HomeMy WebLinkAbout1992-09-28 Community Planning and Development Commission MinutesTOWN OF READING
COMMUNITY PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION
MINUTES SEPTEMBER 28, 1992
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, 16 Lowell Street in Reading, Massachusetts on Sep-
tember 28, 1992. In attendance were Jonathan Barnes, Chair; and
Members Nancy Shipes and Thomas Stohlman. Also present were Town
Planner Jonathan Edwards and Town Engineer William Robertson.
The meeting was called to order at 7.38 PM.
APPROVAL OF PREVIOUS MINUTES
The minutes of the Commission's meeting of September 14, 1992
were amended and accepted.
RELEASE OF RESTRICTIONS
On presentation by Mr. Edwards in response to the request of a
property owner in order to clear up a long-unresolved matter, the
Commission voted 3:0 to approve a motion made by Mr. Stohlman,
seconded by Ms. Shipes, to release Lot 7, Hopkins Farm Subdivi-
sion (Old Farm Road) from subdivision restrictions dating to
1976, and the Commission endorsed the appropriate release form.
ASHLEY WOODS AND FAIRWOOD ACRES SUBDIVISIONS
Mr. Edward; outlined some outstanding issues in connection with
the Ashley Woods Subdivision: lapse of previous extension date as
of June 26, 1992, death or imperilment of eleven trees shown on
the plans to be kept, clattering sewer manhole lids, and small
items of street construction work. Mr. O. Bradley Latham, repre-
senting the owner, presented a request for extension of the
completion date to December 31, 1992. Mr. Bud Dickey, Tree War-
den, told the Commission that of seven large trees shown on the
plans to be kept, three such trees` survival has been jeopard-
ised, and one such tree has been removed, because of grade
changes and soil compaction in the course of subdivision and
house construction. After considerable discussion, the Commis-
sion voted 3:0 to approve a motion made by Mr. Stohlman, seconded
by Ms. Shipes that an extension of the completion date of this
subdivision be granted through April 1, 1993. The Commission
further unanimously declared its sense that the dead trees in
question shown on the plan to be retained should be removed and
replaced with trees of at least three-inch caliper at the
developer's expense if the lot owners grant permission to do so,
and that all measures to ensure the survival of the jeopardized
trees should be taken.
Mr. Edwards then outlined the issues remaining at the adjoining
E" Fairwood Acres subdivision, including expired completion date
(June 1991); lack of an updated completion schedule; pavement dip
and overhanging trees presenting a safety hazard at the Fairchild
Drive/Main Street intersection; unrepaired contractor damage to
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sidewalks, tree lawns, curbing, and street pavement; missing curb
at a former driveway near said intersection; overgrown tree
lawns; debris in the cul-de-sac; dangerous tree well near the in-
tersection of Fairchild Drive and Ashley Place; and lack of ful-
fillment of a plan condition to convey title of Lot 38 to adjoin-
ing property owned by Mattucci. After considerable discussion,
the Commission voted 3:0 to appprove a motion made by Mr.
Stohlman, seconded by Ms. Shipes, to request the Board of
Selectmen to place an article on the warrant for the Fall 1992
Town Meeting to appropriate all remaining bond funds for the
completion of this subdivision. Mr. Ralph Mattucci stated that
he wished the record to show that he is willing to pay fair
market value for the purchase of Lot 38.
CURLEY----CHUTE STREET PROPOSED MIXED-USE DEVELOPMENT
Mr. Martin Curley presented revised plans for a small mixed of-
fice and apartment building he wishes to build on a vacant lot on
Chute Street. The Commission voted 3:0 to approve a motion made
by Ms. Shipes, seconded by Mr. Barnes, to authorize the sending
to the Zoning Board of Appeals of a memorandum drafted by Mr. Ed-
wards saying that this proposal is consistent with the Master
Plan. Mr. Stohlman reiterated his contention that approval of
uses by use variance instead of by zoning change is not
preferred.
MASTER PLAN IMPLEMENTATION---ZONING WARRANT ARTICLES
Mr. Curt Nitzsche and the Commission discussed the proposed
Planned Residential District zoning warrant article language with
regard to density provisions, and the Commission authorized the
revision of this language for submission for the warrant for Fall
Town Meeting. Likewise, the Commission authorized the submission
of an article dealing with frontage and lot width.
ADJOURNMENT
At 11:28 PM a motion was made and seconded to adjourn and the
Commission voted unanimously to do so.
Respectfully Submitted: Approve : October 19, 1992
Date: ~q
.chard Howard, Secretary
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