Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutPlanning 10/06/1976MANSFIELD PLANNING BOARD AGENDA October~ 6, 1976 1. Call to order (7:30 P.M.) 2. Clerk's Report a. Correspondence b. Minutes of September 29, 1976 3. Warrant 4. Visitors Agenda 5. Old Business a. Status of Plans b. Bond Release - Walnut Park c. Planning Board Budget - FY77-78 d. Business Zoning 6. New Business a. Public Discussion b. Date for next meeting c. Around the Table 7. Adjournment MANSFIELD PLANNING BOARD MINUTES October 6, 1976 Present: Chairman Parsons, Clerk Tighe Planners: Mahana, Plourde, Hartmann, Lesuer, Mulcahy Planning Director Maurer 1. Letters were read from the following: Planning Board to Town Counsel regarding Capt. John Williams Estates Town Counsel to Planning Board regarding Capt. John Williams Estates Mrs. Jellinek to Planning Board regarding Capt. John Williams Estates Planning Board to Board of Appeals regarding application of Louis Tarsa Planning Board to Board of Appeals regarding application of Carl Secher Building Construction report for the month of September, 1976. International Fidelity Insurance Company to Planning Board regarding Oakleaf Estates Zoning Board of Appeals decision on the application of Richard Craffey=granted Memorandum from Planning Director to Planning Board regarding Planning Board Budget - FY77-78 Memorandum from Planning Director to Planninn Board regarding status of approved subdivisions - September, 1976. 2. Motion: To approve the Minutes of September 29, 1976 as presented. (Mulcahy-Mahana, all in favor) VOTED 3. Motion: To approve the warrant of October 12, 1976 in the amount of $114.88. (Mahana-Lesuer, all in favor) VOTED Planner Mahana suggested that in the future all printing be done through Mitle Corp. as the rates are much cheaper. 4. Motion: To commend Planner Mahana for the excellent work in the preparation of the three citations as this was above and beyond the call of duty. (Mulcahy -Plourde, all in favor) VOTED (Planner Mahana present but not voting) - 2 - Minutes October 6, 1976 Board discussed the bond release for Walnut Park. Planning Director Maurer noted that the work has been completed and the minor adjustments have been corrected. Motion: To release'tbe`b"alance dated May 28, 1974 for Park subdivision. (Tighe -Plourde, all in of $5,000 from the Letter of Credit work completed within the Walnut favor) VOTED Board discussed the proposed budget for the Planning Board for Fiscal Year 1977-78. Planning Director Maurer noted that the purpose of putting the memorandum to some degree of length was to give the new members some background on how the program operates. He noted that the actual amount of the Planning Board budget is the expense budget as the salaries are set by the Town Manager based upon negotiations in different departments. Planning Director Maurer noted that it may be cheaper on the printing of the Zoning By-law for the work to be done by Mitle Corp. Planning Director Maurer noted that the By-laws are printed here in the Town Hall on the mimeo machine. Planner Mahana noted that there is an off -set machine at the High School and possibly some of this work could be done there. Planning Director Maurer noted that the quality of the work from the High School is not that good and it is better to have them done on the mimeo machine. Planning Director Maurer noted that some printing has been done through the Regional School but there has been a problem with the time factor as they are back logged with work. Motion: To approve the proposed budget for the Planning Board for Fiscal Year 1977-78 in the amount of $1,915.00. (Tighe -Mulcahy, all in favor) VOTED 7. Planning Director Maurer noted that he did not have anything to report on Business Zoning. He noted that the printing of the other copies of the Phase II of the Comprehensive Planning Program has been discussed with Planner Mahana and he can get 50 copies done for $75,00. Planning Director Maurer felt that everyone should have the Phase II report to work from for this discussion. Business zoning tabled until there is more material at hand. 8. Board discussed the form letter from International Fidelity Insurance Company regarding the securities for Oakleaf Estates, Planning Director Maurer noted that the securities had been released by the Planning Board in a letter of October 9,1'97,5, a copy of which was sent to International Fidelity Insurance Company, It was the consensus of the Board to complete the form, noting the funds have been released, and return the Form to International Fidelity Insurance Company. -3 - Minutes October 6 , 1976 9. Board read the open letter from Margot Jellinek regarding the Capt. John Williams Estate and the letter from Town Counsel in reply to the Planning Board's letter regarding Capt. John Williams Estate. Motion: That the Planning Director be instructed to contact Mr. Nelson and inform him that the Planning Board has received the opinion of Town Counsel on!bo'th matters of linen and resubmission of the plans and, therefore, the Planning Board will take no action on your request. (Tighe -Mulcahy Amendment:The Planning Board will assume no responsibility in the matter of the linens and that if the plans are to be considered further they will have to be considered under the Rules and Regulations in effect at the time that you make the new submission. (Tighe -Mulcahy, all in favor) VOTED It was noted that the letter from Mrs. Jellinek is a point of information letter and requires no action. Planning Director Maurer noted that Mrs. Jellinek is correct in that the topography of the land in that area has changed considerably and if the plan is going to be resubmitted in accordance with the new regulations, 'then all the points in Mrs. Jellineks letter will have to be covered in the new submission. Clerk Tighe questioned if he comes in with the same plans and says this is the way it is now, what action does the Planning Board have because they know it is not correct. It was noted that they now have to stake the property for the Planning Board field trip and it would be evident during the field trip that it is not correct and he would be advised that it is inaccurate. it was noted that even if the old plans were found they would not be accepted by the Registry of Deeds as the letter does not conform with the present requirements of the Registry of Deeds. It was noted that the matter regarding conflict of interest mentioned in Mrs. Jellineks letter does not pertain to the Planning Board. Motion: That the letter from Mrs. Jellinek be kept in the Capt. John Williams file. (Tighe-Lesuer, all in favor) VOTED 10. Planning Director Maurer advised the Board that the Downtown Development Committee will be meeting next Thursday evening with representatives from Vision, Inc., whose specialty is Townscape Design from a visual aspect, including signs, siding on buildings and so forth. He noted that there are 3 parts to the total participation by Vision into the downtown project. He noted that at this time they are only taking -.step I and possibly Step II. He noted that Step one is a meeting with Vision and they are going to be presenting pictures of the downtown area and try to come up with some ideas for the future potential of the area. The second step is the presentation of their Townscape Program, with emphasis on the business community. Personal invitations will be sent out to all the business owners and land owners within the downtown area. The way that the presentation will work is that they will give their Townscape presentation from other communities such as before pictures, what the plan consisted of, and after pictures. -4 - Minutes October 6, 1976 Planning Director Maurer noted that they will incorporate pictures of downtown Mansfield into their overall presentation. He noted that the third phase is that if interest is shown on the part of the downtown people and citizens at large then they will have a study prepared on the downtown area. It was noted that no real cost estimate has been received for phase 3, however, some studys have ranged from $5,000 upto $40,000. Planning Director Maurer advised that the Director,of Vision noted that there is a possibility of Federal or State monies through Historical funds. He noted that Townscape conservation takes advantage of the periods in which the buildings were built. Planning Director Maurer noted that the Downtown Development Committee does not have any money and that the Planning Board and Board of Selectmen jointly formed the Downtown Development Committee and the Selectmen have paid for some of the expenses so far. He noted that one of the field trips the Selectmen paid for and the Industrial Development Commission also paid for some of the expenses and the Planning Board has paid for the reproductive material. Planning Director Maurer noted that the Industrial Development Commission has agreed to pay the $100 for the interview with Vision next week. He noted that the presentation to the Town is $225. The Planning Board has a Consultant Account that was used years ago and from 1970 to the present the Planning Board kept a balance of $1,000 in this account. The last time money was drawn from this account was back in 1974 when the Planning Board hired an engineer to review the Ryan -Elliot Drainage system. He noted that there is approximately $1000 in that account and requested that the presentation be paid from that account. as nd 7F Clerk Tighe "t the granting of this money would be circumventing the Town Meeting action that no monies be supplied for this Committee. Planning Director Maurer noted that the interpretation at Town Meeting by Town Counsel was that any Committee that is not established by the Town Meeting can not have a budget, but there is nothing wrong with the Selectmen or other Board having funds in their account for this Committee. Planning Director Maurer noted that the downtown project is sponsored by the Planning Board and felt that the efforts are consistent with the function of a Planning Board. It was noted that the funds being considered were appropriated in an Article and the money is carried from year to year and the account has been going for over 5 years. It was noted that there is another account known as the Legal Research of Acceptdd Streets and that back in 1969 there was a report done by RIM as to what streets were accepted and what were not accepted. This account has approximately $264, for a balance. Planner.,Mahana noted that the Board is not aware of the activities of the Downtown Development Committee. Planning Director Maurer noted that the Committee was formed a year ago to make a recommendation on the downtown area. Two years ago Harvard made a study on this and based upon this study the Downtown Development Committee has been given the responsibility for making a recommendation to the 1977 Annual Town Meeting. He noted that in 1974 a Downtown Traffic Committee did a report on traffic circulation in the downtown area. The Downtown Development Committee was formed jointly by the Board of Selectmen and the Planning Board and consists of a member from the Planning Board (Ken Parsons), a member of the Board of Selectmen (David Clemmey), a member of the Housing Authority (Helen Jackson), and a member of the Industrial Development Commission (Ralph Seifert), and 3 at large -5 - Minutes October 6, 1976 members (Robert Shaw, Russell Christian, and Ronald Reed). The Committee was formed last Fall and had meetings with the Board of Assessors, Board of Appeals, two meetings with the Planning Board, Housing Authority and other concerned Boards. They also put together a detailed listing of the land uses within the area on a block by block basis. An assessed study was also made and the downtown is presently assessed at around 4 million dollars. In the past few years $600,000 has been invested in buildings downtown including Millhaus apartment$, improvements to the United National Bank (Baybank), construction of Curtis Compact, the Telephone Company, and recent improvements have been made to Sterling Manufacturing and John Sarro's building. Planning Director Maurer noted that the Committee also met with private developers to get ideas as to what would go into a downtown project. They toured 3 types of projects, one financed through MHFA in Cambridge which was a combination housing and commercial project, one financed privately in Sudbury where they took old commercial buildings and made it into a small village shopping center, and one Federal Urban Renewal Project in Newburyport. It was noted that most questionnaires received regarding the downtown in a survey that was taken showed that they should rely on private investment. Planning Director Maurer noted that he felt that the Downtown Development Committee has done a good job of putting together the facts and figures concerning the downtown area. He noted that a girl from Wheaton College prepared an Economic Study and the area showed a potential for money to be spent downtown. He noted that the Committee is not trying to compete with a shopping area. He felt that the slide presentation would be "beneficial to the Town. Chairman Parsons noted that the presentation is one that could provide incentive to the Town's people at large to look in that area of Town. Planner Hartmann questioned what can be done once a planis drawn up to make the owners conform. Planning Director Maurer noted that an ordinance has been issued in Plymouth that gives- them a certain time to conform to signs and such. He noted that in the south Bankers have made available these low interest loans to people who would make the improvements in accordance with the plans. Chairman Parsons noted that the Town of Plymouth has had this study made through Vision, Inc. and that they are through Phase I and Phase II and are now on Phase III which is implementation. He noted that they did a building by building complete master study with before and after type sketches. He felt that this would bring the business people together if such a presentation is made. Motion: To appropriate up to $225.00 to have the Vision, Inc. undertake to present this program to the Town. (Mulcahy-Lesuer, Mahana, Plourde, Hartman in favor, Tighe abstained) VOTED Planning Director Maurer noted that the title of the account is 209-0 Planning Board Engineering<.'services and the balance is $$1,601.70. Clerk Tighe questioned if these funds are in an interest bearing account. Planning Director Maurer noted that he did not know how the Town Treasurer handled it. -6® Minutes October 6, 1976 11. Mrs. Jellinek came before the Board and passed out pictures taken this week looking down on Capt. John WilliamsEstates �•hh ,w; how the gravel was removed below water table. t✓dicli/oho z4, y 12 It was the consensus of the Board to hold the next Planning Board meeting on October 20, 1976 at 7:30 P.M. 13. Planning Director Maurer noted that he has given the home addresses to SRPEDD of the 3 new Planning Board members and they will send them the BIF information. (Basic Information File) 14. Planner Mahana advised the Board that on the Great Woods request for Capital Improvements they have asked for $75,000 for the acquisition of more land within the Great Woods. He noted that they have expended of Town mon16s approximately $156,000 and they have received about 48% back, which goes into the general treasury. He noted that the Great Woods Study Committee is not like appropriating to the Recreation Commission or the Conservation Commission where the money goes out and nothing is received back. He noted that the Town has received $707000 back from the State Self Help Program. He noted that they were requested by the Capital Improvement Committee that this amount requested be reduced, 15 Planning Director Maurer noted that back when John Dunn was Chairman that a study was mentioned for a group from Harvard doing a land use interpretation on Mansfield. All this information will be put into a computer that they can then give different development objectives toydetermine if it is going to be single,-' family town, what type of decisions the Town would have to make to meet that ultimate population. He noted that during the first simester they are preparing the data base and that they have already stopped in for information. Some students will be in Friday at the Town Hall for an introductory talk at about 2:oo P.M.. He noted that this is a graduate course in landscape architect, and that alot of the material will be turned over to the Town in the Spring. Planner Plourde suggested the possibility of getting the data base on tape or disc for future use. Planning Director Maurer noted that they will be doing an aerial photograph of the Town in infer -red photography. 16. Meeting adjourned at 9:00 P.M. C T erk —� Date