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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1980-05-01 Planning Board Minutes15 Minutes of the Meeting of May 1, 1980. Chairman J. Zorabedian called the meeting to order at 7:15 P.M. in Room 131, Reading Memorial High School, Oakland Road, with Board members J. Shaw and B. Mitchel present. Bay State Road Development - Congregational Church/Horizon Homes The Chairmanopened the meeting to Mr. Herb Converse, representa- tive of the Congregational Church, to give an updated report.on Horizon Homes, the proposed development of 97 units of housing for elderly and handicapped people proposed for the Bay State Road area. Mr. Converse stated that the Congregational Church had been looking for an acceptable site for 6 1/2 years before finding this site. He then displayed a site plan showing the position of the proposed housing, driveways, green areas and the access road to the development. Bracken Construction Co. will be the builders. Approximately 12 people were present at this meeting. Mr. E. Roger Louanis, BPW Superintendent, expressed the concerns that the Board of Public Works had - among them: that the engineering firm for this project would have to do the engineering studies to determine the following: - Is there an adequate supply of water for this proposed development? - Is the water pressure to the hydrants sufficient for this proposed development? - The availability of the sewer to this area and the pro- posed impact this development would have on the Towns present system.; - The access. to the site from the public way and the traffic and environmental impact_this would have; and - At present the plan provides for only one access road and that the developers would have to check with the Fire Department to check its adequacy for such a develop- ment. Mr. Converse stated that he appreciated this information and that the engineering for this will be done after Horizon Homes has been.able to get a Comprehensive Permit from the Town subject to those restrictions, as the Cedar Glen development did. Mr. Thomas Riley, Chairman of the Conservation Commission, spoke of the concerns of the Commission and stated that they would be able to make a better judgment on the environmental impact of this project after the site meeting which is scheduled for the following morning at 10 A.M.. A representative from the Congregational Church said that there was less than a 5 foot spread from the lowest to the highest elevation at this site. Area residents expressed the following concerns: - the impact of such a large development on this residential area; - the traffic impact on a small residential street and the 14 impact of the traffic on the intersection at Bay State Road and Salem Street; and - what effect the proposed development would have on the projected traffic impact study. Mr. Converse stated that he would obtain this information and give it to the Board. He also stressed the fact that he would contact the Reading Housing Authority and give them an updated report on this proposed development. At present the development provides one parking space for every two (2) units of housing. Mr. Converse stated that they would provide the necessary technical studies to support this parking ratio. In answer to the question as to how and what protection the Town has in the elderly housing being converted to condominiums or other such housing, he responded that the life of the mortgage with HUD is 40 years and that HUD would not allow conversion during that time. After 40 years, they are free to convert this housing but that the Congregational Church does not at this time foresee that possibility. At 7:48 P.M. Mr. Converse concluded his remarks and Chairman. Zorabedian thanked him for his presentation. The Board recessed to Town Meeting at 7:58 PM. Respectfully submitted, Al~ 9 Barry Mitchel, Clerk (SEE PG.147 for May 5, 1980 MINUTES) Minutes of the Meeting of May 8, 1980. Chairman J. Zorabedian called the meeting to order at 7:40 PM, in Room 131, Reading Memorial High School, Oakland Road, with J. Shaw and B. Mitchel present. Also present was J. Grant Monahon, attorney for Addison-Wesley Publishing Company. Article 51 - Buffer Stri Mr. Zorabedian informed the members of the Planning Board of the decision of Town Counsel, H. Theodore Cohen, that the insertion of the phrase "where required by either Residential or Business C property owners" in paragraph b.is not enforce- able and not legally sound legislation. After much discussion the Board voted to reconsider their previous vote'. Upon a motion duly made and seconded-, the Planning Board unani- mously voted to recommend the Article as heard at the public Hearing with a 12 foot minimum setback and no mention of the requirement.