HomeMy WebLinkAboutPlanning Brd Min_2281996PLANNING BOARD MINUTES
February 28, 1996
PRESENT: Chairman French, Clerk Sullivan
PLANNERS: Bonda, Dolan, Flynn, McShane
Shaun P. Burke, Director of Planning and Development
1. Meeting called to order at 7:20 P.M.
2. Correspondence
1. Minutes February 14, 1996
Chairman French requested his return from the Board of Selectmen's
meeting be noted. Mr. Burke said his statement about the Building
Inspector contacting the Planning Board when he disagrees should be
within seven days, not 14.
Motion: To approve the minutes as amended
(Dolan - Bonda) Four in favor. One abstention
2. Letter from Dianne Royle to Chris Trombetta RE: resignation
3. ZBA decision -10 Gander Lane - Granted
4. Memo from Mr. Burke RE: Proposed downtown parking area
96 ih�; 2 S 1+;i Do
Mr. Burke explained the plan involved creating eight new parking spaces
by moving one large tree and a riser pole, and asked the board if it thought
the plan should undergo a full site plan review.
Planner Dolan said he did not think the plan required a full site plan
review, and suggested making it two -hour parking to avoid it becoming a
satellite lot for the train station..
Planner McShane entered the meeting at this point.
Clerk Sullivan said the Master Plan Committee had been discussing
additional downtown parking, and this is a good idea.
Motion: To send the Board of Selectmen a positive recommendation to go
forward with eight additional compact car parking spaces as
shown on the parking plan dated February 21, 1996. Suggest the
board consider making the spaces limited time parking consistent
with the rest of North Main Street to discourage all day parking.
(Sullivan - Bonda) Five in favor. One abstention. PASSES
, it -Li)
r.: r
Mr. Burke told the board if it was not comfortable with the plan as shown, it
could request additional detail. Clerk Sullivan said the plan with some
minor additions would be fine, including dimensions of parking spaces,
entrance and exit shown, curbing detail, topography, etc.
Chairman French suggested showing the existing catch basins, how the site
will pitch for drainage, the radius of the curbing, directional signage, a
north arrow, landscaping, location and thickness of paving, location of
underground electrical services, location and relocation of lights.
Motion: For site plan review, the parking plan should be revised to include
all of the above items.
(Sullivan - Bonda) Five in favor. One abstention. PASSES
5. Wayfield subdivision plan - to be signed
Motion: To sign the plan
(Dolan - Sullivan)
Clerk Sullivan noted there was nothing on the plan about Parcel A being
conveyed. The Planning Board decision says a document showing that will
be presented to the Planning Board prior to construction.
All in favor. PASSES
3. Form A (ANR) Plans
West Street - Whitney et. al.
Lot one has already received a variance for lot width
Motion: To sign the plan with the condition that the stamping engineer signs
and dates the top line referencing conformity.
(Sullivan - Dolan) All in favor. PASSES
Chairman French suggested moving the meeting time back to 7:30 P.M. now
that the load is becoming lighter. The board agreed.
4. Discussion of Filing Fees
Mr. Burke explained the Finance Committee had asked the fees be examined,
and presented the board with increases of 15, 25, and 50 percent. He
suggested that after putting.together these options, a 15 percent increase
would be more in keeping with what the budget has increased since the fees
were last raised two years ago. He said if it were warranted, the fees could be
increased again next year, but that a 15 percent increase would cover FY 96-
97. Mr. Burke said he was concerned there be a reasonable relationship
between what the town charges and what it costs, noting that Franklin has
recently been sued by developers saying there is no reasonable relationship.
Motion: To hold a public hearing regarding increasing Planning Board filing
fees by 15 percent
(Sullivan - Dolan)
Clerk Sullivan suggested rounding off the numbers.
Planner McShane requested the members receive copies of the SPREDD fee
study, along with revenue and budget figures for the last five years. He asked
if the intention was to cover all the costs; Mr. Burke said it was to cover the
cost of subdivision plan review, not the activities of the whole department.
All in favor. PASSES
5. Discussion of Retention Basins
Planner Flynn said she had been concerned about the increasing number of retention and
detention basins in town, and about there being more as the marginal land in town is
developed. She said she had spoken with Mr. Coffin, a Wass water quality educator, who
offered to speak to the board and said this is an increasing concern throughout the state.
Planner Flynn said she was concerned about maintenance problems, and thought the easiest
way to address them would be to eliminate the basins entirely. Mr. Coffin disagreed, and felt
they should be allowed with stringent regulations. He suggested the developer set money
aside in a fund for maintenance, and that each subdivision with a basin should have a
homeowner's association to maintain and pay taxes on the basin.
Planner Dolan said he liked Mr. Coffin's idea of having two or three basins instead of one big
one. Clerk Sullivan said the Department of Environmental Protection has become more
concerned with the quality of water than with the volume, and has been encouraging natural
features such as grass swales.
Planner McShane said the basins are to protect from flooding, but if they get filled up, there
would be flooding and the developer is usually gone by that time. He added it would be
tough to hold a homeowner's association legally responsible for the basins and asked if
would be possible to get the developer to set money aside up front. Mr. Burke said he did not
know if that could be done.
Clerk Sullivan suggested two or three basins at natural low spots instead of one big basin,
and changing the regulations for maximum basin size.
Mr. Burke said he could ask Jay Brolin from the EPA to come in and discuss where the EPA
is going on drainage issues. Clerk Sullivan suggested talking to the Conservation
Commission and asked if it has any guidelines.
Planner McShane asked for a list of subdivisions the board could visit to see examples of
good and bad basins.
Mr. Burke said he would talk with Attorney Mangiaratti, get a list of subdivisions for the
board to visit, talk to ConCom and Jay Brolin.
6. Around the Table
Planner Bonda asked if there have been any applicants for the Planning Board vacancy. Mr.
Burke said the ad had run once on cable television. Chairman French said he had mentioned
it to Kathleen Nash, a member of the Master Plan Committee.
Planner Flynn said at last week's Board of Selectmen's meeting, the Town Engineer did a
presentation on sewer policy, saying he had no Planning Board or Board of Health
comments. She asked if the board had been asked for comments and said expansion of
sewer seems to be encouraged as a revenue source, and thought the Board of Selectmen
should have gotten comment from more than the Board of Health, as the Master Plan
Committee is trying to discuss sewer extension.
Planner McShane asked the outcome of the soccer bubble landscaping. Mr. Burke said he
visited the site with the Building Inspector and it appears Mrs. Clemmey's letter was
accurate. They will be meeting with the applicant, and Mr. Burke said the landscaping,
except for the trees right in front, will likely be installed.
8. Adjournment
Motion: To adjourn at 10:00 P.M.
(Dolan - Sullivan) All in favor. PASSES
Date of next meeting: March 13, 1996 at 7:30 P.M.
Sign re of Clerk Date of Approval