Town of Sharon Planning Board

Meeting Minutes of 6/4/08

Amended and Approved on 6/25/08

 

Planning Board Attendees

Eli Hauser  - Chair

Susan Price - Clerk

Arnold Cohen - Vice Chair

Amanda Sloan

Paul Lauenstein

 

 

Peter O’Cain, Town Engineer, Consultant

 

Attendees

Jon Shockett

James and Marcy Freedman

Charles and Jeri Heinberg

Anthony Favor  - Tetra Tech

 

Chair’s Report

The meeting began at 7:30 PM with Mr. Cohen reading the Chair’s Report.

 

Meeting Minutes

Mr. Cohen moved to accept the minutes of 5/14/08 as amended.  Ms. Price seconded the motion. The Board voted 4-0-0 in favor.

 

Public Hearing

At 7:45 PM, Clerk Price read the Legal Notice as posted in the Sharon Advocate on 5/16 and 5/23 as follows:

 

The Planning Board will hold a Public Hearing on June 4th, 2008, 7:30 P.M. at the Sharon Community Center Hearing Room, located at 219 Massapoag Avenue (also marked Dobinski Drive), in Sharon, Massachusetts. The Planning Board will be discussing the following change to the Eisenhower Extension Definitive Subdivision approval decision:

 

To see if the Planning Board will waive the requirements of Section 4.2.4.3. and “Schedule Q” of the Land Subdivision Rules and Regulations of the Planning Board of the Town of Sharon, which requires a 40 foot diameter traffic island in the center of a dead end street cul de sac.  The applicant seeks to remove the island and replace with bituminous concrete.

 

Sharon Planning Board

Eli Hauser, Chair

 

Mr. Cohen, who presided over the hearing, provided the rules of the hearing by stating that the proponent can speak first and then questions can be asked by the attendees.

 

Mr. Jon Shockett of 21 Eisenhower Drive, who is the proponent for this request, stated that the residents on the new part of Eisenhower Drive do not want to look at an island in the middle of the cul de sac. He would like to black top the area and is asking for a waiver from the Subdivision Rules and Regulations to remove the island.

 

James Freedman of 31 Eisenhower Drive questioned if the vegetation that was to be placed in the cul de sac could be placed somewhere else. He also stated there is an icing problem in the winter in that area and he has a concern about the placement of the hydrant at the end of the cul de sac. He is concerned that speeding cars may slide into the hydrant and wants to make the Board aware of this issue. He is concerned with snow being piled up at the end of the street and the hydrant being covered. In the past, in his opinion, snow mounds have been as high as 10 feet high.

 

Mr. Shockett stated that trees will be lined up and down the street. He will be planting trees with vegetation along the emergency access. There will be six inch granite curbing on the cul de sac and he will put up a dead end sign at the entry to the road as well as reflectors.

 

Mr. O’Cain commented that the snow removal question is interesting and he is unsure of where the snow will be placed.

 

Ms. Sloan said she is interested in a planted cul de sac and provided Mr. Shockett with a hand-drafted design plan. Mr. Shockett said he has a road company doing the plantings. He commented that the first year a planted cul de sac looks beautiful but by year four, five and six the landscaping is never maintained. Ms. Sloan replied that if plants are chosen correctly, no care is needed and it will last for a long time. She commented that we want to have less impervious surfaces, not over pave.

 

Mr. Shockett said his motive is to open up the street so kids can play. With the current design and parking in the street it is more difficult to get around. Ms. Sloan said that in principal if the Planning Board agreed to the waiver, it would set a bad precedent.

 

Mr. Freedman said he does not object to paving the cul de sac but observed that the homes are located in Stoughton’s water district and asked whether permeable pavers could be used...  Mr. Lauenstein commented that water that plants absorb contaminants. Mr. O’Cain countered that the runoff  on the street goes to a catch basin.

 

Mr. Shockett said that all of the neighbors on the street are in favor of this change.

 

Mr. O’Cain commented that abutters can receive $200 per year to assist with cul de sac maintenance costs.

 

Mr. Cohen cited section 5.1 of the Planning Board Rules and Regulations which says the Board can grant a waiver if it is in the public interest to grant. Mr. Lauenstein said that the character and theme of the town should be maintained. Ms. Price said she does not like the idea of adding impervious surfaces. She also noted that the neighbors can help ,maintain the island and there is an existing asphalt circle at the beginning of the subdivision where the toad used to end. She said there is a lot of pavement already and the kids could play in that area. Mr. Cohen said he thinks that having a landscaped island is desirable.  Mr. Hauser is recused from the vote.

 

Ms. Price moved to close the Public Hearing at 8:35 PM. Mr. Lauenstein seconded the motion.

 

Mr. Cohen called for a vote on the applicant’s request for the modification to Eisenhower Extension. The Board voted 0-4 against the application to amend the approved subdivision plan.

 

Other Business  - Mr. Hauser took over as Chair after the Public Hearing. 

Mr. O’Cain questioned if we need to use the form C-1  in addition to the written decision previously provided to Marlene Chused as pertains to the Brickstone subdivision. He said he would confer with Attorney Gelerman.

 

Sign Review/Bond Approval

None.

 

Form A’s

1.      Mr. O’Cain presented a Form A plan for the owners of 227 East Street who propose to convey 37,209 S.F. to the owners of 15 Lyndon Road. Mr. Cohen moved that the Planning Board  vote to endorse the plan of land in Sharon, MA for 15 Lyndon Road as not requiring approval under the subdivision control law. Ms. Price seconded the motion and the Board voted 5-0-0 to approve.

2.      The Board signed the mylar plans for the Definitive Subdivision Plan for Sharon Hills dated 2/13/08.Mr.  Lauenstein proposed making a policy of never voting for something on the night it is heard during a public hearing. Mr. Cohen said he does not think this is necessary and Board consensus was the same.

 

Officer Elections

1.      Ms. Price made a motion to nominate Arnold Cohen as Chair of the Planning Board. The Board voted 3-0-1 in favor of Arnold Cohen becoming Chair.

 

2.      Mr. Cohen nominated Mr. Lauenstein for the position of Vice Chair of the Planning Board. Ms. Sloan seconded the motion and the Board voted 3-0-1 in favor of the motion

 

3.      Mr. Cohen nominated Mr. Hauser to be the Clerk of the Planning Board. Mr. Lauenstein seconded the motion. The Board voted 4-0-0 in favor of the motion

 

Ms. Levitts will update the Planning Board website with the new officer titles.

 

Inclusionary Housing

Mr. Lauenstein said that Mr. Cohen provided him with the results of 5 of 7 recent Supreme Judicial Court decisions related to 40 B. He will discuss the 40 B Law decisions with Chuck Goodman of the Finance Committee. He stated that he stumbled on a case where a Zoning Board in a community approved a comprehensive permit where the town met a 10% requirement and the neighbors sued and lost. The Zoning Board  has the freedom to do a 40 B even if the Town has met the 10% requirement.

 

Ms. Levitts to schedule a Public Hearing for Inclusionary Housing in September; and a Public Hearing for 40R for Sharon Commons. Attorney Gelerman will draft the language.

 

Next meeting dates through the end of August

6/25, 7/9, 7/30, 8/13 and 8/27

 

Meeting Adjournment

Mr. Lauenstein moved to adjourn the meeting at 9:15 PM and Ms. Price seconded the motion. The Board voted 4-0-0 in favor.