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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2018-04-26-PB-min PLANNING BOARD MINUTES MEETING OF APRIL 26, 2018 A meeting of the Lexington Planning Board, held in the Hudson Room, in the Cary Memorial Building was called to order at 7:02 p.m. by Chair, Richard Canale with members Ginna Johnson, Charles Hornig, Nancy Corcoran-Ronchetti, Bob Creech, and Michael Leon, and planning staff Aaron Henry, David Fields, and Lori Kaufman present. *********************DEVELOPMENT ADMINISTRATION************************ 7 Hartwell Avenue, Sketch PSDUP: The applicant has requested a continuance of this matter to May 10, without discussion. The Board agreed to continue the meeting without discussion continued to May 10, 2018. 5 Winding Road, ANR: This ANR seeks to divide the lot at 5 Winding Road into a slightly smaller buildable lot and an unbuildable parcel that is to be conveyed to the Lexington Golf Club. On a motion of Mr. Hornig, seconded by Ms. Johnson, it was voted, 5-0, and authorize the Planning Director to endorse the ANR on the Board’s behalf as it does not show a subdivision. Solly’s Way, Close-Out Project: Solly’s Way was completed a number of years ago with the issue to underground the electrical service and needed to wait for a local street moratorium that prohibited work at that time. Once the moratorium ended, Verizon the owner of the pole raised an objection prohibiting the undergrounding under any scenario because there was no room left on the pole in the area. On a motion of Ms. Johnson, seconded by Ms. Corcoran-Ronchetti, it was voted, 5-0, that the work associated with public infrastructure for the subdivision known as Solly’s Way’s is complete, and authorize the Planning Director to endorse any forms associated with project completion on the Board’s behalf. Staff will first look to see if the decision needs to be amended. PUBLIC HEARING 443 Lincoln Street, Balanced Housing Development (BHD): Ms. Johnson recused herself from this special permit and Mr. Leon, Associate Planning Board Member will sit in her place for this special permit. Present at the meeting were Jeff Rhuda, applicant, James Emmanuel, landscape architect, Brad Latham, attorney, and Rich Harrrington, engineer. Mr. Rhuda addressed the Planning Board’s questions from the last meeting. Page 2 Minutes for the Meeting of April 26, 2018 Individual Board comments:  Have you considered affordable units? Mr. Rhuda replied that would need to be addressed through zoning. There was lot of money spent to acquire this land based on your present zoning. It’s not fair to require that at the last minute.  The preference of the Board was to request a Public Benefit Development (PBD).  Have you tried to pencil in another unit to add an affordable unit? Fitting another building would be difficult. Did you make an effort to squeeze another unit there? Making another unit for an affordable unit would require an additional unit to make up the difference.  You bought the property knowing it is at risk. Yes.  Why did you find a conventional development is not better than this? Mr. Henry said it would be better for the community in the long run. Still would like to see a Site Sensitive Development (SSD).  This would be better since it would fix up the site for the neighbors.  Would like to see an affordable unit and have a concern that the density and is too much for this site, and would like to see it scaled back. The density for this project is less than the one next door which was approved in the last 18 months.  Don’t see any advantage to the Town having four bigger units.  Would like to hear from the public. Audience Comments:  Heard that the homes next door were selling before they were built. Would like to know what they anticipate the units will sell for? The applicant responded $900,000 to $1,000,000 but the Board does not know what was spent on the property and the costs incurred by the developer and said they only take a 15% profit. Do not agree houses are selling for that little amount. There is a tremendous need for affordable housing and just because they did not require it next door doesn’t mean it should not be require here.  The neighbor said Mr. Rhuda has met with them and has been amenable to our needs as neighbors and will blend the neighborhoods. The eight units is a good density amount for this site. We understand that there is a need with affordable units but it should be on a larger scale project then this.  Moved here 5 months ago and this is a good plan merging the two projects together and looking to expand the community with the kids and 8 more units would be good. Minutes for the Meeting of April 26, 2018 Page 3 Mr. Latham, attorney for the applicant said zoning bylaws are to provide predictability and the applicant was applying for the BHD not the PBD and with the public benefit this would exceed the 10% that is required. Individual Board Comment:  The bylaw does not give a hard and fast expectation for density ratio it depends on the individual site and is not an automatic guarantee. On the other hand this area is in an isolated and undeveloped portion of Town and looking at the site and looking at the consistency for the area I find it hard to see that this density is too great and creating a density problem. This would be an area upgrade for environmental conditions being near Hobbs Brooks and that would mean a lot to the neighbors. The utility easement does create a buffer and contiguous open space and now an opportunity to provide a maintenance obligation. The applicant will contact the City of Cambridge and the Conservation Commission after this meeting. Staff will need to get the information from that meeting and impose conditions based the information that is obtained.  The public access for the trail being constructed is a good one and should have the same type of access as in the Grey Oaks Development.  Like what is being proposed along Lincoln Street and make it look like it is continued from Grey Oaks and have it look like the two end units are facing Lincoln Street. We would like you to convince the Town to allow you build one or two speed humps on Lincoln Street to keep the families there safer today and not use the road as a racing strip.  Two of your buildings are larger than the Grey Oaks buildings.  We cannot force you to do something other than what you are doing, but am disappointed that there is no inclusionary unit.  This is too many units for me, but like the development.  What does it mean to be a meadow and would like to see zero maintenance needed. Mr. Emmanuel said it means minimal water and maintenance will be required for a meadow two times a year since it is intended for dry sites. If there is another preference of the Board on the plant schedule we can do that.  Will there be a lot of soil removal and brought in? Will you remove the environmental contamination? Mr. Rhuda said the soils were tested and came up clean.  How is the land contoured? The grading will be mostly level after done and will allow the water to continue through from the first development.  Eversource has their own easement maintenance program. Do you have something in writing from them on who and how they would maintain that or would they allow you to Page 4 Minutes for the Meeting of April 26, 2018 maintain the site. Assume the Association will keep it groomed, Eversource only has an easement to use the land.  Before closing the hearing the Board wants to hear from the Conservation Commission. Mr. Rhuda said they are meeting with them at the end of the month. Staff will follow up on paving cuts and utilities, will work with the developer and the Transportation Safety Group on what could be for traffic calming for Lincoln Street, and follow up on comments from the City of Cambridge. Would like the same terminology regarding public access for the extended trail at Grey Oaks. Staff will check that out. Didn’t see any comments for grading and landscape plan. Some of the plantings on the schedule did not seem to be native and work with staff to clarify for the next time. On a motion of Mr. Hornig, seconded by Mr. Creech, it was voted, 5-0, to continue to Thursday, May 24, 2018 at 7:00 p.m. in the Hudson Room. *************************BOARD ADMINISTRATION**************************** Board Member Reports: Been to Hartwell Zoning Initiatives meeting which have been generally positive. The last meeting with the Board of Selectmen (BOS) regarding Article 42 discussed creating a small working group and Ms. Hai and Mr. Canale will work with staff on what to do regarding the possible hiring of a consultant. It is important to include other stakeholders in the community. Reach out to Mr. Cataldo and Mr. Farrington to be part of it. Include the CPAC in this important matter. Audience comment: Include the public in the meetings as opposed to a working group that is not public. Minutes Review and Approval: On a motion of Mr. Hornig, seconded by Ms. Corcoran-Ronchetti, it was voted, 5-0, to approve the minutes of March 8, 2017, March 26, 2018, March 28, 2018, April 2, 2018, and April 11, 2018 as amended. *******************************STAFF REPORTS******************************** Comprehensive Plan Update: Monday morning at Community Center was the third CPAC panel and was very well attended with overwhelming positive feedback. nd The 2 Transportation Panel is May 1, at 8:30 a.m. in the Community Center. th June 4 is the large kick off for the CPAC’s 1st event to engage the public in the process. The RFP was due April 20 and will check with the procurement officer. Minutes for the Meeting of April 26, 2018 Page 5 There is a CPAC next Tuesday, May 1 evening in the Parker Room. Upcoming Meetings & Anticipated Meetings: Staff asked the Board to review what will be needed to meet the Fall STM requirements. th May 10 - Will include 1106 Massachusetts Avenue, an update from the Net Zero Plan, and 7 Hartwell Ave. The next meetings are May 24, June 7, and June 21. Staff will be going through the open development files to triage open projects and tie up loose ends. General Updates: Mr. Henry announced that he will be leaving Lexington and starting a new career in Danvers and his last day is May 25. On a motion, duly made and seconded, it was voted to adjourn the meeting at 9:00 p.m. The meeting was recorded by LexMedia. The following documents used at the meeting can be found on the Planning Board website in Planning Board packets.  Plan of Land Winding Road (1 page).  Plan set for 443 Lincoln Street balanced housing development (Homes at Hobbs Brook), dated 2/20/18 (11 pages).  Eversource Energy letter regarding established easement for 443 Lincoln Street (36 pages).  Homes at Hobbs Brook, Project narrative 443 Lincoln Street.  Storm Water Management Permit application Homes at Hobbs Brook dated 2/20/18 (124 pages).  Agenda Item and Summary regarding 443 Lincoln Street (4 pages).  Letter from the City of Cambridge sent to the Lexington Conservation Commission, dated 1/8/16 (2 pages).  Memorandum form the Lexington Engineering Department regarding Homes at Hobbs Brook), dated 3/20/18 (2 pages). Bob Creech, Clerk