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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1988-01-04PLANNING BOARD MINUTES MEETING OF JANUARY 4, 1988 The meeting of the Lexington Planning Board held in Room G-15, Town Office Building, was called to order at 7:38 p.m. by the Chairman, Mrs. Uhrig, with members Klauminzer, Sorensen, Williams, Wood, Planning Director Bowyer, Assistant Planner Rawski and Secretary Peters present. ************************* REPORTS *************************************** 1. Planning Director a. 1709 - 1727 Massachusetts Avenue: Reconstruction of the buildings burned last year will become more evident in April, 1988, with comple- tion scheduled for August. b. Rezoning Articles Filed for 1988 Town Meeting: The only private rezoning article filed is the Middlesex Mall proposal. c. Raytheon, SYS: A letter, dated Dec. 28, 1987, has been sent to Mr. Fred Nassab, of Raytheon, detailing comments on their traffic study and non-compliance with Section 10, Landscaping, of the Zoning By -Law. d. Sheraton, SPS: The Sheraton Corporation has filed an SPS for an ' addition to their hotel off Marrett Road. A preliminary review indi- cates they have underestimated the gross floor area and not met the parking requirements of the Zoning By -Law. ******************* ADMINISTRATION OF LAND DEVELOPMENT REGULATIONS ******** PLANS NOT REQUIRING APPROVAL UNDER THE SUBDIVISION CONTROL LAW 2. Form A/87-31 Lincoln Street William Hamilton: Mrs. Klauminzer did not participate in any action on this item, since she is an abuttor to the property. The Board reviewed a plan showing the transfer of Lot B, not a legal building lot, to be combined with Lot 26, land of Samoylenko, which has frontage on Massachusetts Ave. On the motion of Mr. Sorensen, seconded by Mrs. Wood, it was voted 4-0-1 (Mrs. Klauminzer abstained): to endorse the plan entitled "Plan of Land in Lexington, Mass. (Middle- sex County)", dated December 31, 1987, by Stamski and McNary, Inc., certified by William F. McNary, Registered Land Surveyor, for Lincoln Park Realty Trust, William H. Hamilton, Trustee, with Form A/87-31, as it does not require approval under the subdivision control law. SUBDIVISION OF LAND 3. Wood Street, Ruven Liebhaber, review of sketch plan (second submission): Mr. Sorensen questioned the legality of Lot 1, containing five dwelling units, which was separated from the proposed cluster subdivision. He raised the question because the Zoning By-law prohibits construction on a lot which is created from another lot on which there is a zoning violation. He recom- mended Town Counsel be asked his opinion on the legality of the nonconform- ing lot before the applicant files a preliminary subdivision plan for the rest of the property. Minutes for January 4, 1988 2 Gary Larson, from Larson Associates, presented the site plan showing a cluster plan with six single family dwellings on individual lots. The area of common open space, greater than 25% of the site, has been identified as the hillside, with slopes greater than 15%, the detention area and a sliver of property along Wood Street. There is no longer a plan for affordable housing, or for a rezoning to allow for an increase in dwelling units. In response to questions from the Board, Mr. Larson said the common open space would be suitable for passive recreation, such as hiking or picnics. He agreed the road cuts would have to be excessive if they had developed a conventional subdivision plan of the same density. He noted the elevation at the top of the hill was 270 feet, and 190 feet at Wood Street. A neigh- borhood association would maintain the open space next to Wood Street. In response to questions from Mr. Bowyer, Mr. Larson agreed Lot 3 had no frontage on the proposed street and that they are proposing the street be accepted by the Town. Mr. Liebhaber stated the size of the homes should be under 3,000 square feet, and cost around $450,000. Mr. Bowyer noted the maintenance of the depression must be handled by some organization, such as a condominium association, so the Town can deal with a viable organization if problems arise. Mr. Sorensen commented that the lots ought to be a minimum of 15,500 square feet, and that there should be no lot without frontage. He also recommended ' the common open space in the rear be deeded to the Town. Mrs. Wood recom- mended less buildings, perhaps by combining the dwelling units on lots 3 and 4 into one structure. 4. Royal Circle, off Grove Street, Barry Couette: The Board reviewed a letter, dated January 4, 1988, from Mr. Couette, the developer, asking he be allowed to withdraw the definitive subdivision site development plan for Royal Circle subdivision, without prejudice. On the motion of Mr. Sorensen, seconded by Mrs. Wood, it was voted unanimously to grant the developers request to withdraw, without prejudice, the definitive subdivision plan entitled Royal Circle. DETERMINATION OF GRADE AND CONSTRUCTION OF UNACCEPTED STREETS 6. Valley Road, Andrew Massucco: Mrs. Uhrig noted that everyone agreed the maintenance work should be done in accordance with the Engineering Depart- ment's memo dated 12/2/87; and that all that remained to be settled was how much of Valley Road Mr. Massucco should be required to do maintenance work on. The Board and Mr. Massucco agreed he would do maintenance, as outlined in the Engineering Dept.'s memo, beginning where the paved portion ends and for the entire unpaved portion of the road. On the motion of Mr. Sorensen, seconded by Mrs. Wood, it was voted unani- mously: to require the applicant to regrade the entire unpaved length of Valley Road, adding crusher run material to fill holes, and otherwise smooth roughness on the existing surface width, in a manner acceptable to the Minutes for January 4, 1988 3 Town Engineer. The Board agrees the applicant may post a bond, for an amount set by the Engineering Department to cover cost of doing the work in the spring rather than in the winter, and allow him to apply for a certificate of occupancy now. APPLICATIONS TO THE BOARD OF APPEALS 7. B/A Hearings for 1-14-88. Mrs. Uhrig gave an oral review of the follow- ing hearings: 153 North Street, Dan McCabe's Creative Carpentry, SP, standing sign: Mr. McCabe proposed a sign, externally illuminated, double -sided and approximately 6 ft. wide by 8 ft. high. The Board felt the sign was too large and too prominent, and noted if there were less information in the message, the size of the sign could be scaled down. On the motion of Mrs. Wood, seconded by Mr. Sorensen, it was voted 4-1-0 (Mr. Williams voted in the negative) to recommend the sign be scaled down, and be no higher than 6 feet. 409 Massachusetts Avenue, Lexington Toyota, 2 Variances - 1 SP, contin- ued hearing, continued to 1-21-88. 8. B/A Hearings for 1-21-88. Mrs. Uhrig gave an oral review of the follow- ing hearings: 409 Massachusetts Avenue, Lexington Toyota, 2 Variances - 1 SP, contin- ued hearing from 1-14-88. Mrs. Uhrig reported the variance for the ' front yard setback would be a minor deviation from the By -Law, and the Board agreed to recommend it be granted. The Board also agreed the variance waiving compliance with dimensional standards for parking spaces used in the storage or display of automobiles that are for sale, should be granted, but that parking spaces used for customer and em- ployee parking should be required to conform to the dimensional stan- dards set forth in the Zoning By -Law. In addition, the Board agreed landscaping should be required all along the front of the property to screen the parked cars from the residen- tial property across the street, and that there should be screening all along the back of the property located entirely on the applicant's property. On the motion of Mrs. Wood, seconded by Mr. Sorensen, it was voted unanimously to recommend: 1) that the variance from the front yard setback be granted; 2) that the variance waiving compliance with dimensional standards for parking spaces used in the storage or display of automobiles that are for sale be granted, but that parking spaces used for customer and employee parking should be required to conform to the dimensional standards in the Zoning By -Law; and 3) that while recognizing how difficult it will be for the developer to achieve full compliance with the Landscaping section of the Zoning By -Law, the Board recommends the applicant should at least try to achieve the objectives of the Landscaping section within the space available. Minutes for January 4, 1988 4 141 Spring Street, Raytheon, SPS for 56,000 Square Foot addition to the Raytheon Executive Building, and variance from Section 10.3 to provide landscaped transition and screening area adjacent to property line: The Board agreed to complete deliberations on this application at their January 11, 1988 meeting. ******************** ARTICLES FOR 1988 TOWN MEETING ********************** 9. Article B. Adjustments: The Board reviewed the draft dated 12/17/87 and made the following comments and suggestions. In section A, there should be some limit, perhaps more than the 5,000 lbs proposed, to the maximum size of the commercial vehicle parked in a residential zone. In section B, the benefits of reducing the Minimum Area of Tract for a cluster subdivision were not apparent. In section C, the objectives of revising density calcu- lations needed to be clearer. The Board agreed to defer further action on sections B, reducing the minimum area for a cluster subdivision, and D, a more flexible special permit pro- cedure for landscaping, until 1989, when there would be more experience with these sections, and to continue their deliberations of sections A and C at their next meeting. The meeting was adjourned at 10:40 p.m. 1 1 Eleanor H. Klauminzer, Clerk