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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1981-12-071 0 Minutes of Planning Board Meeting December 7, 1981 The meeting of the Lexington Planning Board, held in Room G-15, Town Offices, was called to order by the Chairman, Mr. Sandy, with members Nichols, Smith, Sorensen, Wheaton, and Planning Director Bowyer present. 233. Approval of Minutes On the motion of Mrs. Nichols, seconded by Mr. Sorensen, the minutes of the meeting of November 30, 1981, were approved unanimously as written.' 234. APPLICATIONS TO THE BOARD OF APPEALS The Board reviewed a staff analysis, dated December 4, 1981, on the application of La Tienda for a special permit to erect a sign at 1644 Massachusetts Avenue. On the motion of Mr. Sorensen, seconded by Mrs. Wheaton, it was voted unanimously to make no recommendation on this application. SUBDIVISION OF LAND 235. Ingleside, near Maple Street: Instrument of Surety, Release of Lot: As the Instrument of Surety had not arrived from Town Counsel, no action was taken on this item. The Board recessed its meeting at 7:42 p.m. in order to meet jointly with the Board of Selectmen. The meeting was resumed at 8:34 p.m. 236. Streets Proposed for Acceptance at 1982 Annual Town Meeting: Mr. Bowyer reported the Engineering Department had noted some problem with each of the three streets, i.e., Carnegie Place, Circle Road, and Malt Lane, which the Board had recommended foracceptance. The Board agreed to leave the recommendation standing and hope that the Town Counsel and Town Engineer could resolve whatever problems may exist. On the motion of Mrs. Wheaton, seconded by Mr. Sorensen, it was voted unanimously to recommend to the Board of Selectmen that, from a planning perspective, Garfield Street and Sunnyknoll Avenue should be considered for acceptance and upgrading because they act as collector streets. The Board recognized the financial considerations in undertaking a street reconstruction project but wanted to emphasize the planning merit of upgrading and accepting those streets. POLICIES, COMPREHENSIVE PLANNING 237. Policy on Construction Standards for Unaccepted Streets: It was agreed to defer action for several more weeks to provide an opportunity for the Board of Selectmen to make recommendations on the policy. It was agreed to have the Planning Director draft language saying that generally the Planning Board's determination would be in effect for not more than two years. It was agreed to schedule this item for action at the meeting of January 4. 2 12/7/81 238. Policy on Including Low- and Moderate -Income Housing in New Higher Density Developments: The Board reviewed a draft entitled "Implementation of Housing Policy" datedNovember 22, 1981, prepared by Mr. Sandy. Mr. 'Sorensen stated he disagreed with the spirit of the draft which suggests the developer has a responsibility to provide low- and moderate income housing. He agrees with the concept that the developer should provide an opportunity for the Housing Authority or the Town to provide low- and moderate -income housing units but does not believe the developer has the responsibility to do so. After general discussion, it was agreed that members would work individually on changes in the wording of additions to the housing policy. REPORTS 239. Planning Director a. Rezoning Hayden Avenue Land: Mr. Bowyer distributed a letter from Luigi DiNapoli offering to cooperate with the Board in extending the CR zoning district into the RO zoning district on land he owns on Hayden Avenue on which an office is.presently being constructed. It was assumed that the currently zoned RO land would be used for parking which would reduce the probability of parking spilling over onto Hayden Avenue. Mrs. Wheaton stated the land might be used to increase the size of the building and ' she objected to that. Mr. Sandy, Mr. Sorensen and Mrs. Wheaton -favored a CD zoning on the entire parcel, including the building as approved by the Board of Appeals with only parking allowed in the currently RO zoned area. Mrs. Nichols and Mrs. Smith thought a CR zone, with some guarantee that the land to be rezoned would be used for parking only, was acceptable. Mrs. Wheaton made a motion, seconded by Mr. Sorensen, that the Board send a letter to Mr. DiNapoli stating that it would entertain a citizen's article for a CD zoning district. Mrs. Smith offered a substitute motion, which was accepted by Mrs. Wheaton, that a letter be sent to Mr. DiNapoli indicating that the strong consensus of the Board was that a CD zoning district should be submitted so that he may be informed as early as possible in view of the limited time re- maining for the submission of a warrant article, and that the Board would be pleased to talk with him. The Board vote 4-0, with Mrs. Nichols abstaining, to approve the motion, as substi- tuted. b. Fees for Review of Zoning Petitions: Mr. Bowyer distributed copies of.material on the Planning Board's vote at its meeting of November 24, 1980, which recommended a fee of $500.00 for review of zoning districts other than RD and CD. He said the amount of review required for the other districts is less than that for an RD or CD. He recommended that because the fees were based on anticipated workload, the fees for the other districts be set at $500.00 because that was more defensible. Mr. Sandy observed that the other zoning districts may require as much, or more, work than RD or CD because the Board would have to consider 0 1 3 12/7/81 numerous possibilities allowed by the Zoning By -Law and that a specified plan may not be presented. A motion made by Mrs. Nichols, seconded by Mrs. Smith, to amend the fee schedule adopted at the meeting of November 30, 1981, so that Che fee for districts other than RD and CD would be $500.00 was.not adopted by a vote of 2-3. Mr. Sandy, Mr. Sorensen, and Mrs. Wheaton voted against the motion. c. Meeting on DeVincent Land: Mr. Bowyer reported that Charles Cole had requested the opportunity to meet with the Board on plans for the DeVincent Land. It was agreed to meet with him on Decem- ber 21. 240. Reports by Members a. Hanscom Field Area Traffic Study: The Board discussed the report and recommendations of the Hanscom Area Traffic Study Committee which had been presented by Mrs. Smith to a joint meeting of the Board of Selectmen and the Planning Board earlier in the evening. questioned whether the presentation of Stages II and III would hurt .the prospects of Stage I, the North Lexington Traffic Improvements, being carried out. Mrs. Smith responded that: 1) The plan presented by the HATS committee re-emphasizes the need for improved access to Route 128, 2) Stages II and III will benefit from completion of Stage I,` 3) Stage I is so much farther along and closer�to implementation than Stages II or III, and 4) There is greater strength in four towns supporting a traffic improvement, as part of a mutually agreeable plan, than one town pursuing its own project. Mrs. Smith explained the next steps for the Hanscom Area Traffic Study Committee and there was general discussion of transportation issues in the four towns. On the motion of Mrs. Smith, seconded by Mrs. Wheaton, it was voted unanimously that the Lexington Planning Board: 1. Endorses the transportation improvement concepts presented in the plan prepared by the Hanscom Area Traffic Study Committee, 4 12/7/81 2. Endorses the continued participation by the Town of Lexington in the Hanscom Area Traffic Study Committee if the Towns of Bedford, Concord, and Lincoln continue to participate, 3. Recommends that the HATS Committee proceed to a design phase for Stages II and III, which are located in the Towns of Lincoln and Concord 4. Urges that attention be devoted to developing ways of maintaining a balance between new trip -generating commercial development with the capacity of the transportation facili- ties in the area, S. Supports the efforts of the Towns of Concord and Lincoln to obtain the so-called safety improvements on Route 2 in those communities, and 6. Urges that construction of Stage I, the North Lexington Traffic Improvements, be completed before construction is initiated on Stages II and III. It was agreed to transmit this position to the Board of Selectmen and to the FLATS Committee. The transmittal should contain the observa- tion that if the traffic improvements in Phase II are completed before the improved connections to Route 128, which are part of Stage I, are completed, the traffic situation could be worsened, and that the amount of new commercial development serviced by Route 2A must be carefully monitored and related to improvements in traffic carrying capacity. ' b. Meeting Schedule: It was agreed to hold a meeting on December 21 to discuss the DeVincent land and to provide an opportunity for feedback from Town officials and developers on the CD, RD Guide- lines and Policies, and that a public information meeting on the revisions to the Hartwell Avenue traffic development policy should be scheduled for Monday, January 4, 1982 at 8:00 p.m. The meeting was adjourned at 10:29 p.m. Karsten Sorensen, Clerk