Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAbout2004-08-11-PB-minPLANNING BOARD MINUTES MEETING OF AUGUST 11, 2004 A regular meeting of the Lexington Planning Board held in the Selectmen's Meeting Room, Town Office Building, was called to order at 7:30 p.m. by Acting Chairman Davies with members Galaitsis and Manz and planning staff Garber, McCall - Taylor, and Tap present. Mr. Kastorf and Mr. Harden were absent. MINUTES ****** * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * ** Review of Minutes The Board reviewed and corrected the minutes for the meeting of March 29, March 31, May 19, July 7 and July 21, 2004. On a motion duly made and seconded, it was voted to approve the minutes as amended. * * * * * * * * * * ** ADMINISTRATION OF LAND DEVELOPMENT REGULATIONS * * * * * * * * * * * ** SUBDIVISION OF LAND Luongo Farm Lane Conventional Subdivision, Accept Public Utilities Covenant, Sign Plan The Board endorsed the corrected definitive site construction plan for the Luongo Farm Lane Conventional Subdivision at 47 and 53 Pleasant Street. The correction had only to do with labeling. Upon motion duly made and seconded, it was voted to accept the covenant for the ways and municipal services and the grant of easements, dated August 5, 2004. Upon motion duly made and seconded, it was voted to endorse the previously accepted declaration of restrictive subdivision covenants, signed and dated February 25, 2004. DETERMINATION OF GRADE AND CONSTRUCTION OF UNACCEPTED STREETS 20 Estabrook Road, Alla Gordon, Preliminary Street Improvement Plan Ms. Gordon was present to explain her request for a determination of adequate grade and construction of the portion of Estabrook Road that is adjacent to her property, which is unaccepted roadway. She would like to demolish and replace her house. She showed pictures of the road's current condition and proposed a couple of alternative ways to improve a portion of it. Letters from other residents on the street asking that the roadway not be widened and that sidewalks not be required were provided to the Board. Ms. Gordon acknowledged the need for her to provide surety for the roadwork, as it will be done after her new home is built. Upon motion duly made and seconded, it was voted that the portion of Estabrook Road, an unaccepted street, that serves as frontage for lot 78 on Assessors Map 50, is not presently of adequate grade and construction but will be of adequate grade and construction if certain improvements, proposed by the applicant, are made. The improvements to be made along the entire frontage of the lot and continuing south through the intersection with Welch Road, as shown on the plans submitted with the application, are as follows: • The top coat and all patches will be ground out; • A binder coat will be used to fill where patches are removed; • Anew topcoat of 1' /z inches will be applied over the 98 -foot length proposed to be improved; • All transitions between the improvements and the existing pavement will be flush. • The two large potholes at the Massachusetts Avenue end of Estabrook will be ground out, binder used to level, and then a topcoat applied. • The present width and layout of the street will be utilized. Minutes for the Meeting of August 11, 2004 2 In order to prevent damage to the road, the Planning Board will allow the roadwork to take place after the house is built, but the roadwork must be completed before an occupancy permit is issued. Before obtaining a building permit, the applicant must post surety with the Planning Board in an amount sufficient to cover the cost of the road improvements plus 15 percent. The Board feels that these improvements are reasonable and sufficient due to the low volume of traffic on this road and the desires expressed by those abutting the road for minimal improvements within the existing lay out. 2020 VISION COMMITTEE Update on 2020 Activities Mr. Fernando Quezada and Mrs. Candy McLaughlin, 2020 Vision Committee, were present to update the Planning Board on the 2020 Vision Committee's Fall initiatives. From the 27 goals identified over the past several years, five highest priority goals have been gleaned. On Saturday, October 2, the 2020 committee will host a four -hour conference, with guest speakers, aiming to develop action items – concrete tasks – for moving toward those goals. Mr. Quezada invited the Planning Board members to come and stressed that their active involvement is needed. RECOMMENDATIONS ON APPLICATIONS TO THE BOARD OF APPEALS Applications To Be Heard on August 26, 2004: Ms. McCall- Taylor reviewed the following applications: • 20 Cottage Street – Variance from front yard set back • 27 Colony Road – Variance from front yard set back The Board had no comment on the applications above. • 9 Bushnell Drive – The Planning Board favors the use of a common driveway to serve the two lots with frontage on Waltham Street. A common driveway will reduce both the amount of impervious surface, as well as the disturbance of the natural features. • 20 Estabrook Road – The Board agreed that the applicants have not demonstrated that they meet the statutory criteria for granting a variance —that they would suffer substantial hardship, financial or otherwise, due to the soil conditions, topography or shape of the land or structures if a variance from the provisions of the Zoning By -Law is not granted. Given that this is a teardown there appears to be no reason the house could not be designed and placed to meet the setbacks. • 1010 Waltham Street, Brookhaven – The Board agreed that the project appears to meet the standard required in an RD rezoning, that the development conform "substantially to the preliminary site development and use plan approved by the Town Meeting ". Staff will prepare a letter to the Board of Appeals communicating these comments. * * * * * * * * * * *x * x * ** x* AFFORDABLE HOUSING LexHAB Dwelling on Rangeway, Special Permit Application Ms. McCall- Taylor reported that LexHAB's Rangeway Road project would be coming before the Board of Selectmen at its August 23 meeting. The Board of Selectmen is the Special Permit Granting Authority, as the land on which LexHAB plans to build an affordable duplex is Town - owned. The 2004 Town Meeting approved the rezoning of the land from Ro to RD, Planned Residential District, The Planning Board asked the staff to prepare and send a letter to the Selectmen expressing its strong support for LexHAB's application and explaining that the Selectmen are being asked to confirm that the proposal "conforms substantially to the preliminary site development and use plan approved by the Town Meeting" Minutes for the Meeting of August 11, 2004 PLANNING DIRECTOR'S REPORT * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * ** * ** Glen Road South at Grant Street Subdivision Mr. Garber reported that the developer of the Glen Road South three -lot cluster subdivision submitted a definitive plan for the site. But as the plan did not optimize the open space and did not provide adequate no -build protection for the third lot, Mr. Garber did not accept the plan but suggested that the applicant submit a revised plan addressing those concerns. On a motion duly made and seconded, it was voted to adjourn the meeting at 9:15 p.m. N' z Wendy Man, Clerk