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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2016-09-07-PB-min PLANNING BOARD MINUTES MEETING OF SEPTEMBER 7, 2016 A meeting of the Lexington Planning Board, held in the Selectmen’s Meeting Room was called to order 7:01 p.m. by Chair Tim Dunn, with members Charles Hornig, Nancy Corcoran-Ronchetti, Richard Canale, and Ginna Johnson and planning staff Aaron Henry, David Fields and Lori Kaufman present. ****************************STAFF MEMBER REPORTS************************** General updates: There are three applications for street determinations, which should be coming up in the near future. PILOP Letter: The Planning Board discussed some changes to the draft PILOP memo presented tonight. The Planning Director will incorporate those changes, sign the letter, and forward to the Board of Selectmen (BOS). ************* UPCOMING MEETINGS AND ANTICIPATED SCHEDULE************** Discussion of upcoming meeting schedule and known agenda items: The next meeting scheduled for September 19 with the BOS was cancelled. The next meeting will September 21 in the Planning office 6:00 p.m. before the Special Town Meeting, September 28 in the Selectmen’s Meeting Room, and the public workshop on October 5, 2016, at 201 Bedford Street. October 19 is a tentative meeting. *********************DEVELOPMENT ADMINISTRATION************************ 0 Grove Street, Conventional Preliminary Subdivision Plan: Members of the development team in attendance were John Farrington, attorney, Ron Lopez, applicant, Mike Rosen, attorney, Jack Sullivan, engineer, David Jay, landscape architect, and Dan Mills, traffic engineer. Mr. Farrington said the wetland lines were established with the Conservation Commission. Mr. Sullivan gave a quick overview showed a conventional lot subdivision which complies with all the requirements. The closest point to the Limit of Work line is 110 feet. Page 2 Minutes for the Meeting of September 7, 2016 Board Comments:  Are there any waivers needed? No.  The sidewalk is inside the planning strip and would require a waiver? That can be changed.  There are structures within the road do a land swap for that instead of an easement.  Can you provide public access to the path? Yes  What is the material of the walls? Open for discussion.  Plantings are important consider the abutters and residents.  Concerned about lots six and seven, which are steep and challenging.  Resolve issue with owner signatures if easements are needed. Audience Comments:  There is a large berm at the entrance and not enough space to make a turn. Dan Mills said the distance is acceptable.  Is this site suitable since it is bedrock? Before the lot is cleared and started do testing. Will be discussed at the definitive plan. Soil types will be provided at that time.  Adequacy of the water pressure currently does not meet current standards to prevent contamination and the Board should not permit any development till the Town can meet those standards and have no impact on existing abutters. Mr. Sullivan said the Engineering Department is currently looking into the matter and retaining an expert to address this. On a motion, duly made and seconded, it was voted, 3-2, (Ms. Johnson and Ms. Corcoran Ronchetti opposed) provided no waivers are required to approve the preliminary conventional subdivision plan. The plan can be signed by the Planning Board Chair. 0 Grove Street, Sketch #2 Balanced Housing Development (BHD): It was made clear that the BOS are not interested in acquiring this property. A letter from the Conservation Commission stated more determinations will be made at the September 19 meeting and additional information will be provided. Mr. Lopez incorporated comments from the earlier sketch plans and incorporated the information to make the best use of this site based based on alternative options by special permit. This proposal shows 33 units 3 affordable units and 30 market rate units. This would be a Condominium Association. The third option would be 28 units, but reduce the amount of land clearing and keep more of the wooded area behind the property. 60% of the site would be common open space. One more option would eliminate the Minutes for the Meeting of September 7, 2016 Page 3 playground area but would reduce the clearing of the site. This is a way of providing smaller and affordable housing units that the Town said they wanted.. Board Comments:  Public Benefit plan on the three affordable units what are your intentions. Mr. Lopez spoke with LEXHAB and they would be sold for approximately $170,000 and the preference would be sell to LEXHAB otherwise he would go with the lottery and work with the State.  The concern is what we see here is a shrunken down conventional layout and concerned with individual driveways and how livable this would be.  Doran Farms and Fiske Commons have a more creative layout then this cookie cutter design. There was an effort to not use the entire site and leave a lot of land untouched.  Has a study been done on the trees 6 inches diameter or larger. That will be done. Without that being done it will be hard to determine the impact on the site. Concern was expressed about grading, drainage, protecting the resource areas, trees, and getting it right is a concern.  Do not see pathways that connect to public lands.  This many units will not get the vote this plan could be so much better and could be a win-win.  Do not see public access trail, will one be provided? Mr. Farrington said yes.  Affordable units should be incorporated into the development not clustered together.  There a number of lots that are encumbered by wet lands why not do a site sensitive development (SSD). Present one next time.  Units four and five are questionable due to wetlands. Audience Comments:  The plan for empty nester units of 2,200 square foot home seem very large. Want to see plans that these will be two bedroom units.  Support more affordable and senior housing for this development. There is a need for these types of units and this maybe an opportunity to meet those needs.  This is not the location for seniors most of them move closer to the Center. Look at other locations for this type of housing. Page 4 Minutes for the Meeting of September 7, 2016  There will be a lot of infrastructure improvements needed for example the water pressure, additional traffic, and do not believe this design will not work.  What’s the plan to evaluate the natural resources?  The character of the neighborhood does not comply with the proposed development. Is this how we want to address the issue of the affordable housing? The schools are exploding with children.  Would support the 33 units to help with affordable housing.  The livability will be drastically changed, the scale (density) will be changed, the economic value of homes will be changed.  Every year BOS asked what Council on Aging wants and the response is to address the needs of seniors living accommodations. This project will address those needs.  There is residents in favor of the public benefit proposal to provide seniors with downsizing options and find first floor bedroom options.  Ron Lopez’s quality of work has been excellent and is a very honest builder and has taken care of the properties that she owns and has resolved any issues that has been presented to him.  The Robinson Woods units has 15 units and there is only seven children in the development. There is a mixed conception of the impact this development will have on the schools and people should be open to these options.  The fiscal impact of the development will be negative and make a bad situation worse. The Board should not issue a special permit and update the Comprehensive Plan.  Do a traffic study at 3:00 p.m in the afternoon. Senior housing means everything should be on one level and would look forward to that option. Also look at public transportation for this area.  The cross walks are in a dangerous locations for children using playground.  There is a potential fire hazard because of the low water pressure. Board Comments:  Favor BHD with affordable units. The Town does not need another thirteen 10,000 square foot houses with 4-5 bedrooms. A SSD would not be favorable since it would allow larger units. There are technical items that will need to be addressed.  The Public Benefit with 20 units and two affordable maximum, but could be open to 27 units. Minutes for the Meeting of September 7, 2016 Page 5  Want to see fewer units with affordable units. Lexington residents are concerned with taxes and need to consider that with affordable units. Show photos of what is being preserved, show grading, driveways and how will preserve the character of the neighborhood. Present more creative designs.  Want fewer units and must include affordable units.  The concerns of the Conservation Commission needs to be addressed, but want to see a SSD and more open space. Mr. Farrington said this is one of the few developers who offers these size units and wants to preserve as much of the site as possible. The developer is anxious to work with Conservation to provide trails for the public and can be done here in conjunction with Wright Farm. 19 Colony Road, Definitive Subdivision Plan: Mr. Alton Stone of Alton Engineering said 5 trees, a fire hydrant and water lines would have to be removed if the road was paved as originally shown on plans, which were inaccurate. The plans were revised as described in the memo from Alton Engineering. Audience Comments: The resident expressed concern that their garden was damaged wanted to know who was responsible for maintaining the dry well if it got blocked with sand and possibly overflowed? The owner of 19 Colony is responsible for maintaining the drywells annually and should be inspected periodically. Minor Modification to Street Alignment/Layout: On a motion, duly made and seconded, it was voted, 5-0, that this is a minor change. Lot Release: On a motion, duly made and seconded, it was voted, 5-0, to allow the Planning Board Chair to sign off on the lot release at the appropriate time. PUBLIC HEARING: Amendments to Subdivision Regulations: Mr. Dunn called the public hearing to order at 10:30 p.m. There were 4 people in the audience. There were some minor grammatical corrections but nothing substantive. Page 6 Minutes for the Meeting of September 7, 2016 On a motion, duly made and seconded, it was voted, 5-0, to continue public hearing to September 21 at 6:00 p.m. in the Planning Office. ****************************BOARD ADMINISTRATION************************* Public Workshop On September 21 the Board will discuss further on the comprehensive plan. Ms. Johnson will create the format. ****************************BOARD MEMBER REPORTS************************ There will be a public hearing in Estabrook Hall, September 13 for the Center Streetscape Committee. The Board of Appeals is taking up a permit for Ledgemont One. The Planning Board recommended it look at a complete audit about what exists. Staff will send a comment regarding that to the Board of Appeals. th CPC will be meeting on the September 20. 2020 vision has a diversity committee and will discuss supplemental request for $30,000 at the STM for a demographics survey. On a motion duly made and seconded, it was voted, 5-0, to adjourn at 11:00 p.m. The meeting was recorded by LexMedia. The following documents used at the meeting can be found on file with the Planning Department:  Staff Summary regarding 0 Grove Street, Preliminary Subdivision Plan, dated August 2, 2016 (2 pages).  Application for 0 Grove Street, Preliminary Subdivision Plan (18 pages).  0 Grove Street Preliminary Subdivision Plan set dated July 27, 2016 (4 pages).  Staff Summary regarding 0 Grove Street, Balanced housing development, dated September 2, 2016 (4 pages).  Application for 0 Grove Street, sketch Balanced Housing development (5 pages).  0 Grove Street Sketch Balanced Housing Development Plan set dated July 27, 2016 (6 pages).  Planning Board Zoning regulations dated September 7, 2016 (55 pages).  Town of Lexington Planning Board Subdivision Regulations, dated September 7, 2016 (55 pages). Minutes for the Meeting of September 7, 2016 Page 7  Memo from Karen Mullins, dated September 7, 2016 regarding 0 Grove Street Preliminary Subdivision Plan (1page).  Memo from David Pavlik, dated September 7, 2016 regarding 0 Grove Street Preliminary Subdivision Plan (2 pages).  Draft letter to the Board of Selectmen from the Planning Board with comments regarding PILOP, dated September 7, 2016.  Memo from Alton Engineering regarding Colony Road reconstruction, dated September 7, 2016 (3 pages). Ginna Johnson, Clerk