The Monterey Planning Board
September 14, 2006
Minutes
Members present: Brian Puntin, Laurily Epstein, Janet Cathcart, Cindy Hoogs, Mike Erkkinen, Stephen Rose, Maggie Leonard.
Public: Michael Storch from the Select Board; lawyer Peter Valianos with his client Frank Crotty; Mike Parsons of Kelly, Granger & Parsons and his secretary Jess; and Highway Superintendent Maynard Forbes.
Attorney Peter Valianos and his client Frank Crotty of Garfield Homes Corp. met with the Planning Board regarding Blue Heron Landing, a property with frontage on Lake Buel and Route 57. Blue Heron Landing consists of 3 lots (check maps) totaling approximately 7 acres with 700 feet of road frontage. There are four apartment buildings with 25 dwelling units, a house and barn on Route 57 and 2 houses near Lake Buel that were flooded last October and are now on jacks. Blue Heron Landing is a pre-existing non-conforming use and has a recently installed septic system that is designed for 36 bedrooms. There are currently 33 bedrooms on the property and all the apartments are occupied. The property is owned by Geoffrey Lombardo. Frank Crotty, of Garfield Homes Corp., said that he is interested in developing the property by joining the lots, razing
the existing structures, and building multi-family duplexes. Board member Brian Puntin asked if the development would include affordable housing. Crotty replied that it might be possible to construct affordable housing elsewhere as a part of the project, but that the property on Lake Buel would be created and marketed as high-end housing due to the high value of lake front property in Monterey.
Planning Board chair Maggie Leonard said that board members would have to review the proposal, which was purely anecdotal as no written documents were submitted, in order to formulate a proper response to the project. Board member Janet Cathcart objected to this notion stating that since no plans for an actual project had been submitted on paper the board should not spend its valuable time on giving feedback to a non-existent proposal. She basically told the team to go do its homework and come back with an actual proposal and then the Planning Board would respond. Leonard said that despite the lack of plans there were issues involved with the property that it would behoove the Planning Board to investigate; including the impact of creating one lot on the grandfathered status of the property, and also the razing of the buildings. All present
agreed that any development of the property would require a special permit. Cathart said that another aspect to be investigated is the possibilities for affordable housing. Leonard thanked Valianos and Crotty for meeting with the board and giving a “heads up” on the possible project.
Surveyor Mike Parsons of Kelly, Granger, & Parsons and his secretary Jess met with the Planning Board. Mike introduced Jess informing the board that she is soon to be a Monterey resident. Parsons presented a plan for Barry and Marjorie Jaffe’s property on the south side of Hupi Road that was formerly the Jason Camp. The property on the south side of Hupi Road is located between Scott Road and a tennis court. The Jaffe’s propose to make 35 tiny parcels (see plan for actual acreage) to create strips with access to Lake Garfield via what is known as “the channel”. The plan shows “Parcel A” which consists of 6.2 acres and 17 parcels on the east side of the channel that are 27 feet wide, and 18 parcels on the west side of the channel that are 28.37 feet wide. Parsons explained that the Jaffes would like to
create a conservation restriction on the property and the parcels that provide access to Lake Garfield would increase the value of the property and would not be buildable lots. According to the Jaffe’s this would increase the amount of a tax deduction available under the conservation restriction.
There were many questions about the plan. What are the access issues? (Meaning, the access to the lots themselves.) There is a right-of-way shown on the plan on the east side and a private road on the west side. Brian Puntin asked about public access to Lake Garfield via these parcels. Board member Laurily Epstein stated that if there were no provision for public access most conservation organizations would not consider supporting the project. There was a distinction made between parcels being created versus lots. Janet Cathcart stated that the Planning Board needs to consult with Town Counsel Scully about the project by asking “What is the legal basis for either accepting or rejecting such a proposal?” Board chair Maggie Leonard agreed to send the proposed plan to Scully immediately for his review and advice. A check for
$40.00 was received and the board has 21 days to respond. Parsons agreed to attend the next meeting of the Planning Board to answer any questions about the plan.
The Planning Board met with Highway superintendent Maynard Forbes regarding ideas for changes to the Subdivision Control Regulations as it pertains to roads. The discussion began a few weeks ago with Forbes questions about a possible subdivision adjacent to West Road on Route 57. In a letter received by the board in August Forbes stated that there were currently drainage problems with water from West Road draining on to Route 57, and that any development of a subdivision road must take that in to account. The Planning Board invited Forbes to the meeting to learn from his expertise both as Highway Superintendent and as former chair of the Planning Board. It was during Forbes tenure that the Subdivision Control Regulations were last updated (1987).
The board discussed current condition of various roads in Monterey, such as Fairview Road, and the cost / benefit / safety issues of maintaining dirt roads. Forbes explained that a dirt road costs more to maintain over time and that a paved road costs more to construct initially, implying that it’s all a wash in the end (drainage pun not intended but too good to resist). Forbes quipped that Fairview Road was formerly known as “Mud Lane” indicating that the drainage issues on that road are not new.
The board also discussed common driveways with Forbes who said that some kind of common driveway regulation would be appropriate for Monterey. Forbes indicated that he would give the matter some thought and return to the Planning Board with some specifications regarding length, width, slope and number of lots, that could be appropriate for the town to adopt as a bylaw.
The Planning Board took the opportunity of Forbes’ visit to discuss a list of possible changes to the Subdivision Control Regulations that was created by Rob Hoogs. Hoogs is an engineer who lives in Monterey, is married to Cindy Hoogs of the Planning Board, and has experience professionally in these matters as he has an engineering and surveying firm based in Great Barrington. Hoogs was also instrumental in helping Great Barrington formulate their master plan. Among the many suggestions that Hoogs submitted to the board is a recommendation to add wording to the Subdivision Control Regs that would insure the adequacy of roads leading to a subdivision. Janet Cathcart moved that “The Planning Board immediately create language to add to the Subdivision control Regulations that would insure the adequacy of any road leading to a
subdivision.” The motion was seconded by Laurily Epstein and voted unanimously in favor by the board.
Forbes also recounted some of his experiences with the creation of subdivisions during his tenure on the Planning Board. He stated that when the developers of Stevens Lake came to the board to discuss their project they had a plan that showed a subdivision of 180 houses. Forbes said that that was when the Planning Board added the provision to allow the board to consult with a civil engineer with the cost to be borne by the developer. Forbes said that they knew that they would never have the expertise as a town board to deal with such a large development. However, he added, in the end the project had far fewer lots than the initial plan leading him to believe that possibly it was never intended to be that large of a subdivision.
Board member Brian Puntin left the meeting at 9 p.m.
The board read and approved the minutes as written.
The board was informed about the all town boards meeting on Monday September 18 at 7 p.m.
The meeting was adjourned at 9:20.
Respectfully submitted,
Maggie Leonard
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