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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1974-07-29PLANNING BOARD MEETING July 29, 1974 The meeting of the Lexington Planning Board was called to order at 7:30 p.m. by the Vice-chairman Mr. Costello with members L. Brown, S. Brown and plan- ning director Briggs present. In the absence of the Clerk and the secretary of the Planning Board, notes were taken by Lois Brown. Also in attendance were Douglas Whitney, Conservation Administrator, Gary Marshall, DAC, and Rosemary O'Leary, Lexington Minute -Man. Ted Freeman, developer, met with the Board at 7:45 p.m. to request that MINUTEMAN the Board waive the requirement for granite curbing in Minute Man Ridge RIDGE CURB subdivision in favor of bituminous berm, customarily used in othe WAIVER recent subdivisions, although approval of this subdivision plan origin- ally specified granite. Following discussion of the matter, upon a motion duly made and seconded, it was unanimously VOTED: That the subdivision plan entitled "Minute Man Ridge in Lexington, Mass.", dated November 12, 1973, be modified in that the require- ment for granite curbing along the street is waived and bituminous berm shall be supplied instead, except for points of curvature at the entrance from Allen Street and behind catch basins. The Town Clerk and the Engineering Dept. shall be notified of this vote and a letter of confirmation sent to Mr. Freeman. Spaulding & Slye, developers of Drummer Boy, requested a letter from DRUMMER BOY the Planning Board in connection with material they must supply the ENV.IMPACT state Office of Environmental Affairs on environmental impact. The STATEMENT ' Conservation Commission has sent the letter needed from them. The Board delayed action because members were not familiar with the document pre- sented. Copies will be mailed to members along with copies of the covering statute and a draft letter prepared by Mr. Briggs. Minutes of meetings of June 17, 24, and July 1, 1974, were unanimously MINUTES 6.17, approved without correction. 6.24 & 7.1.74 Notices of forthcoming Board of Appeals hearings were reviewed. The petition of Mammola Brothers Realty Trust for special permits for a restaurant and an electrical office and air conditioning showroom at 351/353 and 361/363 Massachusetts Avenue, was discussed. Mr. Briggs was asked to obtain additional information with respect to access and egress, design of parking area and number of spaces, proposed hours of business. A letter to the B/A will be drafted by Mr. Costello and circulated to board members at the end of this week for comment. If no comments are received, the letter will be signed by Mr. Costello on behalf of the board and forwarded to the B/A on Wednesday, August 7. This procedure was approved by vote. Dr. Lucas is petitioning for variance to allow subdivision of land at #7 Bushnell Drive into two lots, each of which would have 40' frontage. After discussion, and on the advice of the planning director who had recently visited the site with Mr. Brown, the Board reversed the opinion ' expressed on May 13, 1974, to Dr. Lucas in a discussion at the Planning Board meeting on that date. The members present at this meeting opposed the proposed variance and consequent construction of another house in view of the steep topography and the impact of such a house on the im- mediate abuttors. A letter of opposition will be drafted by Mr. Briggs, AUG.13 B/A HEARINGS MAMMOLA BROS. MASS. AVE. DR. LUCAS BUSHNELL DRIVE r 1 1 1 Page 2 7.29.74 circulated to members for comment and signed and forwarded to the B/A on August 7, as in the case of the Mammola petition above. The Cannizzo petition for special permit for construction of a green- CANNIZZO house was reviewed. No plot plan was available showing the location of CONCORD AVE. the present and proposed greenhouses. However, inasmuch as the pro- posed greenhouse is for wholesale use only and will involve no retail sales or traffic, the Board decided to make no comment on the petition. John Bennett of Shahl, Bennett, Inc., architects for the E.G.&G. head- E.G.&G. BLDG. quarters building proposed by C.C.&F for Hayden Ave., met with the Board HAYDEN AVE. to present preliminary layout materials for the site, which will require B/A F & D variances both for size of lot and setbacks. Other representatives of Shahl, E.G.&G., and C.C.&F. were also present. This information was requested by board members at the last meeting, to allow the board to judge whether it would oppose or support a request before the Board of Appeals for the necessary variances. After detailed discussion and suggestions for changing the design to reduce the degree of setback variance needed, the board expressed willingness to continue to work out the details and will not oppose the concept of an office building on this site. Changes in the layout and more information about existing and pro- posed contours and preliminary drainage design will be shown at the end of the week to Mr. Briggs and Mr. Costello and through them to Gary Mar- shall, DAC, and to board members at the next meeting. The petitioners may apply for a B/A hearing on the variances before this next -Planning Bd. review,. Inasmuch as Mr. Hamilton has not requested an extension of the time within which the Planning Board must act on his subdivision, as had been suggested to him by the planning director, the Board was required to act at this time on the Farmhurst, Section 5 subdivision plan. Letters were noted from the Board of Health recommending minimum sill elevations on certain lots, and from David Perley, Mr. Hamilton's engineer, with certain calculations as to the on-site effect of runoff changes which would be created by the proposed subdivision. However, Mr. Hamilton has not supplied the information required by the Engineering Dept. and the Planning Board to demonstrate whether the present drainage system for the area to which his additional drainage would attach has adequate capacity for the total. The Board discussed the problem in de- tail with Mr. McSweeney, Director of Public Works, in the absence of the Town Engineer, noting a memorandum sent from the Engr. Dept. to the plan- ning office a few hours before the start of the meeting. The Board voted unanimously to reject these subdivision plans, as follows: FARMHURST V SUBDIVISION DISAPPROVAL OF DEFINITIVE PLAN VOTED: That the definitive subdivision plan entitled "Farmhurst, Section 5 in Lexington, Mass.", dated January 11, 1974, by Miller & Ny- lander, Diane E. Hamilton, applicant, is disapproved because this plan does not meet requirements with regard to storm water drainage. It was further voted that the planning director sign the notice of this vote on behalf of the Board after it is typed in proper form, and that he shall deliver this notice to the Town Clerk on July 30 and to the petition- er on the same day, the last day allowed by law for this action by the board in the absence of a request by the petitioner for an extension of this time r In response to a request from the Board of Selectmen that we provide a list of lots which need not be covered in their moratorium, the Board ' instructed the planning director to reply as follows: 1. The planning board will keep the Selectmen's list up to date with all information available to us including the addition of any newly discovered lots; 2. We request the continuation of the moratorium for one year, in view of the present activity of the Lexington Housing Authority and their probable need for other lots not on their present list; 3. If a given lot appears to the Selectmen to be a special case, we ask that they refer to us the question of whether the given lot should be released from the moratorium. The Planning Board would like the opportunity to consider and recommend in such cases on an individual basis. Mr. Costello will review and sign the letter. Wm. O'Neill has requested that the private driveway off Mass. Avenue serving his and three other houses be given a name. The Board felt that the request is reasonable, both from a convenience and a public safety viewpoint. However, it is not clear who should approve the giving of a name and the erection of a sign. There is no intention that the driveway should become a Town responsibility. Mr. Briggs will con- sult Norman Cohen on the matter. Request received from Louis Stoico, President of Village Development Corp., that installation of sidewalks be waived in the Village Circle subdivision, and a petition to that effect signed by some of the abettors to Village Circle, were reviewed. The Board instructed Mr. Briggs to inform both Mr. Stoico and each of the subdivision lot owners that the law does not permit the planning board to change a subdivision unless there is unanimous consent from all landowners, which is not the case with this request. Therefore no action by the Planning Board is possible and the requirement for sidewalks must stand. Page 3 7.29.74 TAR TITLE LOTS VILLAGE CIRCLE SIDEWALKS plan Request for waiver of sidewalk requirements in the Oak Park II sub- OAK PARK II division was considered. Upon a motion duly made and seconded, it was SIDEWALKS VOTED: That in view of the unanimous request by all owners of lots in the subdivision entitled "Oak Park - Section II, Lexington, Mass.", dated February 28, 1969, revised June 27, 1969, by Joseph W. Moore, the requirement for sidealks be deleted as it originally applied for Fair- field Drive and Brookwood Road. The Town Clerk and the Engineering Department will be duly informed by Mr. Briggs, as well as the developer and each of the subdivision landowners. The meeting was adjourned at 10:35 p.m. I Paul J. MacKenzie, C1� e�