HomeMy WebLinkAboutPlanning Board minutes 12-09-1996 PLANNING BOARD MINUTES
MEETING OF DECEMBER 9, 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 Canale with members Davies, Davison, Merrill, Planning Director Bowyer, and
Assistant Planner Marino present.
*************************** ARTICLES FOR 1997 TOWN MEETING **************************
232. Proposed CD Rezoning of 16 Hayden Avenue. Presentation of Sketch Plan by Proponents: Present
for this item were Michael Martignetti and Yvette Beeman of 16 Hayden Avenue Realty Trust, applicants; John
Farrington, attorney; David Hays, engineer, of Boston Survey Company; Michael Haas, architect, of Add,
Inc., and Ron Wood, landscape architect, of Guidelines, Inc. Mr Martignetti said he has been involved in
development with his family since the early 1980s, from medical offices to multi-family residential and industrial
projects. He described his proposal for a medical office building on land at 16 Hayden Avenue as the "best and
highest" use of the site. He said the design and siting of the building are sensitive to the neighboring residential
properties and traffic generated by a medical building is spread out over a business day instead of concentrating
at peak commuting hours. An additional benefit to the town is tax revenue.
Mr Farrington described the property at 16 Hayden Avenue and gave some background on the site. The parcel
is a leftover from the construction of Route Two. It is an island of residentially zoned land amidst major
roadways and commercial properties. A Lexpress route goes by the site and a Transportation Management
Association is already in place that will be available to the building's future occupants.
Mr Wood presented a series of slides showing that the site was barely visible from residential areas. He
described the physical features and constraints of the site. The building will have approximately 44,000 square
feet of space, plus a parking deck, three office levels, two other levels, five levels in all. 4.5 parking spaces per
1,000 square feet are planned. The two most significant site planning factors are the visual impact of the
building and the need to provide adequate parking. He said the Conservation Commission will examine the plan
on Tuesday, January 17, 1997
David Hays explained the drainage system, utilities and access. Two driveways are planned, one will serve as
the main access; the other will be restricted to utility vehicles.
Mr. Davies commented that the proposal is ingenious, but seems too intense for the site. He questioned whether
a smaller building, in the order of 25,000 square feet wouldn't eliminate the need for the parking deck and make
the site planning easier Mrs. Davison said she believes that this parcel of land was meant to be a buffer from
traffic and commercial development. The Board agreed that improvements to the sight line(from the Route Two
exit ramp onto Hayden Avenue) and other mitigating measures must be weighed against anticipated revenue
from the new building.
Mr Merrill found the proposal a good use of the site and the financial benefits to the town attractive. The
buildings's visual impact is minimal and he feels it would provide an attractive "gateway" to Lexington and the
Hayden Avenue commercial corridor.
Mr Canale wondered why this parcel remained zoned for residential use after Route 2 was built. Paul Riffin,
6 Field Road, a long-time resident of South Lexington, informed him that it was decided at the time Route 2
was built that there should remain a strip of open space. But the State did not make the land part of the highway
cloverleaf design so it remained zoned for residential use as it had been before the construction. He also said
that a previous rezoning for the parcel failed because the Town Meeting decided that it was more desirable to
keep the land open. He also believes that Lexington, along with Arlington, Belmont and Lincoln, the other
towns along Route 2, agreed to keep land along the roadway free of commercial development. Mr Bowyer
2 Minutes for the Meeting of December 9, 1996
stated that he had searched the records in obvious places but found nothing in writing to substantiate this.
Mr. Riffm wondered if limiting the building to a medical office use was risky He also feared that the if a higher
FAR is approved that other businesses in the area will want a higher FAR too.
The proposed building will cover @.37 acres, the pavement will cover .89 acres. There is @ 14 acres of
existing wetlands.
Mr Merrill said he just returned from the Urban Land Institute Conference where he learned that Boston is the
most desirable suburban office market in the United States right now
The applicants have done market research to determine the building's attractiveness and suitability to medical
practices. Mr Martignetti said that they hired David Kirk and Co. to do the market and feasibility study and
the results indicated that 40,000 square feet and larger is what medical groups are looking for
Caleb Warner, 546 Concord Avenue, South Lexington Civic Association, expressed a concern, about drainage,
that is shared by the Conservation Commission. He asked if the Planning Department staff had drainage
concerns? He informed the Board that this area is now in the Cambridge Watershed area. There is inadvertent
drainage westward because of stoppage in the Hardy Brook watershed. He asked the applicant to be aware of
this drainage problem and to direct storm water northward almost immediately from the peak. An effort is
underway to make a detention area north of Route 2 to reduce the problem south of Route 2. In the past, He
said, the issue has been dropped somewhere between Planning and Conservation Commission review
Mr Canale urged the applicants to meet with local residents in the area to let them know what is going on. Mr
Martignetti said they will be sending a letter to them soon. He also said that they will take all the Board's
comments into consideration.
233 Proposed CD Rezoning of 55 Hayden Avenue. Presentation of Sketch Plan by Prononents• Present
for this item were David Vickery and Paul Messina, Senior Vice Presidents at Spaulding and Slye. Representing
W R. Grace, they presented a proposal for a CD rezoning at 55 Hayden Avenue to make possible an addition
to the existing W.R. Grace building. Mr Vickery described current conditions at the 37 acre property on which
are two buildings. The laboratory building has 82,00 square feet of space, the office building 118,000 square
feet of space. He said that the Town reduced the FAR from .25 to 15 so the campus of office buildings
originally envisioned by W R. Grace never materialized. Mr Bowyer pointed out that an ailing economy was
also factor
W R. Grace is asking to have its entire site rezoned and proposes to build an 80,000 square foot addition of
like architecture. More parking and the existing access from Hayden Avenue is sufficient. The addition will
bring the FAR to 0.18.
Mr Merrill observed that there will be continued pressure to increase development in the suburban office
market. He sees this as a real opportunity for the Planning Board to master plan for commercial properties in
this area and he cited the benefit of a larger tax base.
Mrs. Davison expressed dismay at the large amount of asphalt needed for parking and suggested deck parking.
Mr Vickery informed her that each deck parking space costs $5,000, while an asphalt space costs $600 to
construct. He said that W.R. Grace has made its parking areas very attractive with landscaping.
Minutes for the Meeting of December 9, 1996 3
Mr Davies suggested softening the parking areas by making them curvilinear, with footpaths, like those in the
National Seashore parking areas on the Cape. Mr. Vickery said these plans are diagrammatic and the final plans
will show in detail how they plan to beautify them. He agreed the grounds are attractive and the employees
enjoy walking there. He will work with the Conservation Commission to provide access to the Town's Hayden
Woods area or to make other improvements in that area if requested.
Mr Canale said that, as corporate citizens, it is critical for W R. Grace to help reduce the use of single
occupant cars. He urged them to be proactive in van pool efforts. Mr Vickery said that W R. Grace is willing
to donate money for traffic mitigation and will work with Barbara Lucas, Lexington's Transportation
Administrator Mr Bowyer said that W R. Grace has been an active member of the South Lexington Task
Force. Mr. Canale urged the applicant to begin talking to resident groups.
Caleb Warner, 546 Concord Avenue, made the same statement about the drainage that he made for the 16
Hayden Avenue proposal. This site is in the Cambridge Reservoir watershed and it is important that water is
diverted correctly
**************************************** MINUTES **************************************
234 Review of Minutes: The Board reviewed and corrected the minutes for the meeting of September 30,
1996 On the motion of Mrs. Davison, seconded by Mr Davies, it was voted 3-0-1 to approve the minutes,
as amended. Mr Merrill abstained from voting as he was not present for that meeting.
************* ADMINISTRATION OF LAND DEVELOPMENT REGULATIONS **************
PLANS NOT REOUIRING APPROVAL UNDER THE SUBDIVISION CONTROL LAW
235 Form A/96-15 20 Flintlock Rd./111 & 115 Burlineton Street. William Hamilton: The Board reviewed
an Approval Not Required plan for land at 20 Flintlock Rd./111 & 115 Burlington Street. On the motion of Mr
Davies, seconded by Mr. Merrill, the Board voted unanimously to endorse the plan entitled "Plan of Land in
Lexington, MA (Middlesex County)", dated November 19, 1996, prepared by Meridian Engineering Inc.,
Peabody, MA, certified by Michael J Juliano, Registered Land Surveyor, with Form A/96-15, submitted by
Lincoln Park Realty Trust, applicant, as it does not require approval under the Subdivision Control Law
236 Form A/96-16_ Middlesex County Hospital: The Board reviewed an Approval Not Required plan for
land at Middlesex County Hospital. On the motion of Mr Davies, seconded by Mr. Merrill, the Board voted
unanimously to endorse the plan entitled "Plan of Land in Lexington, MA (Middlesex County)", dated
December 2, 1996, prepared by Roberge Associates Land Surveying, Greenfield, MA, certified by Richard A.
Roberge, Professional Land Surveyor, with Form A/96-16, submitted by Middlesex County, applicant, as it
does not require approval under the Subdivision Control Law
SUBDIVISION OF LAND
237 Johnson Farm Road. Accent Covenant. Endorse Definitive Subdivision Plan: Mr Marino reported
that William Hamilton, developer of the Johnson Farm Road Subdivision, has satisfied the conditions that were
to be met prior to the endorsement of the plans. Accordingly, the Board should now accept the covenant and
r endorse the subdivision plans for the Johnson Farm Road subdivision. On the motion of Mr Davies, seconded
by Mr Merrill, the Board voted unanimously
1 accept the covenant executed by William H. Hamilton, Trustee of Lincoln Park Realty Trust dated
December 4, 1996; and
4 Minutes for the Meeting of December 9, 1996
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2. endorse the definitive subdivision plans entitled "Johnson Farm Road, a Planned Residential F
Development, Lexington, Massachusetts (Middlesex County)" dated July 26, 1996.
238 Schoolhouse Lane. John Esserian. Vote to Return Surety Release Covenant. Recommend Street
Acceptance: Mr Marino reported that he received a request from John Esserian, developer of the Schoolhouse
Lane Subdivision, for the Planning Board for final release of the surety being held for the completion of
community facilities and the subdivision. He said that Francis X. Fields, Town Engineer, has indicated in a
memorandum, dated December 3, 1996, that the "as-built" plans of the Schoolhouse Lane subdivision have been
approved, that all required community facilities in the subdivision have been satisfactorily completed in
accordance with the Town's standards, and that the request to release surety for the Schoolhouse Lane
subdivision is acceptable. It turned out the unacceptable conditions, referred to in the November 25 meeting,
had been caused by the Town's DPW and should not be held against the developer
On the motion of Mr Davies, seconded by Mr Merrill, the Board voted unanimously.
1) to release all the remaining surety held in passbook#1080110 from The Lexington Savings Bank, in
the amount of $25,000 plus interest, which was being held for the completion of the community
facilities at the Schoolhouse Lane subdivision, and return it to John A. Esserian, and
2) to release the developer, from the provisions of the covenant dated October 27, 1994 and updated on
April 25, 1995, and
3) to sign a Certificate of Completion of the subdivision, and
4) to recommend that Schoolhouse Lane in the Schoolhouse Lane subdivision be accepted as a town
street by a future Annual Town Meeting.
*************************** PLANNING DIRECTOR'S REPORT **************************
239 Recent Activity- Mr Bowyer reported that he had met with some developers who have an agreement
to purchase the Itek building on Maguire Road. The new owner will "shrink" the building from 390,000 to
300,000 square feet in area and reduce the parking area as well. The building will be used as general office
space.
Mr. Bowyer said he had received a call from the Director at Brookhaven. They are considering converting some
space to assisted living use. This overture is an exploratory stage. His response was whether they can do so
or not depends on wording of the Preliminary Site Development and Use Plan approved by Town Meeting in
1986. If Town Meeting action is required, it would not be submitted until 1998.
Mr Marino reported that John Civilinski had called and there will not be any rezoning petition in 1997 for the
property on Waltham Street at the Town boundary with Waltham.
The sale of the Augusta property to the Town has been completed. As part of that agreement, LEXHAB is now
in a position to execute an option of the property off Spencer Street at the rear of 915-917 Massachusetts
Avenue An application for a Local Initiative Comprehensive Permit, similar to that granted for Grandview
Avenue will be filed early next year.
RECOMMENDATIONS ON APPLICATIONS TO THE BOARD OF APPEALS
240 Applications To Be Heard on December 12. 1996: Mr. Davies gave an oral review of the following
application:
440 Bedford Street, Holiday Inn Express, determination that converting 60 guest rooms to 30 suites is a
minor revision to the special permit
Minutes for the Meeting of December 9, 1996 5
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The Planning Board agreed this is a minor revision to the special permit and will express to
the Board of Appeals its encouragement of the planned change at Holiday Inn Express. It
believes the change from 60 rooms to 30 suites represents an upgrade in the quality of the
facility and will result in an overall reduction of traffic at the site.
The meeting was adjourned at 1106 p.m.
14,4,
John
L. Davies, Clerk