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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2012-03-14-PB-min PLANNING BOARD MINUTES MEETING OF MARCH 14, 2012 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 Greg Zurlo, Wendy Manz, Michelle Ciccolo and Charles Hornig and planning staff Aaron Henry and Lori Kaufman present. ************************DEVELOPMENT ADMINISTRATION********************* PUBLIC HEARING 186-192 Woburn Street, Definitive Site-Sensitive Development (SSD): Mr. Canale called the public hearing to order at 7:32 p.m. with six people in the audience. The applicants Steven and Jackie Hamilton and their engineer Fred Russell, Luke Sotir and Steven Cupp were present. Mr. Hamilton said the following updates to the plan were based on input at the last meeting as well as discussions with the Fire Department.  The water main system is looped from Woburn Street and connect to the Dunham Street water main.  The fire hydrant relocated to the center of the subdivision to be more accessible.  The width of the private way will be 18 feet, but the stone walls at the entrance way will be modified and placed further apart to allow easier emergency vehicle access. The Fire Department suggested that sprinkler systems should be added to homes on lots two and three. This is not currently part of the building code and could cause a problem in selling homes to potential buyers. It is too much of a burden and not appropriate for this development.  Lot three will have a sewer pump system installed and will not add to the existing sewer problems on Dunham Street.  The Board requested the angle of the two houses on Woburn Street face into the development, which would leave the backs of the homes turned to Woburn Street. The applicant is requesting the Board allow them to retain the original orientation to keep with the existing streetscape.  The Planning Board wanted a walking path through the subdivision to give access to the paper street, but concerns were raised that requirements could make it 8 feet wide with a Page 2 Minutes for the Meeting of March 14, 2012 hard surface. Abutters are concerned with compromised privacy issues and liability for the path so the applicant is requesting that the path be removed from the plan.  There are waivers that need to be requested and the applicant will work with staff to put that submittal together.  The applicant would like to name the private drive Cornerstone Way.  Mr. Russell discussed the drainage system and said that the high point on the common drive is halfway up, so half the water would flow to Woburn Street and half to lot three. There are two infiltration systems, one on lot three and one in front of lot five, to capture all the runoff. Lots two, three, and five have infiltration systems for roof runoff, creating a reduction in water runoff. Board Comments:  The applicant should submit in writing a request to name the street in order for the Board to make a decision.  Not shifting the outer buildings on Woburn Street is acceptable and a good strategy for the site.  The issue of perceived liability may begin to prevent having pathways in these developments, which are important features. There is a trigger point where the path comes under the AAB purview. The Board asked staff to call the AAB to find out what the trigger point is and the statutory reference.  A Board Member did not buy into the neighbor’s rationale of potential liability and loss of privacy.  The Board will not make any decisions without hearing from the public before the public hearing is closed.  There are lots of issues that need to be addressed regarding easements, utilities, the pathway and some other details.  The common way should have a minimum unobstructed width of 20 feet the entire length of the drive.  Lot three has an old foundation - try to incorporate it into the landscape at the northern end near the paper street. Indicate if it is intended to be removed or kept. Minutes for the Meeting of March 14, 2012 Page 3  Do the contour lines reflect the new construction at 11 Dunham Street adjacent to lot three? If that location is used for the path the contours need to be reconsidered for that area.  Are all existing utilities on site being removed? Mr. Hamilton said not all, but most. The Board wants to see all that is being removed, relocated, and some that will be added.  Provide draft documents for the easements and covenants.  The Board should send technical comments to staff.  The fire access may need to flair at the ends of the common drive off Woburn Street and should be discussed with the Fire Department.  The fire trucks may not make it under the trees, check if some branches need to be trimmed or the road made wider to allow trucks to have access.  The path should be paved 4- 4.5 feet not 8 feet and needs to connect to Dunham Street and not end in the grass. Public Comments:  The resident was not aware of the plans for a pathway. There was some concern that this path would be for driving also.  If the northwest lot is to be cleared of underbrush, what was plan for the path regarding buffering? There will be landscape plantings to buffer the path from the neighbors.  Privacy is a major concern as well as safety for the children since it is not known who will be walking around there.  Is the walking path allowed based on historical decisions and would the Board consider moving it if it is required to be built?  Local residents should make the decisions on the path. The path would not be a public way, it would be for the residents of the development and a requirement of the development regulations.  The resident of 192 Woburn Street said he intends to live in the current house in the new subdivision and prefers the SSD, which allows the preservation of many trees and does not to tear up the land. A wider road would cut into the hill and the benefits and appeal of a SSD would be lost. If the path were to follow the AAB standards, it would need to be 8 feet wide and would have to be graded, using retaining walls,. An 8 foot-wide path was never a discussion only a 4 foot path would be required. Page 4 Minutes for the Meeting of March 14, 2012 The applicant requested guidance on location of the walking path. If he choose to leave the path in the current location he should put up a low fence and trees to protect from dogs and provide some privacy. The grading between lots two and three is less than between lots three and four. Now that the 11 Dunham Street lot is much higher, the path can be kept significantly lower then the house.  Change the wording to a foot path. On a motion duly made and seconded, it was voted, 5-0, to continue the public hearing to April 4, 2012 at 6:00 p.m. in the Planning Office. APPROVAL NOT REQUIRED 87-89 Follen Road, Approval not required (ANR): On a motion duly made and seconded, it was voted, 5-0, to endorse the plan entitled “Plan of Land in Lexington, MA” dated August 26, 2011, prepared and certified by James R. Keenan, Professional Land Surveyor, Winchester, MA with Form A (2012-3) submitted by Peter C. Koyner the applicant, as it does not require approval under subdivision control law. ********************************TOWN MEETING******************************* DISCUSSION DRAFT REPORTS ON TOWN MEETING ARTICLES 35-38 The Planning Board Report under Article 2and Article 38 Gift of Land will be presented to Town Meeting Monday, March 26, 2012. Articles 35-37 reports will be given on Wednesday, March 28, 2012. The materials will need to be ready the week before. Will the visuals be ready from the consultant? The TMMA meeting will be on March 22, 2012. There were some concerns expressed on the TMMA website about the rationale of doing the Center Articles now without parking. Mr. Canale will address that on line. The Board needs to address what will happen next and the concerns that people will get building permits without a real review. The Board needs to convey that this is the jumping off point for setting the vision and scope of what the Board would like to see. The idea is to set the tone and the wheels in motion and look at things more holistically. Ms. Manz said that that morning the Center Committee voted to support all the articles as agreed to with the Planning Board. Minutes for the Meeting of March 14, 2012 Page 5 The updated 3/12/12 report of warrant articles 35-37 will be sent to the Board for review with the word change on page 8 from “acceptable” to “allowable”. Mr. Canale will do the TMMA presentation on 3/22/12. The Board will approve the report next week. The presentation at Town Meeting will discuss all three articles at once and then vote on each individual article. The actual votes of the Board should be reflected in the report for each article. Article 38 will be completed next week after the Planning Board reviews it. DISCUSSION OF NON-ZONING ARTICLES CPA Article 8: A motion was made to recommend to Town Meeting Article 8 items G & J. The motion died for lack of a second. On a motion duly made and seconded, it was voted, 4-0-1, (Mr. Hornig abstained) to recommend all of Article 8 to Town Meeting. Articles 9 & 10 may come before Town Meeting. Article 9 allows for the purchase of the land at Wright Farm through Community Preservation funds. Article 10 is by the Conservation Commission for only conservation land (open space). The Board can discuss these articles later once there is a specific proposal. Article 21 On a motion duly made and seconded, it was voted, 5-0, to recommend Article 21 in total to Town Meeting. The Board is expecting an amendment on the CD rezoning of the PSDUP at 2027 & 2013 Massachusetts Avenue. The Board is considering Thursday, April 12 at 7:30 p.m. at either Cary Hall or Clarke Middle School for the continued public hearing on 2027 & 2013 Massachusetts Avenue. The time certain for Article 34 is April 30, 2012. Page 6 Minutes for the Meeting of March 14, 2012 ***********************************MINUTES********************************** On a motion duly made and seconded, it was voted, 5-0, to accept the minutes of January 25, February 15 and February 29, 2012 as amended. **********************PLANNING BOARD ORGANIZATION*********************** The Board will meet on March 21 to finalize the Center Articles and discuss the formal request to modify the special permit regarding the final payment from Jefferson Union. March 22 is a Board presentation to the TMMA, and there are meetings on March 26 and 28 at 6:00 p.m. in the Planning Office. ******************************BOARD REPORTS******************************** Ms. Manz said at its meeting the Center Committee discussed that the BOS voted to retain services of a traffic engineer to do a study for the Center Streetscape plan for configuration of traffic lanes and the Woburn Street intersection. The public process will continue. Ride Studio Café is coming to the Town to request converting one automobile parking space to parking for approximately 25 bikes, on weekends from May to October. Town facilities director is investigating an offer from a company that manages entertainment venues for musical concerts on a tentative basis starting with six events. Mr. Canale said the Town is looking to implement the Traffic Calming policy and the study of Shade Street is going to the TSAC on April 3. There are still some details to work out. On a motion duly made and seconded, it was voted, 5-0, to adjourn at 11:00 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. Agenda Item Summary and staff recommendation for 186-192 Woburn Street, dated March 2, 2012 (7 pages). 2. Application for 186-192 Woburn Street, dated January 18, 2012 (16 pages). 3. Definitive Site Sensitive Development for 186-192 Woburn Street, dated January 6, 2012 (9 pages). Minutes for the Meeting of March 14, 2012 Page 7 4. Report to the 2012 Annual Town Meeting Article 38 (4 pages). 5. Report to the 2012 Annual Town Meeting Articles 35-37 (10 pages). Michelle Ciccolo, Clerk