HANSON PLANNING BOARD
Minutes of the Meeting of
May 10, 2000
Members Present: Philip Lindquist, Chairman (Arrived 7:45 p.m.)
David Harris - Vice Chairman
Gerard LeBlanc - Clerk
Gordon Coyle - Member
Others Present: Noreen O’Toole - Town Planner
Barbara Ferguson - Administrative Assistant
Absent: Joan DiLillo - Member
I. CALL TO ORDER
II. ACCEPTANCE OF MINUTES
Meeting of December 3,1997
Motion to Accept the Minutes of the Meeting of Dec. 3, 1997: Gerard LeBlanc
Second: Gordon Coyle
Vote: 3-0
Meeting of April 19, 2000
Motion to Accept the Minutes of the Meeting of April 19, 2000: Gordon Coyle
Second: Gerard LeBlanc
Vote: 3-0
III. TOWN PLANNER’S REPORT
Master Plan Committee
Town Planner Noreen O’Toole advised the Board that the Master Plan Committee will not be meeting until June when Thomas Planning Associates is expected to be ready with a draft of the Housing Component of the plan.
Hanson Trails Committee
Ms. O’Toole told the Board the next meeting of the Hanson Trails Committee will be held on May 31. She noted that a representative from the Trust for Public Land will be attending the May 24 Planning Board meeting to discuss services available to communities relative to the acquisition of land. Ms. O’Toole said, based on the current animosity between the Conservation Commission and Jon Ridder, she does not think the time is right for the Trust to attempt to negotiate an easement over his land for a portion of the proposed Bay Circuit Trail through Hanson.
OCPC Transportation Committee
Ms. O’Toole said the next meeting of the Old Colony Planning Council Transportation Committee is scheduled for May 18. At the last meeting, she said, the committee discussed Route 44, BAT, Chapter 90 Funding, the TIPS Program and the drafting of a 2000-2025 Regional Transportation Plan.
Vision 2020
Ms. O’Toole said she has been attending Vision 2020 meetings every other week. She advised the Board of a Summit Meeting to be held on June 17 at Middleboro High School. She also noted that, as a member of the Vision 2020 Land Use and Natural Resources Committee, she will be going on a “road show” to area communities over the next year promoting regional collaboration on land use issues.
IV. NEW BUSINESS
Russell Wheatley
Catherine Road Sidewalk
Chairman Philip Lindquist read a May 9 letter from Russell Wheatley of Russell A. Wheatley Co., Inc. of Abington, regarding the sidewalks in the Catherine Road subdivision. According to Mr. Wheatley, who is the engineer for the project, the sidewalk was apparently set without benefit of survey control, and, as a result, it meanders slightly causing some of the bound points to fall in the blacktop. Bernard Munro of Land Planning, Inc., of Hanson, the board’s engineer on the project, and Ms. O’Toole advised the Board that the spots where the bounds should go are currently marked with orange paint. At the conclusion of the discussion, the Board determined that the use of railroad spikes would be unacceptable. Mr. Wheatley
was told concrete bounds should be installed and the sidewalk and berms relocated. Permission was granted for spikes in two locations where the bound falls within the confines of private driveways.
Pine Street, Lot 66G, Adequate Access
Brian Dunn, J.K. Holmgren
Brian Dunn of J.K. Holmgren, registered professional engineers and land surveyors, of Brockton, representing Robert and Wendy Benoit of 30 Pine Street, met with the Board to discuss access to Lot 66G Pine Street and present a preliminary plan of existing conditions. The access issue has been the topic of discussion at several previous meetings with representatives of the Benoits claiming a right of access to the parcel over Fuller Street and a representative of abutter Joan Campbell of Reed Street contending that Fuller Street is a private driveway that has been deeded to her. The lot was sold to the Benoits by the Town of Hanson at public auction. The Board advised Mr. Dunn that the Benoits should have their
attorney meet with the abutter to resolve their differences and then return with more evidence of the right to access and a new map addressing all public safety issues in relation to use of the parcel for a dwelling.
Adequate Access, Lot 84B Charles Street
Al Vautrinot for Elko Construction
On behalf of Elko Construction, engineer, Al Vautrinot of Plympton, met with the Board to discuss access to Lot 84B, Map 2, on Charles Street. It was his third meeting with the board. The first meeting was held on April 5. Mr. Vautrinot showed the Board a new map which indicated a 12 foot wide road to the end of the parcel and a drainage easement down the westerly property line. Mr. Vautrinot was asked to return with more specific details on the drainage and the lots identified on the map. Town Planner Noreen O’Toole said she and lot owner Donald Ellis had met with Executive Secretary E. Winn Davis Ellis to discuss the easement Mr. Ellis filed at the Plymouth County Registry of Deeds granting the town use of the paved road known as
Hancock Street over Lots 654, 655, 656 and 657 on Hanson Assessors Map 2M, for all purposes for which streets and ways are commonly used, for access to Charles Street. Mr. Ellis filed the easement so the new owner of the property could not restrict the town from use of the roadway which currently passes over the site. Ms. O’Toole said Mr. Davis intends to discuss the easement with Town Counsel.
Construction Cost Estimate, Meadow Brook Estates
Edward Johnson & Bernard Munro
Developer Edward Johnson and his engineer, Bernard Munro of Land Planning, Inc. of Hanson, met with the Board to dispute 10 of the figures contained in the May 3, 2000 Construction Cost Estimate for Performance Guarantee from the Board’s engineer for the Meadow Brook subdivision, P.M.P. Associates of East Bridgewater. The total surety recommended by P.M.P. is $167,755. The total suggested by Mr. Johnson in a May 10, 2000 memo to the Board is $97,102.50. Town Planner Noreen O’Toole said she did a site inspection at the subdivision with Mr. Johnson and Mr. Munro. She recommended that Board members do the same. The Board asked Ms. O’Toole to also do a unit price comparison between the figures recommended by P.M.P. and
those recommended by the Board’s engineers on other recent projects. Chairman Philip Lindquist said he was concerned with the integrity of the base for the roadway based on a prior visit to the site. Vice Chairman David Harris said that apparent miscommunications between the Planning Board and its new engineers regarding the authority to go out on inspections should be addressed.
Adequate Access, Robert Junior
Hill Street & Hawthorne Streets
Robert Junior met with the Board for a second time to discuss his request for a determination on adequate access to four lots that were created as part of a seven-lot Form A/ANR Plan in 1989. He is proposing the construction of dwellings on Lots 62A-2, 62A-3, 62A-4 and 62A-5. Mr. Junior presented the Board with a new plan indicating Type I paving, six leaching catch basins, and the proposed traveled way and the deletion of water for Hawthorne Street. The plan included profiles for both Hill and Hawthorne Streets. The plan indicated a water main would be installed to Hanson Water Department requirements and roads would be reshaped and widened to 18 feet within the right of way. The Board asked Ms. O’Toole to contact the Water
Department and request a letter advising that the Water Department is satisfied with the plans including the number of hydrants. Mr. Junior asked that the letter he receives from the Board at the end of the process make reference to the adequate access bylaw.
Resignation of Wes Blauss from the Master Plan Committee
The Board noted with regret the resignation of Wes Blauss from the Master Plan Committee for personal reasons and asked Town Planner Noreen O’Toole to draft a letter thanking him for his service.
Motion to accept with regret the resignation of Wes Blauss: Gordon Coyle
Second: Gerard LeBlanc
Vote: 4-0
Adult Entertainment Bylaw
Chairman Philip Lindquist signed papers to be submitted to the Attorney General’s office on the Adult Entertainment Bylaw overwhelmingly endorsed by voters at the May 2 session of the annual town meeting. Town Planner Noreen O’Toole said she had been advised that a vote was taken at the April 27 meeting of the Board of Selectmen. At the meeting, which was attended by only three board members, Daniel Webster and Stephanie McSweeney voted to support the article at town meeting and Peter Jones did not, she said.
Letter from By-Law Committee
The Board noted a letter from Michael Regan of the By-Law Committee advising that his committee intends to submit an article for the October special town meeting asking voters to delete the adequate access section from Article 2-17 of the General By-Laws. Mr. Regan stated in his May 9, 2000 memo that he was writing in order that anyone desirous of maintaining the text in its “proper location” in the Zoning Bylaws could initiate plans to cover the subject. Chairman Lindquist said that the public ways section of the General By-Laws is, in his opinion, the correct location for adequate access to be addressed. Town Planner Noreen O’Toole was asked to speak to Executive Secretary Winn Davis about the memo from Mr. Regan as he was one of the
many recipients.
Informal Meeting with Bernard Munro
Bernard Munro of Land Planning, Inc. met with the Board informally to discuss what would be required to make improvements to Hawthorne Street. He was advised that the Board would need an engineered plan indicating the existing conditions and the proposed road layout, pavement and drainage, and the location of hydrants.
VI. OTHER BUSINESS
Comments from Board
It was suggested that Town Planner Noreen O’Toole develop a form for the approval of roads for adequate access.
Gerard LeBlanc said the Board should look into the submission of a bylaw that would prevent the town from selling any tax title property because of the problems it causes.
David Harris noted that there have been complaints from engineers and developers regarding inspections by the two newest engineers hired by the Board. Town Planner Noreen O’Toole said that she had spoken to Robert Merrill of Merrill Associates of Hanover and received an apology for nine unauthorized inspections and permission to disregard any bills for those inspections. She said periodic inspection without prior approval is the procedure in many other towns. The engineers have now been made aware of the Hanson Planning Board’s requirements, Ms. O’Toole said.
VII. ADJOURNMENT - 10:20 p.m.
Motion to adjourn: David Harris
Second: Gerard LeBlanc
Vote: 4-0
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