HANSON PLANNING BOARD
Minutes of Public Hearing
Sydney Estates
JANUARY 17, 2001
Members Present: Chairman Philip Lindquist
David Harris, Vice Chairman
Gerard LeBlanc, Clerk
Joan DiLillo, Member
Gordon Coyle, Member
I. CALL TO ORDER - 8:00 P.M.
A. Chairman Philip Lindquist 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 28, 2000 & January 4, 2001:
TOWN OF HANSON
PLANNING BOARD
PUBLIC HEARING NOTICE
The Hanson Planning Board will hold a public hearing on Wednesday, January 17, 2001 at
8:00 p.m. in the Hanson Town Hall, 542 Liberty Street, Hanson, on a definitive subdivision plan
showing a 4-lot residential subdivision Off Main Street. The plan is further identified as
Lot 32 on Assessors Map 40. Deed to said property is recorded in Plymouth District
Registry of Deeds, Book 17463, Page 269. The subdivision, entitled Sydney Estates,
is located in Hanson and dated November 3, 2000 by Flaherty, Stefani & Bracken, Inc., 67
Samoset Street, Plymouth, MA 02360. The plan was submitted by Mark Ridder, 454 Broadway,
Hanover, MA 02339. A copy of the subdivision plan is available in the Hanson Town Clerk’s
Office and in the Planning Board office for review.
HANSON PLANNING BOARD
Philip R. Lindquist Chairman
Gerard LeBlanc, Clerk
Hanson Town Crier
December 28, 2000
January 4, 2001
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
Mark Flaherty of Flaherty, Stefani & Bracken, Inc. of Plymouth told the Board that the four-lot subdivision would be located on a 5.1 acre wooded parcel with excellent site distance at the entrance.
The project has received an order of conditions from the Conservation Commission because there is a vernal pool at the site, Mr. Flaherty said. He provided the Board a copy of the order of conditions.
The lots, he said, would range from 31,000 to 60,000 square feet and meet frontage requirements. The proposed road would be 450 feet in length built to a local road width of 20 feet with 18 inch Cape Cod berms.
There will be four catch basins feeding into a 3,270 square foot drainage lot at the entrance to the subdivision, Mr. Flaherty said. The plan calls for two hydrants, town water service, underground utilities and a treed island at the cul-de-sac. The drainage will be a 116 foot galley system, he said, comprised of 27 cubes.
III. QUESTIONS FROM ABUTTERS
At the suggestion of Vice Chairman David Harris, the Board agreed to forego the reading of the abutters’ list as there were only two abutters present.
Richard and Priscilla Crosby - Mrs. Crosby said her concern was the impact of headlights shining in her bedroom window at night. She asked if some sort of living fence like arborvitae could be planted to prevent the problem. Mr. Crosby noted that most houses on Main Street are side by side. Without some type of screening, he said, he and his wife will looking into someone’s back yard.
Mark Ridder said the area in question is heavily wooded, and he will attempt to save as many trees as possible. But the new owner, he said, would have the right to cut them all down. Mark Flaherty said the new owner would probably want to keep the trees to provide a buffer to the Crosbys’ property.
Mr. Flaherty told the Board that percolation tests have been done at the site. He said it will be necessary to go before the Conservation Commission to build on the two back lots.
IV. QUESTIONS FROM THE PUBLIC
There were no questions from the public.
V. QUESTIONS/COMMENTS FROM OTHER TOWN BOARDS/DEPARTMENTS
Police Department - A December 27, 2000 letter from Chief Russell King indicated no problems regarding public safety issues.
Water Department - A January 9, 2001 letter from Water Superintendent Edward Reed indicated the water main should be shown on the plan in the shoulder of the road behind all storm drains and on the opposite side from the sidewalk. He further stated plans should show water service to each lot, they should be 8 inch ductile iron, and an as-built plan should be submitted on disk for the department’s GIS system.
Building Inspector - Building Inspector Michael Kennedy in a hand written note to the Board questioned the configuration of the lots. Vice Chairman David Harris noted that according to zoning regulations the width of all lots must at least meet the minimum frontage for a depth of 100 feet. A review of the plan indicated two of the lots might not meet this requirement.
VI. COMMENTS FROM BOARD’S ENGINEER
Chairman Lindquist read a January 16, 2001 review from the Board’s engineer, Brewster Fuller of East Bridgewater, that said the pavement width should be 26 feet, the sidewalk should be extended around the cul-de-sac, granite type VA4 should be required on the inside circle in the turn around and on both curves entering the turn around, street trees should be required within the subdivisison, street lights should be required at the intersection of the subdivision road and Main Street and at the end of the cul-de-sac, and that a stop sign should be required at the intersection with Main Street.
Mr. Fuller said, in his opinion, the drainage analysis is acceptable as to providing disposal of the 10-year design storm, but noted there is no provision for failure of the galley system. He said the plan should be presented to the Conservation Commission for comment. At the meeting he also suggested that consideration be given to tying into the town drainage system and the developer said he would speak to Highway Surveyor Richard Harris.
VII. QUESTIONS FROM PLANNING BOARD MEMBERS
Chairman Philip Lindquist questioned the 20 foot road width noting that the Board favors a 26 foot width.
Gerard LeBlanc suggested that the sidewalk be placed on the other side of the roadway and then extended around the cul-de-sac as Mr. Fuller recommended as it would then service three of the four families in the subdivision. He said that he would also like to see plantings on the westerly side of road.
At the conclusion of the discussion the Board agreed several issues needed to be addressed including conformance of the layout with the zoning bylaw, the width of the roadway, the placement of light poles, and the possibility of a drainage connection to the town system on Main Street
.
VIII. FINDINGS
The Board concluded that the hearing should be continued to allow the developer time to incorporate into the plans revisions outlined in Brewster Fuller’s letter and points raised by Board members during the hearing.
Motion to continue the hearing to February 21, 2000 at 8 p.m.: David Harris
Second: Joan DiLillo
Vote: 5-0
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