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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1974-09-26 Thursday - Septembe~ Special Meeting ~ The PLANNING BOARD held a Special Meeting on i'mursd~y evening, September 26, 1974, at 7:30 P.M. in the Town Office Meeting Room. Ail members were present and voting. ~IMACK VALLEY PLANNING COMMISSION: Mr. Monteiro reported the highlights of their meeting. There are three basic and important factors: 1) 208 Funding; 2) Merrimack' Waste Water Etudy 3) Transportation. Transportation: It has been established that we will become a member of the Transit Commission of Greater Lawrence by the Selectmen. ~ive communities out of seven or eight are committed. There is a meeting for funding so that it will be on its own. There are 2 major goals for North Andover - Rte. 114 re~ovation from Mildleton to Lawrence and Rte. 125, as far as the high school is ooncerned~ is going to be taken care of by TOPICS and there will be a cloverleaf at North Andover-Lawrence line near the shopping center. Also, a 4th primary road going from Lawrence to North Andover to be studied. Mr. Ostherr voiced surprise that the transportation study seemed to be centering on roads and highway safety. ~ir. Monteiro said that once the money comes in they can do some work on ~zss. Transit Augk~rity. The same group is working on this as well as roadways at this time,but it will be eplit up later. Merrimack Waste Water Study: Planning has been done for 18 months now with the Army Corps of Engineers. It is almmst completed and maps are available. Mr. 5ionteiro's opinion is that it g~ve the Greater Lawrence area nothing except m m~p showing distribu- tion. There has been no cost analysis submitted yet. He hasn't voted as yet to endorse the report. Our sewerage system is ezcellent. It w~s asked, how the Greater Lawrence Sanitary District interacts with the ~C and ~;m. Monteiro replied that it has no voice in the MVPC, they are two separate groups. 208 Funding: This is something new and from what he can gather money can be used by the local Planning Board, through the MVPC, in the town and/or studies between the staff or commission. The Selectmen felt they need Town Meeting approval and the MVPC thought that it would only take a resolution of the Selectmen. The Planner said he would come before us and explain it. Monteiro is skeptical about this. Andover and North Andover are holding back. It's just another way of perpetuating the MVPC, said Ym. Lamprey. The question was raised as to what the procedure is for reporting to the local community. Member Lamprey said he do~en't think we have any say-so on the study. Towns that do not have Master Plans will have first priority. The final decision is up to the Selectmen as to whether or not we are in this program. Mr. Ostherr stated that a problem before the BOARD now, which many of the communities in the area share, is Flood Plain Zoning. Could the MVPC come up with a model on. Flood Plain Zoning to give us a start. Mr. Nonteiro said we should think about whether we should use our M~s%er Plan. ~'~at has the ~{VPC really done for us?~ Not much, except under Ch. 40B we have to be a member of it. Mr. Nonteiro said he would distribute copies of material on Waste Water Treatment all members. Mr. Ostherr felt that the foregoing d&scussion had been very v~luable and it will be well to bring the subject up at least once a month. The BOARD noted memo from the MVPC on Bike Paths; Mr. Monteiro stated that there will Jfe some money on Bike Trails coming out of the State and Federal governments this cear. ~.~ember Ostherr brought out the fact that you have to use checkerboard-type ~atch basin covers if you are going to use State roads for bike paths and, as yet, they do not use this type. r~r. ~[onteiro suggested emtablishing a nice, scenic . bike path along the Lake. Mr. L~mprey felt m~ybe we should study Recreational Trails instead of just Bike Trails. Mr.' MonteirQ asked, if the PLANNING BOARD has' issued an approval of subdivision plans and a Building Permit has been isssed, but the subdivision is not being.built to the plams, what should be done. The answer, the BOARD asks the Building Inspector to inspect the alleged violation. If the violation' is severe we could revoke the approve! and by that revocation all further financing would stop due to lack of legal' approval. PLANS NOT REQUIRING APPROVAL: GEORGE FARR ? SAL~ FOREST: Mr. Mont~iro made a motion to endorse the plan of Salem Forest dated September 9, 1974 as not requiring approval under subdivision control law and Mr. Lamprey seconded. Note: Frank Gelinas sil~ned the plan September 19, 1974 and revised it September 1% 1974. The BOARD voted unanimously on the motion. SCC~ PROPERTIES - Preliminary Plans: (Gray Street) Mr. Ostherr g~ve the report from the Subdivision Subcommittee in an informal fashion since it is a preliminary plan. The Subcommittee recommends approval conditic~a~l on certain comments. Taking all the comments'by the Highway Surveyor, Fire Chief, Board of' H~aAth, Board of' Public. Works, Conservation Commission into account the Committee would like to emphasize their agreement with the Highway Surveyor that' the' cul de sac be to his requirements (100 ft. inner circle with a 26 ft. wide paved outer circle; the in~er circle to. be a grassed area). He, also, prefers round not offzet cul de sacs. We would like to see an easement to the Town of North Andover left in the area of Lot 7 from the proposed road to Stiles S~. In the event that the area is further. developed these streets ca~ interconnect. ' $~nere ~r. Cyr requests 26 ft.' paved outer circle then thel roadway should also be 26 ft. and not 22 ft. Mr.~ Gelin~s stated that the BOARD is creating a social problem because a major objection of the abutters is to loop it b~ck onto Stiles St. His opinion is that Gr~y St~ isi and will continue to be~, a~ sm~ll, minor traffic c~rrying road and to encourage any more is not sound plazming; should funnel zcCess and egre~s into very few areas. ~. Ostherr stated that 10 or 15 years from now it m~y be necessary to do this~ however. ~r. Ostherr made a motion to approve the plan of land ow-ned by Scott Properties with modificationsas suggested by the BOARD. ~. Monteiro seconded the motion and thelvote ~s lltlanimous. Mr. Gelinas asked the BOARD which they would prefer: 1 in. = 5~ or I in. ='4~as the scale for the plan. The BOARD felt that it would prefer staying with 1 in. = 40~even though it will ~be on 2 sheets.~ Mr. Ostherr informed Mr. Gelinas that before he mits definitive plans he is welcome to discuss it with the Subcomiittee.' B~ 0~OOD - ~t~GN ?AVE~ E~2ATES: The BOARD reviewed 2he letters from. Victor Harem, ~ated September 24, 1974, and from the Kigh~ay SurveYor, date~ September 25, 1974. Bo~h letters are on file in the PLANNING BOARD office. Nr. Harem requested release of the mansion bond and s~ity held. The BOARD concurred tha~ the~ oould not take aotion this evening and that the Subdivi- sion Control ~ubca~m/ttee ahould view the proper~y. Sop%ember 26, 1974 - cont. Mr. Osgood stated that last year we went through every one cf the items and tha~ he had talked to ~ud Cyr on this matter. He went on to say, that he has tried ~o correct the puddling and it is really a small amount of water that sets on the pave~ mont. He stated further, that he hasn't put anything in the basins and all the hous~.i built have been there for three years. According to Mr. Osgood, the neighbors don't want massive circles at the end. ~r. Osgood said he would like to get $5,000 of the $.10,000 bond Back if he could. The ~ubdivision Control SubccmwmA%tee was directed to review the file and t~ke a look at the site on which they wc~Ald repor~ at the October 7, 1~4 meeting. The ~OARD noted that there were some slight changes on the plans. Mr. Ostherr made a motion to send Mr. ~ghes a le~er advising him that the PLA~ING BOARD can take no actiou ou the plan Because there was no written request to explain and he nor his representative were present to explain the submitted plan. Mr. Monteiro seconded the motion and the vote was unanimous. SUM~0~S EE ~J~KE-DAVIS: Mr. Chepulis read Town Gounsel's "An~Wer"~ and said that neither he nor any member of the ]M3ARD had an opportunity ~o review the "Answer" and he had requested Mr. ~aliebury to dc this. The Board discussed the "Anmeer". Mr. Sale, me, Chairman of the Committee, reported that he feels it is very objective and that they are off to a good start. NE~ ~S~NESS: Capital ~_~et Co~mittee{ Delegate, Fritz Ostherr, stated he would look over the usual annual forms for any expendi~Ares we might have and report at the next regular meeting. The deadline for su~ission of these forms is October 15, ~7~. Letter fr~a Arnold S~lisbur~ regarding Filing Fees{ After the letter had Been read Mr. ]{onteiro made a motion to accept Town Counsel's letter end proceed with the public hearing on fees. Mr. Lamprey seconded and the vote wa~ unanimous. Discussiou took place about locking files. Mr. Ostherr stated as part of the Master Plan it would be a geed idea to have an east- west access road to Salem .~t. part of town from Route ~l~. The Land-Vest spectre isn't B~_~ging over our head ~ut the requirement is still there, he said. He would like to see some planning dane for the building of a road~a~v which would essentially give access to the Land-Vest area in Town. It seems as though it is not outside the purview of the Town to tnttld.the road. He feels it can't Be done too soon, but has no pre- c~nceived notion as to ~w it should be ~uilt. We should plan on acqmiring the land rights for such a road. The major roads go radially and we ought to work ou a road going east to west. Mr. Monteiro said he would ask the DP~ to see if Wn can get a sense of direction on the matter. Mr. Chepulis stated that we have to consider other towns, also, and what would this road tie into? Are we willing to go to the Town at some point and say we have to acquire some land and is the ~ willing t~entertain the thought of doing this? Mr. Ostherr to pursue the subject and lay so~e groundwork. September 26, 1974 - cont. Cochichewick Brook and series of Nil1 Ponds that run through Town: Nr. O~therr ~taSed that he is nos impressed wish She downtown area as iS this as So She whole area fro~ She sSandpoinS of some imaginative thinking. IS was men%ioned ShaS, perhaps, we could have some graduate studenSs in Planning look aS this and get some ideas. PossibiliSy of oreating a pla=ned revitalizaSion of She downtown area including opening Shese p ~c~.ds up, making %hem part of the Sown. The meeSi~ adjourned aS 1, P.M.~~-~~ ecre~ar7