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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1988-09-08 PLANNING BOARD MINUTES OF SEPTEMBER 8, 1988 The meeting of the Lexington Planning Board held in Room 111, Town Office Build- ing, was called to order at 7 38 p.m. by the Chairman, Mrs. Uhrig, with members Klauminzer, Sorensen, Williams, Wood, Planning Director Bowyer, Assistant Plan- ner Nordby and Secretary Peters present. 219. Review of Minutes The Board reviewed and corrected the minutes for the meeting of August 22, 1988. On the motion of Mr. Williams, seconded by Mrs. Klauminzer, it was voted unanimously to approve the minutes, as amended. Mr. Sorensen left the meeting prior to Item 216, to attend Board of Appeals hearings in Estabrook Hall. ***************************** REPORTS **************.c************************* 220. Planning Director a. Land Development Law course at Middlesex Community College Ms. Nordby will take the course. Any Board members interested were asked to contact the planning office. b. Hanscom Field Expansion Mr. Bowyer reported on a meeting held this morning by the four towns abutting Hanscom Field, to discuss expansion plans. Attending from each town were a selectmen, a town manager or execu- tive secretary and a planning director or administrator. They discussed the scope of the work proposed that should be covered by the Environmental Impact Report to be prepared by the Air Force. Lexington's town manager will prepare a report on the meeting for the HATS II meeting next week. c. Capital Budget At the Town's department head's meeting yesterday morning the Town Manager announced plans to organize a capital budget committee to develop new budget procedures for capital improvement program- ming. The planning director will be a member. d. Ridge Estates II, update Mr. Bowyer reported the planning department has received the as-built plans requested from the developer, and are currently evaluating the differences between the required right-of-way and existing elevations in the field. Charles Brenner, 109 East Emerson Road, expressed his concern as to when work on the sidewalks and other land- scaping would be completed. He also asked if the report of the applicant's engineer, William Bergeron, was available to the public. Mr. Bowyer said he would refer the matter to Town Counsel. Roberet Paroskie, 115 East Emerson Road, asked if the residents would play any part in any final decisions. Mrs. Uhrig responded that a meeting will be scheduled by the Planning Board, with the developer and the residents invited, to reach the best possible resolution of remaining differences, once the technical questions have been resolved. Minutes for September 8, 1988 -2- e. 191 Spring Street: The Town Manager and the Planning Director met with Boston Properties yesterday morning to discuss remaining substantive pro- blems the developer had with conditions listed in the Planning Board recom- mendation to the Board of Appeals. 221. Planning Board, Subcommittees a. Lexington Center Committee Mrs. Wood reported on their meeting today at noon, which she attended. They have completed a count of all existing parking spaces in the center, and it was reported 60 of these spaces will be lost when the Bikeway is completed. It was anticipated there would be a shortage of parking once the new building was completed and open for busi- ness. A need for more intensive enforcement of parking regulations by the police was discussed. It was also reported that the Board of Appeals SPS hearing on the proposed Grace Chapel Christian Fellowship Building will be heard sometime in Octo- ber. It was noted the Town currently leases 30 parking spaces in the existing parking lot. The Lexington Center Committee has invited the church, as well as the Planning Board, to join them for a discussion of their plans. The Planning Board will review the application for the SPS at their meeting on September 19, 1988. b. HATS II Mrs. Urhig reported the full committee will meet September 15, 1988, at 7 30 p.m. in the Selectmen's Meeting Room. ************** ADMINISTRATION OF LAND DEVELOPMENT REGULATIONS **************** 222. Ridge Estates II, East Emerson Road, set surety The Board reviewed a memo from Ms. Nordby, dated 9-8-88, recommending surety for completion of road construction be set at approximately $69,000. On the motion of Mr. Williams, seconded by Mrs. Wood, it was voted 4-0-0 (Mr. Sorensen was away from the meet- ing), to set surety at $70,000. 223. North Street Development, set surety The Board reviewed a memo from Ms. Nordby, dated September 8, 1988, recommending surety for completion of road construction be set at $57,350. On the motion of Mr. Williams, seconded by Mrs. Wood, it was voted 4-0-0 (Mr. Sorensen was away from the meeting), to set surety at $60,000. 224. Pheasant Brook, Phase II, sketch plan At their meeting of September 19, 1988, the Board will briefly review the latest sketch plan filed on July 25, 1988 by Robert Cataldo/Sheldon Corp. They asked that the previous plan also be available for comparison. They noted that this viewing is prior to staff re- view, and discussion with the developer-applicant and neighbors will be sched- uled for a subsequent meeting. Mrs. Uhrig reported that the Conservation Commission will walk the site Sunday, September 18, 1988 at 11 30, and that the Planning Board is invited to join them. Minutes for September 8, 1988 -3- Mr. Sorensen rejoined the meeting at this time. 225. Turnburry Estates, Hill Street, direction by Board Developers Otis Brown and Leonard Colwell informally presented a revised sketch plan, showing smaller building footprints and greater site perimeter setbacks, which they felt addres- sed objections the Board had with their most recent preliminary plan. Mr. Brown reported they had met with Ms. Nordby, George Samaha of the Engineering Depart- ment, and Tree Warden Paul Mazerall, and that the revised plan incorporated their recommendations. It was reported that Mr. Mazerall felt that the existing dense tree coverage on the site might eliminate the need for the normally required number of street trees, and that he would prefer to make his recommendations later after he can see how much the site is disturbed by construction. The Board suggested that perhaps ground cover or shrubbery might be used in place of street trees, where required by construction disturbance. The Board discussed how to guarantee that once a plan was approved, future additions would not increase the size of building footprints and intrude into any setbacks approved. Mr. Sorensen suggested, and the Board agreed, that a 50 foot easement around the perimeter of the property be granted to the Town, in which nothing can be built, except as shown on an approved plan; the Easement to run with the land and be recorded at the Registry of Deeds. In response to a question from Mrs. Klauminzer, Mr. Brown said they were proposing a condominium development with a private road. At this time the Board interrupted discussion of Item 225 to conduct the elec- tion of Planning Board officers and resumed their discussion following the elections. *********************** PLANNING BOARD ORGANIZATION ************************** 226. Election of Officers Mrs. Uhrig asked for nominations for officers of the Planning Board to serve until the Board's next scheduled election. Mrs. Klauminzer nominated Mrs. Uhrig for chairman. There were no other nomina- tions, and the Board voted unanimously to elect Mrs. Uhrig chairman. Mrs. Klauminzer nominated Mrs. Wood for vice-chairman. There were no other nominations, and the Board voted unanimously to elect Mrs. Wood vice chairman. Mrs. Wood nominated Mrs. Klauminzer for clerk. There were no other nominations and the Board voted unanimously to elect Mrs. Klauminzer clerk. Mr. Williams left the meeting at this time. ************* ADMINISTRATION OF LAND DEVELOPMENT REGULATIONS ***************** SUBDIVISION OF LAND 225. (cont.) Turnburry Estates The Board continued their discussion of this item and agreed that any increase in building footprints should be limited to 15% for any one unit, with an aggregate of 10% increase in footprint for the whole development. Minutes for September 8, 1988 -4— On the motion of Mrs. Wood, seconded by Mr. Sorensen, it was voted 4-0-0 (Mr. Williams had left the meeting) to so inform the developer that the Board will require the 50 foot perimeter easement and the limitations on increases in building footprints that were discussed and agreed to by the Board earlier this evening. *********************** PLANNING BOARD ORGANIZATION ************************** 227. Planning Board Dirction, Objectives Mr. Bowyer expressed concern that the amount of time that is being spent on review of subdivisions, Board of Appeals hearings and SPS applications leaves little time for planning projects. He suggested that, at the least, the review of new applications of sketch and preliminary subdivision plans be slowed down in order to catch up with the backlog of SPS and subdivision applications. Mrs. Uhrig said that she was concerned with the community's perception of the Planning Board's role in Town government; and the perception that things take too long to be processed by the Board. The Board expressed their concern about not being informed as soon as a plan or SPS has been filed, and it was agreed that as soon as an application for subdivision approval has been filed with the Board, or an SPS has been received by the staff for review, it be presented to the Board in an informational procedure. The Board agreed that completion of the Development Regulations, especially the commercial section, as well as a rewrite of the proof plan section, must have one of the highest priorities on the work list; that TMMA be invited to appoint a liason to meet with the Board when proposed articles for the next Annual Town Meeting are discussed; and that no major revisions to the Zoning By-Law be proposed for next year's Annual Town Meeting. It was also agreed to close the agenda Thursday at noon; to drop packets off at the Police Station Thursday evening; to schedule two business meetings and one planning meeting per month and to deliver a copy of the agenda to Adams Russell for broadcast on cable television. ***************************** COMMUNICATIONS ********************************* 228. Letters from Forest / Muzzey Street Neighbors of Belfry Club land The Board discussed two letters to the Board, dated August 29 and September 1, 1988, from residents in the area, suggesting that a trade be made in which the Town would find another Town-owned site for the proposed Grace Chapel Christian Education building, and locate affordable housing on the Belfry Club land owned by Grace Chapel. The Board directed the staff to respond to the letter from Mr. Buss gang. ***************** ADMINISTRATION OF LAND DEVELOPMENT REGULATIONS ************* APPLICATIONS TO THE BOARD OF APPEALS 229. Hearings scheduled for September 29, 1988 Mr. Sorensen gave an oral review of the following applications being heard by the Board of Appeals. 1709-1727 Mass. Avenue, Estate of Abram Salter, SP, to reestablish a res- taurant and take out service known as the Bel Canto Restaurant. Mr. Minutes for September 8, 1988 -5- Sorensen noted the previous special permit allowed 110 seats, while this SP asks for 130 seats. If this increase in seats is permitted, it will reduce the parking allowed for the rest of the businesses in the building. Mr. Bowyer commented that the uses formerly in the building before the fire required about 75 parking spaces and the aggregate parking demand for the new uses could not exceed that number. Mr. Sorensen was very concerned that subsequent tenants would not be aware the restaurant had used up a higher percentage of the those parking spaces and would pressure the Town to allow types of occupancy for which there would not be enough parking spaces. He suggested the Board recommend the SP be approved with the same conditions as approved in the previous SP. On the motion of Mr. Sorensen, seconded by Mrs. Klauminzer, it was voted 4-0-0 (Mr. Williams had left the meeting) to recommend the SP be granted either 1) with the condition that the number of seats be the same as in the previous permit, or 2) the number of seats could be the 130 requested if a satisfactory document is produced and recorded that more of the park- ing spaces will be allocated to the restaurant and fewer to the remainder of the building with the result that potential occupancy of the other floor space in the building may be more limited, and that all tenants and occu- pants must be so informed. On the motion of Mr. Sorensen, seconded by Mrs. Klauminzer, it was voted 4-0-0, (Mr. Williams had left the meeting) to make no comment on the following applications 1709-1727 Massachusetts Avenue Estate of Abram Salter, SP, to modify the required width of a driveway, and 145 East Street , Morrow Crossing, Albert Murphy, revision of SP to add an enclosed porch. The meeting was adjourned at 11 15 p.m. tQAACt-1/4diLincinerd Eleanor Klauminzer, Clerk