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PLANNING BOARD MINUTES
MEETING OF NOVEMBER 3, 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 Greg Zurlo with members Richard Canale, Charles
Hornig, Anthony Galaitsis, Wendy Manz and planning staff Maryann McCall-Taylor, Aaron Henry, and
Lori Kaufman present.
DEVELOPMENT ADMINISTRATION
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SUBDIVISION PLANS
PUBLIC HEARING
Lexington Hills, special permit conversion from conventional subdivision to site sensitive
development (SSD):
Mr. Zurlo called the public hearing to order at 7:35 p.m. There were approximately 5 people in the
audience. Mr. John Farrington, attorney, Mr. Gary Larson, landscape architect, Mr. Joe Casey, project
manager and Mr. Habib Aminipour, the applicant, were present. Mr. Farrington said the developer was
requesting a major modification to the previously approved special permit to allow more flexibility for
placement of the homes on the lots. Roads are completed except for the final finish coat of asphalt. The
drainage system has been completed along with the underground utilities. If the plan was allowed to be
modified to a SSD the use of porous pavement would provide an opportunity to take advantage of the
severe topography by providing better siting of the homes along with decks. The gross square footage
would not change significantly there would be no change in the house size. The impervious surface ratio
proposed in the modifications would be the same as the Victory Gardens.
Mr. Larson said that this revised plan would be an improvement over the conventional subdivision by
providing a better design and increasing the marketability of the new homes. The driveways would
decrease from 20 feet to 12 feet wide and garages would be on the side of the homes, which would
improve scale perception.
Board comments:
Will the setbacks of 15 feet side yards and 30 feet front yard need to be waived? What is the
smallest setback on the plan? Mr. Larson said 20 feet on the side yards and 30 feet on the front
yard. This modification was just looking for flexibility with the building envelope.
Page 2 Minutes for the Meeting of November 3, 2010
The revised plan being proposed is an improvement, but purpose of the SSD is to minimize site
disturbance and protect natural resources. What are the mitigation provisions that would apply for
the whole site?
The original contours and siting of the homes need to be shown at the next meeting to make sure
the end result would not cause even more site disturbance.
Have all procedures for the storm water maintenance been followed up to now? Provide staff with
the maintenance log for the last three years.
More specific data showing what the improvements over the previously approved conventional
plan need to be presented for the new plan. What advantages would be in the modifications for
the Town?
The changes would not make this development a SSD, but would be a slightly better plan then the
previously approved conventional plan.
Next time show the old footprints superimposed on the plan, show the new building envelopes
and how the proposed revisions would be keeping in the spirit of the previously approved plan.
On a motion duly made and seconded, it was voted, 5-0, to continue the public hearing to December 15,
2010 at 7:30 p.m. in the Selectmen’s Meeting Room.
ADEQUACY DETERMINATION FOR UNACCEPTED STREETS
64 Cliffe Avenue:
Mr. Peter S. Bemis from Engineer Design Consultants, Inc. and Mr. Mike DeMartino, the applicant
were present. Mr. Bemis explained that the petition submitted was a definitive street reconstruction
plan for improvements of 125 feet to Cliffe Avenue in the vicinity of number 64. The plan “Definitive
Street Construction Plan Cliffe Avenue, Lexington, Massachusetts,” dated September 27, 2010,
requested six design waivers and four plan waivers.
Board Comments:
Why not make the entire road 20 feet wide?
Why not include curbing? Mr. Bemis said it was more like a country road and would send
drainage onto the next street. The nearest drainage is quite a distance away; the Town Engineer
and staff gave this advice at the site visit.
Based on a site visit the road requiring improvements varies in width from 14 to 20 feet. It was
Minutes for the Meeting of November 3, 2010 Page 3
suggested that on the narrower sections of the street widen the road to 18 feet, keep the portions
that are 20 feet the same, and taper the improvements at the north end.
There is a 14% grade at that portion of the street, which is not acceptable and should be improved
to a 10% grade. This change of grade is achievable at that location since the street flattens at the
north end of that property. Mr. Bemis said it would take a 200 foot section in length to accomplish
that severe grade change and the applicant was only responsible for 125 feet of street
improvements. Not all the Board members agreed the grade change was necessary.
On a motion duly made and seconded, it was voted, 3-2, (Mr. Canale and Ms. Manz opposed) that Cliffe
Avenue in the vicinity of number 64 was not currently of adequate grade and construction and the
proposed improvements would not change that determination.
The applicant was advised to submit another application showing the grade should not be done and or
prove it was not possible to achieve a 10% grade change at that point in the road.
HARTWELL AVENUE AREA STUDY
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Transportation Management Plan for TMO-1 District, Regulations Article XV, Transportation
Management Overlay District Plan and Special Permit Fees:
Deliberations
The Board discussed the final draft for the Transportation Management Plan for the TMO-1 District based
on the response at the public hearing on October 27, 2010. There was some reorganizing of the document,
additions and deletions. Sections (B) Applicability and (C) Enforcement were removed. In section (F)
$26.7
Cost Projections include the total based on the plan outlined in the amount of million. The
transportation infrastructures had some changes which included: the raised center median having a limited
number of breaks to permit some turns; provide for both on road and off road bicycle accommodations
around the roundabout to be located at the Bedford Street, Hartwell Avenue and Drummer Boy Way
which include identification
intersection; in TMO-1 District Services replace the word “measures” with ”
of appropriate TMA services specific to Hartwell Avenue
”; and specify who will handle the
implementation of specific programs within the plan. The Board then discussed the final draft regulations
including some edits and corrections provided by Board Members.
On a motion duly made and seconded, it was voted, 4-0-1, (Mr. Canale abstained) to adopt the revised
Page 4 Minutes for the Meeting of November 3, 2010
regulations for the special permit fees, the Transportation Management Overlay District Plan for the
TMO-1 District, and the implementing regulations Article XV for the Transportation Management
Overlay District as discussed and amended at this meeting.
Before the vote Mr. Galaitsis expressed concerns that the present TMOD plan would provide neither the
level of increased traffic capacity required for the authorized increased development in the Hartwell area,
nor the hoped for reduced traffic counts in neighboring residential areas; and, that the presently prescribed
measures are minor compared to the major changes and access to the site needed. Nevertheless, he voted
for the current TMOD version to begin the planning process; and, hoped that by the time construction
funds become available, a final plan would provide better solutions to both of the above problems.
The meeting was recorded by Lexmedia.
The following documents used at the meeting can be found on file with the Planning Department:
1. Draft-September 29, 2010, Transportation Management Plan for TMO-1 District (9 pages). With
updates from Charles Hornig and Richard Canale.
2. Draft Regulations-September 29, 2010 (3 pages). With updates from Charles Hornig and Richard
Canale.
3. Fees for Special Permit (1 page).
4. Letter from Adam Coangelo, dated October 29, 2010 (2 pages).
5. Lexington Hills Request for modification of a special permit, dated October 13, 2010 (3 pages).
6. Lexington Hills Homeowners Association declaration of protective covenants and restrictions (8
pages).
7. Lexington Hills, Attachment B, Porous Pavement Maintenance Program for Lexington Hills
Subdivision, Lexington, Massachusetts (7 pages).
8. Lexington Hills, Development Data Guidelines, dated October 12, 2010 (1 page).
9. Lexington Hills Definitive Subdivision Plan Revised, Site Construction Plan 1 and 2, dated
October 8, 2010 (2 pages).
10. Letter from Peter S. Bemis from Engineer Design Consultants, Inc. dated September 27, 2010
regarding Cliffe Road Avenue reconstruction (1 page).
11. Definitive Street Construction Plan Cliffe Avenue, Lexington, Massachusetts, dated September
27, 2010 (2 pages).
Minutes for the Meeting of November 3, 2010 Page 5
On a motion duly made and seconded, it was voted to adjourn the meeting at 12:32 a.m.
Anthony Galaitsis, Clerk