Wednesday, August 27, 2008

Planning Board - August 25th, 2008

The Hopkinton Planning Board met on August 25th, and the agenda included a discussion of downtown revitalization efforts, and several other topics.

Hopkinton Downtown Initiatives

The first hour of the meeting was a joint meeting with the Board of Public Works, Downtown Historic District Commission, and the Downtown Revitalization Committee. The Planning Board has adopted downtown planning as a key initiative for the 2008-2009 term. Discussion focused on review of a draft list of 50-60 individual work items, ranging from sidewalk maintenance, crosswalk enhancements, road width review, water main replacement, bicycle lanes, complementary private initiatives such as Bill's Pizza, Friends of the Common work on tree-scape and gazebo at the Common, Library consideration of expansion possibilities.

The Town's Director of Public Works offered expertise on how the town might approach the long list of items, proposing a multi-year phased approach to a comprehensive roadway improvement project that could be timed with a necessary infrastructure enhancement to the water main through the center of town.

Funding alternatives for the comprehensive project could include existing state transportation bond funding (which references Hopkinton, but which we would have to advocate for), grants for downtown preservation and enhancement, project related mitigation, and other sources. Under this approach, execution could be expected 5-7 years from now.

While the long term comprehensive approach to downtown infrastructure, roadway, and pedestrian improvements was recognized as ideal, several participants expressed concern that the state of the sidewalks may pose a safety hazard to pedestrians today, and funding for repair and maintenance should be an immediate priority.

Next, Boulder Capital presented a proposal for traffic light signalization enhancements at the Cedar/Grove/Main Street intersection (where route 85 crosses route 135), which represents a significant piece of the commitment between the town and the Legacy Farms developer under the Host Community Agreement. Agreement was reached that the signalization enhancement should include upgrades to allow the signals to sense traffic volumes and adjust signals automatically. Several styles of traffic signalization equipment were reviewed, including for aesthetic features and estimates of ongoing maintenance costs that the town might expect for each style of signalization equipment. It was agreed that the DPW Board, Downtown Revitalization Committee and Historic Commission would meet to review in more detail and provide a recommendation. The discussion would be picked up again at the September 22 Planning Board meeting.

Solar Panels

The town's Facilities Director with Borrego Solar Inc. presented a minor project site plan review, for installation of solar panels on Hopkinton school buildings, and on the Police and Fire Stations.

Minor site plan review ensures that projects are reviewed against a set of criteria defined in our zoning bylaws, to ensure the project meets defined community objectives and goals. In addition, state law requires that town bylaws not "prohibit or unreasonably regulate the installation of solar energy systems or the building of structures that facilitate the collection of solar energy."

Board members had some questions, which were answered, regarding the features of the system and the financial model, which have been negotiated by the town and the schools. Notably,
the agreement will cover about 12% of the town's overall energy needs, will require no up front investment by the townthere will be no excess energy sold to the grid (100% of energy created will be consumed by the town, offsetting 12% of our overall electricity needs)the town will lock into a 3% rate of increase each year (this year's increase from traditional energy sources was 9%)town residents will receive a $500 discount on installation of any residential solar electric systemBorrego Solar Inc. will contribute an additional $500 to the Hopkinton Schools for each residential installation.
The Planning Board voted unanimously to approve the application for minor site plan review, clearing the Planning Board component of the town's preparation for this initiative.

Performance Guarantees

We had two developer requests for reduction in performance guarantee bond amounts. Performance guarantees are bonds that protect the town by setting up a financing source in case a developer defaults on infrastructure obligations, like the completion of roadways, for example.

The first request for bond reduction was from Toll Brothers, regarding the Hopkinton Highlands II/Estates at Highland Ridge development. The guarantee still provided for $600,000 of protection for the town related to work that has largely been completed; the remaining work was estimated, on the high side, as amounting to about $72,000 of work were the town left to complete it ourselves.

The tricky thing about this one was that the development has been plagued with water access problems. Discussion ensued about whether the recently developed wells, certified by Department of Environmental Protection, were operable (it was demonstrated they are, and DEP letter to that effect was provided), and whether we should continue to keep the bond level at $600,000 until after one full year of successful performance of the new wells.

Based on the following provision of Massachusetts law, and recommendation from our Town Planner, I voted to reduce the performance guarantee to $72,000, and was joined by most of the other board members on this affirmative vote (one voted against reducing the bond level), though during discussion some expressed they were voting reluctantly to reduce the bond, wishing there were some other legal way to protect the town by ensuring developer engagement and responsibility until after some longer period of successful performance of the new wells.
  • "The penal sum of any such bond held under clause (1) or any deposit held under clause (2) or any amount of funds retained pursuant to an agreement under clause (4) shall bear a direct and reasonable relationship to the expected cost including the effects of inflation, necessary to complete the subject work. Such amount or amounts shall from time to time be reduced so that the amount bonded, deposited or retained continues to reflect the actual expected cost of work remaining to be completed.”
The second performance guarantee reduction request came from the developer of the Emerald Hills Development off of Saddle Hill Road in Hopkinton. All of the work associated with this development has been completed, and the board voted unanimously to reduce the guarantee to zero, recognizing that the developer's obligations have been met and there is no remaining work for the town to complete and therefore no anticipated costs to the town to guarantee against. A separate guarantee was $15,000 that had been set aside for widening of Saddle Hill Road. A board member explained that initially, when the development was just being planned, the board anticipated based on public input that there would be a need to widen Saddle Hill Road, but when the topic was brought up subsequently, there was significant public resistance, against widening Saddle Hill Road. And actual traffic volumes due to the development build out did not meet the level of fear that existed during the planning stages. Believing that Saddle Hill Road still does have several portions that are dangerously narrow, I voted to not reduce the bond; but I was the sole vote on that side, with the rest of the board voting to bring the value to zero.

South Street Minor Project Site Plan Review

In other business before the board, a property owner on South Street proposed increasing the elevation of their roof to a level well within the height limits, to accomodate new equipment related to Bio Life Sciences work that the company does at the location. The board reviewed the project against the defined criteria in our bylaw, to ensure it meets community objectives, and voted unanimously to approve the work.

Wednesday, August 20, 2008

If you don't like it here, try...

Here, when developments impact existing homeowners, we make much effort to ensure the impact is minimized and to mitigate for negative impacts. A commercial development going up near a neighborhood, for example, might be approved with the condition that screening be provided by planting trees or shrubs between the properties.

Public hearings and appeals are built into the process to protect the rights of other property owner and enable mitigation for the aggrieved. Even some who recognize the importance of such process for protection of individual property rights sometimes express frustration for the "delays" that the public hearing and appeals process introduce.

I'll take lengthy public hearing and appeals process any day, however, over this situation: in Beijing, two elderly women seeking a legal process to protest the demolition of their homes for Olympics related development were sent to re-education labor camp, the New York Times reported.

Monday, August 18, 2008

Biking to work

Bicycles are an integral part of the Hopkinton landscape. Seeing people gathering at the Common on weekends with their bikes or cycling past my house on Ash Street always reminds me what a beautiful town we live in and what a great form of exercise bicycling can be.

Lately, however, I'm noticing more people riding bicycles not just for leisure, but increasingly as commuters. Maybe I'm noticing it more because I've started riding my own bike to work more too. I claim no moral superiority here, I ride when I can, and still use my car on many days too.

Riding the bike to work has focused my attention on a few things about Hopkinton:
1. Our major roads don't have bike lanes or have bike lanes that run off into unfinished shoulders
2. Our Recreation Plan surveys consistently indicate a demand for bike trails and bike lanes (it's the #1 request respondents had, above open space and every other form of active recreation).
3. We've done very little to make our roads accessible to bicyclists.

I would like to see us (members of the town planning board) make pedestrian access, including bicycle access, a priority in any new subdivision and on any repair or upgrade to existing roads. I will also continue to raise it as an issue during site plan review and other planning board discussions.

Our local businesses, including EMC, are promoting alternative modes of transportation and healthy lifestyles, by providing facilities for employees to keep bikes, and to shower after biking or running to work. EMC is also a recognized leader in promoting carpooling and ride sharing. This creates an opportunity for our Chamber of Commerce and our town boards and committees to promote Hopkinton as a community that recognizes the value of an infrastructure that is accessible to all commuters, including those on bicycles. But first we have to pony up the infrastructure to make Hopkinton truly pedestrian friendly.

From an infrastructure planning point of view, with intersections becoming increasingly congested, whatever we can do to reward and incent local businesses to promote fewer cars seems worth examining -- whether it's telecommuting, rideshare, shuttle service, commuter rail access, or safer roads for bicycling.

As an example of what we could do to reward businesses who take measurable steps to reduce traffic impact, I wonder if there's a way to offer relief from parking requirements during site plan review (we require a certain number of parking spaces based on building square footage), for companies who commit to and can provide evidence of a certain percentage of their population telecommuting, or using alternative transportation methods, including biking, walking, and carpooling?

Just a thought for further exploration, like everything here.

Now, off my soap box, and onto that hard little seat on my bike! :-)

Happy Trails!

Tuesday, August 12, 2008

August 11 Planning Board Meeting

The Planning Board met last night. We discussed a schedule for Legacy Farms master plan special permit review and other concurrent activity with other town boards and state agencies.

Topics included:
  • A couple "Approval Not Required" (ANR) plans, including a lot delineation that will allow transfer of the Land behind the WarrenLodge to neighboring Bill's Pizza.
  • A subdivision plan for a property on North Mill Street, where the owner would like to subdivide the lot and build a second home behind their existing home; complicating factors are the extensive wetlands on the property, and specific requirements for open space and buffers.
  • A transfer of open space land from a developer to a conservation group, with stewardship provided by a second conservation group, eliminating any burden for the town's conservation commission.
  • Policy discussion and vote on requiring that members of the Zoning Advisory Committee should be residents of Hopkinton (not other towns). This was an interesting discussion as there were good reasons on both sides. In the end, I voted to require residency based on input from non-involved neighbors who I asked opinions of, my observation that we have many very experienced people right here in town that we can draw from. In the future, I can imagine, with some planning ahead, in the interest of regional planning, setting up with other towns a kind of 'exchange' where one spot on each town's board was reserved for one resident of the neighboring town.
  • Approval of bills and minutes of prior meetings.


Monday, August 4, 2008

Observations from an Island in Maine

I just spent a week on one of the most remote inhabited islands off the Maine Coast. I hadn't realized it, but Maine has over 3,000 islands dotting along it's coast. Of course, I couldn't resist investigating planning and development issues while there.

The island we visited was nearly 25 miles out, with no cell phone reception or internet. Arriving near low tide in a deep fog, we transferred from our boat to skif and stepped foot directly onto the wet shoreline out of the small row boat, no dock involved.

There are no paved roads. And no trash pick-up (don't accumulate trash in the first place, or bring it with you next time you leave the island). Our cottage was so close to the water that you could toss used lobster shells directly to the seagulls. And too close for sewer or septic: our toilet was a portable incinerator called an Incinolet, or we could use the outhouse.

There are 35 year round residents on the island, give or take, and we met most of them. They are proud of surviving the unforgiving stark Maine winters, of their active lobster and fishing tradition, and most of all proud of the natural beauty of their home. The lack of 'interference' forces a unique self sufficiency and community spirit: "There is no 'They' out here," as one resident put it, (referring to "Are THEY going to fix the roads," and implying that anything that needs to get done is done by 'Us.'

Roads and homes are referred to by the names of the families who own the properties, not by street names or numbers. Title histories are often in question, I learned, and much of the land ownership uncertain or in dispute, long standing dispute with no intentions of resolution.

Wild raspberry and blueberry bushes and many other wild plant species lined the paths we walked on the way to the bakery for our daily morning coffee and pastry.

The state Ferry comes and goes only twice a week, a service deficiency that the locals seemed just fine with; the inaccessibility of the island has protected it from the type of tourist development that could put their traditional ways and slower pace at risk.

In fact, despite the stark differences from a community like Hopkinton and the needs we have here, all in all, the level of infrastructure and services on the island are probably pretty well in synch with the community goals there - and definitely in synch with my family's idea of a "getting away from everything" vacation.

But still, how happy I was when my Blackberry (the portable electronic device, not the wild trailside berry from the island) lit back up upon arrival back on the mainland a week later, and I learned the School Committtee had voted in favor of moving ahead with plans for solar electric power for Hopkinton town buildings!