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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2018-06-21-PB-min PLANNING BOARD MINUTES MEETING OF JUNE 21, 2018 A meeting of the Lexington Planning Board, held in the Selectmen’s Meeting Room, was called to order at 7:01 p.m. by Chair, Ginna Johnson with members Charles Hornig, Nancy Corcoran- Ronchetti, and Bob Creech, and planning staff Carol Kowalski, David Fields, and Lori Kaufman present. Richard Canale was absent. *******************************STAFF REPORTS******************************** Hartwell Avenue Zoning Initiative Update: Ms. Kowalski provided the Board with an update on the Hartwell Avenue Initiative. We are preparing a contract for the consultant and a calendar for outreach. *********************DEVELOPMENT ADMINISTRATION************************ 245 Woburn Street, ANR: On a motion of Mr. Hornig, seconded by Ms. Corocran-Ronchetti, it was voted, 4-0, to endorse the ANR plan for 245 Woburn Street. 32 & 40 Hartwell Avenue, Special Permit Decision: On a motion of Mr. Hornig, seconded by Ms. Corcoran-Ronchetti, it was voted 4-0, to approve the special permits for 32 & 40 Hartwell Avenue in accordance with the decision drafted by staff. CONTINUED PUBLIC HEARING 443 Lincoln Street, Definitive Balanced Housing Development (BHD) special permit: Ms. Johnson recused herself from this special permit and Mr. Leon, Associate Planning Board Member will sit in her place for this special permit. Vice Chair, Mr. Creech, opened the continued public hearing at 7:07 p.m. with approximately 35 people in the audience. Present at the meeting were Jeff Rhuda, applicant, and Rich Harrrington, engineer. Mr. Rhuda met with the Conservation Commission last week and the public hearing was closed and expect an Order of Conditions next week. We received the letter from the Cambridge Water Department that you requested and additional correspondence from the Engineering Department that all plans are corrected and updated to address all the concerns of staff and we are here to close the public hearing. Board Comments:  The plans then are the same as at the last meeting? Yes.  There were questions from the Cambridge Water Department about the way you would be sewering the facility with pump grinders and pumping it out in instead of a Title 5 Page 2 Minutes for the Meeting of June 21, 2018 system and there were concerns with the stormwater management program. Would the concerns stated by the Cambridge Water District for the stormwater management program be included in the special permit? Yes the Board could add to special conditions.  There was a concern about the pump station design for water consumption and what is the water flow calculation? Mr. Rhuda said it was based on an approved program from next door development.  This will be a condominium and the Board will incorporate the requirements into the documents for the condominium association. On a motion of Mr. Hornig, seconded by Ms. Corcoran-Ronchetti, it was voted 4-0, close the public hearing at 7:13 p.m. Staff should draft a decision and the Board will put it on the agenda for July 19 to discuss. The applicant has requested that the Board vote when there is a full Board, which will be July 19. 287 Waltham Street, Sketch Site Sensitive Development (SSD): Present was Gary Larson, landscape architect, John Farrington, attorney and Iqbal Quadir the applicant. Mr. Farrington presented a preview of the plan and discussed the access easement that is registered in Land Court and the historic house on the property. This is an 11 unit SSD with 10 new units and keep the existing historic house on the property and which has only a fraction of what would be allowed for GFA of a conventional subdivision. The applicant is not a developer and would own the site. Mr. Larson said this site is made up of four parcels with 3 existing homes. The proof plan shows an 11 lot subdivision. Emergency access would be provided to Bushnell Drive and many trees will be retained and the units would be from 2,600 to 2,700 square feet to allow for downsizing for Lexington residents who want to age in the community. Board Comments:  Is there a reason you would not do a BHD this doesn’t seem like a SSD.  Want more information on the easement. Mr. Farrington said that all the land is registered land and the easement information exists and is clear. What is the width of the easement? It varies at one point 10-12 feet and other points 20 feet wide.  The access on Waltham Street is a concern with traffic sight line and vehicles entering and leaving.  There is open space only because the space is not a good place to build houses. Minutes for the Meeting of June 21, 2018 Page 3  Do you really need to build the 4 houses on the northeast corner? In order to build the road the reality is I need to spend more money and building those houses makes sense.  There is no wetlands on this site but there is everything else. Concern was expressed that the blasting that would obliterate the existing landscape. Pulling out of the drive the sight line is problematic. Public Comments:  Concerned with flooding and runoff flooding for the houses down below.  A 2,500 square foot home seems large for downsizing.  Concerned with traffic access on Waltham Street.  What provision would be made for the existing wildlife?  Are these four story houses or will the footprint grow? This includes gross floor area (GFA).  The plans that were sent to residents will those buildings be towering over the existing houses.  After a large rainstorm there is a lake formed on the property and neighbors have water in the basement and blasting may cause more problems. The bylaws require that no additional runoff come off the site.  There is so much traffic where the houses are being proposed and trying to get in and out of the site not sure how much backing up will happen if someone wants to make a left turn. Has a traffic study been done?  Can anything be stipulated that families cannot move in? That is not allowed by fair housing practices.  Concerned with safety for the increased traffic.  Questions were asked about the suitability of the lot. Looking at the site topography this does not appear suitable for a SSD. The easement said that it is a driveway and not a road and this is a concern. The buildability of the lot was not in question.  Water does flow downhill and bedrock does not percolate well. The bottom part of Wachusett Drive has a boulder and there must be a reason it was placed there.  There was destruction of another house from blasting that will be a concern.  This will be a common driveway and the emergency access has a hairpin drive how can the fire truck make that turn. Right now the fire truck cannot reach our home at this point and that is a concern. Is it necessary for you to build 10 units to obtain a driveway? Page 4 Minutes for the Meeting of June 21, 2018  As a senior we do not want a two-story home with stairs and 2600 square feet seems large and not suitable for seniors.  The road proposed from Waltham Street what is the length and slope of that street. 600 feet and the grade is designed with the steepest part at 10% and in the special permit the grade can be up to 12%.  Is this driveway going to be private, who will be responsible for it? It will be a common driveway and maintained by the association.  There are a lot of springs in that area and the land is not so stable and blasting this area how are residents going to be protected from damage.  Concerned with the streets incline and going up and down the road especially in the winter.  This is exactly the kind of project looking for older seniors and hope it gets support. Planning Board Comments :  Would like to see the lot.  Look forward to getting the information on the easement from Mr. Farrington. Have concerns that are shared with the residents and want some kind of write-off from the fire department regarding blasting.  The design for this site is better for a public benefit development.  Location of driveway is an issue regarding the existing height of the stone wall on Waltham Street, access and emergency access is problematic, this will destroy the historic landscape, blasting is a major concern. 10 Bushnell Drive will have four units that will not appreciate having him in the back yard especially regarding privacy and concern about wildlife.  No way this should be a SSD with the impacts this would have on the site. On the lower portion there is question on the size of the units. When additional units are added need to keep up with the 10% affordable units. There is no benefit to the Town with this project.  Mark the trees that will be removed you will be surprised how many would be removed. The applicant requested that the Planning Board visit the site. 114 Wood Street, Sketch Site Sensitive Development: Mr. Angelo Tortulo, the applicant and Mr. Novak, Meridian Associates were present for 114 Wood Street. Mr. Novak gave a preview of the site project the proof plan, access to the lots, addressed the Eversource easement, resource areas, and explained that the wetlands that have been flagged. We are working to get a letter regarding the easement from Eversource. Minutes for the Meeting of June 21, 2018 Page 5 Individual Board Comments:  Why are the two new houses located so far back? This is only a first pass and wanted input. They should be brought in closer to the existing house. Be better if they were pulled up to get further away from the houses across the street.  Need a letter from Eversource that this can be done since it is so close to the structure.  You could build closer to the easement but even though near conservation land this could improve the site significantly. Pull the development as close to Wood Street as possible and anything you do to that land would be an improvement. If doing a SSD make it worth our while give us something that will be a big improvement.  Encourage you not to go within the 100 foot buffer of the resource area.  If the applicant has items on other people’s property they need to remove all improvements, landscape, and pavement to their own property.  What are you preserving here to make it a SSD, access and the drive are problematic it has a way to go.  Has your research found who was the owner of that gore? No we have taken an extensive look and have not found anything yet.  Just build one house and move closer to Wood Street and preserve the environment. Audience Comments:  Will they connect to Beaumont Street and will they be condos? No all will be single family homes and will not connect to Beaumont Street.  Concern about a high water table level and a stream running through my property and any additional building will have more water running though my property.  Concerned about the existing wildlife in that area.  What would happen with the vegetation there right now? What will we end up with?  Concern that this will ruin the entire landscape, blasting where the powerlines are near my house and am worried will have more water in my basement. This will ruin the entire landscape go down and see the site.  There was concern at the bottom of Amherst Street for a vernal pool Cooks Pond which is protected by the National Park. The resident read a letter from the National park and they are waiting for certification of the vernal pool and the development needs to move away from the vernal pool and this project needs to be done right to minimize the impact on the vernal pool. Page 6 Minutes for the Meeting of June 21, 2018  Across from us surveyors have marked trees with pink tape. Does that mean those trees are being marked for removal? Nothing has been designated for the removal at this time. Pink ribbon is generally used as a benchmark. Individual Board Comments:  Please provide a copy of the letter regarding the vernal pool.  The hill on Amherst Street will not be removed. Correct.  Need more site analysis, what is being preserved, tree loss, removal of property that is over the property line. Believe the pavement extends over the property line south of the existing house that is in question. Mr. Novak will look into that. The owner Angelo Turtola said he owns two properties and love what they have and would like to build a one-story house to age in place. The powerlines are our neighbors one day there was a fire next to my house right under the powerline and was caused by a powerline surge. The wildlife is an important part of our lives and want one small house to age in place there will be no blasting since it is sand. There has been a perennial problem with water in the basements. *************************BOARD ADMINISTRATION**************************** Comprehensive Plan Update: Ms. Kowalski gave an update regarding the comprehensive plan activity work schedule for June through August. Upcoming Meetings & Anticipated Meetings: The Board discussed the upcoming schedule through the 2019 Annual Town Meeting. On a motion, duly made and seconded, it was voted to adjourn the meeting at 9:52 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.  Project Narrative from the applicant regarding 114 Wood Street (2 pages).  Project Plan set for 114 Wood Street (6 pages).  Staff report regarding 114 Wood Street (4 pages).  Letter from Meridian regarding 114 Wood Street (2 pages).  Project Plan set for 287 Waltham Street (5 pages).  Staff report regarding 287 Waltham Street (5 pages).  Revised Plan set for 443 Lincoln Street balanced housing development (Homes at Hobbs Brook), dated 5/30/18 (11 pages). Minutes for the Meeting of June 21, 2018 Page 7  Letter dated May 30, 2018 from Stamski and McNary regarding the updated plans for 443 Lincoln Avenue (2 pages).  Eversource Energy letter regarding established easement for 443 Lincoln Street (2 pages).  Homes at Hobbs Brook, Project narrative 443 Lincoln Street (36 pages).  Sewer layout regarding 443 Lincoln Street (1 page).  E/One pressure sewer design report regarding 443 Lincoln Street (14 pages).  E/One pressure sewer preliminary cost and design analysis report regarding 443 Lincoln Street (4 pages).  Responses to comments from Stamski & McNary regarding 443 Lincoln Street, Homes at Hobbs Brook (8 pages).  Updated landscape Plan for 443 Lincoln Street, Homes at Hobbs Brook (1 page).  Water supply details for 443 Lincoln Street, Homes at Hobbs Brook (1 page).  Plan of land ANR 285 Woburn Street. Nancy Corcoran-Ronchetti, Clerk