HomeMy WebLinkAbout1980-03-03March 3, 1980 - MONDAY
Regular Meeting
The PLANNING BOARD held a regular monthlY meeting on MONDAY EVENING, MARCH 3, 1980
at 7:30 P.M. in the Town 0ffioe Meeting Room.. The following members were present and
voting: ~;illiam Chepulis, Chairman; John J. Monteiro, Vice-Chairman; and Michael P.
Robert s.
There were 16 visitors present.
PLANS NOT RE~UIRIi~G APPROVAL:
1 - EDWARD EARCIONE, Marbleridge Rd.: plan requires updated signature because it was
not recorded after previous endorsement and prescribed time period has expired. Motion
by Roberts to endorse as not requiring approval pl~ revised Jan. 8, ~979 for recording
purposes. Second by Monteiro and unanimous vote. I
2 - SCOTT PROP~TIES, Deermeadow Rd.: showing Lots 27A & 28A, dated 2-25-80. After
review of plan motion made by Roberts to endorse aS not requiring approval under subdivi-
sion control law and Monteiro seconded. Unanimous vote.
3 - TOWNSHIP REALTY TRUST, Haymeadow & Sa~ill Rds~: Scott Giles representing stated that
it is a lot line change. Upon motion made by Roberts, seconded by Monteiro it was unani-
mously voted to endorse plan dated Feb. 26, 1980 as not requiring approval under subdivi-
sion control law.
4 - GEORGE CLARK, Turnpike St.: S. Giles representing; plan showed Lot 287; Giles' office
was requested to do a certified plot plan and Land I Court suggested that Clark be granted
5 ft. of the private driveway. There are lots invdlved but no homes and through due
process the Land Court will take care of it. The owner wishes to sell the property; the
house is over 50 years old and whatever was done was done prior to zoning. The dwelling
is 3.06 ft. beyond the lot line and should this be decreed without problem at the Land
Court they will come back in for a variance. It rgquires PLANNING BOARD signature in
order to go to Land Court because it is a subdivision of land. Atty. Harold Morley added
that the purpose of this is so the Land Court will start the case. Chepulis noted that it
is on a private street and also still in viola%ion of the ZBL. If the BOARD wishes to make
tentative approval, Chepulis would contact Land Court to satisfy PLANNING BOARD curiosity
about signing. Motion by Roberts that the plan of land dated FEb. 21, 1980 by endorsed as
not requiring approval under subdivision control law subject to the Chairman contacting
Land Court to verify information received at meeting held on 3-3-80. Signatures to be'
postponed until information verified. Second by Mdnteiro and unanimous vote.
5 -N. A. FARMS, Foster St.: S. Giles representing; plan showed Lots lA and 2A; an en-
croachment found after the foundation was put in so a lot line change is required. Roberts
made a motion to endorse as not requiring approval under subdivision control law plan dated
FEb. 29, ~80. Monteiro seconded. During short discussion Giles told membership that the
easements are the same as they were on the original approval. Unanimous vote.
6 - BENCHMARK ¢ONST., Winter St. & So. Bradford St.: same plan as submitted at last
meeting minus the gas line easement; proper frontage on Lot ~0 shown and abutter's name
corrected. Susan St. Pierre, Planner, stated that she had contacted the Gas. Co. and
representative said the gas line was okay. Chepulis suggested we write a strong letter to
them expressing concerns regarding this type of placement. Roberts stated that, for the
record, the PLANNING BOARD is not in agreement with this type of thing due to the fact
that ~here is a danger to the public. Monteiro added that we are here to protect the best
interests of the people of the Town; when a lot is ~old nothing will be said about the
gas lines being placed on the lots. ~
March 3, 1980 - cont.
Motion by Monteiro to DENY for the reason of safety purposes for the unknown Future
residents of the Town. Second by Roberts. Amendment by Roberts to state further
backup information is required due to the population in the area such as: a) easements
regarding utilities shall be shown on plan (ex.' gas lines), b) drainag~ easements and
drainage plans for land to be shown, c) what effect the drainage and contours in the
development of this land ~ill have on the surrounding land, and 4) condition' of the
water main on So. Bradford St.; it is a subdivision of land and it is to be noted that
the Planning Board requested the applicant or his representative to withdraw without
prejudice in an effort for him to obtain the supportive data before the Boa~d's nex~t
meeting and applicant's representative refused to withdraw. During discussion Bud
Cyr answered Mr. Chepulis' ~uestion about the condition of the streets in this area -
Bradford St. is poor and Winter St. is excellent. Scott Giles stated that the gas
issue is not before the BOARD because that easement is not shown on this plan, the plan
before the BOARD has the required area and frontage and it is bound to act ~n what is
before it. Susan St. Pierre stated that the Gas. Co. told her they had not considered
marking the gas lines. Chepulis added that this BOARD cannot arbitrarily forget about
where the gas line will go and expected to see something regarding what wmuld happen
to the gas line. Giles felt that it was not ~ithin the authority of the BOARD.
Chepulie opined that its practical and effective impact is that it is a subdivision
even though it is probably not to the letter of the law. Giles asked for outline of
supportive information and was told as above. Unanimous vote on motion and amendment
seconded by Monteiro.
7 - CARL CAPOBIANCO, Middleton Rd.: plan dated Feb. 5, 1980; a lot line change needed
for accommodation of subsurface disposal location; showing Lots AA & BB. Motion by
Roberts to endorse as not requiring approval under subdivision control law subject
plan. Second by Monteiro and unanimous vote.
WOOD RIDGE/WOODBRIDGE DISCUSSION: Elain & David Warwick, 43 Woodbridge Rd. present.
Mrs. Warwick stated that it is very confusing in that the street names are so very
similar. Roberts interjected that the PLANNINO BOARD has talked about this before
and are in complete agreement with it. Mrs. Warwick went on to say that besides the
emergency aspect they are also getting mail for Wood Ridge now. The Chairman reviewed
the file on the subject. Roberts suggested notifying the Planning Office that we will
hold a public hearing on the matter and would like their attendance. Chepulis men-
tioned that the Selectmen did suggest to the Planning Office that they just call it
Ridge Rd., but they didn't like that because they already had their stationery printed
up. Elaine Warwick suggested that to change Wood Ridge is most desirable but, if
that can't be done then change Woodbridge Rd. to Woodbridge Greene. Motion by Monteiro
to set a public hearing date; Chairman authorized to do so. No second received and
the Chairman called the motion out of order. Motion then made by Roberts that the
first meeting in April (April 7th) be designated for public hearing for the naming of
Woodri~ge Rd. because of similarity to Woodbridge Rd. and danger involved. Notify
the Planning Office for Urban Affairs that same will take place on first Monday of'
April and if they wish to enter input please attend. Second by Monteiro and unanimous
vote.
QUAIL RUN BOND RELEASE: letter of request read. Cyr said his letter could be changed
to recommend $22,000 rather than $17,000 to be released with the stipulation that the
release not become effective until the requested work of patching be done on Chestnut
St. Motion by Roberts that the applicant be notified that pending patch work on
Chestnut St. completed to the Highway Surveyor's satisfaction $22,000 to be released
at that time. Second by Monteiro and unanimous vote.
March ~, 1980 - cont.
PRESCOTT ST. DEVELOPMENT: The Chairman stated that there are some concerns by the
Planning Board and the Conservation Commission because it appears that the approved
plans were not submitted to the Con. Com. The PLANNING BOARD does not have a set of
the plans that were submitted to the Con. Com. and would like to see what is going on
or proposed.
Atty. Timothy Schiavoni appeared for the development and was asked what plans were in
fact submitted to the Con. Com. He retorted that the plan they filed is not germaine;
what they filed has to do with wetlands, drainage. Showed plan governed by the perform-
ance bo~d, the modified plan and the first approved plan. He noted that the plan has
the covenants written thereon. Then he produced the plan filed with the Con. Com. and
again said that it does not have any bearing on the approved subdivision plan. This
plan, he said, was filed for the convenience of the Con. Com. who can do what they want
with it. as long as it is pursuant to the wetlands statutes. Chepulis inquired if
Schivoni's Notice of Intent refersto the approved plan - answer: we are upgrading with
every plan; we are allowed by statute to upgrade? Chepulis then asked why the lot lines
are not shown - Schiavoni: highly impractical b,cause of all the lines on the plan and
they are not germaine to the issue. Chairman cheputis then compared the original drain-
age plan wmth the submittal to the Con. Com. andiasked if the drainage they are pro-
posing is in conformance with the approved plan ~ Schiavoni: it is an upgrading but
there is a difference. The Highway Surveyor stated that he is not familiar with the
type of drainage they are proposing, the Con. Com. is in conflict trying to design
street drainage separate from any wetland drainage. He had not received a copy of the
plan and felt it was strange that he hadn't inasmuch as his department is directly
involved with drainage. Schiavoni agreed to send him a set of plans but mentioned that
he was not directed to file with the Highway SurVeyor.
The Chairman asked if they h~d engineering representatives present - answer: I have
some engineering representatives here that can answer some of the questions you might
have. Many years ago, said Chepulis, when this first started there was great concern
about the drainage and Prescott St. and how to preserve it from flooding and asked the
engineering representative to go over how he would accomplish this. Steve Stapinski,
Merrimack Engineering, stated that he believed it was the intent to allow the water to
flow where it presently flows and provide a swale along Prescott St. That design was
submitted along with the nursing home development. In the plan we have submitted to the
Con. Com. it shows the same swale as shown on the nursing home plan. We are providing
the same swale and directing as much as we can away from Prescott St. We are basically
keeping the same grades, we anticipate less water at the junction of Prescott St. and
Chickering Rd. We intend to discharge the water! into the ground water table by infil-
tration ditches but there is some feeling by som~ officials that it won't work because
it has never been used in N. A. before so we are trying to keep it.exactly the same as
previously proposed at that intersection. We feel the system may not work at full capa-
city. The system of infiltrating water into the ground has been used in Haverhill,
Chelmsford, Boxford and haven't seen where it has failed, Stapinski said.
George Stern, speaking as a private citizen and not representing the Con. Com., asked
what the PLANNING BOARD considers an upgrading of a plan; if this is in fact upgraded
there is alot of drainage and catch basins that have been eliminated. Are these types
of changes normal without PLANNING BOARD approval? Member Roberts told him that there
shouldn't be any changes in drainage without it coming before this BOARD. Chepulis
added that he did not know what type of action had been taken by the Con. Com. but if
they filed a No~ice of Intent then there must have been a determination that wetlands
are involved. Stern said that insufficient information had been received in order to
write an Order of Conditions so it was denied without prejudice for a refiling.
Narch 3, 1980 - cont.
Atty. Schiavoni then stated that they have followed our plans, they haven'~ been
changed - they are concerned with wetlands, you are concerned with subdivision. Ms.
St. Pierre, Town Planner, stated that this also includes drainage. Schiavoni then
inquired as to who complained about this. Highway Surveyor Cyr stated that he had
because it is confusing and he does not know yet what is or is not approved; very
much concerned because he feels that a problem is being created. Schiavoni ~old him
that all they did was upgrade the plan that has to deal with conservation; if there
are manholes required the Con. Com. will write them in. The Planner asked, does it
differ from the original plan that was approved - Schiavoni: it is an upgrade, it
is supposed to be a good project; we are not failing to do anything that you have not
mandated to be done and we posted a bond to the effect that we will do that. Unless
you can show me what I am doing wrong, I am telling you that it is going to include
everything. I am not looking for trouble. On Feb. 13th a copy of the drainage plan
with catch basins, original plan, was discussed at Con. Com. and we said it would be
included. We told the Con. Com. that these things should be included and should be
in the Order of Conditions. George Stern interjected that some of the members denied
they even saw those plans and the Chairman of the Con. Com. indicated to me that he
was going to be in attendance tonight. The file for this particular case is signed
out to the Chairman. Chepulis commented that at the time these plans were approved
by this BOARD we did not have in our Order of Conditions that any changes made by
another agency be submitted to the Planning Board. Susan St. Pierre reminded him
that this change was not initiated by a town agency but by the applicant. Roberts
added that the feeling is that the same plans that were submitted to this BOARD were
not submitted to the various other boards and for the purposes of clarity they should
be so modified. Any changes that occur have to come before this BOARD. Schiavoni
then asked for a letter of follow-up after this meeting for himself and the Con. Com.
The BOARD agreed to send a letter. Cyr commented that nothing was accomplished tonight,
we don't even know what the modifications really are. Roberts then asked if the Con.
Com. has a set of the original drainage plans - Stern: as I indicate% ~ speaking as a
private citizen, we did receive one page on which some catch basins are missing. And,
it is the standard operating procedure of the Con. Com. that the permits be concurrent
and based on the same information. Schiavoni stated that they did have a copy because
that is where they got their copy; that plan showing the catch basins is part of the
Con. Com. folder, I can assure you of that.
The Chairman asked if they referred to the original approved plan when they filed their
Notice of Intent - answer: we referred to plan ~098. Stern interjected that Mr. Colsia,
Stapinski and an attorney from Schiavoni's office all testified at Con. Com. meeting
that they had never seen that drainage plan and now they say they submitted it to us..
Schiavoni then stated that when an Order of Conditions comes out he will provide the
BOARD with a copy. Chepulis told him that at the moment, when it is officially in the
hands of the Con. Com., he should provide then with all the information, plans necessary
and this should be done before the Order is written. Schiavoni said the plan has no
validity until the Order of Conditions is endorsed.
WILDWOOD ESTATES: Paul Ahearn present; told membership that his bank won't go with
the Covenant and his abutter doesn't know which way he wants his driveway to go as
yet. He is having plans drawn up for him to go out on to Forest St. and on to Wildwood.
His engineer is going to stake it out for him. The minimum would be two weeks on this.
Ahearn requested an extension of completion date. Motion by Roberts to grant an exten-
sion of Wildwood Estates per request of Mr. ~Ahearn on Jan. 20, 1980 until Oct. 30, 1980.
Second by Monteiro and unanimous vote. Abeam is going to post a bank passbook.
March 3, 1980 - cont.
The Highway Surveyor requested a copy of the plan and recor~ended that before any
additional work is done on the subdivision he would like some kind of agreement as to
the slope easement with the abutter. Ahearn said that will be rectified with the whole
package.
COITUIT STB~: Jay Burke present. Mr. Burke w~s informed that this will not be a
through street which is the recommendation of the Police and Fire Depts. Motion by
Roberts to notify Mr. Burke that, with the opinion of the Highway Surveyor, police, fire
and Planning Board~ he so desig!~ his subdivision so aS not to complete Cotuit St. and
draw up the necessary plans with Mr. Cyr. There~is to be two cul de sacs. Plans show-
ing what is proposed to be submitted to this BO~. Monteiro seconded and the vote
was unanimous.
NVPC: Request for Comments on N. A. Housing Rehab Application - Susan St. Pierre,
Planner, wrote the grant. Monteiro stated that he has looked into it and it is a good
situation. The Commission is looking for a favorable A-95 review. Motion by Roberts
that the BGARD notify the MVPC that it fully supports the project cited and any efforts
to secure its fulfillment will be greatly appreciated. Second by Monteiro and unanimous
rot e.
PRELIMINARY PLAN SUBMITTAL - "LAKESIDE": Applicant J. Tuttle, Landsail, Inc. Discussion
date set for April 7; walk site on Saturday, March 8.
BOARD OF APPEALS LEGAL NOTICES:
1 - JOHN CURTIS: motion by Monteiro and second by Roberts that the BOAP~ voice no
objection. Unanimous vote.
2 -FRANI(& VIRGINIA PELUSO: motion and second by Monteiro and Roberts, respectively,
to recommend adherence to normal zoning by-laws. Unanimous vote.
LEGAL NOTICES: CON. COM.; HAVEEHILL - were read and duly noted.
MEMOFROM COONTYPLAN~ RE MA. BALANCED GRO?~H D~ELOP~ENT ACT: legislation proposed
to be incorporated under the Growth Policy for the state with some control of land use
at the local level. To be reviewed, i
DISCUSSION: FINANCIAL DISCLDSURE LAW - all members advised to write their Senator and
Rep. opposing this action. The ~;~. Federation of Planning Boards also opposed it by
resolution. ~
PLANN~ INFO. - Suggested clarifying the wording itc reflect intent under the Summary of
Dimensional Requirements ~,~ & #3 where Industria~ land abuts Residential land. To be
re-worded and inserted in the Warrant when opened. Ms. St. Pierre also suggested that a
buffer section should be added to the By-Law.
A party inquired as to construction of a wind mill that would be 60-80 ft. high - would
this require a variance or a by-law change? The Chairman advised that right now it would
be a Board of Appeals matter but we probably should entertain something in our By-Law for
this purpose in this day of ener~y consciousness.
C~hairman
~ ~~cretary
/ Gilda Blackst ock