HomeMy WebLinkAboutmin of planning brd 01072009
Planning Board Minutes
January 7, 2009
Present: Tom French, Chair; Beth Ashman-Collins, Clerk; Michael McClanahan; Doug c_"
Armino, Stan Feck, Tony Jodice, Donald Cleary - '-- i ,"/~:;L
Olivier Kozlowski and Shawn MacDonald, Alternates .,' U t F ! C E
Shaun P. Burke, Director of Planning and Development - S r::) 2: 0 I
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12. · Corr~spolldenee
1. Minutes December 3, 2008
Motion: To approve as submitted (Armino-Cleary) 5 in favor. French, Feck
abstained. PASSES
2. Suzanne Lane road as-built mylar to be signed
Motion: To sign the plan (Annino-Feck) All in favor. PASSES
I 3. Form A (ANR) Plan.
4. .1\fasterPlanJ)iseussmn ....J)OWlltoW' .lsslI~s
Mr. Burke suggested "downtown" can be broken into three issues: the traditional
downtown business district, the area around the train station and Transit Oriented
Development, and the linking of those areas.
I. Land Use Element
A. Enhance Downtown
1. Control the further sprawl or migration of downtown towards
Route 106 by delineating the limits of downtown, and adopting
a downtown map
2. Amend Zoning By-Law to incorporate architectural guidelines
established by the Downtown Committee
3. Reinforce "sense of place" by encouraging development that
will make the downtown a destination for residents and visitors
II. Circulation and Transportation Element
A. Improve Downtown Traffic Circulation
1. Reassess one-way circulation patterns
2. Enhance pedestrian access from the train station to
Downtown destinations
3. Optimize available parking downtown
Planning Board
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1/8/2009
Mr. Burke distributed the downtown design guidelines and the downtown zoning map,
which demonstrates the flow of traffic downtown. Mr. Burke said the board has
previously defined "downtown" as the area north and east of Route 106 and south of
West StreetJEast Street.
Mr. Burke said the adoption ofa downtown map wouldn't stop the migration of business
or sprawl, but is intended to focus efforts on that area. He said eliminating business
districts outside the downtown area could stop the sprawl, but he said he isn't sure the
town is ready to do that right now.
Mr. Burke said there has been ongoing discussion about the traffic pattern downtown,
problems with flow and focus on entrance points to downtown. A few years ago, Mr.
Annino put together photos and storyboards describing the business district, traffic flow
and entrance points. Mr. Burke said most of the downtown issues are not new, and many
have been the subject of discussion for many years. He said he reviewed some
newspaper articles from the mid 1970s, and said the issues being discussed are similar,
but the buildings haven't really changed. Mr. French noted there are new buildings, and
the uses in some of the older buildings have changed.
[Mr. Jodice arrived at this time]
Mr. Burke noted the location of Route 140 has changed three times in the last few
decades, which has changed the way traffic moves through downtown Mansfield, as well
as the amount of traffic going through town. He said changing North Main Street to one-
way traffic also changed things, by providing more parking opportunities on the street.
Mr. French said the big topic that comes out of every discussion with the downtown
merchants has been parking. Mr. Burke said there is actually a lot of parking downtown,
but much of it is not identified as available for public parking, and it may not be
convenient to where consumers want to go. The board discussed the locations of town-
owned parking areas.
Mr. Annino said we should concentrate on an identity for downtown and methods for
bringing people downtown. Mr. Burke said part of the problem is when people come to
downtown from Chauncy Street, they are forced to use Old Colony Way, which brings
them behind buildings and away from the north end of North Main Street. Mr. Annino
said the North Main/Chauncy Street intersection is very dangerous for pedestrians and
discourages people from crossing to or from the train station area.
The board discussed possible locations for pedestrian areas and additional green spaces.
The board discussed the viability of making North Main Street two-way traffic; Mr.
Burke said that would result in the loss of on-street parking on one side.
Planning Board
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1/8/2009
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The board discussed finding someone to do a study and some plans incorporating these
discussions. Mr. Burke said the best bet may be graduate programs, which wouldn't do it
for free, but would be much less expensive than a firm. He also suggested asking for
help and ideas from SPREDD, which wouldn't cost anything.
Ms. Collins said there should be more signage directing people downtown. Mr. Feck said
Mansfield residents are the primary market for downtown, so it should be marketed
locally rather than trying to get people coming off Route 95 to downtown.
Mr. Annino said there should be a plan in place for when the economy eventually
bounces back, so that when developers come in with plans, the board can give them
direction.
Mr. Burke said he would draft a letter to SRPEDD about looking at traffic, short and
long-term.
Mr. Burke asked the board if it wants to keep the downtown design guidelines as
guidelines, or if they should be adopted in the Zoning By-Law. He said there could also
be an intermediate step, like an architectural review board.
At the January 21 meeting, the group will discuss the design guidelines.
I 5. Public Comm~nt
Motion: To adjourn at 9:15 p.m. (Annino- ) All in favor. PASSES
21, 2009 at 7:30p.m. m';;t ~;{()tJq
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Date of Appro~al '
Planning Board
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1/8/2009
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