Joint Finance Committee and Board of Selectmen Meeting
Minutes – October 27, 2008
Sharon Community Center, David I. Clifton, Jr. Ballroom – 7:30 P.M.
Finance Committee Members Present: Maria Anderson, Brian Fitzgerald, Gordon
Gladstone, Charles Goodman, Jonathan Hitter,
Josh Kiernan, Joel Lessard, Ira Miller Laura
Nelson, Edward Philips (Hamilton)
Absent: Donald Gilligan
Board of Selectmen Members Present: William Heitin, Rich Powell, Walter “Joe” Roach
Town Administrator: Ben Puritz
1. Ira Miller, Chair, Finance Committee, welcomed everyone to the Joint Finance Committee and Board of Selectmen meeting. He stated that this was a continuation of the public process of Article 1 which is the change to the Brickstone Development Agreement. Town Counsel, Richard Gelerman will give a synopsis. John Twohig, attorney for Brickstone, will answer questions. There will be questions from the audience after Finance Committee questions.
2. Richard Gelerman stated that the Selectmen discussed allowing the use of Mountain Street for a period not to exceed 18 months during which the developer would be allowed to build an access road from Mountain Street to Bay Road and wetland crossing. During that time to do site work, site preparation work, foundation for nursing home and podium. Board of Selectmen going to meet Monday, November 3, at 6:30 p.m. and November 6, at which time we hope to have an amendment to the Development Agreement. He will get to the Selectmen a series of options. that the Board needs to focus on for the use of Mountain Street, its limitations, what to do if the developer exceeds the time limit. Penalties and escalating penalties. Looking at causes of delays like Act of God, weather that stops work, strikes, as opposed to inability to get permits, failure to follow up on appeals. The process will be that we announce, not later than November 6, that the Selectmen will sign first amendment to agreement. Provision to Mountain Street issues subject to Town Meeting approval on November 17.
3. John Twohig stated that the focus is on Mountain Street. (1) The community questions asked last time which we were unable to answer, and (2) Finance Committee questions and additional questions. If we didn’t get Mountain Street to build project, we can’t build it. Economically and physically. Wetlands constraints. We can’t do it without going through Mountain Street for a period of time and then shift to Bay Road. Same number of buildings. Hasn’t changed land area. Bay Road access driveway, 2,000 feet long. Half mile roadway to get into site. Community Questions: Why can’t you build Sharon Hills driveway from Bay Road? Excess fill/increase trips. 77,000 cubic yards imported to construction site. 77,000 cubic yards after roadway is constructed. 30,000 additional truck trips.
4. Bob Daylor, Sr. Vice President, Tetra Tech Rizzo, explained why they have to build driveway from Mountain Street instead of Bay Road. Create by fill taken from large podium building. From material taken from ground used as fill to create roadway. If we were to build from Bay Road, no place to stand. All wetlands. Once Bay Road is open, we can use that for our construction access. All the work would be done in the 18 months before we go vertical. Working with fewest number of people on site. More people on site with plumbers and painters. Then using Bay Road. Seeking amendment clarification.
5. Bob Vanesse, Transportation Engineer for project, stated that we have done the plan for 18 months, Mountain Street to Bay Road. Reviewing the measurements. Is Mountain Street wide enough? Took 15 points. 16.2 ft. narrowest. Most important thing is police detail. Management of construction traffic with Police Chief. Monitoring. On Mountain Street for 18 months. Then Bay Road. I95, Route 24, Route 27, Billings Street to East Street to Mountain Street. 158 vehicle trips (2-way). 0-18 months on Mountain Street. Mountain Street will accommodate all construction vehicles, pick-up trucks, and passenger vehicles. Trim, not cut trees. Center lines not on center. With DPW and engineer, signs and lines. Control traffic speeds on Mountain Street with police.
6. Question: Will streets of Sharon experience problems during construction that will no longer exist once complete? Answer: Roadways will operate as they do today except Mountain Street. Once construction phase over, fewer trips during peak hours. Question: Will level of service be worse during the 18 months of Mountain Street access? Answer: Traffic operations are expected to be similar to current conditions with exceptions of defined locations along East and Billings. Police detail control during peak. Question: Why does the town have to vote on Mountain Street access now? Answer: We have to finalize our site plans and financing. Question: Why should ZBA administer certain construction details? Answer: As part of site plan approval. Restrictions going by schools. Avoid construction during school hours. Construction impact report and recommendations from Mr. Houston’s firm. Question: Which boards need to issue approvals? Selectmen, Health, Conservation Commission, ZBA. Question: Peer reviewed? Answer: Yes. Senior Living Overlay District.
7. Finance Committee Questions. Question: What financial estimates supported the building of the road from Mountain Street to Bay Road instead of Bay Road to Mountain Street? Answer: It is not feasible to build from Bay Road. Environmental impact bringing 30,000 trucks through. Damage to Sharon roads. Bond will be required as part of issuance of building permit. Question: What are traffic routes? Answer: Out of Route 27, Billings Street, Bay Road, Mountain Street, East Street. Question: Why can’t equipment be brought in from Bay Road onto site, then build access road from site to Bay Road? Answer: No physical access to site. Wetlands constraints. No place to stand. Question: What are financial differences between two presentations, Bay Road or Mountain Street? Answer: We can’t do it so no financial difference. Can’t get anyone to lend money. Question: If you were to try to do it, could you do it? Answer: Material to pull out of site. Don’t have room to do it. No lender going to support that. It would add another 9 to 10 months to project. Question: If use of Mountain Street not allowed due to safety, what are strategies of 88 homes on 337 acres? Answer: No access through Bay Road. Access through Mountain Street or 40B, 250 multi-family units plus single family. It could be apartments.
8. Ira Miller stated that we raised some issues in May 2007. Decided on this project as opposed to alternatives. November 2007 brought back. Other issues raised. A project of this dimension doesn’t just disrupt immediate neighborhood and the town. Should deliberate at this meeting and Town Meeting. If this particular project is turned down, there are other alternatives set to be pursued. 250 subdivision or 88 subdivision without access to Bay Road. Only access to Mountain Street.
9. There was considerable discussion and questions and answers between the Finance Committee and the developer regarding the use of Mountain Street, time needed to build access road, traffic and safety situations and feasibility of this project or alternatives.
10. John Twohig explained how you do a project. Determine what the zoning is. Get vote to approve zoning. Engineer/architect design. Hire contractor. Focus on construction. John Tocci, Tocci Building Companies, raised issue of construction logistics. It comes toward the end. We had to elevate the road to match Bay Road. Did we know there was a 100 foot differential? Did we know that we would have to import rock? We did not. Told can’t build access road without using Mountain Street. Would not have intentionally put ourselves in this position.
11. There was continued discussion regarding this project, what the developers would do such as underground parking, protect the trees, redesign the water system to protect Briggs Pond, police detail, and traffic reports.
12. Joe Roach asked the developers about two meetings with Stoughton Selectmen.
13. John Twohig stated that at the meeting he attended there was a discussion of us entering into Stoughton. Concerns were raised by Town Administrator and members of Board, concerns about access. There will be some additional meetings and to let Sharon Selectmen know the outcome of the meeting.
14. There were a number of questions asked by Town residents mostly pertaining to Mountain Street, traffic, safety of school children, danger of narrow road, and how long project would take if there was an Act of God, weather or strike stopping work, and when Bay Road would be accessible.
15. The Finance Committee will be meeting Monday night at 7:30 p.m. at Town Hall in the downstairs Hearing Room. The meeting ended at 11:10 p.m.