Town of Sharon Planning Board

Meeting Minutes of 8/13/08

Amended and Approved on 8/27/08

 

 

Planning Board Attendees

Arnold Cohen, Chair  - absent

Susan Price

Paul Lauenstein, Vice Chair

Amanda Sloan  

Eli Hauser, Clerk  - absent

 

 

Peter O’Cain, Town Engineer, Consultant - absent

 

Attendees

None

 

 

Chair’s Report

The meeting began at 8:15 PM with Vice Chair Lauenstein reading the Chair’s Report.

 

Meeting Minutes

Ms. Price moved to accept the minutes of 7/30/08 as amended.  Ms. Sloan seconded the motion. The Board voted 3-0-0 in favor.

 

Inclusionary Housing

Mr. Lauenstein reported that he attended the Sharon Housing Partnership meeting on 8/12 in which he discussed Inclusionary Housing. Some members of the partnership thought they could not ask the developer for affordable units after Brickstone agreed to pay 1.88 million dollars for affordable housing. In the discussion they talked about taking away the option of building affordable units on open space. With reference to a deed restriction option, it was thought that perhaps an unscrupulous developer could mislead someone into selling a deed restriction at an unfairly low price. They are concerned with how to protect an unsophisticated elderly homeowner from a savvy lawyer or developer. They suggested placing something in the Bylaws that would ensure the Housing Partnership would sign off on any transaction and that would give them the opportunity to test for fair value. Mr. Lauenstein said that the Partnership is interested in affordable units.

 

Mr. Lauenstein also reported that he emailed Chair Cohen that he would like to recuse himself from spearheading the Inclusionary Housing Bylaw Project if Brickstone is allowed an exemption from the Bylaw. The Board needs to determine who will head this project.

 

Zoning Bylaws

Mr. Lauenstein reported that he and Ms. Levitts reviewed all updates to the Zoning Bylaws since 2005. The entire document was reformatted and grammatically checked. The table of contents was updated and all page numbers changed. The only issue is that the Sign Bylaws are located within the Zoning Bylaws and also within the General Bylaws. Ms. Levitts will contact Town Clerk, Marlene Chused for her direction as to whether the Sign Bylaws belong in the Zoning Bylaws or the General Bylaws, or both. Ms. Chused is consulting with Town Council. 

 

Mirrione Decision

Mr. Lauenstein explained the changes made to the “Amendment to the Town of Sharon Planning Board decision on the application for a special permit pursuant to section 4371 of the Zoning By-Laws“, as related to applicant Charles M. Mirrione, Trustee of Hunter’s Ridge Realty Trust. The decision date was April 30th, 2008 and the revised Planning Board decision was August 13, 2008. The language now reads as follows:

 

The Town of Sharon Planning Board voted 4-0-1 on April 30, 2008, in favor of granting approval of the following revision to paragraph 1, page 3 of the original Special Permit findings for Hunter’s Ridge granted April 13, 2005.

 

VOTED:  To amend the Planning Board’s prior Special Permit approval for Hunter’s Ridge which required, “Residents of all the units must be at least 55 years of age” to read as follows:  Homeowners’ Association documents must be amended to include the allowance that five of the 49 units may be occupied by one person between the age of 22 and 55; and that the developer be directed to issue no more than 5 deeds allowing no more than l person between ages 22 and 55 in any residence.

 

The Town of Sharon Planning Board voted 3-0-0 on August 13, 2008, in favor of amending the approval granted on April 30, 2008 to clarify the Planning Board’s intent that the language shall read as follows:

 

VOTED:  To amend the Planning Board’s prior Special Permit approval for Hunter’s Ridge which required, “Residents of all the units must be at least 55 years of age” to read as follows:  Homeowners’ Association documents must be amended to include the allowance that five of the 49 units may be occupied by one person between the age of 22 and 55, provided that at least one other person age 55 or older will also occupy the unit; and that the developer be directed to issue no more than 5 deeds allowing no more than l person between ages 22 and 55 in any residence provided that at least one other person age 55 or older will also occupy the unit.

Furthermore, that the Planning Board must be presented with the amended form of the deed and homeowners’ association documents to verify correct interpretation and implementation of the revised Special Permit finding by the Sharon Planning Board, as voted, August 13, 2008.

Arnold Cohen, Chair____________________       

 

Paul Lauenstein, Vice Chair ______________________

 

Eli Hauser, Clerk _________________________

 

Susan Price _____________________________

 

Amanda Sloan ____________________________

 

The Board voted 3-0-0 to approve the revised decision. Ms. Levitts will provide a copy of this document to the Town Clerk.

 

Sign Review/Bond Approval

None.

 

Form A’s

None

 

Next meeting dates through the end of August

8/27

 

Meeting Adjournment

Ms. Price moved to adjourn the meeting at 9:20 PM and Ms. Sloan seconded the motion. The Board voted 3-0-0 in favor.