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Home My WebLink About2002-02-06-PB-minPLANNING BOARD MINUTES MEETING OF FEBRUARY 6, 2002 The meeting of the Lexington PIanning Board held in the Selectmen's Room, Town Office Building, was called to order at 7:3 S p.m. by Chairman Galaitsis with members Chase, Davies, Harden, Kastorf and planning staff Garber, McCall- Taylor, and Tap present. .MINUTES * * * * ** x * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * ** Review of Minutes The Board reviewed and corrected the minutes for the meeting of November 14, 2001. On a motion duly made and seconded, it was voted unanimously 5-0 to approve the minutes, as amended. * * * * * * * * * * ** ADMINISTRATION OF LAND DEVELOPMENT REGULATIONS * * * * * * * * * * * ** PLANS NOT REQUIRING APPROVAL UNDER THE SUBDIVISION CONTROL LAW Form A /02 -1,30 and 32 Bowker Street The Board reviewed an Approval Not Required Plan for land at 30 and 32 Bowker Street. On the motion of Mr. Harden, seconded by Ms. Chase, the Board voted unanimously to endorse the plan entitled "Plan of Land in Lexington, MA (Middlesex County) ", dated January 8, 2002 prepared by Meridian Engineering, Inc., Danvers, MA, certified by Michael Juliano, Professional Land Surveyor, with Form A /02 -1, submitted by Frederick Conroy for Virginia Ryder, applicant, as it does not require approval under the Subdivision Control Law. SUBDIVISION OF LAND King Street Preliminary Subdivision Plan Daniel Ta for Public Inforfnation Meeting: Present for this item were Mr. Daniel Taylor, the applicant, Mr. Chris Emilius, GEOD Consulting and Mr. Frederick Conroy, attorney. There were 14 people in the audience. Mr. Emilius presented a preliminary subdivision plan showing three dwellings to be built on three lots on King Street, off Fern Street. The lots will be 30,000, 20,000 and 24,000 square feet in area, and served by an extension of King Street, ending with a cul de sac. Mr. Emilius noted that they are not asking for any waivers for the subdivision lotting, only for the road improvement so the road can be 16 feet wide. He said that they were before the Board tonight to see if a 16 -foot wide road is acceptable. He explained the proposed drainage system, saying it is not in its final form, which will be designed to field calculations. Currently there is no drainage system in King Street. He also described grading fcr the road. Mr. Kastorf asked if they would need easements from the other property owners to extend the road. The answer was yes. Mr. Galaitsis asked if they had considered building just one house so that a waiver would not be necessary. Mr. Emilius answered no, but that King Street would be safer with his proposed improvement. Mr. Kastorf asked about the sight distances on Fern Street, entering from King Street. Mr. Emilius answered that they are sub - standard in both directions. Mr. Galaitsis commented that the police and fire departments have indicated their serious concern about the waiver requests for King Street. Further questions had to do with details of the road. The Board advised Mr. Taylor to meet with the neighbors. There were many questions and comments from the abutters in the audience, most of which had to do with the proposed road extension. Mr. Hayg Boyadjian, 43 Fern Street, said that the proposed houses will worsen runoff from King Street. Mr. Gordon Conrad, 16 Bridle Path, concurred, saying the winter freeze - thaw pattern is very dangerous and won't be helped by the proposed development. He asked if blasting would be necessary. Mr. Emilius said he believes not. In answer to the question of whether the road would be public after construction, Ms. McCall - Taylor said no. Abutters aired other concerns about the road. Minutes for the Meeting of February 6, 2002 2 All agree that the intersection ofFem and King Streets is very dangerous in its current state. Mr. Emilius said that the development team would be in touch with the neighbors. Mr. Davies said he would not support a request for a 16 -foot roadway. Mr. Harden and Mr. Galaitsis said they would not support a plan for three dwelling units. Mr. Kastorf expressed concern about the safety of the road and the extent of requested waivers. On the motion of Mr. Kastorf, seconded by Ms. Chase, the Board voted unanimously not to approve the preliminary subdivision plan for King Street, dated December 26, 2001. Lexington Sketch Subdivision Plan off Walnut Street Roseland Walnut. Present for this item were Mr. Charles Fonnan and Jeffrey Nadherny, Roseland Properties, applicants; Mr. Richard Waitt, of Meridian Engineering; Mr. Gary Larson of Larson Associates, landscape architect and Mr. John Farrington, attorney. Mr. Farrington cited sections 9.3.6.1 through 9.3.6.5 of the Zoning By -Law as the requirement for second means of access to the development. He said that Waltham wants to use a transponder system for a gated emergency access road. He said the applicant is seeking guidance tonight on this issue. Mr. Larson explained the plan's interior drive and secondary access layout and pointed out the reduction from 33 to 31 dwelling units and the provision of up to three affordable units. A discussion about access road issues followed. Questions raised included: • Will the proposed easement clearly allow travel through the portion of the Middlesex County Hospital campus in Waltham? • Will the secondary access roads exceed the ten foot width standard. Mr. Larson replied that they likely would. • Will the access situation affect the market value of the homes? • Will it appear to be a gated community? • How is it in Lexington's interest to have the gate? Mr. Farrington replied that it helps Lexington because a gate prevents a cut - through from Waltham to Walnut Street in Lexington; the developer does not want a cut - through either. Mr. Kastorf said that he wants sufficient guarantee that Waltham would not feel "gated out ". Ms. Chase and Mr. Davies expressed concern that this might set a dangerous precedent. • Would a power outage affect the transponder mechanism? • What if Walnut Street is blocked? • Can the gate be broken through? • Ms. McCall - Taylor said that the Fire Department has not yet commented on the plan. • Will a new by -law provision be required? Mr. Garber commented that gated access is referenced in the Zoning By -Law. Mr. Farrington said that Mr. Forman, the applicant, does not want access to this development, from whatever land use to occur on the 25 acres across the line in Waltham, except for an emergency, especially if the use is quite dense. He said the Waltham land across the town line is zoned Al, Residential. Mr. Harden noted that a gate would allow some control against that unknown. Mr. Kastorf pointed out that a through road could take a traffic burden off of Walnut Street and added that he wants to be sure that a transponder system is acceptable to Waltham. REPORTS Historical Commission Mr. Davies reported that the Historical Commission signed off on Mr. Daniel Taylor's (Taylor Made Carpentry) request to demolish a house on King Street. Minutes for the Meeting of February 6, 2002 3 COMPREHENSIVE PLANNING Executive Summary Having agreed previously that an executive summary should be included in the Comprehensive Plan document, the Board members agreed who would prepare a draft of each element's summary. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * ** ARTICLES FOR 2002 TOWN MEETING * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * ** Article 20, House Impact Review The Board discussed various issues relative to their proposed house impact review zoning amenchnent. Mr. Galaitsis demonstrated his computer model illustrating house size related to lot size. Various suggestions were made. Mr. Kastorf commented that Town Meeting will decide if a property owner can disregard the neighborhood by cutting all trees on his land and building a house that casts a permanent shadow on abutting properties. On a motion duly made and seconded, the Board voted unanimously to adjourn the meeting at 10:28 p.m. Sara B. Chase, Clerk