HomeMy WebLinkAboutPLANNINGbrd_09142016Planning Board Minutes���;� EDTOSeptember 14, 2016S OFFICE
Present: Tom French Chairman; Don Cleary, Clerk; Beth AshmainSoips.Michapl
McClanahan, Ralph Penney, Michael Feck, Rich LeBlanc Z9 All" 41'
Alternates Joe Cerretani and Sharon Friedman M�c�fIELD
Shaun P. Burke,
Director of Planning and Development; Jennifer E14�iS
Assistant
......... 1.
ee: 11
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Christine Walsh, Annino Associates, explained the minor modifications to the approved North
Common Estates plan. The transformer for Building A has been relocated and has been
approved by MMED; she said it will fit on the island. Mr. French asked if the layout of the
island has changed; Ms. Walsh said she does not believe it has. Mr. Burke agreed.
Ms. Walsh said the equipment for the six car lift parking spaces under Building A will not fit in
the structure. She said the steel is already up and they are starting the wood framing. Mr.
McClanahan said the applicant knew the lifts would not fit a month ago, before framing began.
Ms. Walsh said they have to relocate six parking spaces and said they would like to use on -street
parking. Mr.
Planning Board September 14, 2016
Cerretani said during the public hearing process, the board discussed the fact that the on -street
parking spaces could be used for the retail uses, not for the residential use.
Mr. French asked if the site could be lowered slightly in the area of those six parking spaces,
rather than eliminating the spaces on the property. Ms. Walsh said they would need to gain 18
inches to 2 feet in order to fit the lifts under the building. Mr. LeBlanc asked if these are the
only spaces to be eliminated; Ms. Walsh said they would be. Mr. Cerretani suggested moving
the lift spaces to another part of the site and enclosing them.
Mr. French said the development was approved under the North Main Street overlay district,
which allows density and parking bonuses when amenities are provided. Ms. Walsh said one of
the parking bonuses gives the board the option to allow the use of off-site parking along the
project's frontage. Mr. French said thee development is using seven on -street parking spaces on
Crocker Street for its commercial uses; this request is to use six additional on -street parking
spaces for the residential use. Mr. McClanahan said those on -street spaces are for two-hour
parking; Mr. Cleary asked if the spaces could be used as residential overnight. Mr. McClanahan
said there will already be some on -street spaces lost due to the town's reconstruction.
Mr. Feck said he remembered the discussion about the lifts during the public hearing was that the
development would contain its resident parking on the site, rather than having them use on -street
parking. Mr. Penney asked how many total spaces are required for the development; Ms. Walsh
said 122 are required, and they are proposing 116 without the six lift spaces. Mr. Feck said some
of the approved on-site parking is tandem.
Mr. McClanahan suggested moving the lift parking to another location on the site; Ms. Walsh
said they would still be short one parking space,
Ms. Friedman said a lot of the on-site parking is compact or sub -compact, and asked what would
happen if more residents than expected have large cars. Mr. Penney said Mr. Crugnale has said a
lot of his residents would be commuters and may not have two cars per family.
Mr. Feck said the board gave a lot of density bonuses on this site already and thinks the site may
have too much on it. He said if there were commercial on the first floor of the second building,
they could use the on -street parking.
Mr. French said the applicant could apply for a variance for parking spaces, but would have to
come back to amend the Planning Board special permit. He said he thinks the applicant could
avoid having to go the ZBA because the Planning Board has the discretion to set the parking on a
special permit in the North Main Street Business Overlay District.
Mr. McClanahan said if the lift spaces are built in another location, which is allowed in the
overlay district, the site would only be one space short, and he may consider that a "minor
modification."
Planning Board September 14, 2016
Mr. Penney said if the applicant would consider eliminating one or two residential units and/or
making that space commercial, they could use on -street parking. Ms. Walsh said she would have
to talk to Mr. Crugnale about the options.
Ms. Friedman said density has increased all over town and said she is concerned about giving
additional concessions. She said a lot of people have large vehicles; Ms. Ashman -Collins said
those -people probably would not choose to live in a development with a lot of compact parking.
She suggested this issue should be worked out and the number of parking spaces required by the
Zoning By -Law be constructed on site.
Mr. French said he agrees with Mr. Burke about setting a precedent by allowing residential
parking off-site and taking on -street parking away from downtown retailers.
Mr. French said he thinks the consensus of the board is that the applicant should figure out how
to get the six parking spaces on site. He said all the retail parking spaces for this site are already
off-site.
Mr. McClanahan said three on -street parking spaces are already going to be lost for retailers in
that area because of the town's roadwork.
Mr. Penney asked about tandem spaces. Mr. Burke said they have always been allowed on
private property, and Mr. Crugnale has used tandem parking on other projects in town.
The board discussed the fact that moving the lift to a different location in the parking lot would
only gain the three spaces on top of the lift, because there would have already been three parking
spaces on the ground in that location. I
Ms. Walsh distributed a lighting plan and said the approved plan includes much brighter
footcandles than necessary. She said the revised lighting layout reduces the quantity of fixtures
without reducing the quality while maintaining enhanced security levels. The lights on site will
have 2.5 footcandles instead on 2.8 footcandles. The approved plan had shown 22 streetlamps
around the perimeter and seven on the site; they are proposing 13 around the perimeter with
more equal spacing, two double -headed fixtures with 20 -foot overhead LED light poles on site.
The fagade of the building has cylinder light fixtures. Mr. McClanahan said he is concerned
about that being enough lighting.
Mr. French asked for a full-size set of plans with the approved and proposed lighting plans so the
board can have time to review them.
Mr. Penney asked if the development can turn down the on-site lighting at night; Mr.
McClanahan said the lighting can be set to step down to save energy and cut down the lumens.
Mr. Cerretani asked to see a rendering with the -pro-posed lighting.
Ms. Walsh said the building will have up- and down-facing canister lighting.
Planning Board September 14, 2016
Ms. Friedman said there have been discussions about creating a cultural district, which can help
change the look and feel of downtown. She said she thinks there is more to a community than
residential and retail, and the IDC has been looking at that issue as well. Mr. Penney said the
town should think about what it wants for the future of downtown. Mr. Cerretani said Melrose
has a Victorian theme in its downtown area, which took some time to catch on. Mr. French said
he doesn't think owners will spend money on their property unless they think there will be a
demand. Ms. Ashman -Collins said it may be time to think about applying for another signage
and awning grant. Mr. Penney said he visited Chatham, which has a thriving downtown, and
which uses satellite parking areas. Ms. Friedman said Mansfield is a commuter town rather than
a tourist town, but the town should still explore what could make downtown unique.
Mr. Penney said parking is always an issue for the redevelopment of downtown properties.
Mr. Penney said the Strategic Plan included a lot of ideas for downtown, including the town
providing free wife and a small business hotel. Mr. Feck said free wife would help small
businesses like a coffee shop.
Ms. Friedman said a Cultural District could help with the town's identity issue.
Mr. Penney said Mansfield's downtown is interesting because it developed in a straight line
along the railroad, rather than around a green or common like many New England downtowns.
Mr. Feck asked if the North Main Street Overlay District is the idea of downtown's identity. Ms.
Ashman -Collins said that is part of it, but that identity also includes things like signage. Ms.
Friedman said the town's history could be highlighted as part of identity. Mr. Penney suggested
highlighting features like the rails -to -trails path and Fulton's Pond. Ms. Ashman -Collins said
changes downtown will have smaller financial impacts than development in the business park,
but will still make a difference. Mr. Penney said he thinks downtown sidewalks have improved
lately, in part because of contributions to the sidewalk fund in exchange for not building
subdivision sidewalks.
Planning Board September 14, 2016
Mr. Cleary suggested considering something like a tax break for new downtown businesses. Mr.
Feck said developments like Mansfield Crossing contain national businesses, who are not that
concerned about the tax rate, but small, locally -owned downtown businesses may benefit more
from a tax break.
Mr. LeBlanc said it will be difficult to develop a comprehensive downtown if the small lots are
developed individually. Mr. Burke said he thinks having one successful store will encourage
others. Ms. Friedman said bookstores with cafes are coming back to downtown areas.
Mr. Cleary asked about the Chocolate Factory; Mr. Burke said no building permits have been
filed yet.
Mr. Penney said National Lumber is allowing people to park in their landscaped area at 65
Maple Street;, Mr. Burke said he would look into that.
Mr. Penney asked about the East Street sidewalk work; Mr. Burke said MassDOT installed those
islands, then removed some after criticism from the town. He said the island was left in at Hope
Street, but was removed in front of the schools because of turning radius issues.
Mr. Burke said he recently visited Philadelphia, which has a vibrant downtown with a lot of
outdoor cafes. Mr. Penney suggested considering incentives for outdoor cafes.
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Motion: To adjourn at 8:50 p.m. (McClanahan- All in favor. PASSES
September 28, 2016 at 7:00 p.m.
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Date of pprAal
Planning Board September 14, 2016