All right, we will now open the June 28th, 2022 open session meeting of the air planning board. First, the agenda. I um I may have a motion to approve. Move to approve the agenda. Seconded. Okay. Discussion. I believe that we have
a we're not going to have the June 14th minutes today, right? No, Jeff. Okay. So, that's going to be deferred to the next meeting. Any other questions about the agenda? No. No further discussion. Uh, all in favor of the approving agenda. I I
nay. The eyes have it. It is approved. Uh, Mark, I believe that there are no covenant of bond releases to discuss. Correct. So, we can move to the Pleasant Street Extension guardrail. Calvin, please step up. Thank you.
Well, before you is the set of plans that was originally on the plan. Um, uh, Dan has, uh, got them. To the best of our knowledge, he's approved them. There's just some question. The supply chain is still out. 3 to four weeks. We
are trying to get on the August deadline for uh, town meeting approval in the fall, which is going to be tight. And there's some question uh, so we're ready to go. And there's some questions if we really need it on the north side because the slope is not there. It's maybe six
sections, maybe seven. So, we're working on that question if it's needed on the outside of the culde-sac on the exterior perimeter. This the complete circle will be done. Okay. Um any me any questions from the board?
I have to recuse myself. Oh, I'm sorry. Thank God. I no Julie Jeff. Thank you. We're almost done. Does that any questions from the abiders? Yes, please come. No, none.
So, the detail you handed us, it's the wood railing just be what is being installed? Yep. Yeah. The all the existing steel post being removed. Yep. On the circle. Okay. Um Mark, do we need to take a vote or
I don't believe so. Finding Oh, I'm sorry. There's one there's one more comment. Yes. Around the circle. What about the on the outside of the circle? Well, we're qu that will come up, but we're questioning if that's even needed because the slope on on the other side of the railing is really not a slope anymore. Okay. If it is needed,
it'll be it'll be the same. Okay. I mean, it would be the same as the the wooden one. Yep. Yes. Um, I I would say, you know, if someone wants to make a motion to to accept the
guardrail construction detail as submitted to the uh but I'm going to give it a shot, Mark, if you don't mind, Mr. Chair, please do. Uh, move to accept the construction detail from DPR dated 61622, job number 11099B. I'll give this to you in a minute,
Heather, so you can have it. Yeah, then. Okay. Thanks. uh that outlines the wooden post and wooden guardrail uh to be used in replacement on the circle at um Pleasant Street Extension.
Seconded. Okay, we have a uh forward and second. Any discussion? All in favor? I chair chair votes I one uh no nays one abstension. Thank you
Calvin. Thank you everyone who discuss luck to these folks to get these guys I want to load it so so everyone is here for Straten Hill we're going to begin that in a moment
our town planner is going to load some important information uh the presentation from the applicant so we can all see it on the television subdivision Yep. And then once that's loaded, Mark, did you put up that process? Uh,
right. Make sure this is the other one. The meeting's open. We don't need to continue. Oh, no. We don't need to open anything. It's already open, right? This is the first thing.
You want both of these open? Yeah, that's the top one. Yeah, the top one first. All right. Sure. Where would you like us? At the end of the table or Yeah, that would be fine. I was still confused by the process. You've been for 5 years.
I always ask Uh, so I believe the first part of the process is to accept the plan. You got a few things first. Okay. Now I'm just getting everything open here. So we can go into their
I'm going to minimize that and open up. Whoops. Mr. Chair, if I may, while you're doing that. when the proponents speak. Uh, one of the things I noticed having watched the video the last meeting is it's very quite difficult to hear people out there. So, if we can ask people to approach the
table when they speak like when Mr. Collins speaks, it would be very helpful. Well said. Thank you. Just be it gets muffled on the um It does. Yeah. So, it's hard to Okay. I just want to take a couple minutes just to explain how this is going to work. First, we as a board have
to formally accept the plan. It doesn't mean we approved it. We just the means the town planners reviewed. It has all the pieces necessary to be acceptable as a plan. We vote to accept it so we can begin the discussions on the preliminary plan. Once that's done, we're going to turn
our attention to the applicant. Applicant gets to tell his story about what it is they're doing. After that, we have a presentation from the town planner reviewing some of the historical background and context behind the project and bringing us up to date and describing in more thoroughly the steps
that need to be done in this preliminary process for the preliminary plan and then for the definitive plan. Once that's uh the initial once the town planner has given his presentation, board members will have an opportunity to ask questions of the applicant and then we're going to open it up to the
audience, the community to ask to bring their questions. We have a number of things we need to consider uh including which peer review studies we need to conduct and negotiating what they should be and how they should be done. There may be some uh there's some waiverss on the table that need to discuss
and there are other issues uh layout etc. This is a long process. We're not going to get all through this tonight. This is just the I just just lay it out there. Expectations. This is just the beginning. Just the beginning. So please if if something didn't come up tonight,
don't be alarmed. I mean we just haven't gotten there yet. Thank you. Yes, sir. Mr. Chair, could you make a distinction between preliminary and detailed just so that we set like the the level of discussion that we're going to have in a preliminary?
I Okay, great. Thank you. Okay, so um with that done, I'd like to Yes. Yep. Plan acceptance. Yes. Um and what do we need to do for the plan acceptance? Okay. Well, this uh basically in everybody's packet also that was up on
the website, there's the checklist which is actually from the subdivision regulations and uh for preliminary plans uh there's a whole bunch of items and uh you can see my check for everything that was was
done. One thing I should note is that because this is a preliminary plan, we don't have formal author notification. So somehow that that within that that item
is a list whereas an item in the list of uh the preliminary plan checklist, but it really uh adheres to the definitive plan process. So you know there are a few things that I think could have been done a little bit better. We'll get to the yield plan
a bit later. Uh but that said, you know, as far as I can tell, the the plan is very complete. It's much more complete than most culinary plans we see, probably because they had a chance to do it last year. Uh so I'll take any
questions about that. Yes. Uh yes, Kath point of clarification. Yes. the requirements for preliminary subdivision plan which is your F okay section correct and you refer to the fact that it it
might require a notification but I think what you're referring to is what you highlighted K right that simply means those names are supposed to be on the plan these are these are requirements of the plan itself not of the process you compare
the names of all the brothers as the chairman so it is on the plan so This is this is a requirement of this. Yeah, this is a requirement of the plan. It's on the plan. I think you might have misconstrued as it was a requirement to notify the
Ah, yeah, that's what I was thinking. It's really a planning. Well, we have an ab butter list from So I'm that this is complete is what I'm getting at. Oh, because it does contain those names on. So it is complete. Well, yeah. Do you want to check?
It was on the plan sheet, Ken. Yeah, the names are on the plan. They've been on the definitive plans before. Oh, yeah. They're not on the plane itself, but we did receive that. Look at them. Have a lot of
Yeah, your brother's lot name is there. Oh, they're right there. It's not a It's not You may be looking for a list. It's probably not on list. It's just on lands on the lot, right? Cherloist Jessica Gino. Just going to say that um it's a little bit hard to
hear in the back of the room. So if people could speak up and this is true for me too when I'm in that seat, but speak up as much as you can. Thank you. Okay. Okay. So I'm just saying we have a complete set of plans. All right. Yeah. Yeah. I'll make a support.
Make a motion. I'll make a motion that the plan would accept the uh plan submitted preliminary plan submitted for Stratton Hill. We have a second. Seconded. Discussion. No discussion. All in favor?
I. Chair says I. No, no abstensions. Oops. Plan is accepted. Now I need to minimize so that they can have an Okay, that's the next step. So, John, where would you like
Yeah, right out front. Um, you can use this to uh navigate around the plan a little bit with the cursor. See that? See that cursor? So, if you want to point out Hey, bring that microphone back. Yeah, the end of the tape is mike.
We did that. Trouble. Careful, Barry's here. Thank you, Barry. Well, good evening. Um, this site will be vaguely familiar to virtually all of you. It's similar, the site is the same, but the plan is
similar to something we discussed over the last year and a half or so. But, um, it occurred to us that perhaps it's a good idea sometimes to pull something back, rethink it a little bit. We had received many very valuable comments,
good input in the uh conversations we had had with the board and about us previously. So we incorporated those and we thought it would be a worthwhile thing to give this a fresh start. Um I wanted to start with this plan uh that
is in in front of you on the screen because it actually speaks to what Mr. Molden's intent was when he purchased this property. So this area that's outlined, which is roughly 700 acres, is
the former Lonear Sandbell property that Mr. Molton purchased in 1998. It it encompasses land in both Groten and Air. As you can see, Groten is up to the top. Air is down here to the lower
left. Just for orientation purposes, the upper right hand side there um is 119 and Groten um down below here the shows the frontage on Wright Road. So this is
approximately 700 acres that my client purchased with the intent of doing a very limited development in order to pay for the property in order to preserve the better part of it. The land that you
see indicated as lots on the upper right hand side are the um is the development in Groten which was 38 conventional lots, 14 uh affordable units and two dozen
over 55 units. The lots down that you see on the lower left hand corner are the lots that were approved on the subdivision in 2005 in air which again is 35 lots on this side.
The land in between on the Groten side is 437 acres that was gifted to the Massachusetts Ottabon Society. the land down below uh the air town line, the additional 90 acres there as shown on
the 2005 plan was intended to be gifted to either the Department of Fisheries and Wildlife or the town of Aya. Now, if we could go to the I think it's the next one on the presentation. Forgive me.
Let me get to the next page. Oh, next. Oh, I see. I can just go top. Okay. So, if we could go to the one the one that shows the approved this. No, if we can go to this.
So, this this plan here shows just the land and air. The land that is slightly darker tan is including the land that is shown in blue
is the land that was occupied by lots on the plan that was approved in 2005. The lighter tan is the roughly 90 acres that would have been gifted as a result of uh the construction of that plan.
We superimposed what is before the board with the preliminary plan for 2022 onto that so that you could see that the land area that is proposed to be occupied by lots which takes up 18 18.8
acres I believe um in contrast to 60 acres um speaks to the open space bylaw. What we wanted to do once we had the opportunity to do it because we didn't have the opportunity in 2005 the zoning
wasn't there was to compress this as much as possible. So with this plan, 3 uh five lots occ 35, yes occupy 18.1 acres and we're able to have 131.9
acres that would be open space that I believe should be probably gifted to the Department of Fisheries and Wildlife or to the town of Air, whatever the board's pleasure would be. Now, a couple of things that we did on this
plan, which we discussed last time we had discussions with the board, um made a couple of changes. So, we've incorporated four affordable units which would be in two
duplex units. Um is it possible bigger? I don't. So you put it in presentation mode. Click that. Make it see if you can make it bigger. The wide screen like see the square with the two. No,
it's a regular PDF. You should That's PDF, not Yeah. Try the plus sign. There's a plus sign at the top. Right. Hit the plus sign a couple times. There you go. So let's move over so that we can see
right road. So, of these 35 lots, two lots would be occupied by four affordable units, would construct two duplexes, which would add to the uh uh town's affordable housing stock. We've
also um incorporated an area that could serve as a a trail entrance um off of the subdivision road. And I believe you also designated an area so that residents could actually park parking
a parking area so that people that wanted to enjoy the 131 acres would be able to to drive up there. We also we listened to a a lot of the discussion that we had had last time. I know that
the desire was there to have all of the development be located east of the power lines and this is a compromise the and but I think it's a worthwhile compromise. You'll notice there were no lots on the
novel side of the subdivision road and that's so that east. Yeah, I'm north on the plan but east in reality. Yeah. Yeah. I'm confused with the directions, but that side of the subdivision road, there were no lots because we thought it would be a nice
thing for the shoreline. I think I've called it westerly or southerntherly, I'm not sure what it is, but the shoreline that my client owns, that that should be in the public domain. So, we liked the idea
that one would enter the site and all of the land on the right would be undeveloped all the way to the shore, which would be a very nice amenity for people now, but also for future generations. We also really felt kind of strongly
that we should minimize impacts to the extent possible on the existing neighborhood. And so we've kept development at least 200 f feet away from Wright Road. That would be not only in the public domain, but would stay in
a natural wooded state. And the only evidence of the subdivision as one drove down the street would be the subdivision road. And the way it's actually configured, I don't think you'd actually see any of the houses. Um so it it that
was intended to be an aesthetic um component that we felt it would be a worthwhile thing to preserve. Now, we did um provide this time a full traffic analysis by Vanessa Associates, which the board will perhaps have a peer
review done on, but they had come to the conclusion that the road network that serves this neighborhood will not have an impact the level of service that it currently enjoys. Um, and the the numbers are such and the road network is
such that I think that's very very defensible. We've also provided a conservation analysis which I know you'll get input from from the conservation commission after they've had a chance to review it. Um, and we
want to acknowledge I remember last time there was a great deal of discussion um more with I think the commission than with the planning board on the gradations of quality that the land
has. And we certainly want to acknowledge that all of this property is of the highest quality um as far as its conservation value. This is part of an enormous site that through an accident of history did not get developed in both
towns and that's its principal value. This is a a very significant uh property. the open space that will be gifted is of more significance than the land closer to Wright Road, primarily
because after the subdivision was approved back in uh 2005, um the the the land was cleared and and roughed in. So, the land that would be occupied by the homes under this
development has already been roughed in. the utilities are there and it has been worked over as you get into the site. I don't know if that 131 acres uh that abuts the Ottabon's
site was ever was ever dealt with by anybody. It does not appear that it that it was. The different analyses that we had done 20 years ago on the overall site seemed to indicate that one of the unique things
about this entire 700 acre property was the fact that it had remained pretty much untouched. There had been some stuff that had gone on over near Wright Road. There had been some stuff that had gone on near 119, but the interior of the site, which I think Lonear bought to
quarry and they just never got around to do it, um pretty much stayed uh untouched and has value uh uh by virtue of that. There are a number uh of different
ecosystems that are unique to each other that are separated by topographic features um that really are worthy of of preservation. I do believe that the plan that is before the board at this point really
does speak to your bylaw and if you look in the preamble of the open space bylaw and the motivations that generated that bylaw, one is supposed to analyze the site, determine what should be preserved and then trade
off of what can be developed in order to preserve that. Now, an interesting thing about this property as I was going through it is that, you know, the the plan in 2005 actually spoke to those goals, too. This was a limited
development project from day one. 35 lots occupying roughly 60 acres, gifting 90. This really speaks in a much clearer, much better way to the bylaw and it's a
very good solution as part of the analysis and I I've given it to you in the little treatise that I that I wrote which is a cure for insomnia. Uh so I recommend it highly. Um we did look at alternate
I'm sorry did you say insomnia or not? Insomnia. Insomnia. So if you can't sleep get out my stuff. Um but um it's a worthwhile thing to look at other design alternatives that one one could
occur. One is the 35 lots that was approved years ago. It's not a bad development, but this is much better if you actually stay within the envelope of that dark dock or a tan the the 60 acres that
was going to be disturbed by virtue of that development and apply your density calculations under the new bylaw. You could actually have 87 units on this property, which really would have a
significant impact on this neighborhood. This is a nice quiet neighborhood. It'll be a little less quiet with 35 new neighbors, but considerably less of an impact than one would have with 87. If you actually look at the
density, again, just staying within the footprint of that 2005 development, the density that would be allowable with a 40B development, which I don't think would work well on this site, you could have 140 units there. I mean, that would
be absolutely ludicrous. The one thing that really struck me is if you looked at the whole site, and I don't think you could physically fit this, and applied the density calculation um under the
open space bylaw, I think it was 187, which I don't think you could physically fit, but we wanted to stay within the confines of that Dakatan area because we want to see that area closer to Ottabon set aside.
Now, we did um request three waiverss and I actually want to talk to the board about uh a fourth waiver that perhaps I should request formally. We did a a request for a waiver of providing a landscape plan
because we'll provide a detailed one at the uh definitive plan stage that would include the entrance which is a boulevard style entrance but also I think there may well need to be some street trees that should be incorporated
and also near where the parking area would be that we would provide for the open space perhaps it would be a good idea to have something there but I think that would good of the of the what was the second entrance. That's correct. Is now.
Yeah, we would need to provide something there, but we were suggesting that that would be better done at the definitive plan stage. Another one that's a minor sort of thing that we requested, the regulations require that you stripe the
roads and that you show that on the plan. I don't know that this ought to be striped. I think that adds a very urban feel. If the board wanted it striped, we're happy to do that, but we requested a waiver. Test hole data. Uh the regulation
requires uh test hole data throughout the site, it seems to me. Um we provided test hole data for uh the areas that would be occupied by the drainage system, which I think is actually what you need to see. The waiver that I
didn't request in the in writing, but that I'm more than happy to, is whether this should be a considered a single access or not. So, this is a boulevard entrance, which some communities don't view as a single access. The plan
that was approved uh 15 years ago had a doublebarreled access. It was a big U. Mr. Collins, for the good of everyone here, could you explain what a boulevard entrance means? That's um and two areas of pavement separated by um a planting
area. Um what's the name of the develop of Gotten Harbor? What's at the top? Autumn Ridge. Autumn Ridge. Yes, they have one. So like Autumn Ridge, we thought that would be a worthwhile
thing here rather than the second entrance. The second entrance first of all adds impact to the neighborhood visually. Um it also increases disturbed area unnecessarily. The principal reason for
having a second entrance is for public safety purposes. I believe a boulevard entrance should accomplish the same thing while minimizing the site disruption and trying also better handling runoff.
I'll put it in the form of a waiver, but um we didn't request a waiver because some communities consider a boulevard entrance a double a double access. So, we we would like feedback on on that. Um
that having been said, I think that's everything that I was planning on saying. Did I leave anything out that you can think of? I don't think so. Um, I can maybe get to a better picture of the boulevard entrance. You can see it here. There
would be one way in and one way out separated by a planting island there, which the the previous plan had a second entrance that came all the way down through here. Yeah. And we just felt that's that's an
additional pavement and runoff that we don't that we don't need and it minimizes what goes to this lower basin. We can we can capture it before it gets into that lower basin which I know has had maintenance problems and hasn't worked well. So we're minimizing the
runoff that we're trying to put into that basin by eliminating that second entrance. So I believe that was everything that I wanted to say. I can certainly both of us can answer questions and we will. Yeah, I'm sure you will. But not immediately. Not immediately.
So thank you very much for the presentation and I want to give our acknowledge our town planner so he can show us his presentation. Keep this up. Is that the one I want? Yeah. Okay. Uh my name is Mark Arshambo, the
town planner here. And what I'd like to do is just briefly talk about the preliminary plan process uh before getting into my initial comments about the proposed uh preliminary plan itself. Uh first of all, preliminary plans
according to messages at state law are an optional process. Can we put this in presentation mode just so everyone can see your wonderful words a little better? These will put us to sleep and stay awake for this. All right. Thank you. Thank you.
Um, so it's it's highly recommended because there are a lot of design details that you can work out without going to full engineering. Once you go to full engineering, it's very expensive. It's hard to make changes. uh you know so this is a the primary plan allows the planning board the
applicant to work out the details of the subdivision without going through all of of the engineering details. Uh so by the statute mass general law chapter 41 section 81s planning boards uh have 45 days from the
date of submittal to render a decision on a plan. Uh though in this case the applicant and the planning board uh uh can agree on an extension and uh the applicant has agreed to give the planning board an upfront extension uh
until the end of August to consider this uh which is very much appreciated uh since they uh submitted their application on June 9th which was a few weeks ago. So, we've lost a few weeks, so to speak. So, we're getting that on
the on the other side, which is which is very nice. Um, according to the statute, the board of health also has a role in in in, you know, reviewing this and getting comments from the planning board. Uh, that's probably because uh
back when these statutes were written, a lot of towns in Massachusetts were totally relying on wells and septic systems. So the board of health takes a very close look at that. So the planning board action after preliminary plan review at the end of this process is to
either approve which means basically approving as submitted approve with modifications or disapproving a preliminary plan. Also it should be noted the planning board's decision is nonbinding as far as
what ends up in a definitive plan. though it makes sense that the board and the applicant would follow upon whatever is approved for a preliminary plan because why start from scratch again that's the whole purpose of this process but I think the state made made it
non-binding because you know issues can come up and certainly technical issues of engineering might come up in the definitive plan stage and we're not anticipated earlier this uh but one one of the key benefits uh for applicants in submitting a preliminary plan is they get some
vesting from the zoning. So if they submit a plenary plan followed within 7 months by a definitive plan application, the zoning is frozen for a period of 8 years. Um so you know if we change the lot size to
100,000 square ft, you know, from what it is now, you know, it wouldn't affect them. can't smile like a good smile. All right, next. That's it. No, just a few more. Um so by now by the
end of this process certainly not by the end of tonight by the end of the process the following plan parameters should be decided on or in cases where they cannot be totally resolved we should have sort of a pathway to resolution at the
definitive plan stage. So you're talking about the road length and the configuration. Uh the waiver for for the road length which I'll describe later may come into play for this. Uh the number of building lots and the area and configuration of the open space is
something that is very excuse me apt to be discussed at this level. Uh the board should also give a sense of the board on the applicable waiverss for the subdivision regulations. So the applicant um is charged with identifying
the waivers and the board needs to discuss any waivers that may have been missed with the applicant so that the final list of waiverss needed is decided. But the planning board cannot vote on granting the waivers at the preliminary plan stage. Instead, that
comes into the definitive plan stage. And I check with council on that. Can I just want to underline that so make sure everyone heard that we can't vote on the waiverss yet. That's part of the definitive plan stage, but we can at least give the applicant some sense of where we stand.
Y uh also we should uh discuss any peer review studies uh that would be needed. The applicant has alluded to a traffic study. We definitely will be uh doing that. I highly recommend we do a peer review of that. Um also uh we will need
a uh consulting engineer to assist the planning board with this project. um since DPW is in transition. Uh so we'll be looking to do that as well. We want to identify any other state and local level permits that are needed.
And uh one very important point, this is really applicable for air since we have this in our bylaw. Uh since this is an open space residential development type subdivision where you have to have 50% open space 50% of the entire tract
that's in that one ownership needs to be preserved as open space. The conservation commission has a key role in this process in looking at the land and getting their conservation recommendations to the planning board uh so that the planning board can make
conservation findings about what land is best suited for preservation versus what is best suited for development. So that that is something that is sort of tangential I mean not tangential concurrent with the process that we
have. Yeah. Is this totally concurrent? Right. All right. So, I'm going to get now just to a few of my initial uh comments here. This is a screen capture from Mr. Mapper or a local GIS program. And when I when
I first came to town, before I physically knew what air was about, I looked at Mr. Mapper and I saw this triangle and I said, "Wow, that's that's kind of interesting." And I thought, first thing that came to mind was like the Bermuda triangle. It's like, you know, any planes that play over here
will disappear and that sort of thing. But just just subdivision plants, right? Yeah. Yeah. Right. But, you know, and then, you know, my I was like, "Wow, look at all that forest, you know. Isn't that isn't that great?" So, uh, you know, my initial my initial
thinking even before I knew about David Molton or any of these old plants, it's like, wow, wouldn't it be great if all the land within that triangle was was forest and, you know, could be preserved in a natural state because, you know,
anybody who uh is environmentally uh cognizant knows that large forest tracks are becoming both more rare and they also provide wildlife habitat for species that don't do as well next to human disturbance.
So that's that's something that uh sort of jumped out at me and you know I'll note you can't leave us on tender hills. So what is that track just I know almost everyone knows what that is but just out loud what is all what are these lines? Oh these are the power lines.
The power lines power lines power lines. Yes. Thank you. And the big bold line is Graten versus right this is this is the town line between air on this side and to the north graten. Uh so what you see here and I this is
probably not up to date on the grunt side because this I think the subdivision has been built out here. They were able to stay northeast and that's north is directly north here. So northeast of the power lines on the grton side. So what you see here, I think some of this as well as all of
this is what is in the Rocky Hill wildlife sector. That's correct. For mass auto. So that's that's excellent. Um you know, so my first observation was wouldn't it be nice if you know I think from an ecological standpoint only it
would be ideal if all development could stay south of the power lines in there. Uh but you see there are a few incursions to the north associated with u this development here and there's a little bit of stuff that the gun club does but you know basically the area
north of power lines is is pretty much untouched. So that's something that you know I think we all express uh interest and concern. So I'll just mention that. Um that said, I believe that this new plan is superior to what they presented
to us last year. They have pulled the lots to the south. Uh they have reduced the uh envelope that would be needed for disturbance. And as far as I can tell, most if not all of the area that would need to be disturbed, the construction is within that area that's already been
disturbed. So that's, you know, that's a big plus and that's that's a key point. uh as far as their uh application materials, they did provide a yield plan, but the yield plan, I should mention, should be based on the underlying zoning. So, it's meant to
show what you could get in a conventional subdivision if you were dividing it with 40,000 foot lots and 100 ft of frontage. In your yield plan, you showed smaller lots around the subdivision room. Yep. So, we can Yeah. So, I think the the uh the previously
approved subdivision could act as our yield plan because that has 35 lots and we're just trying to do 35 lots. Well, we we can we can work that. We'll work that out, Mark. Uh so, of course, and this is something that won't become a surprise. You know, I was concerned about, you know, the
subdivision road having only one point of access from right road. The fire department will probably say something there. Uh also I believe that there are two waiverss that were not identified in the application package. First is the maximum length of a dead-end road which
is now 650 ft and the configuration of the turnaround. So basically if somebody was proposing a new subdivision road there's there's a criteria for the the culde-sac and or other sort of turnaround. So, I know we're dealing with a prior plan where the road was was
uh roughed in before and it may make sense to have that loop retained. um you know but you know I just wanted to uh mention that technically and one thing too that uh occurred to me is I couldn't find any record from 2004 of
granting of a waiver for the dead end road like back then which I believe was well it was a double access so it was not a dead end road it was not considered a dead end road at that time in any to a dead end road but it itself is not
the Is that how that worked? Yeah. Yeah, I believe so. Really logical. But it is how it kind of works. But I wasn't at the table. Yeah, that's right. All right. Well, we can uh we'll come back to that. So I, you know, that's something that just jumped out at
me. Uh and the last thing that I'll mention here my initial observations as I'm sure there are a lot of uh people who want to speak is that the traffic study you know is is you know quite good but uh you know it's it's uh dealing with you know the traffic
counts turning movements uh projections in the future but I don't think it fully addresses sort of the uh issues related to the entire road network that we may have a concern about. So that's why we would do a peer review on that. And uh you know that's all I have to
open. Thank you Mark. Now we turn to the board for comments and questions. Who'd like to go first? I'd like to go last. Mr. D would like to call Nathan. Well, the chair the chair recognizes
Nathan. This is more a followup to Mark's just a wrap up on Mark's comments. You mentioned the preliminary design. There's a 45day uh initial period. Just for information, the detailed design review can occur up to 7 months beyond. Then what's the what
is the initial number of days? Definitive. Sorry. uh when you when the applicant as in this case has submitted a preliminary plan assuming it goes through the whole process you have the planning board would have 90 days from the date of submittal of the definitive plan to make a decision without
extension. If they had not submitted a preliminary plan it's 165 days. So by submitting a preliminary plan they shorten the length of the definitive process. Do forgive me. Would it wouldn't it be worthwhile to have the plan up there?
That's got to, you know, the one that shows that one. Yeah, cuz that kind of shows it all. The one at the very end, it's got just a dot on white. I think that's even clear. Oh, all right. What the very
3.3. Yeah, that's okay. It doesn't show doesn't show the open space as nicely. It also doesn't show it does if you minimize a little bit. Thing that's important to me is it shows the difference between the lots clearer than the new
ones. There's no driveways, no buildings on this lot, but it has it shows the Sure. the physical boundaries. Nathan, so I'll try to take a 30,000 ft question again to Mark. How does this development
fit with the master plan for the town of Air? Well, I think the master plan calls for open space residential development to be the method of subdivision. So, we did that in 2018. So, you know, I'd say it's, you know, basically more specific.
Yeah. It doesn't go on a track or a lot by lot basis of saying this lot should be this lot should be all open space. But you know, uh the other thing I'll mention too is following on the master plan, we did an open space uh criter uh
prioritization study, right? And this whole area up there is the highest priority. That's that's not surprising given it's in the area of critical environmental concern and important natural habitat all that stuff.
So the master plan was done 20 201 17. Yeah. And there is and I think that's important to know that there is priority land for preservation. And does this development fall entirely
within the the highest priority land? Yeah. I think the whole site was included in that. Yeah. Anything else? Didn't mean to put you on the spot. I want to follow you at this point. Oh,
I've got questions that are like very detail oriented around traffic and stuff like that. We'll get to it. I'm good. Thank you. You're good. Julie, I mean, I'm I will have questions, but not right now. Okay. And Jeff, you're good for the moment. I'm going to hold off for now. Thank you. Ken, would you you feel comfortable? I'll start out in I will start out with
Bob's comment about getting insomnia from his letter. Um, so I've read the letter a few times and did not get insomnia. had a lot of notes here, but I prefer to go right to the conclusion, which is that the applicant is basically
going to show us a brand new plan now, and we're going to ignore the plan that was in the past. That's right. That's what I'm trying to establish. Okay. So, we can concentrate on this plan. We don't have to think about lot size from the old plan or length of roads or whatever the case might be. It's valid
that a a logical comparison is that the new road is substantially shorter than the old road. That's a that's a a benefit that on the original plan my notes I believe you had somewhere in the vicinity of uh had the same amount
of lots but there were just a flip of the units. there was someone who was sending 20 units north of the power lines and about 12 to 15 south of the power lines. This is just the opposite with I think 20 now south
of the power lines and a smaller amount 15 so north of the power lines. So in backing up what Bob said, one of the concerns we had initially was how can we get from the plan that you withdrew which 6 months ago which showed more
similarities to the original plan than this did. How could we get from what you gave us 6 months ago to where we are now? So by withdrawing that plan, taking it completely out of the picture, we're really going from the original plan to this new condensed plan which falls
under our OSD regulations. So I just want to be careful we double check that. Can I actually be extra careful when you say the original plan, you're talking about 2005, correct? The other plan is not because we only get two. So I just
really have two situations. one that's going to be abandoned basically on a clarification basis. This is I'll get into a little bit of legal stuff now. Do you owe this planning board a not a a letter of some sort or legal document
that says what you are doing? Are you modifying the original plan which is allowed? Are you rescending it, getting rid of it, going back to strictly open space that's all there with no plan? or are you just there's a step there. I think you need to concentrate on a step. It
takes you from the old plan that was approved to move it off the out of the picture and replace it with this plan. You can check that on your own. Yeah. No, actually I think it might be a modification might be the term of
and that may well be and I'll let you finish and then you and I can just talk about that for what the legal steps have to be. So that we know that that original plan is out of the picture and it's being concentrating only on this new
OSRD plan that falls within our guidelines and our regulations. Um, I did read quite intensely your whole letter and I'm glad we're not going into the details of that and that's why I'm trying to clarify it beyond that letter right to this plan at this point.
Yep. Okay. Would it be appropriate for you and I to converse on this? Not right now. No. On Well, on the issue of modification versus Well, I leave that up to you. We're only in the preliminary stage. I think you just need to determine that when you get
to the definitive stage, between now and the definitive stage, take whatever legal steps you need to determine that because it can be a worthwhile thing to completely eliminate that. Right? So, I want you to think about that as how you go through that step. I I if I may,
I think it allows us to bring absolute clarity and focus to the discussions. That's why I think it has value. Yeah. Well, I'm I'm leaving that up to the applicants. Yeah. And it's helpful for people later. I actually ironically uh have gotten calls from conveyances
uh where there has been a prior subdivision that was approved. It's on the books and then somebody developed something else and they've looked for you know what happened to that you know. Yeah. So actually it would be a worthwhile thing to treat it as a modification and then
there's no issue. Yeah. Ultimately your owners will need that other search being done in the future. So yeah, it's it's a good way to start fresh. Yeah, I have every file that we turned in from the original plan, the plan was
withdrawn and now this plan. So I'm not going to go into all that. We have plenty of time to do that. Um just on a technical basis and can you please take the language issued for permit off these drawings or any drawing you give us in in the form of a discussion phase which
is what we're at right now. It's not issued for permit. So that all all the Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. I that that was I don't have my sets me. Um I just don't like it. Did you when we do a small clarification here and we revise the plans over the next few meetings
that that's intended for the definitive. Yeah. I know it's there now. I didn't take it off. Take Please take that off. Um to establish it, double check it. Just again as pointed out by um the attorney, Mr. pounds. We're talking about 35 lots
that comply with the new OSI regulations, but 37 units since two. That's correct. Will have two units. So, a total of 37 units. That's correct. I thought a strength of the application when I saw it was the fact that you were putting four
affordable units in there under I presume the state guidelines for that's correct. So and and the you also have history of doing that in Groten in the development over there. So you have actual knowledge of the paperwork and the steps to take
to make that happen and that's important I think for the town. So that's a plus. Um I had a quick question. These are some technical questions. So the rightway on the original plan was 50 ft. We now
allow 40 foot and this is represent the 40 foot. You didn't talk about that. Yeah. And this does. Yeah. Okay. So that's good. So we've shrunk that footprint of the road a little bit. I've you've shown a sidewalk um which I think we also talked about six or eight
months ago. Now that goes from on the east side parallel is actually double sidewalk all the way up to the power lines. Correct. So this gives it the neighborhood or anyone else a chance to walk straight up that entire east side with the conservation land to their
right. Correct. And then there's a sidewalk around the entire loop and then the loop has the other additional sidewalk. Correct. So the entire project has sidewalks. Some are duplicated with extra sidewalk for I'm just guessing it's going to be people who were walking up their dog or walking
up that side of the street or whatever they want to do within the the the development. um footprint, but basically they might be from outside the neighborhood, so they could easily do it, right? It provides access to there would be no restriction on who could go up and down.
Um, one of the things we have that the state has in their u you know, subdivision laws, rules is that planning board should always be interested in asking about a potential park, not not the open space action or parking lot.
Yeah. Yeah. It's the very last bottom of the Yes. We're entitled to ask for park. Could you think about a way to put a park within the the development that could be used by the neighborhood? So, this is a remote location. Children have to go
quite a ways to get to a park. I think it would make perfect sense to for us to um look at the possibility of fitting a park in. Got a lot of land up there. Yeah. Yeah. I think it could be in that area to the to the left on the bottom of
the lower road there. Right. There's plenty of places. Yeah. Power line. Yeah. Again, you didn't show it, so I'm asking you to Yeah. put it on the the changes as you think about this. Um, I was going to ask you how many feet it was to the beginning of the loop, but I
looked it up. It's 600 ft. So, the concept of the discussion will start after that. It's 600 ft just to get to that spot right there from right road from right road. Yeah. So just keep in mind that that 600 ft is
very close to what we would limit the job if it weren't a loop or some other you know concept. So I believe your return is going to be that that's probably the end and that the loop itself which we'll talk about at another meeting is the cult in fact or something along those lines that it's a terminus
you know that comes back on itself. So we'll talk about that. Could you make a note about that? I got it. Okay. Never forget it. No, I'm kind of I'm trying to wrap my head around the idea of Luke as a culde-sac as a I'm not as familiar with that. I just think it's interesting to think about.
We're all going to go through it. So, a very big one. Yes. One of the things I noticed from the original plan to the plan that we threw out or you threw out to this plan is the location of the introration basins. We got another letter from someone from Al Futterman. We know this stuff anyway,
but the infiltration basins that seem to be shown from the original to this are remote and stayed where they were from the original plan, right? And we're going to look at that. But with the preliminary, we only had uh good soil data where those original
basins were. So that's why we showed them there. And if we could move them in closer. This is a test fall waiver you were asking about, right? Well, we'll at this juncture. do that when we get to the definitive, but we didn't want to I didn't want to portray something that we weren't sure we could do and we're sure we can do
those other basins where they were before. So, we're we're obviously it benefits our clients moving closer. Well, it benefits everybody, but we just didn't have enough information for me to sit here and say we can do that. I wanted to make sure we could do it before I showed it. But you didn't bring it up. So,
I'm taking the lead for you. Yeah. engineers. Um the fact that we're talking about this adds to the thought that that's a way an additional way to preserve the open space without construction. We have this discussion often times with other
subdivisions as the infiltration basins are in the open space but in essence it's it's destructive to the open space. So we go back and forth as a board on whether we want to allow that you know type of activity in the open space. You
typically take the position that if it's in the open space and there's an excessive amount of open space as there is here, then infiltration patients would typically be okay. But I'll concur that I I'll agree obviously that you're going to take a close look at that. Yeah.
And test that we can move all that all those operations in the lots close to the lots in the house. That's our intention. Okay. I just didn't want to portray something that I couldn't factually say we could do. I agree. Thank you, too. So, I looked at
I believe if I have it right, I looked at I'm going to get to the power lines in a minute, but I looked at the location of your proposed parking lot. I think you put it under the power lines. I believe we did. Yeah. You can't do that. Okay. So, we can't authorize anything under those power lines.
Did I have I don't um So, well, we certainly have wanted to move it. So, you know. Yeah. Um Okay. I I didn't think it was under the power lines, but it might have been in the easement. Ken, that looks to me like Well,
in the Yeah. Okay. To me, that's in the power line. Yeah. Okay. It's in the easement. It's in the power line. We have room to move there, but we certainly have room to move there. So, obviously the rest of the stuff. Okay. So, I want to go back to
something that I gave you before, which is the list of questions that I had uh during the original process. Oh, and I'd love another copy of that. Yeah, I'm going to give it to you. I sir, I made a second special because when we withdrew it, I burned everything.
Special edition. Thank you. I saved everything. Thank you. So, I'll address each and every thing on this by the next meeting. Good luck with that. Thank you. So, um, the most important one on this list as far as I'm concerned, and if this doesn't get
resolved, it's an automatic no for me, obviously. Um, is the n the very last bottom point, which you should you should have had time to work on now, and maybe you've got it done. Oh, I have talked to them. Yeah. But what is it? The point is that 700 ft of this road Yeah. Yeah.
Meaning 350 ft going to the north and 350 ft coming north to south is construction and improvements below the New England power high power transmission lines within their easement. You own the land, but they have the rights to the easement and language that
we know is very legally strong on their side. You need to provide us a copy. Yep. I'll get you something. I have talked to them, but I'll get you a letter from them. It's got to be more than that. It's got to be what's called the ascent that can be recorded
that document. Well, I would think that would be pertinent that the you'd want the ascent of the definitive, right? Yeah. You have that you have time to get Yes. Yeah. But just bear in mind, but I'll get you a letter during preliminary. Okay. I'm not really It's not really important
to me until we get right to the very end where we're going to sign it. Yeah. Okay. But the ascent agreement is going to dictate back to the planning board what we are going to have to wave under the power lines. For instance, we may not be able we're not going to be able to have street trees under the power
lines. We may have to you may have to change the curbing in under the power lines for their trucks and provide them with these kinds of details. So to me this is an important feature. Yes. That 700 ft of road Yeah. as much as is normally built in
many subdivisions is just under those pile lines. So, and we know from um experience and from um people that are a hell of a lot more intelligent about the habitat that movement under the power lines of of of wildlife and
plants and everything else is important. So, I'm looking for a lot more detail for what happens under those power lines and how we're going to put it into the definitive plan. Sure. It doesn't carry the whole weight of the discussion right now, but it will be important.
Um, going back to that plan, I guess we've done it enough times, but it's pretty evident on that plan that there's a huge difference between the uh the size of the original lots and where we are today. So, that's what I have. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Thank you, Mr. Collins.
Thank you, Jeff. Yeah, I know we're in the preliminary stage, but you mentioned that you're going to put in four um allow it to do this. Um in the preliminary stage, I understand, but you mentioned you're going to add four affordable units.
Yes. You're going to follow this the state guidelines for affordability. Have you thought through what that's going to be 80% AMI or anything like that? Actually would look for guidance from either you or your housing authority. Okay. Whatever you would prefer. Appreciate that. Thank you.
Is that it for now? All right. Thank you. We're talking about the plan. Yeah. This time we can allow uh I have one question though. Lay it on me. Um that I'm embarrassed that I didn't include in my letter. I know we talked about it last time. Um what do you guys
like for street lights? Because And what do your regulations require? Cuz personally, I think it's a nice area not to have street lights. Yeah. But I'd love your thoughts on that. Go think about it. We'll talk about it. But but Mr. J, can
I Yes, please go ahead. So the um Department of Public Works has established a a a cut sheet and a standard for the street lights. Okay. That street light system is being used in all the last three subdivisions that we've done. Okay.
So it's an approved standard. It's designed specifically to control to get to the control system that the town uses so it can be connected and controlled by DPW like the rest of the street lights that we own in town. The advantage to that is that they can down the lighting at night. They can do
a number of different security features with the lighting. So it may not run like a standard lighting system that you're familiar with. This is bright. Yeah. So that's easily can be got by Mr. Dillisp. will consult with the DPW and then so we would either need to ask for
a waiver on that or comply. Right. Okay. But that was my question. Compliance might not be painful. Yeah. No, that's right. Um the planning order stop. Yeah. So I' I'd like to open it up to
the the people in the room. I just ask you in turn to step up to the uh up right up here. In fact, can we give us I think we have a chair available. I'll give you I don't have to be here. Do you mind? And I just ask when you approach to give
your name and address and then if you could give yourself 3 to five minutes for the com for your comments or questions who would like to be recognized first. I I I saw the first hand in in the way back. if you would like to step up, please.
Um, I have two questions. And your name and address, please. Sharon Slarski, one ledgeway, which is right off of Right Road. Thank you. Um, the traffic study was done when? December 2021. December.
Yep. Sorry. Am I allowed to answer, Mr. Chair? Sorry. It's okay because September. Well, it says December. It looks like the traffic counts were done in September, though. The full report was completed in December.
December. The traffic on right road varies according to the season and I understand that you can extrapolate and but the amount of foot traffic on right road
which is a very narrow road and no sidewalks is tremendous in the spring, summer and fall. And if I may, and that's exactly why our town planner Mark is asked to go beyond just the traffic count precisely for that reason of one
of the reasons the pedestrian traffic. So yes, that is part of the peer review. Okay. Thank you. Um my second question was did well not did I know the board of health met with the applicant and sent a
letter to the planning board regarding the uh sewage question. Correct. Is there any possibility of having that letter read into the record so that the people who are interested would know where the board of health is
on this? We could we could sure um we lost the plan. Oh, that's that's the screen. I'll bring it back. Yeah. The uh
Yeah, that's the kind of home we will propose. Kind of looks like a fair. Would you or I'm happy to would you So, I'm going to ask our our clerk Jeff Tilson to read uh the letter into the record.
The town of Air Board of Health, Town Hall 1, Main Street, AR, Mass, 01432. I'll skip the phone number. on June 28th, 2022, submitted a letter to the planning board, Air Planning Board, 1 Main Street, Air, Massachusetts 01432,
regarding the formal request for third party independent engineers consultant to study impacts of Straten Hill development on sewer capacity and flows. Dear honorable members of the AIR planning board, at the June 27th, 2022 AIR board of health meeting, board of
health voted 3 to zero to formally request that the planning board require the developer of the proposed Straten Hill subdivision to hire a third party independent engineer consultant at the cost of the developer to study the impacts of the proposed Straten Hill subdivision on the municipal sewer system as follows. One, study the number
of residential units in the proximity of the proposed Straten Hill subdivision who have on-site disposal systems and are not currently tied into the municipal sewer. Two, study the current sewer capacity as well as the proposed sewer capacity with the proposed Straten Hill subdivision. Three, study the
current sewer flows as well as the proposed sewer flows with the proposed Straten Hill subdivision. Four, study the potential impacts and integrity of the existing sewer service main with the proposed Straten Hill subdivision. The board of health has a responsibility
to ensure the public health in terms of the public sewer service to this project, as well as any potential issues or impacts this proposed subdivision may have on the existing sewer capacity and flows, as well as the potential impacts the subdivision may have in preventing existing residential units that have
on-site disposal systems from connecting to the municipal sewer if their current on-site disposal system fails. Thank you for your consideration of this important public health request. If you have any further questions, please do not hesitate to contact the air board of health. On behalf of the air board of
health, signed Steve Slarski, chair, air board of health, and copies were sent to the air select board, Robert Ponrion, town manager, Mark Ashimbo, the town planner, and Bridget Braley, the health agent from the show boards of health. Thank you, Mr. Chair. Thank you. And I want to note that just came in
this morning. Oh, I said June 28th and letters. We're happy to happy to pay for something like that. That's fine. We've been in consultation with the DPW about this, but we're happy to get somebody to look into it. Well, thank you. I just want to note that um considerations of sewage
capacity are always part of the subdivision process and that before we make any decision, we have to get a sign off from DPW Dan von Skullwick to say, will this work when measuring the capacity? So, I want to first of all
just say of course that will that's always done and will certainly be done here. Thank you. Thank you. Ken, did you have a comment? It's a followup to the the letter that we received from the board of health. This is a letter that we received July
22nd of 2021 as we were reviewing the plan that was withdrawn, but it has the same exact, you know, concerns. This was a letter written from the from the Department of Public Works and it's a three-page letter delineating the requirements that the applicant will
have to provide in many things storm water and sewer waste water storm water etc. I'll just read the quick quickly the the par paragraph that is titled wastewater system one. Submit a wastewater system design report
including prepare summary of wastewater flows under average daily and peak hourly conditions. Verify the sizes, slopes, inverts, locations of all existing sewer in right road, standish road and rightway. Determine existing and future wastewater flows in the right
road area and the capacity of the collection system and the rightway pumping system to meet the future anticipated flows. That was C. D. Develop a proposed off-site sewer collection plan showing connections to existing systems, pipe capacity
improvements and proposed upgrade to the rightway injector station. E design cleanses need design plans need to indicate locations of pressure sewer connections including pipe sizes. F provide E1 pumping system design calculations including pipe sizing,
cleanout and flushing locations. So just to follow up on what the chairman said, we would of course never approve a subdivision. We didn't have a very close look at the wastewater systems in town. Thank you. And the DPW is aware of that and has started on that.
I see you, Jess. But yeah, before you earlier, yeah, there was somebody who had raised their hand. Did you want to get up? Was there someone from the left side? Yeah. Wasn't there somebody? Yep. Come on up. Again, if you would just state your name and address.
Yeah. Annie Reed, uh, 72 Avenue East. And I actually have um several questions and concerns and I'm not sure if the preliminary plan proc you know stage
is the correct one but I figure I'll just throw them out there and they can be addressed later if it's more appropriate. Um, and also I will um I will email a copy of this letter to Mark so that it can be shared with the rest
of the board and the conservation commission is appropriate. If you could speak a little louder, Miss Reed, so the people in the All right. I will yell. Okay. Um the first question is attorney Collins has stated that the application
narrative dated June 1, 2022 in the application narrative that he has studied the matter and reached the conclusion that 2005 subdivision plan remains valid. Who makes the determination about the
validity of the 2005 permit? Is this a question for town council? Is this a legal issue as it relates to the town of air? If this is a legal if this is a litigation issue, should the planning
board accept this application before this permit issue has been legally resolved? The town planner Mark Archbull has highlighted this in the planning board meeting packet. Can the road and the lots extend north of the power line
easement? How will a determination be made regarding the requirement of a waiver for a dead-end road length, etc. if litigation is required? Should the town consider hiring council
with expertise in environmental conservation for this land which has been identified as the number one priority preservation area. So can we take those in turn? You can. All right. Can you repeat the very first
one had seemed to have two parts. One about a permit and one about the applicability of the old plan. I can address the first part of that which is the earlier today we had the conversation with Mr. Collins regarding what are we working from and I think at this point the old plan has moved. We're
working from the plan that's been submitted. This plan right here. Okay. Okay. Um I'm just curious as to why you made that point in your analysis summary. Okay. Well, it's somewhat pertinent for the
reasons that that Ken brought up. At some point or another, we have to deal with that plan um to get rid of it somehow or other whether we superimpose this on it or not. But I brought it up because it it's pertinent because it was
approved. And it actually was approved. If you if you think about it, if you look at that site, the 35 lots that occupied three times the area that the 18 acres that is going to be occupied now occupied
actually would fit within the confines of the current bylaw. as ironic as that is, but this is infinitely better than that 2005 plan. So that's why I brought it up. Well, I think you've clarified that,
but again, we're working on this. Okay. Um, so again, I don't this this next question um has to do with um some discussion that's already occurred about the
conservation analysis. So just bear with me because I, you know, wrote this before the meeting happened. Um, is it appropriate to accept and discuss a preliminary plan for this proposed development before conservation analysis that meets the requirements of
applicable bylaws has been reviewed and accepted by the conservation commission. members of the community would like to participate in the review process before the conservation analysis is accepted. I believe Oh, no. Go ahead, Mr. Chair.
No. So, my understanding, it's yours. Thank you, Mr. Chair. Um, I believe that if I I did not attend the conservation commission meeting the other evening, but I believe they have put together a request for RFP in order to do a
conservation analysis. Um, may I ask Mino? Yes, please. Is that correct, Jess? Yes. Uh, Friday. We did it, right? We issued a uh request for proposals on
Friday. Uh, it's three weeks till our next meeting. Um, we're hoping to get our deadline to get proposals is before that. At our next meeting, um, June July 9, 14th. Yeah. uh we will pick the we get assuming we
get proposals we'll pick somebody we'll pick a vendor and then we'll get the conservation analysis peer review started right away so that we have uh an answer to the planning board by the end of August ideally so what I was going to say is we're in a
preliminary state obviously because this was before us before we were all kind of primed and ready to go conservation uh commission is in the process right now of getting that process uh uh going forward and uh Mr. Chair, just correct me if I'm wrong. I believe the um
conservation or and Jess, I'm not going to speak for you and I know John's away. I'm not going to hopefully he doesn't hear me saying this way far away where he is. Um but the conservation commission will be holding meetings for input. I believe when they get the analysis done, am I correct? Wait, the
during your meetings when this input is is discussed, you'll be the public will be invited. Yes, we'll be having uh two meetings with the peer review. One beginning of the process, second one when they have their report done. It
would be excellent if members of the public were present in either of those meetings. First to express their concerns to the reviewer in advance of them doing the review and then secondly getting questions answered at the final report stage. And and then I think the third
maybe the third the third portion of the question is what happens to that information once the conservation commission does the work. They present it to the planning board and the planning board because of the way the OS OSRD is written. Um we work in parallel
and together in the beginning of the process so that this takes place so the public has input in both conservation and the planning board process. If and when we get to a definitive plan submission, we then incorporate
what has been worked out between conservation and the applicant. Okay. Wait a minute. My concern. I don't know if I answered the question correctly, but yeah, I I just want to recognize Ken. So, in and I think one of the question that Miss Reed brought up had to do with
the timing. I believe it's designed that the timing of the conservation analysis, you can correct me if I'm wrong, is concurrent with the preliminary plan that they are supposed to move together. That's just so that by the time the preliminary plan is done, the conservation analysis is almost complete
and ready for the for the definitive plan. So would you agree with that Mark? It's right here. We have to read it. But the process is designed to be moved together. So yes, it can go ahead and yes it can get okay. So in other words, whatever is identified as ecologically valuable and
significant will be identified and then this plan will evolve as part of the end of the preliminary process or the beginning of the definitive plan. Is that right? Well, we're hoping that by the end of the preliminary process process, the
conservation commission is done to the point well actually they did a con the applicant has done a conservation analysis. what they're doing is similar to what we would do with the traffic study. It's a peer review. They just wanted to make sure that all the concerns they have are indeed addressed
in what the applicant um the applicant hired another firm to do a conservation analysis. it I so they're doing a peerreview study of that to make sure that all according to the town website the conservation analysis that has been
submitted with this plan is the old conservation analysis that was associated with the plan that was submitted last summer it's dated like June something it is the same doc or August something revisions so that plan was um extensively reviewed by the
conservation commission I attend attended a couple of meetings and was never it was deficient. Um that was the opinion of of people some was never accepted, right? But it was it was only an opinion. It was an opinion but it was never
accepted and it has now been resubmitted and um I know that I personally reviewed it and had a bunch of questions, concerns about it and thought that there were deficiencies. So I just wanted to clarify that I think that you know a member of the
conservation commission or at a separate meeting it might be more appropriate for me to bring this up but I think it might be more than just a peer review. I think there might be missing missing information. Yes I will Jess please. Um I just say
that um the purpose of this is a tricky site because uh way more than 50% is being given over to open space
um per the open space for the open space uh residential development bylaw. Um, with the that bylaw, the conservation commission is tasked with making a recommendation to the planning board.
And that recommendation, the peer review is going to help us determine do we have enough information to make a recommendation to the planning board. doesn't mean that the conservation analysis as a whole for the whole site
has to be as thorough as it might be for other sites because most of this most of this is going to conservation. So our big concern is do we have enough to make a really good informed recommendation to the planning board particularly in
regards to the area that is around the area that's proposed for the development. Okay. And that's what the peer review is going to help us with. Okay, I'm you guys are going to shut me up like when because I don't you know obviously other people want to come. You can count on
I'm just going to jump um um I'm just going to jump to a question about one of the waiverss that has to do with this. Um, the applicant has requested a a wa and maybe I misunderstood what you're what you're requesting with your waiver, but a waiver for the submission of a
landscape plan showing trees on the site which are more than 12 in in diameter. There are many trees greater than 12 in in diameter within the previously cleared area in close proximity to the
gravel road where the new 37 35 house lots are being proposed for development. Assuming the purpose of this requirement is to identify and catalog large specimen trees of value, I would request that the waiver be denied on areas of
the site proposed for development. because this may create opportunities to adjust flat lines or shift the location of homes so that mature specimen trees can be safe. For the areas that will remain undisturbed by the development,
the waiver should be granted. We'll take that under consideration. Yeah, that's wonderful. I've just done a lot of walking around up there and, you know, thank you for all the public access that I've taken advantage out of. And there's there are a lot of um large trees up there right
around the road. So, that's why I brought that up. Yeah. Certainly would be our intent to keep anything that we can we would, right? But in order to do that, you'd have to You got to identify it. Sure. Okay. Okay. Um, and then this is one I really
want to get to that others have touched on. Um, but before you shut me up, I want to talk about this one. Um, members of the community have serious traffic concerns about safety of our community and our our children. What are the
dangers and the impact of increasing the vehicular traffic by more than 50%. The Vaness traffic study, which was conducted in September 2021, doesn't seem adequate or complete.
The recommendations and conclusions merely address the project site road and how that should be constructed while virtually ignoring the existing roads that must be traversed from a single access point.
The study's conclusion states the proposed project will not result in a significant impact on overall operations. What does that mean? What about our safety?
Miss Reed, I I just earlier we we we we actually addressed the issue of the track that we we're going to have a peer review of that study because we do feel that it is short and we do have additional safety questions. So that is being addressed.
Okay. Um I do um I think that Mark uh touched on the pedestrian traffic and um you know beach traffic and all that in his packet. Um but I do want to just say that um
the study didn't include any information about the poor condition of the existing roads and the narrow width and the blind curves which all serve to slow traffic down and make drivers more aware and cautious. These roads are barely 20 ft
wide in most places. There are no sidewalks and there in in many places no opportunity to install one because the edge of sandy pond is within two or three feet of the road. Children play in the street regularly
and unsupervised and families swim in the little beaches that are only a few feet from Snake Hill Road. Many people who are not driving use these roads for recreation every day, walking their dogs, riding bikes, and running. If this
road if the if these roads could be improved and widened, it would only encourage people to drive faster, thus creating a more dangerous situation and diminishing the value of the small, quiet, deadend roads that are such a
valuable amenity. The town planner's notes and suggestion for RFP should be reviewed, and there should be more opportunity for community input before an RFP is issued. This is the meeting to have that conversation. That's what we're here for. We are
discussing the RFP. We're we're going there. Okay. Okay. Anything else, Miss Reed? I have other questions, but I'm going to stop now because I really want to give other people a chance to say something. Thank you. Thank you,
Jess. Okay. Jessica Gino 8 Mountain View Avenue. So I have to be clear where I'm speaking as a member of the conservation commission and where I'm speaking as a member of the neighborhood. Uh you speak as a member of the neighborhood right now. Neighborhood neighborhood has the
neighborhood. We've got a little pond like wave thing. I almost couldn't see because of the camouflage, but there you go. Oh, one question. And I thought uh Sharon Slarski and the the board of health's decision about looking at the sewer impact is excellent.
Uh the capacity impact if you could add into that looking at the water man capacity. And I say this because of Wright Road the water man has had numerous leaks over the past uh 5 to
eight years. Uh last year as many people will know from um Snake Hill Road to is it about Sandy Way the uh water man was replaced and about six years ago from the top of
Mountain View to the extension of Wright Road into Coler Place that's a new water man leaving in between Sandy Way and Mountain View very old water man which to me as a as a total novice Looks like a plumbing aneurysm waiting
to burst. Seriously. So, what would the addition of 35 37 households, what impact would that also have on the water main capacity and integrity given the
existing situation? Thanks, Jess. Um I someone who's more informed than me could probably better answer I believe it's something that is reviewed by again by DBW right I imagine it's part of it's got to be part of the permitting process
it's got it's and I'm going to say I don't know who the gentleman is who does the water department I can't think of the name off the top of my head you know but as a as a as a neighborhood resident I lack confidence it will go into it will go into Dan's into the DPW and the DPW review
we rely heavily upon the DPW W review for storm water um palable palable water floatable water and also waste. Okay. Second question is um I noticed in the in the material back from 2005 that
uh an agreement had been reached with the cowies for emergency access. It looked like in in the planning board packet there was some emergency access to the area uh through their property. Um, would that still be in effect?
Because I do have serious concerns over public safety. Again, regardless of what you deal with the issue of the dead end waiver or not, which I personally think it should require a waiver, but um
the town uh in the last few years decided against holding say Fourth of July celebrations at Peron Park because of public safety concerns with only one entrance there. Here you're putting in 37 new households
into the end of a dead end regardless of it's it's a culde-sac at the end of a dead end at the end of another dead end. So, as a resident who's at the end of one of the other dead ends, I have concerns there. And I would hope that planning board would consider public
safety there as seriously as the uh fire department and the police department did in terms of Peron Park and the fireworks that are not happening this coming weekend. Yes. And you know that the fire department and the police department will make those reviews, right? and I'd like to make sure it's
put in the context of other public safety concerns the town has made elsewhere to take that into account. Uh thirdly, um just uh just as a note, I hope as the process goes down the road since the site was sort of left for the
past 12 years, there's been a lot of dumping of junk up there. Oh, that would all have to go. And that would all have to be cleaned up, including both where you're developing of course, but also space around there. With your permission, could you know we'll pass that on to the conservation commission?
That I believe that we do not have jurisdiction there, Mr. Titan. We'll figure it out. You can't say we You have the wrong hat on. Yeah. I'm sorry, Jessiction. Jess, we we walked the site. We noticed
the same the same darn thing. Yes. And it's it's a it's a shame, but and that's all I have as a as resident Jess. Thank you, Res. Yes, Jess. This actually brings a good question to mind and it's it's an issue I've had questions of and I I don't know if Mr. Collins or
or the party can actually answer it. Um I don't know where it exists on this plan, but at the top of the old loop road, there's that large pit that was left behind. It's almost like I don't know if it was part of the roughing in or it was left behind from the previous group. But
that's a restoration. I would hope that we would think about a restoration up there. I don't know if you were talking about that, but I know that's come up. I'm not exactly in a butter, but I'm pretty close. And I hear a lot about it. So, I want to make sure that that stays even though we're taking the old one, putting it behind us.
Let's keep that. Resident Justice has one more thing which again I think refers to something Annie said. Uh I think you mentioned that uh Mr. Molton does maybe five to seven houses a year in his subsidies average. Yeah.
So 35 houses, we're talking up to seven years or more. That's right. Right. The existing surface of the road um I'm not I don't want to see the road widened or straightened myself as a resident, but the existing surface of the road is in such pardon my French
crappy condition. I don't see how uh I mean there are parts of the road where I drive on the other side to avoid damage to my axles. So I don't see how with construction equipment and even the you know I don't
see how that road's going to survive one more year. It's a terrible road for uh taxpayers in that area. So paying for it and thank you drive. Did you want to be recognized? I think it's evident that we are aware
of most of the statements that have been made tonight. Um, and not the least of which we could require that the applicant uh complete off-site improvements which would include right road. I think the applicant is probably thinking along those terms during the process. So when we get to the dependent
plan, we'll definitely lay down off-site improvements and what we would expect. that would be concurrent or would be connected to the first building permit or some sequence in the process that would require off-site improvements be done and evidence shown that they're
done or that a bond be put in place or something along a number of financial situations that could guarantee that the work uh be completed in in a fashion that would be acceptable to the town. Unfortunately, that's some of the things that would not end the first approvals.
So I read all the first approvals and that decision did lack many of the details that we are thinking about today with public input and just experience and time uh of you know more planning board experience and more professionals working with us going on. So I just want
to make that as a general statement you know kind of a general answer. Thank you. Before I call the next person up I'd like to call a fivem minute recess. So, if we could break and then we'll rejoin at five minutes of call the meeting back to order and um I want to recognize Mr.
Collins. Um well, we've heard a lot of valuable input tonight and we want to provide you with some additional information for next time. So, we'd love a sense of when you'd like to see us next. But before we get to that, I did want to say in
defense of the planning board 15 years ago, there actually were extensive agreements and discussions about off-site stuff then. They just didn't find their way. They didn't find their way into a written decision of the planning board, but I think it was
understood certainly by Mr. Molton that he was have going to have to do this that the other thing before he got any building permits. So, I think perhaps it was just that the board at the time perhaps was not as savvy with how to
deal with off-site stuff into a decision, but there certainly were extensive discussions. And on that subject, we have had extensive discussions with the Department of Public Works on an ongoing basis over the last year certainly on
stuff that's going to be needed for this site. So, we're cognizant of that. Okay. So, uh, what I'd like to do is eventually I'd like to move to some of these action items to to move the process along forward. But before then, I just want to be sure that everyone who came here to speak has a chance to
speak. So, yes, let me Marian, please. Right. Thank you. So, my name is Marian Stoddard and I live at 204 Drive. Welcome, Mary. Thanks. And so I do have a lot of concerns about
proposed Straten Hill development. But first I would just like to say that you know I really appreciate the fact that u um that Mr. Molton, you know, acquired the land from Sandville quite a few
years ago and then 24 years 24 years ago and that uh so much of the land in croten was uh uh I I'm not sure gifted is really the correct word to say to mass otter but well it was yeah
well right but there was a requirement really that be protected yes right and so appreciate that and So what I would appreciate even more is if if Mr. Molton were to decide not to
develop the land and instead were toh to sell it to Mass Fish and Wildlife or to the town of Air so they could all be protected because it is a very unusual parcel of land margin. fossil land. very
special uh special uh land and most I think all of it in within in in ACE and an area environmental concern and uh so we'd like like to have that uh that
protected and that of course the town of air's open space plants is really I mean this is the key open space parcel in air to be protected and so I hope that that it can happen and that
uh I that Mr. Molton would be able to realize uh all of the uh the value from the property that uh he would like to have and deserves. So I do have
Marian could speak up the mic well to the TV. But uh for the for everyone attending and watch it. So if you don't I'm going to paraphrase that Miss Stoddard raised the issue
given the sensitivity of the land and its extraordinary value. Would the applicant the owner Mr. Molden consider simply abandoning the development and giving the land uh am I right? Selling selling I'm sorry not sell kid selling
I'm I'm pardon me my mistake forgive me but selling the land to an appropriate agency perhaps fishes and wildlife is that what you correct I just wanted to make it so everyone could hear thank you can Mr. Collins respond before you go on to the next point excuse me could Mr. Collins respond before you go
to the next point yes so this is the way Mr. Molton wants to preserve the rest of it. Okay. And it's a compromise. And one of the things that goes unsaid and Dave's not here so I can say this without
embarrassing him, but there are a couple of times a year he has a gathering of the people that work for him. There are over a hundred people whose livelihood directly come from Dave Molton and the company that he has that builds the
houses on the lots. And he's very conservation-minded as evident by the hundreds of acres that he's gifted in other towns and that he would like to gift in this town. But he also is in business
partially to build houses but partially to keep the crew that are his employees employed. Um and he's very loyal like that. So selling completely abandoning the idea
is not an option for him. Uh there's going to be a limited development and that's what we've been very clear on from the beginning. But Dave has holds you in the highest regard, Maryanne. And I've had those conversations with him. And that was part of the way I was able
to get it down to the 18 acres. Well, I really appreciate that it has gotten down to to 18 acres and but I do have some concerns to express about the proposal uh for the development of
Stratton Hills. And uh one is uh one of my concerns is uh about land uh that that should and should not be counted as open space and another is drainage and percol percolation runoff and I want to
make sure we like to make sure that we will uh uh know that uh any drainage will be mitigated and uh so if we could pause there so I can answer your All right. So the the questions were about permeability
overall and secondly about I think drainage in other words storm water. Is that correct Miss do? Yes. And so I I can answer that. Yeah. Those will both be exhaustively reviewed. Absolutely. That that engineering will it's a very demanding engineering uh requirement and they will be
exhaustively reviewed. the ratio of impermeable to permeable, the calculations for storm water and provisions for that uh the mitigation that runoff will be discussed and addressed in in depth and there will be no sign off until we get a DPW signature saying yes we approve the stormwater
plan right and so and I don't want to forget this this one item so I may be out of sync of it but it is question is when are you going to file with NEPA we actually already have so We have MEPA
approval and a conservation management permit. I've had conversations with both agencies regarding amending those existing approvals because both have to be amended because this plan is different than what they approved. And I
think as we near the end of the preliminary plan stage, so I know exactly what it's going to look like, we will initiate that process on amending both those approvals. So if I had to add a guess, the end of August, beginning of September.
Okay. Okay. And so under my first expressed concern is land that should not be included in open space. think that one land between the two roads in the right ofway the easement the easement
right should is a requirement I don't there is a requirement so I'm not sure% included as open space so I I will be corrected because I trust my colleagues but my understanding is that
if it cannot be included the area under the easement cannot be included in the calculation for that first 50% % but when the applicant submits a proposal that's much greater than the 50% then they have leeway to include the easement
in the calculations. Thank you. And uh two under that category the question is uh that uh uh detention basins. Yes. and that uh uh that they ex hope or
expect that the town to accept from road runoff and I don't think that that should be included as open space or be counted as open space that will be part of the discussion.
Yes. And those can certainly be backed off and the numbers are so weighted in in this case that these are very academic. If the numbers were tight, those would be very valid concerns because I would
agree with you 100%. There's stuff that should not be included in an open space calculation, such as those things. But in this case, we're way over the the the population.
Another area are parking areas for people to use for recreation. So, it doesn't seem to me that those and we did raise that and and the I believe Mr. Collins has agreed and the engineers agreed that yep, that's part of discussion and that we're going to
arrive at a place of parking that is not contradictory to the ownership of the ease and holding of the easement by the power company. We'll arrive at a appropriate place for parking for access. Yes. Good. And uh then under uh the second uh
concern expressed is this drainage and percolation runoff concerns. Uh one is want to make sure that the depth to groundwater in detention areas are deep
enough. And we'd have to demonstrate that. Absolutely. and to also to make sure that open space boundaries are clear and make sure that Wetland's boundaries
on the plans are the new approved boundaries and I think they are didn't we recently do an ENRAD so they are they're up to date and I must say I'm very I am concerned
about the uh the dead end uh road and for safety reasons. But but I'm one of the things I'm really concerned about uh is the uh the land uh
that's uh is the extension of this this uh proposed development. And uh so I I would certainly hope that the development would not occur above the uh
the power lines and this is where the land has the greatest or the most significant uh uh environmental value and so we really really hope that uh
that that would not be not be developed. Thank you miss. Thank you. I'm going to recognize what's that? Yes, I believe so. And so I'm going to what I'm going to do is I'm going to recognize the gentlemen and then I'm going to recognize you and then I'm going to I'm going to suspend discussion
for this evening. Doesn't mean we have more meetings come up where you can talk because we have some business we have to attend to before the meeting can close. So I'm going to this gentleman, one other speaker. We're going to close discussion and then we're going to uh finish the um business for the uh for for this evening. Sir, your name and
address. Joe Hart, uh, 18 Hibiscuit Lane. Hello, Mr. Hart. Good evening. Uh, Mr. Collins opened up talking about the the plan, the overall plan looking from right road, looking towards the potential um um development and talking about the view and
protecting the people from Right Road from seeing the homes. I'm I'm hoping the same view will be protected from the people living on Hibiscus where I live and hopefully sheltering and not seeing any of the homes. That's way excuse me. Oh, you won't see any of this.
Hibiscus. Oh, it's across. Hibiscus is across Long Pond. It's not shown. So, if you see on the other map, I'm sorry, but he didn't know where I was off. Okay. You can bring up another map and you can see from from my property. I can see all that lower area.
I have that right. Are you right here? I'm in that cove. You see the the cove at the end of Hibiscus just before the Badger? Yes, sir. Right there. Right. This hypos right there. So I I I would I would hope that when
you were viewing the plan, we hiked it a lot. Looked. That's a tremendous distance from where you are. This is even the old plan with the bigger lots, but the newer lots even further in. So if if you although is quite high, I
know. Right. Yeah. Topographic. Right. And when we're looking at the the the plot plan on the other view, um you see two properties up on the I would say that's the eastern side. Yeah. With the double. Yeah. Those that's the affordable housing.
So, can those be moved to the to the east? This the the bottom half where you have all that open gray space. So, you're not getting closer to the pond. If I may, instead of being on
We see it. Yeah. to get moving these two property over. Just don't touch it. It fights back when you touch it. I'm trying to protect the pond as far as the closest of of properties to the pond to be engineered.
Yeah. I mean, if it's possible, we can certainly look. I don't know if the topography cooperates over there, but we can certainly look. Um, and everyone, you know, I've heard a lot of people talk about nice. It's kind of nice that those two just looking at it quickly, but it is
kind of nice that those two lots are separated from the rest with space on either side because I think that's an easement to to something in between, right? Yeah. Understand? Yeah. Um when you put them on the other side, probably
I guess you have to decide whether you leave that spacing or not, you know. Yeah. But yeah. Okay. And then a lot of people people had concerns regarding their lighting and obviously lighting and and then I know you talked about the last two or three subdivisions you're putting in lighting, but I'd appreciate
consideration and making sure that when the lighting comes in, I'm not looking at Wrigley Field in my backyard instead of, you know, this the beautiful property that Mark talks about a few times. Agreed. And and that we have pretty strict rules about lighting uh and controlling light pollution. So yes,
acknowledged. Yes. And then, you know, new new new to me tonight, you know, we're talking about a 7-year long construction project that's going to be going on of a 100 people going out out of a a construction site on a daily basis. That's a long construction duration for Wright Road, um the
environment, um everyone that lives around there. It's it's going to be a disturbance for 7 years. Yeah. And we take that very seriously. Yes. And it might go quick, huh? Dave is 86. his son may well be qua.
So those are my those are my thoughts for the evening. Thank you Mr. Appreciate it. And lastly, I believe this. Hi, I'm Faith Salter 10 Winthre Avenue and I just appreciate all of this problem solving preservation thing that you're all doing. I have two things and
I'm not going to belver the traffic. I just want to comment on that that a September 2021 traffic study, it's a pandemic traffic study. It's not useful. And I want to include the sandy pond period that that where the beach is that has to be part of the impact study just
because I I know you've all been down there and you've been there today. Yeah. So just in the summertime and that kind of thing and like during the pandemic there was no traffic. So that's aside that's not really what I wanted to say. What I wanted to say is more um that my big concern when I first heard about this has to do with Long Pond
which in the pond study for the town of air is described as not just a critical habitat um for the town of air but for the state of Massachusetts because it is such a pristine pond and that there isn't any way that a development of any size can go on these shores of this pond
without increasing the nutrient load in the pond and having a negative impact on the ecology of the pond. And I feel like as a resident of air, you know, everyone, you yourself, sir, talked about how this is a critical conservation area and how important this is. We keep talking about the land. Air
has that in short supply anyway. But clean water, a clean pond, we really don't have that. This is the upstream pond. The water quality in the town gets worse and worse as you follow the water through the town to grow a pond and out ultimately into the river. I think we have to think about that. I think we
have to think about the nutrient load. But I know we've talked about storm water, but when we talk about storm water basins, everyone around here's like, storm water basins, it stays there. We I that's a lot of impermeable surface. I'm really worried about the increase of the nutrient load. I would like future displays of this to show the
water because people don't understand that that water there, it's right there. It's right there, you know, and I think it's important that people who are making comments understand that and understand the connectivity there. I'm also conscious that in every town meeting there's a fight about the $40,000 a year that we spend in this
town on. I'm only saying that because this is relevant. It's relevant because that's because of nutrient load. And so when the planning board thinks about planning into the future and we're planning to increase the nutrient load in the water and the surface waters of the town, we're planning to pay more for
vegetating vegetation control. So I just want to put that there. Yes. Thank you. Sure. I'm going to Thank you very I'm going to allow Mr. Diskin to respond. We would never plan to add a nutrient load to any pond in the town as a planning board, but we will certainly look very closely at the impact of the louder. Please,
we would never plan to add the nutrient load to any pond. We will definitely plan to take a close look at your concerns, but we certainly would never plan to add nutrient load. Great. Thank you. Um, at this point we're going to I'm going to close the discussions and
move to some action items on this particular project and then there's some other agenda items we need to fill. The first thing I want to Mr. Chair. Yes, please. Could I just give one encouragement which is there are three OSRD developments in various states of construction right now. It would be
great to take a look at any one of those. get permission if it's in slay. But a lot of the concerns are being addressed but uh are being addressed in those and I think you you get a great view of what uh this board has has
regulated uh in in real time out there on uh three different areas in our town. Thank you. So I'd like to do is see if there's some action items we can actually cover today. What is the yield plan? Mr. Collins I got you on a new one.
Yeah, we can. I think that we by the next meeting we could we can expect a yield plan. Absolutely. Do you need to talk to any any help or assistance with the calculation? Is that something you need compensation? He got that. You know, I think that as I said, I
think the the approved subdivision could suffice as a yield plan and I could just use that as a yield plan because it has no just do the math in the bylaw, please. It results in 44. Well, that's okay. We'll give you a yield plan. That's fine. Would you like to see that for the
entire site or No, just for the development area for your proposed road 40,000t lots around the entire Well, one question is the area that was identified in the conservation management plan to the
right uh abuing the ponds that's kind of restrict restricted from the conservation management plan or not. So I think it would perhaps be inappropriate to include those as lies since we wouldn't build them anyway. But we'll get you a yield plan. Yeah.
Yeah. Well, yeah. So basically, we'll stay within the envelope of 2005 rather than wasting our time on the whole thing. Well, yeah. We don't want to look at the northern part of the we don't want a yield plan for up here because obviously,
you know, that's unrealistic. But the question is, do we base the yield plan on the 2005 road or do we base it on this new road? Well, I think you could base it on a theoretical road. Let I would like Ken has an idea. Ken has thoughts.
If we agree that the process has gone from the original subdivision to this new proposed, right, we don't need to yield that amount because we've got the shrinkage down to the in the countdown. If we do a yield plan, it's only going to show us what
potentially could have been done in the standard subdivision. So if the proponent believes that they're not going to this is it, right? We're already there with smaller unit counts. I think the plan we don't have to discuss how I agree that it'll tell us the obvious
that they're staying well below what they get. I'm happy to provide it if you want it. So, I just as a technical legal matter, do we have to have the Well, if if we're going to not require a legal plan, we should get a waiver request from the applicant to wave the
EEL plan requirement. That's all. Just to make it clear, it's because it is impossible that they'll come up with a number that's less than 30 35 plots. Yeah. And they're so below the threshold that it's almost move. It's just it's a
but it is a part of the process, the yield plan. So my understanding is yeah because they basically the idea is to show all areas that could be developed at the conventional development scale. Yeah. 40,000t lots and 150 ft of furnish
around the room. So leave it to the board. It makes a big difference in the smaller OSRDs because you know you have much more constrained land. The open space might barely exceed 50%. So that's a very important thing for the planning board to consider. Whereas you're right
with this property, if you wanted to really go crazy and build the whole thing out, you like you said get over 100 lots, but we're asking to provide something. So the Yes, that's a yes. Yeah. Yes. Um I was wondering about the Did you Mr.
Colin, you had us a chance to see um Mark's RFP regarding the review of the traffic study? Uh yeah, I think there was Can we get to a point we have an agreement about whether that this was circulated at a meeting in July? Oh yes.
So we were we were away Yes. that at some point or another you're going to need money and right? Yeah. Once we get to that point first we have to send out the description. So Mark, what do we need to do to get to to get move the RFP forward?
Uh authorization. We can first look at the RFP. see if you're happy with everything that was included in it and that authorized me to distribute it to potential uh consulting firms that would respond to it. Um do we have a motion
first? I wasn't sure we're going to have a discussion. It is the one that I that we have. Yeah. Yeah. Thank you. If I'm not mistaken, Mark, you can clarify this, but did you not work with members of the community for this hour? Yes. In fact, uh, Philip Prey, uh, I
believe has a connection with Andy there. Uh, he he, um, he had some advice on my initial one, and I included a great deal, if not all of his concerns in here. And I will note that the RFP
includes things that were mentioned by the public here. For instance, the condition of right road was identified by both Miss Stoddard and Miss Gagino. That's in this RFP. Um, so a lot of your concerns are in the document that we
would submit to a consultant to say this is what we want you to look at. Has everyone had a chance to look at the RFP? I'm asking the board members. Julie before, right? So, no, you haven't. Mr. Chair, if I may.
Yes, sir. This is this is actually the piece that um I had most fun with over the last 24 hours. Go for it. for 40 hours tonight. I did I did read Mark's um actually uh Jonathan reminded me to read your um uh
write up this project and it calmed me down a little bit. But some of the things that if I may just make some general comments in in no general order following the Vanessa report as I read it um and I and I want to I want to kind of put this in a context.
Um, it's a traffic study. We're talking about level of service, trip originations, how fast you get through an intersection. This does not, as it stands in my to my eyes, reflect
the actual ins and outs of all multimotal transportation over there. Walkers, cyclists, um, cars, trucks. Now the other thing is um it leaves out a major intersection and and I know Mr. Collins I I believe
you um are fairly familiar with air. Um we have a transfer station. We have a school and a school right next to the school and I live on the feeder road that comes off Calvin Street which comes off of Snake Hill Road that takes everybody to the transfer station from
that area of the of the town. I see Jess multiple times. She honks and I wave as she goes by because Oakidge Drive is the is is is used because to go out past the beach over the causeway past
the beach it slows us down. So we take Calvin to Oakidge to the transfer station to the schools. So, I would hope that a future traffic study even for originations would include that intersection which you're going to find is between as I believe you know um on
Snake Hill from Sandy Pond Road in it's just glaringly not there and I know it's in it's in Marks along with the condition. Yeah. Although I do know that they looked at it. I I've got to check to see. Yeah. So, but I I'm sure your peer review is going. So, again,
we're not traffic engineers. I leave it to them. I spent an awful lot of my time doing multim multimodal advocacy. You're going to find out. Um, so that's one. Uh, the how they describe the roads. I mean, I I recognize that I am reading an engineer's report following probably the
uh MUTCD. So, um, I find it a little disingenuous to be honest with you that we're using traffic counters out on 495. I think that's probably not right. Um, nowhere in this report could I find that anybody spent any time looking up um the the the
we don't want to talk about accidents. We don't want accidents to ever happen, but there was an accident at the corner of Sandy Pond and Calvin. I can't remember if the car was going out or in on S on on Snakeill. Excuse me. Snake
Hill and Calvin. I can't remember if the car was going out or in, but it took down a handful of the railings and fence post the fence post and the railings of the property at 2 Calvin Street. And that has happened in the last 2 or 3 years. And I believe that was a uh the
air police responded because I was at a function on Sandy Pond across the pond. First things first, we heard it all the way across the pond, but then again, sound travels. So I don't think this is capturing accident data and that's not sure but again those are the things I think you got to bring up with the
peer review a traffic impact study. Exactly. And is that part of the peer review mark the accident? Uh I believe the reason the reason I didn't I'm just going through what's here and I'm just going to talk about what I think the deficiencies are just so we know where we stand.
Yeah I we were I was confused for a second. Jeff is reading the Veness report. I'm reading the Venice report. No, he is, but I didn't line it up, but I'm just checking to see if it's in the RFP so that we can cover these things. I didn't I didn't I honestly didn't line it up with the paper to be honest with
you. And I know Miss Reed and Mr. Gray did a great job of working on the traffic safety piece of it because, you know, the honest truth is a traffic analysis is typically level of service, length of trip time.
Am I going to sit at that intersection for 13 seconds or 14 seconds as opposed to is somebody did somebody get killed in that intersection? I found out about that as a very young man um when a neighbor got picked off in an intersection that didn't have stop signs. And that's where I learned about this. Um the Vaness report talks about
and this is on page nine pedestrian and bicycle facilities. Um there's a there's a sidewalk on Sandy Pond Road. So we counted that there's no sidewalks on Snake Hill, so there's no pedestrians.
There's no cycling infrastructure on these roads. So we didn't talk about that and included in our study. I think that's a deficiency in the study. And I would like to see that, you know, the the multimodal vehic non-vehicular traffic gets included in
that. Um, and again, this is in no order, so I'm just gonna make sure I kind of And yeah, I was ready to go with this one. So, Jeeoff, you what I would ask is it could could this be a conversation with Mark about the RFP, just like what needs to be.
Okay, it's a quick one and then I would bring that up because um and you know the factors of uh seasonality and stuff like that. again recognizing that the traffic that comes from that section of our town travels not through the main arterials
in our town out of choice because we live here and we know how to get there quicker that that is a major intersection that's missing in the whole study and I would I know it's in your piece. I'm happy to work with Mark on this and I know Mr. Reed Mr. uh Mr. Gray and M Reed worked on it with him before
and I think it's probably complete. I just didn't line them up. Well, so it's worth a little bit of time to to go through your concerns and make sure that everything I have in my RFP from last October is addressed before we get I can't imagine we would remove because once we send it out it's too
late. So So my my feeling that my question is are we ready to authorize Mark to send out the RFB to get a contract or does it need a little further work and we vote on that? It may be a little further work. Let me uh put my head down and read code quickly. All right. So we we'll we're not going
to vote on that tonight. Ah well to authorize I was going to say can we authorize it in light of any Okay. Right. So what uh yeah I think that would be appropriate. So um yeah I entertain a motion. Can I just can you go on the next thing about giving me a chance to read a
couple pages and make sure the current Okay, that's fine. Um Mark, if we're looking down the list y I think we can number two three. I think we've skipped that. Uh is there anything else that we think we can move advance uh to this evening? Anything else on
your list? Uh well, one thing I wanted to let everybody know is I am working with uh Dan Van Shawwick uh to finalize the RFP for the engineering review which should include uh the issues that were raised
today about the the water and the sewer impacts of the whole neighborhood. and whether whether the water and sewer lines can that will go into the engineering RFP, but that will take a little more work since that's not quite as final. Are
you anticipating an engineering impact review now while on the definitive plan for the definitive plan? We want to get it ready. We want to get it ready before the end of this. Correct. Correct. But you won't issue that because that'll be on the definitive
plan when they have a full set of drawings and details. Yes. Whatever else is specifications and so yeah. So by August, it would be great if we had the RFP for the engineering RFP ready to go out so that when they submit
the definitive plan, we're ready to go right right off the bat. But the the more crucial one right now is the traffic study. Agreed. Obviously. All right. I'm getting there, Mr. V. All right. Um Jeeoff, we could be one on one, you
know. I think you actually have I think you captured most of it to be honest with you. He just needs to add the multi mode. I think it's all Yeah, I would just actually mark it up a little bit. I you know, send me something in the morning with the board's permission. I'm happy to work on I'm happy to move
forward with that. That's fine. And you guys will loop in any changes to Mr. Collins and we're going to spend the money. Let's spend it and get all done. Okay. Good. Thank you. You're nodding. So I'm assuming you're you're you're jiggy with this. Okay, good. Um, so am I am I ready
to take a vote to approve to we can authorize Mr. Authorize me to send out the a motion? Please uh like to uh make a motion that we uh ask Mark to engage um a third party
reviewer for for do traffic study for the project. Mhm. Excellent. Seconded. Any discussion? I'd like to amend a motion to include that the RFP will be um double checked with Jeff for any conditions he may need
to be added to the RFP before it goes out. Are those Is that amendment acceptable to the motions? Absolutely. Exit friendly. Beautiful. So got a second. Seconded again. All in favor? I as amended. As amended, I Yes.
I chair votes I. It's unanimous that you are at we now authorized. Um when do I need to do the closest portion of the meeting or the tell us when you want to see us again? Next week. Next meeting. The next meeting I believe is July 12th.
It's the second Tuesday of the month. Whenever that is. Yeah. I believe it's July 12th. Mr. Pel. So we'll discontinue the public meeting until July 12th. We will continue the public meeting until July 12th. Thank you everyone for your patience.
So, thank you so much. You've been very generous with with your time railing. Um, we just have a few thing quick things to go through. The site visit the air solar too. Oh, okay. Yeah,
that the next thing on the agenda. A break. No, that What's the next one on the agenda? Do you need us for any of this? No. Uh, no. Thank you. Oh, yeah. Of course. I'm sorry. Does it just uh Does it need anything special? Just take it out. Yeah, you could just usually they tell you not to
do that. Okay. So, since that discussion is too agenda, I have to recuse myself. Okay. Can can we handle other business before or we get it quickly done here? Let's uh maybe we could do the other
business first. Would anyone can we do that? Uh even though is can we change the order the agenda? like to like to make a motion that we change the order so we include Mr. His in the rest of the meeting. Yeah, let's say wait till the Yes. second. Second. All in favor? I It's unanimous. We're going to do
that. Thank you. Um let's talk about So skip the meeting minutes. I'm not ready. Deal with the next room. Uh any old business, new business? Um, I have an issue under old and uh as I was traveling up, excuse me,
I have an issue under old business for a currently happening OSRD here in town off-site work. Um, Shaker Mill Pond is in the process of being built out. As you know, they put in a connect to our our wastewater
system over underground and up the hill onto Snake Hill Road. And as I was coming around the corner today on Still Road, I almost didn't pay enough attention to miss, not to miss the depression, the asphalt that they put
in. Typically, when you patch a road, it recedes. The receding that's happening at the downhill end of Snake Hill Road has become quite pronounced. So, I would like to see if we can't write a letter. I would propose that we
write a letter to um Mr. DJO that we ask him that when he is back in and we talked to DP coordinate with DPW and that we asked them that when they come back to town to do the final top coat way back in on the road over there and the driveways that they also repatch the
work on Snake Hill Road. Okay. They were responsible for the directional drilling and I think one of the patches just has failed. So would would that require a letter to Mr. AO from communicate with I'm not sure exactly what it does. I would ask Mark if we can why don't you give Dan a call uh DPW call and find out what it requires.
Do we need a formal vote to offer? Can you show me uh or is it easy to see? I can show you exactly where it is. I'll do it on Yeah, I can take a picture of it cuz I was doing a time but is right at the entrance. So when you come across it's not on um That's two way. Is it
Shaker Road? It's 2A. Two way. It's when you Little Road. Exactly. When you travel Littleton Road, you either go left or right onto the uh terminus of Snake Hill. Right there, you can see where they put they built they dug the hole for the direction.
It goes up the hill. There's one, two, three places. The patch at the top, pristine. The other two patches are beginning to fail. This one's failing because this gets all the traffic, all the turning traffic on and off that road is this one. So, I would just make a request
that before that project gets final sign off, right? We asked them to touch it up. Um, so do we need a vote to authorize or just ask Mark? Do you send Mark? Well, yeah. Mark, I'll contact him. I saw it this afternoon. That's I'd like to see this though, too. So,
yeah, maybe I'll meet you later. You drive meet for a hot dog. Any other old business? New business. I have one thing for actually the administrative thing, which is development project updates.
Yeah, I was going to say because if there are no old business, new business, it's going to go to development project updates. Yep. Okay, let's go to development project updates. What do you got? Well, the big one is of course uh Air Solo 2. I have not yet contacted Catalo to arrange that because it's been but I
want to do that very soon so we can get out there too. Um so that's yeah, there's one other one that was we haven't talked about. Interestingly enough, that's the high school improvement for the field. as a site point. You want to see that one by us? I've been checking by drone.
Yeah, we've been looking online, but does it rise to the level of us taking a inspection? We could have property and schools out, right? So, and actually they're they're operating 7 to 7. They're they're doing they're flying. So, would you guys would like a sidewalk
or a site visit to I think I think it would be nice to set up a site visit because we did talk a lot about the retaining wall in the back. Right. So those key things that we talked about to see how would it be do you think it would be obnoxious to ask if Dan could come out
to explain the engineering or is that too much to ask. Oh I we got the plan we have the plans and their site minds there site guys I just want I just threw that out there. That's fine. Um if I may we've been doing sitewalks on Thursday mornings.
Do you like that or not like it? Um, I'm going to ask the board's uh forgiveness at some point, maybe in about two weeks, but it looks like my Thursdays will be away. We'll do a different day though. Okay, that's all I'm saying. I don't have a problem with that. We'll figure that out. But for the next one, let's set it up. Okay. Um, anything else before we get to
uh Solar 2 or we No. Did you want to recuse yourself? Mr. Disc is recusing himself because he's in the butter to solar, too. So, that's what's going on here. Does he have to come back? Yeah. I don't know. Do you have to come back? Yeah, come back. Come back. All right. So, someone has to go get it.
So, what's up with Air Solar 2? Well, we took a safe visit there and it looks like uh you know, they may not have followed the original. All right. So, the most recent approval, so look,
there are issues. I'm just going to say them out loud. Um the road is not built to to to to the plane. Um the engineers acknowledge that on the sidewalk because we were not we were accompanied by the engineers. The infrastructure that was supposed to be in place before the road was built
was never completed. It was never actually begun. So the idea the logic the initial logic was of course you would have the road appropriately constructed so that any of the vehicles to do the actual electrical work wouldn't create much of a disturbance. But we have this odd situation where the electrical work is
almost done and the road is nowhere near complete and it's quite obvious that the retention wall that they that's part of the plans is not going to be part of of the work. They have to come back to us. The engineers are going to come back to us the applicant engineers with a revised plan. But I just wanted to acknowledge just the fact the fact that
the road design does not conform to our original understanding. Um, on the plus side, that is one darn strong culvert. Um, and pretty impressive. Um, and obviously they've made an extraordinary
amount of progress on the electrical part, the panels, wires, telephone poles. Um, the reason I emphasize telephone poles, it's rather unusual to put the poles up before the roads are down, but and the storm water work is finished,
but that's what they did and that's what we're dealing with. So I I think what I see is that um is as as Desi would say to Lucy, there's a lot of Splaining to do and we we anticipate them coming before us and we have a lot to talk about. So I'm going to add a comment if
I may. Mr. Chair, please. Um Air Solar 2 was a plan that came to the planning board, a project that came to the planning board prior to everyone in this room but me. Right. One of the things that the chair at the time remembered to do was to add
a covenant to it. They can't turn the switch on and pull electricity off that property until it's approved. Final approval through building. Thank goodness. So, it's a difficult project to get money. We couldn't get shy from them
because there's no money. Okay. We got we got a we got enough money to uh take it down from them. So to de decommission it, but because it's not a public road, there was no shity for the road, right?
And now I'm going to speak hypothetically for a moment. Okay. I'm not going to speak officially. Um it's like you came home and you found out the kids painted the room. It's a mess, but the room's painted. Exactly.
And you know what? The decisions they made are probably not bad decisions. Conservation was with us on the walk. I was not at conservation's meeting Thursday evening. I don't know what they've decided to do about it. I'm not going to I'm not asking anybody
in the room who may or may not have been here with conservation. Um and so they got splaining to do to conservation. Yes, they do. And they got splaining to do to us. Lots of splaining. Um, so some of it's COVID related, some of it's they had an on-site guy who just did
what he wanted to do. Can we cut to the chase? Cut to the chase. We didn't build it. We didn't build they didn't build the road the way they the way it was put on the plans. They realized that with compaction they could get away without building a huge retaining wall. Yeah. Yeah.
So the the question is in a wild place, do we put in a man-made structure or just compact the road? Right. So what they did is they changed the pitch. They spoke to public safety to make sure a fire engine can get in there, right?
And they made an on-site choice. Okay. But now we could insist upon the road, but it would require them to it it it's it's really interesting what they've done. And I I how do I feel about it? I mean, quite honestly, I don't really
want that retaining wall, but I want them to bring soil in. I want I don't want them to leave it. So, go ahead. No, I'm going to let I'm going to let Nathan speak. Can we authorize a letter so that we know that the developer is aware that
they must come back to the board? Oh. Oh, I Yeah, I Yeah, we could, but I think they they are planning to do that. I mean, you said, "Well, we should." Would you say I I want to May, if I may, Nathan, I think Mark the planner should reach out and find out when they're going to be here.
That's it. That is planning to get Let's get like when we be here. Yeah. Just ask them to come to just That's the right way. You haven't sat in that seat for a while. That's the question there. But we were talking about planning and hoping and problems, but let's put some concrete to it. No, I totally get it.
I agree with you. Let's do that. So we'll have them to address these issues directly. In fact, uh remember when we originally scheduled a site visit for mid July when Roique got back we could still hold that like July 12th. Yeah.
We're going to need plans that reflect what's there. I know that's and one and one and one of the upsets is the storm water um work hasn't been done yet. Yep. And
they are doing kind of a how do I say it as built some of the challenges on the property with ledge and stuff is what I mean they have enough discoveries that they can put together now a a asbuilt drawing yes 99% sure that they're going to hit it.
The problem is stopping them doesn't make sense. Right. That's the issue. Right. Some of what they claimed on the site looked to me. I'm not an erosion expert, but I mean that steep slope when you first come in the steep slopes, it needs to be reinforced. I want Yeah,
they did talk about I wonder about that. Maybe they're right. They say sus, huh? You say sus now. So, it's getting late. I think I think that what we can agree on is that Mark will contact him and say, "Hey, when you guys get come, we'd
like to see you in July and come talk to us. There's some issues we we got to resolve. And as always, get whatever they're going to bring to us beforehand so we can take a look at it. Yes. Not a presentation of what they want to fix, but No. Okay. Good. Could uh Julie, could you ask Ken to come back in?
Okay. You are iron people. You're making out to the bitter end. Yeah. That is impressive in itself. That means the end is coming. All right. You missed the disc and so is there any other bit? I think we covered all the
business, right? Well, I think so. Yeah. Discussion development projects update meeting minutes. We've deferred. We talked to all business do business. I'm I'm looking at a motion to adjurnn. So move. Second.
Second. Second. And that's it. Meeting adjourn. Right. early.