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HomeMy WebLinkAboutmin of planning brd 04/04/01 (' '. TOWN ~Ff~,~VED PlannmgBoardMmutes - <IS OFFICr April 4, 2001 0 J HA r 2S 4H . Present: Thomas McShane, Acting Chair, Bernie Dolan, Clerk; Roger Achille; Kennetli 10. 21 Torman; Mark Cook; Thomas French f1ANSF _ s 1. Minutes March 14,2001 Motion: To approve as submitted (Torman-Cook) All in favor. PASSES 2. Minutes March 21, 2001 Mr. McShane asked that it be noted his opposition was to wireless communication facilities being allowed by right in the RD rather than by special permit. Motion: To approve as amended (Dolan- Torman) Four in favor. Cook abstained. PASSES 3. Letter from SRPEDD requesting the appointment of a delegate Motion: To reappoint Leonard Flynn as the board's SRPEDD delegate (Dolan-Torman) AU in favor. PASSES 4. Special Permit draft decision - Castle Hill Estates Residential Compound Mr. Burke explained there had been a question about whether the lots would conform after the second branch of the river was discovered and they had to be redrawn. r Mr. Maloon said because of the new wetland issues, he reduced the size of the four residential areas and increased the size of the open space parcel. He showed the board a plan ofa traditional subdivision with the new lines, as well as a revised residential compound plan. Motion: To sign the special permit (Achille-Dolan) All in favor. PASSES Gary D' Ambra, Foreman and Ann Langille, Engineer, explained the need to alter the stone wall for work at the Gilbert Street sub-station. Ms. Langille explained the sub-station is being upgraded with new circuits, which will supply 50% more capacity. Mr. D' Ambra said they will disturb the wall in two five-foot sections on the easterly side of Gilbert Street, opposite the sub-station, and replace the stone wall as soon as the project is completed. He also said no trees would be disturbed during the work. The clerk read the draft decision. It will be changed to reflect the wall's replacement following the completion of work. Motion: To approve the scenic road application (Dolan-Cook) AU in favor. PASSES r- r The clerk read comments from Mr. Sullivan and Mr. Burke, along with a letter from Gary Warner, Wamer Consulting Group. ~ r- Ms. Langille explained they will be installing a control building for equipment, which will only be occupied during inspections. The size of the sub-station is being doubled, and everything inside the sub-station fence will be crushed stone except the access drive. The site drains toward the sub-station, and the new transformers have containment areas connected to oil/water separators in holding tanks. Mr. D' Ambra said the oiVwater separators are not required, but have been installed for safety. Board Comment Mr. McShane asked about impervious surface pre- and post-development. Mr. Warner's letter indicates there will be an additional 12,000 square feet of pavement, which is less than a Y2 % increase. The drainage system is connected to a stone-lined swale, then water percs into the ground. Ms. Langille explained the site abuts wooded areas. The clerk read the draft recommendation. Motion: To send the Building Inspector a positive recommendation. (Dolan-Cook) All in favor. PASSES Engineer Ralph Penney explained during excavation for the Canoe River Pumping Station, underground contamination was discovered, which was traced to the existing underground storage tanks. The tanks must be removed, along with the contaminated soil. He explained the Highway Garage is the fueling station for all town vehicles, and while other fueling options have been investigated, they are too costly. r I Mr. Penney proposes two 1O,000-gallon above-ground storage tanks. He also said the ultimate goal is to have a new highway garage, along with a water department treatment plant and a new central fire station. Mr. Penney explained the new tanks would be state-of-the-art with polyeurethene liner between an inner and outer tank. A canopy will be installed above the tanks, with water directed through a pipe to a leaching field. Mr. Penney explained the plan meets state regulations, which requires 110% containment rather than 115% as required by the town. The site will not be open to the public. He said the site is within the Groundwater Resource Protection District (Zone II) because of its proximity to the Prescott WeUs and the Canoe River. Mr. Dolan asked what would happen if a truck hit one of the tanks; Mr. Penney explained they are surrounded by a guardrail and are designed to slide. Mr. Dolan said he had no problem with requiring 110% rather than 115%. /""'" Mr. Penney said the capacity would be increased from 14,500 gallons to 20,000 gallons, but the number of tanks would be reduced from three to two. He presented a letter of support from the Canoe River Aquifer Committee, and said the Conservation Commission had voted to support the upgrade. ,r' ~ " r He said the Ground Water Resource District was created after the highway garage was in use, so the underground tanks are grandfathered; this would be an expansion of a non-conforming use. Mr. Dolan said Mansfield's by-laws do not address types of tanks; Mr. Burke said the issue is mainly containment. Mr. McShane said he would be looking for tanks on a pad with self-contained leaching fields or holding tanks, and would not want to see the tanks from the roadway. Mr. Penney said the rainwater from the canopy would leach, but the water from the dispensers would not. Leaks will be contained in spill grooves. Mr. McShane asked the capacity of the spill grooves. Mr. McShane said he supported the change to above-ground tanks, but asked if other locations had been considered; Mr. Penney said they had looked at aU of the town- owned land, but nothing is large enough. Mr. Burke agreed this is a pre-existing, non-conforming use, but said there would have to be a site plan to address traffic, drainage, lighting, aesthetics, etc. He suggested asking the Building Inspector for a determination as to whether he agrees this is a replacement, or an expansion which would require a Zoning Board of Appeals special permit. r Mr. Dolan said that while the tanks may be state-of-the-art, he was concerned about the trucks coming in and out of the site leaking fuel. Mr. Penney said there was no way to prevent every situation, but this will make a bad situation better. Mr. Dolan said he did not want to vote on these recommendations with two members absent. Recognizing several Branch Street area residents, Mr. McShane explained the public hearing on Mr. Folkman's zoning change had been closed, and the board had planned to use this time for discussion among itself Mr. Burke explained he had received two letters following the close of the public hearing; he said he did not think reading them into the record would be a problem, but suggested reopening the hearing to take public comment would be a violation of the open meeting law. He suggested the residents could discuss anything at the end of the meeting, under general Public Comment. Mr. McShane proposed reading the correspondence into the record, and postponing the final recommendations until a full board can be present. At the end of the meeting, anyone who wishes to speak during Public Comment would be welcome to, but the board would not engage in a dialogue. r Following a scheduling discussion, it was decided to reschedule the Erin's Centre landscaping and site plan reviews to April 11, and the final Town Meeting recommendation discussion to April 18. Mr. French arrived at this point. r ,. r Mr. Burke advised the board that the staff meeting on Erin's Centre Phase II site plan is scheduled for the morning of April 11, so the applicant would probably not have time to revise the plans before the Planning Board meeting. The clerk read the two letters into the record. Tammy Anderson, 10 Chandler's Way, said she had thought the Branch Street rezoning proposal was for the former industrial site. She said the site is very wet, the residents have water problems, the street is narrow, and traffic is already bad. Larry Moore, 66 Baybrook Farm Road, said the neighbors had received no notification of Mr. Folkman's Branch Street zoning change. He said Branch Street is very narrow, traffic is bad, and the residents already have water problems. Tony Bush, 45 Baybrook Farm Road, said Mr. Folkman's over 55 housing proposal is a nice plan, but thought a project of that size would be out of place on Branch Street. John Gruskas, 15 Farm Pond Path, said if Mansfield residents live in Mr. Folkman's over 55 housing, their houses will likely be sold to families with children, so the project will impact the school system. r Debbie Bristow, 7 Farm Pond Path, agreed with Mr. Gruskas, and was concerned about the existing traffic problems. Mr. French explained that the final decision on whether the Branch Street lots are rezoned rests with Town Meeting; the Planning Board merely makes a recommendation. Mr. McShane reminded the audience that the only question at the moment is the zoning change; if that passes at Town Meeting, Mr. Folkman will still have to apply for a special permit from the Planning Board. Dr. Torman said the parking lot adjacent to the Tweeter Center appears to have a dirt road in the back and asked if anything was happening there. He also asked if anything had been done regarding the lot across the street; Mr. Burke said the license had not been issued. Dr. Torman commended Mr. McShane for the way he handled the Branch Street neighborhood concerns. r Mr. Cook asked about the purpose of cluster residential and residential compound developments. Mr. Burke explained it is to preserve open space in perpetuity, and to reduce density because the calculations are based on larger lots. r ~ r (' r r . . r . Mr. Cook asked ifit was worth it when the open space doesn't abut any other open space. Mr. Burke said it may in the future, and the acquisition of open space means fewer house lots and the preservation of ecosystems. Mr. Cook said a lot ofthe land the town is given isn't worth it, making the only benefit to the builder. Mr. Burke reminded the board that residential compound is a special permit, so if they board doesn't think the open space is enough of a benefit, that is a reason for denial. He suggested the board ask specific questions about the open space when the application initially comes in, and if it isn't worth it, have the applicant come back with a traditional subdivision. Mr. McShane said cluster subdivision as a good environmental option, especially near wells and rivers. He said the problem with residential compound is that when a builder or engineer has a tough site, they immediately go with a residential compound, as though it were by right. He was concerned that the board take its deliberations on these applications more seriously. Mr. French said the board is getting more of this type of application as the remaining land becomes more marginal. Mr. McShane said he would like to consider eliminating residential compound entirely. Mr. Burke suggested leaving it in, but scrutinizing each application more carefully. Dr. Torman said there are a lot of benefits to residential compounds, but approval should be site-specific. Mr. Cook suggested looking at large, estate-type lots, which may help to prevent some two-lot residential compounds. Mr. McShane asked if the Zoning Board of Appeals or IDC had responded to the Planning Board's zoning articles, after the articles were sent a second time. Mr. Burke has spoken with IDC Chair Walter Jenkins, who said they never received the articles. The Zoning Board of Appeals has not responded. Mr. McShane said he was disappointed the IDC didn't respond, after all the work the boards did on the PBD. Mr. French asked if anything is happening on the Great Waves site. Mr. Burke said Don Law's office has been in touch with the Town Manager and discussed the possibility of commercial development. Motion: To adjourn at 11 :00 p.m. (Torman-Cook) AU in favor. PASSES Date of next meeting: April 11, 2001 at 7:30 p.m. ~.~~ ature of Clerk 1/-//r() I Date of Approval