Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutPlanning Board minutes 1989-10-16 PLANNING BOARD MINUTES MEETING OF OCTOBER 16, 1989 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 the Chairman, Mrs. Wood, with members Sorensen, Williams, Uhrig, Planning Director Bowyer, Assistant Planner Nordby and Secretary Peters present. Mrs. Klauminzer was absent. 245. Review of Minutes: The Board reviewed and corrected the minutes for the meeting of September 18, 1989. On the motion of Mr. Sorensen, seconded by Mrs. Wood, it was voted 3-0-1 (Mrs. Uhrig abstained as she had not attended the meeting) to approve the minutes, as amended. The Board reviewed and corrected the minutes for the meeting of September 27, 1989. On the motion of Mr. Sorensen, seconded by Mrs. Wood, it was voted 2-0- 2 (Mrs. Uhrig and Mr. Williams abstained as they had not attended the meeting) to approve the minutes, as amended. *************************** REPORTS ************************************** 246. Planning Director a. Proposed New Regulations on Comprehensive Permits: Mr. Bowyer reported on a memorandum, dated 10-13-89, he received today from EOCD containing a proposed draft of new regulations concerning M.G.L. Chapter 40B, as well as notice of four public hearings that will be held to solicit public comments on the revisions. He noted the hearing location nearest to Lexington will be held on Friday, November 17, 1989 in Boston. He recommended the Town take a position on the revisions. He added he would follow up with a more detailed explanation of the changes for the Board to discuss at a future meeting. In response to questions from the Board, Mr. Bowyer noted the review period would be no less than 60 days. , and that the comprehensive permit can be one of the techniques to produce affordable housing. **************** ADMINISTRATION OF LAND DEVELOPMENT REGULATIONS ************* PLANS NOT REQUIRING APPROVAL UNDER THE SUBDIVISION CONTROL LAW 247. Form A/89-11. Waltham Street. Choate-Svmmes Life Care, Inc. : The Board reviewed a plan showing the separation of Lot B from Lot A, which has the required frontage and area required by zoning. Lot B will be deeded to the Town of Lexington, and dedicated as conservation land. On the motion of Mr. Sorensen, seconded by Mr. Williams, it was voted 4-0: to endorse the plan entitled "Plan of Land in Lexington & Waltham, Massachusetts (Middlesex County) , dated September 28, 1989, by the BSC Group - Bedford, Inc. , certified by Donald J. Forand, Professional Land Surveyor, with application form A/89-11 by applicant Choate Symmes Life `--J Care, Inc. , as it does not require approval under the Subdivision Control Law. Minutes for the Meeting of October 16, 1989 2 RECOMMENDATIONS ON APPLICATIONS TO THE BOARD OF APPEALS 248. Additional Hearings Scheduled for October 26. 1989: Mrs. Uhrig gave an oral review of the following cases scheduled to be heard by the Board of Appeals. 40 Hartwell Avenue, M.I.T. Lincoln Lab. , to renew a special permit, for the continued use of a modular unit as a temporary structure: Mrs. Uhrig reported that when this application to allow a temporary structure was heard by the Board of Appeals in November of 1988, the Planning Board recommended that the special permit not be granted; the Building Commissioner stated that a temporary special permit can not exceed one year; and that last year's Board of Appeal's decision granted the special permit for one year, stating that the structure was considered temporary. She added that the applicant is now asking for a continua- tion of the special permit for four years. The Board agreed that the opinion of the Building Commissioner and last year's decision of the Board of Appeals should be sustained. On the motion of Mr. Sorensen, seconded by Mrs. Uhrig, it was voted 3-1-0 (Mr. Williams voted in the negative) to recommend the special permit not be granted. The Board agreed to make no comment on the following applications also lscheduled to be heard on October 26, 1989. 71 Meriam Street, Jacquelyn Katzenstein, SP, to install a projecting sign. 11 Wachusett Drive, Bernadette Shapiro, Variance, to add additional risers to bring the front steps of a dwelling down to existing grade, allowing a front yard setback of 25 feet instead of the required 30 feet. 249. Hearings Scheduled for November 9. 1989: Mr. Sorensen gave an oral review of the following cases scheduled to be heard by the Board of Appeals. 277 Bedford Street, Mobil Oil Corp. , variance, to install a canopy with a 1'-6" front yard setback instead of the required 30' , and to allow the total coverage of the existing building and canopy to be 22% instead of the required 20%. The Board agreed that none of the statutory criteria for a variance, relating to topography and soil conditions, have been met, and that the proposed expansion would be out of scale and character and overly large for the lot, which is almost entirely surrounded by residences. On the motion of Mr. Sorensen, seconded by Mr. Williams, it was voted 3-0-1 (Mrs. Wood abstained) to recommend the variance be denied. 277 Bedford Street, Mobil Oil Corp. , SP, to replace a self-service island and a full-service island with 2 self-service islands, add a canopy over the islands and modify transition area screening. The Board noted that a service station is a nonconforming use in the CN, Neigh- borhood Business district, and as such, is subject to the limitations of Section 6.3.1, particularly sub-paragraph c. , of the Zoning By-Law. They agreed that as long as it complied with the criteria of 6.3.1, they did not object to the change to self-service gas pumps. They also recom- Minutes for the Meeting of October 16, 1989 3 mended that a greater attempt to comply with the provisions of Section 10, Landscaping, Transition and Screening, of the Zoning By-Law, be a condition of any special permit granted. The Board agreed to make no comment on the following application also schedul- ed to be heard on November 9, 1989. 5 Berwick Road, New Space Builders, SP, to add a second story over the nonconforming portion of a single family dwelling with no change in site coverage. SUBDIVISION OF LAND 250. Rollout of Plan Recently Submitted (prior to staff review): The Board reviewed a definitive plan submission for a two lot subdivision entitled Opi Road Subdivision, off North Street, filed October 3, 1989. The Board agreed Opi Road is not an acceptable name for the street. 251. Royal Circle. Grove Street. Barry Caouette. decision on special permit: Landscape Architect Gary Larson presented a plan for the path to Estabrook School. He recommended a 20 foot right-of-way, delineated by the use of large boulders along both sides of the path, and surfaced with stone dust. He also proposed to locate signs and appropriate planting at both ends of the path. The Board agreed that the boundaries should be emphasized with boulders and plantings at the two entrances and the elbow of the easement, as well as by randomly place boulders, with the space between them minimized to clearly define the separation of the yard from the easement. They also agreed it was not necessary to define the path with gravel or stonedust. The Board reviewed a draft decision granting the special permit. On the motion of Mr. Sorensen, seconded by Mr. Williams, it was voted 4-0 to grant the special permit with site plan review, and to approve the decision, as written. 252. Pheasant Brook II . Robert Cataldo. Mid-Term Review: Conservation Commission Chairman, Joyce Miller, joined the Board for discussion of this item. The Board reviewed an interim report on the submission, dated October 12, 1989, prepared by the staff. Mr. Sorensen commented that he found the definitive plan acceptable, as filed; that he thought the developer should be encouraged to move forward; and that the developer should be informed of the recommendations of the Town Engineer and the Conservation Administrator, which the Board intends to incorporate into the Certificate of Action. The Board discussed where to locate the conservation easement, proposed to follow along the existing path along the ridge at the rear of Lots 1,2,3,4 and 5. They agreed the easement should connect to a system of trails, already existing on conservation land. They will ask the applicant to provide an additional access easement from the subdivision road, that will connect to the walking easement along the ridge. Mrs. Miller clarified that what the Commission is requesting is a conservation restriction with a walking easement along the ridge and not an easement. I" Minutes for the Meeting of October 16, 1989 4 The Board recommended the plans be revised to show the trail along the top of the ridge, as a conservation restriction with a walking easement, with any access from the road well delineated. They also strongly recommended that Lots 5 and 6 be served by a common driveway. They found no major problems with the submission, and agreed to hold a public hearing for the subdivision on November 6, 1989 at 9:00 p.m. ***************************** REPORTS *************************************** 253. Planning Board. Subcommittees a. Lighting Concerns: Mr. Bowyer reported that a meeting with Myla Kabat-Zinn and Peter Kovner, of the East Lexington Community Associa- tion, has been scheduled with the Board for next Monday evening. They have asked for the meeting to discuss their concerns and proposals for dealing with lighting problems they find in Lexington. The meeting was adjourned at 9:40 p.m. `)-L -'171A- :(1 "fA David Williams, Clerk _J P