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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2010-11-17-PB-min PLANNING BOARD MINUTES MEETING OF NOVEMBER 17, 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 ************************* ************************* ADEQUACY DETERMINATION FOR UNACCEPTED STREETS 64 Cliffe Avenue: Mr. Peter S. Bemis from Engineer Design Consultants, Inc., Mr. Mike DeMartino, the applicant , Robert J. Annese, Attorney and Alan Belanger, excavator from Dig and Pour, LLC were present. Mr. Annese said that the proposed road grade change from 14% to 10% would have the following impacts:  A number of mature trees could be destroyed or significantly damaged;  Water mains, sewer lines and their connections would have to be reset to provide the minimum five foot cover for protection from freezing;  A number of utility poles would have to be moved;  It is likely a retaining wall would need to be constructed;  Any work on the water main would impact the Melrose Avenue water line connections, which joins the water main at Cliffe Avenue. Melrose Avenue was recently repaved by the Town of Lexington; and  The cost for the grade change would be $90,915 to the applicant. On a motion duly made and seconded, it was voted, 3-2, (Mr. Hornig and Mr. Galaitsis opposed) to reconsider the Planning Board’s denial of the “Definitive Street Construction Plan Cliffe Avenue, Lexington, Massachusetts,” dated September 27, 2010. On a motion duly made and seconded, it was voted, 3-2, (Mr. Hornig and Mr. Galaitsis opposed) that Cliffe Avenue in the vicinity of number 64 was not currently of adequate grade and construction, but would be if the if the road were constructed according to the “Definitive Street Construction Plan, Cliffe Avenue, Lexington, Massachusetts,” dated September 27, 2010 and due to the circumstances of this site Page 2 Minutes for the Meeting of November 17, 2010 to allow waivers of the subdivision standards as shown on the plan, specifically width and grade; to allow the issuance of the building permit prior to the road’s construction, with the road to be completed prior to the issuance of a certificate of occupancy; and to require that the utilities be shown on the plan, and any part of the road currently over 18 feet in width is not to be narrowed. Rangeway Extension Public Hearing: The applicant requested that the public hearing be postponed to Wednesday, December 15, 2010. On a motion duly made and seconded, it was voted, 5-0, to postpone the public hearing to Wednesday, December 15, 2010, at 9:00 p.m. in the Selectmen’s Meeting Room. The Board asked for the applicant to put in writing a request to extend the action deadline 45 days from the original date of December 17, 2010. MINUTES ************************************* ************************************** On a motion duly made and seconded, it was voted, 5-0, to accept the minutes for October 27, 2010, as amended. PLANNING BOARD ORGANIZATION ************************************************** Work Plan Update: Ms. McCall-Taylor said staff would be working with Mr. Bobrowski tomorrow regarding the zoning bylaws and asked if the Board had any issues they would like to have brought to his attention? Ms. McCall-Taylor said that there would be two levels of issues that would be discussed regarding the zoning bylaws. The first level would be organizational and clarification that needed to be done because of case law and statutory requirements, and the second level would be what the Board would like to see done. Time and funds available would determine how much of the second level would get completed. Board Discussion and Member Comments:  The Tree Committee would like subdivision special permits to protect trees based on the new lot lines created in the subdivision and provide some clarity in those instances. The Tree Committee would also like to change the general bylaws, which exempts the Planning Board, Zoning Board of Appeals and the Conservation Commission when a special permit is not required.  The general concept that the first property owner to make substantial renovations on an Minutes for the Meeting of November 17, 2010 Page 3 unaccepted street would be expected to fix all the problems with the roadway needed to be changed. The expense should be shared with others who would benefit as well. Ms. McCall- Taylor suggested a street symposium to determine what standards are acceptable.  There is a list of issues, which include situations such as raised tonight regarding the adequacy determination. This list should be updated as new concerns arise.  It is important to finish up the work started three years ago in the large commercial districts in a timely fashion and keep the momentum going before it gets lost in the other things the Board will be doing over the next year and a half.  The Board will be going before the 2011 Town Meeting to report on the Transportation Management Overlay District (TMOD) plan, as well as the amendment removing renovations as a trip wire requiring a traffic study  The Board has a pretty heavy schedule to prepare for Town Meeting with the TMOD not yet finished and the possible Zoning Bylaw changes as result of the work with the consultant which will require a sales and marketing strategy to bring to Town Meeting.  There is enough money in the stabilization fund to do a study on Spring Street and Hayden Avenue (South Lexington) as was done on Hartwell Avenue. The Board should ask Town Meeting if they want another TMO plan in that area. If Town Meeting supports TMO-2 then request the appropriation of the available monies to initiate a study.  The transportation plan and regulations need to be done separately.  South Lexington needs a transportation plan. A request for Town Meeting to appropriate monies for a transportation plan in South Lexington at this spring Town Meeting needs to be done. Have staff think through the issues of a TMO-2 versus a study for South Lexington and who would initiate the request. On a motion duly made and seconded, it was voted, 5-0, that the Chairman of the Planning Board initiate a meeting with the Chairman of the Board of Selectmen, the Town Manager and planning staff to discuss the following: the implementation steps outlined in section (J) of the TMO-1 plan; and options for a TMO-2 plan for South Lexington. Site Visits: The Board will do a site visit at 137-139 Shade Street on November 20 after the Shire site visit at 10:00 a.m. A request was made for the Planning Board to schedule a site visit to 111 Laconia Street prior to the Page 4 Minutes for the Meeting of November 17, 2010 submission of a sketch plan. The Board discussed going on December 4 at 9:00 a.m. Mr. Henry will do a write up and send a map to Board members prior to the site visits. BOARD MEMBER REPORTS ********************************************************* Ms. Manz reported on the Center Committee, the Housing Partnership, the Community Preservation Committee (CPC) and the Ad Hoc Leary Land Property Community Housing Task Force. She said the Center Committee will decide tomorrow on its final work plan. There are two subcommittees, one working on infrastructure improvements and the other long range planning, including zoning. The Committee is considering a zoning change to permit residential use in the Center and perhaps to increase permissible height limits. The Housing Partnership has submitted a concept proposal to the Busa Land Use Committee, which consists of townhouse type units, as well as a full-sized playing field. The Housing Partnership is also seeking funds from the Community Preservation Committee (CPC) to fund down payment and closing cost assistance for buyers of the affordable units in Jefferson Union and Lexington Commons. The CPC has received 15 applications this year, but four are only informational and not requesting any monies at this time. The Ad Hoc Leary Land Property Community Housing Task Force voted to recommend to the Board of Selectmen that they apply for CPA funds in the amount of $11,300 to stabilize the existing farm house until a decision on its preservation could be made, and $30,000 for the design work of up to six affordable units. The Board of Selectmen elected to support the request for $30,000 for the design funds, but not the $11,300 funds for stabilization of the building. Mr. Canale said regarding the TMOD item J(6) truck exclusion, at the last MAPC meeting a representative from the New England Transport Trucking Association explained how to apply for a truck exclusion and nothing was said that it could not be done using Route 128 as an alternate route. Another speaker discussed how the Town could plan for pedestrians walking around town safely. On Friday Vision 2020 will meet in the Selectmen’s Meeting Room. Minutes for the Meeting of November 17, 2010 Page 5 The meeting was recorded by Lexmedia. The following documents used at the meeting can be found on file with the Planning Department: 1. Letter from Attorney Robert J. Annese, dated November 12, 2010 regarding Cliffe Road Avenue reconstruction (3 pages). Packet including (A) elevations (1 page); (B) pictures (19 pages); (C) proposal from Dig & Pour LLC to improve grade (3 pages); and (D) Plan, Profile and Details dated November 8, 2010 (1 page); 2. Letter from Benjamin Fein-Cole, dated November 15, 2010 regarding Cliffe Road Avenue reconstruction (1 page); 3. Letter from Attorney Edmund C. Grant, dated November 10, 2010 regarding Rangeway extension (1 page); 4. Letter and site map from Brian Timm of Meridian Associates, dated November 16, 2010 regarding 111 Laconia Street site walk (2 pages); and 5. Letter from Wendy Rudner, dated November 3, 2010 regarding Hartwell Avenue (1 page). On a motion duly made and seconded, it was voted to adjourn the meeting at 10:15 p.m. Anthony Galaitsis, Clerk