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HomeMy WebLinkAboutPLANNINGbrd_1252012Planning Board Minutes RECEIVED January 25, 2012 Present: "Tom French, Chair, Michael McClanahan, Don Cleary, Anthony Jodice ) CI F ECE Alternates Ralph Penney and Rod Oreste IQIl MAR -2 A fl. 23 Shaun P. Burke, Director of Planning and Development �t 1. Meeting called to order at 7:00 pan. Motion: To appoint Mr. Jodice Clerk (McClanahan - Cleary) All in favor. PASSES 2. Correspondence 1. November 16, 2011 minutes Motion: To approve as submitted (Pemiey- Cleary) All in favor. PASSES 2. January 9, 2012 letter from Beth Ashman- Collins 4. ZBA application for Variance — 377 Chauncy Street — Stop & Shop Sign The application seeks to add three 5'x6' panels to the existing pylon sign with no expansion of the footprint. The proposed additional signage would exceed the square footage allowed on a pylon sign. Motion: To send the ZBA a negative recommendation (McClanahan- Jodice) Mr. McClanahan said the site already has the maximum allowed signage and he is concerned about precedent. Mr. Penney said he thinks the town's sign limit is very small, many signs in town exceed the 32- square foot limit and adding panels within the existing footprint will not have a negative impact. Three in favor. Three opposed. FAILS 5. Public Hearing notices — Attleboro, Easton, Sharon, Plainville 6. The Beacon 3. Form A (ANR) Plans Mr. William Clemmey said he plans to submit four citizens' petitions for Annual Town Meeting: a new `B4" designation for existing businesses in remote areas of town, currently zoned B3; changes in use in the 133 zone along the Copeland Drive corridor; rezoning of land at West Street/Route 140 from R2 to I1; auction of unused town land. 1. New B4, Remote Business, Zone Mr. Clemmey said the B3 zone includes Copeland Drive from Wendy's to the Foxboro town line, but also includes the Old Country Store on Otis Street, Mansfield Oil near the East Common, the corner of East and Franklin Streets and the former convenience store at Street/Coach Road. Mr. Clemmey said the argument against changing uses in the B3 zone has been that those changes would impact all B3 zones in town, not only the Copeland Drive corridor. He said his proposal would create a B4, "remote business," zone with the same uses as the existing B3 zone, then to change the uses allowed in B3, which would then only impact the Chauncy /Copeland corridor. Planning Board 1 3/1/2012 Mr. Karl Clemmey said the "remote business" landowners would not be impacted by the proposal, so the change would not affect any existing businesses. Mr. William Clemmey said gas stations are not currently allowed in the B3 zone, a use that may not make sense in a residential area like the Old Country Store, but which may make sense along Copeland Drive, a more commercial area. Mr. Karl Clemmey said he would rather see the Planning Board sponsor this article. Mr. Cleary said it sounds like a good idea, and could be an advantage to both the Copeland Drive corridor businesses and the outlying businesses. 2. B3 Use Changes Mr. William Clemmey said his second article would be to allow auto service stations, fast food restaurants and mixed business /residential uses in the B3 zone. He said auto service stations and fast food already exist along the Chauncy /Copeland corridor, so it makes sense to make them allowed uses. Mr. Karl Clemmey said there have been no fast food restaurants built in the I1 zone, where that use is allowed. Mr. William Clemmey said making Copeland Drive a business corridor from the Mobil station to Highland Avenue would be good for business in the long -term. Mr. Burke said one of the problems with downtown is that it is too long, stretching from town hall to Oakland Street and expanding the business district to outlying zones would not be good for downtown. He said Route 106 handles more traffic volume every year, which may negatively impact residential uses. He said he would not encourage rezoning Chauncy Street. Mr. William Clemmey said the town has changed a lot over the last 20 years and he thinks it might make sense to look at the existing B3 zone. He said he also thinks the densities in this zone are lower than they should be. He said B3 already has uses Zoning By -Law does not allow, and he suggested making the Zoning By -Law agree with reality. Mr. Karl Clemmey asked what the members think about the proposal. Mr. French said the board will not vote tonight, and if the proposals are presented for Town Meeting, will hold a public hearing. He said he thinks the ideas have some merit, but added he isn't sure fast food should be encouraged because of noise, traffic and odor issues. Mr. Burke noted the board adopted a drive - through by -law in the Zoning By -Law, which addresses issues like queuing. [Mr. Cleary left the meeting at this time.] Planning Board 2 1/26/2012 Mr. Penney asked what property the Clemmeys want to free up with the B3 changes. Mr. William Clemmey said the B3 zone would be the Copeland /Chauncy corridor, but the outlying businesses would be changed to B4. Mr. Penney said the remaining B3 would be expanded to include fast food, service stations and mixed residentialibusiness. Mr. Karl Clemmey said there are properties on the left side of Copeland Drive in disrepair that should be improved. Mr. Penney asked Mr. Clemmey what he thinks the arguments against the changes to B3 will be. Mr. William Clemmey said people will be concerned about trash and odor issues with fast food, as well as the increased density. He said mixed use business- residential is not allowed in the B3 zone now, so some may say it doesn't make sense. He noted the proposed changes would be special permit uses. Mr. French asked if it would be easier to leave the outlying businesses as B3 with no changes, and to make the Chauncy /Copeland corridor the new B4 zone with use changes. Mr. William Clemmey said B3 is "highway business," which does not describe the outlying businesses. He said he could make his proposal in either way. Mr. Jodice asked the major differences between B2 and B3; Mr. Burke said B2 is more dense than B3. Mr. Penney said he isn't certain he agrees with the proposal, but it seems to make sense. Mr. McClanahan said the board will not be able to make a decision tonight, and suggested the members look around town at the different zones and businesses. Mr. Jodice asked if this change would allow something the town really doesn't want to see. Mr. Burke said he doesn't think so, as the proposal is straightforward, but the board should consider whether it wants to allow the proposed uses. Mr. William Clemmey said the article can be amended at Town Meeting, as long as it is amended downward. He asked the board to think about the proposed density. Mr. Penney noted the proposal would also change the frontage requirement. B3 has no open space requirement, but does have required setbacks. Mr. Burke said he thinks 50 feet of frontage is too little. Mr. William Clemmey said it might work with narrow lots. Mr. Karl Clemmey said a lot of large stores at Patriot Place are closing because they do not complement one another, and the site is too large for customers to walk. 3. Rezoning West Street/Route 140 Mr. William Clemmey said his third article is to rezone four parcels (three houses) on West Street/Route 140, across West Street from Shaw's. He said it makes sense to rezone that corner to I1, the same as the Shaw's plaza, so it can be redeveloped as retail. Mr. Clemmey said they have built a berm and planted trees at the back of those parcels. Planning Board 3 1/26/2012 Because the industrial zone would abut a residential zone, it would require a 75 -foot setback. He said he understands there will be concerns about what possible uses could be put there, but he said retail makes the most sense. He said the combined lots would be a similar size to the Fresh Catch plaza on Chauncy Street, and he presented a plan showing a building of similar size to the one at the Fresh Catch site. Mr. William Clemmey said I1 zoning would be consistent with what is in the area. Mr. Karl Clemmey said a pharmacy is interested in the site. He said he plans to propose establishing an escrow account to ensure the site is developed the way the Planning Board wants. 4. Auction of Unused Land Mr. William Clemmey said his fourth article is about the auction of unused land, which the town could sell to generate taxes; they will approach the Board of Selectmen. Mr. Karl Clemmey suggested the board consider changing things like height in the industrial park. He said the leases on several of Covidien's buildings will expire in the next 18 months. Mr. Burke said Mansfield doesn't have an active IDC, so there is no one to reach out to businesses in the park. Mr. French said Dr. Mullin has suggested increasing the height allowed in the industrial park. [Mr. Oreste left the meeting at this time] S: `Planning Board Discussi6n re: Train Station Area Issues Mr. Burke distributed a plan from the "Downtown Mansfield Circulation/Parking Study, prepared by SRPEDD in September 2011. He said many of the train station issues, especially access, have been around for a long time, but there has not been much discussion about the number of parking spaces recently - should the number of spaces be increased, or should the number of spaces capped and the existing spaces improved. The board discussed the regional nature of the train station and the existing parking problems. Mr. French said the circulation and streetscape must be improved, which may change the number of parking spaces. East Side of Train Station Mr. Burke distributed "Figure A4, Alternative 2, Signal Control" one of the options SRPEDD presented in its September 2011 plan. The plan attempts to increase parking on Mansfield Avenue with diagonal parking and to get commuter parking off Old Colony Way and return it to downtown merchants and residents. In the plan, Mansfield Avenue stays one -way and Crocker Street becomes two -way, allowing "kiss and ride" to get to the station without having to use the North Main to Oakland to Mansfield Avenue loop. The Oakland Street/North Main Street intersection would be signalized. North Main Street would go back to two -way in front of Geno's, Mansfield Avenue would be left turn in, essentially making it a parking lot and no longer a through -way for trucks. Mr. McClanahan said the truck traffic in and out of the Oakland Street area is already a Planning Board 4 1/26/2012 problem, and this would make it worse. Mr. Burke said with this plan, trucks would stay on North Main Street and avoid Mansfield Avenue and the tight turn at the train station. Mr. McClanahan said drivers backing out of diagonal parking spaces would block the flow of traffic. Mr. Burke agreed that could be a problem on North Main Street, but thinks it would work on Mansfield Avenue. Mr. Burke said the queuing traffic would be controlled by the new signal at Oakland/North Main Street. Mr. Burke said this plan would result in the shortest waiting time at the light and preserve the most on- street parking of all the SRPEDD plans. He said it would be the lowest -cost way to increase parking, get the "kiss and ride" drop off area closer to the train station and get truck traffic away from the train station. Mr. McClanahan said the problem isn't only in the morning, there are also problems in the afternoon when a lot of people try to leave the same parking lot at the same time. Mr. Penney asked about concentrating the parking discussion on the west side of the tracks, and the circulation discussion on the east side. Mr. French said less parking on the east side would mean more on the west, making leaving the site more difficult. Mr. Penney asked if the town would consider sacrificing a small part of the North Common to create another lane on Crocker Street and alleviate the problems with drop - off traffic. Mr. McClanahan said there is a problem with waiting GATRA bins, which take up spaces in front of the train station and back up traffic. Mr. Burke said this plan would create more parking on Mansfield Avenue and cut eliminate through traffic on that street. Mr. French said the board has discussed the long -term need for the town to begin buying properties around the train station for either more parking or improved circulation. Mr. Penney asked which properties would be worth acquiring. Mr. Burke said land near the common headed north would be the most useful. Mr. Jodice said he would be concerned doing something like that would devastate the north end of Mansfield. Mr. Penney asked about using Pratt Street to divert traffic to the east. Mr. Jodice said he thinks taking the trucks off Mansfield Avenue is a great idea, and that aspect should be included in whatever plan is eventually done. Mr. McClanahan said the trucks run at all times of the day. Mr. Penney asked about using Rinds from the Parking Enterprise Fund for train station area improvements. Mr. Burke said he has prepared two warrant articles for annual town meeting to find a design and to establish an account. Mr. Burke explained how the parking enterprise account was set up and what can be done with the funds. Planning Board 5 1/26/2012 [Mr. Cleary returned to the meeting at this time] Mr. Burke said Mr. Ross suggested the Planning Board and Downtown Parking Committee get together to discuss this. Mr. Penney said he doesn't think the board is ready to do that yet, and suggested continuing the discussion at the next, then inviting the parking committee to meet later. Mr. Burke said the parking committee is looking at the Fales Oil buildings and at adding additional parking along the bike path. Mr. French said the Planning Board should consider whether it thinks that is an appropriate use of the money. Mr. McClanahan said he thinks additional parking at Fales Oil would help improve the train station parking situation and get some revenue for the town. Mr. Penney said he thinks the development of a parking lot there would be more useful for downtown businesses than for the train station. Mr. Jodice asked the board to think about how the town can begin acquiring properties, or parts of properties, in the train station area, and how that option can be made more attractive to property owners. Mr. French said it would be very difficult to take land along the commercial strip along Copeland Drive between Chauncy Street and Route 140. Mr. Jodice asked about the possibility of land swaps. Mr. Burke noted the parking committee will be making recommendations to the Board of Selectmen, it will not be making any decisions. Mr. McClanahan asked about plans for the Currivan site on North Main Street. Mr. Burke said no plans have been submitted. Mr. McClanahan said he heard that will be redeveloped as townhouses and asked if it would have to be mixed use. Mr. Burke said townhouses can be done there by right in that zone, B2, with no requirement for retail. Mr. McClanahan asked the building that was recently demolished at the corner of North Main Street/High Street. Mr. Burke said no plans have been submitted for that site. Mr. French said he attended the initial Strategic Plan meeting, at which Dr. Mullin gave an overview of the state of the town. He asked if any of the members would be willing to attend the Business Climate subcommittee meetings, if necessary. Mr. McClanahan and Mr. Cleary said they would be willing to attend. Motion: To adjourn at 10:00 p.m. (McClanahan- ) All in favor. PASSES Next meeting: February 8, 2012 at 7:00 p.m. ire of Clerk's Date of Approval Planning Board 6 1/26/2012