The Town of Lincoln, MA - Minutes

Bill Jackson and David Albrecht represented the New England Deaconess Steering Committee with preliminary concept plans for a senior living facility on the BIIC property near Rte. 2. At this time, the Steering Committee is working with all town boards to discuss the project and get feedback prior to taking the project to a special town meeting this fall for a zoning overlay district. If approved by the Town, detailed planning and permitting will follow. Circulation into and through the property is dependent on the Rte. 2 relocation project because the main entrance will feed into a new access road. In the meantime, a proposed access road for residents only will be re-constructed over the Sawmill Brook at the southern edge of the property. The existing 12' wide, one-lane road and collapsed culvert need repairs, but the same footprint could be maintained with a one lane bridge and pull-offs before and after the bridge. After the Rte. 2 project is completed the access road would be used for emergency access only. The road could also be used as a link to the Town's larger trail network.

The Commission was pleased to see that all proposed building construction would be located outside the 200-foot Riverfront Area. They understood the need for a secondary access point and felt that upgrading the existing road would result in minimal disturbance to the Brook. They requested that the design team look into replacing the collapsed culvert with an arched culvert or open box culvert. The Commission was pleased to see the preliminary plans and looked forward to addressing the specifics of construction, operations and maintenance of the proposed road during the official hearing. They also look forward to reviewing stormwater management over the whole site. They encouraged the design team to consider options for low-impact development and reducing impervious areas where possible and would like them to explore opportunities for incorporating wildlife crossings around the Sawmill Brook. The design team has already given the Town a full commitment toward establishing water conservation measures on site and are looking into opportunities for implementing alternative sewage treatment techmologies.

Dan Gordon, Landscape Architect, and Marcus Gleysteen Architect, presented a plan for the tear down and construction of a new, single-family home at 56 Conant Road. Approximately 1100 square feet of the existing house is within the wetland with the closest point being 75' from the wetland. The proposed house will add approximately 200 square feet of impervious area in the buffer zone and will remain 75' feet away from the wetland. The design team plans to capture the entire impervious area with cultic drywell systems and infiltrate stormwater runoff back into the ground. Grading around the septic system will extend into the 100-foot buffer zone to allow for a more gentle slope and will be planted with native grass and meadow species. Overall, the property will be maintained as a natural landscape with large areas of preserved and protected trees and new, native plantings. They will reduce and maintain an area of existing lawn within the buffer zone along the northern property boundary.

Tom Gumbart, Angela Seaborg and Jim Meadors attended a site visit with the representatives prior to the hearing and discussed some minor changes to the plan, including: moving the silt barrier inside all large trees to remain in order to protect them from construction impacts; relocation of the proposed infiltrators (particularly the one located at the 50-foot buffer zone) to the slope off the north corner of the house to protect the vernal pool habitat and a large pine tree; replacing areas of lawn in the northern corner of the property and along the northern boundary with native shrubs and groundcovers for increased wildlife habitat and buffer zone protection; and adding native wildflower species in the meadow areas for increased habitat and diversity. The design team agreed to make all the changes outlined during the site visit.

The Commission questioned why they could not move the house outside the buffer zone or at least maintain the same or less disturbance within the buffer zone. Marcus Gleysteen suggested that moving the new house outside the buffer zone would cause more disturbance to several mature trees in front of the house. They also hope to maintain the look of a traditional farmhouse with a detached garage and want to keep the focus of activity in front of the house, away from the wetlands, rather than in the back.

Two neighbors were at the hearing and expressed their overall acceptance of the project. However, they wanted to be sure that best construction practices were followed in order to ensure the protection of the vernal pool near the back of the property. Marcus Gleysteen ensured the neighbors that they would be monitoring the project through construction and all efforts would be taken to protect the vernal pool habitat including the preservation of all mature trees in the area and installation of silt fencing uphill of the vernal pool. The Commission requested that the team add additional native plantings such as ferns or other groundcovers around the basement to protect against erosion and/or pollution of the vernal pool in the future.

NSTAR owns the property and was previously looking to sell it as two house lots. Dave Burke represented Ken Eisner with a plan to construct approximately 500 square feet of one new house within the outer 100-foot buffer zone of the 4-acre property. The closest point of the proposed house is 78' from the wetlands. They are also hoping to remove invasive species from approximately 3800 square feet of the outer buffer zone and re-plant the area with native plants on a one-to-one ratio. They plan to install only one small area of lawn outside the buffer zone, in front of the house and are willing to instate a deed restriction along an agreed upon boundary.

The Commission questioned why the applicant could not move the house completely outside the buffer zone. Not only are they pressed against the 50-foot front yard setback, but they hope to preserve two large rock outcrops on either side of the house for visual and noise protection. Also, the neighbors and other Town Boards would like to see the house as far back from the road as possible. The Commission agreed that the outcrops should be preserved and the house was well sighted on the property, but requested that they move the house five feet closer to the road. The neighbor directly across the street requested that they keep the house in its proposed location to provide her with a little more screening and the Commission agreed that overall it would result in minimal change to the wetland buffer zone. Jim Henderson questioned how they proposed to control stormwater runoff off the buildings and the applicant suggested it should be enough to allow the water to sheet flow over a small bed of gravel from the down spouts.

Several neighbors voiced their concerns regarding the septic system. The Commission told the neighbors that they have no jurisdiction over the septic system because it is located outside the 100-foot buffer zone. The neighbors need to discuss their septic concerns with the Board of Health. Ken Eisner still needs to proceed through site plan review. He is willing to meet with the neighbors prior to the Planning Board hearings to discuss the details of the project.

As part of the Rte. 2 relocation project, conservation lands will be subject to Article 97: disposition and taking. Taking of conservation land requires a unanimous vote of the Conservation Commission and the land must be replaced on at least a one-to-one ratio. There are several opportunities for the Town to gain larger and more suitable conservation parcels during the Rte. 2 project. Wetlands permitting will also be a major component of the Rte. 2 relocation project. John Snell from the Planning Board has been very active in the project and would like a representative from the Conservation Commission to become more involved in the final phases of the project.

Tom Gumbart and Angela Seaborg will be participating on the Walden Passage Advisory Board to explore opportunities for wildlife crossings along the Rte. 2 corridor. Currently there are three crossings in Concord and two to three more are planned in Lincoln as part of the Crosby's corner Project.

The Conservation Commission and Staff have initiated the call for community and board members to represent the Open Space Committee. Notices went to all Town Boards and the Lincoln Journal and representatives from the Conservation Commission gave a brief presentation during the Master Planning Committee's August meeting. The Conservation Commission is hoping to form the Committee by the end of August and hold a kick-off meeting in mid-September. They hope to have the majority of the plan written by March, at which point it can be incorporated into the Master Plan and finalized shortly thereafter.

Tom Gumbart received a letter from Natalie DeNormandie requesting more information and justification for requiring certain actions such as photo documentation and permanent markers along the CR boundary. He replied with a letter on behalf of the Commission highlighting the magnitude of the project and suggesting that if these minor actions could not be accommodated during the project the Salm's would need to discuss their concerns directly with the Commission.