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HomeMy WebLinkAboutPlanning Board Minutes, 1994-08-11 G PLANNING BOARD MINUTES MEETING OF AUGUST 11, 1994 The meeting of the Lexington Planning Board held in Room 111, Town Office Building, was called to order at 7.40 p.m. by Chairman Domnitz, with members Canale, Davison, Merrill, Planning Director Bowyer, and Assistant Planner Marino present. Mr. Grant was absent. *************************** PLANNING DIRECTOR'S REPORT ************************** 163. Recent Activity. Mr Bowyer reported that in response to an article in the Minute-Man, the Building Commissioner has received calls supporting the can and bottle recycling business on Marrett Road. Residents in the neighborhood near the business had complained to him and he had taken enforcement action against the unsightly storage of returned recyclables and the presence of a truck trailer in the parking lot. ************ ADMINISTRATION OF LAND DEVELOPMENT REGULATIONS ************* SUBDIVISION OF LAND 164. Prescott Lane. off Lowell Street, Preliminary Subdivision Plan, Informational Meetine: Mr. Domnitz opened the informational meeting at 7.45 p.m. Gary Larson of Larson Associates, Landscape Architect, Rick Waitt of Meridian Engineering, the engineer, and Pat and John Austin, the applicants were present. Mr. Larson presented plans showing a number of changes since the Board saw the sketch plan for this site. The number of dwelling units has been reduced to three, the houses are farther apart than on the sketch plan, and the road has been shortened from approximately 250 feet to 160 feet with a hammerhead turnaround. He described the public benefits as: 1) open space, 2) protection of the pond by donating land adjacent to town land, and, 3) a shorter street. In response to Mrs. Davison's question, Mr. Austin said the houses will probably have 2500 to 3000 square feet of living area. Mrs. Davison said she would like to see how a conventional subdivision, which requires 30,000 square feet per lot,would look. In response to a question from Mr. Merrill, Mr. Larson said that the open space connects to what will be additional Town owned land with a conservation easement. (A land swap with a resident that was proposed at the 1994 Town Meeting needs to be resubmitted and approved in order to complete the connection to Town owned land.) Mr. Canale asked how much of the open space is within the 100 foot flood level of Butterfield Pond and how far the proposed street is from the entrance to Locke Village. Mr. Waitt said that the Locke Village development entrance is 150 feet away from Prescott Lane and that he will calculate the amount of land within the 100 foot flood leve. The Board asked the staff to investigate options for the ownership of the infiltrator, and to determine whose responsibility it is to maintain it. Mr. Larson said that the developer would ask for a waiver from the sidewalk requirement. They wish to have the street accepted as a public way Mr. Bowyer suggested that street trees along Lowell Street be provided in addition to those required on Prescott Lane. Mr. Domnitz said that the Planning Board's letter approving the preliminary plan will be conditioned on the Conservation Commission's certificatipn of the wetlands delineation. Minutes for the Meeting of August 11, 1994 2 The Board agreed to walk the site on Monday, August 22, at 5:30 p.m. Mr. Domnitz closed the informational meeting at 8:31 p.m. Later in the meeting, the Board discussed whether the proposed cluster subdivision offered enough public benefits to justify it over a conventional subdivision. Mrs. Davision was concerned that the houses would be too close together Mr. Bowyer suggested a comment be included in the decision that asks the developer to review the siting of the houses to improve the views from the front of the houses and to consider moving the lot line on one of the houses to increase the public open space. The Board agreed it would waive the sidewalk requirement, but they will ask the developer to provide a path into the open space. Mrs. Davison said she would consult with Larry Whipple,le local historian, about a street name appropriate for the development. DETERMINATION OF GRADE AND CONSTRUCTION OF UNACCEPTED STREETS 165. 21 Haves Lane. CUS 94/1. Definitive Street Construction Plan: Sam Sleiman, of H. Sleiman Associates, presented plans for the improvement of a portion of Hayes Lane that provides frontage for a lot at 21 Hayes Lane. The plan shows the improvement of Hayes Lane. Later in the evening, the Board asked the staff to draft a decision approving the proposal. 166. 4 Hunt Road. CUS 94/2. Preliminary Street Construction Plan: Present were Richard Curtin, the applicant, Vincent Mulla, Fred Conroy, Attorney, and Peter Ditto, Civil Engineer and a number of residents from the neighborhood. Mr Conroy presented plans that show the proposed improvement of approximately 250 feet of Hunt Road. Howard Speicher, attorney for William Sommers of 7 Hunt Road, spoke at length. His client favors paving none of the street. However, if the street is to be paved, his client favors paving the entire length of Hunt Road. He thinks that the full compliance plan is much too urban and would necessitate the destruction of hedges and trees. He suggested that a 20 foot wide roadway from Slocum Road to Massachusetts Avenue, without sidewalks, might be attractive to all parties. He also urged that provisions for storm water run-off be addressed. A number of residents of Hunt Road spoke. They do not want the current character of the street changed and they are concerned about storm water run-off. One resident suggested that hedges and other encroachments into the right-of-way give private parties rights to that right-of-way Later in the evening, the Board discussed the drainage problems on Hunt Road. Mr. Bowyer commented that the neighbors' concerns about runoff are justified as there appears to be no drainage system in Slocum or Hunt Road or within 150 feet on Massachusetts Avenue. He suggested that alternatives for on site drainage should be investigated by the builder Several residents and Mr. Curtin were present and reported they had agreed a 20 foot wide roadway running from Slocum Road through to Massachusetts Avenue would be acceptable. The Board agreed that it would approve a plan that: 1) improves the whole length of Hunt Road with a 20 foot wide pavement offset from the centerline of the street to avoid the removal of vegetation, 2) does not include a sidewalk, and 3) includes adequate provisions for storm water run-off. E 3 Minutes for the meeting of August 11, 1994 SUBDIVISION OF LAND 167 Summer Street Subdivision. Discussion: Mr Canale reported on his reaction to walking the subdivision site. He thinks that the plan shows the proposed houses are sited in the best way possible. The Board agreed that it is inclined to approve the plan as presented. Mr. Domnitz asked that staff prepare a draft decision for the board to review.at their meeting on September 8 because the submittal of the application and the date of the public hearing have been delayed. Mr. Bowyer said the staff would prepare the draft but urged caution on approval that evening as this is the first time a cluster subdivision plan has been used to waive the required frontage for a newly created lot. There may be circumstances or conditions the Board has not anticipated that might delay approval. RECOMMENDATIONS ON APPLICATIONS TO THE BOARD OF APPEALS 168. Applications to be heard in September. 1994 Maguire Road and Hartwell Avenue. SPS. Mr. Bowyer reported that Steven Colangelo has filed an application for a special permit with site plan review (SPS) for a 27,000 square foot office building at the corner of Maguire Road and Hartwell Ave. The hearing will be at the end of September. It appears that the proposal does not include any mitigating measures to deal with the traffic congestion at Hartwell Ave and Maguire Road or at Hartwell Avenue and Bedford Street. That appears to be a direct challenge to Section 12, the Traffic Section of the Zoning By-Law. Although he has not heard any mention of a court appeal if the Board of Appeals disapproves the application, the Board should include good documentation in its recommendation the Board of Appeals to assist if there is a court challenge. He distributed a copy of a 199Q decision of the Supreme Judicial Court on an earlier Colangelo appeal. This application poses difficult policy choices for the Town and an interesting legal issue. ************************************** REPORTS *************************************** 169 Planning Board. Subcommittees a. Design Advisory Committee: Mr. Merrill reported that the Design Advisory Committee reviewed plans for the proposed office building at Hartwell Avenue and Maguire Road and found the design acceptable. Mrs Davison reported that the controversial bikeway bridge design proposed by the State Highway Department will be reduced in scale. She also noted that Mrs. Eddison will be meeting with the State Highway Department about the redesign of Route 2A in the continuing effort to downsize the project. The meeting was adjourned at 11:09 p.m. (C1, Ar cl 1 1 icY „ Richard L. Canale, Clerk