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TOWN OF HINGHAM
PLANNING BOARD
NOTICE OF DECISION
Applicant: First Parish Church
(Old Ship Church)
90 Main Street
Hingham, MA 02043
Map 61, Lot 124
Date: July 16, 2013
Summary of Proceedings
This
matter came before the Planning Board on the application of First
Parish Hingham – Old Ship Church (Church) located at 90 Main Street in
the Residential A District for Site Plan Review in association with a
Building Permit under §I-H and §I-I of the Zoning By-Law and such other
relief as necessary to construct a composting privy extending from the
north wall (cemetery side) of the Church.
The Planning Board
heard the application at a duly noticed hearing on June 17, 2013 at
7:30 PM in the Hingham Town Hall at 210 Central Street. Members of the
Planning Board present were: Judy Sneath, Chairman; William Ramsey,
Clerk; Sarah Corey; and Gary Tondorf-Dick.
Ms. Corey disclosed
her membership of the Church and Ms. Sneath disclosed her family’s
membership. Both Ms. Corey and Ms. Sneath stated they could act on the
application without bias.
This is a small project relative to
impacts. The Board has the authority under Chapter 40A-Section 3,
Dover Amendment, to waive the requirement for a yard variance if it
finds that it is reasonable.
Project Manager and Building Committee Chairman Tom Wilson presented the project to the Board.
Project Description and Findings
The
Applicant proposes to build an approximately 8’5” x 5’5” composting
privy (bathroom facility) extending from the north wall (cemetery side)
of the Church from the existing handicap ramp exit door. The privy will
be reachable by the handicap accessible ramp. There will be a 3’
covered space between the privy and the back of the Church.
The
Applicant is also requesting a waiver of the 15 foot setback
requirement. The privy will be 6’4” at one corner and 7’2” at the other
corner off the rear property line.
The cemetery, which abuts the Church at the rear property line, is in favor of the construction of the privy.
This project will need Board of Heath, Historic Districts Commission and MA Historic Commission approvals to move forward.
Board members reviewed the project in accordance with the Site Plan Criteria contained in Section I-I (6) as follows:
a.
protection of abutting properties against detrimental uses by provision
for surface water drainage, fire hydrant locations, sound and site
buffers, and preservation of views, light and air, and protection of
abutting properties from negative impacts from artificial outdoor site
lighting;
The Board concurred that, as proposed, the project complies with all use and intensity regulations.
b.
convenience and safety of vehicular and pedestrian movement within the
site and on adjacent streets; the location of driveway openings in
relation to traffic or to adjacent streets, taking account of grades,
sight distances and distances between such driveway entrances, exits and
the nearest existing street or highway intersections; sufficiency of
access for service, utility and emergency vehicles;
No Change
c.
adequacy of the arrangement of parking, loading spaces and traffic
patterns in relation to the proposed uses of the premises; compliance
with the off-street parking requirements of this By-Law;
No Change
d. adequacy of open space and setbacks, including adequacy of landscaping of such areas;
The project as proposed does not affect pedestrian access.
e. adequacy of the methods of disposal of refuse and other wastes resulting from the uses permitted on the site;
The
privy will have composting directly beneath it which will be filled
with woodchips. It will hold 20 gallons that will allow for waste to
mostly evaporate. When necessary, the tank will be emptied and removed
from the site by an outside contractor.
f. prevention or
mitigation of adverse impacts on the Town's resources, including,
without limitation, water supply, wastewater facilities, energy and
public works and public safety resources;
Contingent upon Board of Health approval
g.
assurance of positive stormwater drainage and snow-melt run-off from
buildings, driveways and from all parking and loading areas on the site,
and prevention of erosion, sedimentation and stormwater pollution and
management problems through site design and erosion controls in
accordance with the most current versions of the Massachusetts
Department of Environmental Protection's Stormwater Management Policy
and Standards, and Massachusetts Erosion and Sediment Control
Guidelines.
No Change
h. protection of natural and
historic features including minimizing: the volume of cut and fill, the
number of removed trees of 6 inches caliper or larger, the removal of
stone walls, and the obstruction of scenic views from publicly
accessible locations;
Contingent upon Historic Districts Commission and MA Historic Commission approvals
i.
minimizing unreasonable departure from the character and scale of
buildings in the vicinity or as previously existing on or approved for
the site.
Contingent upon Historic Districts Commission and MA Historic Commission approvals.
Decision and Vote
It
was moved, seconded and SO VOTED to grant Site Plan Approval and the
request for waiver of setback requirements for the application as shown
on plans entitled ”Old Ship Meeting House Privy Project, Hingham, MA,”
dated April 18, 2013 prepared by Building Conservation Associates, Inc.,
consisting of 2 sheets subject to the following conditions:
1. Hingham Cemetery Corporation submits letter for the file stating it is in favor of the project*
2. Approval of the Board of Health
3. Approvals of Hingham Historic Districts and MA Historic Commission
*On
July 15, 2013, the Planning Board received a letter from Lawrence
Lindner, President of Hingham Cemetery Corporation acknowledging the
Board of Directors support of the Old Ship Church project.
_____________________________
Judith S. Sneath
Chairman, Hingham Planning Board
NOTARIZATION
EXECUTED this _____ day of July, 2013
Commonwealth of Massachusetts
Plymouth, ss July ____, 2013
Then
personally appeared Judith Sneath, Chairman of the Hingham Planning
Board, and acknowledged the foregoing to be the free act and deed of
said Board.
_________________________ My Commission Expires: July 22, 2016
Karen M. Clancy, Notary Public
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