TOWN OF SHARON

TOWN OF SHARON

PLANNING BOARD

Minutes of a Meeting of the Planning Board held on October 6, 2004, at 8:00 p.m., in the Town offices.

PRESENT: SAMUEL SOLOMON, CHAIR

REGINA MANISCALCO, VICE CHAIR

ARNOLD COHEN, CLERK

NADINE OSTROW

PETER O’CAIN, ASST. TOWN ENGINEER

Business Transacted:

I. Meeting called to order.

FORM A PLANS

So. Main Street, owners Peter and Edward DeAngelo. This Form A was to adjust the lot lines. Mr. Cohen moved to disapprove this Form A, but to waive the filing fee on resubmittal, due to the following items being missing: No setbacks, no locus map, no zoning note, no metric scale, no north arrow orientation and no water distribution map. Ms. Ostrow seconded the motion and it was unanimously voted.

SIGN REVIEW

None.

II. TOWN MEETING REVIEW

Mr. Solomon wanted to go over several things that needed to be discussed prior to Town Meeting.

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Administrative Assistant

Minutes of Meeting Page Two October 6, 2004

One of the things the Board needed to do was make sure that it is prepared to present the correct version of the MUOD.

Another is whether Bramble Lane will be ready for acceptance as a public way. Mr. Solomon told the Board that he was dismayed that it is this late and the work is still not complete, especially since the developer originally had requested the street to be accepted for the Spring Town meeting. The work was to have been completed by then, and it never was.

Mr. O’Cain suggested the Board vote to recommend the street for acceptance contingent upon his checking the property tomorrow to see if the work was being done. Mr. Cohen then moved to recommend approval of this street to Town Meeting contingent upon the lights being fully installed and working and the grass strip is planted. If they have not done this work, the Board will recommend that this street not be accepted at Town Meeting. Seconded by Ms. Ostrow and unanimously voted.

Mr. Solomon said that he would prepare the written reports on the Board’s articles for Town Meeting.

III. WOLOMOLOPOAG ROAD FORM A

Mr. Smith and his engineer, Mr. O’Leary, met with the Board to discuss a Form A before actually filing it. There is a four bedroom house on the lot now and they want to explore the approval process for adding on to the house. The property is in a groundwater protection district and the lot is not sized for a four bedroom home – only for a three bedroom home. He wants to add to the lot to make it conforming. The legal frontage to the lot is actually on Wolomolopoag but the access is from Chase Drive.

Minutes of Meeting Page Three October 6, 2004

Mr. Solomon said that as Mr. Smith is purchasing the additional property from the neighbor, they need to make sure that both lots end up with 90% high and dry on the new lots, as they are close. Also, the wetlands need to be flagged to determine that they have the required dry land needed.

Mr. Cohen thought the Board could approve this change as it is a Form A. If there is any problem with the access to the frontage, it already exists. The issue is that if the Board is making the other lot nonconforming because of the high and dry, this could be the actual problem. Mr. Solomon told the applicant that they would have to show that they have the required acreage needed with the required high and dry.

IV. CAPITAL OUTLAY COMMITTEE APPOINTMENT

Mr. Solomon presented Mr. David Milowe as a possible candidate for appointment to the Capital Outlay Committee and he was an acquaintance of his and had the qualifications to serve on this Committee as he was in finance.

Mr. Milowe explained that he has lived in Sharon for 18 years. In answer to Ms. Maniscalco’s question as to why he would like to serve on this Committee, Mr. Milowe answered that this is the Committee that directs which way the Town will be going financially and he would like to have some impact on those decisions. His background is in finance and this would be a natural extension of his work. Additionally, Mr. Milowe is a past member of the Finance Committee.

After reviewing his credentials, Mr. Cohen agreed that Mr. Milowe would be a good choice as the Board’s representative to this Committee. Ms. Maniscalco then moved to appoint Mr. Milowe as the Board’s representative to the Capital Outlay Committee. Seconded by Ms. Ostrow and unanimously voted.

Minutes of Meeting Page Four October 6, 2004

V. HUNTER’S RIDGE

Mr. Solomon explained that the public hearing on this subdivision was scheduled for the next Board meeting. He wanted to go over any new information so that the Board would be up to speed for that hearing.

Mr. Scott, on behalf of the applicant, wanted to present the Board with some additional information since the last meeting. At that time, it seemed the Board was unhappy about the open space. Therefore, the applicant came up with a new lot layout, where the lots were reconfigured and more open space was provided. They clustered the homes more to leave more trees. They moved the detention basin to behind the club house which allows them to preserve more of the beech trees.

Mr. O’Cain said that he was still waiting for profiles for the emergency access road, and asked to have that information prior to the public hearing if possible.

Mr. Scott further reported that they had perked each lot at least two times and that the soils were good. They are building two shared septic systems that the lots will be tied into. They are also having a hydrogeologic study and groundwater mounding study done. In the areas around the wetlands, they are proposing a buffer zone with bushes and shrubs to enhance that area. They are trying to address any concerns raised by the abutters.

Mr. Solomon explained that the biggest issue of concern was the open space, which is the primary goal of the CSD. He was glad to see that the applicant had addressed this issue more favorably. The subdivision looks better now.

Minutes of Meeting Page Five October 6, 2004

VI. ELOVIC DENTAL – WASHINGTON PLACE

The Elovics informed the Board the they wanted to put a dental office on the site where a house currently sits in Washington Place. They plan on demolishing the existing house and putting up a small office building. The building would consist of approximately 2,030 square feet. It was their opinion that this structure would upgrade Washington Place. Pedestrian access would be provided and the parking has been changed. The dumpster will be relocated and the drainage upgraded. They have already received Board of Health approval. They are coming before the Planning Board under its jurisdiction of site approval in the Post Office Square area.

Mr. Solomon answered that this was in fact a grey area, as the Planning Board has been involved in site plan review, which seems to be in conflict with the Zoning Board of Appeal, who has rights over this as well. This building will be more hidden then others the Board has reviewed in the Square. The Board will also seek input on this issue from the Post Office Square Revitalization Committee and coordinate with the ZBA.

Mr. Cohen said that theoretically, this is something that the Town would like to see done, as it is taking a property that was residential and converting it to commercial use. This seems like the kind of project the Planning Board should be endorsing.

Mr. Solomon indicated that he considered this to be a major filing, as it deals with a new structure. In that case, the Board should have 45 days to review this submission. The Board will review this and schedule the applicant to come in to its November 3 meeting for discussion. The Board will determine at that time if it can make a decision, or will it need additional information. He also requested that the applicant send a copy of this filing to the Post Office Square Revitalization Committee.

Minutes of Meeting Page Six October 6, 2004

VII. OTHER BUSINESS

---Mr. Solomon said that the Board of Selectmen had invited the Planning Board to come in to one of its meetings to discuss affordable housing. Mr. Solomon wanted to know how the Board felt about this vs. the Selectmen coming to one of our meetings. Ms. Maniscalco said that the Selectmen’s meetings are televised and the Board should take the opportunity to be on cable TV to speak about this issue to a wider public than a Planning Board meeting that is not televised.

However, Mr. Solomon pointed out that being assigned a small amount of time at a Selectmen’s meeting would require the Board to speak about a small portion of this issue. Having the Selectmen at one of the Board’s meetings would afford the opportunity to speak about the entire situation. He suggested that the Board send a letter to the Selectmen indicating it would be happy to make a presentation on its views on this issue and the Board would need at least 3/4 hours of the Selectmen’s time on their agenda. If the Selectmen do not want to give the Board that time, then the Board can invite the Selectmen to one of its meetings.

The Board agreed and would draft a letter to the Selectmen so stating.

---Council on Aging. Ms. Maniscalco said that the COA had requested a member of the Planning Board to attend its meeting on the HESCO matter. She was willing to represent the Planning Board at that meeting and would report back on what went on.

VIII. There being no further business before the Board, the meeting was adjourned at 10:00 p.m.