Town of Sharon Planning Board

 Meeting Minutes of 3/12/08

Amended and Approved on 3/26/08

Planning Board Attendees

Eli Hauser - Chair   - Absent	Paul Lauenstein
Arnold Cohen - Vice Chair	Amanda Sloan
Susan Price - Clerk

Peter O’Cain, Town Engineer, Consultant

Attendees

Bob Shelmerdine - Intoccia

Victor Smetana  - 165 N. Main Street

Chair’s Report

The meeting was called to order at 7:30 PM by Vice Chair – Arnold Cohen who read the Chair’s Report.

Meeting Minutes

Ms. Price moved to accept the minutes of 2/27/08 as amended. Ms. Sloan seconded the motion. The Board voted 4-0-0 in favor.

Sign Review/Bond Approval

None.

Form A’s

Mr. O’Cain discussed the Form A, dated March 11, 2008 for the land off Old Post Road, Sharon, MA derived under deed from Old Post Development Realty Trust. Attorney Shelmerdine reviewed the Plan A endorsed on 6/6/07, by stating Lot #2 is non-buildable because of wetlands. This portion of the property will likely be deeded to the Conservation Commission. Lot 1 is ten acres from the LIP application. Lot 1 was designated as 10.074 acres but ½ acre is registered land. It should have been designated internal lots 1A and 1B; 1A is only registered and 1B is only non registered land.

The changes now include adding designations 1A and 1B. In addition, the owner designation is now different; it was Old Post Road Realty Trust and is now Sharon CF because between June, 2007 and January, 20, 2008 the deed was transferred to the developer.  Mr. Shelmerdine described the term “registered land”.

Mr. Shelmerdine asked that the new plan be endorsed. Mr. O’Cain said he reviewed the plan and it looks fine.  Ms. Price moved to approve the Form A for the land of Old Post Road prepared for Sharon CFII L.P. dated March 10, 2008 as not requiring approval under the subdivision control law. Ms. Sloan seconded the motion and the Board voted 4-0-0 in favor.

Mr. Shelmerdine discussed the need for a public hearing regarding changes to a scenic road (Old Post Road), including tree removal. Mr. Shelmerdine said they will put tape around all of the trees they would like taken down.  In addition, Mr. Shelmerdine discussed the location with the Board of the proposed entrance to the complex. The cranberry bogs have already been given to the Conservation Commission and Mr. Bottomly has leased them for ten years.

Inclusionary Housing

Mr. Lauenstein discussed Inclusionary Housing and the fact that Brickstone would be an issue with relation to an exemption for Sharon Hills. He said we are now faced with the question of whether we can build language into the proposed by-law to exempt anyone who filed before the date of adoption of the Inclusionary Housing by-law. Mr. O’Cain commented that, as per his conversation with Attorney Gelerman, the definitive plan put forth for Sharon Hills locks in Senior Living Overlay District zoning for eight years. Mr. Cohen commented that by filing the definitive plan, Brickstone is protected.

Mr. Lauenstein moved to defer the Inclusionary Housing By-law to the Fall Town Meeting. Ms. Sloan seconded the motion and the Board voted 4-0-0. Mr. Lauenstein commented that the next landmark will be the Supreme Judicial Court Decisions so we know what the status of the 40 B Law will be. He said after the decisions this Spring, he can go to FinComm to discuss.   Mr. Cohen said his sense is quite a few towns have adopted Inclusionary Housing but there has not been a lot of building so it has not been tested as much.

Ms. Levitts will inform Ms. Thaler that this By-law will be deferred until the Fall.

Other Business

Victor Smetana of 165 N. Main Street asked to speak with the Board regarding the Hunter’s Ridge Project. He stated that he opposed the request for the amendment for a special permit to be granted to the Developer. His reasons include the fact that the deal is already negotiated. He said the Developer should expect the Town to follow what was agreed to and vice versa. He also was concerned with how this would affect future developers. He does not think the Developer did all he could to sell the units. He stated the project suffers from a lack of curb appeal and thinks the marketability can be improved.  He thinks that the properties will not sell regardless of the age restriction and would need to be sold to another developer or to the Bank. He wants the Town to benefit if the amendment goes through. He also suggested the Developer provide trees to the Town in exchange for those that were stripped away. Ms. Sloan thanked him for coming and stated he made some good points.

Ms. Levitts was authorized to create the legal advertisement for the Brickstone Definitive Plan public hearing on 4/9/08 and to place the ad in the newspaper.

Next meeting dates through the end of May

3/26 - Mr. Hauser will be out of town.

4/9 - Scenic Road Public Hearing at 7:30 PM and Brickstone Public Hearing regarding the Definitive Subdivision Plan at 7:45 PM

4/30, 5/14 and 5/28 - additional meetings

Meeting Adjournment

Ms. Price moved to adjourn the meeting at 9:30 PM and Ms. Sloan seconded the motion. The Board voted 4-0-0 in favor.