Back on the Planning Board Agenda: Phase II of Pine Hill Crossing, LLC

September 20, 2018

By Dot Bergin

Pine Hill Crossing LLC continues to be a “work in progress.”

Developer Fran DeCoste, TR/Advisors,  accompanied by the team who will be working on the project-a civil engineer, an architect, and a landscape architect-came before the Planning Board for a public hearing on September 11 to present plans for adding 17 cottage style homes to the existing 5.16 acre site.

In the audience were residents, mainly from Pine Hill Road and Hancock Street, who are following the proposed build-out with interest.  To recap briefly: of the original 15 “Coast Guard” homes, 12 have been renovated by TRA and many are now occupied, some on a rental basis.  Three homes were damaged beyond repair and will be demolished.  The proposed 17 new, two-story cottages are interspersed among the existing units, for a  total of 29 units.

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DeCoste said the site plan before the Board is a little different from that originally shown but “we heard from everyone in the process and changed the location of some of the units to make sure we addressed accessibility.”

Picking up the narrative,  Steve Martorano, Bohler Engineering, reviewed the revised site plan.  The clustering of the new homes provides the ability to have a courtyard, which is land common to all owners.  New sidewalks will be introduced for connectivity.  The property is on ledge, which presents a challenge and means there are no basements.  Martornano has already had conversations with the Bedford DPW and is working closely with them to improve drainage in the area. The site plan shows 61 total parking spaces, 40 in private driveways and 21 along the road.  Only 50 spaces are required. The developer is making an effort to provide parking as close to each unit as possible – again, a nod to the expressed desire for accessibility.

Landscape architect Jay Emperor, Bohler Engineering, who said his charge was “connectivity and accessibility,” sketched plans for the site; he intends to use native plants throughout.  The center of the common area is relatively level and will be used by the residents for passive recreation.  Emperor will add 36 deciduous trees and 59 evergreens to provide screening between the houses.

Kevin Patten, BKA Architects, described the 17, three-bedroom single-family units as infill between the existing houses, giving an urban/suburban feel to the property. The houses are 1358 square feet and feature a first floor master bedroom. There are two proposed layouts: a three bedroom, two bath unit and a three bedroom, 2.5 bath unit. The hallways ae designed to allow for wheelchair access.  Doors are 36 inches wide and will use lever hardware.  Front doors are flush with the front porches and the porch is one step up from grade but could easily be made accessible by a short ramp.  As is typical of cottage style, the roof is steep – 45 degrees – and the fenestration is asymmetrical; the homes will have vinyl siding and asphalt roofs. The buildings are prewired for solar and the roof is structured for solar panels, if the buyer wishes to add solar.

After the presentations, Chair Amy Lloyd polled board members for their reactions: all agreed that the project is coming along nicely but there are still details to be worked out.  The Chair herself raised a number of issues, ranging from placement of two of the new units going up the hill on Mickleson Lane (which are effectively blocking the view of an existing unit), to the choice of evergreens for screening.

Residents who attended also questioned the placement of some units and several continued to voice concerns about the density of the development when build-out is completed. However, in response to the density concern, Board member Mark Siegenthaler remarked that- through a long process beginning nearly five years ago and involving many townspeople-“we wanted something different and something that would be another set of ownership opportunity for people.”

The public hearing is continued until October 2 and as the Board noted, there will continue to be opportunities for input from residents.

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