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HomeMy WebLinkAboutPlanning Board Minutes 1992-11-02 PLANNING BOARD MINUTES MEETING OF NOVEMBER 2, 1992 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 Chairman Williams, with members Davison, Domnitz, Grant, Wood, Planning Director Bowyer, and Assistant Planner Marino present. ************************ PLANNING DIRECTOR'S REPORT *********************** 161. Staff Reports a. Lowell Street Development The staff rolled out plans for a six-lot cluster definitive subdivision plan which had just been submitted. The proposed street does not have a name but the Board can choose a name. Mr. Williams asked that the hearing be set soon. Mr. Bowyer reported that the statute requires a 45 day minimum period to await a recommendation from the Board of Health and that time should be allowed for the Engineering Department's review. *********************** ARTICLES FOR 1993 TOWN MEETING *********************** 162. Maguire Road Rezoning: A presentation was given by Doug Noble of HDC, Inc. , a health care development company representing prospective purchasers Mark Tobin and William Freid. HDC develops health care facilities throughout New England. Messrs. Tobin and Freid will be the owners/operators. Mr. Tobin is Second Vice President of the Massachusetts Federation of Nursing Home Operators. Richard Heym Associates is the architect. They are applying to rezone to RD a 3.3 acre parcel at Hartwell Avenue and Maguire Road in order to build a long term care facility. Lexington is their first choice for location of a nursing home because it is an upscale town and the site is near Rt. 128, has water and sewer, and the site is not in a purely residential area. They have a Determination of Need document from the State, and plan to build a 135-bed facility, of which 82 will be level two beds and 53 will be level three beds. They must break ground for the project by March of 1994. Mr. Noble showed plans of their other facilities in Massachusetts, some already built and others under construction. He said preliminary plans for the Lexington facility are for a three-story building, of 45-50,000 sq. ft. , screened from the view of abutting buildings. There will be approximately 100 employees. Mrs. Davison commented that the proposed number of beds seems quite high for a site that size. Mr. Noble explained that economics make it necessary. State approval requires that at least 60% of the residents be funded by Medicaid or Medicare; only 40% may be private patients. In response to Mrs. Davison's further concern that there is no ,need for more nursing homes in Lexington, Mr. Noble said that demographic projections show a doubling of the over age 85 population by the year 2010. Mr. Williams commented that visual access to the bike path which runs near the site is an important consideration. He suggested that the grounds include a park that is inviting to users of the bike path. North Lexington residents { Minutes for the Meeting of November 2, 1992 2 will have to be convinced that this is in their best interest. The Board rTh suggested that the developer communicate with relevant boards and committees (the North Lexington Association and the Bikeway Committee, as well as the Precinct Captains for precincts seven and eight) . Mrs. Davison questioned the suitability of the site for a nursing home due to its proximity to the former landfill, Hanscom Field and the traffic of the commercial area. She feels that a day care facility for children, or multi- income housing with a day care component, would be more useful to the many people who work in the area. Mr. Williams believes that the facility would enhance the diversity of uses in that area. He wondered if agreements could be arranged with other elder care facilities, like the Dana Home, for priority admission. Mr. Grant offered encouragement to the developer. He sees a nursing home as a less intensive use than an office building, and favorable to the Town with respect to traffic and tax revenue. Mr. Domnitz agreed that it is a better site than a residen- t tial area for such a use. The proximity of a residential facility near Hanscom Field will be a plus for the town in its dealings with MassPort. A majority of the Board, Mrs. Davison excepted, believe the site appropriate for a nursing home. The Board agreed that a thorough traffic study will be impor- tant. The staff was asked to prepare a letter of response to the developer incorpo- rating the Board's suggestions. The Board will review and sign the letter for the next meeting. ************************ REGIONAL, INTERTOWN ISSUES ************************* 163. Metropolitan State Hospital Land Re-use: Mr. Marino reported that the Belmont, Waltham and Lexington Task Forces were awarded a $36,000 MIGS grant from the State Executive Office of Communities and Development to be used to develop a list of acceptable uses for the site. The combined task forces will then try to distill three development scenarios for further study from the lists developed by individual communities. The task forces are viewing the site as a whole with hopes for unified uses. Using a questionnaire prepared by Mr. Marino, the Board then discussed the z uses they would like to see made of the land, as well as those they would find acceptable and those that were unacceptable. A background question on the questionnaire asked for land uses that the Board (n thinks Lexington needs most, anywhere in town. Four Board members listed Q affordable low- and moderate-income housing, one listed multi-family mixed income housing, three listed passive recreation and open space, one, play- grounds One member would like to see the upgrading of existing strip malls and neighborhood business districts. Another wants to see low intensity uses that produce high tax revenue. The second question asked for desirable uses of the Metropolitan State Hospital land. Four members listed recreation and open space; one specified passive open space. Two members listed a cultural facility. Other uses that were listed by only one member were mixed income housing, affordable rental �J or ownership housing, a continuing care facility, multi-family housing with a day-care component, a playground, an office research park, a convenience Minutes for the Meeting of November 2, 1992 3 store, low intensity uses that produce high tax revenue and a revenue produc- ing use that would benefit the three communities (e.g. , institutional or cultural uses, not residential). The third question asked for acceptable uses from the Lexington perspective. Three members listed a golf course, two listed a recreational use and an agricultural use. Other uses listed once were affordable housing, an affordable elderly/retirement apartment complex, single-family housing, MDC acquisition for open space and passive recreation, a cemetery, and a cultural facility. In answer to the fourth question, which asked for unacceptable uses of the site from Lexington's perspective, three members listed conventional, market- rate single family subdivisions, two listed office or industrial uses and prisons. Other uses that were listed once were any private use, an educa- tional use, any non-profit use, a golf course, a retail use, a sludge site, a commercial subdivision, and a vertiport. Mrs. Davison reiterated her belief that the study should deal with the question of the buildings, most of which are on Lexington land. Are they reusable or should they be demolished? And should the price of the land to the Town be reduced to reflect that liability? Mr. Bowyer reported that his contacts at the State Division of Capital Planning and Operations said that although Governor Weld planned to make money selling state-owned sites of this type, further study shows that the sites have all turned out to have a negative value due to the cost of demolition and disposal of hazardous waste. In response to a question as to who makes the final determination on the use of the land in Lexington, Mr. Bowyer said the Town Meeting because any more intensive use than single family housing requires a change of zoning district. The Board would like to have a map of the Met. State site at some point. ***************** ADMINISTRATION OF LAND DEVELOPMENT REGULATIONS ************ PLANS NOT REQUIRING APPROVAL UNDER THE SUBDIVISION CONTROL LAW 163. Form A 92/7 27-29 Muzzev Street The Board reviewed a plan showing the creation of two parcels, parcel A and lot 63B-2. Parcel A is to be conveyed to Kayn Realty Trust to form one (1) contiguous lot having a total area of 13,745 sq. ft. Lot 63B-2 has sufficient area and frontage for a lot in the RS district. On the motion of Mr. Domnitz, seconded by Mr. Grant, it was voted unanimously to authorize Mr. Bowyer to endorse the plan entitled "Plan of Land in Lexington, Massachusetts, dated October 29, 1992, certified by Donald E. Bowen, Jr. , a Registered Professional Land Surveyor, with Form A/92-7, by applicant Richard F. Perry, as it does not require approval under the Subdivision Control Law, once the owner of the adjacent lot signs the application form I Minutes for the Meeting of November 2, 1992 4 RECOMMENDATIONS ON APPLICATIONS TO THE BOARD OF APPEALS 164. Applications To Be Heard on November 12. 1992 Mr. Domnitz gave an oral review of the following applications 10 Maguire Road, Itek Optical Systems, determination that proposed addition of an optical test tower is a minor revision to SPS. The Board agreed that the tower is not a minor revision to the SPS and that it is a building, not a structure, according to definitions in the Zoning By- Law. As such, it exceeds the height limitation in the Zoning By-Law and a variance for its construction is required. 1 184 Bedford Street Bryon Pickering, special p permit to operate take out and fast food service as Dunkin' Donuts franchise. The Board agreed that a complete review of the parking calculations for all uses in the building should be done by the Building Commissioner. It should be determined if the existing and proposed parking layouts with the improved circulation plan conform to the parking standards. It should also be determined how this new use will affect the traffic for busi- nesses currently in the building and the building next door. The Board is concerned about the absence of a loading bay. The Board agreed to make no comment on the applications below also scheduled to be heard by the Board of Appeals in November, 1992. 55 Hayden Avenue, W.R. Grace & Co. , determination that construction of a pump house is a minor revision to SPS. On a motion by Mr. Grant, seconded by Mr. Domnitz, the Board voted unanimously that this is a minor revision. 7 Meriam Street, The Merry Music Box, special permit to install a projecting sign. 512 Lowell Street. 512 Lowell Street, special permit to construct a tennis court. 178 Lowell Street, Mediplex, determination that the proposed fenced-in area for the Alzheimer patient recreation area is a minor revision to a z special permit. 413 Waltham Street, Bruegger's Bagel Bakery, renew special permit to continue operation of fast-food and take-out service. (n 0 9 Forest Street, Elliott Silverman and Phyllis Kaplan-Silverman, variance to construct an addition at rear of dwelling Minutes for the Meeting of November 2, 1992 5 ********************************** REPORTS ********************************** 165. Planning Board. Subcommittees a. Mass. Federation of Planning and Anneals Boards Conference Mrs. Davison and Mr. Grant recently attended the Federation's fall meeting. Mrs. Davison attended a workshop on signs. Mr. Grant attended the site plan review presentation. They agreed that Lexington is fortunate to have professional staff and that it is useful to hear what is going on in other towns around the state. Other town planning boards find it hard to protect their towns' interests without professional expertise to draw on. The meeting was adjourned at 10:35 p.m. Edmund C. Grant, lerk { ' C