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NOTICE OF DECISION
SITE PLAN REVIEW UNDER SECTION IV-B.6.b.2

Certified #7014 2120 0003 3809 9904

IN THE MATTER OF:

Applicant: Nathanial A. Rand and Paige Woodsum Rand

Premises: 42 Canterbury Street
Hingham, MA 02043

Date: June 6, 2017


Plan Reference: Entitled “NOI Site Plan for 42 Canterbury Street in Hingham, MA”, prepared for Nathaniel A. Rand and Paige Woodsum Rand, prepared by Ross Engineering Company, dated March 21, 2017, 1 sheet.
Summary of Proceedings:
This matter came before the Planning Board on the application of Nathanial A. Rand and Paige Woodsum Rand, 42 Canterbury Street, Hingham, MA, for Site Plan Review under Section IV-B.6.b.2 for the installation of retaining wall for the purposes of leveling a portion of the rear yard, property zoned Residence C.


The Planning Board heard the application at a regular meeting on June 5, 2017 in the Hingham Town Hall at 210 Central Street. Members of the Planning Board present were: William Ramsey, Acting Chairman; Sarah Corey, Jennifer Gay Smith, Gary Tondorf-Dick, and Gordon Carr.

Mr. Gregory Tansey, P.E., from Ross Engineering was present for the Applicant. He explained to the Board that the purpose of the application was to essentially level off the back yard by installing a retaining wall and bringing in fill material. The site drains to a resource area, and he explained that the Conservation Commission had reviewed the project and issued a Notice of Intent for the work. The retaining wall is approximately 120’ in length and ranges from 2’ reveal to 6’ reveal. The wall will require a permit from the building department, and it will be an engineered wall and not a poured in place structure. Mr. Tansey explained the location of the utility connections that exist, and also explained that trees will be replanted in a 2:1 ratio for quantity. Mr. Tansey then presented the profile of the wall and submitted it for the record. He discussed the wall design and the distance of the wall from Rockland Street. The Board asked how visible it would be from the street and discussed if some screening or planting treatment was indicated along the base of the wall to soften the prospective view.

Board members then reviewed the project in accordance with the Site Plan Review 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 found that the drainage was reviewed with the Notice of Intent process through the Conservation Commission, and an Order of Conditions was issued May 12, 2017. It is an existing residential subdivision with existing public water service.
No views will be impacted. This is the leveling off of an existing back yard area adjacent to open space

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;

The Board found that this was not applicable.
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;
The Board found that this was not applicable.
d. adequacy of open space and setbacks, including adequacy of landscaping of such areas;
The Board found that this was not applicable.
e. adequacy of the methods of disposal of refuse and other wastes resulting from the uses permitted on the site;
The Board found that this was not applicable; it is an existing single family house.
e. 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;
The Conservation Commission issued an Order of Conditions on May 12, 2017.

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.
The Board found that the project complies with MA DEPs Storm Water Standards; Erosion Controls are shown on the plan.

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;
The Board found that the Conservation Commission issued an Order of Conditions which required 2:1 tree replacement (quantity), that no stone walls be removed, and no obstruction of views. The Board found that some screening was indicated at the base of the wall to mitigate the impact on the view from Rockland Street and determined that the Applicant should plant 8-10 appropriate evergreen or rhododendron species at the base of the wall, species to the satisfaction of the Conservation department.

i. minimizing unreasonable departure from the character and scale of buildings in the vicinity or as previously existing on or approved for the site.
The Board found that this is not applicable. This is a single family residential neighborhood and the proposed project is installing a retaining wall to improve rear yard. No new building is proposed.

DECISION AND VOTE:
It was Moved, Seconded and SO VOTED to APPROVE the Site Plan Review for 42 Canterbury Street as presented at the hearing and shown on the plans titled “NOI Site Plan for 42 Canterbury Street in Hingham, MA”, prepared for Nathaniel A. Rand and Paige Woodsum Rand, prepared by Ross Engineering Company, dated March 21, 2017, 1 sheet, based on the findings and subject to the following conditions:

1. Applicant shall show water and sewer utilities on the plan.
2. Applicant shall satisfy the comments from Michael Clancy dated May 25, 2017 during the Building Permit process.
3. An as-built plan shall be submitted (electronically and hardcopy) to the Planning Board, Building Department and Conservation Department to demonstrate that construction and grading was completed in substantial compliance with the approved plans.
4. Applicant shall plant 8-10 appropriate evergreen or rhododendron species at the base of the wall, species to the satisfaction of the Conservation department.



_____________________________
William C. Ramsey
Acting Chairman, Hingham Planning Board

Cc: Town Clerk, Conservation, Building Department, Assessor, DPW, Sewer, BOH, Ross Engineering Company, INC.