HANSON PLANNING BOARD
Minutes of the Pine Hill Subdivision
Public Hearing of
May 18, 2005
CALL TO ORDER - 8:00 p.m.
Members Present: Philip Lindquist, Chairman
Gerard LeBlanc, Vice Chairman
Joan DiLillo, Member
Gordon Coyle, Member
Others Present: Town Planner Noreen O’Toole
Administrative Assistant Barbara Ferguson
Bernard Munro of Land Planning, Inc.of Hanson, representing applicant Edward Johnson, advised the Board of the adjustments that had been made to the plans for Pine Hill Estates since the first hearing session based on the comments of the Board’s review engineer John W. DeLano and Associates, Inc. of Halifax.
Mr. Munro said that Mr. DeLano had expressed concern about the sight distance for safe stopping. The 411 ft. minimum stopping sight distance and 713 feet minimum intersection sight distance, he noted, now appear on the first sheet of the revised plans and exceed the requirements.
As to Mr. DeLano’s request for information on the number of bedrooms allowed, Mr. Munro said that, based on 544 gallons per bedroom, the subdivision would support 50 bedrooms or four to five bedrooms per house.
The Riverfront Area, Mr. Munro said, is shown on the revised plans and is based on information provided by a botanist who went out on the site.
Mr. Munro said that the 12 test pits that have been done on site indicate good soils with a 2 minute per inch percolation rate. The pits were dug, he said, in both drainage areas.
Donald Howard of Winter Street expressed concern with the construction of the basin near East Washington Street. Silt buildup, he said, would cause the basin to malfunction and breed mosquitoes. Barbara Thissell, a professional engineer working with Mr. Munro on the project, said that the basin had been designed based on on-site percolation tests. She noted that only a few hundred feet of the subdivision would be draining into the front basin with the rest draining to the rear. Chairman Lindquist asked about the calculations for a 100 year storm and was told that the front basin would only fill to a half foot and drop as soon and it stopped raining. The rear basin, she said, would fill to a depth of four feet and empty in 27 1/2 hours.
Mr. Munro noted that the original plan to have the basin adjacent to East Washington Street discharge into the town’s drainage system was no longer valid due to a conversation he had earlier in the day with Highway Surveyor Richard Harris. Chairman Lindquist then read a May 18, 2005 letter from Mr. Harris advising that, according to a ruling from Town Counsel rendered several years ago before the Federal Storm Water Management Act, it is illegal to allow private parties to connect into any municipal stormwater drainage system. Mr. Munro said that the plans will be revised to reflect the change. Mr. Johnson noted that a connection to the municipal system had been allowed for the Deer Hill Estates subdivision off Whitman Street. All of the other items
on Mr. DeLano’s May 18, 2005 list of concerns, Mr. Munro said, have been addressed.
Ms. Thissell noted that Mr. DeLano’s review of the plans indicated concern with the operation of the infiltration basins when the bottom is silted over. Mr. DeLano said he also wanted proof that the basin on Parcel A will not overflow to the East Washington Street abutters. She indicated that a Vortex cleansing unit to remove sediments and oils to prevent siltation is to be installed. She said that the unit can be vacuum cleaned. Mr. DeLano said that he was still concerned about the front basin, especially upon learning that the town system cannot be utiliized. The wetlands to the rear of the property will serve as a safety out for the rear system but there is no safety out for the front basin, he said. Because no one from his company had
been present to witness the test pit for the front basin, Mr. DeLano said that he would like another test with someome from his company in attendance.
Mr. Howard asked that the Board consider a buried leaching system for the front basin. Mr. DeLano said that he would be willing to look into it. William Richter, a direct abutter on East Washington Street, said that he was concerned that he would be getting water in his cellar. He suggested the creation of a drainage lot might be a way of bypassing the corner lot provision in the zoning bylaws. Mr. Munro said that it was a valid lot as the property naturally drains down the hill towards East Washington Street. Mr. Richter asked that consideration be given to moving the basin back further on the lot. David Blauss of East Washington Street questioned the benefit to the town of accepting such a parcel when the subdivision is finished.
Mr. Lindquist said that a homeowners’ association could be formed to care for the basin.
Catherine Douglas of Harvey Circle asked if the basin to the rear could also be placed underground to prevent the incubation of mosquitoes. Ms. Thissell said that that the rear basin would be handling a lot more water than the front basin but said she would look into placing it underground. Ms. Douglas noted that the river and the wetlands already pose a problem for abutting residents. She asked that the Board also look into whether the removal of trees is responsible for the reoccurrence of a bat problem. When a neighbor took down trees a few years ago, she said she had such a major problem with bats and their droppings that she had to seek professional help to clear up the problem.
Donald Bernier of Harvey Circle questioned the Riverfront Area line noting that the river sometimes comes to approximately 30 feet from his porch. Mr. Munro said that when the Planning Board has rendered its decision on the plans the developer will have to go before the Conservation Commission where river and wetlands issues will be discussed in depth.
Because Mr. DeLano only had 3 1/2 workdays to go over the revised plans, he requested that the hearing be continued to give him additional time to review the plans and any changes made to the plans as a result of the comments and concerns voiced during the second session of the public hearing.
Motion to continue the hearing to June 15, 2005 at 8:30 p.m., Gerard LeBlanc
Second: Joan DiLillo
Vote: 4-0
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