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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2019-07-24-PB-min PLANNING BOARD MINUTES MEETING OF JULY 24, 2019 A meeting of the Lexington Planning Board, held in Selectmen’s Meeting Room, in the Town Office Building was called to order at 7:02 p.m. by Chair Richard Canale with members Ginna Johnson, Charles Hornig, Robert Peters, Bob Creech, and planning staff Sheila Page and Lori Kaufman present. **********************DEVELOPMENT ADMINISTRATION*********************** PUBLIC HEARING Rangeway Extension (Map 87 lot 37), Definitive Subdivision: Mr. Peters will be recused from this project. Mr. Canale, opened the continued public hearing at 7:03 p.m. with approximately 3 people in the audience. The applicant has requested a continuance to August 14, 2019, and extended the action deadline to September 30, 2019, subject to the Board’s approval. On a motion of Mr. Hornig, seconded by Ms. Johnson, it was voted, 4-0, to extend the action deadline to September 30, 2019. On a motion of Mr. Hornig, seconded by Ms. Johnson, it was voted, 4-0, to continue the public hearing to August 14, 2019 at 7:00 p.m. in the Selectmen’s Meeting Room *************************BOARD ADMINISTRATION**************************** Schedule Board’s Retreat: The Board decided that August 28 will be the Planning Board retreat and the location to be determined. The chair will meet with staff to determine items that will be discussed at the retreat. Report on Meeting with Board of Selectmen/ Appointed vs. Elected Board: Mr. Canale reported that the two Boards met with administration on July15 and that he met again today with Jim Malloy, Town Manager and Carol Kowalski, Assistant Town Manager for Development. Items of concern were the relationship between the Board and Staff in the past and who the Planning Director reports to which could cause a conflict of interest if there are different goals between administration and the Planning Board. The Planning Board Procedural Rules state that the Planning Director “implements the decisions of the Board and carries out other specific tasks assigned by the Board” this directive needs to be clarified so when a new planning director is hired they are not left without clear direction. Page 2 Minutes for the Meeting of July 24, 2019 At the joint meeting it was made clear that it doesn’t matter how the Board is selected, but how they work with the staff and planning director. To retain the best staff the Board needs to empower them so they can do the job they were hired for. How other surrounding towns select their Board was discussed and up till now there was no reason to make a change, but with these current issues it’s time to consider bringing a change forward. If there is an appointed Planning Board who would do the appointing and what would the process be? A democratically elected Board is important since it impacts the residents and they should have a voice in who makes those decisions by having the opportunity to elect who they want to represent them. Term limits, length of terms, and representatives with institutional knowledge and continuity were discussed. While it is good to see what other communities are doing we should decide what is best for Lexington. Goals and Work Plan: The Board will have 7 Hartwell Avenue and 186 Bedford Street, for the Fall Special Town Meeting. Other items that were brought up to be considered are as follows:  Special Permit Residential Development (SPRD) revision discussion is ongoing;  Hartwell Avenue rezoning discussion is ongoing;  Comprehensive Plan should be the number 1 priority on the list, but the timeline will be extended;  Update the zoning for wireless;  Solar power bylaw;  East Lexington is looking for some revitalization and MAPC is interested in providing consulting help to look at mixed uses and low-scale multi-family housing for early next year;  Look at Limited Site Plan Review (LSPR) regulations possibly for the Special Fall Town Meeting; and  Site Plan Review revisions. Discussion of Board Policies and Regulations - Limited Site Plan Review (LSPR), Special Permit Residential Development (SPRD), Planned Developments Districts (PDD), – discuss draft regulations at scheduled meeting: The SPRD Ad-Hoc Committee is progressing slowly and at a work shop developers said they feel they are not getting the right direction and the problem is not the bylaws, but how it is being administered. Some easier fixes to the regulations the Planning Board can do. What the applicants Minutes for the Meeting of July 24, 2019 Page 3 are looking for is context. This is really important since goals applied to one site may not be appropriate for another. Approvals should be as specific as possible in our conditions. A developer said land costs is a big part of what they have to deal with which is based on proof plans and the Board should consider looking at proof plans differently. It does not seem that the SPRD Committee will come up with any radical changes for the Fall Special Town Meeting. Sketch plans can be used to determine the goals of the Board and the applicant and give guidance to be more goal oriented at the beginning. The Board can give feedback, but it doesn’t help when Board Members do not agree among themselves. The bulk of the time for permitting is spent on the details instead of the concept and not sure agreeing on a concept will help. Our goals do not focus on climate resiliency and we need to focus on the details to get to the important issues and proper balance which is very delicate and cannot be done without dimensional controls. It was discussed that the SPRD Committee does not feel that affordable housing needs to be required in the bylaws. Planning Board Members discussed that affordable housing should be included and integrated into the community. Should the developer share the burden with the Town and look for CPA monies to help with the affordable units? Audience comments: The SPRD Ad-Hoc Committee has nothing that will be ready for the Fall Special Town Meeting and Mr. Pressman said he would like to see a requirement for affordable units. It looks like the State will be increasing CPA monies, but LexHab will be asking for design monies for the Leary property and with the cost of units there may not be a lot of extra money for other initiatives. Planned Developments Districts (PDD): The Planning Board needs to be clearer on having an agreement with the BOS regarding what goes in the PSDUP and the MOU. The Board needs to give applicants clear guidance early. The regulations for PDDs need to be updated. The Sustainable Committee asked about a draft article for permissible solar power in locations where it is currently not allowed. Ms. Johnson made a list of zoning changes she will submit. Mr. Canale will work with staff to put these items on a chart for the work plan. On the next agenda we will add LSPR and work plan. Update on zoning amendment hearing schedule for potential Special Town Meeting ndrd The Fall Special Town Meeting will be the 2 or 3 week of November. Page 4 Minutes for the Meeting of July 24, 2019 Board Member and Staff Updates: Mr. Creech and Mr. Peters met with members of the Center Committee regarding the CD- Lexington Place and ATMs in general and stated that we do not have a good definition for ATMs and Banks and need to address that. The Board discussed how the CD-Lexington Place would need to discuss allowing ATMS in that CD. Mr. Creech and Mr. Peters will be meeting again with the Committee on Friday morning. Minutes: On a motion of, Mr. Hornig, seconded by Ms. Johnson, it was voted, 5-0, to approve the minutes of June 26, 2019, as submitted. On a motion, duly made and seconded, it was voted to adjourn the meeting at 8:48 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. Rangeway extension:  Request from Mr. Grant to continue public hearing and extend the action deadline. Robert Peters, Clerk