Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes - PB - 12/05/2018 Planning Board Meeting APPROVED MINUTES 1 of 4 December 5,2018 COHASSET PLANNING BOARD MINUTES DATE: TUESDAY DECEMBER 5, 2018 TIME: 7:00 PM PLACE: COHASSET TOWN HALL 41 HIGHLAND AVENUE, COHASSET, MA 02025 Board Members Present: Clark H. Brewer, Chairman (CB) Michael Dickey, Vice-Chairman (MD) Brian Frazier(BF) Amy Glasmeier(AG) Board Member Absent: Eric Potter(EP) Associate Member, Paul Grady (PG) Recording Secretary Present: Jennifer Brennan Oram 7:01 P.M. Chairman Brewer called the meeting to order. 7:00 P.M. Definitive Subdivision Plan entitled Definitive Subdivision, Harbor Estates, Cohasset MA 02025 prepared by Cavanaro Consulting. The locus is further identified as 96, 100, and 104 Howard Gleason Road,Assessor's Map 31 as Lots 20, 21 and 22. In attendance to represent this agenda item: Attorney William Ohrenberger and John Cavanaro of Cavanaro Consulting Kevin Grady, of Grady Consulting Member Frazier read the public hearing notice aloud. Chairman Brewer stated that the Planning Board will not complete its review this evening,but it makes sense to review what they are looking at and then discuss what the next steps are. Director of Planning, Peter Matchak agreed. He added that Mr. Grady is working with the Town as the Town's Consulting Engineer. Mr. Matchak stated that he also reached out to Town Counsel and submitted the case law submitted by Attorney De Lisi. Attorney Karis North agrees with the case law submitted. It is Mr. Matchak's hope to get a meeting coordinated in the near future with all involved in these three subdivisions. Then the Board can schedule a meeting to hear all three subdivision filings in one evening. Chairman Brewer agreed. He would also like to get the appropriate language from Counsel to put into the Board's decision to protect the Town. Mr. Cavanaro reviewed the plans. He reiterated that these plans are following up on the preliminary subdivision filing and that it is not the applicant's intent to build the proposed subdivision. With this particular property, there are already four legal, registered/land courted buildable lots. This proposed subdivision would in fact work against the value of the land. He explained that you only do a formal subdivision if you need the frontage to build. They already have four buildable lots and they already have the frontage. The Board will most likely see a Common Driveway application on this property in the future. The property went before the Board about a year ago for an ANR. That said, they have gone through the process and filed a full set of plans. The land is on municipal sewer, there is no septic in this area. He added again, it would be counter intuitive to go through with this plan as it Planning Board Meeting APPROVED MINUTES 2 of 4 December 5,2018 would never receive approval from the Conservation Commission. This application is similar to the other two Definitive Subdivision plans they filed with the Board on Jerusalem Road. The applicants and the Board will need to go a list of comment and list the waivers they will be requesting. Chairman Brewer asked if any members of the Board had any questions. Member Glasmeier asked what can be done at this moment or what action can be done regarding this application. Attorney Ohrenberger reiterated that going forward with the application as filed would be counter intuitive and hurt the land value. What this does is allows the zoning that exists today to apply to this property for eight years. Ms. Glasmeier asked if there was case law to support this. Attorney Ohrenberger said there is and that it has been supplied to Town Counsel. Chairman Brewer stated he would like to wrap this filing and the other two (Jerusalem Road)up in January. Attorney Ohrenberger said the trigger on these filings is when they are recorded at the Registry of Deeds. In regard to timing, it they were to file it with the Registry of Deeds, they would have to complete all of the conditions. They have six months to record the plans with the registry. The zoning freezes are from the time of the notice of the filings and the eight years begins when they file the decision with the Town Clerk. This entire filing was done as a form of long term planning. Chairman Brewer asked if anyone wished to speak. Janet Barker of 19 Atlantic Avenue said she was present to understand the proposed lots and to understand the process. MOTION: By Member Frazier to continue the hearing to January 23, 2019 at 7PM SECOND: Vice-Chairman Dickey VOTE: 4—0 MOTION CARRIES (CB, MD, BF & AG) 7:25 P.M. 2019 ANNUAL TOWN MEETING ZONING BYLAW DISCUSSION In attendance to represent this agenda item: George McGoldrick of 107 Border Street and Ted Lubitz of 103 Border Street of Cohasset Hospitality Partners. Mr. McGoldrick and Mr. Lubitz have recently signed a contract to assume control of The Red Lion Inn, the Cohasset Harbor Inn and Atlantica/the Olde Salt House. They have had to close Atlantica due to water leaking. They have re-opened the Red Lion Inn and they are opening what was Brisa, at the Cohasset Harbor Inn as "The Cove"this evening. They have a third partner, "The Catered Affair"to operate the sites. This is not a sale, it's an equity infusion. The buildings on the harbor have event space, but the buildings are distressed. All of the properties are close to being taken by the lenders. They are here this evening as they are looking to make changes to the Cohasset Harbor Inn. The hotel has not worked and runs at a very low occupancy rate. They feel, as did the previous developer, that the best use for that area would be residential, with business on the first floor, while getting more public access to the harbor. To do this, they would need zoning changes to be brought to a vote at Town Meeting. Chairman Brewer said the Board would work with them, but the timeframe would be tight. Annual Town Meeting is April 29ffi. Mr. Lubitz thinks they can make that timeframe. Chairman Brewer suggests the Town hire a consultant to work on behalf of the Town's interest and to help with the language of the Bylaw. Director of Planning, Peter Matchak, stated that he is meeting with the Town's Harbor Plan Consultants, Harriman. He will see if the Town can secure a contract with them for these purposes. Planning Board Meeting APPROVED MINUTES 3 of 4 December 5,2018 8:OOPM TOLL BROTHERS RELEASE BOND Documents used for this agenda item: ➢ Memo from John Modzelewski dated November 29, 2018 John Modzelewski did a site visit with Mr. Matchak. The only items outstanding are the retention pond and a steel grate cover that was not secured. They have reached out to Toll Bros. to secure that steel grate cover. The responsibility of the site will now be handed over to the HOA. MOTION: By Member Frazier to reduce the Bond. SECOND: Vice-Chairman Dickey VOTE: 4—0 MOTION CARRIES (CB, MD, BF & AG) COHASSET SOLAR BOND REVIEW Mr. Matchak explained that the Director of the Department of Public Works is one of the Project Managers on this project. Mr. Joyce has confirmed that the punch list is complete and that bond can be released. The amount remaining is approximately $19,000. MOTION: By Member Frazier to release the solar bond to Coho Solar SECOND: Member Glasmeier VOTE: 5—0 MOTION CARRIES (CB, MD, BF & AG) 8:25PM COHASSET 2018—2024 COHASSET OPEN SPACE AND RECREATION PLAN—REVIEW AND RECOMMENDATION FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF CONSERVATION AND RECREATION REVIEW PROCESS In attendance for this agenda item: Chairman of the Open Space Committee, Mr. Peter Pescatore Documents used for this agenda item: ➢ Draft Open Space Plan Chairman Brewer thanked Mr. Pescatore for all of time and participation to the plan. Mr. Pescatore said the group is very excited to stay together and follow up on the action items. The follow up on the previous plan did not happen. Mr. Pescatore is asking for the Planning Board to adopt the plan this evening. The Board of Selectmen, Recreation Commission, Conservation Commission and the Community Preservation Committee have all adopted the plan. Mr. Pescatore explained that this was not a completely new plan, but an update on the previous one. Mr. Pescatore said the action plan is to make the goals and objectives a reality. Chairman Brewer then read the four overall objectives aloud. There was some discussion on Open Space being able to make recommendations on Town Meeting warrants for relevant articles. They also would like to be advisory on Planning Board filings. They want to be stewards for the habitat. The goals can be achieved through other Boards and Committees and Towns. Chairman Brewer then read all of the goals and objectives aloud for the Board. MOTION: By Vice Chairman Dickey to approve the 2018—2024 Open Space Plan SECOND: Member Frazier VOTE: 4—0 MOTION CARRIES (CB, MD,BF & AG) Planning Board Meeting APPROVED MINUTES 4 of 4 December 5,2018 PLANNING BOARD COMMENTS: Vice-Chairman Dickey updated the Board on the CPC. New officers were elected; same as they were previously. They also heard a proposal from the Cohasset Swim Center looking for matching funds to update the pool house. Member Glasmeier is hoping they complete the Master Plan on schedule. They have second drafts now. Chairman Brewer wanted to alert the Board members that the Town is currently approximately 17 units below the 10 percent for SHI. They are working on a Housing Production plan. It needs to be updated every five years. Having one in place can help protect the Town from large scale 40B efforts. He has also reached out to Scott Dale from Avalon about expanding Avalon Cohasset. He and Mr. Dale also had a preliminary discussion with the ZBA about this possible expansion. MINUTES: MOTION: By Member Glasmeier to approve the minutes of October 10, 2018 and October 24, 2018. SECOND: Vice-Chairman Dickey VOTE: 4—0 MOTION CARRIES (CB, MD, BF & AG) TOPICS NOT REASONABLY ANTICIPATED BY THE CHAIR 48 HOURS IN ADVANCE OF THE MEETING - None MOTION: By Vice Chairman Dickey to adjourn the meeting at 8:55PM SECOND: Member Frazier VOTE: 4—0 MOTION CARRIES (CB, MD, BF & AG) NEXT PLANNING BOARD MEETING: January 9, 2019 THESE MINUTES APPROVED: January 23, 2019