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HomeMy WebLinkAboutPlanning Brd Min_7171996PLANNING BOARD MINUTES r July 17, 1996 cu k!.' I PRESENT: Chairman French, Clerk Sullivan PLANNERS: Benda, Dolan, Flynn, McShane, Penney j Shaun P. Burke, Director of Planning and Development 1. Meeting called to order at 7:30 P.M. 2. Correspondence 1. Minutes July 10, 1996 Motion: To approve the minutes as written (Flynn - Dolan) Six in favor. Sullivan abstained. PASSES 2. Memo from Dan Clifford RE: Cottage Street Extension Surety Motion: To approve the recommended surety of $5,612 (Sullivan- Flynn) All in favor. PASSES 3. Memo from Mr. Williams to Mr. Burke RE: Action Plan 4. Memo from Mr. Williams to the Board of Selectmen RE: Action Plan 3. Public Hearing Continued - George Fram Estates The clerk read new correspondence, including a letter from Linda Connolly, one of the abutters. Ralph Maloon, RIM Engineering, discussed the punch list items discussed in Mr. Burke's letter of June 28. 1. The open space has been divided into Cl and C2 and a note added showing the parcels are shown for zoning compliance only, and are not to be subdivided. The area of Cl is what is required for the open space requirement, and everything above that area is extra. Mr. Maloon added a table to the top sheet showing the required and extra open space, and what they total. The table also includes minimum required lot sizes and their lot sizes. 2. Mr. Maloon showed compliance with 5.6.6.1 requiring them to show they could get 19 lots of 40,000 square feet. 5. Access to abutting properties during construction of the water line has been worked out. The line is expected to take one to two days to complete, then the driveways will be restored to their original condition. The abutters will be notified of the plan and when the construction will occur. Planner Penney suggested the developers check out what is underneath where the water line is going and whether they will have to blast. 6. The landscaping detail, including signature at the open space path, is to include a four foot wide stone dust walkway, with a boulder at the entrance similar to the ones at the driveways. Planner Penney asked why the easement in 10 feet. Mr. Burke explained easements are typically 20 feet, but they do not want vehicles using this one. 7. Mr. Folkman said he had met with the Connolleys, who have a zoning violation problem. He will give the Connolleys 13 feet of land from Lot 1, for which the Connolleys will take care of any expenses, and the drainage will be left where it is. The developers will maintain the easement over the 13 foot parcel for access to their drainage. Mr. Maloon explained the drain would come out across from the back of the Connolley lot, and they would have to cut down a couple of trees, though the drain line won't be too deep and won't effect many tree roots. 8. The deed to the open space land has been redrawn to give the open space to the Conservation Commission. Planner Penney said he thought it would have to be owned by the Town of Mansfield through its Conservation Commission. 9. The dates of the soil logs were added to the plan. 10. Two additional catch basins at Station 0+80 have been added. 11. Calculations for detention time within the oil /wafer separator have been added. Clerk Sullivan said he would like to see a two minute detention time, which would mean larger tanks. Mr. Maloon said he could change the design to use a bypass method. Clerk Sullvian said as long as there are no problems with the one year storm and the tanks are 2,000 gallons, he is satisfied. 12. A note was added to the plan showing three feet as the maximum height of the retaining wall. 13. Mr. Folkman said he had spoken with Montaup Electric and it sounds like the responsibility of cleaning up the easement lies with the developers. 14. Mr. Maloon demonstrated that emergency vehicles would be able to negotiate the cul -de -sac radius and showed one -way, counterclockwise direction around the middle island. 15. The fact that there is no wetland floodplain district on the site has been added to the plans. 16. The middle island has been widened from 10 feet to 14 feet in the middle. Mr. DeGirolamo asked why the board wanted one -way signs, since he said no one would pay attention. Planner Flynn said he wasn't concerned about one -way signs. Planners McShane and Flynn agreed. Clerk Sullivan agreed, but said there should be a sign at the middle island. Mr. Folkman suggested arrows at either end of that island to fit in with the rest of the development. 17. Mr. Maloon has met with the Town Engineer to go over the drainage calculations. Mr. Maloon said Mr. Azinheira had no problems with the calculations, though there was no memorandum from Mr. Azinheira to the board on this. Mr. Burke said he had met with Mr. Azinheira, who said he had no problems and would get the board a memorandum. Board Comment Planner Penney asked about the required open space. Mr. Maloon explained 17.45 acres would be a 19 -lot development, so they have a lot more than required. Planner Flynn asked about the cemetery easement. Mr. Folkman explained the easement would be given over with Parcel B. There will be a conservation restriction on three lots, with a 25 foot no cut zone, to be added to the plan. Planner Flynn asked about the plantings in the pre- treatment marsh. Mr. Maloon explained if the vegetation doesn't come back on its own in two years, they would come back with a list of plantings to be added. Mr. Burke said that could be a condition of the special permit. Planner Flynn asked if the parcel is in single ownership. Mr. Burke said he thinks it is with the estate of Molly Fram. Planner Flynn said she is not in favor of granting a waiver from granite curbing. Planner Bonda said she is uncomfortable with the width of the walkway to the open space. Mr. Folkman said they could make the walkway six feet wide. Planner Benda said she would like to see more at the open space entrance, such as a post and rail fence and plantings, to make it more inviting. Planner McShane told the developers they were doing a good job, and said he would also like to see some additional features at the open space entrance. Mr. Folkman said they could do additional landscaping near the entrance rock and a map board showing the parcel. Planner McShane asked how it would be possible to prevent homeowners from building right on the open space property line. Mr. Hinchey said it would be clear cut 40 to 50 feet in with lawn on either side, and zoning requirements would keep people from building too close to the line. Clerk Sullivan suggested requesting the waiver for 20 foot pavement except at the cul -de -sac, where the applicant plans to keep at 24 feet. Planner Dolan said he had no problem with the waivers, except for the sloped granite curbing. Chairman French suggested a straw vote. Planner Penney said he was not comfortable voting because he was not here the first time. In the straw vote, six of the members were in favor of having Mr. Burke draft a positive decision. Planner McShane said he was not in favor of the sidewalk or the granite waiver. Planner Dolan said he was not in favor of the granite waiver. Planner Penney said he would rather see two sidewalks. Mr. DeGirolamo explained there is often a maintenance problem with asphalt, as weeds grow between the joints. Mr. DeGirolamo also asked why the board waited until this late in the process to bring up objections to the waivers. Planner Flynn said she thought the developer should be giving some at this point, considering the number of waivers requested. Mr. Folkman said they were giving some, with the additional work at the open space entrance. Chairman French suggested getting an opinion on the granite waiver from Mr. Clifford. Mr. Folkman agreed. Motion: To take a straw vote on waivers 1 -7. (Sullivan - Flynn) All in favor. PASSES Planner Penney left at this point. Straw vote on the granite waiver - Three in favor. Straw vote on the sidewalk waiver - Five in favor. Motion: To continue the public hearing to July 24, 1996 at 7:45 P.M. and have Mr. Burke draft a decision to include all waivers to be voted. (Sullivan - Dolan) All in favor. PASSES 4. Public Hearing Continued - Sturbridge Estates Sewer Modification - Ralph Maloon, RIM Engineering, said the hearing had been continued in order to discuss the neighbor's concerns, especially Mr. Levine's concerns about clearing of trees between his property and the nearby business. Mr. Folkman explained they had met with the abutters, and Mr. Maloon staked the corners of the easement. He said they would need to take a small easement on the Steele property, to which the Steeles have agreed. Mr. Folkman told the board they would be saving all the trees, lawn, and grass in the new easement, and that he had checked into hooking the Donovans up to the sewer, which he said can be done by gravity. He said he thought they had solved the landscaping and screening issues by relocating the easement. Public Comment Mr. Levine said he is in favor of the proposal, and the easement change is in the neighbor's benefit. Mr. Folkman said he had met with the Steeles, who have a list of concerns, and agreed to repave, relandscape, and leave two stubs for future use. They did not agree to bringing in town water, and the Steeles thought the developers should post a bond for the project. Mr. Folkman said they would look into whether they were bondable for the project, and offered to get bids on the repair work and put the money aside in a passbook. Planner McShane told Mr. Folkman he thought there were more issues to be addressed, such as extending the sewer. Planner Flynn said she was concerned about the amount of land this would open up for development. Mr. Burke said when the sewer is extended to Stearns Hill, it will be possible to develop land on Stearns Avenue by tying in there. Planner McShane said he understands sewer is a good idea environmentally and that it will save the town money in the long -run, but said Mansfield is facing issues where the environmental threat is land consumption and related impacts, which go beyond sewer. He said putting in the sewer won't solve the area's environmental problems, as the problem is the pace of land development. He was concerned about the pipe being able to handle over 700 homes, and mentioned the i board had discussed growth in this area during Master Plan Committee meetings. be this would encourage more growth, and said the cost saving He thought nificant. He said the question before the board is $60 80,000, which is not sig good engineering Proposal, whether to approve the sewer exten Maloon this was a cause additional ng Pr pos Points of view. growth. Planner McShane told Policy and planning p but said it is a bad idea from p Mr. Folkman told Planner Dolan asked how many houses would be hooked Estates, but said other wise, the area is him five would connect in Sturbridge Open up anything for explained 7000 feet of sewer wreed be ith Planner get pretty well built -out and this sewer extension wouldn't se op development. Mr. Loped n to the next undeveloped parcel of land. Planner Dolof town where it will create McShane that sewer shouldn't be brought into p able land, tic systems fail. develop but said he oo e° i the areia if the would do that. He said the hne t think should be able to handle the 0 iti that is not what it would cost the town to Mr. Burke told the board that one (dditional house wouldn't break the system, an that if it costs the developer et an ea do the same job, because the town � w °nls have to g eriencing prevailing g . He said there is a difference between short- do and pay p term planning, and the town has been exp term fiscal need and long-term and may continue for o mes co could be hooked in, 1 rapid growth for the last 20 y last forever. He explained when Mr. Maloon said 700 homes unbuilt lots available. bu that the long-term he didn't mean there are that matte opened up for development, act. outweighs the short -term negative imp not think much land ,,vould be op benefit to the community he said is neither realistic nor defensible, the town house is the issue, then the town should stop Mr. Burke said if one more He said building immediately, whrc term planning decision, the board is being asked to make a long hasn't been good at for the last 20 years• building entirely, but is done Planner McShane explained he did not mean to stop g d planning on a case -by -case basis. He asked if this h being concerned about p he rest of town? for the long -term benefit, What `v is that area a o b d d among what is the capacity of the sewer system, Plant, where the being done on the treatment He said the town approaches capacity at times of high is a study Mr. Burke told him there sewer shouldn't be issue is capacity. agreed with the groundwater, and he sees this as a technical issue. a mitted, could tie extended to an area ere there is none, south of ute 106, lready Per dy, immediate effect in by gravity. Mr. Folkman said he viewed this process been studied, neighborhood input, and a Pipe well, with a plan which has He said he didn't see this as makinnd a e located and sized for future needs. g zed land developable. Planner McShane said someday, been installed. He said the edgy, ant did a would wish an even larger i the policy question had to be raised, and that the board has to make its d cisiont based on broader policy. Chairman French said he thought this was a good opportunity the town should take advantage of, and asked the board about the street radius waiver request, Motion: To modify the subdivision plan to change the Cooper Road will meet Cooper Road Extension. cation of the way where (Flynn- Dolan) All in favor. PASSES Motion: To modify the subdivision plan to allow the extension of sanitary from East Street through the easement to Cooper Road with the changes to the easement as presented and reviewed here and the change in server alignment to Lots 19 and 19B. 5. Discussion of(Dol Stearns gill E Cates in McShane o Ralph Maroon, RIM ill Est erin pposed. PASSES Modification the board to the plan, including curb shut offs. The lines have been moved to the Engineering, explained he had added the items requested by back of the grass strip, with five houses on grinder um mains, for which the homeowners will be responsible. g pump and individual force Motion: To approve the modification as shown. (Dolan- Bonda) Five in favor. McShane abstained. PASSES 6. Discussion of Town Meeting Articles Mr. Burke outlined the articles the board had discussed submitting for the Special Town Meeting warrant. For the first, adult entertainment, he explained he and Chairman French had attended a town counsel suggested the prop meeting at which the by -law was discussed, and osed 2,000 foot setback was too much. Planner McShane suggested making the setback larger from schools, day care facilities, and town recreation fields. Mr. Burke said the setbacks wouldn't increase, but suggested a line be added for town recreation fields. The other proposed articles include a minimum buildable lot area in the Wetland Protection District, a permitted density and an addition to the Table of Uses for Zone II areas, and a phased growth by -law, which would prevent developers from building out a whole subdivision at once. Chairman French said with so many lots already approved, the b - really take effect for eight to 10 years. He suggested scheduling a public hearing for the warrant articles for August 14. g y 1aµ wouldn't / 1 The board discussed whether some of the density until the Master Plan Committee can Y and growth items should wait the Planning Board has been aware of these and discuss them. Problems for a couple said they are important issues, and suggested if the a couple of years, and Master Plan Committee wanted to Change them later, it could do that. Mr. Burke said the Master Plan Committee had discussed the Zone II issues at its last meeting and he thought some of the members would be Planning Board acts on it now, without the Master Plan Committee being involved, put out if the Chairman French said the than Burke a reed ges could also come in $ , but added that would re as a citizens petition. Mr. Motion: To support Article 1 with the removal 100 signatures. to include Town -Owned moval of `appurtenances" and Recreation Areas Article 2 (Sullivan - Bonda) entertainment suggested adding "morals" to paragraph 5.11.6 of the adult "community values and standards.explained the by -law alread y included Planner McShane asked if a referendum for the adult entertainment issue had been considered. Mr. Burke said it had not, as the statute says column to make it more restrictive. they cannot be prohibited, but towns can require special permits. Motion: To support Article 3, which is correcting the le match st with the current regulations ft and to make the right column (Sullivan - Bonda) All in favor. PASSES Motion: To table Articles 4 and 5 until after Master Plan discussions. 7•, Adjournment (Sullivan-Flynn) Five in favor. McShane o Motion: To adjourn at 11:35 P.M. ( Opposed. PASSES Date of next Meeting: Dolan- McShane g: August 14, 1996 at 7 :30 P.M. All in favor. PASSES Srgnature of Clerk i y Q(o Date of Approval