Town of Sharon Planning Board

Draft MMeeting Minutes of 11/17/10

Amended and Approved on 12/1/10

Sharon Community Center

Filmed by SCTV

 

Planning Board Attendees

Susan Price, Chair

Anne Bingham, Clerk

Eli Hauser, Vice Chair - absent

Amanda Sloan

David Milowe

Peter O’Cain, Town Engineer

 

Attendees

David Wluka, 64 Massapoag Avenue

David Coonan – Tedeschi Food Shops

Alice Cheyer

Michael Intoccia

Bob Shelmerdine

Jennifer Raitt - MAPC

Jennifer Chin -  MAPC

 

 

Chair Report

Chair Price called the meeting to order at 7:35 PM and read the Chair’s Report.

 

Meeting Minutes

Mr. Milowe moved to approve the meeting minutes of 10/20/10 as amended. Ms. Sloan seconded the motion and the Board voted 3-0-0 in favor.

 

Review of the 11/3/10 meeting minutes was postponed until next meeting.

 

Solstice Development

Mr. David Wluka, Realtor, came before the Board and stated that, as per Section 3.3.7.2 of the Town of Sharon Land Subdivision Rules and Regulations, on behalf of Solstice Way, he has requested an extension for the completion of Solstice Way to June 30th, 2011.

 

Mr. Wluka reported that the street works, there are no drainage issues but the top coat cannot be added to the road at this time. Mr. O’Cain commented that this will work out better. The construction at the last house should be completed before the pavers are done so that trucks will not go over the road.  He said that 6/30/11 will work for the Town. Mr. O’Cain is also holding a bond for this land.

 

Mr. Milowe moved to extend the subdivision approval to 6/30/11 as per the letter from Wluka Realty dated 11/10/10 for Solstice Way. Ms. Bingham seconded the motion and the Board voted 4-0-0 in favor.

 

Tedeschi’s

Mr. Dave Coonan, Director of Design for Tedeschi Food Shops, came before the Board to let them know that Tedeschi’s would like to upgrade the facility at 65 Pond Street. A handout was provided to all of the Board members which depicted a draft sketch of the property and the proposed improvements/changes. He said they are proposing a new gas canopy, additional pumps for a total of 6 and making an addition off to the side of the building for a walk-in cooler. The upgrade would include adding peaks to the roof and siding work. They are at the preliminary stage of design right now and would like to start construction in the spring.

 

Ms. Bingham asked if extensive re-piping would be done. She stated that traffic circulation is problematic. She thinks that establishing a one-way through the property is important as it is very congested right now. Mr. O’Cain commented that he has not seen any plans yet and will take a video to see how things are working right now. Ms. Sloan suggested that direction traffic circulation can be taken caredirected of with signage.

 

Mr. O’Cain asked if any septic upgrades would be done as the last upgrade was in 1965 and that any substantial modification will trigger a Title V inspection. Mr. Coonan said he will check on that.

 

Ms. Sloan said that this will be an aesthetic improvement. She suggested adding whiskey barrels with plantings as decoration in front of the large blank wall that was proposed.

 

Mr. Milowe asked if there will be an increase in parking spaces. Mr. Coonan replied that they will be minus one spot because the current handicap spot is not up to code.

 

Mr. Milowe asked if the underground tanks will be updated and Mr. Coonan said they will be looking at that as well.

 

Ms. Price asked if employee parking is currently on site and Mr. Coonan said yes there are two employee spots plus nine additional spots shown on the draft plan. Mr. O’Cain said he thinks they have adequate parking as per the requirements for a building that size.

 

Mr. Coonan said he is trying to keep all of the trees that exist. The only expansion is the 8 foot by 33 foot cooler. 

 

Mr. Milowe asked if they are putting signage on the canopy and if so, how big it would be. Mr. Coonan said the new sign will have the same size on each end of the canopy as it does now. The canopy will be bigger.

 

Mrs. Bingham said that with three tanks on each side it is functionally a lot of traffic. She is concerned with the traffic patterns and would like to see a one way in and a one way out.

 

Ms. Sloan asked if they figured out the turning radii yet and Mr. O’Cain said he would like to see a plan with the turning radii on them.  Mr. Coonan said it is just a sketch right now and needs to get the property surveyed.

 

Mr. O’Cain reminded Mr. Coonan about using historic colors to paint the building.

 

Ms. Price said this would be a nice improvement and they are on the right path.

 

Housing Production Plan

Jennifer Raitt and Jennifer Chin of the Metropolitan Area Planning Council (MAPC) came to the Board to present the draft Sharon Housing Production Plan Update.

 

Ms. Raitt stated that the Town received money from the South Coast Rail Project and this money is being used to update the HPP which will expire on 12/7/10. The MAPC is providing the technical assistance. She said there is not a lot of new data as the new census information is not yet available until the end of December with more data following in February.

 

Ms. Chin reviewed the November 16th Memorandum which listed the specific charts and data MAPC had updated from the original 2005 HPP.  This included such items as: The Sharon Population Projections, Sharon Housing Sales, Update on 2005 affordable housing goals and objectives, etc. The Board then discussed several of the sections and suggested changes.

 

Ms. Bingham suggested that the DHCD should provide a grace period for extending the time the report is due. She said that more than demographics are not updated. Some of the trends suggested are not what we are seeing now. She said there a lot of missing pieces that could be brought forward to 2010.

Ms. Raitt said at this point we need to move forward because of the current due date. When the plan expires, it will lapse and you need to start again. She suggested that Ms. Price write a letter to Phillip DeMartino, Technical Assistance Program Coordinator Community Assistance Unit at the Department of Housing & Community Development explaining that the Town of Sharon's Housing Production Plan expires on December 7, 2010 and that the HPP Update will not be completely accurate, as it needs to be completed shortly before the 2010 Census data becomes available. She suggested that the Town will be following the HPP for the next five years and because the Census data is being released after the Plan is due, a new deadline of March 2011 would be better.

Ms. Price asked if the Planning Board has to accept the report by 12/7 and Ms, Raitt said the Planning Board or the Board of Selectmen have to accept the plan.

Ms. Cheyer stated that one goal from 2005 was Inclusionary Zoning and this is essential to keep in the plan. It provided background for protection against rogue 40B’s.  She hopes that the Board tries again with Inclusionary zoning now that Brickstone is behind the scenes.

 

Ms. Raitt said that she can reference the changes in demographics in the upfront section of the report. She also stated that the Wilber apartments are not recorded on the subsidized housing report for the State, which currently reflects 386 affordable housing units in Sharon. Mr. O’Cain said he will check on this and make sure the appropriate paperwork (subsidized housing inventory form) is completed. He will also obtain the certificate of occupancy for 9 Glenview Road, which will add an additional house to the inventory.

 

Ms. Chin said that she is working on obtaining data on residential building types and will contact the Assessors Office. She is also looking to obtain from Jane Desberg of the SHP, the total counts on the waiting lists at Avalon and the Wilber School.
 
Ms. Raitt pointed out the 3 new select maps that are now included within the report that could help with future planning. Mr. O’Cain said he will have his department review the maps and provide updates. 
 
Ms. Raitt said her goal is to deliver a full revised draft of the Plan update inclusive of the information from the Assessors Office as well as Ms. Desberg by Monday end of day. Once the draft is received on Monday, she asked that all questions and comments be forwarded to Ms. Chin as well so she can make final revisions and deliver a final draft for review and approval at the December 1st Planning Board meeting. The plan update is due to DHCD no later than December 7, 2010 and should be mailed no later than December 2nd.
 
Ms. Raitt would also like to come back to the Planning Board meeting on 1/19 to talk about the 40R for Post Office Square.

 

Bella Estates

Mr. Intoccia came before the Board to address several open issues outlined by Town Engineer Peter O’Cain in his November 17, 2010 email as pertains to Bella Estates’ status.

 

1)  Mr. O’Cain stated there is no new bond or Form F for the project. Mr. Intoccia said that the bond has been pre-approved and he will have it to Mr. O’Cain by 12/1/10.

 

2)  Mr. O’Cain stated that Robin Estrin's fence has not been installed. Mr. Intoccia provided a copy of the letter to Ms. Estrin promising an install by 11/30.

 

3)  Mr. O’Cain said the finger drains that were supposed to be installed by September 30th are not started and slope erosion has worsened significantly. Mr. Intoccia promised they will be done by the end of December.

 4)  There is a lot of sediment in the detention basin and Mr. O’Cain has not seen installation of additional erosion control measures like catch basin silt sacs or other possible solutions.  Mr. Intoccia said he will attend to this.

 

5)  Mr. O’Cain received a complaint from the homeowner at 43 Bella Road, Mr. Giri Pottepalem, that the utility boxes are blocking his driveway. Mr. Intoccia said that the owner requested the driveway be placed on the right side of the house, rather than the left side as designed, and the utility boxes were already in place from the previous developer of the subdivision. Mr. Intoccia said the homeowner never said anything to him. Mr. O’Cain suggests it is a private way and he has no jurisdiction. He will provide the homeowner with the telephone number of the utility companies.

 

6)  Mr. O’Cain said the soil pile remains at the site and very little appears to have been removed to date. Mr. Intoccia said that 2,500 yards have been pulled out already. He is hoping that the rest can be used at Sharon Commons.

 

7)  Mr. O’Cain said the new concrete spillway that was supposed to be installed by September 30th has not been started. Mr. Intoccia said this will be completed by the end of December. Mr. O’Cain said he is unsure if this can be done now.

 

Mr. Milowe asked about the status of the $5,000 funding for the Homeowner’s Agreement to go into an escrow account by 11/22/10 and Mr. Intoccia ensured him that this would take place.

 

Mr. Shelmerdine said they may be back shortly to talk about the plan for parcel C and an affordable housing component.

 

 Next meeting dates

11/17, 12/1, 12/15, 1/4 and 1/19

 

Adjournment

Mr. Milowe moved to adjourn the Planning Board meeting at 9:35 PM. Ms. Sloan seconded the motion and the Board voted 4-0-0 in favor.

 

Attached Documents

1. November 10, 2010 letter from Wluka Real Estate as relates to Solstice Way.

2. Tedeschi proposed site sketch.

3. November 16, 2010 Memorandum from Jennifer Raitt Re: Draft Sharon Housing Production Plan Update.

4. November 2010 revised Sharon Housing Production Plan Update Draft

5. MAPC Parking Strategies by Topic

6. November 17th, 2010 letter from Michael Intoccia to Robin Estrin and Seamus Kelly regarding their fence issue

7. November 17, 2010 email from Peter O’Cain regarding Bella Estates Status. Photos of the property included as well.