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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1984-12-03PLANNING BOARD MINUTES MEETING OF DECEMBER 3, 1984 The meeting of the Lexington Planning Board, held in Room G-15, Town Offices, was called to order at 7:30 p.m., by the Chairman Mrs. Smith, with members Cripps, Flemings, Sorensen, Uhrig, Planning Director Bowyer and Assistant Planner Davidson present. INTER -TOWN COORDINATION 235. Memorandum of agreement on Transportation and Growth Issues: The Board reviewed the draft of a memorandum of agreement among the towns of Bedford, Concord, Lexington and Lincoln which would create a permanent committee to be known as the Hanscom Area Traffic Committee comprised of one selectmen, one planning board member, and one at -large member from each town. The purpose of the committee is to promote traffic improvements and to promote measures to balance growth and traffic flow in the four towns. The Planning Board agreed in principle with forming such a committee and its charge. The Board had difficulty with the language which called for any Town board which takes an action contrary to the recommendation of the Hanscom Area Committee to report in writing to the Board of Selectmen its reason for taking such an action. The Planning Board thought it should respond if the Hans-com Area Traffic Committee had made a comment. On the motion of Mrs. Flemings, seconded by Mr. Cripps, it was voted unanimously to endorse the memorandum of agreement with the understanding that the procedure for town boards to report to their own board of selectmen on actions taken needs additional work and clarifi- cation. Mrs. Smith commented that under the purposes and responsibilities of the commit- tee, d. Promoting Measures to Balance Growth and Traffic Flow, deserved a very high priority. PLANS NOT REQUIRING SUBDIVISION APPROVAL 236. 404-416 Concord Avenue, William Smith, Form A-84/25: The Board reviewed a plan showing the transfer of back land from Norman Daigle and from David and Lorraine Salto to land of George and Barbara Forten. On the motion of Mr. Sorensen, seconded by Mr. Cripps, it was voted unanimously: To endorse the plan entitled, "Plan of Land in Lexington, Mass.," dated October 2, 1984 by Hayes Engineering Inc., Wakefield, Mass., certified by Sydney Field, Jr., Registered Land Surveyor, with application Form A-84/25, by William Smith for the owners Norman Daigle and David and Lorraine Salto, because it does not require approval under the Subdivision Control Law, provided a notation, "The above endorsement is not a determination by the Planning Board as to conformance with zoning regulations," is placed on the plan prior to its recording. 237. 186-200 Grant Street, Carlson Florist, Inc., Form A-84/26: The Board reviewed a plan showing the division of part of the Carlson Florist property on Grant Street into three lots, 4, 5, and 6, each of which has sufficient frontage, and a change in the side lot line between Lots 7 and 8, neither of which has sufficient frontage to comply with current zoning, but are pre-recorded lots from 1 J Planning Board Minutes: Decemer 3, 1984 1948 at which time they complied with the meeting of July 9, 1984). On the motion Flemings, it was voted unanimously: frontage requirements (see Item 146, of Mr. Sorensen, seconded by Mrs. 2 To endorse the plan entitled "Plan of Land in Lexington, Mass.," dated November 30, 1984, by Nelson Engineering, Inc., Concord, Mass., certified by Ralph D. Nelson, Registered Land Surveyor, with application Form A-84/26, by Herbert T. Carlson, because it does not require approval under the Sub- division Control Law provided a note stating, "The above endorsement is not a determination by the Planning Board as to conformance with zoning regula- tions," is placed on the plan prior to its recording. SUBDIVISION OF LAND 238. James Street, Kui-Yung Jung, Preliminary Subdivision Plan: The Board was in receipt of a preliminary sketch for a subdivision plan submitted by Kui-Yung Jung for property off James Street. Mr. Jung proposed to subdivide the property into two lots, one with 150 feet of frontage and the other with 100 feet of frontage. The property is in the RO zoning district and each lot is required to have 150 feet of frontage. On the motion of Mrs. Uhrig, seconded by Mrs. Flem- ings, it was voted unanimously to communicate with Mr. Jung that the Board would not approve a definitive subdivision plan with that lot configuration because one of the proposed lots does not have the minimum frontage required by the zoning By -Law. 239. Hampton Subdivision, PUBLIC HEARING, Concord Avenue, Boyd -Smith: Chairman Smith opened the combined hearing on the definitive subdivision plan and the application for a special permit at 8:05 p.m. Joel Roos, William Smith, Paul Boyd and Registered Engineer Ed Stern of Hayes Engineering Inc., represented the applicants. Three residents of the area were in attendance. Mrs. Smith commented on the potential for a walking easement, allowing access to conservation land, to occur at the end of Hampton Road. This easement would serve the residents of the subdivision. Mr. Smith stated that they would be meeting with the Conservation Commission to discuss this issue, but to date no decision had been made. Mr. Bowyer asked for a clarification as to the ownership of the proposed land- scape easement adjoining Hampton Road. Mr. Smith said that it would be a private agreement between two land owners and not a concern of the Town. Mr. Sorensen asked for a clarification of the staus of Lot 8 which is not a building lot. Mr. Roos described the possibilities as: including it in the right-of-way, consider- ing it as a part of Lot 1, or selling it to the abutter. Mr. Smith said no decision had been made yet on its stasis. The hearing was declared closed at 8:20 p.m. but the Board agreed to defer action until December 19, 1984. COMPREHENSIVE PLANNING 240. Housing Element: Acting Chairman Eleanor Klauminzer, Joel Adler, Tina Dirks, Sherry Edmonds, William Hayes, and Ruth Nablo of the Housing Needs Advis- ory Committee were present for a joint discussion of a first draft of the housing Planning Board Minutes: Decemer 3, 1984 3 element of the comprehensive plan. Mr. Bowyer explained that the draft was a synthesis of staff work and the draft of housing policies prepared by the Housing Needs Advisory Committee. The discussion focused on Section 1, the diversity objective. It was agreed to defer discussion of the proposals until all of the policies have been discussed. It wa also agreed that percentages or numbers would not be stated as objectives or targets in the policies. It is likely that too much attention will be focused on the numbers, and how they were arrived at, to the detriment of evaluation of the policy itself. Mr. Sorensen inquired as to the percentage distribution of the components of cost in developing housing. Mr. Bowyer agreed to provide some data on that. The next joint meeting of the Board and the Committee will be in January, possibly January 7. REPORTS 241. Planning Board Members, Subcommittees a. Schedule of Meetings: The Board reviewed a list of items needing action. It was agreed to schedule a contingency public hearing on the Xerox definitive subdivision situation on Wednesday, December 19. ' With respect to articles for the 1985 Town Meeting, it was agreed to spon- sor five articles: a revision of the residential development sections, standards for conversion of one family to two family houses, an FAR requirement for the CM and CH districts, the annual technical corrections article, and treatment of liquor stores in the former CB districts. Mr. Sorensen questioned whether the residential development revision could be ready; it was agreed to continue forward with the article and make a judge- ment on that question later. Mrs. Uhrig thought it was imperative that the Board go forward with a floor area ratio requirement for the districts on Bedford Street and Hartwell Avenue. It was agreed that the Planning Board would sponsor an article to deal with the rights of the liquor stores that were in the CB district but are now in a CG district as a result of the amendment made at the 1984 Town Meeting, which was advocated by the Planning Board. It was agreed to schedule December 17 as a time to hear all the proposals to be made for RD or CD rezonings. Several developers had requested an opportunity for a preliminary reading of the Board, in accordance with the RD, CD policy. b. Congregate Housing Proposal, Lowell and North Streets: Mr. Bowyer reported that the reference in Section 9.2 to an SPS refers to the proce- dural requirement of allowing 35 days for the Planning Board to submit a report and not to the ten substantive points reviewed in an SPS. A traffic study is not required. Mr. Bowyer reported that a letter had been received from Ephraim Weiss and from Allan Gottlieb, both making the case that only one facility is permit- ted on a lot. The staff should prepare a draft report for action at the Planning Board Minutes: Decemer 3, 1984 4 meeting on December 10. It was agreed that the report would state that congregate housing is desirable in Lexington, that the Planning Board accepts the interpretation of facility made by the Building Commissioner but the congregate living provisions needs to be reworked. The traffic impact is not that great, particularly considering the location on Lowell Street and other functional impacts do not appear adverse. Whether the Planning Board would recommend in favor of the proposal or not depends on building and site design and the appearance of the development, its scale and its relationship to other nearby properties. The Board would like to see more information on the massing and elevations of the building before it makes its recommendation. The meeting was adjourned at 11:01 p.m. `--udith J. Uhrij,/ Clerk FJ' 1