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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2018-09-12-PB-min PLANNING BOARD MINUTES MEETING OF SEPTEMBER 12, 2018 A meeting of the Lexington Planning Board, held in the Selectmen’s Meeting Room, was called to order at 7:02 p.m. by Chair, Ginna Johnson with members Charles Hornig, Nancy Corcoran- Ronchetti, Richard Canale, and Bob Creech, and planning staff David Kucharsky present. *******************************STAFF REPORTS******************************** General Updates: Mr. Fields will be leaving next Friday to go to another municipality. The Planning Department is advertising both the Assistant Planning Director position and the Planner position. Mr. Kucharsky gave updates for the dates of the Tri-Town transit study, with Bedford and Burlington and the meetings are as follows:  st Friday, September 21, 11:00 a.m. in Estabrook Hall, Cary Memorial Building, 1 Stakeholder meeting;  st Saturday, September 22, 1:30 p.m. in Cary Library, large meeting room, 1 Community meeting;  nd Monday, October 22, 11:00 a.m. in Estabrook Hall, Cary Memorial Building 2 Stakeholder meeting;  nd Monday, October 22, 7:00 p.m. in Battin Hall, Cary Memorial Building, 2 Community meeting; and  Saturday, September 22, 10:00 a.m. in the Community Center for a Transportation Open House. There is also a survey posted on line that can be taken that will provide more information at www.lexingtonma.gov./transit-survey Comprehensive Plan Update: Public events for World Cafés are on September 25, Battin Hall October 23, Estabrook Elementary and November 27 in the community center and are RSVP events, regarding the comprehensive plan. Hartwell Avenue Zoning Initiative Update: There are no updates at this time. *********************DEVELOPMENT ADMINISTRATION************************ 37-39 Peacock Farm Road, Approval Not Required (ANR): On a motion of Mr. Hornig, seconded by Mr. Canale, it was voted, 5-0, to endorse the ANR plan for 37-39 Peacock Farm Street as it is not requiring approval under the Subdivision Control Law. Page 2 Minutes for the Meeting of September 12, 2018 24 James Street, Street Adequacy Determination: Staff visited the location and Engineering made recommendations to improve the road. The applicant addressed the Engineering recommendations. Board Comments:  Will the road be worse if you make the recommended improvements? No, but neighbors will be inconvenienced.  Will you replace the granite that is cracked and repair the catch basins? Yes, but do not want to mill and repave the street.  Prefer to defer to the experts in our Engineering Department.  Will the house be demolished and replaced? Yes. So the road will be in worse condition once it is competed. I will bring the road back to good condition since I will be living there. Audience comments:  There were two new houses built this year and there was little problems with the houses being built. Board Comments:  Board Members felt they should follow and comply with the recommendations of the Engineering Department. On a motion of Mr. Hornig, seconded by Mr. Canale, it was voted, 5-0, to determine that currently the road by 24 James Street is not of adequate grade and construction, but will be once the recommended improvements by Engineering are made. Since the road will be done after the construction of the home surety will be required. The Planning Director will work that out with the Town Engineer. PUBLIC HEARING 55 & 56 Watertown Street (Belmont Country Club PD3): Chair, Ms. Johnson, opened the continued public hearing at 7:20 p.m. with approximately 50 people in the audience. Present were John Farrington, attorney, Ted Tye, managing partner for National Development, Steve Senna, vice president of National Development, Rick Bryant, traffic engineer, from Stantec. John Martin, architect and Principal for Elkus Manfredi architect for Waterstone. Mr. Farrington said new plans were supplied to staff and they will address the new plans and prior questions and anticipate further questions after tonight and still will need to further work on the PSDUP. Minutes for the Meeting of September 12, 2018 Page 3 Mr. Tye presented the overview of the project updates and benefits that were expanded. 18.6 acres of land will now have conservation restrictions and cannot be developed. Belmont Country Club also agreed to put on a conservation restriction on land to make up the 18.6 acres. We removed one story of the project. The fiscal impact report had an error and will be corrected and shows $700,000 recurring revenue annually. The project will be constructed with LEEDS silver standards. There will be improvements for pedestrian walkways and connections to bus. The shadow study showed no shadows were casted off the property and will not impact Golden Avenue. The mechanical equipment will be placed deep inside a well on top of the building so there will be no impact. Views were provided for both buildings from the abutting streets to the site during winter and summer to show the buffering since this is a gateway to Lexington. Mr. Bryant presented the traffic impact study and discussed the findings and explained that the Town’s peer reviewer said the study was done correctly. The applicant will be providing pedestrian and bicycle accommodations and location signs. Mr. Martin presented the architecture of the Waterstone building including the entrance, courtyard, windows, materials being used, how they minimized the scaling, and external views and elevations looking onto the site with the grading. Individual Board Comments:  In revised traffic analysis the advertised speeds are 40 MPH with an average speed of 43 MPH that the cars were actually travelling; design roads to accommodate those speeds. Look to get the speeds reduced to 30 MPH to make it safe for pedestrians and make adequate sight lines. There was a meeting with Belmont and Lexington Police Departments and addressed their questions and concerns and both traffic safety officers did not have concerns in the context of the traffic analysis we provided and did see opportunities to enhance accessibility and safety and discussed revised plans based on that conversation. If want me vote yes look into reducing the speed limit.  Why did you only show the real summer photographs and simulated ones for the winter since you have both photographs? We had based the past pictures from Google Earth and was told that the photos from Google Earth were hugely distorted and got rid of them, but then had no real winter photos only spring and summer for when we submitted the application.  We have heard nothing regarding light spill and have not seen any evening views. Every apartment has a window covering and there would be no photo impact across a six- lane highway in the evening. Page 4 Minutes for the Meeting of September 12, 2018  Will there really be no roof top mechanical/equipment higher then what you presented? Yes.  You have an idea of what you plan to build, but may require a little more for dimensional standards that zoning allows and Town Meeting approves the plans you provided; how will you deal with that? Mr. Farrington said what you see is what you get and the document would not allow us to build another L or 18 more units.  For parcel B there is a small cut out with a lot of tree buffer, but it says you were cutting down about 500 trees. There are portions of this site that is highly wooded.  The 10 acres that the Belmont Country Club is donating how much is developable land? We do not have the site delineated for wetlands.  The original PSDUP still has fundamental flaws that need to be tied down.  We received an email from resident showing cross section which shows the Bridges building is higher than the houses on Golden Avenue, please be sure to address that issue.  The traffic peer review they suggested a few good ideas like arrangements with zip cars for residents and preferential parking for people who are not driving alone in their cars like employees.  Town Meeting is November 13, 14 & 15 and need to give Town Meeting two weeks to review the report so this needs to be finalized by October 31 and close public hearing by October 24 and feel you have only two meetings and do not see it happening this is very ambitious. Surprised that did not meet with us for two months. Concerns include affordable housing, the MOU, transportation mitigation, conservation restriction, report on utility infrastructure with sewage, tree mitigation needs to be worked out, gateway improvement, and the change to the rural appearance on Golden Street.  Have concern about golf balls with the clearing of the trees, the architecture has a long way to go, the buildings look very institutional with five or six stories, and add a defined transition zone in the PSDUP text.  Need all the material updated on the website and make a notation which are the updated plans.  There are concerns with the timeline before Town Meeting and need to meet the deadline otherwise you may need to come back.  Traffic safety of the driveway needs to be addressed as it exists today. Minutes for the Meeting of September 12, 2018 Page 5 Audience Comments:  The architecture is not what is expected for Lexington.  Really concerned about traffic on that road which is very narrow unless you widen the road and improve the sight lines it will not work.  The architecture of the memory unit looks like what we expect in our Town.  Like some of the concessions that the applicant has made so far, but am concerned about the overflow of traffic in this zone.  Concerned about the need for this type of facility and am concerned about the trade-offs.  There is concern with Watertown Street which is unsafe now and nice to hear they would consider sidewalks.  We would like the sidewalk to be extended to Wilsons Farm.  A resident asked the Chair to clarify if this type of housing would be beneficial to the Town? Yes, just want to make sure this development is as good as it could be. Looking for the best project for Lexington.  Have a concern about utilities and that the only thing going under the bridge is water and sewer? Yes. Is there a chance it will freeze? No it will be insulated.  Looking at the gap along Route 2 and requesting a sidewalk and want the applicant to ask MassDOT. It would be too much of a safety issue, but is worthy of further study.  Is the demand really there with all the other projects going up?  The building at Waterstone does not fit the community and would rather see something that would fit in the community that did not have to be hidden.  Opposed to the development, this project conflicts with other reports for this area. This is raw land and waiting to hear from DCR on the watershed area if it will have any impact.  Concerned with pedestrian traffic at these locations.  Does the ramp curvature comply with federal DOT regulations?  With extra lights and new signs this project is making this rural road more urban.  Sidewalks on Watertown Street will not be allowed because of the distance and width of the road.  Emergency lights will be flashing through neighbors windows in the middle of the night.  We do not know what the winter view will really look like.  Does this project address the needs of Lexington Comprehensive Plan for seniors who want to stay in town and do not qualify for affordable housing? Page 6 Minutes for the Meeting of September 12, 2018  There is concern about Belmont Country Club selling off land when they need more money. This is a business to make money they do not care about our neighborhood. The scrubby junk is part of our neighborhood and want you to leave our neighborhood alone and residents are very disappointed.  This is raw land and we are losing a lot of it in our town and nothing is being done about it.  Represent the Greenways Corridor Committee and submitted a document and they believe this unique corner in Lexington and will be cutting off the residents from the walking paths in town and have a plan to rectify that issue. We want you to connect your properties walking paths along the Route 2 off ramp and Route 2 westerly to Pleasant Street. We are asking for $100,000 for the design and permitting process, construction of trails, and 10 year annual mowing expense. If not approved we request sidewalk improvements granting permanent public access to the trail system for future connection and provision for future connection point. The applicant just received it and said they will consider it during the MOU discussion with the Town. Individual Board Comments:  Feel timing is doable with another hearing on October 10 and close the hearing that night.  Do not feel it is realistic to close on October 10 with new material coming out at that time. The applicant asked for a memorandum from staff with Board comments to make sure they can be addressed quickly.  With reduced staff it will be difficult to draft a decision for Town Meeting and is important to close on October 10 and the Board will have to make a decision based on the material and responses.  The uses are a great one, but am concerned with the number that are affordable units and feel there needs to have at least 20% affordable units.  Who are you serving, who is going to live here, and who is going to benefit and how is that going to help Lexington? Want to hear more to make sure residents and the Town are going to benefit before approving this rezoning.  What is the projected monthly rental? The applicant said they will present that information at the next meeting.  The fiscal analysis said it would be 25% Lexington residents so they were not included in emergency services for that 25% and want to know where that assumption is coming from. Minutes for the Meeting of September 12, 2018 Page 7 On a motion of Mr. Hornig, seconded by Ms. Corcoran-Ronchetti, it was voted, 5-0, to continue the public hearing to October 10, 2018, at 7:00 p.m. in the Selectmen’s Meeting Room. *************************BOARD ADMINISTRATION**************************** Dover Amendment; Potential Plan review Bylaw Article: State law says if there is non-profit or for profit school, daycare, or religious institution looking to build a project there is no over sight as our bylaw stands. The Board discussed whether to change the zoning to have site plan review or special permits required for Dover Amendment projects. The Board discussed what things would be allowed to be regulated and there should be outreach to those that would be impacted by this potential zoning change. The Board reviewed Concord’s Bylaw regarding this potential change and should discuss with Town’s Counsel for input. This should be brought up at a future meeting to discuss further. Audience Comments:  There are many towns that have gone around restrictions in the Dover Amendment and would like the Planning Board to consider crafting something similar to what Concord has created regarding this amendment.  The Planning Board and staff should be worked with more closely with the Building Commissioner who could impose restrictions if he is sensitized to a project and consider using him more closely in the future.  Consider doing a simple amendment in the part of the Dover Amendment with regards to the by-right child care facilities by inserting the words non-profit facilities. Mr. Kaufman is working on this possibility and not sure if it would be accepted, but worth trying this.  The South Lexington Civic Association (SLCA) is holding a meeting next week and Board Members were invited, a member of the SCLA was asking the Planning Board to put the Dover Amendment adding site plan review on for the Fall Special Town Meeting. There is still plenty of open land in south Lexington and the concern is there will be more unreasonable intrusions made that will impact immediate abutters. If site plan review is added this would give residents some input before the project is constructed during a required public hearing. The Board Members were concerned that staff was stretched a little too thin to get it on the Fall Special Town Meeting, but would look to put it on for discussion for a future meeting. Upcoming Meetings & Anticipated Meetings: September 26, October 10, 24, and 31. November 13, 14, or 15 and 28. Page 8 Minutes for the Meeting of September 12, 2018 Minutes: On a motion of Mr. Canale, seconded by Ms. Corcoran-Ronchetti it was voted, 5-0, to approve the minutes of August 16, 2018, as amended. On a motion, duly made and seconded, it was voted to adjourn the meeting at 10:45 p.m. The meeting was recorded by LexMedia. The following documents used at the meeting can be found on the Planning Board website in Planning Board packets. Documents for (PD3) 55-56 Watertown Street (Belmont Country Club) (PSDUP)  Introductory letter  Zoning petition  Corporate overview and sample projects  Zoning text  Reasons for rezone  Comparison to base zoning  Analysis of compliance with comprehensive plan  Environmental and infrastructure report  Fiscal impact analysis  Waterstone architectural drawings  Bridges architectural drawings  Waterstone site drawings  Bridges site drawings  Waterstone Stormwater management  Bridges stormwater management  Traffic study Nancy Corcoran-Ronchetti, Clerk