HANSON PLANNING BOARD
Minutes of Public Hearing
Audubon Estates
JANUARY 3, 2001
Members Present: David Harris, Vice Chairman
Gerard LeBlanc, Clerk
Joan DiLillo, Member
Members Absent: Chairman Philip Lindquist
Gordon Coyle, Member
I. CALL TO ORDER - 9:25 P.M.
A. Vice Chairman David Harris notified all present that the meeting was being tape recorded and filed.
B. Clerk Gerard LeBlanc read the following public hearing notice published in the Hanson Town Crier on December 14 & 21, 2000:
PUBLIC HEARING NOTICE
The Hanson Planning Board will hold a public hearing on Wednesday, January 3, 2001 at 9:00 PM in the Hanson Town Hall, 542 Liberty St., Hanson on a definitive subdivision plan showing a twelve (12) lot residential subdivision off Brook Street, Hanson. The plan is further identified as Lot 3 on Assessors’ Map 105. Deed to said property is recorded in the Plymouth District Registry of Deeds, Book 7271, Page 241. The subdivision, entitled Audubon Estates, is located in Hanson and is dated September 28, 2000 by Keefe Associates, 2 Columbia Road, Pembroke, MA 02359. The Plan was submitted by Hudson Park Associates, Nominee Trust, Dennis E. Leary & John F. Burns, Jr., Trustees, 2 Columbia Road, Pembroke, MA 02359. A copy of the subdivision plan is available in the Hanson Town Clerk’s
office and in the Planning Board office for review.
Philip R. Lindquist, Chairman, Hanson Planning Board.
Gerard LeBlanc, Clerk
Hanson Town Crier
December 14, 21, 2000
C. Administrative Assistant Barbara Ferguson said that all abutters had been notified of the public hearing by certified mail as required.
II. PRESENTATION OF PLANS FROM APPLICANT/ENGINEER
John Burns and Dennis Leary of Hudson Park Associates, Nominee Trust of Pembroke, presented the definitive subdivision plan for the 12-lot subdivision off Brook Street entitled Audubon Estates. The partners have a purchase and sale agreement for the 10.5 acre parcel on which they propose to construct 11 single family homes in the $300,000 price range.
Mr. Burns said the proposed roadway is 1,038 feet in length and he requested a waiver of the Hanson Planning Board Rules and Regulations which limit the length to 500 feet on a dead end street.
The property runs up approximately 375 feet from the street and then slopes off to the rear, he said. The drainage system has been designed with a recharge area on Lot 1 at Brook Street to accommodate drainage to the peak of the road. Drainage on the other side of the peak will flow into a drainage easement to the rear of the property, he said. All of the roofs will drain into dry wells, he said, and there will be no outflow beyond the property.
He pointed out that there is a utility easement which runs through the site that will affect the location of some homes within the subdivision. One provision of the plan, he said, is to provide an easement to abutting town-owned land. There is currently a cart path through the property although it is not mentioned in the deed, he said.
Based on the topography of the land some grading will be necessary and a few homes will be constructed with a garage under, Mr. Burns said.
He said he had received a copy of the November 29, 2000 comments from Land Planning, Inc.’s review of the original subdivision plan and incorporated them into the revised plan currently before the Board. Land Planning is the Board’s review engineer on the project.
III. QUESTIONS FROM ABUTTERS
Member Joan DiLillo then read the list of abutters certified by the Hanson Board of Assessors with those present given the opportunity to make comments or ask questions.
Hanover Planning Board - No Comment
Halifax Planning Board - No Comment
Pembroke Planning Board - No Comment
Whitman Planning Board - No Comment
East Bridgewater Planning Board - No Comment
Melissa & Susan Steffy - Not Present
Joan Hobin & Emery Arthur Maddocks, Jr. - Mrs. Maddocks said she has concerns regarding the drainage system as she has never had a drop of water in her cellar in the 15 years she has lived in the house. Mr. Leary noted that Project Engineer Steven Wry from Land Planning expressed concern in his January 2, 2001 review of the subdivision plans regarding the proximity of the recharge area on Lot 1 to her home. Soils testing to an additional 10 foot depth will be done to alleviate Land Planning’s concerns, Mr. Leary said, and the location of the sewage disposal system for the Maddocks’s home will be added to the plan as requested. Mrs. Maddocks said she was also interested in the retention of trees for privacy. Mr. Leary assured her the plan calls for the retention
of as many trees as possible. She noted that a prior developer had encountered problems getting satisfactory percolation test results. Mr. Leary said he did not understand why that occurred as preliminary tests have indicated there should be no problem. All tests will be available in the Board of Health office, the Board said.
Stephen & Clarice Doliber - Not Present
Susan Alperin & Peter Witham - Not Present
Peter & Kathleen Jones - Not Present
Brian & Nancy Aiguier - Not Present
William & Mary Lou Harding - Not Present
John Orcutt & Barbara Curtis - Not Present
Brian Dooner - Not Present
Joseph & Kimberly Yakavonis - Mrs. Yakavonis said that, if the property is developed, her land will be landlocked. She noted that there have been a lot of brush fires to the rear of the property. Development of the property will make access by firefighting equipment more difficult, she said. Mr. Burns said there had been some disposal of rubbish in the area which will be cleaned up. Mrs. Yakavonis said the existing cart paths are wide enough to accommodate fire equipment. Mr. Burns said, when the development is completed, there will be access to the town-owned property down the new road which will connect with the cart path to the rear of the subdivision.
Priscilla & Charles Raymond - Not Present
Michael & Ellen Shea - Not Present
Florence Broadbent - Not Present
Arlene Cole
John & Kathleen Moriarty - Not Present
Milton & Rachel Clark - Not Present
Patricia & Ralph Hylan - Not Present
Robert & Mary Lou Sutter - Present. - No Comment
James Neely - Not Present
Russell & Mary Madden - Not Present
Albert & Gale Damon - Not Present
Jocelynne Welsh & Donald McLane - Not Present
Regina Farrell - Not Present
IV. Questions from the public
There were no questions from the public.
V. Questions/Comments from other Town Boards/Departments
Police Department - A November 20, 2000 letter from Chief Russell King indicated no problems regarding public safety issues.
Water Department - A December 27, 2000 letter from Water Superintendent Edward Reed indicated where the water main should be located, stated plans should show water service to each lot, and requested an as-built plan be submitted on disk for the department’s GIS system.
Fire Department - According to Administrative Assistant Barbara Ferguson, Fire Chief Peter Huska stated he had no comments on the plan in a December 28, 2000 telephone conversation.
Building Department - In a November 17, 2000 memo, Building Inspector Michael Kennedy raised questions regarding the radius of the cul de sac, Lot 9, Lot 2, and grade elevations.
Conservation Commission - In a January 2, 2001 letter, the Conservation Commission requested consideration for the establishment of two foot trails to allow access to adjacent Conservation Commission property, a requirement that none of the proposed homes have frontage setbacks in excess of 50 feet, a request that natural vegetation be undisturbed, and a request that Lot 9 be donated to the town as open space, if the lot is unbuildable due to zoning setbacks relative to the easement on the property.
Board of Health - In a November 20, 2000 letter, the Board was advised that percolation tests were conducted on the property in July of 1998 and only one of five test holes had a passing rate. A copy of the engineer’s August 4, 1998 letter was included with the submission.
VI. Questions from Planning Board members
Vice Chairman David Harris noted written questions from Chairman Philip Lindquist regarding the location of houses on Lots 2 and 9, the need for a walking path at the end of the cul de sac, curbing, and an analysis of the site distance where the entrance meets Brook Street. It was decided that Mr. Lindquist should meet with the developer.
Joan DiLillo, who is also a member of the Hanson Trails Committee, stressed the need for the creation of walking paths. Bernard Munro of Land Planning, Inc. noted that the developers are providing access from the subdivision to conservation land via their road and its connection to a cart path.
VII. Comments from Board’s Engineer
Vice Chairman David Harris read a four-page January 2, 2001 review of Audubon Estates by Steven Wry of Land Planning that offers 10 comments related to the Board’s subdivision rules and regulations and 15 general comments. A copy of the Land Planning letter is available in the Audubon Estates file in the Planning Board office.
VII. Findings
The Board concluded that the hearing should be continued to allow the developers time to incorporate into the plans revisions outlined in Land Planning’s January 2, 2001 letter.
Motion to continue the hearing to February 7, 2000 at 8 p.m.: Gerard LeBlanc
Second: Joan DiLillo
Vote: 3-0
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