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Home My WebLink AboutMinutes - PB - 01/01/2007 (25) Planning Board Meeting 1 of 3 August 22,2007 COHASSET PLANNING BOARD MINUTES DATE: WEDNESDAY,AUGUST 22,2007 TIME: 7:00 PM PLACE: COHASSET TOWN HALL— SELECTMEN'S OFFICE 41 HIGHLAND AVENUE, COHASSET,MA 02025 Board Members Present: Alfred Moore, Chairman William Good,Vice Chair Stuart Ivimey, Clerk Mike Westcott Board Members Absent: Robert Sturdy Recording Secretary Present: Jo-Ann M.Pilczak MEETING CALLED TO ORDER AT: 7:00 P.M. 7:00 P.M. 230 SOHIER STREET (FORMER COOK ESTATE)RESIDENTIAL CLUSTER DEVELOPMENT DISTRICT APPLICATION CONTINUED PUBLIC HEARING, APPL: ABBOTT DEVELOPMENT, date stamped: March 7,2007. MOTION: by Member Ivimey to continue to September 5,2007 at 7:15 PM SECOND: Member Westcott VOTE: 4—0 MOTION CARRIES 7:03 P.M. 30 OAK ST.FORM A APPLICATION, APPL./OWNER RICHARD J. SILVIA, date stamped: August 20,2007 John Cavanaro in attendance to represent application. Three legal,buildable lots —middle lot being split in half and combined with each lot on either side to create two larger lots. MOTION: by Member Good to approve this Form A Application as presented. SECOND: Member Westcott VOTE: 4—0 MOTION CARRIES 7:07 P.M. ZBA RECOMMENDATION—ORDER OF REMAND FROM MASS.LAND COURT DATED JULY 19,2007, APPLICANTS: VINCENT&TRACY LONGO,34 BANCROFT ROAD, date stamped: August 20,2007. The Planning Board did not review the original November,2006 application for the appeal of the Building Commissioner's decision not to grant a building permit. The Planning Board received this original application on November 16, 2006, after the Planning Board's November 15,2006 meeting. The Planning Board was not meeting again until after the December 5,2006 ZBA meeting. Building Inspector Bob Egan was in attendance at today's meeting to provide background on this filing and,the Remand Order. The Planning Board felt that, in light of the extensive and complex background with this application and,the fact that the Planning Board did not review this application in November '06,that they did not have adequate information to offer recommendations at this time.However, the Planning Board encourages the ZBA not to take a position that would either create or increase a non-conformity. MOTION: by Member Westcott to encourage the ZBA not to take a position that would either create or increase a non-conformity. SECOND: Member Good VOTE: 4—0 MOTION CARRIES 7:17 P.M. ALTERNATIVE ENERGY COMMITTEE—DISCUSSION—WIND ENERGY CONVERSION FACILITY BYLAW Mike Bliss,Marie Caristi-McDonald,Mimi White in attendance. Submitted Draft#3 which was amended version to include some comments from Woody Chittick for the ZBA—most to last section which addresses the application process which should be set by the Boards as rules&regs rather than by Town Meeting. Planning Board Meeting 2 of 3 August 22,2007 "Clear Area"was confusing and eliminated,but did set the total height of the turbine allowed. Biggest problem related to which board should be permitting Board. Chittick strongly feels it should be the ZBA,while Planning Board strongly feels the Planning Board should be the permitting board. Planning Board thinks this is a clear process that the Planning Board oversees and applicants go to ZBA if seeking relief from the bylaws, as is done with Site Plans. Will go forth as a planning board article and Planning Board will be the special permit granting authority. Planning Board will contact Woody Chittick to go over this. Member Moore suggested that the AEC meet with groups in town to present this to and get ideas of questions that may come up. 7:45 P.M. STORMWATER MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE—DISCUSSION Stormwater Committee members Jim Drysdale,Martin Nee, Steve Bobo, Sarah Charron and Jim Kinch in attendance. Purpose of Cohasset Stormwater Management bylaw is to address serious and recurrent flooding and pollution problems—to prevent problems from getting worse and remediate those that exist. General bylaw not zoning bylaw. Bylaw would also bring town into compliance with Federal Clean Water Act(fines imposed if not in compliance by June,2008). No new bureaucracy or commission created.No undue cost or burden on homeowner planning small modification on their property. Established town law that post-construction runoff can not exceed pre-construction runoff. Currently,political will does not exist to create a Stormwater Management Commission to oversee this bylaw. Therefore, it has been designed so that multiple boards will be able to issue the stormwater permit—if applicant is before a board for a filing,that board can review and issue stormwater permit at same time so applicant does not have to go before multiple boards, and so one board is not burdened with this. Since Planning Board already has consulting engineer, it will own this at higher level. Bylaw is not just for big projects, it is also for the smaller neighborhood projects that currently result in street flooding in neighborhoods. Committee trying to reach balance between large and small projects- have chosen 30%net increase in impervious square footage as the cutoff.Also allows for creativity—for example: changing driveway to pervious driveway to counterbalance a planned increase in impervious square footage of a home. Bylaw provides for agent who is engineer(paid from fees)who will write for grants to assist town in getting stormwater assistance and is available to all committees who might be required to license a stormwater permit. This agent would review every stormwater permit regardless of who issued the permit. Seemed to be some disagreement among Stormwater Committee regarding cutoff figures. Member Moore stated concern that this is confusing and that public tends to vote against bylaws that are confusing. He urged committee to refine the bylaw so that it can be clearly explained to the public. Member Westcott suggested that it must be very clear and easy for Building Inspector to review, calculate and determine if a stormwater permit is necessary. Westcott also commented that most of the damage he has seen around town has been landscape driven rather than building driven. 8:30 P.M. 18 LITTLE HARBOR ROAD,LARGE HOME REVIEW PUBLIC HEARING,APPL: OCEANSIDE BLDRS., OWNER: DOUGLAS &KARA KARO, date stamped: 08/06/07 Attorney Matthew Walsky; Doug Karo, Oceanside Builders; Greg Tansey,Ross Eng. in attendance to represent application.Non- conforming,pre-existing house was razed. Proposed house setbacks will comply with zoning. Met with ConComm —concern about drainage problems in neighborhood. Abutter Alfred Slanetz, 14 Nichols Rd. expressed serious concern about existing pooling as a result of drainage and that the drainage issues will increase as a result of this construction. John Chessia, Chessia Consulting Services(representing Mr. Slanetz)wanted to go on record that they do not want drainage issues exacerbated on the Slanetz property. Chessia also cited an 08/21/07 letter from Attorney Humphreys(on file) expressing concern about the drainage issues. There is an existing drain basin that is not functioning properly. Cultec Infiltration units with crushed stone to be installed that will take run-off from roof of entire building and recharge into ground.Net result will be less surface water run-off post construction than there is pre-construction. In addition to the concern over drainage,the Planning Board felt strongly that the height of the roof(to grade)is not clear on the elevations and that the mass of the house is out of proportion with the neighborhood. Member Ivimey would like to see roof line lowered and less imposing(looks like 4 stories from the rear). Public hearing to continue to September 5,2007 at time to be determined. Applicant to provide average mean height clearly on plans and provide drainage calculations and Cultec System specifications. 9:15 P.M. ANGUS JENNINGS,CONCORD SOUARE DEVEL.,VILLAGE PROJECT UPDATE Workshop held on August 18,2007 was well attended and successful. Revised copy of draft zoning amendments was distributed. In addition to a review of the revised version, issues that need specific attention are: parking affordability,mixed-use requirement and dimensional controls(FAR). Jennings noted that there will be 3 outcomes Planning Board Meeting 3 of 3 August 22,2007 to this entire process: bylaw and bylaw changes;policy changes(eg. Employees not parking in front of retail locations); and,new development opportunities such as new facilities that could draw people to Cohasset. Member Moore suggested breaking the bylaw into prioritized component articles so the whole is not defeated over 1 or 2 disagreements (for example,put parking separate, at end as it is controversial). Target dates set(based on tentative November 5 Town Meeting date) • Sept. 6, 2007: 11 am—bylaw review meeting • Sept. 10,2007: bylaw to BOS • Sept. 13,2007: FAX ad to Ledger • Sept. 18,2007: Public Hearing Notice#1 in Ledger • Sept. 25,2007: Public Hearing Notice#2 in Ledger • October 2,2007: 6:30 PM—Public Hearing • November 5,2007: Town Meeting 10:00 P.M. ADMINISTRATION • APPROVE AUGUST 1,2007 MINUTES AND EXECUTIVE SESSION MINUTES MOTION: by Member Ivimey to approve the August 2,2007 Planning Board minutes and Executive Session minutes SECOND: Member Good VOTE: 3-0 MOTION CARRIES (Member Westcott not present to vote on this) • DISCUSSION—NORFOLK RAM REQUEST FOR WATER DEPT. SUPPORT LETTER MOTION: by Member Ivimey to approve the letter and have Chairman Moore sign SECOND: Member Good VOTE: 4-0 MOTION CARRIES • SET OCTOBER MEETING DATES— October 3 +one to be decided • ALTERNATE PLANNING BOARD MEMBER—REQUEST FOR DRAFT BYLAW FROM TOWN COUNSEL - Hold until Spring. MOTION: by Member Ivimey to adjourn at 10:25 PM SECOND: Member Westcott VOTE: 4-0 MOTION CARRIES NEXT MEETING: WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 5, 2007 AT 7:00 P.M. MINUTES APPROVED: STUART IVIMEY, CLERK DATE: SEPTEMBER 5, 2007