October Meeting

Waban Area Council

Meeting Minutes

October 10, 2014, 7:30pm

Members in Attendance:  Rena Getz, Sallee Lipshutz, Christopher Pitts, Kathy Winters, Matt Gardella, and Barbara Bower.

Aldermen in Attendance: Brian Yates, John Rice.

Residents in Attendance:  Allison Burroughs, John Blessington, Sande Young, Sarah Quigley, Marilyn Boyles, Barbara Parnell.

1. July Minutes.  Minutes of September 11, 2014 meeting approved by unanimous vote.

2. Treasurer’s Report.  $1822.75 was collected for the FOTQ DRC matching funds project.  $4688.75 is current balance in the account.  Recommendation of Dave Wilkinson, Newton comptroller, is that we file a docket item to establish a revolving account with the city.  RG has the language needed for the docket item.  Unanimous approval for RG to pursue the docket item.  

3. Burning Issues from the Community. 

• Comment on WAC site re zip cars.  Two spaces have been reserved for zip cars in MBTA lot.  Resident has inquired as to whether there was any public process for this designation.  AD will address the item.
• Another resident has raised concerns via email about the condition of Oakvale Rd. and the damage caused by construction trucks using the private road.  Concern over possible use of road by SPN construction trucks.  SPN working group will convey concerns to developer and will keep on top this issue throughout SPN development process.    

4. FOTQ Update.  FOTQ met the grant target for the DCR grant to construct footbridges along the walking paths at Quinobequin Rd.  There are also currently speed monitors on each end of Quinobequin Rd.   SL was at a meeting today with Kevin Wayland, Deputy Director of DCR, his aide, Dan Driscoll,  Rep. Ruth Balser, Katherine Andersen (Sen. Creem’s exec. asst.), Ald. Fuller, Ald. Rice, James Freas, Alexandra Ananth, and representatives from three environmental groups to discuss issues around Hammond Pond, Crystal Lake, and Quinobequin.  A proposed environmental bond bill that would run for the next five years could bring large amount of money for improvements to Quinobequin.  Current idea is to have a double path -- one by river and one of the side of the road, with a low wooden railing along the road.  There would be about three spots along the road where 3-5 cars could park.  FOTQ will keep abreast of this as it moves forward and talk to the community about it.

5.  Waban Future Vision Project.  CP reported that the first WFVP session will be a guided brainstorm about what residents would like to see here in Waban in the next 5-15 years.  Goal is to eventually come up with a living document that has accurate information about what residents hold dear and would like to see in Waban and in the future.  The first meeting is on November 20, 2014.  Will publicize the meeting with an open invitation. 

6. Zervas.  ZSBC meeting and Design Review Team are going to vote on the schematic design, and then they will go into design development.  They are presenting new plan tonight.  Will be up on our website.  At Monday night’s vote of the full Board of Aldermen, the Aldermen approved the appropriation of funds to acquire the three properties along Beacon St.  RG noted that they have not done a traffic study yet and haven’t contacted the Conservation Commission.   RG wants WAC to have a position on Zervas and will work on presenting something to the group for consideration at our next meeting. 

7. Angier.  Angier update occurred at 7pm.  The contractors will continue to talk to DPW about getting HAWK light in at Manitoba and Beacon.  BB gave an update on various issues regarding the construction project.  Foundation work should be done by Thanksgiving, then steel work will go on for about two months.  They feel that they will be on budget both with respect to time and money.  RG raised issue of traffic along Beacon St. west of Angier because of crowding when trucks are coming in and out.  John Rice will see if Bill Paille can put temporary parking restrictions along there.

8. SPN update.  KW and SL briefed the community on the small neighbor meetings they have occurred with the SPN developer in the past few weeks.  Information on these meetings has been posted on the website.  Discussion of possibility that the developer may pursue a Special Permit development with less density rather than a 48-unit 40B development.  WAC will continue to facilitate small meetings with neighbors over the next few weeks and will host a larger community meeting as soon as the developer is willing.

9. Moratorium on Demolitions.  Discussion of moratorium on demolition delays.  Public meeting will occur next Wednesday.  Information is posted on the website as to the proposal and the potential zoning reforms that proponents would like to implement over the course of the 12-month delay in order to improve the demolition/development process.

10.  Ballot Questions 5 and 6 for Newton Voters.  Sarah Quiqley presented Ballot Questions 5 and 6 – non-binding ballot initiatives for State Representative Kay Khan’s and Ruth Balser’s districts in Newton (11^th and 12^th Middlesex). 

• Question 5 – Shall the state representative from this district be instructed to vote for legislation to require that a majority of the voters in a municipality approve the sale of any municipally owned real estate containing more than 7,500 square feet of land?

• Question 6 – Shall the state representative from this district be instructed to vote for legislation that would allow elected officials, in communities that have taken steps to promote affordable housing at a local level, to have binding input regarding density, required parking, and other project characteristics to the extent that those changes would help to protect existing neighborhoods and businesses from negative impacts on infrastructure and public services, when a zoning board of appeals is deciding whether to approve an application for a comprehensive permit to build affordable housing in that locality under Chapter 40B of the General Laws. 

We will put this up on the website and encourage Waban residents to consider the questions, but WAC will not take a position on the questions as this item was not presented in time for WAC to properly consider it.

Next meeting will take place on November 13, 2014. 

Adjourn.  9:30pm.

Respectfully submitted,

Kathy Winters