HomeMy WebLinkAboutPlanning Board minutes 06-24-1996 PLANNING BOARD MINUTES
MEETING OF JUNE 24, 1996
The meeting of the Lexington Planning Board held in Room G-15, Town Office Building, was called to order
at 7.35 p.m. by Chairman Davison, with members Canale, Colman, Davies, Merrill, Planning Director Bowyer,
and Assistant Planner Marino present.
**************************************** MINUTES **************************************
122. Review of Minutes: The Board reviewed and corrected the minutes for the meeting of March 4, 1996.
On the motion of Mr Davies, seconded by Mr. Colman, it was voted 3-0 to approve the minutes, as amended.
Mr Merrill abstained as he was not present at that meeting. Mr Colman abstained as he was not a Planning
Board member at that time.
The Board reviewed and corrected the minutes for the meeting of May 8, 1996. On the motion of Mr Canale,
seconded by Mr Colman, it was voted 5-0 to approve the minutes, as amended.
The Board reviewed and corrected the minutes for the meeting of May 20, 1996. On the motion of Mr. Canale,
seconded by Mr Davies, it was voted 5-0 to approve the minutes, as amended.
The Board reviewed and corrected the minutes for the meeting of June 3, 1996. On the motion of Mr Canale,
seconded by Mr Davies, it was voted 4-0 to approve the minutes, as amended. Mr Merrill abstained as he
was not present at that meeting
The Board reviewed the minutes for the meetings of March 11, March 25, April 1, April 8, April 10, April 22,
April 24, April 29, May 6, May 15, and June 10, 1996. On the motion of Mr Canale, seconded by Mr
Colman, it was voted unanimously, 5-0, to approve the minutes, as written. Mr Colman abstained from voting
on the minutes of March 11 as he was not a member of the Planning Board at the time of the March 11 meeting.
******************* PLANNING BOARD ORGANIZATION, SCHEDULE ********************
123. Election of Officers After a brief discussion, Mr Colman moved, and Mrs. Davison seconded, the
nomination of Mr Canale for Chairman, Mr Merrill for Vice Chairman, and Mr Davies for Clerk. The
nominated slate was elected unanimously, to be effective on August 1, 1996.
124 Committee Assignments: The Board reviewed and changed their committee assignments as follows:
Lighting Options Committee: Mr. Davies, liaison;
Lexington Center Committee: Mrs. Davison, representative, Mr Merrill, liaison;
Lexington Bicycle Advisory Committee: Mr. Canale, voting member;
Hansom Area Towns Traffic Study Committee: Mr Canale, non-voting member;
Metropolitan State Hospital Land Task Force: liaison: Mr Merrill, alternate: Mr Canale,
Cambridge Reservoir Watershed Advisory Committee: Mr Colman;
Design Advisory Committee: Mr. Davies, Mrs. Davison, liaisons;
Conservation Commission: Mr Colman, liaison;
Historic Districts Commission: Mr Davies
****************************** PLANNING BOARD POLICIES ***************************
p 125 Policy for Scheduling Action on Develonment Annlications: The Board discussed ways to spend
meeting time in a more orderly and predictable way It agreed to schedule subdivision application review for
the first meeting of the month. The second meeting will be a "mixed" meeting, dealing with both planning and
land development regulations while the third meeting will be devoted solely to planning projects.
2 Minutes for the Meeting of June 24, 1996
126. Article 29 Section 9 of the Zoning Bylaw - Policy Guidelines. Developments with Significant Public
Benefit: In relation to the new cluster subdivision regulations adopted by the 1996 Town Meeting, the Board
discussed various ways to quantify and define "significant public benefit." The Board agreed that it should base
the amount of public benefits on the number of additional dwelling units permitted in a development. And, in
order to do that it would need to understand the additional economic benefits to the developer those extra units
represent.
The Board agreed that it will need to discuss how much of that additional economic benefit it wants to recapture
in the form of a public benefit.
127 Planning Denartment Summer Intern: Mr Bowyer reported that a summer intern, funded by
MassPort, has been assigned to the Planning Department. She is Heather Goss, a resident of Lexington, and
she will be working on a report about the characteristics of Lexington's senior population. Among the
characteristics to be examined are living arrangements, housing characteristics and transportation needs. The
study has two principal objectives:
1) it will provide information to potential developers of senior housing, and
2) it will provide information for public policy makers and service providers.
*************************** REGIONAL, INTERTOWN ISSUES **************************
128. Hanscom Area Transportation Study (HATS). GEIR Update: Public Review and Input Committee:
Mr Canale, the Planning Board's liaison to the HATS committee, reported on recent developments in the
Hanscom Field Generic Environmental Impact Report update process. Mr Canale is coordinating public review
and input into the process. He said that MassPort has suggested two ways for the public to participate in the
review process. He also told the Board that HATS is completing a job description for a planning consultant who
will be hired by HATS to assist the communities in the review of the GEIR.
*************************** PLANNING DIRECTOR'S REPORT **************************
129 Recent Activity.
a. Old Spring Street. Sketch Subdivision Plan. Rollout: Mr. Marino rolled out a sketch plan for the Old
Spring Street development, off Spring Street, that was submitted by Martocchia & Co., Inc. on June 2, 1996
The staff has not yet reviewed the plan in detail. The time for action on this plan expires on July 2, 1996.
b 94 Adams Street. Sketch Subdivision Plan. Rollout: Mr Marino rolled out a sketch preliminary plan for
the 94 Adams Street development that was submitted by Winnetucket Realty on June 14, 1996. The staff has
not reviewed the plan in detail yet. The time for action on this plan expires on July 14, 1996.
************ ADMINISTRATION OF LAND DEVELOPMENT REGULATIONS *************
SUBDIVISION OF LAND
130 Johnson Farm Road. William Hamilton Preliminary Subdivision Plan. Decision: The Board reviewed
and revised a draft decision approving the preliminary subdivision plan entitled Johnson Farm Road, dated June
24, 1996. On the motion of Mr Merrill, seconded by Mr. Canale, the Board voted 4-0-1, Mrs. Davison
abstaining, to approve the wording of the decision, as amended.
131 627 Massachusetts Avenue. Carter Scott. Sketch Subdivision Plan. Discussion: The Board reviewed
the staff analysis and discussed the proposed development of this property in the East Lexington Historic
District. Mr. Scott submitted two alternative subdivision plans, one utilizing Section 7 4.5, Frontage Reduction,
Minutes for the Meeting of June 24, 1996 3
Lots in a Small Subdivision. The Board agreed that preservation of the barn and open space, and a restriction
on the size of the carriage house, were the most desirable objectives. The Board preferred Alternative C, which
included a shared driveway and a permanent restriction of the land around the pasture as open space. The Board
agreed that Mr. Scott could file a definitive plan, and that the Board will hold a mid term review to discuss the
specific public benefits of that plan.
PLANS NOT REOUIRTNG APPROVAL UNDER THE SUBDIVISION CONTROL LAW
132. Form A/96-11 2160-2180 Massachusetts Avenue. Amalia Samovlenko• The Board reviewed a staff
analysis of an Approval Not Required Plan for land at 2160-2180 Massachusetts Avenue. After some
discussion, on the motion of Mr Davies, seconded by Mr Canale, the Board voted unanimously
a. to endorse the plan entitled "Plan of Land in Lexington, Mass.", dated May 4, 1996, prepared by The
BSC Group, Inc., Bedford, Mass., certified by Donald J Forand, Registered Land Surveyor, with
Form A/96-11, submitted by Amalia G. Samoylenko, owner and applicant, as it does not require
approval under the Subdivision Control Law; and
b to add the following note to the plan as follows: "This plan has been endorsed for recording purposes
only as required by Mass. General Laws, Chapter 41, Section 81P and contains conditions that may
not comply with the Lexington Zoning By-Law because:
1 the garage shown on Lot A may not comply with setback requirements in the Lexington Zoning
By-Law; and
2. the narrow shape of the proposed Lot A appears to violate section 7.2.2 of the Lexington Zoning
By-Law "
RECOMMENDATIONS ON APPLICATIONS TO THE BOARD OF APPEALS
133 Annlications To Be Heard on June 27 1996: Mr. Davies gave an oral review of the following
applications:
10 Pelham Road. Youville Place. Grey Nuns, Special Permit with Site Plan Review
The Planning Board reviewed the petition for the approval of a Special Permit with Site Plan Review
and found that there are no changes from the Preliminary Site Development and Use Plan approved
by the 1996 Lexington Town Meeting. The Planning Board will recommend approval of the Special
Permit with Site Plan Review for the reasons cited in its report to the 1996 Town Meeting dated April
8, 1996.
The Board had no comment on the following petitions, also scheduled to be heard on June 27
20-22 Cliffe Avenue, Julie-Ann and Eric Shapiro, variances to add one-story addition
28 Slocum Road, Param and Anne Singh, variance to add front entrance portico
17 Sutherland Road. Bruce and Lauren MacNeil, special permit to expand second floor of
dwelling
58 Oak Street, Jon and Myla Kabat-Zinn, variance to add a bay extension to dwelling
4 Summit Road. Kenelm Loomis, appeal of the Zoning Officer's decision that it is possible to
access the lot at 4 Summit Road to build a single family dwelling
************************************** REPORTS ****************************************
134 Reports:
Minuteman Regional Science and Technology High School. Mr Davies reported that the Lincoln Planning
Board made a decision on the sign proposed by the Minuteman School for the Lincoln entrance to the school.
Mr Davies said that he was pleased with the Board's action on that proposal and would like the Lexington
Planning Board to write a letter to them in support of that decision. After some discussion, the Board agreed
4 Minutes for the Meeting of June 24, 1996
that Mr Davies should draft and send a letter to that effect to the Lincoln Planning Board.
******************************** EXECUTIVE SESSION *********************************
Mrs. Davison polled the members at 11.21 p.m. and the Board voted unanimously to go into ecutive Session
to discuss Town acquisition of land. The Board agreed to reconvene in open session onl or the purpose of
adjourning.
The meeting was adjourned at 11.29 p.m. 414"
Frederick L. Merrill, Jr , rk