The mission of the Town of Duxbury is to deliver excellent services to the community in the most fiscally responsible and innovative manner while endeavoring to broaden our sense of community and preserve the unique character of our town.
The Planning Board met in the Town Office Building Monday, March 28, 2005.
Present: George Wadsworth, Chairman; Amy MacNab, Vice-Chairman; Angela Scieszka, Clerk; Aboud Al-Zaim, John Bear, James Kimball and Rob Wilson.. Also present was Associate Member Harold Moody (non-voting.)
Absent: No members were absent.
Staff: Christine Stickney, Planning Director and Barbara Ripley, Administrative Assistant.
The meeting was called to order at 7:38 PM.
OPEN FORUM
Local Housing Partnership: Mr. Kimball said that the Planning Board should reach out to the Local Housing Partnership (LHP) to find some common ground and mutual goals to move affordable housing forward. Ms. Scieszka said that Mr. Wadsworth and she attended the last LHP meeting. She said that there had been a misunderstanding over who would do the housing plan. The Planning Board has been assuming that this would be done by the LHP, but the LHP assumed that the Planning Board would do it. Ms. Stickney said that Judi Barrett is in the process of completing a draft Planned Production plan, which should be available for the Board’s review very soon.
Membership: Members congratulated Mr. Bear, who was elected to a five-year term on the Planning Board at the March 26, 2005 Town Election.
PLANNING BOARD REORGANIZATION
An election of officers was held. The Planning Board elected Ms. Amy MacNab as Chairman; Mr. George Wadsworth as Vice-Chairman; and Ms. Angela Scieszka as Clerk. Mr. Kimball will remain the Board’s representative to the MBTA. Ms. Scieszka will replace Ms. MacNab on the Land Use Group. Ms. Scieszka will remain a representative of the Town to the South Shore Coalition, along with Selectman Andre Martecchini. Mr. Wadsworth will remain the Planning Board’s representative on the Community Preservation Committee (term expires 6/30/07). Mr. Wilson will remain the Board’s representative on the Local Housing Partnership and the Economic Advisory Committee (both terms expire 6/30/07).
CONTINUED PUBLIC HEARING: T-FARM ESTATES/ Off High Street.
Ms. Stickney explained that the applicant requested a postponement of the continued public hearing in order to allow for additional time to provide revised plans.
MOTION: Mr. Wilson made a motion to continue the public hearing for T-Farm Estates to April 11, 2005 at 8:45 PM, with an extension of the decision date to May 11, 2005. Mr. Wadworth provided a second for the motion.
DISCUSSION: None.
VOTE: Unanimous in favor of the motion (7:0).
CONTINUED PUBLIC HEARING: SONG SPARROW ESTATES/ Off Forest Street
Present for the applicant:
Mr. Jay Woodruff, Search Tech
Mr. Steve Gioiosa, SITEC, Inc.
Present for the Town:
Mr. Thomas Sexton, Mainstream Engineering, Inc.
Ms. Katherine Pillsbury, Town Historian
Approximately fifteen members of the North Duxbury Residents’ Association were also present.
Ms. Scieszka read the correspondence list into the record:
· Mutual Extension Form dated 1/31/05 – Cont. public hearing to 3/21/05
· Minutes from PB hearing of 1/31/05
· Letter to Horsley and Witten dated 2/4/05 re: peer review services
· Proposal to Review dated 2/11/05 by Horsley and Witten Group
· Minutes of PB administrative discussion dated 3/7/05 re: consultant estimate
· Letter to Mainstream Engineering from B. Ripley dated 3/8/05 re: transmission of materials for review.
· Letter from Mainstream Engineering dated 3/11/05 re: proposal of cost
· Fax cover sheet to J. Woodruff dated 3/18/05 transmitting Mainstream cost estimate.
· Email between C. Stickney and T. Sexton of Mainstream – clarifying cost proposal
· Mutual extension form dated 3/21/05 re: cont. public hearing to 3/28/05
· Memo from Mainstream Engineering dated 3/23/05 re: peer review
· Letter from K. Pillsbury dated 3/23/05 re: proposed street name
· A memo from C. Stickney dated 3/23/05 re: staff comments
Mr. Gioiosa described some of the highlights of the project. The property was initially approximately 10.4 acres. However, two ANR lots have been created from the initial property, leaving 7+ acres for this subdivision development. Two estate-sized lots are planned. The applicant would like to reduce the pavement width from 18 feet to 14 feet for Song Sparrow Lane. The applicant proposes a drainage system which eliminates the need for large retention/detention ponds. Bio-retention areas are planned as the alternative. Also, a 50-foot no-build zone is proposed for the entire perimeter of the property. It is intended that Song Sparrow Lane would remain private.
Mr. Gioiosa said that he has received Mr. Sexton’s memorandum, dated 3/23/05, and that most of the issues should be resolvable.
Ms. Scieszka asked whether a round cul-de-sac was planned or a hammerhead turnaround. Mr. Gioiosa said that the applicant has not considered a hammerhead turnaround at this point.
Mr. Al-Zaim and Mr. Wadsworth said that they would like to see the ANR lots as part of the existing conditions on the plan.
Mr. Sexton said that the size and shape of the bio-retention areas should be clarified to ensure adequate stormwater management. Other issues include the positive grade of Song Sparrow Lane, and the need to have perc tests witnessed.
Ms. Scieszka asked whether bio-retention areas are commonly used. Mr. Sexton said that they are not commonly used in Massachusetts. However, they are common in other areas, such as Maryland. Mr. Wadsworth added that issues of soil replacement will be important.
Comments from the Public:
Mr. Jeffrey Fiedler (21 Forest Street): Said that he lives directly across from where the new roadway is planned. He is concerned about the potential for run-off affecting his property, and about the possibility of standing water in the vicinity. In addition, he is concerned about noise from Route 3, as trees are taken down to construct the roadway and houses. He asked whether there would be any sound-testing, and if there is a threshold where sound barriers would be required.
Ms. MacNab responded that it is the Planning Board’s job to make sure that there is no additional run-off or standing water created by the new subdivision. However, she added that we have no noise bylaw in Town. There are many subdivisions and homes which closely border the highway. She said that the new homeowners would have the incentive to minimize tree-cutting since they will be the most affected by the noise.
Ms. Scieszka asked how the applicant came up with 50-feet for the no-build buffer. Perhaps a deeper buffer in the back would be advisable, she said.
Mr. Scott Sargis (141 Forest Street): Asked how long the process of approval/disapproval would take. Ms. MacNab said that issues raised by the Town’s consultant would have to be resolved before the Planning Board could take a vote.
Mr. Al-Zaim commented to Mr. Fiedler that the Planning Board cannot get involved in the noise issue, because it is not a safety issue.
Mr. Paul Desmond (11 Hunt Farm Drive): Asked to be shown the septic systems of the existing homes on the plan. These were shown by Mr. Gioiosa.
Planning Board members indicated that they would like to continue the hearing in order to allow the applicant time to resolve some of the outstanding issues. Ms. Stickney asked whether the Board would like to see draft conditions at the next meeting. Board members indicated that they would prefer to wait until after the next meeting.
MOTION: Mr. Wilson made a motion to continue the public hearing for Song Sparrow Estates to May 2, 2005 at 7:45 PM, with revised materials due to the Planning Office by April 15, 2005, and with an extension of the decision date to June 2, 2005. Mr. Wadsworth provided a second for the motion.
DISCUSSION: None.
VOTE: Unanimous in favor of the motion (7:0).
OTHER BUSINESS
Open-Space Plan: The Duxbury Open Space & Recreation Committee distributed the Interim Report of the 2002 Open Space Plan. Board members requested that a member of the committee be invited to attend a Planning Board meeting in order to review Planning Board progress with the plan.
Local Housing Partnership (revisited): Mr. Wadsworth noted that there is a group of people the Local Housing Partnership would like to serve that does not meet the Chapter 40B requirements for income. Also, Mr. Wadsworth noted that the LHP may be open to the idea of having an Affordable Accessory Apartment zone. Ms. Stickney strongly suggested that the Planning Board, ZBA, and LHP hold a joint meeting. Board members noted that there is an affordability of housing issue as well as a diversity of housing issue.
ADJOURNMENT
The meeting was adjourned at 9:39 PM. The next meeting of the Duxbury Planning Board will be held on Monday, April 25, 2005 at 7:30 PM in the Duxbury Town Offices.
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