HomeMy WebLinkAbout1981-03-19 Planning Board MinutesMinutes of the Meeting of Marchl0a, 1981.
The Chairman called the meeting to order in Room 19, 52 S-----
at 7:35 PM with E. Ch.ilress, B. Mitchel and J. Sturm present.
Because of the presence of the Chairman of the School Committee
and interested parents from Highland School district, the Board
deferred action until later in the meeting on the listed agenda
items.
Highland School Closinq - Article 6 Town Meeting Warrant.
The proceedings of the presentation by the Highland parents and
Chairman Landers was recorded. Highlights of the presentation
by the Chairman were:
- that the Highland School closing has been scheduled
1 year earlier than anticipated, resulting from the
impact of Prop. 2 1/2 and declining school enrollment.
- that the Highland School was chosen because it was
easier to distribute the children Town--wide to other
.schools, because of its central location, than to close
a school on the perimeters of the Town.
- they were investigating the possibility of closing
the school on a temporary basis to.asse.ss the:. impact
of the closing.
Highlights of the presentation by the Highland parents were:
- that adequate safety measures had not been investigated
before closing the Highland School
- that the DESREC report and statements issued from the
School Committee are in variance.
-that there will be overcrowding of schools because of
the impact of the Highland school closing.
- that the State safety standards were going to be violated
and that the parents had been advised that they could
sue the Town officials, both individually and collectively,
for placing the children in "jeopardy".
- that reuse plans for the building should not further
increase the density of the neighborhood causing traffic.
and safety problems.
- that reopening the Highland School would mean that the
Town would have to then meet-the State's architectural
barrier requirements and until adequate studies are. done
to assess the impact of the closing of this school then
the school should remain open and operating.
that the School, if closed, be kept under the supervision
of the School Committee so that the Town would not be
reauired to build another school when the ppopulation
curve began its rise.
a letter stating the parents case was submitted for the
record and is attached.
Page 2
3/19/81
Comments by member s.of the Planning Board included:
- that sufficient attention to population increase was
given and that according to their study, the closing
of the Highland School will not be detrimental to the
safety of the children.
.that building reuse study would be adequately provided
for as that building would then be required to meet
the zoning requirements of the district unless a vari-
ance or Zoning change was requested.
-that the Planning Board had heard Mr. Brown's presenta-
tion re: reuse of Highland School as a Town Hall and
suggested that Mr. Brown's guesstimate was far off
base for building conver$on.
After brief discussion on the matters of Articles 6, 46, 47 and
48 on the 1981 Annual Town Meeting Warrant the Board, upon motions
duly made and seconded, unanimously voted the following:
Article 6 No action
Article 46 - Oppose turning over Highland School from School
Committee to Selectmen
Article 47 - Opposed to conversion of Highland to use as a
Town Hall
Article 48 - Opppose the sale of the Highland School.
parents
At 9 P.M. the Board thanked the of the Highland School
area and resumed discussion on Town Meeting Warrant .issues. .
Mr. Daniel Kasper, the attorney for Mr. and Mrs. French, presented
his clients appeal to request the Board petition Town Meeting to
"indefinitely postpone" the subject matter under Article 15. His
reasons for this included:
- the Article, as drafted, would constitute spot zoning
and would be in violation of Land Court decisions.
that they would be seeking to include the property owned
by Dooley, immediately north of the French property, for
inclusion in the "continuation of the. Business A district"
to include the both parcels of land.
that they would be submitting this as an article for the
1981 Special Town Meeting.
The Board respectfully took the attorney's request under advisement
and would present the case for "indefinite postponement" at the
public hearing scheduled for March 26, 1981.
The Board then voted to defer action on the first 3 listed agenda
items and discuss the comprehensive permit for Horizon Homes.
Horizon Homes Comprehensive Permit
The Board discussed their position re: requirements stipulated in
their February 20, 1981 letter addressed to the.Chairman of the
Board of Appeals. Among the items discussed *ere:
- the requirement of a sidewalk on the.entire north
side of Bav State Road; was this,to continue past
the entrance of the development?
access - a very big problem: Haverhill Street is
the better right of access to the development as
it.will have less of an adverse impact on the neigh-
borhood residents; alternate access only should be
provided off Bay State Road. Alternate access is
one that is chained and.locked and is for use by
emergency vehicles only.
Safety increase traffic will affect not only the
neighborhood children and residents, but will also
be hazardous to the residents of the elderly complex
seeking to use Bay State Road. Also a safety hazard
is need for emergency vehicle use on such.a.small
residential street. Is the access adequate for the
Fire and Police department use?
Buffer strip - at present the plans call for only a
buffer between the abutting property owners house and
the roadway. The intent of the buffer area as expressed
in Section 5.3.1.3. of the Zoning By-laws is to provide
screening along the full abutting length. of the property,
so affected.
Meeting Schedule
The Board voted the following schedule:
Wednesday, 8 OOP.M., 3/25/81, Comprehensive Permit
hearing for Horizon Homes with Board meeting posted
for 7:30 P.M.
Upon a motion duly made and seconded, the Board unanimously voted
to adjourn at 10:10_P..M.
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BJM