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HomeMy WebLinkAboutPLANNINGbrd_10242012Planning Board Minutes t� f October 24, 2012' iCE l Present: Tom French, Chair, Beth Ashman - Collins, Clerk, Michael McClanahan, Tony Jod'ce Don Cleary, Ralph Penney, Cheryl Collins ' Alternates: Rod Oreste and Michael Feck Shaun P. Burke, Director of Planning and Development, Jennifer Davis, AdnurYistialtve Secretary 1. October 10, 2012 Minutes Mr. Penney asked for a summary of acronyms for grant funding organizations Motion: To approve as submitted (McClanahan- Jodice) All in favor. PASSES 2. October 10, 2012 letter from Kohl's re: change in hours on November 23, 2012 and December 26, 2012 / October 12, 2012 email from Police Chief Arthur O'Neill approving the request 3. October 10, 2012 South Coast Rail Technical Assistance Awards Notice for FY 2013 Mr. Burke said the town has received a grant for infrastructure needs assessment, but has not been told what the amount will be. He said the assessment will help determine what things, such as utility improvements, will mean to the town. 4. Public Hearing Notices — Attleboro, Norton, North Attleboro, Sharon 5. SRPEDD Notice of New Bedford Bridge Dedication to Roland Hebert 6. October 23, 2012 letter from Attorney Edward Valanzola with the revised landscaping plan for 321 School Street dated August 3, 2012 and prepared by Allen & Major Associates, Inc. Mr. Burke said the landscaping has been replaced one for one. The board agreed the revised landscaping plan is acceptable. Mr. Burke said lie had a number of complaints after the October 10 Planning Board meeting about conversations during Public Comment. He explained the Open Meeting Law has changed to limit deliberations to what has been identified on the agenda. He said the intent is not to limit public discussion, but rather to give the public adequate notice of discussion topics. He said the agenda can be amended after it is posted if the topics change or are added. He suggested board members call the office if they would like to add topics to Around the Table. However, he said Public Comment is more difficult because the board cannot anticipate what the public will want to discuss; he suggested if a resident wants to discuss something at length, the board should put that item on a fixture agenda. He said if it is a quick discussion about a resident's concern, the board could address that. Mr. French asked if the board wants to continue to have public comment and to limit conversations to a reasonable length, or to discontinue public comment. Mr. Burke said he would not recommend eliminating public comment, and said the Board of Selectmen requires people who want to talk to the board under public continent to sign up prior to the meeting. Mr. Oreste said if public continent were limited to emergency issues, short discussions might be appropriate, but if there are issues someone wants to discuss that impact others, that should be a posted agenda item. Mr. Penney said it is good for the board to hear public continent when it is deliberating issues. He suggested tine chairman use his best judgment to decide when and for how long to allow public continent. 4: Spmiat Pe'ntit °Public Hearing contiuued —24 North Main Street — Mixetl -Use Residential /Commercial Development - Crugnale Properties Marco Crugnale. Crugnale Properties. showed the board elevations of the nronosed huildinn_ including the rear elevation looking from West Street and the side entrance. He said the back roofline may change depending on whether or not buyers want roof decks. He said the gables shown on the front roofline will not change. Mr. Burke said lie does not think a change in roof decks will hit the five percent change that would trigger a new special permit. Mr. Crugnale said he has spoken with two potential buyers; one wants a roof deck and one does not. He said there would be four -foot walls around the rooftop decks. The board discussed making roof decks a condition of the special permit rather than covering it under the five percent change. Mr. Crugnale showed the board the West Street elevation with the tower and a mansard -style roof; he said the garages will be at the back of the site. He noted the front elevation of the site will not change, whether or not there are roof decks. Mr. Jodice asked for an elevation showing what the building would look like with the roof decks in place; Mr. Crugnale presented a plan showing a mansard -style roof with a deck; the front pitch will remain the same, then cut down to a flat roof to accommodate the deck behind it. Mr. Penney asked if the only fagade that would change to accommodate roof decks is the west side, and that change would only be visible from the parking area; Mr. Crugnale said that is the case. The board discussed adding a condition to allow roof decks provided the appearance of the building from the North Main Street and West Street sides remains consistent with the plans presented whether or not roof decks are constructed. Mr. Jodice asked if the board should be able to review the plans showing the roof decks. Mr. Penney suggested specifying the distance the decks can be placed back from the front of the building. Mr. French said he would be comfortable with a condition that the North Main Street and West Street elevations do not change, with or without roof decks. Mr. French asked about benches and bike racks. Mr. Crugnale said he would add bike racks and benches to the site. The board discussed adding a condition to require one bike rack to accommodate six bicycles and one bench, and to have their locations determined by the Planning Director. Department Head Comment The clerk read memos from the Town Engineer and the Police Chief. Board Comment Mr. Cleary asked about a condition for the developer to grant the town an easement for a portion of the sidewalk, light structures and a hydrant. Mr. Burke suggested not holding the special permit up for the easement. He said it will be easier to determine what land will have to be included in the easement when the as -built is complete. Mr. Jodice asked about the retail space; Mr. Crugnale said lie doesn't know what will go in there. Mr. Penney said he would abstain from the vote. Mr. French appointed Mr. Feck to vote on this special permit. Motion: To approve the developer's request to transfer one (1) affordable unit from the 2 -4 North Main Street development to the previously approved and currently under construction 214 Rumford Avenue development, this requiring a total of four (4) affordable units at 214 Rumford Avenue. (Cleary - Jodice) All in favor. PASSES Motion: To approve the special permit as drafted with the additional conditions regarding roof decks and bike racks/benches (McClanahan - Cleary) McClanahan — In favor. The benefits outweigh the detriments, the lot has been vacant for a number of years and this development would improve and enhance downtown. Jodice — In favor. The project will have a positive impact on the convenience, general welfare and amenities, neighboring properties, vehicular traffic, municipal facilities and services. Ashman- Collins — In favor. The high- quality design of this mixed -use development will have a positive impact on the health, safety, convenience, general welfare and amenities of the town, will have a positive impact on adjoining premises, neighborhood character and social structure, vehicular and pedestrian traffic. Cleary — In favor. The benefits outweigh the detriments, the proposal is exactly what the board would like to see built downtown, will increase the tax base, and the design will fit in with the neighborhood. Collins - In favor. This development will add wonderful character to downtown, have a positive fiscal and visual impact, has been well thought out in terms of pedestrian and vehicular circulation, and the landscaping will have a positive impact. Feck —In favor. This will have a positive impact on health and safety and on adjoining properties, and on vehicular and pedestrian issues, has a similar design to adjacent buildings, and the landscaping will have positive impacts on the natural enviromnent. French — In favor. This development will be an improvement to the downtown area, is a positive conclusion to a long -term problem on that site, will have a positive impact on taxes and property values, and will improve the streetscape. Seven in favor. None opposed. PASSES Motion: To close the public hearing ( McClanalan- Cleary) All in favor. PASSES Mr. Penney said he likes the idea of business on the first floor and residential on the floors above. He suggested looking at expanding the requirement for commercial on the first floor in the B2 zone. Mr. French agreed and said with more people living downtown, it will help bring business downtown. Mr. Penney said there is limited business -zoned land left in town and those areas should be protected and redeveloped. Mr. Crugnale said the parking requirements make ( business difficult in the downtown area. Mr. Penney suggested town -owned satellite parking lots could help downtown businesses. The board discussed various town -owned parcels, many of which are very small, and the possibility of recreation, utility and other municipal uses. Mr. Burke distributed the 2000 MBTA ENP for the train station, which includes VHB- designed plans to redesign the parking as smaller lots. Mr. Penney suggested assembling the plans and studies the town has done for the train station area, asking Xia to work with the board on a new plan, then sending out a grant application and preparing an RFP. Mr. Penney said he thinks the board has a better idea of what the town wants than a consultant would, so the board should direct the consultant rather than the other way around. Mr. Burke said the MassWorks grant program pulls several grant programs together, which used to be administered under different departments. He said Victoria Maguire encouraged the town to apply under MassWorks when it has a better focus of what it wants to do at the train station. Mr. Penney asked about federal funding; Mr. Burke said there is $200,000 earmarked for Mansfield train station issues in the Transportation Bond Bill, but the money has not been released. He said the Town Manager has requested the governor release the funds. Mr. Penney asked who owns Route 106 from the train station to Route 140. Mr. Burke said it is owned, repaired and maintained by the town, but the state owns the lights and the underpass. Mr. Penney asked at what point MassDOT should be brought into the planning process; Mr. Burke said at the beginning. Mr. Burke said Victoria Maguire told him the town has done a lot more than most towns, but has to be prioritize before going after funding. Mr. Penney suggested focusing on access at this point. Mr. McClanahan asked about the land on County Street; Mr. Burke said it cannot be accessed because the town does not own all the land around it. Mr. Jodice suggested widening Route 140 may be the simplest solution, but the town has to be willing to pursue that option. He suggested rather than making it adversarial, the town could work with landowners to provide incentives. Mr. Jodice said the parking lots have to be looked at because they are a large component of controlling the traffic. Mr. Penney said access and parking have to be studied together, and should be a public- private process. Mr. Jodice asked about rezoning the land to make it more valuable, therefore making it worth it for landowners to grant some to the town. The board discussed the variable width of Route 106 and how much land taking would actually be needed. Mr. Burke said access on Route 106 and getting traffic into and out of the train station are two different issues, and there are also issues with the timing of the lights along Route 106, which has a huge impact on traffic management. He said making Route 106 a four -lane road to accommodate short-term train station traffic issues may not be the best thing for residents. Mr. Penney said the residential areas like Highland Avenue have to be studied. Mr. Jodice asked if it would be worth paying a traffic consultant to look at that issue. Ms. Ashman- Collins stated that all options should be identified even if only three or four are viable. Mr. Feck asked what the other access options are; Mr. McClanahan said County Street is an option, as is a bridge over the CSX land. Mr. French said that would still bring traffic back to the North Main Street /Route 106 intersection. Motion: To sign the 2 -4 North Main Street special permit decision (McClanahan- Jodice) All in favor. PASSES Mr. McClanahan suggested sending department heads a memo asking for input on the citizens' petition for Special Town Meeting, briefly explaining the proposal and asking what they think the impact will be on their department. Mr. Jodice said the board doesn't typically ask department heads for opinions on zoning articles and should be consistent. Ms. Ashman - Collins agreed the board should not do anything unusual. Mr. Penney said this would have a significant impact on the town and he would like to know what the department heads think. Mr. Feck said if the article passes, any proposal would still require a Planning Board public hearing, so the board would get input from department heads at that time. Mr. Jodice asked Mr. Burke what he thinks the department heads' reaction to the question would be. Mr. Burke said the board has an obligation to gather as much information as possible prior to making a decision on any topic, but said it would be unusual for the board to ask for department head comments on a zoning article and he has not seen it done before, other than on this previous proposal. He said the board would normally request department head comments on the submission of the special permit application. Motion: To ask department heads for comment on the citizens' petition (McClanahan- Penney) Two in favor. Five opposed. FAILS 6. Public Comment Mr. Burke said he would look into the amount of the South Coast Rail grant. 8. Adjournment Motion: To adjourn at 10:00 p.m. (McClanahan- ) All in favor. PASSES Next meeting: November 7, 2012 at 7:00 p.m. 86 — [Special Town Meeting: November 13, 012] Z 0(7- rgnature of elk Dat of Approval