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Home My Public Portal AboutEDP Subcommittee attachment materials 7-30-15Magoon, Steven From: Magoon, Steven Sent: Tuesday, July 28, 2015 11:02 AM To: 'Susan Steele' Cc: Palomba Anthony; Hayward, Christopher J.; Lenk Cecilia; Maria Saiz; Atheliat; Ifeltner@comcast.net; y d; Schreiber, Gideon; David J. Russo; Sideris, Mark; Driscoll, Michael; Corbett, Stephen Subject: RE: DRAFT Notes for Your Review + Edits FYI, Councilor Corbett has scheduled a meeting for this Thursday at 7pm to discuss the referred item. One request he made some any information we have on the most egregious examples that caused concern. If you have such information, that would.be helpful. Thanks Magoon, Steven From: Susan Steele <ststeele@gmail.com> Sent: Wednesday, July 29, 2015 11:41 PM To: Magoon, Steven Cc: Palomba Anthony; Hayward, Christopher J.; Lenk Cecilia; Maria Saiz; Atheliat; Ifeltner@comcast.net; y d; Schreiber, Gideon; David J. Russo; Sideris, Mark; Driscoll, Michael Subject: Neighborhood Notes and Egregious Examples Attachments: Neighborhood-Notes_073115.pdf Hello Steve, For the Committee's review, I'm sending along a summary of our Working Group's activities to date, with some of the proposed Next Steps we had discussed and hope to develop with the Committee's support. I'm also including 3 pages of some recent and not so recent Egregious Examples. There is a range of egregiousness — and probably more that could be included. What struck me as I looked at these examples is the collective impact they will have on our small town if we don't find a way — soon — to insure better, more thoughtfully designed developments. These residential developers are not serving the highest and best interests of our neighborhoods and communities .. . to put it mildly. 1 Watertown Neighborhood Group February -July 30, 2015 In late February, concerned about the rapid development in Watertown and current development pressures on Watertown neighborhoods, several of us began to research and discuss ways in which the Town and its citizens could preserve and protect qualities that we value in our community environments. At one time or another the group included: Steve Magoon, Gideon Schreiber, Chris Hayworth, Susan Steele, David Russo, Maria Saiz, Tia Tilson, Yasmin Daikh, Cecilia Lenk, Lisa Feltner, and Tony Palomba. The following is a brief summary of our efforts and recommendations to date: • Pressing Issues — Scale, density, massing + design of many recent developments are not sensitive to the character of existing neighborhoods, and in a number of cases have negative impacts. — T -Zones + lot sizes over 5,000 sf are particularly vulnerable to development — Lack of tools to manage growth and processes for community/neighborhood involvement — Lack of regulatory "Teeth" in dealing with developers — Historic properties left to neglect • Some Community Preservation Tools (pp 144-5 of Watertown Comprehensive Plan Draft) — Neighborhood Conservation Districts http://www.wellesleyma.gov/pages/FOV1-0001FDBB/townbylaws/art46a Process requires a bylaw, ordinance... sometimes a zoning change. Needs more research Grassroots initiative / community education is key — Zoning Changes Concern about build -out endangering quality of neighborhoods Setbacks + impermeable surface restrictions + attention to current FAR allowances — Residential Design Guidelines Form -based planning that measures and illustrates building elements, setbacks, etc. that contribute to the character of the neighborhood. Voluntary? Somerville's survey of 100 "typical" structures: measuring what they value. — Minimum Maintenance Standards" Ordinance Protects physical integrity of buildings + entire neighborhoods by specifying set of minimum maintenance requirements. Somerville instituted this ordinance to prevent "demolition by neglect". These standards don't have to be restricted to historic properties (see second link) http://www.somervillema.gov/sites/default/files/MinimumMaintena nceOrdinance2008-11.pdf • Propose Next Steps :: 3 Levels of Effort — Legislative :: ordinances and bylaws, ie: Neighborhood Conservation Districts, Demolition by Neglect Ordinance, Tree Preservation Ordinance, etc. http://www5'a.newtonma.gov/documents/TreePermitApplicationPDF.pdf , etc. — Community Development & Planning Department :: residential zoning changes (setbacks, height limits, impervious surface restrictions, etc.) + residential design guidelines — Watertown Community Involvement :: with approval/support of Council, our Neighborhood Group has proposed to organize an October Town Forum around the above issues: It would be structured carefully: o Presentation: handouts and presentation to clarify terms, establish the current context + regulatory tools in place o Education: a panel of experts reviews ways to manage growth o Ventilation: facilitated "breakout" group discussions o Recap and Reframe + Next Steps Some "Egregious" Examples follow. 1 50 Church Street Condos Very Reluctant Demolition Approval: April, 2014 Egregious: For the historical structure it replaced and our inability to prevent "demolition by neglet" of the original home + the poor design/construction of the new construcion and negative impact on historic Summer Street homes + the fact that the original home (while it needed extensive work) never reached open market. 301 Common Street - Watertown MA Demolition Permit Request Postponed: July, 2015 In a T -Zone. Victorian, built in '1875 on a .248 -acre corner lot abutting the golf course. This is an example of the type of unique historic structure that could be saved with a "Minimum Maintenance Standards Ordinance". Were it to be preserved and renovated, it is the kind of historic residence that adds value and contributes to its neighborhood character. 92 Hovey Street - Watertown MA Reconstruction + New Construction Brokered: May, 2015 In a T -Zone. Classic Farmhouse, built in 1900 on a .285 -acre corner lot at Belmont Street This home anchored the corner on a large lot shaded with old trees. The developer's original proposal was for demolition + construction of two 2 -family structures and parking for 8 cars. A large neighborhood group attended the Historical Commission meeting and petitioned in the strongest possible terms for its preservation. They feel this r.�, , s: ,• development will seriously compromise the quality of their neighborhood with its density, design and removal of tree canopy. They were/are also concerned that the property was not listed openly; one of the neighbors was interested in buying and renovating it. Steve Magoon brokered a compromise: to move the farmhouse and repurpose it as a 2 family + construct a new 2 -family facing Hovey Street. 9 Hersom St - Watertown MA Reconstruction + New Construction Compromise: Feb, 2013 In a T -Zone. A 1920's home (structure to the right) on a large lot The neighbors were largely unified in opposing the proposed demolition of the original home, so the developers agreed to keep the existing building and attach a second unit - both sold as condos. Not only were the neighbors concerned about a possible tear -down, but also unhappy about the impact of inreased density and loss of green space in their neighborhood. 16 Wilson Avenue 81-87 Church Street Four condos built on 2 lots in 2005 276 Waverly Avenue - Watertown MA Demolition Delay Imposed: July, 2015 In a T Zone. Colonial, built in 1940 on .285 -acre corner lot: Hamden and Waverly + Hamden. Most homes in the neighborhood were built between 1917 and 1927; they are set back from the street and, taken as a whole, complement one another in scale, massing and landscape. The house is in decent shape; interior + exterior. Proposed 2 separate 2 -family structures (below) with parking; it will largely occupy the site and tree canopy will be lost. If built as proposed, will have a negative impact on the neighborhood of mostly nice older buildings. MIMI Mil MN Aim Albs :I: 1111 1111 till li ■N - lll IN lia jig UM