HomeMy WebLinkAbout2002-12-11-PB-minPLANNING BOARD MINUTES
MEETING OF DECEMBER 11, 2002
The meeting of the Lexington Planning Board held in the Selectmen's Room, Town Office Building, was
called to order at 7:30 p.m. by Chairman Galaitsis with members, Chase, Davies, Harden, Kastorf and
planning staff Garber, McCall- Taylor, Tap and Machek present.
MINUTES
The Board reviewed the minutes for the meeting of November 20, 2002. On a motion duly made and
seconded, it was voted unanimously 4 -0 to approve the minutes, as written.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * ** ARTICLES FOR 2003 TOWN MEETING * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * **
CN2 to CLO, Rezoning of 429 -433 Marrett Road, Dean Curtin Mr. Dean Curtin and his attorney,
Frederick Conroy, appeared before the Board to explain Mr. Curtin's proposal to rezone his commercial
property at 429 -433 .Massachusetts Avenue from CN2 to CLO. Mr. Curtin said he renovated the former
Midnight Motors building so that is suitable as office space since that what the market calls for these
days. He has had dentists, doctors, a physical therapist and an insurance firm, uses not allowed in a CN
zone, express interest in the space,. He said that the uses allowed in the CN zone do not seem to survive in
that location.
Questions /Comments from the Planning Board The Board noted that Mr. Curtin renovated and enlarged
the building prior to asking about the possibility of rezoning the property. Mr. Curtin responded that since
the building housed a service station /garage it needed substantial work whatever use comes next. And if
he had noticed a certain paragraph in the Zoning Bylaw about the substitution of a non - conforming use he
would have acted differently. He pointed out that he has upgraded all the properties he owns in that area
trying to attract better uses.
Mr. Galaitsis remarked on the difficult traffic intersection there at the intersection of Spring Street and
M:arrett Road. In response to Mr. Garber's question, Mr. Curtin said that if the Board of Appeals grants
him a special permit he would withdraw his rezoning petition. Ms. Chase asked if two more stories could
be added to the building in the future, making it much. less compatible with its residential neighbors. Mr.
Conroy said that a limit on the building height could be made part of a special permit. Noting that Town
Meeting would have a great many questions about a rezoning, Board members indicated that a Board of
Appeals solution seems best.
* * * * * * * * * * ** ADMINISTRATION OF LAND DEVELOPMENT REGULATIONS * * * * * * * * * * * **
SUBDIVISION OF LAND
Olde Smith Farm Cluster Subdivision off Wood Street, Partial Release of Covenant Ms. McCall - Taylor
informed the Board that the developer, Stabile Companies, requests the partial release of the Olde Smith
Farm covenant and release of lots 1 though 8 so they may be sold. After a brief discussion, on the motion
of Mr. Davies, seconded by Mr. Harden , the Board voted unanimously to partially release the covenant
and to release lots 1 through 8.
Edna Street, Endorsement of Plans Ms. McCall - Taylor informed that Board that no appeals were filed
within the 20 -day appeal period following approval of the Edna Street subdivision.. The Board endorsed
the Edna Street plans.
DETERMINATION OF GRADE AND CONSTRUCTION OF UNACCEPTED STREETS
20 Outlook Drive, Determination of Grade and Construction Ms. Mary Jo Kestner, the applicant, was
present and asked the Board to determine the portion of Outlook Drive in front of number 20 of adequate
Minutes for the Meeting of December 11, 2002 2
grade and construction. Ms. McCall- Taylor had provided the Board with a background memo that stated,
along with notes about the condition of the road, that the Town Engineer finds the section of Outlook
Drive in question to be in excellent condition. On the motion of Ms. Chase, seconded by Mr. Davies, the
Board voted unanimously that the portion of Outlook Drive, which provides frontage for number 20 is
presently of adequate grade and construction.
Laconia Street, Preliminary Street Construction. Plan Present for this item were Mr. George Woods, the
applicant, and Mr. Malcolm McDowell, engineer, of Noonan and McDowell, Billerica, MA. Laconia
Street loops off of Lowell Street. Both ends of the road are public ways, while the middle section of
approximately 2,211' is a private way. Mr. McDowell presented a preliminary street construction plan for
a portion of Laconia Street. Mr. Woods wants to demolish and replace the structure at 42 Laconia Street,
which is on the private way. The plan shows the reconstruction of the street along the frontage of 42
Laconia to the public way at the southern end of Laconia, a distance of approximately 500'. Drainage
improvements are included. Two alternative street widths are proposed, 24 feet, which would require no
waivers, and 18 feet, which would require number of waivers.
Board Questions and Comments Mr. Davies asked about the existing stone wall. Mr. McDowell said it
would remain undisturbed. There was discussion about the number of trees to be lost or saved and what
type of curbing would be appropriate. The Board preferred a berm that would not be mountable by trucks
or easily plowed away in the winter. The Board approved the preliminary plan and urged the applicant to
work out these details with the town engineer before submitting a definitive plan.
HOUSING
Implementation of the Housing Element of the Comprehensive Plan: Mr. Philip Herr of Philip B. Herr
and Associates, consultants to the implementation of the housing element, presented the data analysis that
be, with help from Planning Intern Elizabeth Machek, produced. He characterized the outcome as
"surprising ". It appears that even using the FAST scenario, as opposed to the BASIC scenario, Lexington
would not be able to produce enough Affordable housing to reach the 10 % mark by the year 2020.
"DHCD's Affordable Housing Inventory credits Lexington with 796 affordable units, leaving a shortfall
of 332 such units below the 1,228 unit threshold for 10 %. The Town has land capacity for only another
900 housing units. Nearly half of the units built on the land now remaining vacant would have to be
Affordable for the Town to meet the 10% overall threshold."
Mr. Herr said be believes that 10 % could be achieved by 2012 using strong measures today major
institutional changes and initiative taking. He outlined a number of strategies and described some
successful methods used by other municipalities, such as a cooperative 40B in Westwood and creative use
of tax revenues from rental properties in Cambridge.
Mr. Harden thanked Mr, Herr and questioned the speed of the `fast' scenario. Mir. Herr replied that
everything within the scenario would have to be done to achieve 10% affordability within 10 years. Mr.
Galaitsis commented that many mechanisms are necessary to achieve that goal. Mr. Harden noted that
Met State would be an important one. Mr. Garber pointed out that there is no set number of units to be
built there, only a maximum traffic threshold based on figures from the last use. Mr. Kastorf pointed out
that they will need to think about presenting both affordable housing and Met State at 2004Town
Meeting. Sara Chase replied that it is more important to focus on Met State, because the sellers of small
houses don't want to be the ones to provide affordable housing,
The Board asked Mr. Herr to further elucidate his strategy and come back for more discussion
RECOMMENDATIONS ON APPLICATIONS TO THE BOARD OF APPEALS
Minutes for the Meeting of December 11, 2002 3
Applications To Be Heard on December 19, 2002 Mr. Harden gave an oral review of the following
applications:
1728 Mass. Avenue — Neil Kelly — special permit to operate a food take -out service at Cheese, Etc,
6 North Hancock Street — Antique Furniture Restoration — special permit for substitution of a less
nonconforming use to operate a furniture restoration and antique art and accessory business in the CN
district.
6 Donald Street — Alice Kashmanian — special permit to construct 2 ° floor addition above
nonconforming portions of an existing single- family dwelling
20 Robbins Road Patrick Costello variance from 15 -foot rear yard setback to construct an addition
to a nonconforming dwelling that will have a rear yard setback of 7.7 feet.
0 33 Arcola Street — Huimin Xu variance from 30 -foot front yard setback and from the 10 -foot side
yard setback and 15 foot rear yard setback to construct a new front entry and to erect a storage shed
with rear and side setbacks of + or- 2 feet each.
107 Waltham Street — Jonathan & Theresa Cronin — variance from 15 foot side yard setback to
construct an addition to a single - family dwelling that will have a side yard setback of 6.7 feet.
The Board agreed to make no comment on the petitions.
Mr. Galaitsis recused him before the following topic was discussed.
536 -540 Lowell Street — Rising Tide - Comprehensive Permit to construct a residential development
of multi - family units in multiple buildings.
The Board reviewed a letter written by Mr. Harden to Mr. Robert Sacco, chairman of the Board of
Appeals, urging the Board to limit the density of the Rising Tide Comprehensive Permit project to 15 to
18 units, applying the principle that the development of affordable housing occur "without sacrificing the
qualities of existing residential environs through unreasonable density departures, introduction of
disruptive traffic or other impacts, or building in a way that is inconsistent with its context."
After some discussion, on the motion of Mr. Kastorf, seconded by Mr. Davies, the board voted 4 -0 to
present the letter, as drafted, to the Board of Appeals and to have Ms. Chase read the letter at the Board of
Appeals meeting on December 19.
The meeting was adjou ned at 10:00 p.m.
Karl P. Kastorf, Clerk