HomeMy Public PortalAbout20120424 - Design Review Board - Meeting Minutes1
DESIGN REVIEW BOARD
MEETING MINUTES
Tuesday, April 24, 2012 7:00 PM
Town Hall, 18 Main St., Hopkinton MA
MEMBERS PRESENT: Jeanette Thomson, Chairman, Jeff Doherty, Gail Fallon, Ria
McNamara, Claire Wright
MEMBERS ABSENT: Sue-Ellen Stoddard
Elaine Lazarus, Director of Land Use, Planning and Permitting
1. Legacy Farms East Main, Southeast and Southwest Villages
Reid Blute, Pulte Homes of New England, Jim Bernardino, Bohler Engineering, and Roy
MacDowell, Legacy Farms LLC, appeared before the Board. Mr. Blute stated that they met with
the Planning Board last evening and will meet again next week. He stated they hope to get a
letter to the Planning Board from the Design Review Board for that next meeting. He noted that
after the last meeting with the DRB, the Clinton St. home elevations were changed, and they
have also drafted possible conditions of approval to codify what was discussed with the DRB at
the last meeting and what is reflected in the changed plans and elevation drawings. The Board
reviewed the revised elevations and plans for specific Villages, including K and M, which abut
Clinton St. It was noted that the elevations contain window shutters, pediments, entrance details,
stone accents at the base, and roof peak decorations as options for the units. Also reviewed were
landscaping changes along Clinton St. as discussed at the last meeting.
Ms. Thomson noted that the proposed detail refers to a stone or masonry base, and she is not sure
that brick would fit with the stone wall concept. Mr. Blute noted that they offer an optional brick
fireplace, so if a buyer chooses that, then it would match the brick at the base. He stated that
typically, the masonry fireplace is not popular, and so they expect more to have a stone base. He
stated that they do not offer a stone fireplace. Ms. McNamara noted the new details would be
attractive, and stated that if they are offered throughout the development it would add to the
quality of the project. Mr. Blute noted that he would not want all of the units to be the same, as
each will have their own character. Ms. Wright stated that the buildings should make a good
impression when the development is viewed from the road.
The Board recommended that the extra detail elements proposed for the end units should be
carried throughout the development.
Ms. Wright questioned whether the 4 single family homes fronting on Legacy Farms Rd. should
be redesigned so they are in a small neighborhood instead. Ms. McNamara stated she likes the
lots because they have a lot of land behind them.
The Board reviewed the draft conditions. Mr. Blute noted the intent is to avoid sameness and
allow for variety while having a consistent design theme. The Board decided to recommend the
following conditions to the Planning Board: In accordance with the intent of the Design
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Guidelines, the project shall be developed using a range of unit sizes, orientations, and floor plan
layouts to create a variety of scale and a reduction in repetition of identical units. Additional
variety shall be achieved with variations in rooflines, siding choices, window types, and
locations.
1. The Applicant shall utilize the types of homes located substantially as conceptually
shown in the lower right hand schedule on colored Site Plan Exhibit, Sheet 1, entitled
”Location of Site”.
2. The Applicant shall incorporate a variety of exterior architectural design elements
to achieve varied home exteriors as viewed from Clinton St., Legacy Farms Rd. and the
neighborhood drives. Examples of the types of architectural design elements are: (1)
covered front entry porches; (2) roof gable peaks and dormers; (3) Bay window
projections with own roof; (4) Window shutters & trim head caps; (5) garage doors
painted to match the home with accent trim; (6) varied complementary exterior color
packages; (7) varied exterior siding material such as horizontal lap style, shakes style,
stone or brick accents; (8) stone or brick fireplaces and chimneys; (9) jogging of attached
units to break up front facade.
3. Front trellis/pergolas shall be used as a front focal point to soften the visual impact
of the multi family attached home garage doors on at least 15% of attached home
locations. Stone or brick siding materials accents shall be used on at least 20% of
multifamily attached and detached home front elevations.
4. Landscaped strips shall be planted in between the multi family attached unit’s
garages using a variety of plant sizes and materials.
5. Side entry garage styles shall be incorporated where shown on the “Side Entry Unit
Exhibit” to further enhance the streetscape view.
6. Except for multifamily attached units, no two homes adjacent to, or directly
opposing each other, shall be the same house color and the same house style with the
same front elevation. Multifamily attached homes may be the same unit and color but
shall not have the same front elevations. No two Multifamily attached buildings adjacent
to, or directly opposing each other, shall be the same house color and the same house
style with the same front elevation. Attached homes shall use horizontal and or vertical
jogs/offsets where the grading allows creating additional visual interest.
7. The details shown on the “Typical Clinton Street Side Elevations” shall be used on
end units which are seen from Legacy Farms Rd. throughout the project, to varying
degrees to achieve variety in detail.
2. Legacy Farms Private Wastewater Treatment Facility
Ms. Thomson noted that the Board was asked to look at changes proposed to the design of the
building already approved by the Board. She noted that the building would be 2.5’ higher, and
two windows in the cupola would be changed to louvers.
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The Board stated the proposed changes would be appropriate, noting that the structure would
look more like a barn and the louvers should be the same color as the siding.
Adjourned: 8:00 PM
Approved: Sept. 11, 2012
Documents used at the meeting:
● Document entitled “Legacy Farms (South) Pulte Homes proposed site plan architectural
submission” received 4/23/12
● Elevation drawings entitled “Typical Clinton Street Side Elevations” dated April, 2012, prepared
by Pulte Homes
● Elevation drawings entitled “29 Clinton Street” dated 4/23/12
● Legacy Farms South Landscape Plans prepared by Bohler Engineering and Huntress Associates,
Inc.