Planning Commission - Regular Meeting

I knew he used to work and actually probation officers I knew just Jackie and then she passed away.

That was young. Bobby was always

on the scope as we speak. That's my before you go. When you go home, I think I'll be out of here tonight. I'll eat when I go home.

The old days when they used to give it away. Exactly.

You know, you know, East End Club just keeps around all the right day. Come pick me up. Where are you? You figure it out.

Okay, I got you. So what's the intention for public vote or what? Yeah. So we have public hear. Okay. Um I don't know if you coming down or wanted to come down. Uh and then uh we will then we vote. Yes. Exactly. The people present those or who? So the city should make a presentation to the board. Okay. And then the chairman will open it up for public comment. Yeah. And then we'll close the public portion and then we'll we'll either remove the tree or the board. Yes. Okay. Not the public. That's correct. Right. The board will be

Okay. Exactly. But you want to certainly express your your thoughts one way or the other. Okay. I see. Okay. All right. Okay. Thank you.

Future meeting. Oh, there we go.

Good. Good. I'll tell you the picture. I can see the sign right next to it.

Here's the picture I took of my This is the exact

Yeah, they took they put it up, Tok. Just in case you have

no one years ago, but Joey used one time. So they sent us pictures and go brothers behind you. That's when we start off the small services. Drop people. further

back up. I'm not sure. That's the church.

Yeah. I've never seen it before. I couldn't find it. So

we would still have to do a second. Yeah.

Hold it. I just You got it. You have any idea what they that's right now.

Years put it this way. Yeah. Sometimes, right? Yes.

I know. Can we have your attention, please? We'll be starting up shortly. Just make sure to get this on silent. Good evening and welcome to the LOL Planning Board for March 16, 2026. This meeting is being broadcasted live on channel 6 and on the LOL LTC YouTube page. The first matter on the agenda this evening is the approval of the minutes from March 2nd, 2026. Any of the board members have any comments or corrections on the minute?

Mr. Chair, um in reading the comments, I just have one item. Sure. Under um the data center discussion. Mhm. Under my comments, the last sentence says perhaps there could be a focus on water usage. Um I said wattage as in electric consumption. So do you hear that, Mary? Wattage. Wattage instead of water. But I could see how you would confuse that. Okay. And so we can amend that. Anybody else have any comment?

I don't have any. Jerry, do you have any? I don't have any. No. Okay. So, I'll make a motion to approve with the amendment as indicated by Lucia. Second, Mr. Chairman. Okay. All in favor say I. I.

I. And that motion is allowed. The next matter on the agenda is a special permit for 260 High Street. The low planning board will hold a public hearing to hear all interested persons relative to an application by Quan Quatch to open an adult daycare facility at the above address. The subject property is in the urban mixeduse zoning district. The proposal requires a special permit per article 12.3 for the use. Um, I was at the site today and I spoke with the applicant. They had the sign up uh for the public hearing, but then they took it down so it wasn't up for the required 14 consecutive days prior to the meeting. Um, so I explained to them that we couldn't go forward on the meeting tonight saying that we would um be reconting the matter so we would satisfy satisfy the notice requirement for the public hearing. Uh, they totally understood. Um, so at that point I indicated that they wouldn't have to be here tonight because we couldn't act on their petition. So at this point in time if any discussion from the board if not I'll make a motion to continue

discussion. I second that. Okay. I'll make a motion that we continue the matter till April 23rd 26 for the next uh for public hearing. Motion second by Mr. S. All in favor say I. I. I

that will be on our Thursday night cuz we have the Monday holiday or Patriots day that Monday. So we go to that Thursday night the 23rd. Okay. Okay. Moving along. We have a public shade tree 209 Crawford Street. In accordance with Mass General Law chapter 87.5 and chapter 260 of the low code of ordinance, the low planning board will hold a public hearing to all interested persons about the proposed removal of one tree in the vicinity of 209 Crawford Street with the diameter of 60 in. The removal of this tree is necessary to reclaim and pave the roadway and allow for proper roadway maintenance during winter months. Anybody here for the applicant for the shade shade tree, please? Anybody here for the shade tree? Yes. Just come to the microphone and state your name, please. Thank you.

That's not the So, this big tree is right on the back of my Wait. So, my name is Don New. Okay. Yeah. You're not the one who proposed it or you just No, I did not propose. Yeah. So, I do. We have somebody about on behalf of the applicant to propose it. No. H. So, nobody from the city came.

Okay. Well, before I hear from you, what I'm going to do is I'm going to read a couple more memos. Okay. All right. So, let's go forward. One of them we have um one me one memo we have is uh to James Lahan, but we do not have a James Lan on this board. Um chairperson. My name is Thomas, not James. And this is from Paul Saintia, Commissioner, Department of Public Works. tree removal request at the uh address of 209 Crawford Street attached. Please find a request in the city engineers's office for the removal of one large oak tree located above address. I'm in agreement with this request to remove this tree due to the fact that it's is necessary to reclaim and pave the road rate as well to allow proper maintenance of the street during winter months. If you have any questions regarding the request, please feel free to contact me. We have another memo uh to Paul Saintson here uh DPW commissioner from David Bey assistant city manager from Daniel Lewis engineer dated tree tray removal city al proposes to remove one tree located at 209 Crawford Street oak tree approximately 60 in in diameter located at the above address. According to nearby residents, the overgrown root system continues to encroach into their private property and is having the asphalt and both the roadway and and the adjacent driveway. The removal of this tree is necessary to reclaim and pave the roadway and allow for proper roadway maintenance during the winter months. Please see the photos attached. They gave us four or five um photos. If you have any questions, you can reach out to Daniel Lewis. So, I don't know why no one's here from the applicant, but um at this time, I will hear from anybody who'd like to speak on this matter. Just give us your name and address for

the record, please.

Uh my name is Don New. I live in Northand, but I own the property 340 342 University Avenue. So it's uh uh on the back, you know, the tree is located on the back of my property. Um so a few years ago, you know, the tree the the branch, you know, overgrow it, you know, touched the roof of my shed. So it's like, you know, when when the wind blows, it just wipes on, you know, I was worried it's going to fall and then damage the, you know, the shed. So I called Sati you know thankfully Sati you know send people to trim the tree. So they did a very good job. But then like two or three years ago, you know, I hear like neighbors they keep coming to me. They said, "Oh, you need to, you know, trim the tree because it's, you know, it's a hazard to the power line like underneath."

Mhm. Right. So that's you know they they are worried you know you know you know it's going to you know you know affect the power line. Okay. So, but in addition, you know, you know, to the roots that's damaging like, you know, the the public road as well as, you know, my driveway and I have a parking space next to you, you know, a lot of damage, you know, the the branch is overgrown. It's hard for the the car to come actually out of the driveway. So, I agree it's a good idea to remove it.

Okay. But I I just wish, you know, I'm sure, you know, city will do a proper job, you know, you know, to clean the roots and then to get the area properly repailed, you know. Okay. That's all I want. So, you're in favor of the removal then, huh? Yes. It's a very big tree. Yeah. It's Yeah. I It's pretty, but still, you know. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. You know, I did notice that it goes all the way over across the street in in between the wires. Yeah. Yes. Yeah. Yes. Okay. Thank you. Maybe. Do you have a signin sheet? you want them to sign or Yeah. So, we just ask you if you'd sign your name and give the address so when she does the minute, she makes sure we have everybody's names done properly. Okay. Yeah. Yeah.

Thank you. Okay. Thank you so much.

Anybody else like to speak? Anybody else in favor? In favor? In favor or against? Or against or against? Um I do see that they are proposed under our guidelines with anything a tree of that size if they take that down they have to put two new trees up. So they did give us a outline where they plan on putting two more trees um on that street down towards each metal road. Isn't that right Jerry? Am I do it the same way you are? Yes. Yep.

Way down towards the end there. So, under the guidelines, they don't have to put it in the in the same neighborhood or the same street, but we try to prefer that they do so. Um, so they they're meeting the requirement by replanting two trees. So, at this time, if nobody else wants to speak, I'll turn it over to any of the board members who have any questions or comments. Mr. Mr. Chairman, if I may, just briefly, um went out there, took some photos as well. Uh boy, as soon as you turn on the street, uh down that street, the tree hits you. It's it's really large. Um sidewalk is completely um uh cracked and uh is uh you can see where the uh it's heaved up and uh you wouldn't be able to even pass on that um with a wheelchair. Also, um there's the driveways. It looks like it's actually uh taken up some of the um area in the driveways that go on each side of the tree. Uh and then of course the uh the lines. I'm surprised the power companies haven't really butchered that tree uh more than that. So, um I think that at at uh at this point uh that that tree probably poses more of a harm um for the for the surrounding uh neighbors uh than the benefit. So, uh, the fact that they're planting, uh, two new trees, I I would have liked to have somebody here. I would have, you know, we notice it is further down the road. I'm just curious as to how they selected that location. But, uh, the fact is they are complying with the uh um with the requirement and they are uh planting two new trees on the same street. As you mentioned, it it it uh we have requested in the past that they try to uh replace the removal of trees uh as close to the original location as possible. Uh so I'm in favor of the removal. Mr. Chairman, thank you.

Thank you, Lucia. Questions, comments or um Thank you, Mr. Chair. It's sad because there aren't a lot of trees on that section of Crawford Street. However, I I think removal is necessary in order for the city to repave the street. Um, I can also see how the tree would affect plowing in the winter, and you can definitely see that the root system is affecting the driveway next to it. Um, and I also appreciate the plan, the replanting plan to replace the existing tree. Thank you. That's all. Thank you, Mr. S. Any questions?

I I also feel the same way. Uh, Mr. Chairman, uh, the tree is pretty large and it's apparently I think uh it's it's not a very uh uh uh wise to uh uh keep it cuz uh I see that you know it can uh destroy a lot of uh uh things in the neighborhood. Yeah,

agreed. Thank you. Yeah, when I went up there yesterday as soon as um I turned on off Seven Streets to Crawford, first thing you do is see that big tree. I mean, you can't miss it. And I was out there taking some pictures, looking around. And actually um one of the neighbors came out. He'd be the gentleman, his name was um Kevin. He'd be the gentleman that was it's right before that driveway where actually where the two cinder blocks are posted up right there by the me in the driveway which was in our photos. Um and he said he's um totally in favor of it. Um he said a lot of the branches come down and end up on his property cuz um it's not in the best of health. I mean it was tough to tell without any leaves on it. But as indicated um all the branches did go into the power lines totally across the street. Um so I can imagine what that's like when you have plenty of leafage on there as well. Um he was totally um in favor of removing the tree. He um indicated to me that uh he does a lot of raking cleaning up after that tree. Well, like told him that if we approve it, I suggest you still keep some of those leaf bags, but um he says, "Yeah, it's um digging up." Um as you can see the street, the driveway, um the neighborhood. Um so what um and I like to get the neighborhood comments if when I go out to a site if somebody's there. Um and this gentleman is like totally in favor and thank me for showing up. So, um, so I'm as well I'm in favor of removing the tree. Like as Mr. Fishett indicated, it does meet our requirements. Um, you know, they get they have to get that tree out there to fix the road, fix something near the property, put the two new trees up. Um, and it's nice to see that the two trees will be closely located. Um, so I'm in favor of the tree removal as well. So, so at this time, um, if there's no further discussion from the board, we

need a vote in favor or against the public tree for 209 Crawford Street. Mr. Chairman, I make a motion. Okay. In favor of uh removing the tree. Okay. Motion made by Mr. S. Second. A second by Lucia. All in favor say I. I.

I. Chair vote chairs. Any opposition? Hearing none. The motion carries. Four in favor. None against. Thank you for that matter. Um, moving along on the agenda, do any of the board members have any further comments for the boards that they're on? Mr. Chairman, if if I may, um the last NEMCOG uh meeting, the um we had a robust discussion on the um at home and greater housing uh uh plan that Nemog Nco has been working on and that was a result of the strategic planning sessions that took place over a period of uh year and a half um at the council and uh all of the nine communities indicated that one of the challenges is was um meeting the housing needs of uh of various uh various uh levels within their uh own communities whether it be mid uh lower uh higherend housing. Um there seems to be a shortage across the board at this point. um particularly in the in some of the surrounding communities there is a shortage of housing that is affordable and uh technically uh defined affordable housing as well. Uh so the it the um the council embarked on a uh regional housing plan and this is part one of the regional housing plan and what I did is I I did in introduce this uh about a month ago to uh to the board uh and what we're trying to come up with is a strategy for the council the planning board reps on the council to go back to their respective planning boards and um ask that the members review the document And there are 17 strategies, six goals and 17 strategies uh to look at um in just one or two strategies that perhaps

can be adopted uh by the planning boards and um uh have their communities uh move them forward. Uh there are some simple things in here. There are some things that we're already doing that the towns are not uh transit oriented development. I mean we we adopted the MBTA zoning. We've actually approved uh projects within the MBTA zone. Um we've we've stripped away parking requirements in in the uh in the zone. Um we've uh uh have various levels of um approvals for different types of development. We have formbbased zoning to expedite the uh the process. Um and as well as uh we are well above our um minimum requirement for affordable housing. We did have fair housing training here um I think it was last year the year before. Uh that's one of the items as well as simple as that is adopt on a regular basis the land use boards have uh fair housing training um as uh as a as a requirement. So what I'm going to ask I took copies of the of the plan handed out to everybody. Uh I would ask that you please look at it. Um there's a lot of the suggestions here are even beyond zoning. uh there that uh that is going to have to be taken up by the communities um the respective communities and also to keep in mind here in Lowel we've just embarked on uh and we we've hired a consulting firm of a a re-evaluation of the entire zoning code right so um and and this body did select me as as serving on that committee they just had the first meeting if you at the last meeting and announced that they were having the zoning subcommittee meeting I did attend that meeting. It is the very beginning

of the process and uh they're hoping that it they're going to complete the process by by December and I suspect at that point there's there's going to be some revisions to the zoning code and is you know if the the consultant really put everything out there on the on the menu and obviously what fits for the city of Lel you know one of the items is inclusionary zoning. Um I was on the committee a couple years ago. We looked at that here in the city of Lel as an option. Um but quite frankly uh the economics didn't work. The cost of the cost to construct uh here in l versus the cost to construct in Cambridge is the the building cost is about the same other than the land acquisition or or tear down acquisition but overall your rate of return. And so in Cambridge versus l uh is drastically different. So they require a developer to have so many units be 40% AMI or 60% M AI or 80% AMI compared to what the return is going to be on the market rates um versus other communities. So it's it's it's not a one-sizefits-all. So at the time we looked at it, it was not a fit for the city of l, but it's going to be viewed reviewed um periodically. That's again those are some of the items that are in here as well. housing accelerator um in putting together a committee uh looking for various sources of funding. Funding is a big is a big hurdle uh based on costs and conventional financing for some of these larger projects numbers just don't work. So if you're not getting some sort of subsidy, you're not going to get the project to work. So it's it's also, you know, part of the strategy is to look at some of those options as well. So if you don't mind, I'm just going to pass this. So just

yeah copy for everybody's excited. Y thank you

and uh when the other members are back I'll uh I'll uh I have copies for them as well. So I would ask that if we could I'll u swing back maybe in a month uh as far as give people an opportunity to look at it read it. The idea is to have each planning board member report provide a report verbal report at the uh NEMCOG meetings. Um so I will be giving a report this Wednesday. we have a meeting about this stage of it and uh hopefully uh we can come back with uh even if it's for us I think a recommendation to have the fear uh fair housing training on a regular basis I don't think would be bad for for uh uh new um uh land use members and as a refresher for present members I in my industry we provide fair house fair lending training and compliance training on an annual basis to all employees and and board members uh and I've actually provide the training and that covers fair housing, fair lending, equal credit opportunity act, and consumer uh the community reinvestment act. Uh and it's all it's all around housing. So, it's not a bad idea for land use boards to have that on a regular basis. So, thank you, Mr. Chairman.

Just to follow up on that, I know I spoke with Dylan maybe a couple of weeks ago and Nemco is going to be coming back to do a presentation in front of us like like they have was it last year? Yeah. So, um, he was looking at the agenda, speak with Nevcog and seeing what fits better. Um, I he we tried to put things on the agenda and I after speaking, we agreed to have that is the only thing on the agenda that night. Oh, nice. Okay.

That way, you know, we get Nebcon in listen to everything they have to say, digest it and then have some dialogue instead of trying to push through everything else in the agenda the same night and giving them plenty of opportunity. Uh, pretty much what we did last time. So after speaking, I said, "Yeah, I think it may make better idea just to have that on there so the board members can feel like um if we have a lot of public people here, you know, I'm holding them up to move on to the next meeting." So he was going to check with their schedule. Um so it wouldn't be till maybe April or later, but uh yeah, we had that discussion a few weeks ago just to follow up with. Yeah, I appreciate that suggestion too, Mr. Chairman, because it gives it the attention it it deserves. Yeah, that's what I thought. especially when they came last time, they did a very good job and um you know we had a question and answer period at the end which was very helpful. Um so well thanks for that update.

Thank you. Any other board members have any updates? If not that that should conclude our meeting tonight since we had a continuance. Um so we need a motion to adjourn. So move Mr. Chand wants to leave. Motion made second by Mr. S. All in favor say I. Hi chair. We have a journ. Good night and thank you everybody.