Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAbout2010-06-16-PB-min PLANNING BOARD MINUTES MEETING OF JUNE 16, 2010 A regular meeting of the Lexington Planning Board in the Selectmen’s Meeting Room, Town Office Building was called to order at 7:30 p.m. by Chairman Gregory Zurlo with members Richard Canale, Charles Hornig, Anthony Galaitsis, Wendy Manz and planning staff Maryann McCall-Taylor and Aaron Henry present. *******************HARTWELL AVENUE TRANSPORTATION PLAN******************* An overview of the transportation study and plan was the presented by Rick Bryant of Tetra Tech Rizzo, the Board’s consultant. Comments from the Economic Development Advisory Committee (EDAC) were received in writing prior to the meeting and responses to these comments were provided at the meeting. EDAC Questions Will the two-roundabout (2RB) solution be able to handle the projected capacity needs? What will the traffic impact be at a 40, 50 and 60 percent increased capacity? Information from the study was shared that shows that the critical Hartwell/Bedford roundabout will operate better than or equal to other designs under consideration from a volume-to-capacity perspective. The intersection may still experience peak hour traffic demands that are 20 percent more than the roundabout’s capacity under full build out conditions. However, these projected traffic levels may never be realized given capacity constraints on other elements of the area roadway system (Route 128 and Bedford Street east and west of the study area). Is the proposed one time $3 to $5 per sq-ft district wide traffic improvement assessment (DTIA) on new space, collected at permitting time, to finance town's 25% share of the projected $12 million 2RB cost workable? Information from the study was shared that showed that higher fees are being paid by developers elsewhere in Burlington and in Needham, MA. EDAC representatives expressed concerns that developers will not want to pay fees that do not end up being spent to improve the corridor. It is believed that developers in the Hartwell Avenue area in the past made fee payments which have never been spent on the corridor. Has an analysis (or an assumption) been done on when it is likely the development will take place? No assumptions have been made in this regard. The mitigation fund and need for traffic improvements are Page 2 Minutes for the Meeting of June 16, 2010 expected to grow simultaneously as development occurs. EDAC members noted that with current vacancy levels that there is little urgency to advance capacity improvements. Tetra Tech noted that implementing the infrastructure plan would yield some benefits in terms of traffic safety and pedestrian/bike accommodations. Have there been any other municipalities that have successfully levied DTIA, the amounts per sq-ft and have also assessed the existing owners? The proposed plan does not anticipate levying fees for existing development. Only new space constructed under the new TMOD zoning would be subject to fees. Is the $10/employee for funding Traffic Demand Management (TDM) appropriate and workable? What other municipalities operate TMAs for businesses? The Town of Lexington would help get the TMA started and becoming an ongoing participant. The goal however, would be to have area businesses manage and operate the TMA. This is typical of other area TMAs. A $10 fee/employee annual fee is presently charged by the 128 Council TMA to cover basic administrative expenses. A higher fee may be established for the Hartwell TMA assuming fees collected are used to subsidize travel demand management programs such as shuttle buses, ride-matching services, commuter bus passes and commuter incentives (free lunches, monthly gifts, etc.). Is there an understanding of what the Hanscom and MIT Lincoln Laboratory expansion plans are and how it will affect the infrastructure? In the conduct of the study a meeting was held with Hanscom and Lincoln Labs. Lincoln Labs explained that they have no current plans for expansion. Hanscom was actively looking to relocate National Guard operations and staff to the Base. However, the new Guard population would replace another group that was leaving the Base. Overall, Base population has steadily declined in the last ten years. Other redevelopment plans are in the works but details were not available at the time of our meeting What is the consequence of the proposed traffic calming on Wood Street? Would it displace traffic? The traffic calming plans are principally intended to slow traffic down. This may have only a minor impact on traffic volumes. Have we looked at the impact of the proposed roadway concepts on the Town of Bedford, Hanscom and the Eldred neighborhoods? The Town planning staff has been in communication with Bedford officials. As Minutes for the Meeting of June 16, 2010 Page 3 noted above a meeting has been held with Hanscom representatives. Eldred Street residents have participated in prior community meetings. Other Comments Has the Synchro traffic model been used to test roadway capacity and queuing conditions? The Synchro model was applied in preparing this study. The model can provide many detailed performance measures, delays and queues by turning movement for example. However, this is a planning level study seeking to develop the broad concepts for the future infrastructure. As such these detailed results, which may change significantly during final design of the roadway improvements, have not been presented. The removal of truck traffic from Wood Street should be pursued. Most likely these trucks are seeking short cuts or are “lost” on their way to Hanscom. Proposed Wood Street mitigation should respect the needs of Lincoln Labs. Lincoln Labs is a major employer in the area and the viability of this operation should not be threatened. The EDAC is looking at a branding campaign as a way of promoting Hartwell Avenue for business. Efforts to collect fees for traffic mitigation are only going to make it more difficult to attract businesses. The impact fee structure is intended to reduce uncertainty for developers. Without this developers will have to negotiate traffic mitigation on a case by case basis with no certainty of the outcome. Additionally, individual development projects will not be able to fund improvements of the scale described in the infrastructure plan. Existing vacancy rate on Hartwell Avenue is 44 percent. The real vacancy rate is even higher if “shadow space” is considered. The National Park Service does not want Airport Road open for access to Hanscom or Lincoln Labs. Past plans to improve Bedford Street were not funded by the State in 1982 because a proposed signal at Eldred Street would have backed traffic up onto Route 128. The current plans should be reviewed in this context. Page 4 Minutes for the Meeting of June 16, 2010 Review the project construction estimates. A $650,000 project on Route 2A ended up costing $5 million. Also, construction could take 20 years. Do not expect abutters along Wood Street to donate land for traffic calming improvements. Eliminate the impact fee. It will discourage development. The Town should pay for infrastructure design. A certain level of development here should be “by right” with no fees attached. If the Town and State build the improvements the development will come. Board members explained that the TMOD allowed more density relative to the zoning in place in 2008. The rezoning assumed that new development would contribute impact fees. The Town should work on the TMOD language. The permitting process may be more complicated than the Planning Board describes. This complexity will discourage development. Can the state provide other funds to support project design? Susan Yanofsky noted that there are some pools of money available to support economic development however, these funds are usually only distributed when there is a definite development proposal in place that will add jobs. She expressed concerns that delays in approving the TMOD plan has caused developers to lose interest in Hartwell Avenue. The Board should make it clear which rules apply (the old or the new) to development projects that come forward now. Quick approval of the plan would address this issue. Mr. Hornig is concerned that the plan should have enough of the details addressed to satisfy community concerns before it is adopted. Susan Yanofsky suggested that the plan at least determine the funding requirements but remain somewhat flexible on the details regarding what gets built. Board member Canale is concerned that opening Airport Road would hurt tourism and the Town. Board Member Comments/Discussion  Board needs to establish ballpark costs for the infrastructure plan. Minutes for the Meeting of June 16, 2010 Page 5  Provide more detailed level of service results for the Hartwell Avenue/Bedford Street intersection. Show results for each approach. What fails first? What would need to be done to fix problems?  Does not support grade separation of the Minuteman bike path. Too costly. Tetra Tech noted that this is not a critical part of the plan, however, it could work well with the West Lexington Greenway plan. This would enhance the Greenway crossing of Hartwell Avenue allowing the Greenway to then cross Bedford Street on the west (low volume) side of Hartwell Avenue.  Check the signal warrants for the left-turn into Wood Street from Hartwell. This is a difficult move with a steady stream of traffic leaving Hanscom. Aiding this left turn movement could encourage more cut through traffic to use Wood Street.  What is the “reserve capacity” in the infrastructure plan? What would it take to add capacity?  Bike accommodations on Wood Street are a problem. Should consider providing standard lane markings and signage to support a shared-use condition. Also consider restriping to narrow the lanes to 10 feet. This would slow traffic down.  Could Old Mass Ave be closed at Wood Street? Yes. This intersection does not experience operational problems but left turns into Old Mass Ave from Route 2A may be problematic. These lefts would relocate to Mass Ave where they would add to congestion and safety concerns.  Look at the crash experience at Old Mass Ave and Route 2A. Should mitigation be proposed here?  The performance based TDM plan was questioned. Should the Town take a more active role in developing and monitoring travel demand management plans for businesses? The impact on Town resources (staffing) should be considered.  The preamble of the TMOD bylaw should be included in the traffic management plan. This language reflects the desire to treat all modes equally.  Plan should address the West Lexington Greenway more directly.  Check construction cost estimates for the project. They seem low.  Does the plan allocate impact fees to transit services? No. It is assumed that the TMA and membership dues would support transit services. Infrastructure components (bus shelters, benches, pullouts) would be built under the infrastructure plan.  Will employers just pay the TMA fees rather than actively try to reduce trips? This will depend on the fee amounts. The TMA may need to experiment with various fees to see what works. In any Page 6 Minutes for the Meeting of June 16, 2010 event, the fees that one employer may choose to pay could, through the TMA, subsidize non-auto trips for another employer. Tetra Tech noted that the Cape Cod Commission collects fees based on the cost per trip to accommodate a commuter on a bus.  Other Town boards and departments still need to comment on the plan. The meeting was adjourned with the expectation that the Planning Board public hearing will be opened on June 23, 2010. The hearing may need to be continued since the Plan is not in final form. On a motion duly made and seconded, it was voted to adjourn the meeting at 11:05 p.m. Anthony Galaitsis, Clerk