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HomeMy WebLinkAboutPlanning 05/24/2017Planning Board Minutes May 24, 2017 Present: Tom French, Chair; Don Cleary, Clerk; Beth Ashman -Collins, Michael McClanahan, Michael Feck, Rich LeBlanc Alternates Joe Cerretani and Sharon Friedman Shaun P. Burke, Director of Planning and Development, Jennifer Davis, Administrative Secretary 1. Minutes May 10, 2017 Motion: To approve as submitted (McClanahan -Ashman -Collins) Five in favor. Two abstentions. PASSES 2. Public Hearing notices — Easton, Plainville 3. The Beacon 4. Mass Housing Partnership 2016 Annual Report [Mr. LeBlanc arrived at this time] 5. May 22, 2017 memo from Rick Alves, Town Engineer re: draft sketch plan, Fales Oil site reuse. Mr. McClanahan said by cleaning up Old Colony Way, the town could pick up quite a few parking spaces. Mr. Burke said Mr. Alves's plan includes using a portion of the parcel as park; the use of the remainder of the site will be determined later. He said the plan is intended to get the maximum use out of the small portion of the site, which abuts two residential properties. The existing landscape buffer will remain. Ms. Ashman -Collins said the Fales Oil Committee pointed out this would be a good spot for a connection between the bike path and the downtown. Motion: To support Mr. Alves's May 22, 2017 plan for the use of a portion of the Fales Oil site (McClanahan -LeBlanc) All in favor. PASSES The clerk read the public hearing notice. Mr. French explained how the public hearing would be conducted. Marco Crugnale, applicant; Christine Walsh, Annino Associates; Pastor Dave Aruda, Methodist Church Planning Board 5/24/2017 Ms. Friedman asked if the building would be re -sided; Mr. Crugnale said he plans to keep as much of the original siding and molding as possible, along with the color scheme. He said he will re -roof the building. Mr. McClanahan asked if the front grade would be lowered; Mr. Crugnale said it may be. Ms. Ashman -Collins asked if some of the parking spaces will be on the property line with an easement; Mr. Crugnale said they would be. Mr. McClanahan asked if the easements are in place; Mr. Crugnale said they will be prior to the permit being granted. Mr. Crugnale said the existing sidewalk may have to be reworked to allow a handicapped ramp. Mr. LeBlanc said it appears if a car door is parked in the first parking spot, the door would open onto the sidewalk. Mr. Crugnale said the parking spaces will be compact. Mr. LeBlanc asked if the driveway will allow two cars to fit side-by-side; Mr. Crugnale said it will. Mr. Burke asked about a grade change at the back of the site; Mr. Crugnale said that would be reduced to allow doors to be installed and will be pitched enough to keep water away. Mr. McClanahan asked the width of the existing curb cut; Mr. Crugnale said it is 21'. Mr. Burke said two cars can fit side-by-side now. Pastor Aruda said the church had two offers for the building; one was to tear it down for a parking lot and the one from Mr. Crugnale to preserve the building. He said the building has been there for 140 years and it would be good for the community if it remains. Motion: To continue the public hearing to June 21, 2017 at 7:15 pm (McClanahan -Friedman) All in favor. PASSES The clerk read the public hearing notice. conducted. French explained how the public Michael Trowbridge, Hutchins -Trowbridge Associates; Hugh Boyd, IBEW Mr. Trowbridge explained the plan to raze the existing house and construct a new building with a two-way traffic pattern. He said they have planned the building to fit the existing site conditions. There will be no access to the front of the building; people will enter from the reservoir side. Mr. Trowbridge presented a rendering of the building. He said they will stay as far from the resource areas as possible; a small portion of the site falls within 100' of the bordering vegetative wetland. The work will be kept above the flood zone elevation, 104'. Planning Board 5/24/2017 Board Comment Mr. LeBlanc asked about signage; Mr. Trowbridge said the landscaping plan indicates the sign location. Mr. French suggested small directional signs at the driveway. Mr. Trowbridge said they will have stop signs at the driveway. Ms. Friedman asked if the Norton land will be used; Mr. Trowbridge said it is not part of this plan, but said it may be used in the future. He said this building was originally going to be much larger. Ms. Friedman suggested a passive recreation use. Mr. Trowbridge said this is a 2.5 acre parcel, and the remaining portion will be valuable. He said he could not commit to a future use. Mr. LeBlanc asked about the driveways; Mr. Trowbridge said circulation will require those driveways, especially for fire trucks to get around the building. Mr. Cleary suggested leaving them the proposed width, but making one an entrance and one an exit. Mr. LeBlanc said with 100 parking spaces, two two-way exits could be a problem. Mr. Trowbridge said he thinks having one driveway in and one out could be a problem. Mr. French asked if 100 parking spaces are really necessary where 52 spaces are required. Mr. Boyd said the union has elections every three years, which is their largest crowd. Mr. French suggested grass pavers or leaving some spaces unpaved to minimize impervious surface. Mr. Boyd said he is open to that idea. Mr. Trowbridge said the best place for that would be near the BV W, but that is the low area near the catch basins. Mr. French suggested eliminating some spaces closest to Route 140. Mr. Boyd said people who come to the facility will all come in their own car. Mr. Trowbridge said he didn't design many compact spaces because most of the members have pickup trucks. Mr. French said turf blocks would mitigate the amount of impervious surface. Mr. Trowbridge said they can talk to the contractor about alternatives. Mr. McClanahan suggested porous asphalt; Mr. Trowbridge said it is very expensive to maintain. Public Comment Nancy Peach, Norton, said she has heard rumors very different than what has been presented, including a 300 -car parking lot and three-story building. She asked if there is enough parking on the Mansfield portion of the site for the events; Mr. Boyd said there is. Mr. Trowbridge said all the work being proposed is in Mansfield. Mr. French said any work done on the Norton land would have to be approved by the Town of Norton. Ms. Peach asked if there is a plan for the Norton land and said her property is already suffering; she said she doesn't think this use would be the best for her. She said she has a brook running through her property, making it hard for her to use her land because of conservation issues. She said the presentation tonight makes her feel better about the proposal, but she is still concerned about the future use of the Norton parcel. Mr. French said he thinks this is a reasonably benign use for the property as far as traffic and noise, and any development on the Norton property would have to be permitted through Norton. Ms. Peach asked about concert parking and asked if that could be part of the special permit. Mr. Boyd said he was told they would not be able to use the property for paid parking and said they do not want to be in the parking business. Mr. French said that would require a commercial parking license from the Board of Selectmen. Mr. French suggested the IBEW secure their parking lot during concert events. Ms. Peach said people have not been parking on this property since it has been unoccupied. Planning Board 5/24/2017 French — In favor. The facility will bring increased tax revenue, the proposed drainage will protect the environment, the applicant has proposed a reasonable buffer to the reservoir, there are adequate municipal utilities and the traffic issues have been addressed as much as possible. Feck — In favor. The benefits outweigh the detriments. This is a relatively benign use compared to other allowed uses, and will be a good addition to the area. All in favor. PASSES Motion: To close the public hearing (McClanahan -Friedman) All in favor. PASSES amkv .w.. . =_ u Ms. Friedman said she had been planning to attend a community redevelopment program focusing on 55 and over development, but it has been rescheduled to next week and she will not be able to attend. Ms. Friedman said Mansfield is in a corridor for hydrogen filling stations. Mr. Burke said there will be one in the Stop & Shop plaza, which was permitted through the Fire Marshall's office because Massachusetts has not adopted NFPA2, there is no real way to regulate the use locally. He said he visited the Fire Academy training facility to see the technology. He said hydrogen burns clear and the only byproduct is water vapor; hydrogen vehicles have no exhaust pipes. Motion: To adjourn at 9:05 p.m. (McClanahan- ) All in favor. PASSES Next Planning Board Meeting: June 21, 2017 at 7:00 p.m., Meeting Room 2 alb 7a of Clerk Date of Approval Planning Board 5/24/2017