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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1993-01-11 Community Planning and Development Commission MinutesTOWN OF READING COMMUNITY PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION MINUTES OF JANUARY 11, 1993 A meeting of the Community Planning and Development Commission of the Town of Reading was held in the Selectmen's Meeting; Room of the Town Hall, 15 Lowell Street in Reading, Massachusetts on January 11, 1993. In attendance were Jonathan Barnes, Chair; Richard Howard, Commission Secretary; and Members Nancy Shipes William Goodrich, and Thomas; Stohlman. Also present was Town Planner Jonathan Edwards. The meeting was called to order at 7:37 PM. APPROVAL-NOT-REQUIRED SUBDIVISION PLANS Mr. Edwards presented: an Approval-Not-Required Plan for property at Thorndike and Spring Streets. Mr. Stohlman, seconded by Mr. Howard., moved that the Commission endorse this Plan of Land of :Hovey, dated December 31, 1992 subject to the signature: block being changed to read "Community Planning and Development Commis- sion" and to show the sideyard setback to the stairs and landing, and to encourage the owner to donate a rounding at the street corner per the Town Engineer's request. This motion was approved by a vote of 5:0, and the plan was so endorsed. PUBLIC HEARING--DEFINITIVE SUBDIVISION PLANS: NUGENT LANE Mr. Barnes opened a public hearing to consider Definitive Plans for the proposed. Nugent Lane subdivision on Pearl Street. Mr. O. Bradley Latham, attorney for the applicant, ;Mated that in his view the changes in the Zoning By-Laws adopted at the Fall 1992 Town Meeting would have no effect these plans. Peter Ogren, en- gineer for the applicant, presented the plans, and. Mr. Edwards presented comments from the Town Engineer, himself, the Conserva- tion Administrator, and the Board of Health, and directed the Commission's attention to a relevant. Zoning Board of Appeals decision concerning a setback variance between the existing house and the proposed street. Ms. Joan Nickerson, a member of the Conservation Commission, expressed concerns of that, commission regarding the replication areas, the driveway crossing, and the extension of the proposed roadway into wetlands. Concerns ex- Dress,ed by Commission members included those of Mr. Goodrich about the two adjacent driveways an(I the staff recommendation that these be combined into a common driveway, zoning by-laws, and the retaining wall in the right-of-way; and those of Mr. Stohlman about frontage compliance of Lots 3 and. 4, possible need for connection of the street to adjoining undeveloped lands, emergency access to Lots 1 and 21 the need for Parcel A. and the failure to show existing trees on the site adequately. The Com- mission voted 5z O in favor of a motion, _made by Mr. Stohlman, I- K4 TT PM on January 25, 1993. Due to illness, Mr. Howard left the quorum at this point. PUBLIC HEARING--DEFINITIVE SUBDIVISION PLANS: VARNEY CIRCLE 1 Mr. Barnes opened a Public Hearing to consider Definitive Plans for the proposed. Varney Circle subdivision on Haverhill Street. Attorney Latham, representing the applicant, expressed legal con- cerns that Fall 1992 Town Meeting zoning changes should in his view have no effect on these plans. Mr. William Bergeron, en- gineer representing the applicant,, presented the plants. Mr. Ed- wards, presented staff comments from the Town Engineer, himself, the Conservation Administrator, the Board of Health, and the Tree Warden. Mr. Stohlman expressed concerns that the cellar floor elevations may be too low, and that limits of work, significant trees, and tree preservation measures were not presented in the plans. Ms. Shipes asked if 114 Haverhill Street could be granted driveway access from the proposed street; Mr. Bergeron said no. The Commission discussed the view of the Fire Chief that, the long driveway on Lot 2 was inadequate; Mr. Bergeron stated that the plans, including Conservation mitigation measures, would need to be revised: to meet these concerns. Ms. Dickerson offered that, the first review of these plans; by the Conservation Commission would take place on January 27, 1993. The Commission voted 4:0 in favor of a motion made by Ms. Shipes, seconded by Mr. Goodrich, to continue this Public Dearing to 8:00 PM on February 3, 1993. PUBLIC HEARING--PRELIMINARY SUBDIVISION PLANS: ANNETTE LADE Mr. Barnes opened a Public Hearing to consider Preliminary Plans for a proposed one-lot subdivision called Annette Lane. Mr. Bernie Paquin,engineer representing the applicant, presented the plans, the significant features of which were a severely reduced extent of pavement, for which a waiver was requested, and the location of a detention pond within the proposed right-of-way. Mr. Edwards presented his own comments, together with those of the Town Engineer, and reported that the Fire Chief had found this design unacceptable due to inadequate paved maneuvering space and the location of the pond between the street pavement and the house location. He also pointed out the presence of ex- tensive wetlands in and near the street location, Mr. Stohlman stated that this plan would entail a huge variance from adopted standards and would pose a poor precedent for subdivisions. After some discussion with the applicant, James Pacy, with a view toward his working with the Fire Chief and the Conservation Com- mission to explore options, Messrs. Pacy and Barnes executed an agreement to extend the time for decision to April 12, 1993, and the Commission voted 4:0 to approve a motion made by Mr. Stohlman, seconded by Mr. Goodrich, to continue this Public Hear- ing to 3:00 PM on April 5, 1993. ADJOURNMENT At 10:59 PM a motion was made and seconded to adjourn and the Commission voted unanimously to do so. Respect y Submitte Approvec`: January 25, 1993 m 0 S i g's'a.e Date: . 1hard Howard., Secretary 2