HANSON PLANNING BOARD
Minutes of the Meeting of
January 16, 2002
I. CALL TO ORDER - 7:32 p.m.
Members Present: Philip Lindquist, Chairman
David Harris, Vice Chairman
Gerard LeBlanc, Clerk
Gordon Coyle, Member
Joan DiLillo, Member
Others Present: Town Planner Noreen O’Toole
Administrative Assistant Barbara Ferguson
II. ACCEPTANCE OF MINUTES
Minutes of Meeting of January 2, 2002
Motion to accept the minutes of January 2, 2002: Gordon Coyle
Second: David Harris
Vote: 5-0
III. TOWN PLANNER’S REPORT
Master Plan Committee
Town Planner Noreen O’Toole told the Board she would be meeting in Boston with Carol Thomas of Thomas Planning Services, the consultant on the town’s Master Plan, the last week in January.
Hanson Trails Committee
Ms. O’Toole told the Board no meetings of the Hanson Trails Committee have been scheduled. The meeting with a representative of the Department of Environmental Management, that was postponed due to a storm, has not as yet been rescheduled, she said.
Zoning Bylaw Committee
Ms. O’Toole said that a meeting of the Zoning Bylaw Committee will be scheduled for either the first or second Monday in February. Members of the General Bylaw Committee will be invited to attend to discuss their proposal that Article 2-17, s. 6 through 9, of the General Bylaws be shifted to the Zoning Bylaws.
Old Colony Planning Council Transportation Committee
Ms. O’Toole said that the Old Colony Planning Council Transportation Committee would be meeting on January 17, 2002 in Brockton and that she planned to attend.
Vision 2020
Ms. O’Toole said that no Vision 2020 meetings have been scheduled.
IV. APPOINTMENTS
Kevin Paquette
Alden Way
The Board met with Kevin Paquette of 251 Gray Lane and eight other residents of the Alden Way subdivision to discuss the Board’s vote of January 2, 2002 to release $90,000 of the bond that is being held on the subdivision to ensure completion. Mr. Paquette told Board members that the residents are upset over the Board’s vote because they fear there may not be sufficient funds to cover all that needs to be done. Of special concern to the residents, he said, are the three basins in the subdivision that constantly retain three to four feet of water. The basins, he said, both pose a danger to children and serve as a breeding ground for mosquitoes that can carry West Nile Virus and Eastern Equine Encephalitis.
He showed the Board a picture of an infiltration basin in an Environmental Protection Agency report to emphasize his position that the basins are not built according to accepted design standards. According to the EPA report and state guidelines, he said, the basins are supposed to be monitored as they are being built and are supposed to be maintained. Neither has happened, he said. The basins also do not conform to requirements regarding slope, vegetation, and material content, he said, and there are supposed to be boring logs.
Chairman Philip Lindquist told Mr. Paquette, that in the Board’s opinion and in the opinion of its review engineer, the approximately $50,000 remaining in the bond will be adequate to complete the subdivision including any work that needs to be done on the basins. He agreed with Mr. Paquette that the basins need to be fixed. The town has never had basins that retain water like those in the Alden Way subdivision, Mr. Lindquist said, but they cannot be repaired or rebuilt while the ground is frozen. The Board has advised the developer that a schedule is needed for completion of the project, Mr. Lindquist said, and the developer has indicated the project will be completed in the spring.
Stephen Regan of 30 Alden Way told the Board there are icy spots on the sidewalks, and Town Planner Noreen O’Toole replied that problems with the sidewalks are included in the inspection report from the Board’s engineer. Mr. Regan also said there are exposed wires at the utility boxes, and the common area near the sign has never been maintained. Mr. Paquette noted that the dry well across from Lot 1 has never been filled in and is not mentioned on the review engineer’s report. At the conclusion of the discussion the Board asked Ms. O’Toole to contact the developer’s engineer to see when he planned to present the Board with the promised schedule.
Drainage Committee
Positive Drainage
The Drainage Committee met with the Planning Board to discuss positive drainage in subdivisions. Highway Surveyor Richard Harris, who is also a member of the Drainage Committee, defined positive drainage as any drainage that does not go into a pit.
Residents could have benefited from tying into existing town drainage when Thayer Drive was being developed, Mr. Harris said. The drainage there, he said, failed within a five year period. The drainage for the current Sydney Estates and Hemlock Hills subdivisions should also have been connected to town drainage, he said.
Mr. Harris said that the recent adequate access improvements to Hill Street would also have been better served by connecting to existing town drainage. The work has caused problems for Baker Street residents that the town is going to have to address, he said. Selectman Catherine Kuchinski, who is also a member of the Drainage Committee, said the basin in front of 25 Hill Street is higher than the street. It should have been placed where water is flowing, she said.
Ms. Kuchinski said the Drainage Committee wants to work with the Planning Board to prevent future drainage problems. She suggested that the Board’s rules and regulations be changed to require a developer to hook into the town drainage system, whenever possible. Chairman Lindquist said his Board tries to work with all departments. Subdivision plans are distributed to several departments, he said, but the Board rarely receives any feedback. If these departments see any changes they would like made to the plan, he said, they should let the Planning Board know before the subdivision is approved. Sometimes the length of the run makes it economically unfeasible to require a developer to connect to town drainage, he said. Ms. Kuchinski said she would
rather have the developer pay than have it become the taxpayers’ problem in five to 10 years. Developers should be required to talk to the Highway Surveyor, she said. Mr. Lindquist asked if the town had a drainage master plan and was told by Ms. Kuchinski the town did not have the thousands of dollars that would be required to develop a plan.
Town Planner Noreen O’Toole said the Planning Board depends on other town boards to comment on its subdivision plans. She noted that the Water Department always responds when subdivision plans are distributed to other town boards. If a department responds, she said, the Planning Board implements its recommendations. She said the town required the developer of four lots on Hill and Hawthorne Streets to make improvements to the roadway. She said the problem on Baker Street occurred because it is not paved. The Board has retained money which will not be released, she said, until the Board has an opportunity to determine whether winter has had any negative impact on the condition of the two streets. The Board also requires bonds for all subdivisions
which are not released until all work has been completed, she said.
Member Joan DiLillo said the Planning Board needs feedback. Chairman Lindquist said that developers tell the Planning Board they have met with the Highway Surveyor. Member Gerard LeBlanc said the Highway Surveyor needs to look at all subdivision plans and tell the Planning Board where the town drains are located and make recommendations. Member David Harris suggested that the Planning Board require developers to show on their plans where the nearest positive town drainage is located. Highway Surveyor Richard Harris asked the Board to require developers to put in street signs as soon as any of their houses are occupied.
Land Planning
Form A/ANR, South and Monponsett Streets
The Board reviewed a Plan of Land located on Monponsett and South Streets prepared by Land Planning, Inc. for Rosen Realty of Whitman, dated January 4, 2002. The plan, as presented by Bernard Munro of Land Planning, provides for a change of lot lines between two parcels. Lot 1 will be 30,002 square feet with frontage of 152.59 feet on Monponsett Street and Lot 2 will be 34,174 square feet with 285.02 feet of frontage on South Street. The original parcels are shown as Lots 48 and 49A on Hanson Assessors Map 23.
Motion to approve the Form A for Monponsett and South Streets as presented: David Harris
Second: Gordon Coyle
Vote: 5-0
Audubon Estates
Request for Bond Reduction
Completion Cost Estimate, Land Planning, Inc.
The Board reviewed a request from Dennis Leary, trustee, Hudson Park Associates, Nominee Trust, for a reduction in the bond for the remaining work at Audubon Estates and also a Completion Cost Estimate from Land Planning, Inc., the Board’s review engineer on the project, which recommended a surety of $95,614. The original amount of the bond is $205,000. Board member Gerard LeBlanc suggested that the Board withhold $120,000 noting that it would cost the Planning Board more than the contractor to complete the project as the Board would be required to put all of the work out to bid.
Motion to release $85,000 of the bond for Audubon Estates: Gerard LeBlanc
Second: Joan DiLillo
Vote: 5-0
V. OTHER MATTERS
Town Planner Noreen O’Toole told the Board that the gas company would be installing gas to a new home on Pennsylvania Avenue the following week. The Board said the gas company should be required to jack in the line under the street rather than open the street.
The Board also asked Ms. O’Toole to call Town Counsel for advice on how to proceed with seizing the bond for Woodbrook Lane so that the project can be completed as there has been no response from any communications sent by certified mail.
VI. NEW BUSINESS
Memo from Board of Selectmen
Level Funding Budgets
Board members noted a January 7, 2002 memo from Selectmen Chairman Daniel K. Webster advising, that due to the economic downturn and reduction in state aid, the Board of Selectmen was recommending that all boards and departments consider level funding their budgets whenever possible and that recommended salary increases be held within a range of
0-3 percent.
Memo from Management Assistant
Opening and Closing of Warrants
Annual and Special Town Meetings
The Board noted a January 10, 2002 memo from Management Assistant Meredith Scozzari advising that the warrant for the annual town meeting opened on January 9, 2002 and will close on February 28, 2002. The warrant for a special town meeting to be held within the annual town meeting will open on March 13, 2002 and close on March 26, 2002.
Plan Review
Fox Way Subdivision - Town of Whitman
Board members perused a plan of the Fox Way Subdivision in Whitman which contains two lots partially located in Hanson. Members said they wanted the plan reviewed by the Conservation Commission before affixing their signatures. If a written comment is received from the Conservation Commission, the plan will be reviewed at the Board’s February 6, 2002 meeting.
VII. OLD BUSINESS
Cranberry Estates
Gate to Detention Basin
The Board noted a copy of a December 31, 2001 letter from Richard Rosen of Rosen Realty to the Conservation Commission thanking the Commission for informing him that the gate to the detention basin on Cranberry Road was open and advising that Town Planner Noreen O’Toole had been informed where the key to the lock was in case there is a need to enter the area for any reason.
VIII. ADJOURNMENT - 9:35 p.m.
Motion to adjourn: David Harris
Second: Gerard LeBlanc
Vote: 5-0
| 
