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PLANNING BOARD MINUTES
MEETING OF MAY 24, 2018
A meeting of the Lexington Planning Board, held in the Hudson Room, in the Cary Memorial
building was called to order at 7:01 p.m. by Chair, Ginna Johnson with members Richard Canale,
Charles Hornig, Nancy Corcoran-Ronchetti, and Bob Creech, and planning staff Aaron Henry,
Carol Kowalski, David Kucharsky, David Fields, and Lori Kaufman present.
*******************************STAFF REPORTS********************************
Hartwell Avenue Zoning Initiative Update:
Melisa Tintocalis, Economic Development Director, presented a quick update on the Hartwell
Avenue Zoning initiative. Ms. Tintocalis explained to the audience what the vision for the area
would be for the future. Outreach has been ongoing and leading up to a community meeting on
Wednesday, May 30, 2018.
*********************DEVELOPMENT ADMINISTRATION************************
CONTINUED PUBLIC HEARING
443 Lincoln Street, Definitive Balanced Housing Development special permit:
The applicant has requested a continuance of the public hearing to June 21, 2018.
On a motion of Mr. Hornig, seconded by Ms. Corcoran-Ronchetti, it was voted, 5-0, to continue
the public hearing without discussion to June 21, 2018 at 7:00 p.m. in the Hudson Room.
56 Webb Street, Preliminary Subdivision:
Present was James Decoulos, civil engineer, for Angie Kavlakian the applicant.
Mr. Decoulos presented the natural and legal history of Webb Street. Mr. Decoulos said this
project will provide two access points and disagrees that this road is a dead end street, which
primary’s purpose is to ensure public safety and provide access for emergency service vehicles
and personnel so they can effectively respond to emergencies on streets that only have one access
point.
Board Comments:
How will you bring in utilities? Yes through Dunham and Webb Street. What about
sewer? The applicant said they will use a pump station and have not looked at it yet.
The turnaround does not have any dimensions is it a 60 foot circle? Yes.
Was the wetlands delineation approved by the Conservation Commission?
Page 2 Minutes for the Meeting of May 24, 2018
Will you provide access to the conservation land and parking for the public? The
Applicant expressed willing ness to work with the Town.
How will you handle the stormwater for Dunham Road? The applicant will do a full
storm water analysis. We will provide man made wetlands to add additional habitat land.
There is an opportunity to address storm water flooding.
Is Mr. Trebino part of this? The applicant said he is not part of this but have an
agreement to purchase his property which includes the paper streets to provide access.
Does the applicant have the right to improve Dunham Road?
Dunham Street traverses wetlands how will you deal with that? We can bridge it or fill up
to 5000 square feet under the wetlands mitigation act and replicate the wetlands on site
greater then what currently exists.
The grade is steep can you achieve an 8% grade? Yes.
Would that second access behind lot 2a and 2b Map 54 be for traffic or just emergency?
Just emergency access.
Could the truck access that way on Webb Street? Yes. Staff believes this can be done only
with waivers.
In March 12 submittal do you have anything in writing saying the Fire Chief agrees this
is acceptable. He told me verbally.
How will you clear the emergency access for the firetruck? We would push snow to an
area negotiated with DPW for emergency access or have it privately hauled away.
The approval from the Fire Chief was hypothetical did he look at this plan? No, but I am
a civil engineer and I know better than the Fire Chief.
It appears that this plan is not approvable at this point since the road is too long.
Are you open to making Webb Street a public way? We are open to that.
Does the turning radii go over the properties of abutters? It does not extend over the
parcels and it works. Would this be stabilized and counted as pervious pavement?
Haven’t looked at that yet.
What is the ROW width? 40 feet.
Public Comments:
What is lot 94? That is a 25 foot wide way off Webb Street.
The delineation of the wetlands is under contention.
In the winter the width of the road is not wide enough for barely one car.
Minutes for the Meeting of May 24, 2018 Page 3
The parcel has been a huge concern for many years regarding Dunn and Webb Street
residents. The way is longer than 650 feet and not viable as an adequate street. We ask
the Board to honor the recommendation made by staff.
An abutter when they purchased with property on Cornerstone Way and was told they
would not be interested in developing the land. Our house is impacted by the wetlands
and with the manmade wetlands how would that affect the abutters in the area? All the
abutting properties are higher and this can reduce the flooding.
Have great concerns about this preliminary plan as presented.
The ROW is 25 feet and is considered a driveway is it wide enough to become an
emergency access? How will you keep people off it as people use the conservation land?
A crash gate could be installed.
What is lot 94? It is grandfathered lot 25 feet wide. It is legally buildable.
Webb Street is narrow and always has cars parked and with snow there is no way a
firetruck could fit there. Using Utica Street which is narrower for access is a concern.
If the applicant changes the wetlands it can cause other issues.
Try make a left hand turn on Utica Street in the morning.
There was piggery back there.
There used to be a sign no salt because this is a wetland.
The registry called the street a cart way.
If using chemicals and salt on the road where will the runoff water lead and will it
contaminate the water?
Board Comments:
Do not believe it is an adequate way at 16 feet.
Not clear you have the rights to part of the Cornerstone Way from the Trebino’s on the
plan of 1926. The legal plan is from 1939 and recorded at the registry and look into it
further if bring forward to a definitive plan.
Mr. Henry said that the action deadline is June 10 and the next meeting in June 7 so should
continue to check access and the 650 foot length road and other legal pieces.
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Should continue this to June 7 and staff can prepare a recommendation letter.
Want something in writing that it is still a good title and have a title search done and want
to see more current information also with respect to Cornerstone Way issues, something
in writing from the Fire Chief, 650 foot dead end road, deed access on the three paper
Page 4 Minutes for the Meeting of May 24, 2018
streets, and blow up to at least 20 scale regarding the turning radii for the fire truck
access.
This item will continue to June 7, 2018.
7 Hartwell Avenue, Sketch PSDUP:
The applicant has requested a continuance of the meeting to June 7, 2018.
*************************BOARD ADMINISTRATION****************************
Board Member Updates:
The Battle Road Scenic Byway Committee is seeking for its website consultant to do additional
work. It is hoped that an operational web site will be achieved over the Summer. An outreach to
all stakeholders will be done in mid-October at the Lexington NPS Visitor Center to update and
get feedback on the site and on signage.
The Transportation Advisory Committee looked at the LexPress schedule changes.
Comprehensive Plan Update:
The committee met this Tuesday and reviewed with Howard Stein Hudson to create graphic
reports for the June 4 meeting. Next Tuesday will be the housing panel at 7:00 p.m.
Howard Stein Hudson has been selected as the facilitator for the Comprehensive Plan. Would like
the Board Members to volunteer to help catalog information from that evening. Let residents
know that we want them to turn out for this important opportunity for the public to share their
thoughts for this comprehensive plan for the Town.
Upcoming Meetings & Anticipated Meetings:
Whatever was submitted for the BOS goals for last year please forward to the board members and
members should forward any comments to staff.
The Committee for Special Permit Residential Development will not be ready for the Fall Special
Town Meeting and will probably go to the Spring Town meeting.
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There is a meeting on May 30 regarding the Hartwell Avenue initiative.
Minutes Review and Approval:
On a motion of Mr. Canale, seconded by Ms. Corcoran-Ronchetti, it was voted, 5-0, to approve
the minutes May 10, 2018, as amended.
On a motion of Mr. Canale, seconded by Ms. Corcoran-Ronchetti, it was voted, 5-0, to approve
the joint minutes with the Board of Selectmen for the April 23, 2018, as submitted.
The Board thanked Mr. Henry for his year of services to the Town.
Minutes for the Meeting of May 24, 2018 Page 5
On a motion, duly made and seconded, it was voted to adjourn the meeting at 8:55 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.
Add docs from Webb Street
Agenda Item Summary and Staff recommendations for 56 Webb Street (3 pages).
Preliminary plan for 56 Webb Street (1 page).
Presentation for 56 Webb Street submitted at the meeting from Christopher Heep (5
pages).
Town of Lexington Fire department for 110 Aerial ladder dimensions (1 page).
Nancy Corcoran-Ronchetti, Clerk