HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes - PB - 11/15/2006 Planning Board Meeting 1 of 2
November 15,2006
COHASSET PLANNING BOARD MINUTES
DATE: WEDNESDAY,NOVEMBER 15,2006
TIME: 7:00 PM
PLACE: COHASSET TOWN HALL— BASEMENT MEETING ROOM
41 HIGHLAND AVENUE, COHASSET,MA 02025
Board Members Present: Alfred Moore, Chairman
Peter J. Pratt,Vice Chairman
Stuart Ivimey, Clerk
Mike Westcott
Robert Sturdy
Board Members Absent:
Recording Secretary Present: Jo-Ann M. Pilczak
MEETING CALLED TO ORDER AT: 7:00 P.M.
7:00 P.M. JOSEPH'S HARDWARE, ENDORSE PLANS
MOTION: by Member Sturdy to endorse the mylars for this Site Plan Review filing
SECOND: Member Pratt
VOTE: MOTION CARRIES 4—0
Mylars signed. Applicant to deliver 2 copies of signed mylars to Planning Board Office.
7:15 P.M. ADMINISTRATION
• VOTE TO ACCEPT NOVEMBER 1,2006 MINUTES
MOTION: by Member Ivimey to accept the November 1,2006 Planning Board Minutes
SECOND: Member Pratt
VOTE: 4—0 MOTION CARRIES
Member Westcott arrived.
• VOTE TO ADOPT TOWN COUNSEL RESIDENTIAL CLUSTER DEVELOPMENT RULES &
REGULATIONS PACKET. Member Sturdy presented suggested amendments to Town Counsel draft.
MOTION: by Member Pratt to adopt the Residential Cluster Development Rules &Regulations as
amended by Member Sturdy
SECOND: Member Westcott
VOTE: 5-0 MOTION CARRIES
Planning Board Administrator to incorporate Member Sturdy's amendments and file with Town Clerk.
8:10 P.M. NEW BUSINESS
Member Sturdy proposed 2 zoning amendments for ATM in spring.
1. Begin to address the Downtown Village area one step at a time,by creating/renaming that one district area to
differentiate the area by name only for the time being without addressing/changing any other characteristics of the
area at this time.
2. To reverse the"apartments by right"and return it to its previous/original status of"apartments by special permit"
granted by the Planning Board.
Member Sturdy would like to see several consultants brought in to each address a different topic in the downtown
based on their expertise (eg: retail,parking,housing, open space etc.)
MOTION: by Member Sturdy to have Town Counsel begin drafting these articles
SECOND: Member Westcott
VOTE: 5—0 MOTION CARRIES
In addition, the Board voted unanimously to amend its previous motion and to inform the BOS and Town Manager
that the Planning Board will also proceed with a third article(which has been previously presented)to:
Planning Board Meeting 2 of 2
November 15,2006
3. Amend the SMROD language and to work with Town Counsel and the legislative delegation to get the current
LIP agreement for Cedarmere approved such that the affordable units count under 40B and are age-restrictive.
MOTION: by Member Pratt to inform the BOS and Town Manager that the Planning Board will proceed
with a third article to amend the SMROD language and to work with Town Counsel and the legislative
delegation to get the current LIP agreement for Cedarmere approved such that the affordable units count
under 40B and are age-restrictive.
SECOND: Member Westcott
VOTE: 5—0 MOTION CARRIES
Planning Board Administrator to contact Town Manager for approval to contact Town Counsel regarding these
three proposed articles. Member Pratt to act as liaison to Town Counsel.
8:45 P.M. 154/156 KING STREET LEFT HAND TURN
MOTION: by Member Sturdy to send letter to Chief Hussey stating the Planning Board's support of his
efforts to petition MHD to allow the CPD to enforce the Site Plan Review decision condition prohibiting left
hand turns onto Rt.3A.
SECOND: Member Pratt
VOTE: 4—0 MOTION CARRIES (Member Moore recused as abutter)
8:55 P.M. MASTER PLAN REVIEW AND DISCUSSION Member Moore stated his thoughts that the
character of the Town and the Village has evolved over time with a lack of definite planning in place and that he
feels the Board should be cautious about setting things into play which might upset this character(plans should be
broad based). Member Pratt noted that the Master Plan should be a living document that changes over time and
with the times. Member Westcott suggested that the summary provides goals and policies without time frames and
requirements and meets exactly what Member Moore considers broad based plans. Member Sturdy objected to the
way the data was gathered—not statistically valid and,thought much of the information is dated and should just be
put into archives. Member Pratt pointed out that the data is a snapshot of the time. Member Pratt noted that the
upside of having a master plan is that the Town gets points/credits on the Commonwealth Capital discretionary
funding index for the town which increases the chances of certain fundings; that the Master Plan does not commit
the Town to doing anything, it acts as a potential road map of suggestions as to how to proceed;while the downside
is that the Planning Board credibility will suffer if the Master Plan is not voted on. Member Ivimey suggested
using the Executive Summary as the Master Plan and using the main document as a living appendix recognizing
that it would need to be updated to reflect the Executive Summary.
MOTION: by Member Westcott to rename the Executive Summary as the"Master Plan"which will be
distributed and reviewed in a public hearing and that the former"Master Plan draft of 2004"will become
an appendix to be updated with the proper data.
SECOND: Member Pratt
VOTE: 4—0 MOTION CARRIES (Member Sturdy does not agree with Master Plan—left meeting)
Member Westcott to draft introduction to Executive Summary as Master Plan explaining this new evolution.
Member Ivimey to continue to edit the original Master Plan document now to be used as appendix. Board will set
January 17,2007 as target date for public hearing.
MOTION: by Member Westcott to adjourn
SECOND: Member Pratt
VOTE: 4—0 MOTION CARRIES
MEETING ADJOURNED AT: 10:10 P.M.
NEXT MEETING: WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 6,2006, AT 7:00 P.M.
MINUTES APPROVED: Stuart Ivimev, Clerk
DATE: December 7,2006
(Minutes approved at December 6,2006 Planning Board Meeting)