HANSON PLANNING BOARD
Minutes of the Meeting of
November 17, 2004
I. CALL TO ORDER
Members Present: Philip Lindquist, Chairman
Gerard LeBlanc, Vice Chairman
David Nagle, Clerk
Joan DiLillo, Member
Gordon Coyle, Member
Others Present: Town Planner Noreen O’Toole
Administrative Assistant Barbara Ferguson
II. ACCEPTANCE OF MINUTES
Acceptance of the Minutes of the Meeting of November 3, 2004
Motion to accept the minutes of the meeting of November 3, 2004: Gordon Coyle
Second: David Nagle
Vote: 5-0
Acceptance of the Minutes of the Deer Hill Road Extension Continued Public Hearing of November 3, 2004
Motion to accept the minutes of the Deer Hill Road Extension Continued Public Hearing of November 3, 2004: Gerard LeBlanc
Second: Gordon Coyle
Vote: 5-0
III. TOWN PLANNER’S REPORT
Master Plan Committee
Town Planner Noreen O’Toole told the Board she had spoken with consultant Carol Thomas of Thomas Planning Services, and Ms. Thomas said she would like to review the current Master Plan material with Board members at one of its December meetings. Ms. O’Toole said she would notify Ms. Thomas of a date once the Board has set its meeting schedule for next month.
Motion to hold one meeting in December on December 8, 2004: Joan DiLillo
Second: Gordon Coyle
Vote: 5-0
Hanson Trails Committee
Ms. O’Toole said that she had not heard anything from the Trails Committee. She told Board members she wrote a letter to Selectmen advising that the Planning Board favors purchasing the forestry land on Main Street that is being released from Chapter 61. She noted that in addition to protecting the town’s water supply the acquisition of the property would also present the town with an excellent opportunity to create trails for residential usage.
Zoning Bylaw Committee
Ms. O’Toole said that meetings of the Zoning Bylaw Committee will resume in January. A letter will be sent to all departments and boards, she said, seeking input on potential amendments to the town’s zoning bylaws.
Old Colony Planning Council Joint Transportation Committee
Ms. O’Toole said that no meetings of the Old Colony Planning Council Joint Transportation Committee were scheduled for November. The next meeting, she said, will be held on December 9, 2004.
Other Matters
Member Gordon Coyle reported that the next meeting of the Government Study Committee has been scheduled for Monday, November 29, 2004. The guest speaker will be Victor DeSantis, a professor at Bridgewater College, who has done work for other local communities.
IV. APPOINTMENTS
Audubon Estates
Request for Reconsideration of Reduction of Bond
The Board met with John Burns, trustee, Hudson Park Associates, to discuss a request for reconsideration of the Board’s decision to authorize only a $25,000 bond reduction for Audubon Estates. Chairman Philip Lindquist recused himself from the discussion and sat in the audience due to a potential conflict of interest as one of his family members owns a house in the subdivision.
Mr. Burns noted that there is $101,170.53 in the bond account for Audubon Estates, according to the Town Treasurer, and also that the Board’s consulting engineer on the subdivision, Bernard Munro of Land Planning, Inc. has recommended the retention of a total surety of $23,502 to complete the project.
Approximately one half the miscellaneous items shown on the punch list for the subdivision have been completed, Mr. Burns said. Since the completion cost estimate was done, Mr. Burns said, the seven monuments not found during Land Planning’s inspection have been installed. There was a cost of $1,575 included in the estimate for that item, he said. Two street trees listed at a cost of $600 are also not needed, he said, because there are only 11 lots in the subdivision not 12 as shown on the original plan.
Mr. Burns estimated the actual cost of completing the subdivision at between $5,000 and $10,000. The total includes the cost of the final seeding which cannot be completed until spring. He also noted that his company had expended money at the Board’s request to install a guardrail not shown on the plan. The subdivision has gone through two winters, he said. He indicated road acceptance will be requested in the spring.
Town Planner Noreen O’Toole advised Mr. Burns that the Board tends to retain a bond of at least $50,000 until a subdivision is completed. She referred him to the third page of an October 6, 2004 letter from Land Planning, Inc. indicating the information that must be provided relative to the retention basin on the Asbuilt Acceptance Plan. She recommended that his engineer meet with the Board’s engineer to clear up these issues. She told Mr. Burns that his engineer will also have to certify the basin. At that point, she said, he should return to the Board with a request for a further reduction.
Motion not to consider a further reduction of the bond for Audubon Estates until more work has been completed: Gerard LeBlanc
Second: Gordon Coyle
Vote: 5-0
Form A/ANR
West Washington Street
The Board reviewed a Plan of Land, dated November 9, 2004, prepared for Michael & Teresa Mullen by Silva Engineering Associates of Bridgewater. The plan divides a 10.5 acre parcel into three lots, including a 4.31 acre retreat lot with 40 feet of frontage on West Washington Street. The other two lots are 2.6 acres and 2.65 acres, both with more than the 175 feet of required frontage on West Washington Street.
Motion to approve the Plan of Land as presented: Gerard LeBlanc
Second: Joan DiLillo
Vote: 5-0
V. NEW BUSINESS
Deer Hill Road Extension
Sign Certificate of Action
Board members signed the Certificate of Action for Deer Hill Road Extension with three new provisions to be added. The provisions are: that no further development will be allowed in the subdivision; that the drainage system and basins must be installed and certified by a professional engineer before any release of lots; and that the homeowners’ association must have the basins inspected by a professional engineer on an annual basis.
Grove Point Way
Sign Definitive Subdivision Plans
The Board signed the definitive subdivision plans for Grove Point Way.
Hemlock Hills
Request for Bond Reduction
Inspection Report and Completion Cost Estimate
The Board reviewed an October 10, 2004 request from Southeastern Development Corporation for a bond reduction for the Hemlock Hill subdivision and a September 14, 2004 Inspection Report and Completion Cost Estimate from its review engineering firm, Merrill Associates of Hanover. The Inspection Report indicated that granite curb was installed along the length of Hemlock Drive and along the northern section of Azalea Drive from the intersection of Hemlock Drive to the cul de sac. The Construction Cost Estimate indicated the need for a surety of $77,160. There is $88,700.00 in the bond exclusive of interest. Board members determined not enough work has been completed to contemplate a bond reduction at the present time.
Motion not to reduce the bond for Hemlock Hills at the present time: David Nagle
Second: Joan DiLillo
Vote: 5-0
Letter from Highway Surveyor
Deer Hill Road Subdivision - Drainage Problem
Chairman Philip Lindquist read a November 15, 2004 letter from Highway Surveyor Richard Harris expressing safety concerns with a drainage problem at the intersection of Deer Hill Road and Whitman Street. Board members concurred with his recommendations that the existing catch basins be exposed and that a gravel berm be constructed. Town Planner Noreen O’Toole said that she would meet with Mr. Harris and the developer to immediately institute the corrective measures he has recommended.
Stonewall Estates
Interoffice Memo, Fire Chief
Facimile Transmittal Water Superintendent
Board members noted a November 8, 2004 memo from Fire Chief Allen Hoyt recommending that bond money be held until Goscon relocates the footing for a stone wall poured too close to the fire hydrant at the corner of Whitman Street and Litchfield Lane
and a November 10, 2004 facsimile transmittal from Water Superintendent Glen Doherty indicating that the fire hydrant is now in the position that the Fire Department had requested.
VI. OLD BUSINESS
Memo from Town Clerk
Revised List of Streets
Board members noted the receipt of a corrected list of streets from Town Clerk Sandra Harris.
VI. ZONING BOARD HEARINGS
Application of Dennis Gilson, dba The Top Shop, for site plan approval to allow the use of the premises for the construction of kitchen countertops at 1057 Main Street - Unit 7, Map 42, Lot 11, Hanson Assessors Map.
COMMENT: Insufficient information to comment.
Application of David T. Libby, Jr. for site plan approval to allow the vending trailer sale of hot dogs, hamburgers, sausages and breakfast items at 1407 Main Street, Map 44, Lot 9, Hanson Assessors Map.
COMMENT: Insufficient information to comment. Parking should be shown on plan.
VII. ADJOURNMENT
Motion to adjourn: David Nagle
Second: Gerard LeBlanc
Vote: 4-0
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