Town of Sharon Planning Board

Meeting Minutes of 4/27/11

Amended and Approved on 5/18/11

Sharon Community Center

Filmed by SCTV

 

Planning Board Attendees

Susan Price, Chair

Anne Bingham, Clerk 

Eli Hauser, Vice Chair

Amanda Sloan

David Milowe  - absent

Peter O’Cain, Town Engineer

 

Attendees

Alice Cheyer

 

 

Chair Report

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

 

New Business

Ms. Bingham mentioned a correspondence from Attorney Lisa Whalen to Alice Cheyer regarding Article 2 and commented that she now clearly understands both the article and the Planning Board’s authority. She also stated that she thinks the Planning Board should provide their opinion by voting on the article for Town Meeting. Ms. Bingham thinks Eli Hauser should not participate because of his affiliation with Cornerstone.  

Mr. Hauser commented that this issue is not within the Planning Board’s jurisdiction so it is not clear to him why the Planning Board would take a formal vote.

Ms. Bingham said the duty is to act prospectively and thinks the Planning Board should have a statement and should vote. She commented that the Planning Board should plan for the welfare of Sharon.

 

Mr. O’Cain said at Town Meeting all Boards will be asked their opinion but we are not technically/legally bound to have an opinion.

 

Ms. Bingham said that after reading Lisa Whalen’s letter, a lot of zoning would not be applicable. It is important to make the point to Town Meeting that control over what is built is severely diminished if it is used for educational or religious use.

Mr. Hauser said that he raised the question on guidelines for participating in various Town meetings as both a member of the Planning Board as a member of the Cornerstone's Board both with Attorney Gelerman's office and with the State Ethics Committee. Their instructions were that he can comment as an individual at a given meeting, but cannot formally present to the Sacred Heart Committee, or to any other Town boards or committees, on the subject of the Cornerstones organization. 

Ms. Bingham recommended that the Planning Board should vote as to which members approve or disapprove of Article 2. The Board voted 3-0-1 in favor of discussion. Mr. Hauser recused himself.

 

Ms. Bingham moved to recommend a vote opposing Article 2. Ms. Sloan seconded the motion and the Board voted 2-1-1. Ms. Price voted no and Mr. Hauser abstained.

 

Form A’s

None

 

Subdivision Regulations

Ms. Price said that after the last meeting she contacted Ms. Bingham and Mr. O’Cain to review the subdivision regulations amongst themselves and then bring the draft back to the full Board.  She is waiting for Ms. Bingham to let her know what dates will work for her.  Mr. O’Cain said that once complete, it will go to Tom Houston for review and commentary. Ms. Price asked Ms. Sloan to discuss her draft updates to the tree list.

 

Ms. Sloan said she worked on the tree list but has not yet had a chance to meet with Tree Warden Kevin Webber. Mr. O’Cain asked that Ms. Sloan forward him an electronic version of the tree listing and he will forward to the Tree Warden. Ms. Sloan said that most towns have a tree list. Ms. Sloan said the Sharon listing is old. Some trees types have been banned and some are new to the market. As professional architects and landscape architects will be looking at the list, they want to see correct names and appropriate uses. Ms. Sloan prepared a draft handout of recommended trees and shrubs for the Town of Sharon. It included definitions of street trees, boulevard trees, park/lawn trees, native species, invasive species and tree sizes as well as a list of deciduous trees. Once reviewed with the Tree Warden, Ms. Sloan will reissue an updated draft to the Board. Ms. Price suggested that a statement be inserted to recommend that the developer use a variety or trees/plantings in certain circumstances, rather than simply using one type be included. Ms. Sloan concurred with the suggestion.  Ms. Sloan agreed to be the tree consultant for the Board. She also wanted to encourage others to serve on town boards.

 

Bicycle Racks

Peter O’Cain said he wants to make sure the bike racks are all located in the right spot. He said the Town is in the middle of a winter clean up and will work on the bike racks by the summer. He will invite Thelma Hirsch of the Economic Development Committee to discuss, as it was her survey/project, in order to make sure they are all located in the right place.

 

Bella Estates Update

Mr. O’Cain reported that silt sacks were installed in the cull de sac where the soil pile is located. Subdrains were installed within the last few weeks. Some erosion control progress has been made. A lot of the homes are nearing completion so plantings can occur.

 

Ms. Cheyer asked about the clubhouse and Mr. O’Cain commented that Intoccia Properties were going to come in and discuss with the Planning Board but have not done so yet.

 

40R

Ms. Price said that we received a grant from the MAPC to put together the draft. Mr. DeLapa is not ready to pursue changes to his property but at least the Board can have a draft in place in case of future development. Jenny Raitt will come to the 5/18 meeting to discuss her draft. Ms. Price said any comments should be sent to Ms. Raitt or Ms. Price directly.

 

Waste Water

Ms. Cheyer asked for an update on the waste water survey. Ms. Hauser replied that draft questions were circulated to the Board. David Milowe will perform a financial analysis. The survey will be sent to the 42 property owners to survey their opinions and to ask whether they are willing to pay the expense for a new system. Mr. Hauser said the three choices would be to leave the systems as they are, spend money to create a new system, or have shared systems and in this choice the owners would have to work with the Board of Health. He said that pragmatically, we need to ask the property owners to get a sense of what they want to do. Mr. Hauser said that at the end of the day, 7 – 8 properties would benefit from a new system. Mr. Hauser said that the survey should go to all property owners even though some systems may be new in order to be able to present reasonable research to the Finance Committee.

 

Inclusionary Housing

Mr. O’Cain provided the Board with two maps that broke down available potential 6 and 8 lot properties. After review and discussion, Ms. Price commented that there are very few multi lot properties available. Mr. O’Cain asked whether the Board wanted to write an inclusionary zoning article for a small number of lots. Brickstone is a big swing. Ms. Price said she wants a more exact number of lots and Mr. O’Cain will ask April Forsman to redo the numbers to be able to clearly identify potential lot creations.

 

PO Square Zoning Article

Ms. Price discussed revisiting the Post Office Square Zoning Articles at the Fall Town Meeting. She divided the original warrant article into four potential warrant articles: 1) Uses, Site Plan and Definitions, 2) Affordable Housing, 3) Dimensional Standards and 4) Off Street Parking. The breakdown was done for ease of review and clarity. Ms. Price asked the Board their opinion if it’s worth pursuing as smaller articles. Ms. Bingham asked whether each one could stand on their own. Ms. Price said the affordable housing piece would be contingent.

 

Meeting Minutes

Ms. Bingham moved to approve the meeting minutes of 4/6/11 as submitted. Mr. Hauser seconded the motion and the Board voted 3-0-1 in favor. Ms. Sloan abstained. 

 

Other Business

1.  Mr. Hauser commented that the vote by the Planning Board was not required as this was not a zoning issue, that the Article's proponent, Daniel Rosen, had not presented to the Board or been notified that there would be a discussion or vote, and in any case that the discussion and vote were not on the Planning Board agenda, rather being brought up as "other business."  It has been the tradition of the Planning Board to allow all interested parties to be aware of and discuss issues, and that if a concerned member was not at a meeting, that we would hold off on any vote or discussion until everyone was able to participate correctly.  Pushing to move this vote tonight was not respectful to the Planning Board, to the applicant, or to the processes which the Planning Board has worked hard to develop and adhere to.

 

2.  Ms. Cheyer brought up the current Town Meeting article as related to hiring the MA Audubon for Conservation Restriction Stewardship.

 

Adjournment

Ms. Bingham moved to adjourn the meeting at 9:45 PM.  Mr. Hauser seconded the motion and the Board voted 3-0-0 in favor of adjournment.

 

Attachments

1. Draft list of recommended trees and shrubs prepared by Amanda Sloan.

2. Post Office Square Zoning Article divided into four potential warrant articles prepared by Susan Price.