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.
Town of Duxbury
Massachusetts
Planning Board
Minutes 05/09/05
The Planning Board met in the Town Office Building Monday, May 9, 2005.
Present: Amy MacNab,Chairman; George Wadsworth, Vice-Chairman; Angela Scieszka, Clerk; Aboud Al-Zaim, John Bear, and James Kimball.
Absent: Rob Wilson.
Staff: Christine Stickney, Planning Director and Barbara Ripley, Administrative Assistant.
The meeting was called to order at 7:35 PM.
ANR PLAN OF LAND: TOWN OF DUXBURY/ CONGRESS STREET (MERLET/ HABITAT)
Present for the Town:
Elizabeth Sullivan, Selectwoman
Joseph Grady, Conservation Administrator
Ms. MacNab explained the situation. This property was originally purchased with CPC funds for development as an affordable housing project. South Shore Habitat for Humanity is constructing the single family residence on a portion of the lot. During the permitting stage, it was discovered the abutter’s driveway and a portion of their garage is actually on the Town’s lot. Under these conditions, a building permit cannot be issued. A reasonable solution would be to work a land swap with the abutter. However, in that any transfer/sale of Town property requires Town Meeting approval, Duxbury Town Counsel (see memorandum dated 5/6/05) recommended that the Town carve away a small portion of the lot in question with the encroachment. This parcel will remain under Town ownership
until such time Town meeting renders a decision. In the interim, this allows the house construction to go forward and the Town will move forward on reconciling this issue with the abutter.
Ms. Sullivan noted that the property was purchased on the basis of a deed, not a plan. From now on, the Town will require that an instrument survey be performed prior to Town land purchases.
Discussion of the application included whether there will be a housing restriction placed on the leased portion of the property. This matter will be deferred to the Community Preservation Committee and Duxbury Town Counsel.
Ms. MacNab objected to Notes 2 and 3 on the plan. Note 2 refers to the plan to convey Parcel 2 to the abutter, and note 3 refers to an access easement for the abutter.
MOTION: Ms. Scieszka made a motion to endorse the Plan of Land for Congress Street, in Duxbury, MA, prepared by Aaberg Associates, Inc., dated April 27, 2005 as not requiring approval under Subdivision Control Law, subject to removal of Notes 2 and 3, and re-numbering of Note 4. Mr. Al-Zaim provided a second for the motion, which passed unanimously (6:0).
CONINUED PUBLIC MEETING: ADMINISTRATIVE SITE PLAN REVIEW/ SNUG HARBOR BOATWORKS – RAILROAD AVE.
The applicant sent a letter to the Planning Board requesting to withdraw his application without prejudice.
MOTION: Mr. Wadsworth made a motion to accept Snug Harbor Boatworks’ request for a withdrawal of the application for Administrative Site Plan Review without prejudice. Ms. Scieszka provided a second for the motion, which carried unanimously (6:0).
(Later in the meeting, Ms. Ruth Rowley (565 Washington Street) noted that the Public Meeting and Decision Dates for this Administrative Site Plan Review were extended by mutual agreement. She questioned whether this is allowed by the Zoning Bylaw. Ms. MacNab explained that, in the absence of an extension, the application would have to have been denied, because incomplete information was provided.)
CONTINUED PUBLIC HEARING: TERAVAINEN/ Off High Street
The applicants requested additional time to submit revised plans and documents.
MOTION: Ms. Scieszka made a motion to continue the public hearing for the Definitive Plan for Teravainen (off High Street) to May 23, 2005 at 8:15 PM, with an extension of the Planning Board decision date to June 22, 2005. Mr. Wadsworth provided a second for the motion, which carried unanimously (6:0).
DISCUSSION WITH MEMBERS OF THE OPEN SPACE COMMITTEE
Present for the Open Space Committee were:
Ms. Pat Loring, Member
Mr. Jay Curran, Intern
Ms. Loring explained the findings in the Interim Open Space Committee report. The report noted that the Planning Board had made excellent progress with regard to their objectives. It was also noted that some goals assigned to the Planning Board were more appropriately assigned to other groups.
The value of having an Open Space Plan was discussed. Ms. Loring said that no State grant money, for any purpose, can be given to a community without an Open Space Plan. The plan must be completely revised every five years. Duxbury must have their new plan approved in 2007. Mr. Curran is working with the Committee to draft the report.
Ms. Loring noted that there seems to be a change in attitude among the current Board of Selectmen with regard to purchasing Open Space. They are reluctant to make any purchases outside of Community Preservation Act funds.
Ms. MacNab asked if there are any big projects on the horizon. Ms. Loring said that they are looking at some of the area bogs.
SPECIAL PERMIT RECOMMENDATION: COOK/ Cedar Street
It was noted that the site plan provided by Webby Engineering did not include the proposed addition. Therefore, site coverage changes cannot be adequately calculated. It was also noted that the impact of the existing nonconformity will be greater when a second story is added. Finally, the Planning Board noted that this is a small lot
(9,290 SF).
MOTION: Mr. Bear made a motion to 1) advise the Zoning Board that the application should be considered incomplete, due to the absence of a site plan showing the proposed additions; and 2) to recommend denial of the application (even though incomplete), because a small house is more suitable for this small lot (9,290 SF) and because adding a second story will increase the impact of the nonconformity on the neighborhood. Mr. Wadsworth provided a second for the motion, which carried unanimously (6:0).
OTHER BUSINESS
Engineering Invoices:
Bayside Marine and Teravainen:
MOTION: Mr. Kimball made a motion to pay Mainstream Engineering invoices #20562 ($572.00 for Bayside Marine) and #20561 ($1,452.00 for Teravainen). Ms. Scieszka provided a second for the motion, which carried unanimously (6:0).
Song Sparrow:
Ms. Ripley provided a memorandum to the Board stating that, after payment of the current bill, that replenishment of the escrow account would be required, according to the Subdivision Rules and Regulations. Since this applicant has voiced concerns several times about peer review costs, Ms. Ripley wanted to inform the Board of the status of the account.
MOTION: Mr. Wadsworth made a motion to pay Mainstream Engineering invoice #20563 ($603.50 for Song Sparrow Estates). Mr. Kimball provided a second for the motion, which carried unanimously (6:0).
The Board directed Ms. Ripley to follow the usual procedure of requesting additional funds from the applicant before the review can be continued.
Minutes:
MOTION: Mr. Wadsworth made a motion to accept the minutes of 5/2/05 as amended. Ms. Scieszka provided a second for the motion, which carried unanimously (6:0).
WORKING SESSION OF THE PLANNING BOARD: AFFORDABLE HOUSING OPTIONS
Mr. Wadsworth commented that people who have Special Permits for accessory apartments, often fail to renew the Special Permit when they sell the property. The cost of construction of the apartment, and the inconveniences of having a tenant are two of the factors leading to this, he said.
(Mr. Wadsworth left the meeting at this point.)
The Board continued their discussion of Housing Strategies from the Community Development Plan, which was begun at the last meeting:
Strategy 3: Carry out a plan to convert existing housing units into affordable housing units.
Action 1: Establish an Affordable Housing Purchase/Resale Program. Members agreed that this option sounds great, but would probably not work. Members doubted that people would be willing to limit their profit on the sale of their homes.
Action 2: Affordable Accessory Apartment Program (already discussed).
Action 3: Establish an Affordable Housing Annuity and Tax Credit Program. Members see this option as too complicated given Department of Revenue requirements.
Strategy 4: Identify appropriate areas in Duxbury for new affordable housing development.
Ms. Stickney said that the non-profit Duxbury Housing Partnership is looking at the Lincoln Street parcel. She also said that the developers of the Island Creek complex have expansion plans that could be very beneficial to the Town of Duxbury. However, they will need to amend their existing comprehensive permit. They have not been able to get a meeting with the Zoning Board of Appeals to see if the ZBA will work with them on the project.
Mr. Kimball said that the Town should partner with a developer to get a reasonably
Strategy 5: Provide for housing expansion in established neighborhood business districts while maintaining the characteristics of traditional village design.
Members are in favor of this strategy.
It was decided to continue the discussion at a future meeting.
ADJOURNMENT
The next meeting of the Duxbury Planning Board will be on Monday, May 23, 2005 at 7:30 PM in the Duxbury Town Offices.
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