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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2011-10-05-PB-min PLANNING BOARD MINUTES MEETING OF OCTOBER 5, 2011 A regular meeting of the Lexington Planning Board, held in the Selectmen’s Meeting Room, was called to order at 7:30 p.m. by Chairman Richard Canale with members Charles Hornig, Wendy Manz, Greg Zurlo and planning staff Maryann McCall-Taylor and Aaron Henry. Michelle Ciccolo was absent *********************************ZONING BYLAW***************************** Tree Bylaw: The Board discussed the recent rezoning passed by Town Meeting regarding the tree bylaw. It attempted to provide some clarification of what the Planning Board’s jurisdiction is in dealing with subdivisions, but still requires some interpretation of how it pertains to new and original lot lines. Staff reviewed recent approvals to see what affect it may have and to provide applicants with a clearer expectation of how the tree bylaw would be applied by the Board. Ms. McCall-Taylor suggested that conventional subdivisions would have the tree bylaw applied to the new lot lines and the special permit residential developments (SPRD) would use the original lot lines, which would make the SPRD more attractive to applicants. Board Comments:  The tree bylaw would not allow waivers for conventional subdivisions, but could be allowed as appropriate for SPRD.  The Tree Committee’s purpose of applying the new bylaws to subdivisions was in case future Boards were not as tree friendly as the current Board.  The purpose would be to give the applicants more predictability and allow them to weigh the pros and cons of building a conventional subdivision as opposed to a SPRD.  The tree bylaw should be used as a guideline.  Applicants may have to go through several calculations for mitigation of the trees. Mr. Henry said this may make conventional subdivision more site-sensitive to avoid mitigation and would produce a better product either way. Page 2 Minutes for the Meeting of October 5, 2011 **************************TRANSPORTATION ISSUES*************************** Transportation Governance Committee, appoint members: The Board of Selectmen approved staff reorganization and the set up of a Transportation Governance Committee with two members of the Planning Board to serve as part of the committee. Mr. Canale and Ms. Ciccolo would like to serve on the committee. On a motion duly made and seconded, it was voted, 4-0, to nominate Mr. Canale and Ms. Ciccolo to serve on the Transportation Governance Committee. South Lexington Transportation Study: Engineering is preparing a document for completed transportation and traffic solutions with studies for recent, current and future work in the south Lexington area. Ms. McCall-Taylor said she had just received the document from Mr. Livsey and will forward it to the Board. Mr. Livsey is writing an RFP for the area looking at automobile transportation in the context of complete streets Ms. McCall-Taylor said it would include a look at capacity and how much it could support with an increase in the FAR. The Planning Board will be asked to comment on the RFP. Mr. Canale said there are now fewer signs on Spring Street, with some to be replaced with striped sharrows on Spring Street and Worthen Road. Staff Hiring: The part-time position for a transportation planner has been posted with a deadline for applications of October 14, 2011. ************************************MINUTES********************************* On a motion duly made and seconded, it was voted, 4-0, to approve the minutes of September 7, 2011. On a motion duly made and seconded, it was voted, 4-0, to approve the minutes of September 21, 2011. Minutes for the Meeting of October 5, 2011 Page 3 *****************PLANNING BOARD ORGANIZATION, SCHEDULE**************** There is a site visit on Woburn Street on October 22, 2011 at 8:30 a.m. There is a Special Town meeting scheduled for November 14 and there are no Planning Board articles or responsibilities. The meeting dates are October 19, November 2 and 16. There is a streetscape meeting on October 20. ************************DEVELOPMENT ADMINISTRATION********************* Dana Home, CD rezoning for Annual Town Meeting: Mr. Canale explained that in July the Board met informally with the applicant and team to discuss the possible rezoning of the Dana Home. The Planning Board determined that while the use would be appropriate for that area more information would be needed regarding the intensity of us, parking, and access and egress. There has been correspondence, mostly supporting the project, sent to the Planning Board, which is on file. Tonight will be a continuation of the informal discussion in preparation for the Annual Town Meeting and to determine what should be the next step. Present tonight are Ms. Trisha Perez Kennealy, the applicant, Mr. Gary Larson, landscape architect, and Mr. Louis Perez, project manager. Ms. Kennealy said that in the past few months she met with the Board of Selectmen (BOS), Historic District Commission (HDC), Center Committee, Tourism Committee and residents in the neighborhood. She had also sponsored a meeting on Saturday night as outreach to the community and plans to meet with all Town Meeting Members. Two changes that have been implemented since the last meeting in July are the first floor bar/lounge area will be redesigned as a living room and the barn façade will be maintained in keeping with the recommendation of the HDC. There is a preliminary agreement with St. Brigid to lease 15 parking spaces for employees. Mr. Larson said the combined two lots total 2.2 acres with 1.25 acres of developable area. The ANRAD was approved by the by the Conservation Commission and a site walk was done with DEP. DEP’s response should be received in approximately two weeks. Maintaining the scale and character is important, so the large trees in front will remain. The Dana House will have an 800 foot addition on the right side and the single family house will be increased by 1200 square feet. The barn will be renovated on the interior for office space. Two small trees, a yellow wood tree Page 4 Minutes for the Meeting of October 5, 2011 and a small birch will need to be removed. The two parking areas will be paved with porous pavement and have 29 spaces in total, including handicapped parking. The driveway will be moved 10 to 15 feet further from the wetlands, the grade revised out to Worthen Road and the driveway width reduced. All drainage will remain on site. There will be a turnaround added to the parking lot so cars do not have to back out of the driveway onto Worthen Road. There will be a small terrace in the rear of the house with a small retaining wall and bicycle parking and storage provided. The site coverage will be 1800 square feet and the site coverage ratio will increase from the existing .135 to .17 and the impervious surface ratio will increase from .24 to .45. The existing setbacks will be maintained, which is 26 feet in front and 30 feet on the side. The building height will remain the same as the existing, which is 43.1 feet for the inn and 30.9 feet for the single family home. Board Comments:  This is a positive use and is heading in the right direction.  Moving the drive further from conservation land and making it more perpendicular to Worthen Road is better then the previously proposed drive.  There is concern with maintaining the character of the site with regards to massing and scale. The parking up front is bothersome; try to lay it out making it perpendicular to Worthen Road and pull parking deeper into the site or move the retaining wall back further to the rear. Mr. Larson said they were already building in the 25 foot no disturb line.  Is the patio going to be used for outdoor seasonal eating? Ms. Kennealy said no.  Use of porous pavement is good.  The number of spaces on the site is marginal for the use proposed and there should be no street parking. Ms. Kennealy said there is already street parking on Worthen Road.  Consider valet parking if parking issues come up.  Safety on the Worthen Road exit is a major issue and work needs to be done to convince the Board that it would be safe.  St. Brigid’s Church is zoned residential;l how would it be made legal to lease employee parking spaces there? Mr. Grant said it was workable and is done elsewhere in Town. Just because it is done somewhere else does not make it permissible. There needs to be a plan presented next time. Minutes for the Meeting of October 5, 2011 Page 5  Consult with staff on how to approach this issue for parking.  Has there been any discussion with DPW about Worthen Road? Mr. Larson said not since June.  What would be the hours of operation for the restaurant? Ms. Kennealy said it would be open for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Limit the hours of operation in the CD text or special permit for possible future owners.  How much will fit on the site in terms of intensity is still an open question. It is suggested the applicant explore valet parking to get as many cars off site as possible. Audience Comments:  As a resident who lives on a busy main road there are compromises that need to be made. How can the residential neighborhood off Worthen Road be considered a quiet residential neighborhood when it is on a main intersection?  Parking on a main street should be fine except at the corner and it appears the parking issue is being overblown. Not all visitors will arrive with cars all the time.  The Tourism Committee met with the applicant and believes this is a much needed use to have a hotel/inn experience available in the Lexington Center. There is no formal position by the committee at this time, but one will be made once the final proposal is presented.  Most of the neighbors like the idea of an inn, but have concerns about the scale of this proposed project, not the use.  There is concern about rezoning this parcel from residential to a commercial zone. If this is to be done more restrictions need to be imposed.  This is an exciting project. There is no place for relatives to stay when visiting from out of town and there are many vacant spaces in the Center; a place for visitors to stay would encourage downtown shopping.  The more restrictions that are imposed, the more difficult it will be to make this business successful and profitable.  Another bid for the property was proposed by this resident’s husband, but the proposal was for a small bed and breakfast. While this is not a quiet neighborhood it is still residential and there is no precedent for putting a CD in residential zone.  Traffic is a large problem here. Creating a CD would be spot zoning, the preference would be for a small bed and breakfast at this location. Page 6 Minutes for the Meeting of October 5, 2011  There are a lot of issues being overblown here for this project, sometimes things will be busy and sometimes it will be quiet, but it would be good for the area.  There needs to be a good restaurant in Town and the traffic would be staggered unlike a rink or high school, which would create event traffic. Board Comments: The next step will be up to the applicant. The Board suggested that the applicant meet with the Board again prior to submitting a PSDUP to Town Meeting. *********************************ZONING BYLAW***************************** The Board discussed the proposed changes to the zoning bylaw. Mr. Henry explained that the changes were to provide compliance with statutory law changes and case law decisions, clarity within the bylaw and improve formatting and structure making it more user friendly. The following are items referenced in Mr. Henry’s overview.  Merging special permits with special permit with site plan review;  Non-conformities which address teardowns;  Eliminating special permits for conventional subdivision, which should by right;  Reformatting the use table;  Non-conforming residential uses in commercial districts added to commercial use table;  Use of more succinct names;  Addressing agricultural uses;  Alternative energy uses;  Biotech manufacturing in CRO district; consolidation of commercial zones;  Use of residential land for satellite, off street parking;  Allowance for composting facility in the CM district;  Adult daycare in residential districts;  Residential wind generation;  Impervious surface and site coverage; and  Putting regulatory matters in the SPGA regulations, rather than in zoning. Merging of the CD and RD process should be added. The Board Members should review all the changes and send comments to staff. Minutes for the Meeting of October 5, 2011 Page 7 ********************************STAFF REPORTS******************************* The Planning Office is moving tomorrow to another location in the Town Office Building. ********************************BOARD REPORTS****************************** Mr. Canale said the West Lexington Greenway Master Plan is out and the 25% design plan will be available in approximately two weeks. When is the Center Committee coming back before the Board? Ms. Manz said she will find out more at the next meeting and encourage them to come before the Planning Board soon. On a motion duly made and seconded, it was voted, 4-0, to adjourn at 11:03 p.m. The meeting was recorded by Lexmedia. The following documents used at the meeting can be found on file with the Planning Department: 1. The Inn at Hastings Park, Lexington, MA Preliminary Site Development and Use Plan, dated September 28, 2011 (8 pages). 2. Letter from Jim Williams regarding Dana Home dated September 22, 2011 (3 pages). 3. Letter from Hank Manz regarding the formation of a Transportation Governance Committee (9 pages). 4. Memorandum from Staff regarding recodification of the Zoning Bylaw, dated September 30, 2011 (5 pages). 5. Zoning Bylaw recodification draft dated September 30, 3011 (125 pages). Wendy Manz, Acting Clerk