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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1999-10-04 Community Planning and Development Commission MinutesTown of Reading 16 Lowell Street r - Reading, MA 01867-2683 4 i.~ e.. Phone: 781-942-9012 > ~i :x;1 Fax: 781-942-9071 U) 7Z Email: akrieg@ci.reading.ma.us (J) COMMUNITY PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT COMN&ION CPDC MINUTES Meeting Dated.• October 4,1999 Members Present Jonathan Barnes, Chairman (JB), Neil Sullivan, Secretary (NS); Richard Schubert (RS); Richard Howard (RH) Also Present Joseph Delaney, Town Engineer (JD); Anne Krieg, Town Planner (AK) The Chair called the meeting to order at 7:43 PM. AK presented an ANR Plan for property at Lucy Drive and reviewed the Zoning By-Law amendment allowing for right of way re-alignment and adequacy of frontage. RHmade the motion to endorse the plan as presented as ha wing no requirement for Definitive Subdivision. RSseconded. All m favor. AK updated the Commission on the meeting progress for discussions with Meadowbrook Country Club for a proposed land swap for their expansion. JB remarked to the Commission his intention to continue in discussions with the Reading Housing Authority for the negotiations with the Marriott Corporation for their requirements under zoning. RH updated the Commission on the work of the Ad Hoc Water Supply Commission. He discussed the following: • The Committee was close to a recommendation • They would be given a draft report to review at their meeting Thursday. • They plan on meeting further with the public at large and again with the Selectmen • Stress on the Ipswich River Q\My Documents\CPDC\Agenda Minutes\10.499 minutes.doc Lest printed 12/00/9910.51 AM Created by Anne Krieg TOWN OF READING COMMUNITY PLANMNG AND DEVELOPMENT COMMLSSION Minutes for Meeting dated.- October $1999 • Concerns of the Ipswich River Watershed Association • Vulnerability Issues • MWRA expense, political landscape, and dependability RS led a discussion on the Open Space and Recreation Plan and the Open Space Committee. AK reviewed with the Commission the Assistant Town Manager's goals and objectives with the Committee and the re-write of the Plan. RS felt the Committee is not formed to only produce the Plan, but also looks at other issues related to open space. He felt the need to continue with the Committee. He was going to call other Committee members to discuss with them the future of the Committee and relate back to the Selectmen. RHrequested for the Town Planner to monitor the Committee progress, and the Plan to coincide with the work for the Master Plan. CARRIAGE ESTATES - REQUEST TO RELEASE BOND JD reported Lot 7 needs to be cleaned up, and the construction trailer was still there. He is not in receipt of the as-built plan or the street acceptance plan. There is no staff recommendation for release of this bond as requested by the developer. JD also commented the street should be accepted all at once and not piecemeal. RHmade the motion to deny the request by Carriage Estates to reduce the bond for the subdivision. R5seconded motion. All to favor. FOSTER CIRCLE FORMERLY REFERRED TO AS JAVIN CIRCLE) Attorney Richard Gilmore, representing the interests of the property owner, presented the revisions to the plans from the last meeting. There are four waivers related to the project. Peter Ogren, engineer for the applicant, responded to the comments from the Engineering Department. He focused his comments on: ♦ The electric lines will be underground. Page 2 of 6 TOWN OF READING COMMUNITY PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION Minutes for Meeting dated.- Grtober $1999 ♦ Comments from Town Engineer's previous letter on the project. ♦ The amount of fill in the beginning of the roadway because of the necessary removal of the gravel. ♦ Previous soil evaluation and test boring locations ♦ Stormwater management detention area design and location ♦ Gas line in the rear of the property limiting site development JD presented his comments on the revised plans as attached to these minutes as part of the record. He focused his comments on: ■ Drainage system - possibly decentralizing the system ■ Roof infiltration detail ■ Change pavement detail to 3" pavement depth ■ Roadway borings comment still stands ■ System at Summit Village, Wood End Cemetery failed - concerned for property adjacent to project with runoff/overflow William Crowley, Esq. remarked the water currently crosses client's property next door. He wants to see mitigation done on the property or possibly piping the water to the rear portion of the property. He would also like to see fencing and planting to separate the two properties. The resident at 422 Grove Street questioned the construction of the detention area. The engineer explained the process of excavation and the dependency on porous soils for proper discharge into the soils. He continued to explain the detention area is not a permanent pond, a deeper hole would have to be dug to get that. The berms would be constructed to hold during a heavy storm. The resident at 438 Grove Street requested a site visit ensue. He also requested assurances that the project's drainage system will function. The driveway for this property is directly across from the proposed way and the owner has concerns of water running into their driveway. Page 3 of 6 TOWN OF READING COMMUNITY PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION Minutes for Meeting dated atober 4, 1999 Staff explained the liability issue with drainage plans and calculations; negligence would have to shown. The engineer, as stamping the drawing, assumes liability and the Town accepts liability of the roadway once it is accepted at Town Meeting. Staff also informed the Commission the Selectmen resolved the gravel easement issues at their previous meeting. The Chair expressed concerns with the impacts from drainage on the project. He reminded the applicant there shall be no increase in the rate of runoff as required in the Rules and Regulations. The volume of the water needs to be properly mitigated as well. JD continued his concerns on the drainage design from past experience with similar designs in Reading. Virginia Adams of the Historic Commission questioned the drainage impact from tree clearing. The Chair re-directed the discussion to the requested waivers, noting drainage is still an outstanding issue not resolved. Of particular note to the Chair was the extension of the cul-de-sac length waiver. He noted the Rules and Regulations clearly speaks to the particulars of a dead-end street and the situation where a street extends from a dead-end. The definitions are also clear as to what constitutes a dead-end. The grant of a waiver requires a statement from the Commission the waiver is in the public interest and not inconsistent with the Rules and Regulations or the Subdivision Control Law. He questioned to the Commission members if this waiver fits. The Chair also noted the waiver from locating trees on the plan is also in question. The attorney for the applicant responded to the query. He felt the tree identification would be of a great magnitude due to the existing number of trees on the site. He questioned if it was in the public interest to save the trees in the lots as well as within the roadway layout. The attorney also noted all waivers are inconsistent as defined and this particular waiver was not unusual or unworthy in his opinion. He further stated: ❖ Currently the property could Form A/ANR off two lots; the Page 4 of 6 TOWN OF READING COMMUNITY PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION Mrnvtes for Meeting dated October 4, 1999 ❖ Grove Street is 545 feet in length; the proposed roadway is 283 feet. ❖ There is no other access into the property; the property abuts Town property to its rear. RH felt the points were not relevant to the waiver, and noted there is current expansion of use of the property through the Form A process. RS spoke of the poor planning practice of Sanborn Village in Reading, where dead-ends were added to other dead-ends, hence this rule was added to prevent this in the future. He noted the intention in the mentioned project was to connect the neighborhoods, but they never were. He agreed with RH the by right use would allow for two lots at the location and incremental changes to the number of residential properties on a property adds up and increases the burden the roadway carries. Grove Street's intersection with another roadway, Franklin Street, was clocked by him to be 7/10 mile away; thus, he feels the waiver is excessive. The Chair agreed the waiver is inconsistent with the regulation. RHmade the motion to close the public headrn& seconded by RS. All in fa vor. RHmade the following motion We the Community Planning and Development Commission, upon request by H.B. Development Corporation of Wilmington, Massachusetts, of an application submitted on August 9,1999, to approve a definitive subdivision for property currently addressed at 443 Grove Street (Map 186, Lot 2), to provide access, utilities and frontage needs for three (3) additionallots, to be known as Foster Circle as shown on the mostrecently submitted plans entitled "Foster Circle Definitive Subdivision", with a revision date of September 29,1999, prepared and stamped by Hayes Engineering Inc. of Wakefield, Massachusetts, do hereby vote.- after holding a duly advertised and noticed public hearing on September 13,1999 and a continuance to October 5,1999in order to consider the application as noted, to deny this said application for the followingreason Page 5 of 6 TOWN OF READING COMMUNITY PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION Minutes for Meeting dated.• a-tober $1999 Waiverrequestforrelieffrom 71.5(a) requitingno dead-end or cul-de-sac, or their extensions shall be longer than five hundred (500) feet-is notgranted. Itis the opinion of the CPDC this waiver is not consistent with the intent and purpose of the Subdivision Control Law and of the Rules and Regulations for the Subdivision of Land in Reading as most recently amended, and further, this waiver is not in the public interest. The consideration and denial of this waiver is consistent with the practices setforth in Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 41, section 81Q, and R respectively. Seconded by RS. All in favor. Motion to adjourn of 9.•40 PMmade by RIZ seconded by NS. All in fa vor These minutes were prepared by Anne Krie& Town Planner, and submitted to the CPDC on November 12,1999 Minutes were approved by the CPDC on November 2Z 1999. Signed as approved: Neil Sullivan, Secretary Date Page 6 of 6