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PLANNING BOARD MINUTES
MEETING OF JULY 26, 2017
A meeting of the Lexington Planning Board, held in Battin Hall, Cary Memorial Building was
called to order at 7:03 p.m. by Chair, Richard Canale with members Charles Hornig, Nancy
Corcoran-Ronchetti, Bob Creech, Michael Leon, and Ginna Johnson and planning staff Aaron
Henry, David Kucharsky, and Lori Kaufman present.
*******************************STAFF REPORTS********************************
General Updates:
Comprehensive Plan Update:
This will be a regular standing item from now on for updates. Staff will send documents to Board
Members regarding timelines for the comprehensive plan; Planning Board members should
submit comments. July 31 is the soft deadline the submittal of applications and appointments
should be made by early September. Mr. Hornig’s wife will be applying so he will not participate
in the selection process. Mr. Henry gave a brief update on how the process will proceed and an
approximate timeline for phase 1 through December.
Planning Board Work Plan
The Fall Special Town Meeting in October will have some items that will go forward for the
Hayden Avenue Merck property. September 13 is the tentative public hearing date. The other
article is recreational marijuana which will be discussed with the Board of Selectmen (BOS) to
see if they can prohibit the use since the town voted against it. Staff will follow up on this matter.
Brookhaven filed an application for site plan review yesterday and the public hearing will be
August 16. The Neighborhood Conservation Districts (NCD) were hoping to be ready for the Fall
Special Town Meeting, but it may be wiser to wait for the Annual Town Meeting. The Belmont
Country Club and activity for zoning changes west of 128 may be coming up. The Residential
Policy Committee items will need to be discussed. The Economic Development proposal for
September should be considered. Staff said to keep it to something uncomplicated for Spring
Town Meeting since staff is at capacity and the Board should not be setting expectations too high
in order to keep up with timelines. There will be two public hearings on NCDs between late
October and early December for the Annual Town Meeting. If the Board spreads itself too thin it
will not be able to devote the time needed to do the comprehensive plan.
Upcoming Meetings and Anticipated Schedule:
The BOS has requested dates from the Planning Board for joint meetings for September and
October. Staff will send a memo for proposed dates.
Page 2 Minutes for the Meeting of July 26, 2017
*************************BOARD ADMINISTRATION****************************
Board & Committee Assignments:
The Board discussed changes to the committee list and Mr. Canale will discuss with the Planning
Director the finalized changes to liaisons and representatives to the Committees for the Planning
Board.
Minutes:
On a motion of Mr. Hornig, seconded by Ms. Johnson, the Board voted, 5-0, to approve the
minutes of June 7 and 21, 2017 as amended.
*********************DEVELOPMENT ADMINISTRATION************************
167-177 Cedar Street Approved Conventional Subdivision potential Roadway Names:
There were four acceptable names that were given to the Fire Department.
1. Powder House Circle –Ms. Corcoran-Ronchetti
2. Farias Court
3. Abbey Road – Mr. Hornig
4. Penny Lane – Mr. Hornig
Additional names for consideration
5. Wolf Tree Lane – Mr. Canale
6. Poor Farm Circle – Mr. Canale
These names should be given to the BOS and/or the applicant and provide a rationale for those
names and any Board Members can send staff an email for their suggestions. It was mentioned
that the BOS should select street names and that process be added to our regulations. These
names will be circulated for consideration and after rationale is provided at the next meeting a
determination will be made.
PUBLIC HEARING
Subdivision Regulations & Zoning Regulations:
Chair Richard Canale opened the continued public hearing at 7:50 p.m. with approximately 2
people in the audience.
Subdivision Regulations, §175:
Some of the following changes were discussed in the draft document provided:
Public easements for footpaths and trails would be a default. Staff wants to check with
Town Counsel to see if that would be acceptable;
Delete the reference to the stormwater regulations and refer to the general bylaws for
storm water management which would make each project an above threshold project;
Minutes for the Meeting of July 26, 2017 Page 3
Now that we provide packets in Novus only request what staff needs for paper filings,
some 11 by 17 plans and one large plan for the Planning Office at a minimum;
Reword the minimum cross slope get rid of the word minimum;
Design speed should reflect the reduced speeds including major collectors;
Appoint a street name committee;
Wetland buffer zones should be included; and
Seasonal high water tables should be included.
Zoning Regulations § 176:
Site analysis maps should provide one foot interval for flatter sites;
Utilities plans for water should show the location of service connections;
The total number and calipers inches of trees should be provided;
Stonewalls heights top and bottom at spot elevations be shown;
Street determinations site construction plan should list all the waivers and eliminate the
extra plan never seen by the Board;
Internal citations need to be corrected and some grammatical changes made;
Changes to wetlands definitions should include the buffer zone; The Zoning Bylaw
defines the wetlands;
Drainage studies should refer to the stormwater regulations; and
What happens if the action deadline is missed with no response; get rid of the action
deadline.
Public comments:
Wetlands do not include buffer zones they are referred to differently in the wetlands bylaw.
Resource areas reflect buffer zones.
The Board will look at the document with all the edits and discuss next time.
On a motion of Mr. Hornig, seconded by Ms. Corcoran-Ronchetti, the Board voted, 5-0, to close
the public hearing at 9:50 p.m.
0 Grove Street, Public Benefit Development (PBD):
Board Deliberations:
Mr. Creech recused himself and Mr. Leon, Associate Planning Board Member joined the Board
on this special permit process for 0 Grove Street/Liberty Ridge.
Page 4 Minutes for the Meeting of July 26, 2017
Mr. Canale got a request from someone from the audience to speak tonight and he responded that
as elected officials we have allowed ample time for public comment and that period is closed and
laws preclude us from taking in further comments from the public.
Individual Board Member Comments:
There was concern about how the crawl space would be utilized and would the numbers
fit under the current regulations;
Add back the State and Federal Fair Housing laws that were accidentally removed;
There are only three affordable units not four;
Add information to clarify and beef up parts comparing the special permit to the
approved conventional plan;
Indicate analysis and public comments
Clarify the condominium association’s specific performance requirements;
Wells should be prohibited on the site and could damage the resource area in time of
drought and could deplete the water system and lower the ground water in the area; The
large well was removed, but it is up to the Board of Health; There would be no reason to
forbid a well since the area has water issues;
Can we get the Conservation Commission on this issue? There were no comments given
but it is up to the Conservation Commission to decide this and the regulatory controls.
There was disagreement with specific findings numbers 2 and 3 as there is only one row
of trees between units. The LOW is only 100 feet from the buffer zone;
There is no tree removal plan;
Modify the limit the work times Monday through Friday and from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. The
applicant may request exceptions to this condition under special circumstances through
the Planning Office;
Prohibit no trespassing signs;
The grading plan is not workable and requires the tree removal plan so the submission is
not complete. The complete set of plans can be required before endorsement. Add
language to general conditions about the plans.
Staff will verify on page 6 the distance to the wetland delineation line, the number of
trees removed and include and the requirement to plant 330 trees.
On a motion of Mr. Hornig, seconded by Mr. Leon, the Board voted, 4-1, (Ms. Johnson opposed)
to grant the special permit for the Public Benefit Development with the special conditions and
Minutes for the Meeting of July 26, 2017 Page 5
findings made tonight and to allow the Planning Board Chair to sign on behalf of the Planning
Board.
On a motion, duly made and seconded, it was voted to adjourn the meeting at 10:25 p.m.
The meeting was recorded by LexMedia.
Bob Creech, Clerk