Town of Sharon Planning Board

Meeting Minutes of 6/23/2010

Amended and Approved on 7/7/10

Sharon Community Center

 

Planning Board Attendees

Susan Price, Chair

Anne Bingham, Clerk

Eli Hauser, Vice Chair

Amanda Sloan 

David Milowe

Peter O’Cain, Town Engineer - absent

 

Attendees

Frank Gallagher, Gallagher Engineering

Bob Shelmerdine, Intoccia Properties

Alice Cheyer

Tom Houston, PSC

 

Chair Report

The meeting was called to order at 7:30 PM by Chair Susan Price and the Chair’s Report was read.

 

Meeting Minutes

Mr. Hauser moved to approve the meeting minutes of 6/9/10 as amended. Mr. Milowe seconded the motion. The Board voted 3-0-1 in favor of the motion.  Ms. Bingham abstained.

 

Signs

At the Planning Board Meeting of 6/9/10, a sign application was presented for Sharon Cleaners who wanted to move their existing sign to a new location. The Board postponed making a decision regarding this sign until it was cleaned, sanded or repainted and a location for the sign specified. Ms. Price informed the Board that the sign for Sharon Cleaners was currently hanging up at their location. Ms. Levitts will let Mr. O’Cain know that the sign has been put up without approval.

 

ANR Plan

Engineer Frank Gallagher, representing his client, explained the ANR Plan for 77 and 87 Bullard Street. The owner of the property wants to rearrange the two lots and when completed the lots will still be the same size and conforming. Mr. Gallagher had previously reviewed this plan with Town Engineer O’Cain. Ms. Price moved to approve the subdivision as not required under the subdivision control law for 77 and 87 Bullard Street on the plan prepared by Frank Gallagher and to allow Peter O’Cain to act as Agent for the Board. Mr. Milowe seconded the motion and the Board voted 4-0-0 in favor of the motion.

 

Bella Estates

The Board discussed the open invoice for Tom Houston. As of June 15th, 2010, Intoccia Companies owes Mr. Houston $13,600. Mr. Shelmerdine stated that he is aware that this amount is due and that $7, 710 would be paid to Mr. Houston by June 30th, 2010. 

 

Mr. Shelmerdine stated that they are trying to process the modified subdivision plan for Bella Estates. On June 23rd, PSC issued a 61 item memo entitled “Status of the Applicant’s Responses to PSC’s June 3, 2010 memorandum” addressing revised and supplemental information and boulder retaining. As per Attorney Shelmerdine, many items from the memorandum have already been added to the subdivision plan by Engineer Gallagher. The updated modified subdivision plan will include all comments.

 

Mr. Shelmerdine also stated that out of the 61 open items, the first 18 deal with the retaining wall, a problem they are still working on with Tom Houston. Mr. Houston commented that the Geotechnical Engineer’s conclusion, regarding the wall, should not be acceptable to the Town. The report he provided was done correctly but the answer cannot be accepted. There is an issue of stability and in the worst case sections; they do not meet building code. There is earth failure above the boulders. The slope failures are due to high ground water. Mr. Shelmerdine reiterated that they are currently seeking a resolution to the wall problem and just found out about it in March, 2010. He also stated that he does not have notes on how the wall was built and does not share Mr. Houston’s thoughts on redoing the wall. He stated there is no existing evidence of wall failure and that is why they are still looking into it.

 

With reference to items 19 – 61, Mr. Houston reviewed each question with the Board as well as the answers provided by Attorney Shelmerdine. The Board discussed each question and answer.

 

The Thomas property fence reimbursement was discussed and the Board advised Mr. Shelmerdine that he should negotiate with the Thomas family before the July 7th Planning Board meeting or they would have to arbitrate the decision.

 

Ms. Bingham asked Mr. Shelmerdine to provide her with the current state of the homeowner’s association. 

 

Housing Production Plan

Ms. Cheyer asked the Board about the current Housing Production Plan. Mr. Hauser replied that the Plan needs to be updated within the November/December timeframe. He stated there are no new units under production as of December, 2009. Building permits have not yet been issued for Sharon Commons so these units cannot be counted. Mr. Hauser also said there is no protection from condominiums but there would be from the 100 apartments units to be built at Sharon Commons after permits have been issued. As per Mr. Hauser, there is no protection right now because the benefit from Avalon and Wilbur has been used and expired.

 

Ms. Levitts will contact Ms. Raitt of MAPC to request she speak about the Housing Production Plan in her 7/7/10 presentation to the Board.

 

PO Square Zoning

Ms. Price provided the Board with an updated version of Land Strategies zoning document for Post Office Square and discussed several of the changes including grammatical/formatting changes, the removal of inconsistencies within the text, the added content regarding appropriate standards for compact development. Mr. Hauser commented that he wants the changes to stand out and thinks a succinct document regarding the changes should be prepared.  Mr. Milowe noted that an email had been sent from Peter O’Cain regarding this topic and that Mr. O’Cain said special permit decisions should emanate from the Zoning Board and not the Planning Board. Mr. Houston commented that in the interest of expediting approval, a lot of Towns are moving towards site plan approval by the Planning Board. He noted that it is more common that a ZBA approve special permits.

 

Ms. Sloan asked for an explanation of the advantages and disadvantages of the proposed P.O. Square Zoning. Mr. Hauser replied that the purpose is to encourage smart growth and reduce sprawl. The current zoning is restrictive in terms of parking and zoning requirements. The current zoning is appropriate to a suburban construct not a village center. The plan will bring stores to the street front to make it more pedestrian friendly. The way the zoning is currently written lends itself to the current Delappa style apartments. In the zoning, inconsistencies within the text and grammatical errors are being addressed. It will allow for the creation of plazas to sit in and encourage apartments and a mixed use environment as well as affordable housing.

 

Ms. Price asked if the Board wanted to have special permit authority in this district when they only have site plan authority now.

 

Ms. Bingham said to look at parking because in her opinion Post Office Square is dangerous for cyclists and pedestrians.

Ms. Sloan stated that the green advantage to this is to turn it into a charming village.

 

Mr. Milowe suggested that the presentation to other committees/town members should be at a high level in order to keep the groups attention and focus.

 

Housing Production Plan

Jennifer Raitt, Chief Housing Planner at MAPC will speak to the Board on 7/7/10.

 

Next meeting dates

7/7, 7/28, 8/11, 9/1, 9/15 Post Office Square Zoning Hearing

 

Adjournment

Ms. Bingham moved to adjourn the Planning Board meeting at 10:00 PM. Mr. Milowe seconded the motion and the Board voted 4-0-0 in favor.