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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1988-10-17 PLANNING BOARD MINUTES MEETING OF OCTOBER 17, 1988 The meeting of the Lexington Planning Board held in Room G-15, Town Office Building, was called to order at 7 38 p.m. by Mrs. Uhrig with members Klaumin- zer, Sorensen, Wood, Assistant Planner Nordby and Secretary Peters present. Mr. Williams arrived prior to item 271. *************** ADMINISTRATION OF LAND DEVELOPMENT REGULATIONS *********** PLANS NOT REQUIRING APPROVAL UNDER THE SUBDIVISION CONTROL LAW 270. Form A/88-16, Waltham Street, Robert Phelan The Board reviewed a plan showing the division of Lot 74, shown on Town Property Map 24, into four lots each conforming to the frontage and lot area requirements of the RO zoning district. On the motion of Mr. Sorensen, seconded by Mrs. Klauminzer, it was voted 4-0 to endorse the plan entitled "Plan of Land in Lexington, Mass. (Middlesex County)", dated September 30, 1988, by The BSC Group - Bedford, Inc. , certified by Roger M. Corbin, Registered Land Surveyor, with Form A/88-16 by Robert E. Phelan, as it does not require approval under the Subdivision Control Law 271. Philbrook Terrace, Robert Phelan, Release of Lot 1 Ms. Nordby reported that a solution to the drainage problem has been accepted by the Engineering Department, and the Conservation Commission has released the restrictions on the lot. On the motion of Mrs. Wood, seconded by Mr. Sorensen, it was voted 5-0 to release Lot 1. At 7 45 p.m., the Planning Board recessed the meeting to join the Selectmen in their meeting room on the second floor for Items 272 and 273. ************* ADMINISTRATION OF LAND DEVELOPMENT REGULATIONS ***************** RECOMMENDATIONS ON APPLICATIONS TO THE BOARD OF APPEALS 272. Grace Chapel, SPS, Forest Street, Construction of a Christian Fellowship Building Board of Selectmen Chairman, Jacquelyn Smith, noted that issues of parking and traffic concerns have involved the Board of Selectmen in this appli- cation, now before the Board of Appeals. Margery Battin summarized the meeting of September 22, 1988, when representatives from Grace Chapel met with the Center Advisory Committee to describe their proposal. George Kent, representating Grace Chapel, said they have changed architects , and were revising their plans to incorporate comments and suggestions received to date on the application. They hope to present a plan more compatible with the neighborhood by responding to some of their objections, but they do not intend to withdraw the application. Meeting of October 17, 1988 -2- **************** COMPREHENSIVE PLANNING AND POLICIES ************************* 273. Minute Man National Historical Park Plan The two Boards also discussed the "Planning Board Position on Draft General Management Plan Minute Man Nation- al Historical Plan". It was agreed that representatives from each of the two boards and a representative from the Conservation Commission would meet subse- quently to pull together the Town position. At 8 59 p.m. the Planning Board reconvened their meeting in Room G-15, Town Office Building. Joining the Board for discussion of Items 274 and 275 were Conservation Commission members John Oberteuffer, Joel Adler, Lisa Baci, Jere Frick, Richard Wolk, Chairman Joyce Miller and Kevin Mendik, Conservation Admin- istrator; also present were Richard Spiers, Director of Public Works , George Samaha, representing the Engineering Department, and Frank DiPietro, from The BSC Group - Bedford. ****************** ADMINISTRATION OF LAND DEVELOPMENT REGULATIONS ************ SUBDIVISION OF LAND 274. Barrett Road, Rolling Oak Realty Trust, Sketch Plan The group reviewed the sketch plans for the subdivision. Mrs. Miller said the plan has not yet come before the Commission. She noted their main concern would be to keep the development/road as far as possible from Clematis Brook, also known as Beaver Brook. They were particularly concerned with salt run-off, given the steep drive-ways proposed. The Planning Board felt the density was too high, given the amount of wetland and steep slopes. They noted, in a cluster plan, density was not established by right. They also agreed the road must go through to Wellington Lane. Ms. Nordby reported her preliminary calculations showed there was insufficient common open space as required by the By-Law for a cluster plan. Both the Plan- ning Board and the Engineering Department questioned whether the road layout met Town standards. The Planning Board will invite the developer to make a presentation of the proposal. 275. Pheasant Brook, Robert Cataldo, Preliminary Plan Mrs. Miller reported the Conservation Commission had denied the first submission, and had proposed two cul-de-sacs, one off Maple Tree Lane and one off Butterfield Road, since they felt the through road shown on the plan was too devastating to the wetlands through which it passed. They noted that in one area, near Lot 1, the road was only five feet from wetlands, and must be moved. They recommended, that if the road was required to be a through road, the Planning Board should allow a nar- rower road than required by the Development Regulations. Mr. Spiers reviewed the options for the installation of a sewer system. He recommended against a sewer system that would require a pumping station, since maintaining this would likely become a Town problem eventually. He also recom- mended against tying into the MDC system since this would require digging rough- ly a 20 foot trench, which would devastate the site. He felt the least damaging solution would be to raise the level of the road for part of its length, to allow a gravity sewer system to tie into the end of Maple Tree Lane. Meeting of October 17, 1988 -3- In response to a question to Mr. DiPietro, as to how much of the Street would be affected by this solution, he responded that their calculations estimated the road might have to be raised a maximum of 3 1/2 feet at the peak for a length of approximately 400 feet. Mr. Samaha discussed the Engineering Department's views on gravity sewer systems vs. systems requiring pumping stations, and he had questions about what kind of waivers from Town road standards would be asked for by the developer. The Planning Board agreed they would require a through road connecting Maple Tree Lane and Butterfield Road. Mr. Williams suggested consideration be given to to allowing a narrower paved portion of the roadway, given the site problems there. They agreed they would not consider waiving construction of a sidewalk along the roadway, since there would be children walking along the road to the Harrington School. 276. 627-669 Mass. Ave., Boyd/Smith, Sketch Plan The Board discussed the two sketch plans presented the first, a conventional subdivision plan showing four buildings, each containing two dwelling units; and the second, a cluster plan showing two buildings containing two dwelling units and four buildings contain- ing single units for a total of six buildings. Joel Roos, representing the developer, asked for direction as to which plan they should proceed with. The Board agreed 1) they preferred the cluster plan except that Unit 1 should be relocated off the prominent hill, and they recommended that it be reattached to Unit 4; 2) that they would consider allowing a 20 foot wide pavement as long as it is stated in the deeds that the road must remain a private road; and 3) there must be better delineation between the Town owned property and the devel- opment, and recommended the use of stone walls and/or some type of fence, such as a split-rail type. They also recommended Mr. Roos present a plan incorporat- ing these suggestions before he proceeds to developing a preliminary plan. **************************** REPORTS ***************************************** 277. Planning Board, Subcommittees a. Grace Chapel, SPS Mrs. Wood recommended, and the Board agreed, that a letter be written to the applicant recommending they request that their Board of Appeals November 10 hearing be postponed since there will not be adequate time for the Town boards and commissions to review the revised plans which will not be available until the end of this week. The Board agreed that if they chose not to request the hearing be postponed, the Planning Board recommendation would be based on the application previously filed. b. Planning Board meeting schedule The Planning Board agreed they would meet on October 31, November 7, 14, 21 and 28, 1988. The meeting was adjourned at 10 52 caimal Eleanor Klauminzer, Clerk