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HomeMy WebLinkAboutmin of planning brd 10/19/05 ,""'- Planning Board Minutes October 19, 2005 02) NOll -tl 10: 05 Present: Tom French, Chairman; Fred Armstrong, Clerk; Frank Holmes, Ken Torman, Doug Annino, John DeMassi, Walter Jenkins . '1,' "'.. J L.ll) Shaun P. Burke, Director ofPlannin and Develo ment t'1!\ S2/\ Ci'lUSETT S 1. Meeting called to order at 7:30 p.m. 2. Special Permit Public Hearing continued - Mansfield Crossing - Retail Development at Route 140/School Street - W IS Development Lou Masiello, WS Development, explained the changes to the architecture of the proposed Kohl's building, which have been revised to add the types of details discussed at previous meetings. The front elevation shows a series of varying height, repeating pylaster elements, which create a variation along the building front and roofline, with heavier cornice treatments at specific locations. Mr. Masiello said the intent was to copy the sizing of the smaller stores. Different colors and materials have been brought in, including a wainscoting treatment along the bottom, brick and a stucco-type material. The landscaped island between the two stores has been deepened, with a surrounding low wall that can be used as a bench. There are lower pylasters at the ends of the building, which wrap around to the side facing the roadway going to the Chamber of Commerce house, and wall sconce lighting on that side. Mr. Masiello said at the back of the building, where there isn't a lot of public activity, the ,-- color scheme will be carried through, but without the three-dimensional structural details. There is a screen wall at the back to buffer the loading area; the building sides will have similar treatments. Mr. Masiello explained the planters at the front of the Kohl's building, which will be illuminated. The sidewalk will have 10 feet of walking space and 15 feet of landscaping, which he said exceeds the requirements of the Zoning By-Law. He said the side of the building facing the Chamber of Commerce building Will have additional lighting. There will also be site lighting at the Chamber of Commerce building. Mr. Masiello said he has addressed many of the board's previous comments, including the relocation of the sidewalk near the Route 140 entrance to the south side of the driveway and a sidewalk wrapped around the side of the Kohl's building to provide pedestrian access from the front of Kohl's to the Chamber of Commerce building. Mr. Masiello explained they are still before the Conservation Commission and have completed the MEP A process. Mr. Masiello presented a formal community benefits package. ,- Mr. French asked if there anything is expected to come out of the Conservation Commission hearing that would change the plans. Mr. Masiello said the town's consultant has asked about the drainage and stormwater being discharged into the pond. The consultant has asked for an alternatives analysis, which Mr. Masiello said they have ,.-- done; the consultant's conclusion is that there is no other feasible alternative than using the pond. He said they have a number of "not preferred" alternatives, and if the commission does not allow the use of the pond, they may have to investigate other drainage methods. Mr. Holmes asked if the changes to the Kohl's building change the site plan. Mr. Masiello said the building size and location would not change; the pylasters along the front can be accommodated within the sidewalk area. Mr. Jenkins asked how deep the reveals are along the front of the building coming from the Chamber of Commerce building. Mr. Masiello explained the entrance of the building is the same as the original site plan; the features at the end of the building are new. Those features are not as deep as those at the rest of the front of the building. Mr. Armstrong asked about a "future Kohl's sign" shown on the side of the building. Mr. Masiello said he has told Kohl's that sign could not be constructed and Kohl's has said it would not. He said that sign would be removed from the plan. ,.-- Dr. Torman asked about the material on the front of the building; Mr. Masiello said the material behind the Kohl's sign would be brick and the squares surrounding the front door would be a stucco-like material, but not as rough and textured. Dr. Torman said he had heard Kohl's planned to incorporate a lot more glass in their new stores and had hoped that would happen here. Mr. Masiello said he has spoken with Kohl's about that, and their major concern was that it would take away wall selling space on the inside of the store. He said he would discuss it with Kohl's again. Dr. Torman asked about parking along the rear elevation of Kohl's; Mr. Masiello said those are compact parking spaces, which they envision employees using. He said they will not be specifically for employee parking. Dr. Torman asked about lighting; Mr. Masiello said there are light fixtures along the back of the building. Dr. Torman said he is concerned the parking lot wouldn't be sufficiently lit; Mr. Masiello said he would discuss additional lighting with Kohl's. Christopher Weinert, 10 Patricia Road, asked what makes this a special permit application. Mr. Burke explained a "mall" is a special permit use. Mr. Weinert said he has submitted a petition opposing the project. Mr. French said the board has taken this project very seriously for over a year and has made some major progress on it, especially concerning access issues. He said with the Route 140 access, a substantial amount of traffic would be taken off of School Street. He explained that with a special permit application, the board has to find that the benefits outweigh the detriments, but said the board also has to consider what else could happen on the site if this is denied. He said it is naive to think that if this application is denied, the site will remain as it is. He explained this is an industrially zoned parcel, so there many industrial uses that would be allowed by right, and the town would not get things like traffic r- mitigation or a community benefits package. r Mr. DeMassi said he has spoken with some of the people who signed Mr. Weinert's petition and appreciated hearing their concerns. Leonard Flynn, 102 Jewell Street, said the plan has improved since its submission. He said the light poles should not be placed around the perimeter of the site, but rather should be in the interior. He said there should be a "right out" turn from this site onto Route 140. Mr. Flynn noted Mass Highway's concern was about short distance to the Route 495 onramps and the weaving movements required to get to them; he said there are many entrances and exits elsewhere that require weaving movements. Mr. Flynn said he is concerned about drainage and wetland areas; he said he hopes the Conservation Commission process will change the plan. He said this site is surrounded by conservation land and he is concerned about the impact of this project on those areas. r Mr. Flynn asked about signage for the Kohl's and the Chamber of Commerce buildings in relation to the highway. Mr. French said the "future Kohl's sign" at the back of the site would not be constructed. Mr. Masiello explained the Zoning By-Law allows free- standing signage for each building; he said this site will have 11 or 12 buildings. He said instead of that, they will likely do one or two pylon signs, which would require relief from the ZBA. He said they have not created a plan to permit any pylon signs at this point. He said there would likely be one at the front entrance and one near the Chamber of Commerce building, where it would be visible from the highway. He noted the current application doesn't include these pylon signs, so none could be built at this point. Mr. Flynn said he is concerned the signage be made part of the special permit and not be allowed all around the site. Mr. Masiello said the signage plan depends on what tenants they line up and what those stores demand. Mr. Flynn suggested a condition of the special permit limiting the signage visible from the highway. Mr. Masiello noted there is a directional, "way finding" sign that is included in this permit application. Mr. Jenkins asked about directional signs from the Route 140 access; Mr. Masiello said they have thought about signage on Route 140, but Mass Highway will only allow highway signs to direct traffic to public streets or gas and food areas. He said to be allowed a highway sign, they would have to give the driveway a street name. Mr. Jenkins suggested a directional sign inside the site, similar to the one proposed for the School Street entrance. Mr. Burke suggested rather than a sign on Route 140, the developer should consider something like a stone wall, similar to the Cabot Business Park wall on Forbes Boulevard. r- Mr. DeMassi said ifthere is a pylon sign at the back of the site, visible from Route 495, it will be too late for drivers to make the turn. Mr. Flynn said that is the type of thing he wouldn't want to see. Mr. Masiello said the signage at that location would be intended for advertising for future visits than for directions. Mr. Burke said there could be a condition saying that signage would have to be reviewed by the board. He said he would rather know the applicant plans to seek relief and incorporate that issue into the permit. Mr. DeMassi asked about seeing things like proposed locations, maximum height and style. Mr. Masiello said that is reasonable and said they plan to have to come to the board for signage review. r Mr. Burke said a condition could be added saying if the applicant seeks any relief after the grant of the special permit, the permit would have to be modified. He said the maximum height for a pylon sign is 15 feet, which is not very high, and relief has been granted for signs along the Route 140 corridor. He suggested adding a condition to the special permit requiring board review of a signage program or modification of the special permit in the event relief is granted by the ZBA. Mr. Masiello asked for flexibility in the signage condition. Mr. Holmes asked when the signage program would be ready; Mr. Masiello said it would be about six months. Mr. Annino said the signage program should come in with the building fa~de program. Mr. French said he would prefer to have a condition allowing the board the ability to approve the signs. r- Mr. Annino asked about the jersey barriers shown around the pond. Mr. White explained that during permitting with the Conservation Commission, they have been looking for a way to reconstruct the berm. That would result in an impact on the bordering vegetative wetland, which the commission wants reduced. Rather than constructing an earthen berm, they propose to sink a row of jersey barriers with vegetation on top. Mr. White said the wall needs to be solid to avoid water passing through it. Mr. Annino said there must be a better way to accomplish that; Mr. White said the jersey barriers would be mostly buried with one to two feet above ground, and would be planted. As part of the Conservation Commission package, he said they will allow the vegetation in that area to regrow, unmowed, to its natural state. Mr. White said the jersey barriers would be about 120 feet long; Mr. Burke asked if any other pre-cast fixture would work. Mr. Masiello it could, as long as the footprint is narrow and one to two feet remains exposed. Mr. Annino asked about the spillway; Mr. White said that is pre-cast concrete and has always been on the plan. He said that is to replace the control structure that was put in place during the Route 495 construction. Mr. Annino asked if there are any additional revisions. Mr. Masiello said the plantings around the pond have been changed to be more natural wetland species. Mr. Annino asked what is there now; Mr. Masiello said it is mostly grass. Mr. Annino asked if it would look like a swamp; Mr. Masiello said it would not. Mr. Masiello said the jersey barriers could be treated with the type of stone cladding being used in other places around the site, so they would look like low stone walls. Mr. DeMassi asked why a stone wall couldn't be used; Mr. Masiello said the structure would have to hold water. Mr. White said they want to minimize the wetland impacts, and the jersey barriers could be installed quickly with a minimum of excavation necessary. Mr. Annino asked about planting details for the School Street boulevard. Mr. Masiello said that has been submitted. Mr. Annino asked about plantings at the second School Street entrance. Mr. White explained the island at that entrance does not show landscaping; he said it would be added. "...- ,--- Mr. Annino asked about the dumpster enclosures. Mr. White explained he has been told the National Fire Protection Agency is considering requiring dumpster enclosures be fireproof material. He said they have been unable to contact that agency, and have spoken with the Fire Chief, who said the town has not adopted any new dumpster enclosure regulations. He presented the board with a detail of a masonry-type wall for dumpsters and said if the NFP A regulations do change, they would meet the new requirements rather than use the pvc enclosures currently proposed. Mr. Holmes asked what the gates would be like with the new enclosures; Mr. White said he would assume they would have to be a galvanized pole system with chain link fencing. Mr. Annino asked about Building I and noted the board would be concerned about the design of that building. Mr. Masiello said he understood that concern and said the bar for the smaller buildings will be set higher with the revisions to the Kohl's building. He added he would go back to Kohl's to discuss the board's concerns about lighting and glass at the front. Dr. Torman said he didn't think a lot of glass would be needed to give a more open appearance; Mr. Annino said that would make the front more pedestrian oriented. ,.-- Mr. Burke said the application included a number of uses, including retail, mall, restaurant, fast food restaurant, hoteVmotel, personal service shop, auto repair and body shop. He said there is no fast food, the hotel has been removed, and asked if the auto repairlbody shop remains. Mr. Masiello said they do not plan a traditional auto repairlbody shop, but said electronics stores do installation of the equipment they sell, which would probably still require that portion of the permit. He said that would be done inside a store. He said they have no tenants like that lined up right now. Mr. Masiello said some of the restaurants may include take-out, which may be interpreted as fast food. Mr. Burke said the Zoning By~Law envisions "fast food" as more ofa drive~through; he said he would not want to see a drive-through at this site. Mr. Masiello said if that is the concern, there could be a condition in the permit to prevent a drive-through. Mr. Burke said the permit could grant the fast food use with no drive~up window service. Dr. Torman said many restaurants now do curb side service; Mr. Annino said there would be parking spaces for that use. Mr. Jenkins said he wouldn't consider that the "primary use" as described by the Zoning By~Law. Mr. Masiello asked that the condition be specific to food service, because they are also trying to get a bank on site. Mr. DeMassi asked about methods to slow traffic coming into the site from the Route 140 entrance. Mr. White said they didn't want to stop traffic until it gets further into the site. Mr. Masiello said anything on Route 140 is under Mass Highway jurisdiction. Mr. DeMassi asked about something to slow traffic before it gets to Building I; Mr. Burke suggested a concrete chatter strip. Mr. DeMassi said he was concerned about the auto body repair issue and asked if there should be discussion of cars being driven into buildings. Mr. Burke said he wasn't concerned about stereo installation or other electronics use, but would be concerned about tire retailers or body shop type activity. Mr. Holmes asked if the permit could be r r- written to allow one and prohibit the other. Mr. Masiello said they are not marketing the facility to tire retailers or similar uses. Dr. Torman said this plan may be the best of the possible alternatives and said the board may be ready for a decision. Mr. Holmes said he agreed, and said the applicant has addressed the board's concerns with a significantly revised plan Mr. Armstrong said many of the detrimental impacts have been addressed and would provide a number of benefits, including local shopping opportunities, jobs and the benefits package. He said there would also have to be significant conditions. Mr. French said the applicant's commitment to work with the downtown merchants would be a benefit. Mr. Annino said he would hate to lose that piece ofland, but said development is inevitable. He said he wants what is best for the town and hopes if this project is permitted, it will be a benefit. However, he said he is concerned about this project causing problems like those at other shopping centers. He said the applicant has worked hard to address the board's concerns. ,.-- Mr. Armstrong said a lot of people have reviewed this plan, including the board's traffic consultant, staff and other boards. Mr. Jenkins said he would be more concerned with other potential uses for this site. He said a good development takes into consideration the impact on the community, and he said there has been a lot of time and effort expended on both the developer and the town. He said this type of development comes close to the highest and best use of this piece of land. He said the impacts of a project have to be considered, along with the benefits the town will see. He said this is a beautiful piece of land, but added the owners have the right to develop the land. He said it would be possible for an industrial subdivision to be constructed on this site under site plan review, with none of the benefits of this project. Mr. DeMassi said he has been thinking about the benefits and detriments of the project. He said it is unrealistic to think this site will remain as it is, whether this permit is approved or not. He said this has been an industrial piece of property for a long time, and the applicant has worked hard to address the board's concerns. Motion: To ask the Planning Director to draft a special permit approving the project including all the issues the board has discussed (Annino- Armstrong) Mr. Holmes said he was concerned about the surety to be posted for traffic mitigation and would like that tied into level of service at the intersections, rather than just the number and direction of trips. Mr. Masiello said he is concerned that it be clear the money is ,.-- r T ,,-- applicable to problems documented as being caused by the shopping center and not other growth. All in favor. PASSES Mr. Burke said he would like to be able to send the decision out to anyone interested in commenting on it, get comments back and have a final draft by the next meeting. Motion: To continue the public hearing to November 9, 2005 at 7:30 p.m. (DeMassi-Annino) All in favor. PASSES I 3. Correspondence Minutes October 5, 2005 Motion: To approve as submitted (Holmes-Torman) Five in favor. French, Armstrong abstained. PASSES 13. Adjournment Motion: To adjourn at 9:45 p.m. (Torman-Holmes) All in favor. PASSES N:;;t~ November 2,2005 at 7:30 P/~ ) ~ J tJ j~ Signature of Clerk ~ Date elf Approval r- r- . ,