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HomeMy WebLinkAboutPlanning Brd Min_7121995PLANNING BOARD MINUTES July 12, 1995 PRESENT: Chairman French, Clerk Sullivan PLANNERS: Bonda, Dolan, Flynn, McShane Shaun P. Burke, Director of Planning and Development 1. Meeting called to order at 7:30 P.M. "r- rFlnlr - -} t- _ 95 AUG -3 AN 9: 57 MASSACHUSETTS 2. Site Plan Review - BombalinVs Restaurant Ralph Maloon, RIM Engineering, presented a 96 -seat, 24 parking space restaurant which would employ four people. He said the applicant, Jack Riccio, would be using part of a paper street abutting the site and will have free- standing signs and arrows to make it one -way entering and exiting the site. There will be shielded rear exterior lighting for a deck and bocce court. TvIr. Maloon did test holes and had high ground water, but said the building is slab on grade. There will be two catch basins, an fiatrator and crushed stone area, and an overflow to an existing catch basin at a higher elevation than the infiltrator. The clerk read department head comments. Mr. Maloon said he had covered most. The dumpster will be fenced between the site and the neighbors, lighting had been added, the driveway will be paved and a drainage detail was added. He said the only signage would be one on the building and a fiee- standing handicapped parking sign. _ Mr. Burke was concerned about the parking spaces being too close to the sidewalk. Mr. Maloon suggested a curb on the back edge of sidewalk. Board Comment Planner Flynn asked about the loading area. Mr. Maloon responded they would use the side doorway near the dumpster and there would be no take out service. Planner Flynn asked about fire equipment access. Mr•. Maloon said trucks would be able to get around to both sides of the building, but Planner Flynn was concerned they would not be able to if the employees were parked where the plan shows their spaces. Planner Bonda asked about the hours and was told the restaurant would be open for lunch and dinner. She asked about on- street parking; Mr. Maloon said there is some, but the spaces are always occupied. Planner Bonda suggested a "right turn only" sign onto Pratt Street. Mr. Maloon said that was worth considering. Planner McShane asked if there would be room to do a vegetative border at the edge of the sidewalk instead of a curb. Mr. Maloon said that or a stone planter were possible, and would dress up the site, something his client wanted to do. Planner McShane asked about parking behind the site instead of in front. Nvh•. Maloon said it would be awkward to get behind the building and the idea was to have a private back yard. Planner McShane asked if the dumpster would become an odor nuisance Mr•. Maloon said he assumed it would be picked up often enough not to be. Clerk Sullivan asked if it was possible for vehicles to get behind the building at all. Mr•. Maloon said if the employees were not parked in their spaces, it would be possible. Clerk Sullivan asked to see the percolation rate and about the sewer connection. Mr. Maloon said there is an existing six inch stub to the building. lvh•. Burke said they would have to get a sewer connection permit. Clerk Sullivan asked if grease traps would be needed outside. NL•. Maloon said he would check. Clerk Sullivan asked Nh•. Maloon to verify the highest number of employees on one shift. Clerk Sullivan suggested the applicant use more of the paper street in order to get more area and move the employee parking spaces to the back of the lot and get better vehicle access. Mr. Maloon said he could do that. Planner Flynn suggested calculating compact car spaces in order to get more area for landscaping. She also requested the 50 feet between driveways be verified. Mr. Burke suggested notes be added to the plan showing the dumpster will be hooded and locked, a grease trap if that is required, and the employee parking will be moved further up the paper street. Chairman French- suggested a "do not exit" sign at the entrance. Motion: To continue the discussion until July 19, 1995 at 7:35 P.M. in order to allow Mr. Maloon time to address the board's concerns. (Flynn- Sullivan) All in favor. PASSES 3. Site Plan Review - Day Care Center - School Street - Wayne Carrigan Attorney Stephen Dean, for the applicant, responded to Officer Lance Lawson's traffic safety concerns by saying there had been no accidents at that site during the previous use with 15 -30 vehicle trips per day and there will be less traffic per day with the proposed use, and that traffic will be spread out over the day. The clerk read the department head comments. Liz Crow, activities director for Camelot Kids, showed the board some graphs she had done concerning traffic exiting Route 140 at peak hours compared to the proposed center's peak drop off and pick up times. She said during the peak commuter hours, there would be three cars at the center. Attorney Dean said Officer Lawson said the hazard would come from cars stopping on School Street to turn into the site, but said their calculations showed that would not happen. He added there would be no pedestrian traffic in front of the site, the vehicle traffic would be in the back and there would be signage to regulate traffic. Public Comment Charlotte Scazafava, Lancelot Lane, said there had not been a significant impact on her neighborhood from the applicant's other day care center, Camelot Kids. Maryann MacDonald, Gilbert Street, said her son attends Camelot Kids and it is a quality day care. She said Officer Lawson assumed parents drop their children off, which does not happen; parents escort their children into and out of the center. Amy Romandi said there was no traffic impact from Camelot Kids, her next door neighbor. Ron DiGirolamo, West Street, said he understood Officer Lawson's concern and agreed tine site is tricky, but said it can be done. Chris Dolan said the parents whose children would attend the center do not feet it would be a problem. Doug Dacar said the previous use at that site had no accident`s with a similar traffic pattern. Chairman French said the board did not doubt Camelot Kids is a well-run center, but the board had to take a hard look at the traffic situation on School Street. Applicant Wayne Carrigan said he had proven the traffic would not be a problem ( since there had been no accidents at that site in the 11 years it was an upholstery shop. Board Comment Planner Bonda said she had been to the site and did not think exiting was difficult. Planner Dolan said he valued Officer Lawson's opinion, but had visited the site and thought the sight distance from the driveway was adequate. Planner McShane said he also visited the site and found it better than he had feared. He asked if the applicant had spoken with Officer Lawson about the revised plans. Attorney Dean said they had wanted to speak with the Building Inspector first, and by then Officer Lawson had already issued his second memorandum. Planner McShane asked if they had considered a rotary style parking situation in tine back. Attorney Dean told him the Building Inspector had been concerned they would lose parking that way. Planner McShane asked about special events. Ms. Crow said bus trips are taken on Saturdays, when the parents leave their cars at the center or could park at Camelot Kids. Clerk Sullivan said lie felt Better about the site than at tine last meeting. He asked about the sewer system and was told they had a sewer connection. Mr. Burke said he had reservations. He said Ms. Crow had only factored the traffic coming off the Route 140 ramp, while the traffic coming down School Street and taking a left off of Route 140 onto School Street were not taken into consideration. He said turning into and out of the site would be against two lanes of traffic, and he was concerned a car stopping west bound to turn into the site would be stopped in the middle of those lanes. Mr. Burke said he was more concerned with entering the site than with leaving it. Planner Dolan asked if a right turn only sign would be a better plan. Mr. Burke said he would rather not have traffic cross two lanes at all, but that isn't realistic. He said he did not think it was in the town's best interest to add a lot of turning movements to the site. Attorney Dean said they were willing to address the tutrung concerns with signage, and he disdgreed the traffic would be worse. He said traffic would be less than or equal to the previous use. An audience member said as cars are approaching Route 140 going west to turn left, there is enough room to pass on the right for cars going straight. He said the cars turning left are already going slowly as they go by the driveway to the site. Mr. Carrigan asked what the difference was between this site and Stop and Shop. Mr. Burke responded there are two lanes in front of Stop and Shop, though the sites are similar with a slip ramp and yield sign. He said the difference is there is no dedicated turning lane into the proposed day care site, and the issue is the turning movements into the site. Motion: To close public discussion (Sullivan - Dolan) All in favor. PASSES Motion: To send the Building Inspector a positive recommendation on the site plan (Dolan - Bonda) Planner McShane said a right turn only sign leaving the site may work, but banning a left hand turn entering the site would not be practical. Planner Dolan said the left hand turn coming in was the bigger problem. Planner McShane asked if they had a tight turn only sign exiting, would the situation be made worse by cars turning around at Willow and Spring Streets. Planner Dolan said it would just be moving the problem. Clerk Sullivan suggested amending the motion to include a stop sign at the exit, to require the sewer connection be shown on the plan, and due to the nature of the site with respect to traffic and safety, if the center is expanded to accommodate over 35 children, the applicant be required to submit another site plan. Ivir. Burke said adding children would not change the footprint of the structure, just add traffic. He said it could be made part of the recommendation, but it wouldn't really be enforceable through the zoning by -law. Clerk Sullivan said he would like the line "site plan based on a maximum of 35 -- children" added to the plan. Motion and second amended to include the Building Inspector consider requiring another site plan review if the center has over 35 children, adding a stop sign at the exit and showing the sewer connection. Chairman French suggested the recommendation add the representations the applicant made about special events being run from the Camelot Kids site be added to the plan. Planner Flynn said she would like that on the plan and wanted to recommend the Building Inspector put all constraints possible on the permit. Motion and second amended to include a recommendation that special events be run from the Camelot Kids site. Three in favor. Two opposed. One abstention. PASSES 4. Correspondence 1. -Memo from Paul Folkman RE: continuance of Eastfield Village public hearing Motion: To continue the public hearing until August 2, 1995 at 7:30 P.M. and to require Mr. Folkman inform the abutters in writing. (Sullivan- Flynn) All in favor. PASSES 2. Minutes June 28, 1995 Motion: To accept the minutes as written (Flynn- Dolan) Five in favor. One abstention. PASSES 3. ZBA application for Finding - Allen Street An addition would be 10 feet off the property line where 15 foot side yard and 30 foot corner lot are required. Mr. Burke said he did not know if the age of the house grandfathered it from the corner lot requirement. Clerk Sullivan said the house is already too close to the, and this would make it closer. Motion: To send the ZBA a negative recormnendation (Bonda- Dolan) Three in favor. Two opposed PASSES Mr. Burke left the room at this point. 4. ZBA application for Variance - Old Maple Street The application was for two lots with less than the required frontage, width and lot area Motion: To send the ZBA a negative recommendation because the lots fail to meet frontage, lot width and area requirements, and would have a negative impact by increasing the density in the area. (Dolan- Sullivan) All in favor. PASSES Mr. Burke returned to the meeting at this point. 5. ZBA application for Variance - LS 4 and 5 Casa Drive Both lots would not conform to the lot width definition Motion: To send the ZBA a negative recommendation on both LS4 and 5.- Using thin portions of land to make up lots is inconsistent with zoning and would be in direct contradiction to why the lot width definition was established. (Sullivan - Bonda) All in favor. PASSES 6. ZBA application for Finding - Glen Street The application would decrease the encroachment into the setback requirements. Motion: To send the ZBA a positive recommendation because the addition falls mostly within the footprint of the existing structure and in some instances decreases the nonconformity. (Sullivan - Bonda) All in favor. PASSES 7. ZBA application for Variance - Fruit Street The application was for a sideyard setback variance for a two-car garage Motion.. To send the ZBA a negative recommendation because there is no hardship. (Sullivan- Flynn) Five in favor. One opposed. PASSES — 8. Form I - Mill Farm Estates III 9. Form J- Mill Farm Estates III Motion: To sign the Form J release and install the Form I Covenant, and to have Mt-. Riccio produce proof of recording prior to the Planning j Department releasing. — -- — - (Sullivan- McShane) All in favor. PASSES 10. Letter fiom Folkman and Zola Builders RE: Kelli Green Motion: To send Mr. Folkman a letter letting him know the issue has been sent to special counsel (Flynn- Sullivan) Five in favor. One abstention. PASSES 11. Letter from Mr. Burke to Rep. Petrolati and Sen. Wilkerson RE: Impact fees 12. Letter from Mr. Williams RE: Tremont Street sewers 13. Letter from Mr. Burke RE: Tremont Street sewers 14. Memo from Dr. Nicolletti RE: East Street 15. Memo from Joan Cutillo RE: Perkins Avenue Extension 16. Form J Release Perkins Avenue Extension 17. Memo from Dan Clifford RE: surety release Perkins Avenue Extension Motion: To sign the Form J and release the recommended surety amount (Sullivan - Dolan) All in favor. PASSES 18. Memo from Dan Clifford RE: surety release Bay Brook Farm Phase I Motion: To release the recommended amount (Flynn - Sullivan) All in favor. PASSES 19. Memo from Dan Clifford RE: surety release Bay Brook Farm Phase II Motion: To release the recommended amount (Flynn - Sullivan) All in favor. PASSES 20. Memo fiom Dan Clifford RE: surety release Bay Brook Farm Phase III Motion: To release the recommended amount (Sullivan- Dolan) All in favor. PASSES 21. Letter from Joan Cutillo RE: Surety for Balcom Ridge Estates II and 11 22. Letter from Planning Board to Board of Selectmen RE: Master Plan - 5. Form A (ANR) Plans Spring Street - the applicant wants to straighten out lot lines before selling the house. Motion: To sign the Form A (Flynn - Dolan) All in favor. PASSES 6. Master Plan Discussion The board discussed tasks and priorities to be done in -house and by a consultant. Chairman French will go to the Board of Selectmen's meeting on July 26 to update them on the Planning Board's progress and explain the format of the Master Plan Committee and Master Plan Advisory Committee. Chairman French was concerned the board not make too many decisions before the rest of the Master Plan Committee is appointed. 7. Around the Table Planner Bonda asked if there had been any progress on Weaver Lane. Mr. Burke told her there had not. She recommended making an 11 P.M. meeting deadline or - -- go back to meeting every week. Planner Dolan and Clerk Sullivan agreed an 11 P.M. cutoff was a good idea. Planner Dolan asked if anything had been done on the school parking issue. Ivir. Burke told him Dr. Nicoletti sent the Board of Selectmen a letter on closing East Street and other options. 8. Adjournment Motion: To adjourn at 11:45 P.M. (Flynn - Dolan) All in favor. PASSES Date of next meeting: August 2, 1995 at 7:30 P.M. Signature of Clerk Date of Approval 1