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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1985-03-12PLANNING BOARD MINUTES MEETING OF MARCH 12, 1984 The meeting of the Lexington Planning Board, held in Room G-15, Town Offices, was called to order at 7:40 p.m. by the Chairman Mrs. Smith, with members Cripps, Flemings, Sorensen, Uhrig and Planning Director Bowyer present. PLANNING BOARD ORGANIZATION 45. Election of Officers: As provided in Section 2.1 of the Planning Board's "Procedural Rules," the Board elected officers. For the office of Chairman, Mr. Sorensen nominated Jacquelyn Smith; by a vote of 4-0, with Mrs. Smith abstaining, Mrs. Smith was elected Chairman. Mrs. Flemings nominated Mr. Sorensen as Vice Chairman; by a vote -of 4-0, with Mr. Sorensen abstaining, Mr. Sorensen was elected Vice Chairman. Mrs. Flemings nominated Mrs. Uhrig as Clerk; by a vote of 4-0, with Mrs. Uhrig abstaining, Mrs. Uhrig was elected Clerk. 46. Signatures of Registry of Deeds: The Board signed a letter to the Registry of Deeds showing the current signatures of each member of the Board as now consti- tuted. By previous votes of the Board, Robert Bowyer, Planning Director and Jehanne Arslan, Assistant Planner, are authorized to sign plans and documents in behalf of the Board when specifically authorized by a vote of the Board.' 47. APPLICATIONS TO THE BOARD OF APPEALS The Board reviewed cases to be heard by the Board of Appeals on March 22, 1984. 420 Bedford Street, F. P. Kitchen, Inc.: SP, food service: Mr. .Sorensen commented ' that the food service operation will service people in the large office building at 420 Bedford Street and will reduce the need for people to go elsewhere for lunch, such as to congested Lexington center. He reported that the building owner, Boston Properties, has imposed very severe restrictions on the food service operation, more severe than the Town would be likely to impose. On the motion of Mr. Soren- sen, seconded by Mrs. Uhrig, it was voted unanimously to recommend in favor of the food service operation as providing a positive service in that zoning district. It was agreed to make no recommendations on the following two cases: 2 Pinewood Street, William Jaros: Variance, side yard setback 14 Trotting Horse Drive, Gerald Holton: Variance, non -complying building ARTICLES FOR 1984 TOWN MEETING 48. Article 14, Parking Requirements: The Board reviewed several "fine tuning" proposals that have resulted from suggestions made at the public hearing on March 7, and from review of the data developed in the parking -land use study of Lexington center. It was agreed to change the parking factor for medical offices to be 1 per 200 square feet, for retail uses to be 1 per 500 square feet in a cellar, and for a hotel to be 1 per unit deleting the reference to employees in hotels. It was agreed to combine the requirements for elementary and secondary schools into one parking factor, 2 per classroom. In Section 11.8a, it was agreed to change the language so that the number of park- ing spaces could not be reduced by more than 50% and the reserved area would have to be able to accommodate at least 50% of the difference between the spaces re- quired and the lesser number provided. Planning Board Minutes: March 12, 1984 2 It was agreed the Planning Board's report on Article 14 would be accompanied by the complete text of the motion with the changes highlighted. 49. Article 15, Rezone to CG, East Lexington, Worthen Road: It was agreed to present Article 15 as printed in the warrant. Mrs. Flemings will be responsible for this article. 50. Article 16, Center Parking: Jacquelyn Bateson, Peter Kelley, Richard Michelson and Richard Perry were present for the discussion of this article. It was agreed to change the parking factor for a medical use in the CB district to be 1 per 250 square feet, making it more consistent with the agreed change in Article 14 and the data developed in the land use study. Mrs. Smith recapitulated the arguments against a developer making a financial con- tribution to a parking escrow account rather than actually providing the parking spaces. (See Item 226, Minutes of November 14, 1983.) The Board discussed goals and policies for the Lexington center business district. It was agreed that retail uses should be encouraged rather than office uses and that other commercial districts are better locations for office space than Lexing- ton center. Several members spoke about the Town's responsibility for the parking deficit in Lexington center. One point was how a numerical determination of the deficit could be made because: 1) the "deficit" changes at different times of the day, 2) it may be different depending on the needs of employees or customers and 3) it may vary as to location, with the need for parking being greater south of Massa- chusetts Avenue than on the north side of the center. Mrs. Smith stressed that it is not the intent of the zoning proposal for the Town to sit back and do nothing. The Town should continue to do as much as is appropriate for it to deal with the parking problem. Mr. Sorensen thought the Town should continue to make a good faith effort and that a numerical target fixed to the needs of 1984 would not be appropriate. The Board agreed that the Town should not be tied to any one numeri- cal target for parking spaces. As for the Chamber of Commerce's proposal that the Town be responsible for about 65% of the parking spaces for new development, the Board disagreed vigorously. Mr. Sorensen commented the Town was having difficulty meeting the existing parking needs and would be in no position to take on the responsibility for new develop- ment. He pointed to the shortage of land within the CB district for additional on -grade parking. It was agreed that the Board would stress in its report that the Town should have no responsibility to provide parking for new development. That should be declared as a matter of policy whether Article 16 passes or not. 51. Article 17, Height Restriction, CB District: It was agreed that the Board would stay with its proposal of two stories in the height limit. The Board did not agree with the Chamber of Commerce proposal that 2� stories be the height limit because the additional half story inevitably means more office space which further aggravates the parking problem. Mrs. Uhrig will present this article. 52. Article 18, CR District, Floor Area Ratio: Attorney Norman Richards, repre- senting Xerox, and Lee Mapletoff of W. R. Grace, were present to discuss this article.Mrs. Smith reported that the Planning Board had received that evening a letter from Beal and Company, dated March 12, 1984, that raised a number of legal implications. Before the Board discussed the amendment further, it wished to Planning Board Minutes: March 12, 1984 3 obtain the advice of Town Counsel. Therefore, discussion on the article would be postponed until the following week. 53. Article 20, Lot Frontage, Lot Width: There was a brief discussion of the requirement that a circle be inscribed within lot lines. There was some feeling that the circle should fit within the side lot lines but not necessarily the rear lot line. It was agreed the staff would review the matter further and review the similar provisions that are in the Bedford and Wilmington Zoning By-laws. 54. Article 23, RO to RS, Wellington Lane Avenue: Mr. Sorensen thought the Board's report should downplay any justification for the zoning change because of one property owner's needs. It was agreed that the Board's recommendation would rely primarily on what was the proper zoning for the area and would use the test, how would the district lines be drawn if one were preparing a zoning map from scratch. 55. Article 24, CD, Hayden Avenue: The Board agreed that if Article 18, the floor area limitation in the adjoining CR district, was not adopted, it would not make a favorable recommendation on this rezoning. Mrs. Smith commented that there needed to be a firm guarantee, in writing, that the site line problem at the Route 2 off ramp will be resolved. Mrs. Flemings expressed concern about any additional re- zoning for commercial development on Hayden Avenue. 56. Article 59, Conservation Purchase, Golf Course: In an informal poll of the Board, it was agreed unanimously to support the acquisition of the golf course for conservation purposes. REPORTS 57. Planning Board Members, Subcommittees a. Franklin School Conversion: Mr. Sorensen commented he would support a sale of the Franklin School building for housing in a manner similar to the Muzzey School arrangement. He thought the site for the sale should be defined narrowly to retain the recreation area and adjoining woodlands. The Board agreed that any reuse: 1) should be limited to a use permitted in the RO zoning district, 2) should provide a public benefit, of which affordable housing is an example, and 3) should retain as much open space for general public use as possible. In an informal poll, Mrs. Flemings, Mrs. Smith and Mrs. Uhrig favored a reuse based on a lease of the building; Mr. Sorensen and Mr. Cripps favored a sale of the building. b. 124 Spring Street, Beal Development: Mr. Bowyer reported that in the previous week, earth moving equipment had appeared at the site of the second Ledgemont office building and site preparation work appeared to be underway. He noted that no building permit had been issued nor had one been applied for yet. The meeting was adjourned at 10:55 p.m. Judith,3Y Uhrig, Clerk y�