TOWN OF LINCOLN
PLANNING BOARD MINUTES
January 17, 2007
PRESENT: K. Hurd (Chairman), E. Flint, B.Wolf, R.Domnitz, J.Snell
STAFF: M.Whitehead, C.Perry
7:30PM BUSINESS:
Discussion of Proposed Changes to Zoning Bylaw
The Board discussed a draft set of Town Meeting articles for changes to the Zoning Bylaw. Ellen Meadors had suggested a change to the cluster zoning bylaw. She explained that this represented a slight tightening up of the legal arrangements for open land when it is to be owned by an association of land owners. The change requires a conservation restriction. This would not be a statutory conservation restriction but would need to be recorded at the Registry of Deeds. Mr. Snell had suggested an editing change, which Mrs. Meadors was happy to accept.
Tim Taylor commented that the phrase ‘limited easement’ was unclear. The Board considered this and decided that although it came from the existing bylaw, the word ‘limited’ seemed to be superfluous. It would be proposed for deletion. Mr. Taylor also suggested that the term ‘recreational use’ may be too broad and that it should be qualified by inserting ‘non-motorized’. The Board thought this was probably unnecessary.
Mr. Whitehead mentioned that in relation to the provisions for institutional uses, he has deleted reference to site plan review in 6.1(g), as it is covered later. The Board substituted ‘subject to’ for ‘see’ in sections that refer the reader to another section.
Mr. Whitehead undertook to make the amendments, check the format of the articles with Town Counsel, submit them and advertise the public hearing.
Mullin Rule: Discussion of Proposed Article for Town Meeting
Mr. Whitehead explained that this rule allows members of a town’s adjudicatory boards to miss one session of a hearing and still vote, providing that they update themselves on the proceedings through a transcript or audio or video recording, and sign an affidavit to that effect. The rule became available recently through state law and a few towns have already adopted it. The Town can accept the rule for all of its adjudicatory boards or only for certain ones.
Colin Smith commented that if the rule was available for single-session hearings, it could be abused. Mrs. Wolf explained that the Planning Board is eager to have the rule available because it has some multi-session hearings that currently need complete attendance by at least four out of the five members, which can cause scheduling problems. Mr. Smith undertook to discuss potential acceptance of the rule with the Historic District Commission. Mr. Whitehead reported that so far, the Zoning Board of Appeals and the Conservation Commission are also interested in accepting the rule. Buck Creel reported that the Water Commission was unlikely to need it. A placeholder article will be submitted for Town Meeting, and a public hearing will be held.
Tim Taylor commented that the normal quorum requirements will still apply and suggested that this be mentioned in the proposed article. The Board did not think this was necessary.
8:00 PUBLIC HEARING: RURAL LAND FOUNDATION, 145 Lincoln Road, Map 95/Lot 38, Definitive Development and Use Plan Special Permit, South Lincoln Overlay Zone, renovation of Mall and new Post Office/Café complex under Section 12.7.
The following residents and Town board members attended:
Colin Smith Historic District Commission
Diana Smith 8 Trapelo Road
Joe Rosen 136 Chestnut Circle
Lucretia Giese 32 Tower Road
Esther Kalisky 68 Wells Road
Avram Kalisky ”
Tim Taylor attorney
Buck Creel 32 Lincoln Road
Walter Bogner 9 Woods End Road
Pamela Hurd 21 Lexington Road
Arthur Anthony 35 Brook Road
Susan Mygatt 37 Old Concord Road
Dana Robbat 151 Old Concord Road
Garrick Niemiec 177 Lincoln Road
Peggy Marsh 61 Bedford Road
Stephen Shapse 56 Winter Street
Kathy Ramon Lincoln Woods
Cheryl Lecesse Lincoln Journal
John Nagy 3 Birchwood Lane
Barbara Beal 66 Birchwood Lane
Buzz Constable 17 Old Lexington Road
Rob Loud 64 Conant Road
Sarah Cannon Holden Board of Selectmen
Arthur Dunlap Todd Pond Road
Evelyn Harris 39 Old Sudbury Road
Crawley Cooper 6 Short Hill Road
Dana Robbat FOMA
Joanna ___
Ken Hurd introduced the public hearing for a special permit under the South Lincoln Overlay Zone. A Planned Development District was designated in November with the approval of the preliminary development and use plan by Town Meeting. Geoff McGean of the Rural Land Foundation (RLF) introduced a presentation of the main elements of the project by the design team. The main points were as follows.
Layout and drainage
David Albrecht stated that any changes in the site layout from that presented to Town Meeting are minimal. The exit by the railroad will be 24 feet wide but marked for exit only. The access near Lincoln Woods will be for entrance only, unless conditions suggest that it needs to be made two-way in future. The parking lot near the bank will be reconfigured but the loop around the ATM will be kept. The total number of parking spaces will be 169, compared to a current 163, and there will be 6 designated for handicapped users.
Most of the current drainage system will be kept, with some new storm drains. Some of the roof areas will drain into a storm detention tank beneath the landscaped area before release, making the runoff from the site cleaner. There will be new sewer lines for the new buildings; this drainage will require pumping and will go into the Lincoln Woods treatment system. Electricity provision will require a new transformer at the rear, and relocation of two power poles, to be discussed with NSTAR. All utilities on the site will be placed underground.
Landscape
The landscape architect said that since the existing landscape materials are of good quality and suitability, it is proposed to extend them with similar ones, including the exposed aggregate concrete paving. One aim is to create a more continuous landscape strip along the Lincoln Road frontage. The stone wall will be moved closer to the road. There will be seating and bicycle racks of a consistent design. The birch trees will be relocated to the other side of Donelan’s. A large pine tree at one of the entrances will be removed but three new pines will be planted. A planting scheme has been drawn up; the islands in the parking lot will have shade trees and perennials, while the beds close to Donelan’s will have evergreens and ground covers. The planting has been discussed with the maintenance staff to take account of their
experience.
Architecture
The architect explained that the design of the new building group had drawn on ideas from the charrette held a few years ago, including the incorporation of design elements from Codman Farm, and making the building welcoming from the back as well as the front. It is porous to pedestrian movement. The café is designed to have an open outlook. Wood canopies with metal roofing will provide visual interest at ground level. Some style elements have been used to make a visual link with the refurbished mall building, although the building forms are different. Plans for the mall building were revised at an earlier stage to incorporate a second entrance to the expanded Donelan’s at Lincoln Woods residents’ request. The open space on the Lincoln Woods side will have a canopied walkway. Some sustainability principles have been
incorporated: first the reuse of the existing buildings; secondly the improvement of thermal insulation; and thirdly solar collectors on the roof of the Post Office for domestic hot water supply to the new building group.
Signage
Kevin Burke described the elements of the signage system. There will be signs for safety/ traffic direction which will be of familiar design. Signs for mall identity will consist of a replacement for the existing main sign near the access point, and a sign on the proposed tower at the corner of the building as a replacement for the current lettering along the side. Tenant identification signs will be in line with normal zoning rules, with the addition of directory signs for upstairs tenants. Post Office signage, however, presents an issue because the Post Office puts forward its own design rulebook which is out of line with the scale of signage normally allowed in Lincoln. Some signs will be externally illuminated.
The Board asked various questions of the design team. They asked if there were any changes from the plans presented to Town Meeting; the developers said that there was nothing significant. Mr. Snell flagged up some detailed items for discussion: parking arrangements in relation to commuters, location of handicapped parking spaces, and details of signage. He welcomed the provision of bicycle racks but suggested they might be distributed more around the site. He asked for coordination with the Town and the MBTA on some aspects.
Mr. Domnitz said that the aesthetics of the solar panels would need to be considered. He asked if any of the heat could be used for the other buildings on site; the developers said that the distance was too great to make this viable.
Mr. Hurd considered that the relationship to buildings across the street was an important consideration. The Town is hiring engineering consultants to examine this stretch of Lincoln Road and their recommendations will have an input.
Public input was invited. The following questions (Q) and comments (C) were put forward (RLF answers (A) are noted where appropriate):
Q. Are free-standing signs needed, given that the mall is being presented as a local facility?
C. Illumination of signs is unnecessary.
C. More detail of the signs is needed.
Q. Will it still be possible to drop off mail by car?
A. Yes; the mail drop-off is proposed to be alongside the exit near the railroad, on the driver’s side.
Q. Will the RLF will be required to enforce the commuter parking rules?
Q. Will all employees use the spaces designated at the back of Donelan’s?
A. New leases will incorporate a requirement that employees use this parking; the Post Office has already signed up to this.
C. Given that the normal parking ratio has been relaxed, it will be important to ensure the parking is well-managed.
Q. Will the church across the street still be allowed to use the parking lot?
A. Non-Sunday events are infrequent and the RLF would prefer to still allow parking.
Q. Will some spaces, closest to the buildings, be designated for short stay use?
A. This will be considered.
Q. What size of trees will be planted?
A. They will be 3-3½” caliper.
Q. Are the corner radii adequate?
A. They have been checked with supermarket trucks and farm vehicles, and the Fire Chief is satisfied.
Q. Have rail crossing issues been resolved?
Q. Does the amount of parking for the restaurant relate to the amount of seating?
Q. Does planting near the road take account of car visibility for safety?
Q. Will any invasive species be planted?
A. No.
C. The current mall building is important in the history of the modern architecture movement. The alterations will destroy its simple integrity. It is important to keep the 90 degree corners, the single story form and the birch trees on the side facing the parking lot.
C. The two parts of the development will ‘fight’.
C. The two parts should be kept different.
C. The altered walkways will not work well visually.
C. Windows in the south wall of the art gallery will not be practical.
Q. What determined the reconfiguration of the mall and why is the bank being kept as it was?
A. It was driven by retailers’ needs, especially Donelan’s need for expansion to stay competitive.
Q. Could the path to the Post Office be more direct?
A. It is fairly direct. The 5ft width should be adequate for people to pass.
A letter to the Board was submitted by Friends of Modern Architecture (FOMA).
The Board identified some minor discrepancies between the plans and asked for a complete up to date set with these cleared up. The Board discussed each of the main aspects further:
Landscaping
Mr. Snell asked about the effect of pedestrians cutting across the planting beds near the restaurant; the landscape architect did not think this would cause a significant problem. The Board asked if any landscape treatment was proposed for the west side of the Post Office, near the railroad. Vegetation will be cleared for the driveway, and there will not be space for planting, but there is a row of trees off the property. On the issue of bicycle parking, it may be possible to locate some racks near Donelans’ main entrance. Compatibility of the rough paving with shopping carts was discussed. The developers pointed out that at least the carts will be stored inside the building which should diminish the noise issue. The Board asked about crosswalk design and materials; it requested that proposed details and samples be provided for this and
for the paving near the restaurant. The Board asked about the material for the paths from the commuter lot and near Lincoln Woods; these were stated to be stone dust. Mr. Snell suggested marking a route for pedestrians from the train stop to Donelan’s. Mr. Hurd asked about the path materials and alignment alongside Lincoln Road. He pointed out that one section is immediately adjacent to the road, which could be dangerous, and asked the developers to consider setting it back. The Board asked if a drain in the center of the green space near the restaurant could be positioned less prominently; the developers agreed to consider this.
Layout and Parking
The Board asked for a copy of the back up plan for parking, and indicated that they will need to consider the trigger that would require this to be introduced. The Board expressed some concerns about the safety of the location of the mail drop-off boxes near the exit close to the railroad. The design team said it was difficult to find a better location but agreed to reexamine the issue, including looking at a location near the loading dock.
The Board also wondered about the safety of delivery trucks turning right out of this exit. It requested that the applicant obtain a written review of the site plan from the Public Safety Department. The Chairman commented that it will be important to ensure that access arrangements will not conflict with future plans for the railroad crossing.
The Board asked about the timeframe on utilities details. The process begins with the developers submitting their electricity needs to NSTAR, which they will do as soon as possible. Mr. Snell pointed out that the MBTA and Department of Public Works also have equipment near the proposed exit.
Architectural Materials
The architects presented samples of the colors for the shingles, trim and window frames. The shingles will be stained, and the other components painted in solid colors. Samples of metal siding and roofing materials for parts of the buildings were shown, as well as conventional shingles for the main roof. The materials are marked on the drawings. The fir columns will have a natural finish.
The architects reiterated their position that they wished to be respectful of the old mall building but not enslaved by it. They explained that the two storey portion did have a practical basis in the need for a break room for employees. The curves had been added to help to resolve the two entrances and to respond to the Board’s request to try to spread the energy towards Lincoln Woods. The exterior one softens the shape of the green space and incorporates the walkway better. The Board acknowledged that the design had been reworked in response to previous comments, and expressed the view that the towers were better than the previously proposed gables. Mr. Hurd thought the exterior structure would lessen the visibility of the convex curve, but suggested small transitional setbacks for this curve.
Considering the materials, the Board expressed doubts about the deep yellow color proposed for the mall building. The developers said they intended it to be less saturated than the sample. The Board thought large color patches on the building might be helpful. It suggested brown window frames in place of red. Members discussed their responses to the metal materials.
Possible elimination of the mullions on the large square windows was discussed. The architects pointed out that the vertical facets would need to be kept on the curves. The canopies were discussed. These are proposed to be flat on the mall and sloping on the new building. The Board recalled that the public had favored these, for protection from the weather. Some objectors suggested adding columns but the Board did not favor these as they thought they would cause obstructions, and that the design as proposed had the merit of clean lines.
Windows on the west side of Donelan’s will open inwards. Mr. Snell asked whether anything else could be done to address the sun problem that causes the blinds to be drawn down at present, making the store look uninviting. The developers thought that the proposed relocation of the cash registers may help as glare will be less of a problem; they will discuss the matter with Donelan’s.
Turning to the new building group, there was further discussion of the metal materials. Mrs. Wolf said she found them hard to accept, except for the roof of the sorting office. The solar panels were described as being about 8” off the roof surface, parallel to it, and having a black appearance. They will supply about half the hot water needs of the building group. Mr. Snell asked if the timing of demand was considered in the orientation of the panels; the developers agreed to check this with the engineer who advised them. Overall, Mr. Hurd and Mr. Flint were satisfied with the design and Mr. Domnitz was not.
Signs
The developers asserted that there is a need for a main sign to identify the mall, and the Board accepted this. The Board questioned its position, wondering if it was on town land, and said that the detail will need to be finalized in conjunction with the walkway. The Board also thought the sign seemed large. The developers offered to provide a comparison with the existing sign. They clarified that the top portion of the frame will be open. None of the signs are proposed to be internally lit. External gooseneck lights are proposed on signs for the premier retail tenants and the restaurant. There will be a design code for individual tenants’ signs, with some freedom within it. Sign colors will be finalized in conjunction with building colors.
Signage for the Post Office was discussed. The normal bylaws do not allow internally illuminated signs, and the sizes of signs proposed by the Post Office are far larger than the normal bylaw allows. The Board suggested that the applicant obtain some examples of cases where the Post Office has implemented something more modest. The Board said its expectation was that the Post Office should conform to the same restrictions on signage as the rest of the development.
Lighting
The developers stated that the proposed lighting is as previously presented. At an earlier stage, the number of lights was reduced with an increase in the height. The Board asked about night-time lighting. It is proposed to reduce the brightness of lights in some areas, and the number of them switched on in other areas. Most sign lights could go off. The ATM may need to stay lit.
The plan of illumination was examined, and the developers agreed to carefully examine light spillage near Lincoln Woods. Lighting near Lincoln Road will need to be coordinated with the Town, and the consultant’s study should cover this.
A MOTION was proposed by Mr. Flint and seconded by Mrs. Wolf, to continue the hearing to February 14 at 8:20pm. Passed 5-0.
OTHER BUSINESS:
Knollmeyer, 50 Page Road
The Chairman signed a letter to the building inspector concerning the administrative amendment to the approved site plan.
The meeting was adjourned at 12:05am.
Submitted by Catherine Perry
Approved as amended, April 11, 2007
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