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HomeMy WebLinkAboutmin of planning brd 052307 RECEIVED r. . r ,....1'. .'~ r> 1- ,- I (' r' Planning Board Minutes .. .. '.,: t I,r r May 23, 2007 Present: Tom French, Chair; Fred Armstrong, Clerk; Ken Torman, Jo1RtbJJ#l~~, jjt1u~: /5 Annino, Stan Feck ~.' :' ~, , t.;:'l 0 I'.. 'I I Alternate(s): Beth ~shman Coll~, Anthony Jodice H;.\S'SACHUSETTS Shaun P. Burke, DlI'ector of PlannIng and Development 1. Minutes May 9, 2007 Motion: To approve as submitted (DeMassi-Armstrong) Five in favor. Annino, Torman, French abstained. PASSES 2. ZBA application for Variance - III Plain Street - frontage. Mr. Burke explained the existing house has been there since 1963. There is a second house under construction behind the fll'St, and a large steel building to the left. The applicant would like to keep he existing house and leave a right-of-way as access. The building permit for the new house was granted with the condition that the older house be demolished; the applicant would now like to keep the original house. Mr. Burke suggested a negative recommendation because this is a self-created hardship, and noted the applicant agreed to the conditions of the building permit when he applied for it. Motion: To send the ZBA a negative recommendation because the application does not meet the statutory requirements for the grant of a variance. (Annino-Armstrong) All in favor. PASSES r- , 3. ZBA application for Variance - 559 Maple Street - frontage and lot width. Mr. Burke explained there are a couple of Form A lots adjacent to the existing house. Lot size has changed several times since this was created, requiring frontage and lot width variances for one lot. The lot would require an easement over the existing lot for access. Mr. Burke suggested a negative recommendation Motion: To send the ZBA a negative recommendation because the application does not meet the statutory requirements for the grant of a variance (Armstrong-Torman) All in favor. PASSES Motion: To request IIxl7 copies of ZBA plans (Torman-Demassi) All in favor. PASSES 4. Public hearing notices - North Attleboro Butch Fuller, WS Development, told the board he is a bit ahead of schedule at this point. He said they should be at binder by June, and are getting ready to work on planting and r-- Planning Board 1 5/25/2007 r landscaping. He said they have had no problems on site and have had good cooperation with the town. Mr. Fuller said he has three issues to discuss with the board. School Street Paving Schedule Tim Letton, Greenman-Pedersen, said DPW Director Lee Azinheira has requested they hold off overlaying town-owned portion of School Street until Spring 2008. Mr. Letton said he has contacted the state with the same request and have not heard back; however, he said he thinks the state will want their portion paved this year and showed the board a plan of the town and state portions. Mr. Letton explained the DPW director wants to see if the deep trench will settle over the winter. There is a sleeve crossing Route 140 that the sewer will go through. He asked what the board thought about the mall getting certificates of occupancy without the final top course this year. He said all their other proposed improvements would be done this. He noted a bond has been posted with DPW. Mr. Annino said the base course of asphalt would get heavy traffic use and he is concerned about uneven settlement and potholes. Mr. Letton said that is DPW's main concern as well, so they will use a dense binder course, which is intended to be used over the winter, with 4 inches of base and 1 ~ inches of binder. r Mr. DeMassi asked why this is an issue now and wasn't brought up earlier. Mr. Burke said it goes to the Subdivision and DPW Regulations requiring the binder course to winter over; however, the special permit requires the paving to be complete before certificates of occupancy is issued. He added that DPW is requesting this change, not the developer. Mr. Feck said a wearing course is much sturdier than the binder course. Mr. Fuller said all the other traffic improvements, signalization, landscaping, etc. would be done this year and the binder course would be put down in May 2008. The Willow Street island will be installed, with new curbing and paving markings. Mr. Jodice asked what the original plan was to alleviate settling problems. Mr. Letten said they leave that up to the contractor; when he choses materials, they are tested. Mr. Feck said contractors can use flowable fill or can have an inspector on site doing compaction tests. Mr. Fuller said they have an on-site engineer and a testing agency, and have met with DPW, Engineering and the Water Department to work out how the deep trench would be done. They submit regular reports to Mr. Sullivan. Mr. DeMassi asked how smooth the transition would be between the two types of pavement. Mr. Letten said there would be a difference of about two inches, so there would be a 50-foot transition to create a smooth surface that would not be noticeable. Mr. Fuller said they would mill the transition back to binder when they do the final top course. r- Planning Board 2 5/25/2007 Mr. DeMassi asked if this pavement method would be more likely to hold water and r create a black ice condition. Mr. Fuller said it will be like the existing surface. Mr. French suggested approving this, provided the structures are set flush for the winter and the transition is smooth, a bond is retained and all other improvements are completed. He said he thinks the occupancy permit can be granted without the top coat on the town- owned portion of the road. Motion: To approve the proposal to not do the top coat of pavement until May 2008 provided the structures are set flush for the winter; the transition is smooth; a separate bond for is retained for this work; and all other improvements are completed. The board feels an occupancy permit can be granted for the site without the top coat on the town- owned portion of the road. (Annino-Armstrong) Mr. Fuller said they intend to have all the off-site work, except the top coat, completed prior to any store opening. The on-site work will be 100% complete when the stores open. Mr. Fuller said all the buildings will be substantially completed by October. Mr. DeMassi said he is concerned that all the on-site work will be done, but the pavement will not be. Mr. Burke said he doesn't think this top coat issue will impact traffic. Mr. Fuller note~ there will be some disruption next spring when the top coat is done. All in favor. PASSES ,r- Route 140 Access Mr. Fuller said the second issue is the right-in access from Route 140 and deliveries. He said the intent was for the trucks to enter the site from Route 140 and exit onto School Street. He said with MassHighway's decision not to allow the Route 140 access, he will be coming back with a new delivery plan for the board to review. Signage Mr. Fuller said the third issue is signage. He showed the board the ''way finding" signs identifying tenants. They will be internally lit and there will be one near the entrance and one where the entrance drive splits. Mr. DeMassi asked the distance between School Street and the first sign. Mr. Letten said it is 300-400 feet. Mr. DeMassi asked if there would be enough time for a driver to read the sign and make a decision. Mr. Fuller said he would like to have some flexibility with the location of the signs. Ms. Paulino noted the contrasting colors on the sign would make reading it easier. Mr. Annino asked to remove the shingled roof at the top of the way finding signs. Mr. Fuller said he would do that. r Mr. Burke said considering the size of the site and number of businesses within the site, the proposed signage is significantly lower than what would be allowed by the Zoning By-Law. Mr. Jodice asked about signage that might be installed at developments across Planning Board 3 5/25/2007 the street; Mr. Burke said the scale of any development across School Street would be r much smaller, so he doesn't think it will compete with this. Mr. DeMassi asked how much leeway Mr. Fuller is looking for. Mr. Fuller said he would like to be able to move the signs 15-20 feet. Mr. DeMassi asked if that would interfere with the sidewalk. Mr. Fuller said it would not. Motion: To accept the desing of the ''way finding" sign near the entrance to Mansfield Crossing and allow the developer the flexibility to move it 25 feet, as long as the sign stays outside the sidewalk (Feck-Annino) All in favor. PASSES Motion: To accept the relocation of the second "way finding" sign, to other side of intersection, due to the redesign of the Black Angus building (Feck-Armstrong) All in favor. PASSES Mr. Fuller said they would like to put directories at buildings F, J and D, and near the pond, which will be intended for pedestrian use. Mr. DeMassi asked why there wouldn't be a directory at Kohl's. Mr. Fuller said he thinks people going to Kohl's and to the junior boxes are specifically going to those businesses. r Mr. Annino asked if the stone of the signs would match the buildings. Mr. Fuller said it would. He said the directories will not be illuminated and will be made of two plexiglass panels and be about six inches wide. Mr. Annino said it might be nice to illuminate the signs. Mr. Fuller said there will be sidewalk lighting and lighting around the pond. Motion: To approve the four directories. If they are to be illuminated, they are to be internally illuminated, not illuminated with exterior spotlights (Armstrong- Torman) All in favor. PASSES Bertucci's Elevations Ana Paulino, WS Development; Joshua Swerling, Bohler Engineering; Lew Holt, Bertucci's Mr. Holt explained the new building will be 6,500 square feet, 6,800 with the coolers on the back. The building will be Driv-it, off white, with a terra cotta roof and a brick veneer chimney. There will be an outside dining area enclosed with wrought iron fencing, with a stone wall that backs up to pond and a trellis system. There will be seating for 220 people, including 16 outside seats. The dumpster area on the back of building will be enclosed with stone veneer because will be visible from across the pond. The coolers will be enclosed in Driv-it and a metal roof. The rooftop units will be enclosed on the flat part of roof, and will not be visible from the street or by pedestrians. r-- Mr. Holt explained the restaurant is going into a space where there had originally been three tenants; this space will be smaller and there will be no changes to parking. Planning Board 4 5/25/2007 r Mr. DeMassi asked about truck access the dumpsters. Mr. Holt said they would be able to drive in to pick up the dumpsters. Mr. Swerling said they have enough room even if the trash truck has to back up. Mr. DeMassi asked if the 220 seats will maintain the restaurant seating ratio for that portion of the site. Ms. Paulino said it will. Mr. Burke said he likes the outdoor seating and the way the dumpster and coolers have been enclosed. He said the materials are consistent with the restaurant's theme. Mr. Armstrong asked if there will be a gate to the gravel drive; Mr. Fuller said there will be. He said they have been back to the Conservation Commission about LL Bean using the pond. He said the gate can't be locked because people have to be able to access the pond, but the gate will prevent people from driving down there. Mr. Swerling explained the landscape plan. There will be approximately 20 trees and shrubs, 65 perennial shrubs and 121 evergreen shrubs. There will be vertical evergreens between the windows and low-lying shrubs below the windows. r Dr. Torman asked about the take-out area at the back of the building. Mr. Holt explained there is a lit walkway to that area and said they would like to have a vertical sign at the back corner. He said they have a high-volume carryout business, so it is important the entrance and take out area be separated. He said there are three signs on the building; at the front entrance, at the back corner toward pond and the vertical take out sign. He said that sign would not be above the roofline. Dr. Torman said he doesn't see how the take-out area is going to work, especially in the winter. He said he is also concerned about take-out window being so close to the dumpster. Dr. Torman asked if the fll'e department has seen this plan. Ms. Paulino said it has. Mr. Holt said the building is not accessible on all four sides, but is completely sprinklered and will have a hydrant. He said the originally approved building was not accessible on all four sides. Mr. Feck said the new building would be more accessible than the originally approved building. Mr. Feck suggested marking some of the parking spaces at the back for take-out customers only. Mr. Holt said they would like to do that. Dr. Torman asked if the site will be handicapped accessible. Mr. Holt said the building is completely accessible. Dr. Torman asked about making the take-out part of the entrance; Mr. Holt said because of the takeout volume, it has to be separate. He said customers can get their take-out from the front entrance, as well. r Planning Board 5 5/25/2007 Mr. Annino said he is concerned this building doesn't complement the rest of the mall r and said this should be a more prominent structure. Mr. Holt said the top of the back parapet is 22 feet. Mr. Annino said he would like to see this building in relation to the rest of the site to understand the scale. Mr. Annino asked if there will be outdoor waiting areas. Mr. Holt said there will be inside and outside waiting areas. Mr. Annino said he would like to see some outside seating. Mr. Annino noted the back wall doesn't have any plantings. Mr. Swerling said there will be plantings there. Mr. Armstrong said he likes the building and said having the lower building near the pond would draw the eye to the pond. Mr. Feck said he likes the building and it will look good in that corner. He said a larger building would take away from the pond view. Mr. Burke said he likes the building, but he is concerned about the signage. Mr. Fuller said he doesn't think any parking spaces on site will be designated for take-out use only. He said they already have a limited number of parking spaces. Mr. Burke asked about the vertical take-out sign. Mr. Holt said it will be on the corner of the building, and be internally illuminated on one side. r Mr. DeMassi asked if there are trees between each set of windows. Mr. Swerling said there is a tree every two or three windows, and trees at the corners. Mr. Burke asked for a revised plan showing the planting on the back of the building. Mr. French asked where the entrance is for the outdoor seating. Mr. Holt explained the hostess would seat people in that area, so there will be no entrance directly onto that patio. However, there will be an emergency exit from the patio. The board asked the applicant to submit a revised plan showing additional landscaping, signage, clarification on 15-minute parking spaces and an outside waiting area Mr. French asked for a rendering showing this building and those around it. Mr. DeMassi asked about the transformer at the side of the building. Mr. Fuller said they would tie the landscaping in with the surrounding areas. Mr. DeMassi said he would like to hide the transformer; Mr. Fuller said he would speak with Mansfield Electric. Mr. DeMassi suggested lining the driveway with shrubs. Mr. Fuller said the electric department has clearance requirements; there will be bollards around the equipment. The applicant will return with revised plans showing the information the board has requested. r- Planning Board 6 6/20/2007 en TT ..__.. . . ~ Motion: To reappoint Mr. French chairman (Torman-Feck) All in favor. PASSES Motion: To reappoint Mr. Armstrong clerk (Feck-Torman) All in favor. PASSES Mr. French said the Master Plan was funded at Annual Town Meeting. It was last updated in 1996 for $25,000; Town Meeting approved $65,000 for this update. In 1996, the entire Planning Board was on the committee, along with representatives from other boards and committees and citizens at large. Mr. French asked the board to think about how it would like to do this update. Mr. Jodice suggested assigning a few members to the Master Plan committee. Mr. Feck said he thought it was important for the whole board to be involved. Mr. Burke noted the statute says ''the Planning Board shall make a plan" and said it is important for all the members to be on the committee. He said the Planning Board has the final vote on the plan, not town meeting. Mr. Burke said he would get a draft of the Master Plan RFP to the board soon and asked for comment. Mr. French asked the board to think about the committee's structure. r Mr. DeMassi said it would be important for the same consultant's representative to attend all the meetings. Mr. French said the purpose of the Master Plan is to build consensus in order to create zoning amendments to help guide growth. Mr. Burke added that the Commonwealth now requires an updated Master Plan with an Action Plan for many grant applications. Mr. Jodice asked about bonus or credit for green building techniques, similar to the Toyota building that was presented at the last meeting. The board was supportive of investigating that issue. Mr. DeMassi suggested that could be part of the Master Plan. Mr. Jodice said he was disappointed the building inspector was not supportive of the site plan amendment at Town Meeting. Mr. Burke said Mr. Riccio had told the board he was not supportive of the amendment, but also said he wouldn't oppose it at Town Meeting, which he did not. Mr. Burke said the site plan article was a very political issue. Motion: To adjourn at 10:00 p.m. (Torman-DeMassi) All in favor. PASSES r-- Next meeting: Wednesday, June 6, 2007 at 7:30 p.m. . ~~ b j'l-O 107 Signature of Clerk Date of Approval Planning Board 7 5/25/2007