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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1984-12-10PLANNING BOARD MINUTES MEETING OF DECEMBER 10, 1984 The meeting of the Lexington Planning, held in Room G-15, Town Offices, was called to order at 7:07 p.m. by the Chairman Mrs. Smith, with members Cripps, Flemings, Sorensen, Uhrig and Planning Director Bowyer present. 242. APPLICATIONS TO THE BOARD OF APPEALS 153 North Street, Amalia Samoylenko: SP, congregate housing: The Board reviewed a draft report prepared by the staff. Several plans and elevations prepared by the architect for the development were on view. About 20 residents of the North Street/Lowell Street area were present to express their opposition to the devel- opment. Mrs. Smith thought that the proposed development was of a mass, scale and density that warranted action by the Town Meeting. Some developments are appropriate under special permits to be granted by a five -person board, whether appointed or elected. Other developments are of a size and impact that they should be voted on by the Town Meeting. She thought the applicants should be asked to wait and to come to the Town Meeting in the spring with either a proposed RD zoning amendment or to utilize a revision of the Zoning By -Law applying to congregate housing. Mr. Cripps commented his recollection of the earlier plan was that it was small- er scaled; this appears more massive. ' Mrs. Smith expressed concern about an alternate use of a congregate living facil- ity if it does not prove economically feasible. She said she knew of at least four proposed congregate living facilities. If one or more of these does not prove economically feasible, the most likely alternative use would be an apartment building, which normally requires a rezoning to construct. Town Meeting Member Patricia Swanson said a number of people disagreed with the interpretation made by the Building Commissioner that more than one congregate living facility is permitted on a lot. She had a petition signed by Town Meeting Members saying they thought they had voted in 1979 to allow only one facility of 12 persons on a lot. Arturo Gutierrez, of Lowell Street, expressed neighborhood concerns about the size of the development and the traffic impact. On the motion of Mr. Sorensen, seconded by Mrs. Flemings, it was voted unani- mously to recommend against granting the special permit because the proposed development is of such a size, scale and density that it should be the subject of a rezoning petition presented to the Town Meeting. 225 Waltham Street, Moore Homes Inc.: SP, conversion of one -family dwelling: Mrs. Smith commented on a letter from Town Mana-ger Robert Hutchinson to the Board of Appeals which asked the Board of Appeals to take into account that Mark Moore had not fulfilled past representations to the Town about providing low and moderate income housing units. There was some discussion about the propriety of linking the application for Waltham Street to other locations with which Mr. Moore is involved. It was decided to make a comment, not a recommendation, to the Board of Appeals that one way of viewing this application is that it is a density bonus, which is a benefit to a developer. Perhaps the Board of Appeals should defer granting a further benefit to Mr. Moore until other past representa- tions to the Town have been satisfactorily resolved. Planning Board Minutes: December 10, 1984 2 Mrs. Uhrig reviewed cases to be heard on Decmber 20, 1984. On the motion of Mrs. Flemings, seconded by Mr. Sorensen, it was voted unanimously to take the follow- ing actions on the cases listed below: 150 East Street, Doran's Greenhouses: SP, roadside stand and sale of Christ- mas trees -- To recommend in favor of granting the special permit provided the same conditions that were in the last special permit are imposed. 46 Bedford Street, Battle Green Service Center: SP, car wash -- To recommend in favor of granting the special permit for a service that is needed in town; to request that the operators discontinue the practice of long term parking of trucks at the site. 11 Scott Road, Kerrie Realty Trust: Variance, front yard set -back -- To recommend that action on this petition be deferred until a plot plan based on an instrument survey is submitted. 1403 Mass. Ave., Adams Russell Cable Services: SP, studio -- To make no recommendation. The meeting was recessed at •7:55 p.m. so that the Planning Board members could attend the Special Town Meeting. The meeting was reconvened at 9:34 p.m. ' PLANS NOT REQUIRING SUBDIVISION APPROVAL 243. 85 Pleasant Street, Gerald Mimno, Form A-84/27: The Board reviewed a plan of Lot 5, the Mimno land, off Pleasant Street which showed a new Lot 7 with 174.7 feet of frontage, comprising one acre and the remainder of Lot 5, with 130 feet of frontage and 3.093 acres. On the motion of Mr. Sorensen, seconded by Mr. Cripps, it was voted unanimously: The plan entitled "Plan of Land in Lexington, Mass.,' dated November 16, 1984, by Barnes Engineering Company Inc., Auburndale, Mass., certified by John R. Hurney, Registered Land Surveyor, with application Form A-84/27 by Gerald R. Mimno, does not require approval under the Subdivision Con- trol Law provided the notation "The above endorsement is not a determination by the Planning Board as to conformance with zoning regulations" is placed on the plan and a reference to the location of former Lot 5 is placed on the plan. SUBDIVISION OF LAND 244. Blossomcrest Subdivision, Final Release of Surety: Mr. Bowyer reported that the only item remaining on the Blossomcrest Subdivision was submittal of an as -built plan, which was received last week. The Board was in receipt of a memorandum from Francis Fields, Town Engineer, dated December 7, 1984, stating that all work had been completed and recommending release of the remaining surety. On the motion of Mrs. Uhrig, seconded by Mr. Sorensen, it was voted unanimously to release all remaining surety being held on the Blossomcrest Subdi- vision. Planning Board Minutes: December 10, 1984 K, 245. Approval of Minutes: Corrections were made to the minutes of the meetings of September 24 and October 29 and the Executive Sessions of October 9 and October 15. On the motion of Mr. Sorensen, seconded by Mrs. Flemings, it was voted unanimously to approve the minutes of the meetings of September 22, October 1, 9, 15, and the Executive Session of September 24, as written, and the meetings of September 24 and October 29 and the Executive Sessions of October 9 and 15, as corrected. It was agreed to apend the letter from Martin Healy to the Executive Session of October 9 and a memorandum from Mr. Sorensen to the Executive Session of October 15. REPORTS 246. PlanninE Board. Subcommittees a. Franklin School Conversion: Mrs. Smith reported that three proposals were still under consideration and a decision would be made by the Board of Selectmen next Monday. None of the members thought the Board should recom- mend in favor of the proposal by the Assembly of God Christian Center. Four members of the Board were in favor of the proposal by the Greater Boston Community Development Corporation for low and moderate income housing. Mr. Sorensen said he could support either the GBCD proposal or the proposal by Renaissance Corporation for market rate rental housing. It was agreed the Board would send a letter to the Board of Selectmen recommending that GBCD be selected, in part, because of the Town's inability to achieve the target number of low and moderate income housing units for families set forth in the housing resolution adopted by the 1979 Town Meeting. b. Xerox Subdivision: Mr. Bowyer outlined the procedural steps involved in the forthcoming hearing on the Xerox subdivision scheduled for December 19. The meeting was adjourned at 10:22 p.m. J_ �= udith J. Uhri , Clerk li 1