The Town of Lincoln, MA - Planning Board Minutes

Tim Taylor, attorney, and Mr. Costas, architect, attended. Further to the discussion held on May 9, they presented a revised preliminary design for the Board’s comments. This design had a more complex roof with shallow gables at the sides as well as gables at the front and rear, and a cupola. The building would be extended by ten feet to the rear, and the access ramp would come out straight, affecting one parking space.

The Board thought that visually, this design was better than the previous ones. Mr. Hurd suggested lowering the eaves to 7ft 6in. The Board observed that tree branches would need to be trimmed to enlarge the building, and that the view from the other building on the lot would be affected.

The Board advised that a site plan review application should be authorized by the condominium association, and should address how the development matches the current zoning regulations. Site plan review will include parking; spaces will need to be marked out, and the parking area should be visually screened. Mr. Taylor mentioned that a new septic system is to be designed, to go under the parking area. Site plan review will examine how this will be accommodated, and also address lighting, signs, and hours of operation for the business occupant(s).

DISCUSSION OF DECISION: 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 Board continued to discuss draft conditions for the special permit, relating to the mix of uses and procedures that will apply to future changes. Recent versions have incorporated some changes requested by the RLF such as greater specificity on uses in each category and inclusion of banks in the retail category. A slight change to the definition of retail stores was agreed.

Several versions of condition 4 were examined and discussed. The Board agreed not to use the phrase “financial or otherwise” to qualify “hardship” as it was considered too open-ended to be meaningful. It agreed to distinguish between changes prior to initial occupancy and changes at a later date, and not to use the word “hardship” in the latter case but to set a test that was as clear as possible, for allowing deviation beyond the set ranges of floorspace for each use. The Board further agreed that the required evidence of marketing efforts should be “demonstrated” and not merely “submitted”.

Mrs. Wolf asked whether there was a need to set parameters for future individual business signs. Mr. Whitehead recalled that the submission on signage included design rules for tenants’ signs. Anything that failed to comply with the materials submitted would need an amendment to the special permit, and anything that was not set out in the preliminary development and use plan as a change from the underlying zoning would fall back to B-1 zoning requirements.

Mr. Snell asked if the requested public safety report had been received. Mr. Whitehead replied in the negative, and the Board agreed to condition the special permit on the applicant obtaining a statement from the Public Safety Department indicating that the development was consistent with public safety standards.

On the Lincoln Road study, Mr. Whitehead reported that VHB has submitted some further material but a meeting needs to be held to discuss it with them. The study’s main objective is to look at improvements to Lincoln Road. The Board had previously agreed that if there proves to be a problem with trucks making a turn close to the railroad tracks, this can be addressed in future.

DISCUSSION OF DECISION: NEW ENGLAND DEACONESS ASSOCIATION, 9, 11, 15, and 17 Cambridge Turnpike, Map 14/Lots 13, 14, 15, and 16, Definitive Development and Use Plan Special Permit, North Lincoln Planning District, Deaconess Abundant Life Community under Section 12.5.

Mr. Whitehead reported that the fourth draft of the decision has been ‘cleaned up’ with a number of minor editing changes. The Board made a few more such changes. Mr. Snell suggested some modifications to the findings on the project’s compliance with design criteria, to make the wording more appropriate to the scale of the development. The Board agreed.

Mr. Flint suggested a finding on adequacy of fire protection. The finding under design criterion G addresses ease of access by public safety personnel into and within the site. The Board noted that the Fire Chief has not suggested that the development will trigger a need for additional facilities or equipment. A majority favored leaving the decision as it stood.

The Board received a letter from Douglas Errico, attorney, on behalf of the Stratford Way Homeowners’ Trust, seeking information regarding arrangements governing completion of the private road by the developer.

The Board asked about the status of temporary signs put up by the new owners to alert passers-by to the reopening. Mr. Whitehead said he had informed the owners of the procedure for a special permit for new permanent signs and is expecting an application soon. He was sympathetic to the owners’ wish to reopen without a long wait. The Chair suggested that if no application is received within two weeks, enforcement action be taken in respect of the temporary signs.