HomeMy WebLinkAboutPlanning Board Minutes, 1994-04-06 PLANNING BOARD MINUTES
MEETING OF APRIL 6, 1994
The meeting of the Lexington Planning Board held in Room G-3, Town Office Building,
was called to order at 7 12 p.m. by Chairman Domnitz, with members Canale, Davison,
Grant, Merrill, Planning Director Bowyer, and Assistant Planner Marino present.
************************ PLANNING DIRECTOR'S REPORT ***********************
67. Recent Activity
a. Asnaraffus Lane Preliminary Subdivision Plan Mr. Marino rolled out a
preliminary plan for the proposed Asparagus Lane development off Grove Street, near
the entrance to the Estabrook School The plan, prepared by Larson Associates for
John and Debra Cary, was submitted on April 5, 1994 A sketch plan for this land
was reviewed by the Board on June 30, 1993
************************ REGIONAL, INTERTOWN ISSUES *************************
68. Met. State Reuse Plan The Board began its review of the proposed Met. State
Reuse Plan by following a questionnaire dated April 6, 1994, prepared by the staff
Mr. Bowyer said the questionnaire would act as a guide to help the Planning Board
develop a position and recommendation to be given to the Met State Hospital Task
Force and to the Board of Selectmen At a later date, after a developer has been
designated, a proposal will be submitted to the Planning Board for a rezoning to the
RD Planned Residential Development zoning district
The Board agreed with two of the three primary uses of the site - a major public
open space, and reuse of the parts of the site now occupied by buildings for housing
and institutional use Three of the members agreed on the third primary use, a
public nine-hole golf course. Mr. Canale has reservations about the golf course and
felt its fiscal and environmental impacts should be closely examined Mrs Davison
preferred open space rather than a golf course
Mrs Davison said that the golf course should contribute a higher percentage of the
money needed for the state to break even in meeting its costs for the removal of
hazardous materials, demolition of certain buildings, and site preparation If the
proposed housing use has to pay a disproportionately high percentage of the cost for
the state to break even, then it will be more difficult to meet housing objectives
for subsidized housing and housing for disabled and mentally ill persons Mrs.
Davison said that the City of Waltham should pay the fair market value for the land,
which she thought was 3 to 4 million dollars She would look more favorably upon a
golf course if Waltham pays the fair market value
Mr. Domnitz suggested the consensus position of the Board would be that the use of a
part of the site for a golf course was acceptable but its financial arrangements
needed further discussion
With respect to the traffic criteria, Mr. Canale said he was equally concerned with
the traffic impacts along the roadway in addition to that at intersections If the
criterion were reworded to express concern about the impact on residents abutting
roadway segments as well as congestion at intersections, that would be acceptable to
him Mrs. Davison noted that the traffic criteria, that no more traffic be
generated than existed five years ago when the hospital was in operation, would
Minutes for the Meeting of April 6, 1994 2
reduce the type of permitted uses to those with low traffic generating potential,
such as elderly housing. She wanted the traffic criteria to be more flexible, so
that other uses, such as family type housing, which generate higher levels of
traffic, could be permitted.
Mr Bowyer cautioned about attempting to make detailed site planning decisions at
this time He noted that good map resources, at a large scale, such as 1" equals
40' , are not yet available He cautioned against attempting to draw hard lines
separating various uses until more information is available and until proposals for
different types of housing uses can be evaluated. It was agreed the Board should
conduct a site visit to be able to visualize the site planning issues better.
The meeting was adjourned at 8 03 p m /'---
/Vitalerit.SC:14A
Richard L Canale, Clerk