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Home My WebLink AboutPlanning Board Minutes, 1999-07-14 PLANNING BOARD MINUTES MEETING OF JULY 14, 1999 The meeting of the Lexington Planning Board held in the Selectmen's Room Town Office Building,was called to order at 7:30 p.m. by Chairman Davies with members Bridge-Denzak, Colman,Galaitsis, Planning Director Bowyer, and Assistant Planner Garber present.Mr.Merrill was absent. ************ ADMINISTRATION OF LAND DEVELOPMENT REGULATIONS ************* SUBDIVISION OF LAND 105 Old Smith Farm James Gaklis.Definitive Cluster Subdivision Plan:PUBLIC HEARING: Mr Davies opened the public hearing at 7.45 p.m. Present for this item were James Gaklis and Daniel Smith, Fidelity Builders,the applicant;Ronald Wood,RLA, Guidelines,Inc., landscape architect;and Frederick Russell, Professional Engineer. There were 17 people in the audience. Mr. Wood outlined the proposed cluster subdivision for those not familiar with it and handed out a revised public benefit description.A discussion of the public benefit, in the form of affordable housing units,ensued with various confusions being expressed.Mr Garber attempted to clarify whose responsibility it is to build the unit to be conveyed to LexHAB.Marshall Derby, chairman of the Lexington Housing Assistance Board, voiced his frustration, saying he began talking with Mr Gaklis in October of 1998 about the housing unit. There was also discussion of a second affordable unit attached to the LexHAB dwelling,with the additional house being a private, below-market sales unit. Mr Bowyer pointed out that the Lexington Historical Commission, Conservation Commission and the Housing assistance Board are all advisory to the Planning Board in this process.Mr. Smith said that they are being asked by too many agencies to provide benefits. Mr. Colman responded that the cluster subdivision process is new and everyone is learning together He asked the applicants to regard it as a positive process. Questions from the audience had to do with the grade and ownership of the open space,price of the market rate units(+/- $400,000)and the creation of access to the privately-owned lots adjacent to the Minuteman National Historical Park. There was further discussion of the two units in the rehabilitated Schumacher barn having originally been intended to be rental units,but the demands for public benefits had changed the applicant's economics. Mr Davies declared the hearing continued to a future date to allow the public benefit issue to be resolved. 106. 87 Hancock Street.Halyard Builders. Definitive 7 4.5 Subdivision Plan.PUBLIC HEARING: Chairman Davies called the public hearing to order at 9.10 p.m. Present from the applicant team were Gerard Moloney,Hancock Farms Realty Trust, landscape architect Gary Larson,Larson Associates Inc., and Engineer Richard Waitt,Meridian Engineering,Inc., each of whom addressed the Board. Abutter Anne Ripley was also in attendance, as were Nancy Seasholes and David Kelland of the Historical Commission and a number of others. The plan shows two residential lots sharing a common driveway In lieu of road construction,the applicant proposes, as a public benefit,to fully restore the existing Nathan Chandler House on Lot# 1, and to inhibit the further development of 68,336 square feet of lot area by imposition of conservation restrictions thereupon. Summary of questions asked by Board members and the audience: Mr. Colman: is the conservation restriction in place already?Answer: It's been accepted by Commission but awaits recording.Mr. Galaitsis: what is the living area of the new house?Answer: in excess of 5000 square feet.Ms. Bridge-Denzak: what assurance can you give that trees and vegetation will be protected?Answer: while the site is tight to work in, Minutes for the Meeting of July 14, 1999 2 they'll commit to taking protective measures such as construction monitoring,tree staking,consideration of root zones,retaining the landscape architect, and so on.Mr. Davies asked Nancy Seasholes of Lexington E , Historical Commission if the proposed historic house restoration needed any further adjustment. She replied that the fanlight needed some modification and the applicant agreed to consult with her. Mr. Galaitsis: asked about the proposed limit of work line and the applicant's understanding of its restrictions. Answer the applicant indicated the practical need for two limit of work lines, one for minimal site cleanup and one for non-intrusion. Mr.Bowyer cited the Porter Lane subdivision as a prototype for this. David Kelland of the Historical Commission expressed support for the project. Sally Zimmerman, architectural historian, asked if there could be some cutback of the vegetation to make the restored Chandler House more visible. Answer There will have to be a compromise between visibility and privacy Mr. Davies: what is the age of the existing bay window?Answer it's 19th century Abutter Anne Ripley will proposed hemlocks along her boundary overshadow the pines that are there?A. No,they'll take years to grow,they can be easily managed by pruning and hemlocks are flexible anyway in their growth pattern. Ripley is the footprint of the new house changing from 3750 SF to 4068 SF and what is the height of the structure?Answer Yes, it is changing according to the proposed owner's preferences, largely for purposes of building appurtenances in a slightly reconfigured structure. The highest point above finished grade will not exceed approximately 40' building height.Ms. Bridge-Denzak: is this the final increase and will the house be, at particular points,closer to the side line?Mr. Galaitsis: also expressed similar concerns about changing the footprint or house size. A. This is the final change;heavy plantings and retention of existing vegetation will screen Ripley house. Jacqueline Davison: what is the projected value of public benefits?Answer $61,500. Mr.Moloney commented that the Town is resurfacing Hancock Street before the end of July and it makes no sense to tear up the street soon after that to put in 87 Hancock utility stubs, so he would like to do that immediately.No members objected. The hearing was adjourned at 10:23 p.m. *************************** PLANNING DIRECTOR'S REPORT ************************** 107 Recent Activity a. Rowland Avenue.Definitive Conventional Subdivision Plan. Rollout: Mr. Garber rolled out a sketch preliminary plan for the development, off Massachusetts Avenue,that was submitted by Woodhaven Realty Trust on May 20, 1999 The staff has not reviewed the plan in detail yet. b. Grandview Avenue.Preliminary Conventional Subdivision Plan.Rollout: Mr. Garber rolled out a preliminary plan for the Grandview Avenue development, that was submitted by David Burns on July 12, 1999 The staff has not reviewed the plan in detail yet. c. Summer Interns in Planning Office:Mr Bowyer reported that the Planning Department is fortunate to have two part-time interns this summer;Jonathan DeAraujo,a Massport intern, and Emma Sonduck, a volunteer Both will be working on the build-out analysis.Emma has been scanning planning documents so they can appear on the Town web page and will assist with the build-out analysis. ************ ADMINISTRATION OF LAND DEVELOPMENT REGULATIONS ************* RECOMMENDATIONS ON APPLICATIONS TO THE BOARD OF APPEALS 108.Annlications To Be Heard on July 22, 1999• Ms. Bridge-Denzak gave an oral review of the following applications: 150 East Street, renewal of special permit,Doran Greenhouses 3 Minutes for the Meeting of July 14, 1999 The Planning Board recommends that the special permit be issued for a period of two years instead of the five years requested. Because of the sensitive neighbor issues, the special permit should be reviewed after another two year period. 238 Lincoln Street.variance to construct an addition While the Planning Board generally approves of the architecture of the addition, the proposal more than doubles the size of the house. The Board believes it is significantly oversized and out of scale with the surrounding neighborhood. The Board had no comment on the following applications, also to be heard on July 22, 1999 12 Locke Lane.variance to add a vestibule 20 Cedar Street, special permit to replace garage 9 Shade Street. special permit to add second story 9 Shade Street,variance to construct addition The Board did not review the two applications below. 16 Percy Road.variance to add a deck 14 Bicentennial Drive.variance to add shed dormer The meeting was adjourned at 11.16 p.m. Al4 9"401111 ( de" 49 Anthon G. Galaitsis, Clerk