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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1984-08-27PLANNING BOARD MINUTES MEETING OF AUGUST 27, 1984 The meeting of the Lexington Planning Board, held in Room G-15, Town Offices, was called to order at 7:37 p.m. by the Chairman, Mrs. Smith, with members Cripps, Sorensen, Uhrig, and Planning Director Bowyer present. Mrs. Flemings was able to attend the meeting only for action on Item 174, Farmington Rise Subdivision; she was not present for the other items on the agenda. 171. APPROVAL OF MINUTES The minutes of the meeting of July 16, 1984 were acceptable to Mrs. Smith and Mrs. Uhrig. Mr. Cripps and Mr. Sorensen abstained on voting on the approval of those minutes as they were not present at the meeting. Lacking the vote of three members, the minutes were not approved. On separate motions by Mr. Sorensen, each seconded by Mr. Cripps, the minutes of the meeting of July 23, 1984 and of the Executive Session of July 23, 1984 were approved, as written, by a vote of 4-0. PLANS NOT REQUIRING SUBDIVISION APPROVAL 172. 15-17 Childs Road, Edward McCarthy, Form A-84/19: Mrs. Smith disqualified herself from consideration of this application as her employer, Bicknell and Smith, represents one of the parties. Vice Chairman Sorensen chaired the meeting. The Board reviewed a plan which showed two slivers of land being transferred from land owned respectively by Gilbertson and Anderson to land owned by McCarthy. The result is one larger lot for McCarthy. On the motion of Mr. Sorensen, seconded by Mrs. Uhrig, it was voted 3-0: ' The plan entitled "Plan of Land in Lexington, Mass.," dated August 8, 1984, by Joseph W. Moore Company, certified by Robert M. Corbin, Registered Land Surveyor, with application Form A-84/19, by Roger M. Corbin for Edward D. McCarthy, does not require approval under the Subdivision Control Law. 173. 15-75 Bow Street, Elizabeth F. Cataldo, Moore Homes, Inc., Form A-84/20: The Board reviewed a plan showing six newly created lots with frontage on Bow Street. The land is now owned by Elizabeth Cataldo but is under agreement to Moore Homes, Inc. The six lots were also shown on the definitive subdivision plan for the Farmington Rise Subdivision. As these lots have frontage on an existing public way, they are not included within the boundaries of the subdivision. In response to an inquiry, Roger Corbin, speaking on behalf of Mark Moore, said that street trees, similar to those proposed for the subdivision street, will be planted along the street. On the motion of Mr. Sorensen, seconded by Mrs. Uhrig, it was voted 3-0, with Mrs. Smith abstaining because she was not present for part of the presen- tation: The plan entitled "Plan of Land in Lexington, Mass.," dated June 28, 1984, by Joseph W. Moore Company, certified by Roger M. Corbin, Registered Land Sur- veyor, with application Form A-84/20, for Elizabeth F. Cataldo and Moore Homes, Inc., does not require approval under the Subdivision Control Law. 174. 1-5 Hancock Street, 1875 Mass. Ave., Buckman Park, Town of Lexington, Form A-84/21: Mrs. Smith resumed chairing the meeting. The Board reviewed a plan showing Lot 3 of Buckman Park separated into portions A and B to delineate a parcel of 15,500 square feet, on which is located the Garrity House. The land will remain in Town ownership and be leased for 99 years; the Garrity House and the carriage Planning Board Minutes: August 27, 1984 2 house will be sold per the action of the Town Meeting. On the motion of Mr. Sorensen, seconded by Mr. Cripps, it was voted 4-0: The plan entitled "Compiled Plan of Land in Lexington, Mass. for Garrity House Conveyance," by Francis X. Fields, Town Engineer, with application Form A-84/21, by the Town Manager for the Town of Lexington, does not require approval under the Subdivision Control Law. SUBDIVISION OF LAND 175. Farmington Rise, Off Bow Street, Approval of Definitive Subdivision Plan, Special Permit: The Board reviewed a draft of the Certificate of Action. The staff was requested to make certain that the drawing of the catch basin detail, mentioned in the memo from the Town Engineer dated August 22, 1984, had been corrected on the original drawings. Mrs. Flemings was present for this item. On the motion of Mrs. Uhrig, seconded by Mrs. Flemings, it was voted 4-0, with Mr. Sorensen abstaining because he was not present for the public hearing, to approve the definitive subdivision plan entitled "Farmington Rise," which comprises six drawings, and to approve the Certificate of Action as written. The Board reviewed a draft of the decision on the Special Permit for a conventional subdivision. On the motion of Mr. Cripps, seconded by Mrs. Uhrig, it was voted 4-0, with Mr. Sorensen abstaining because he was not present at the public hearing, to grant a special permit for the Farmington Rise conventional subdivision and to approve the decision, as written. 176. APPLICATIONS TO THE BOARD OF APPEALS The Board reviewed cases to be heard by thb Board of Appeals on September 13, 1984. It was agreed to make no recommendations on the following case: 55 Mass. Ave., Berman's Market Inc.: SP, non -conformity 238 Wood Street, M.I.T. Lincoln Lab: SP, modular buildings: Mr. Cripps explained it was not easy to understand what was being requested from the plans that were available. There seemed to be contradictory references to temporary modular build- ings and permanent installations. There was no off-street parking and loading plan and calculations of floor area. It was noted that Lincoln Lab is the largest employer on Hartwell Avenue with well over a thousand employees and has a signifi- cant impact on Hartwell Avenue and Bedford Street. It was agreed that the Board would promptly send a letter to the Board of Appeals, with a copy to the applicant, stating that due to the size of Lincoln Lab and its impacts on Hartwell Avenue, the proposed addition should be treated in a manner analogous to the special permit with site plan review procedure with which other office -research developments along Hartwell Avenue must comply. While the appli- cant is not applying for an SPS, essentially the same information as is required in that procedure should be submitted. The Board thinks it is important to obtain good current traffic data about Lincoln Lab that would be an important part of the growing data base on the traffic charac- teristics of the Hartwell Avenue area. The requirements for an off-street parking and loading plan do apply for this application and should be met. Planning Board Minutes: August 27, 1984 3 The Board agreed that it would not make a final recommendation at this time, but based on the information currently available, it would probably recommend against granting a special permit. The additional information requested may permit the Board to make a different recommendation. 141 Spring Street, Raytheon: SPS, gatehouse: The Board reviewed drawings showing a fieldstone "National Park Service -type" building to be located in the driveway for security purposes. The Board has no objection to the gatehouse and it was agreed to make no recommendation on it. 131 Spring Street, Raytheon: SPS, increase parking lot: Mr. Bowyer reported that the Building Commissioner and he agreed that, as no increase in floor area is pro- posed, a traffic impact study is not required. In fact, Raytheon had submitted a traffic impact study which showed that the increase in traffic and its effects on intersections in the area were barely measurable. Mr. Sorensen noted that the Con- servation Commission was not happy with the expansion of the parking lot which involved the filling of wetlands when there appeared to be other locations on dry land where the parking lot expansion could occur. Apparently Raytheon will submit a revised plan to the Conservation Commission. On the motion of Mr. Sorensen, seconded by Mr. Cripps, it was voted unanimously to recommend that, if a plan sat- isfactory to the Conservation Commission is submitted, the Planning Board is in favor of granting the SPS. The Board reviewed other cases which have not yet been scheduled for a public hearing. On the motion of Mr. Sorensen, seconded by Mr. Cripps, it was voted 4-0 to make no recommendation on the following three cases: i 6 Whittier Road, Donald Parent: SP, non -complying building 39 Lincoln Street, Mark Murphy: SP, non -complying building 30 Woodpark Circle, Martin Stiglitz: Variance, non -complying setback 7 Carmel Circle, Tien -Yu: Variance, garage: It was agreed to defer action on this case. Mr. Cripps will look at the location because the topography may justify the variance. 35 Bedford Street, American Health Care: SP, free standing sign: Mr. Cripps explained that American Health Care, which replaces another medical service, wants to have a larger sign. The existing sign is a secondary wall sign. Mr. Sorensen observed that sign serves one tenant; if other tenants in the building all request signs, the results would be undesirable. On the motion of Mr. Sorensen, seconded by.Mrs. Uhrig, it was voted 4-0 to recommend against the granting of the special permit requested as the existing secondary sign is adequate. Any changes in the sign should be by different messages within the existing sign face. REPORTS 177. Planning Board Members a. Board of Appeals Hearing, August 23: Mrs. Smith reported that the Board of Appeals took to heart the Planning Board recommendations and position paper on the reasons, guidelines for setbacks. They disapproved each petition for a setback variance. The Board of Appeals would like to meet with the Planning L Planning Board Minutes: August 27, 1984 4 Board to discuss that position paper in greater detail. Mrs. Smith had suggested that better information be made available to petitioners so that they understand the narrow grounds for granting variances. b. Hanscom Area Traffic Study: Mrs. Uhrig reported the Hanscom Area Traffic Study report had been completed and was available for review by the members prior to an area -wide meeting in early September. The meeting was adjourned at 9:17 p.m. C dith J. U g, Clerk (/