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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2012-05-23-PB-min PLANNING BOARD MINUTES MEETING OF MAY 23, 2012 A regular meeting of the Lexington Planning Board, held in The Selectmen’s Meeting Room, Town Office Building, was called to order at 7:05 p.m. by Chairman Richard Canale with members Greg Zurlo, Wendy Manz, Charles Hornig and Michelle Ciccolo and planning staff Maryann McCall-Taylor and Aaron Henry present. ************************DEVELOPMENT ADMINISTRATION********************* 186-192 Woburn Street Concord Avenue, Acceptance of Surety Mr. Steve Hamilton, the developer of 186-192 Woburn, offered a covenant for surety for work on the property. While Mr. Hamilton would prefer a tri-partite agreement, his bank is unwilling to do so until the subdivision plan is recorded and the plan cannot be filed without some form of surety. He expects to be seeking the release of the covenant at the next meeting, to be replaced by a tripartite agreement. On a motion duly made and seconded, it was voted, 5-0, to accept surety in the form of a covenant as a performance guarantee for the subdivision infrastructure work. **********************************MINUTES*********************************** On a motion duly made and seconded, it was voted, 5-0, to approve the minutes for March 28, April 30, and May 9, 2012. *************************ZONING BYLAW REWRITE**************************** Ms. McCall-Taylor gave a brief rundown on where the Board was in the zoning rewrite as it had been put on hold while preparing for Town Meeting. The suggested schedule would have the Board spending the summer to get comfortable with the draft in preparation for going out to boards, committees and any other interested groups to explain the changes and get feedback. The Board discussed what might be effective ways to engage the public. A commentary on each section would help, explaining what it covers and outlining any changes. There needs to be a brief “elevator talk” that explains what the Board is doing and why. Working with the Town Page 2 Minutes for the Meeting of May 23, 2012 Meeting Members Association executive committee may be helpful. Staff is looking into a web page that will allow information to be posted and for residents to comment on what is posted. Members were asked to let the staff know if they need a copy of draft # 8, dated February 4, 2012. *****************PLANNING BOARD ORGANIZATION, SCHEDULE**************** The known dates that Board members will be away are Mr. Hornig July 4 and August 18, Mr. Canale July 18 to August 6 and Ms. Ciccolo July 25 and possibly August 22. Goals/Work Plan – The Zoning Bylaw rewrite was acknowledged to be the priority for the coming year while other issues to be on the work plan were discussed. Center Height and Parking - If Article 37 on height had passed the Board had expected to work with the Board of Selectmen on parking in the Center. What was now the expectation? Ms. Manz reported on the Center Committee’s discussion of what they thought would work and how the presentation could have been more persuasive. Ms. Ciccolo had ideas on improving the presentation. Could height go forward without parking? Mr. Hornig said that the Planning Board had made it clear last fall that they wanted to address parking but didn’t have the time. He felt the Board’s vision was different than that of the Center Committee’s. Mr. Zurlo felt that the height could be brought forward before parking and he urged working with the Design Advisory Committee as they have broad expertise to tap into. Ms. McCall-Taylor said that the Economic Development Director was taking on parking in the Center. She will be implementing management ideas from the Nelson\Nygaard report. Mr. Canale observed that the solution for parking is not through zoning alone but must include the Board of Selectmen’s policies on on-street parking and remote parking. There are many issues to parking. Mr. Hornig said that the parking regulations in zoning need a major overhaul and the Planning Board has a major role to play. Mr. Canale wants a simple way to understand parking requirement for the Center. Ms. McCall-Taylor noted that the Zoning Board of Appeals has been granting parking variances lately, unlike in the past when such variances were denied. If Minutes for the Meeting of May 23, 2012 Page 3 variances are being granted on a regular basis, it is time to look at that section and see if it should be revised. Mr. Henry pointed out that there is a large variation in what people want as the fix. Mr. Canale said it sounded like it may take over a year to get everything in place regarding parking. If height goes to Town Meeting before parking, it must be clear that new development will have to provide parking. Height and FAR can go forward irrespective of parking, but it needs to be something different or a more coherent message. Mr. Hornig said he was comfortable with what had been brought to Town Meeting and wanted to put time into parking so it can be brought to the 2013 Town Meeting. Ms. McCall-Taylor said that she felt that Town Meeting was not comfortable with the height and density. Mr. Zurlo wanted to engage with a broader range of property owners. He felt height should stand on its’ own and parking may need more time. On Hartwell a mitigation plan had been put in place, how can this be done for parking? Ms. Manz felt the Board should review the Center Committee’s input over the summer and consider developing a less scary presentation, explore stories vs. height and 42’ vs. 45’. The Center Committee could do their work over the summer and in the fall merge with the Planning Board. Ms. Ciccolo said that she was not sure she was comfortable with what they brought to Town Meeting. She did not like four stories at the street front and while she is not sure what the correct height is, three and a half stories and step-backs should be considered. The Center Committee should meet with the Planning Board soon to agree on what to come forward with. There is also the issue of what the Historic Districts Commission will allow in the center. Perhaps a subcommittee drawn from the Planning Board, the Center Committee, the Design Advisory Committee and the Historic Districts Commission could be utilized. Mr. Canale will reach out and see if members of these groups would be interested. It was suggested that the Board continue to work on parking and keep it decoupled from height. Impervious surface - This perennial topic for the Board to consider in its work plan will all but disappear from the bylaw with the codification as Special Permit Conventional Developments will no longer exist and that it where it is referenced. Impervious surface has served as a proxy Page 4 Minutes for the Meeting of May 23, 2012 for site disturbance and is the major constraint on development. Uniformity means it should be applied to tear-downs. Perhaps it is something to address in regulations rather that zoning. TMO-1 - Dave Kucharsky is bringing forward the implementation piece to the Board of Selectmen. He will present the final plan adopted by the Planning Board. Board members felt that it was important to go forward with small projects that would enhance the pedestrian and bicyclist experience. The truck exclusion on Wood Street was being held up by the capacity of the bridge on Hartwell to handle trucks. Repaving will put too much weight on the bridge and any removal of pavement will lower the surface creating stormwater issues. Ms. Ciccolo urged the Board to participate in the scoping of the EIR for the airport. South Lexington Transportation Study - A new draft is at Engineering and will circulate again for input. Mr. Hornig said that he wants to have zoning improvements for South Lexington in place before he leaves the Board. Tree replacement – Mr. Zurlo wants to require replacement at 100% of tree caliper. Street Standards – There was interest in having a Complete Streets workshop in town. The Livable Streets organization was mentioned as a resource. This issue if seen as the intersection of health and planning. ***********************REGIONAL INTERTOWN ISSUES*********************** Burlington Town Meeting voted down the rezoning for Wheeler Road and the Target store. Mass DOT still wants to sell the land and it was suggested that Lexington could buy it to control its use. At that morning’s Metropolitan Area Planning Council meeting Ms. Ciccolo was elected president and Mr. Canale was elected to the Executive Committee. Massport is scoping the Environmental Status report for Hanscom. Last time the town chose not to participate. Minutes for the Meeting of May 23, 2012 Page 5 th The Boston Metropolitan Planning Organization is meeting in Lexington June 7. Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) projects will be discussed. *************************STAFF AND BOARD REPORTS************************* th June 6 will be the first quarterly transportation forum. June 21 will be the Housing Production Plan kick-off meeting. Both the Board of Selectmen and the Planning Board would have to adopt the plan. Because the town’s Subsidized Housing Inventory is above 10% of Town housing stock, it is not required to have a plan; however it will respond to resident concerns and give some context to the discussion about the use of the Busa and Leary lands. At 9:05 p.m., on a motion duly made and seconded, by individual poll of the Board – Mr. Canale, Mr. Hornig, Ms. Manz, Ms. Ciccolo and Mr. Zurlo – it was voted 5-0 to go into executive session for the purpose of discussing the potential leasing of the Hartwell Avenue landfill site and not to return to public session. The meeting was recorded by Lexmedia. The following documents used at the meeting can be found on file with the Planning Department:  Memo from Maryann McCall-Taylor to the Planning Board, dated May 17, 2012, “Refresher on Zoning Bylaw rewrite.”  Memo from Aaron Henry to the Planning Board, dated May 18, 2012, “FY2013 Proposed Work Plan” Michelle Ciccolo, Clerk