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HomeMy WebLinkAboutPlanning Board Minutes, 1991-10-08 PLANNING BOARD MINUTES MEETING OF OCTOBER 8, 1991 The meeting of the Lexington Planning Board held in Room G-15, Town Office Building, was called to order at 7 37 p.m. by the Chairman, Mr. Williams, with members Davison, Grant, Planning Director Bowyer, Assistant Planner Marino and Secretary Peters present. Mrs. Wood was absent. Mr. Domnitz arrived during Item 189. 188. Review of Minutes (occurred following Item 192 below) The Board reviewed and corrected the minutes for the meeting of September 23, 1991. On the motion of Mrs. Davison, seconded by Mr. Grant, it was voted 3-0 (Mr. Williams was out of the room) to approve the minutes as amended. ************** ADMINISTRATION OF LAND DEVELOPMENT REGULATIONS ************** RECOMMENDATIONS ON APPLICATIONS TO THE BOARD OF APPEALS 189. Hearings Scheduled for October 24. 1991: Mrs. Davison gave an oral review of the following applications scheduled to be heard by the Board of Appeals. 191 Spring Street, 191 Spring Street Trust, extension, renewal and reissuance for two years of SP with Site Plan Review granted by ZBA on 12/20/88 for the development of two buildings for office, research and development purposes. The project is governed by the 1986 Zoning By- Law. Mr. Williams commented that the traffic situation for the office complex would have to be reevaluated if the Postal Service Distribution Center is constructed on Smith Street in Waltham. On the motion of Mrs. Davison, seconded by Mr. Grant, it was voted 3-0 (Mr. Domnitz was not present) to recommend the extension, renewal and reissuance of the special permit with site plan review be granted. 181 Follen Road, James E. Gallagher, SP, reconstruction of a shed: On the motion of Mr. Grant, seconded by Mrs. Davison, it was voted 3-0-1 a (Mr. Domnitz abstained) to recommend the special permit be granted. ***************** PLANNING DIRECTOR'S REPORT ****************************** 190. Recent Activity a. Rollout. Wright Street Extension: The Board looked briefly, prior to staff review, at a resubmission of a definitive plan for a two lot subdivision, filed October 1, 1991. b. Meetings of Interest: Mr. Bowyer reported that the Boston Society of Architects will give a presentation at the Massachusetts Association of Planning Directors meeting on October 18, 1991 on community appear- ance and identity. At its June 26 meeting, the Board had discussed its interest in hearing this presentation, possibly to be given to interest- ed citizens and Town officials in Lexington or for a presentation to several towns at once. Minutes for the Meeting of October 8, 1991 2 Mr. Bowyer also reported that he and Mr. Marino attended the October 3 session of the New England Chapter of the APA's continuing education programs, which began last spring. The session was entitled Economic Development Strategies and was given by Dr. John R. Mullin, AICP, Head of the Regional Planning Department at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. There are three more sessions on October 10, 17, and 24, 1991, which they also plan to attend. c. Assessment of Commercial Pronertv in Residential Neighborhoods In response to the Board's inquiry, Mr. Marino reported that he had talked with Harald Scheid, Assessor about what procedures are used. Where a portion of a residence is used commercially, assessments are made on a proportional basis; the part of the residence that is used commercially is assessed at the commercial rate, and the part that is used as a residence is assessed at the residential rate. ************* ADMINISTRATION OF LAND DEVELOPMENT REGULATIONS ************** PLANS NOT REQUIRING APPROVAL UNDER THE SUBDIVISION CONTROL LAW 191. Form A/91-9. Marrett Road: The Board reviewed a plan showing the division of Lot 1 (#210 Marrett Road) into two lots, Lot lA and Lot 1B, both having the required frontage and lot area for the zoning district. The plan also shows a proposed access easement across Lot lA to Lot 1B. Under the provisions of Section 11.8c of the Zoning By-Law, a special permit must be granted by the Board of Appeals, to allow the access easement to cross over Lot lA providing access to Lot 1B. The applicant has also filed an applica- tion for the special permit with the Board of Appeals. On the motion of Mr. Grant, seconded by Mr. Domnitz, it was voted 4-0: to endorse the plan entitled "Plan of Land Located in Lexington, Massa- chusetts (Middlesex County)", dated September 20, 1991, by Meridian Engineering Collaborative, Inc. , certified by Donald E. Bowen, Jr. , Professional Land Surveyor, with application Form A/91-9 by Brita E. Swenson and Margot B. Rushton, as it does not require approval under the Subdivision Control Law. 192. Form A/91-10. Forest and Muzzev Street: The Board reviewed a plan showing a division of Lot 63, Assessors' Map #49, into lots 63A and 63B, both containing the required frontage and lot area for the zoning district. On the motion of Mr. Williams, seconded by Mr. Grant, it was voted 4-0 to endorse the plan entitled "Plan of Land in Lexington, Mass. (Middle- sex County)", dated October 2, 1991, by Stamski and McNary, Inc. , certified by William F. McNary, Professional Land Surveyor, with application Form A/91-10 by Grace Chapel, Inc. , as it does not require approval under the Subdivision Control Law. ****************** ARTICLES FOR THE 1992 ANNUAL TOWN MEETING ***************** 193. Commercial Mail Service Mr. Bowyer reported material had been received from the Planning Advisory Service of the American Planning Association dealing with commercial mail services contained in the zoning regulations from other municipalities around the country. Mr. Marino reported that the sponsor of the unsuccessful 1991 Town Meeting article, to revise the Zoning By-Law to allow commercial mail services, wants to submit a revised amendment to this year's Town Meeting. The Board discussed which member would work on preparing Minutes for the Meeting of October 8, 1991 3 an article for this year's Town Meeting. Mr. Grant said that he felt last year's Town Meeting had defeated this proposed amendment and that the appli- cant, not the Planning Board, should propose the amendment. Mrs. Davison volunteered to go over the material received from APA. 194. Institutional Uses. Dimensional Controls: Mr. Domnitz reported that he has not had a response from Town Counsel on his questions about whether screening around religious and educational establishments can be required when screening is not specifically listed as one of characteristics of a develop- ment that can be regulated under M.G.L. Ch. 40A, section 3A, dealing with types of zoning exemptions for religious and educational establishments. 195. Sign and Landscaping Revisions Mrs. Davison reported on a conversation with Board of Appeals Chairman Ann Scigliano, who has concerns about the difficulty of imposing landscaping requirements in certain instances. Mrs Scigliano also thought there should be revisions to the Sign Section of the Zoning By-Law, especially in the provisions dealing with temporary or remov- able signs and interior lit window signs. ****************** PLANNING BOARD PROJECTS, POLICY MAKING ***************** 196. Revisions of Development Regulations. Subdivision Regulations: The Board continued its review and editing of the 8/20/91 draft of Chapter 7, Implementation, Construction of an Approved Definitive Subdivision Plan. The meeting was adjourned at 9 32 p.m. Edmund C. Grant, lerk