HomeMy WebLinkAboutPlanning Board Minutes 1992-11-09 PLANNING BOARD MINUTES
MEETING OF NOVEMBER 9, 1992
The meeting of the Lexington Planning Board held in Room G-3, Town Office
Building, was called to order at 8:09 p.m. by Vice Chairman Domnitz with
members Davison, Grant, Wood, Planning Director Bowyer, and Assistant Planner
Marino present. Mr. Williams was absent.
************************ PLANNING DIRECTOR'S REPORT ***********************
166. Staff Reports
a. Lexington Ridge. Trammell Crow• Mr. Bowyer reported on his meeting with
the Town Manager and Bryce Blair, director of the New England office of
Trammell Crow which is purchasing the Lexington Ridge property on Waltham
Street from Dennis Sargent. Trammell Crow, which built the Bishop's Forest
development in Waltham, accepts all of the conditions of the Comprehensive
Permit issued for Lexington Ridge. Thus, the sale will mark the end of the
Lexington Ridge litigation.
The new owner proposes several changes in the site plan such as changing the
location of several buildings, trading the location of the community center
with that of an apartment building and changing some of the two bedroom units
to one bedroom units. The total number of dwelling units will remain at 198.
All of the conditions dealing with the affordability of housing and off-site
improvements will stay the same. The new owner will need to come back to the
Board of Appeals because Condition 30 of the comprehensive permit requires
oversight by the Board of Appeals for the proposed revisions. No other
condition will be revised. The development will be financed through the MHFA
tax exempt program rather than TELLER program.
The Town Manager will coordinate interactions between the boards which were
involved several years ago and introduce them to Trammell Crow. A spring
construction start is hoped for.
Mrs. Wood said she will abstain from any votes on this project because a
relative of hers is connected with Trammell Crow.
b. Earl Street - Ward Street Mr. Bowyer reported that an Earl Street
resident who abuts a lot running from Ward Street through to the Earl Street
right-of-way on which a new house is being built has complained about the
removal of some trees in the paper street section of the Earl Street right-of-
way. The builder is apparently putting in a second driveway, this one from
Earl Street. Though the frontage is on Ward Street and the driveway is
located there, the Zoning By-Law is silent on the construction of a second
driveway. Mr. Domnitz and Mr. Grant believe this is a private matter between
the property owners. The Board agreed that it is the owner's right to remove
the trees. In response to Mrs. Wood's question, Mr Bowyer said he believes
that this new access from Earl Street does not change the status of other lots
on Earl Street which would have to file a subdivision plan if they sought to
build new houses.
Minutes for the Meeting of November 9, 1992 2
************************ REGIONAL, INTERTOWN ISSUES *************************
167. Metropolitan State Hospital Land Re-use The Board discussed a ques-
tionnaire which the staff had prepared as a method of determining a Planning
Board recommendation to the Met. State Hospital Land Task Force. Mr. Domnitz
took issue with the scoring system on the questionnaire. He said one or two
members could skew the results that could still look as though they were the
position of the entire Planning Board. Mrs. Davison, Mr. Grant and Mrs. Wood
had completed the questionnaire; Mr. Domnitz and Mr. Williams did not partici-
pate in the survey. Mr. Domnitz suggested instead that the four members
present try to come to agreement on positions.
Mrs. Davison reported on the meeting of the Lexington Met. State Hospital Land
Task Force which took place in the afternoon before this meeting. Mr. Marino
was thanked for all his efforts in behalf of the Task Force. The following
are draft recommendations to the selectmen and the other two task forces for
uses of the site on which they all agreed.
1. The Metropolitan State Hospital site must be treated as a whole site.
Lexington is opposed to the division of the site according to municipal
boundaries. If the site is developed, it must be developed under a
unified development scheme. Separate uses will be considered provided
the separate uses are compatible with one another and compatible with
the whole.
2. Prior to the disposition of the site it must be in an environmentally
clean condition and in full compliance with all applicable laws and
regulations or, as a condition of acquisition, the agency or development
entity who acquires the property must make the site environmentally
clean prior to the start of any development or site improvements.
3. The Metropolitan State Hospital site must be developed and/or used in
compliance with all applicable laws and regulations for environmental
protection.
Mr. Marino reported that the Task Force recommends the following uses and/or
development scenarios for further study using the funds awarded to the three
communities and Metropolitan Area Planning Council under the Municipal z
Incentive Grant.
1. We urge the Commonwealth of Massachusetts to undertake measures that
will preserve a substantial portion of the property intact as conserva- (n
tion land or as an ecological reserve open to the public. We encourage Q
the MDC to submit a proposal.
2. Mixed ownership and rental housing for mixed income households with no
age restrictions. This housing development should include community
residences for the developmentally disabled, and the mentally ill. Day
care facilities for both elderly and children should be included.
3. Agricultural uses.
The Planning Board decided not to make a recommendation to the Lexington Task
Force as the Task Force had already formulated its positions.
Minutes for the Meeting of November 9, 1992 3
*********************** ARTICLES FOR 1993 TOWN MEETING ***********************
168. Maguire Road RD Mr. Domnitz reported that Mr. Williams suggested that
the Board consider sponsoring the RD rezoning proposal for the site at
Hartwell Avenue and Maguire Road. The four members were not in favor of doing
so. Mr. Bowyer pointed out that RD rezoning procedures require the rezoning
petition be filed by, or in behalf of, the land owner. It is questionable if
the Town could be the petitioner as it does not own the site.
169. Zoning By-Law Amendment. Golf Driving Range: There was discussion of an
amendment to clarify line 4.11 of the Use Table of the Zoning By-Law. On the
motion of Mrs. Davison, seconded by Mr. Domnitz, the Board voted 2-2, with Mr.
Grant and Mrs. Wood opposed, to tighten the language of line 4.11 of the
Change Use Table of the Zoning By-Law by adding the word 'course' after golf;
the motion was not approved. It was agreed that deleting line 4.11 altogether
would be too harsh.
************************ PLANNING BOARD REGULATIONS **************************
170. Revision of Subdivision Regulations: The Board continued its review of
Section 6 of the Subdivision Rules and Regulations, draft dated July 10, 1992,
pages 1 through 7. At the next meeting at which the Board works on the
Regulations, the review will start with 6.2.2 Layout, Alignment of the Street
System on Page 8.
The meeting was adjourned at 10 15 p.m.
Edmund C. Grant, Clerk