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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1981-12-21495 Minutes of Planning Board Meeting December 21, 1981 The meeting of the Lexington Planning Board, held in the Selectmen's Meeting Room, Town Offices, was called to order at 7:42 p.m•. by the Chair- man, Mr. Sandy, with members Nichols, Smith, Sorensen and Planning Director Bowyer present., Mrs. Wheaton joined the meeting during the discussion of item 251. LD DETERMINATION OF PLANNING BOARD APPROVAL (� 248. Pelham Road, Gray Nuns Charities, Inc., Form A 81/15 Q The Board reviewed a plan of land for the Gray Nuns property at the corner m of Pelham Road and Warren Street., On a motion by Mr. Sorensen, seconded by Mrs. Smith, it was voted 4-0: Q The plan entitled "Compiled - Subdivision Plan of Land in Lexington, Mass.," dated November 16, 1981, prepared by Miller and Nylander Company, surveyor of Lexington, Mass., certified by Donald J. Forand, registered land surveyor, with application Form A-81/15, by Stephen M. Horan of Meredith and Grew, Inc., real estate consultant to the Gray Nuns Charities, Inc., does not require approval under the Sub- division Control Law. SUBDIVISION OF LAND 249. Woodpark Estates: Request for Final Release of Surety: The Board was in receipt of a memorandum from the Town Engineer, dated December 17, 1981, recommending that $3,000 be retained for the Woodpark Estates Subdivision. On the motion of Mr. Sorensen, seconded by Mrs. Nichols, it was voted 4--0 to deny the request by Andrew J. Lane, President, A. J. Lane Construction Company, dated November 25, 1981, for final release of surety on Woodpark Estates because the Town Engineer indicates that he cannot determine until the spring growing season that the trees recently planted will survive the winter and become established. 250. Blossomcrest Tract: Certificate of Action; Special Permit: The Board reviewed a memorandum from the Town Engineer, dated December 18, 1981, rec- ommending that the Definitive Subdivision Plan not be approved. On the motion of Mrs. Nichols, seconded by Mr. Sorensen, it was voted 4-0 to dis- approve the Definitive Subdivision Plan for the Blossomcrest Tract, to approve the wording of a Certificate of Action dated December 21, 1981, and to sign the Certificate. On the motion of Mr. Sorensen, seconded by Mrs. Nichols, it was voted 4-0 to deny the Special Permit requested under Section 9.4 because the Defini- tive Subdivision Plan was not approved and the applicant had not provided the "detailed data" required by Section 9.4.4. It was agreed to have the staff prepare the draft of the decision for signature at the next meeting. 2 12/21/81 493 POLICIES, COMPREHENSIVE PLANNING 251. Informational Meeting: Guidelines and Policies for Petitions for RD, CD Zoning Amendments Mr. Sandy opened the informational meeting by explaining the background of the policy. Eight persons were present for the discussion. Attorney Dennis Lowe suggested that there be a mechanism for channelling neighbor- hood opinions through the Planning Board to the developer so that revisions LO could be made to a plan after the public hearing. Peter Kelley suggested N that the Planning Board convene an informational meeting in November/De- 0 cember so that a developer and the neighborhood could be in a more con-structive dialogue. Eric Clarke suggested that the Conservation Commission m be a participant in a fall informational meeting and, perhaps, a joint meeting of the Planning Board and the Conservation Commission could be Q held. Mr. Lowe and Mr. Kelley both suggested there needed to be more differentia- tion in the submission requirements according to the size -of the project. Mr. Kelley advocated a graduated fee schedule so that proposals by small businessmen for smaller projects would pay a smaller fee. Al Zabin and several others argued for more flexibility for revisions after ' the public hearing is held. The Planning Board should be sensitive to major neighborhood concerns and transmit those to the developer in the pro- cess of requesting revisions. The Board thought that many of the suggestionswere worthwhile and will Ibe considered for revisions to the policy. 252. Policy on Rezoning and Traffic, Bedford Street/Hartwell Avenue: Mr. Bowyer stated that it appeared that additional technical work needed to be done on the proposal on the North Lexington Traffic Improvements made to the joint meeting of the Board of Selectmen and the Planning Board on De- cember 7. He said that more analysis was needed of the effects of con- structing an underpass at Hartwell Avenue and Bedford Street. He noted that the suggested revision to the policy, adopted at the November 30 meet- ing, was based on a staging plan which will no longer be in effect. On the motion of Mr. Sandy, seconded by Mrs. Wheaton, it was voted unanimously: That, in view of information and proposals about North Lexington traffic improvements presented at a joint meeting of the Planning Board and the Board of Selectmen on December 7, 1981, which require a revaluation of the Planning Board's and the Town's position relative to such improvements, the proposed revisions to the Planning Board's policy on "Relationship Between Additional Traffic and the Rezoning of Land in the Bedford Street/Hartwell Avenue Area" voted at the meeting of November 30, 1981, be suspended and remain so until a vote of the Board removes the suspension and that the Policy, as adopted by the Board on March 9, 1981, shall be in effect. 3 12/21/81 491 Mr. Bowyer reported that he had heard of plans for a Kiln Brook IV, V. and VI, on the Defelice property adjacent to Maguire Road. He recommended that the Board reopen discussion with the Board of Selectmen on limiting peak hour trip generation from new development on land already zoned for commer- cial development. He suggested two alternatives: 1) having the Board of Selectmen provid guidelines to the Board of Appeals to implement the Planning Board's policy on new develop— ment on commercially zoned land, and N 2) creating an overlay zone, through a Town Meeting vote, to carry out the Planning Board's policy. Q m Mrs. Nichols and Mrs. Smith favored pursuing the peak hour parking limits- Q tion. Mr. Sorensen questioned whether there would be adequate enforcement to implement parking limitations. The Board agreed to schedule a meeting with the Board of Selectmen on this subject and to reserve a place in the warrant for a zoning article dealing with the traffic impacts of new development. At this early stage, it was not agreed what the content of the article should be. After discussion, on a motion by Mr. Sorensen, seconded by Mrs. Wheaton, it was voted 3-1, with Mrs. Smith opposed, to submit a warrant article providing that, as part of the requirements for granting an SPS, the Board of Appeals must find that the traffic network that services the area is adequate to handle the addi- tional traffic created by the development. Mrs. Nichols abstained. ARTICLES FOR 1982 ANNUAL TOWN MEETING 253. DeVincent Land off Waltham Street: Charles Cole, architect, Fred Conroy, attorney, and Arthur DeVincent, developer, were present to give a status report on the apartment development they propose to submit to the Town Meetingfor a rezoning. Mr. Cole resented a schematic master plan S P showing development alternatives for three contiguous parcels, two owaed'by Mr. DeVincent and one by the Ricci family. Mrs. Wheaton requested that when the plan is submitted, the units to be offered for low and moderate income housing be shown on a separate lot and not be within the condominium f association to avoid the HUD concern about the publicly assisted units_ paying high monthly charges to the condominium association. The meeting was adjourned at 11:42 p.m. Karsten Sorensen, Clerk