HomeMy WebLinkAboutPlanning Board minutes 08-03-1998 PLANNING BOARD MINUTES
MEETING OF AUGUST 3, 1998
Chairman Merrill called the meeting of the Lexington Planning Board held at 20 North Road(Dalya's
Restaurant),Bedford, MA,to order at 7. 07 p.m. Members Bridge-Denzak Colman,Davies, Galaitsis,Planning
- -- -Director-Bowyerand-Assistant-P-lanner-Marino-werepresent - --
The purpose of the meeting was a retreat-goal setting session for the Board.It first handled some business left
over from the July 27 meeting.
154 Lexington Park. Carter Scott/John Snell,Revised Sketch Cluster Subdivision off Winter Street: The
Board reviewed a draft of a decision on the application of Carter Scott for a revised cluster subdivision plan.
Mr. Galaitsis commented that the development was becoming too dense and would have greater impacts
because there were too many large units with 3 and 4 bedrooms.Mr Merrill agreed that the development was
becoming too much like a conventional subdivision,with too many single-family units.Mr. Davies did not see
it as threatening as Mr Galaitsis implies. He thought it would be more floor space but non necessarily that
many more occupants. Mr Merrill thought that the development needed to have a better mix of units with
fewer single-family buildings.
Mr Merrill said he did not believe there was enough public benefit to correspond to a development of this
magnitude. The Board discussed the concept of public benefit and agreed that improvements should provide a
general benefit to the neighborhood and not simply mitigation from the impacts of a development.
After agreement on some editing changes, on the motion of Mr Merrill, seconded by Ms. Bridge-Denzak,the
Board voted unanimously, 5-0,to approve the decision as amended.
155. Ston and Shon Proposal: Mr. Davies continued his report from the July 27 meeting on the hearing of
Stop and Shop before the Board of Appeals.Mr.Davies reported that Attorney Thomas Fenn,representing Stop
and Shop,told him that the Town Manager had suggested that he present the proposal to the Historic Districts
Commission and the Design Advisory Committee, but did not include the Planning Board as one of the Town
boards to review the proposal.
Mr. Colman proposed that the Planning Board prepare to file an appeal in the courts of the Board of Appeals
approval of the Stop and Shop proposal.After discussion, it was agreed that the Board would wait until a
written decision was filed with the Town Clerk.At that time there would be three choices open to the Board: 1)
meet with the Board of Appeals to discuss their decision; 2)write a letter to the Board of Appeals commenting
on their approval; and 3)take no action.
156. Goal Settine/Work Proeram:
The Board had materials to review prior to a discussion of its goals and work tasks for the coming year. Those
included an outline prepared by the Planning Director entitled,Candidates for Planning Projects, dated May 27,
1998, and a questionnaire entitled"Priorities for Planning Board Work", dated April24, 1998,which asked
each member to list their priorities for
• the Board's own projects through the next Town Meeting,
• projects that should be undertaken in following years, i.e.,after the end of the 199 Town Meeting,
• projects to be undertaken in conjunction with other boards and committees,
• the Board's principal accomplishments during the previous year,and
• steps which should be taken to improve the productivity of both the Board and the staff
The Board agreed that holding meetings in the Selectmen's Meeting Room would contribute to several Board
objectives, such as: improving the visibility and stature of the Board, and permitting hearings to be conducted
2 Minutes for the Meeting of August 3, 1998
in a more orderly way Mr.Merrill and Ms.Bridge-Denzak spoke to their personal discomfort in Room G-15,
which has no windows and precious little air.
With the Selectmen's Meeting Room committed to other boards and committees on other weekday nights, it
was decided to meet on Wednesday night when the room would be available. The Board will continue to use
Room G-3,the small conference room outside the Planning Department office, for workshop and planning
meetings in which there are no people scheduled to appear before the Board. It was also agreed to have a map
of Lexington on display at every meeting.
Mr Merrill considered that last Spring's Town Meeting was very successful and should be a building block for
increasing the recognition of the Board's activities. He suggested the Board develop closer working relations
with the Board of Selectmen. Perhaps there could be some meetings in which there are mutual agenda items for
discussion. He thought that Mr Marino's appointment as Economic Development Officer might assist in
contact with potential developers and meet the interest of the Board of Selectmen in economic development.He
suggested that individual members of the Planning Board might develop a relationship with an individual
member of the Board of Selectmen.
Mr.Merrill suggested the Board concentrate on what he referred to as guiding principles or principles of
practice. Those would be the Board's principal objectives in a simple outline form that could be easily
communicated to the public. He referred to it as a Reader's Digest version of Planning Board goals with an
emphasis on ease of communication. He thought the staff should continue to do the type of well-researched and
analyzed report it has done in the past.He recognized the time required to produce those types of reports and
wanted to balance them with a simpler outline of policy positions,much more oriented to the general public.
Mr Davies commented that the work he has seen on the Comprehensive Plan to date appears to be largely
written policy statements.He advocated more visual material in the planning documents with a much greater
use of maps and illustrations. For example,he proposed developing a plan for a network of footpaths, bikepaths
and pedestrian oriented routes that would be highly visual and susceptible to map presentation.He noted that he
had personal doubts as to the workability of transportation demand management in an effective way,but did
believe that the parts of the Transportation Demand Management policy that advocated greater bicycle use and
bicycle paths held greater promise.
Ms.Bridge-Denzak proposed that the Planning Board involve other committees to a greater extent. She said the
Design Advisory Committee wants to be involved in bigger projects. They would like to do more than review
proposals submitted to other Town boards. She suggested the Planning Board also have closer contact with the
Bicycle Advisory Committee.
She referred to projects that had come before the DAC that needed a larger context. Those proposals were
parking in a new lot behind the Boston Edison substation and parking behind the School Administration
Building near Fletcher Avenue. The DAC thought there should be a look at the larger parking needs in
Lexington Center and, in fact, an overall look at issues in Lexington Center in addition to parking.
Mr. Colman proposed that the Planning Board ask to have some planning projects included in the annual
budget. The Board should identify a specific project and request money for it.
Individual Priority Projects
Referring the questionnaire about planning priorities, individual members spoke about their number one
priority project.Mr. Colman's#1 priority is to improve relations with the Board of Selectmen. That, in turn,
would improve many other issues and activities for the Board.
Minutes for the Meeting of August 3, 199% 3
Mr Davies wants to improve credibility with the Board of Selectmen,the Town Meeting and the public,
generally He said that in a discussion he had with Selectman Jeanne Krieger she said the Town needs to have a
public that is more educated to planning issues. To do that,greater use could be made of articles in the
newspaper and press releases,the TMMA and the Town Meeting Members e-mail network.
Mr Merrill mentioned a committee that the Board of Selectmen is forming to give greater attention to long-
range planning and strategic planing.He has been contacted by Peter Enrich, Chairman of the Board of
Selectmen,who has asked to appear before the Planning Board soon to explain those plans and ask for the
Board's involvement.
Ms. Bridge-Denzak thought the Board should work on developing a tree preservation ordinance and more
landscaping requirements. She also mentioned the need to seek an amendment to the State Zoning Act so that
the Board could deal better with the jumbo house and tear-down phenomenon.
Mr. Galaitsis' #1 priority is to develop regulations that more effectively deal with noise.
Mr.Merrill observed that the role of the Planning Board may be changing because the type of development that
is occurring in Lexington is changing. He observed that Lexington is in the beginnings of the redevelopment
stage, as contrasted to development on vacant land. We are experiencing a number of tear-downs and
reconstruction of both the residential building stock and commercial buildings as well. That is likely to be the
predominant development pattern as Lexington moves into the 21st century That will affect what our vision for
Lexington for the 21 srt century will be.
He thought the Planning Board should focus on opportunities for change. He cited three locations of
opportunities to affect the character and nature of development in Lexington. One is Lexington Center,the
second is the reuse of the Met. State Hospital land,the third is Hartwell Avenue. Those are three of what might
be a longer list of opportunities.He suggested an early step would be for the Board to identify a list of
opportunities for change.Mr.Merrill suggested that the Board also think about the tools for influencing change.
He thought the Board had made a good start with the revision of the cluster regulations in Section 9 of the
Zoning By-Law and the already established Planned Development district rezoning procedure using Planned
Commercial Districts(CD)and Planned Residential Districts(RD).
Mr Davies posed the issue of how many meetings the Board needs. The Board should think about the best way
to handle the large number of projects and issues it has in front of it. One approach could be for the Board as a
whole to meet more often. Another would be for the Board to divide up the work and have some of the work
done by subcommittees of the Board. A third approach would be better connections with other Town boards
and committees to deal with some of the work.
The meeting was adjourned at 10:21 p.m.
Steven L. Colman, Clerk