. Tentatively Lincoln Street will continue to February 10 and there will be meetings on February 24, March 2 and 16. **********2016 ANNUAL TOWN MEETING-ARTICLE PUBLIC HEARINGS*********** National Flood Insurance Districts: Ms. Corcoran-Ronchetti called the public hearing to order at 7:16 p.m. and there were eight people in the audience. Mr. Henry explained that FEMA will be updating and adopting their flood maps. This article updates the National Flood Insurance District bylaw and map to reflect the recent update to the Shawsheen River watershed. The zoning map will be updated to reflect those changes. This should be adopted without any changes. Audience Comments:  Will the change make some people who are currently eligible for federal flood insurance ineligible from getting that insurance and can new areas get that insurance? There were only changes within the district that will not impact anyone new?  On a motion duly made and seconded, it was voted, 5-0, to close the public hearing at 7:24 p.m. Technical Changes: Ms. Corcoran-Ronchetti called the public hearing to order at 7:25 p.m. with ten people in the audience. Mr. Hornig explained that this would be to amend the zoning bylaw to correct internal references, remove unreferenced definitions, and reformat sections of the bylaw to help clarify the intent of the bylaw to its readers. On a motion duly made and seconded, it was voted, 5-0, to close the public hearing at 7:26 p.m. Governmental-Civic Use District: Ms. Corcoran-Ronchetti called the public hearing to order at 7:27 p.m. with ten people in the audience. Mr. Hornig explained that this was a slightly modified version of that Governmental Civic Use District amendment that was brought forward last year. This proposal would be defining a new district or districts, include establishing allowed uses, dimensional standards, and transition and screening requirements, and amend the Zoning Map by rezoning parcels owned by governmental bodies held for public use into the new district. Minutes for the Meeting of January 20, 2016 Page 3 There will be no effect on the existing or anticipated district, no effect on neighboring properties and provide additional protection against undesirable future use. Audience Comments:  The issue last year was it made it more difficult for the BOS to transfer property to LexHAB? Mr. Henry said this process created a new list of properties for LexHAB to explore whether any publicly owned inventory would have some potential for development and forwarded to them for review.  The Government agency should increase the proposed 20 foot transition to a 30 foot transition area. On a motion duly made and seconded, it was voted, 5-0, to close the public hearing at 7:41 p.m. ***********************DEVELOPMENT ADMINISTRATION********************** PUBLIC HEARING 35 Grandview Avenue, Special Permit Modification: Ms. Corcoran-Ronchetti called to order the public hearing for 35 Grandview Avenue at 7:42 p.m. Mr. Ed Grant, attorney Sam Longley and Grace Lee, applicants were present and there were 17 people in the audience. The applicants were requesting a modification of the special permit and asking to be released from general condition number six which restricts the living space area. On a motion duly made and seconded, it was voted, 5-0, to close the public hearing at 7:50 p.m. On a motion duly made and seconded, it was voted, 5-0, to modify the Special Permit decision for 35 Grandview Avenue and remove special condition number six. 435-439 Lincoln Street, Balanced Housing Development: Ms. Corcoran-Ronchetti called to order the public hearing for 435-439 Lincoln Street at 7:53 p.m. Mr. John Farrington, attorney, Mr. Ronald Lopez, president of North Shore Residential Construction, Jack Sullivan, project engineer, Gary Larson, landscape architect and Doug Rae, Real Estate advisor, were present and there were 12 people in the audience. Mr. Farrington said this proposal was to build a 14 unit balanced housing development (Lincoln Woods) on 4.6 acres and will operate as a condominium association. This project will include the exclusive use areas for Lincoln Woods residents and the road going into the development would be named Lincoln Woods Drive. This project is now before the Conservation Commission and is next to the 65 acres of land owned by the City of Cambridge and to the northwest is the Hobbs Brook Page 4 Minutes for the Meeting of January 20, 2016 Reservoir area. Old Mill Road will be landscaped and improved with the addition of three parking spaces and benches where the road meets Lincoln Street. The Cambridge legal department is currently reviewing the plan. There are four usable and common open space areas. One large space will be leveled, grassed and used for snow storage in the winter, another space will be used for drainage and a gazebo constructed for open space use, and two other spaces to the northeast are forested and will be kept in its natural state to protect the Hobbs Brook Reservoir. There are five two unit duplexes and four units have one car garage. Units 7 and 8 are smaller and modified to attract a single empty nester. Mr. Sullivan said the proof plan shows a six lot conventional subdivision off Old Mill Road. There will be one curb cut on Lincoln Street with a two way looped road 25 feet wide which should be wide enough to allow for a turnaround of the Fire Department emergency vehicles. Additional visitor parking spaces will be created on the side of the landscaped island, a four foot wide sidewalk will run along the side of the site, rear patios and driveways will be constructed with pervious pavers and conventional pavers for the drive. Drainage was reviewed and two additional catch basin will be added as requested by Engineering. There will be two hydrants one at the entrance of the site and one at top of looped road. No water will be pushed onto Lincoln Street, and will be dealt with on-site. The applicant will be going back to Conservation after feedback from the Planning Board. Mr. Gary Larson said the plan is to maintain the large oak trees on Lincoln Street. The 14 houses will face and be accessed from the common drive. Each home has a private patio with direct access to open space and trails. Most of the quality trees on the site have been saved and maintained for privacy and serve as a visual buffer. There is 360 existing trees, 110 will be removed and protected trees will be matched by street trees along the common drive. Two trees in right of way will be removed one is a black locust and one tree in poor condition and an arborist will be brought in to evaluate its condition. Mr. Lopez reviewed the unit designs which were similar in size the Robinson Road units. The DEP cleanup is now in a monitoring stage. Board Comments:  Has the fire department sign off on the turnaround? A call was made to John Fleck and he did not say anything at DRT but will get something in writing.  What will be the street lighting on the interior drive? There will be 18 foot utility poles which will provide lights facing only downward and without spill over to surrounding properties. Minutes for the Meeting of January 20, 2016 Page 5  If the pump fails how long would it hold up during a power outage? The standard is to provide one day emergency flow capacity, which it does.  Show all services on the utility plan. Get easements if utilities are on private land.  Where will the overflow go when the infiltration system is filled? It will pond in the common area. Make sure this flow will not flood basements and drain on to Lincoln Street and advise Cambridge that it would then flow into the reservoir. To the north of units 8 and 9 put a swale to limit runoff.  How will parking be handled on the interior drive since it is so narrow? Prohibiting parking would be done through the condominium association.  How aggressive will the removal of invasive plants be both inside and outside the limit of work (LOW)? The applicant will take an active approach to remove the invasive species. Make a list of activities for removal from the site outside the LOW.  The treatment of the first part of the historic road should continue to the north of the site all the way to the property line. There is a large pile of debris and rubbish that needs to be cleared out and restored to the state it would have been if there had been no debris dumping. Cap the rubbish if it is not removed. The applicant is going before Conservation with the City of Cambridge to get permission to clear the area.  Want to review the legal documents.  Why would that teardrop not be made one-way on the turnaround to make it safer for children and more predictable? Mr. Larson said for a cul-de-sac turnaround doing the template with the road that wide it would be hard to enforce. For the amount of traffic this does not seem necessary. What will be the articulation of units 1 and 14 to make them to look like part of the Lincoln Street neighborhood? An effort was made to redesign those end homes with a front façade towards Lincoln Woods Drive and Lincoln Street.  Clearly articulate the plans for the two paths.  Will these houses be provided accommodations for all three cable providers? The applicant said they will run enough conduits to allow for all three providers.  What other low impact techniques will be incorporated into this development? Some pervious pavers and swales are being used.  There was concern with flooding and want some assurance that there was a study done about Hobbs Brook so when it overflows it will not go into the development. Part of the Conservation filing will have to address that.  Use gravel for the accessible paths and the benches should be south facing. Page 6 Minutes for the Meeting of January 20, 2016  Is the large pine adjacent to the house being removed? Mr. Larson said it is being removed and since it would be five feet from the corner of the house. It is a very large white pine that is brittle and safety is an issue and there is not enough room to move the house and it is not safe to build underneath it.  There will need a monitoring program for invasive plant removal and worked out with Cambridge.  The proposed name Lincoln Woods could cause some potential confusion with Lincoln Woods in Lincoln and change the name of the drive. Street names get approved by the Fire and Police Department.  Consider relocating the pump station. The applicant tried to put as far away from the residence and save as many trees as possible. Possibly swap the location of the pump station with the gazebo. The applicant will look at the plans closer and review that possibility.  The plan says units all have two car garages correct that.  Can there be a special condition in the special permit to limit the height of the buildings as shown in the plans? Public Comments:  Concerns expressed were regarding how the sewage will be handled to make sure not to limit what can be done at her mother’s house and also removal of the any trees on the property line. Staff will reconfirm with Engineering about the sewage main capacity. On a motion duly made and seconded, it was voted, 5-0, to continue the public hearing to February 24, at 7:00 in the Selectmen’s Meeting Room. ****************************BOARD MEMBER REPORTS************************* The EDAC met with the owners of 475 Bedford Street to discuss what they would want to see there if not the current tenant the Boston Sports Club. On a motion duly made and seconded, it was voted, 5-0, to adjourn at 9:46 p.m. The meeting was recorded by LexMedia. The following documents used at the meeting can be found on file with the Planning Department:  Letter from Edmund Grant, regarding 35 Grandview Avenue, dated November 12, 2015. (3 pages). Minutes for the Meeting of January 20, 2016 Page 7  Staff Summary and recommendation regarding 35 Grandview Avenue, dated January 13, 2016. (2 pages).  Drainage analysis for balanced Housing Development at 435-439 Lincoln Street, dated December 11, 2015.  Definitive Subdivision Plan for a Balanced Housing Residential Development at 435-439 Lincoln Street, dated November 20, 2015. (12 pages).  Letter from the City of Cambridge regarding 435 to 439 Lincoln Street, dated January 8, 2016 (2 pages). Ginna Johnson, Clerk