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HomeMy WebLinkAboutPlanning 06/06/2018Planning Board Minutes RECEIVED June 6,2018 FF'CE Present: Don Cleary, Chair; Beth Ashman -Collins Acting Clerk; TonVMnc i, is iae McClanahan, Ralph Penney, Mike Feck- Z41 4 J!UN 2 1 A I k Alternates Joe Cerretani and Sharon Friedman Shaun P. Burke Director of Planning and Development: Jennifer Davis, A,*ti' 4 f- f Secretary MCA 91 - t tlf - S E T T S Motion: To appoint Ms. Ashman -Collins Acting Clerk (French-Feck) All in favor. PASSES . . .. ..... .... . . ..... �f �,j gg-g-i r €r milli, --------------- -------- - -------- 1111 1. Minutes May 23, 2018 Ms. Friedman - p. 7 #8 last sentence — he said it may go to Town Meeting Motion: To approve as amended (Feck-Penney) Seven in favor. One abstention. PASSES 2. May 24, 2018 letter from Attorney Kimberly Saillant, Brooks DeRensis, re: appeal of West Street Associates decision. Mr. Burke said the trial has been set for September; no action is required by the Planning Board or Zoning Board of Appeals. 3. Public Hearing notices —Attleboro, Easton, North Attleboro MIn, N Z ZZ �;Z 0 ,oz" -n uw IN, '110 N ft .. ........... ,ar Marco Urugnale; Attorney Edward V alanzola; Bob Rego, RiverHawk Environmental; Doug Annino, Annino Associates Attorney Valanzola said he has met with Mr. Burke and Mr. Blackman about the issues raised at the last Planning Board meeting. The -plans have been revised to satisfy the requirement for commercial space to be 5.0% of the depth of the building and the number of tandem spaces has been reduced to five, or 10 parking spaces. Attorney Valanzola said the gym/office/storage on first floor is a commercial activity, so it is not a residential use. He said because it is for the residents, it would not require additional parking. The residential on -street parking has been removed. Attorney Valanzola said the North Main Street entrance is not the "ground floor," it is an entryway,, so it does not have to be a commercial use. Ms. Friedman asked if there will be a separate fee assessed to the tenants for the use of the gym/office/storage space. Attorney Valanzola said they have not decided yet whether those items will be billed in the rent or as a separate charge. Ms. Ashman -Collins said those uses are ancillary to the residential use and said she thinks the intent of the first -floor commercial requirement is to encourage downtown vitality, not to prevent residential on the first floor. Attorney Valanzola said it is a commercial activity, and whether it is retail sales or a storage facility, it is a commercial use. He said he met with Mr. Burke and Mr. Blackman and said Mr. Blackman agrees the use would be considered commercial. Mr. Burke said storage would not be allowed as a primary use in this zone and said he thinks the proposed use would be a commercial transaction. He said the board wanted mixed use to be a by -right use, rather than special permit. Planning Board 6/6/18 Mr. Annino said this is an important project for Mansfield and he thinks the board's comments and questions are valid. He distributed a narrative identifying the changes since the last meeting and revised renderings. Mr. Annino said the number of units has been reduced to 100, with 150 on-site parking spaces; the number of tandem spaces has been reduced from 11 to five; the Old Colony Way frontage has been revised; the trash and utility room have been relocated so the parking could be moved back from street; test pits have been witnessed by Mr. Alves; there will be five type 2A handicapped units and the parking lot has been reconfigured. Mr. Annino said they have talked with Mr. Alves about the existing parking problems on Thomas Street and the possibility of changing it to angled parking. Mr. Alves would like wider sidewalks on Old Colony Way and Thomas Street; Mr. Annino said 10 -foot sidewalks and the development's outside space would provide room for outside seating. Mr. Annino presented the revised Old Colony Way elevation with an additional pergola, as well as glass and additional landscaping to help soften that fagade. He explained the Old Colony Way side will have additional green space, while the Thomas Street side will have more hardscape with benches and stamped concrete. Mr. McClanahan asked about the fagade along Old Colony Way. Mr. Annino explained the proposed entryway, pergolas with planting materials, stezine and glass along Old Colony Way. Mr. McClanahan asked about the color; Mr. Annino said it will be a soft beige and yellow hardie plank with white trim. 'tss let, r 417 ell) Mr. Feck said the seven parking spaces on Old Colony Way are as MBTA parking; he said those spaces can probably be made up on North Main Street, but they should not be counted as parking -for this project. Ms. Ashman -Collins said thto., Downtown Committee met last night -and discussed removing commuter parking from that arca; she said downtown business owners do not want MBTA parking there. Mr. Burke said the turning radius at North Main Street/Thomas Street is very wide because of truck traffic from the Ryan -Elliot Industrial Park and he has spoken with DPW about posting North Main Street and South Main Street to Spring Street as "No Through Trucking." He said trucks would still be able to deliver downtown, but commercial through trucking would not be allowed. Ms. Friedman said the North Main/Thomas elevation makes it appear the building will be almost 5 V2 stories tall, which would be the tallest building in the area. She said she is concerned about the transition between this building and the residential area one block over. Mr. Annino said the cupola is decorative and intended to add detail to the fagade. Ms. Friedman said it will be the � tallest building in the area and asked the developers to be mindful of its surroundings. Mr. tallest building s�ai � e new North Main Street building was shocking at first, but he got used to it. Ms. Friedman said downtown is becoming more urban than residential, which she said she understands was intended in the TOD zoning. Mr. Penney said 100 units seems like a lot, but said he understands Mr. Crugnale has done a number of downtown developments and understands the market. He asked if there are tenants in Mr. Crugnale's other developments who do not own cars; Mr. Crugnale said there are some 3 Planning Board 6/6/18 parking lot is difficult to navigate now, and adding more parking may make it worse. Attorney Valanzola said they are reconfiguring the entrance and exit to improve traffic flow. Mr. Penney asked about cut -through traffic; Attorney Valanzola said that is not a big issue now. Public Comment Dottie Powers, 8 Meadow Lane, asked about the color. She said the beige/yellow is not offensive, but suggested a more traditional color. David Powers, 8 Meadow Lane, said he likes the building rendering and he likes Mr. Crugnale's other buildings. Otto Bingel, 20 Thomas Street, said he thinks the building is too big. He said there are several huge buildings along Route 106 on the way into Mansfield, and given the number of empty storefronts now, this development will probably add more empty storefronts. He said around 30 residents would be displaced from the existing Thomas Street apartments, and the employees of the laundry, retail and restaurant uses in the other buildings would also be impacted. He said there is not a problem with cut -through traffic in the existing parking lot. He said his biggest concern is the size of the building and he does not think a few street trees will soften its appearance. He said he would like to see more landscaping in the -parking lot. Mark Corsilo, 1604 West Street, asked about guest parking. Mr. Crugnale said that would be on- streetparking. Mr. Corsilo asked about snow removal; Mr. Crugnale said they would take care of snow removal and in large storms, the snow would be taken off site. Tom Lesty, 6 Roy Road, said he is concerned there is not enough parking. He said to keep retail alive, people have to be able to get to the stores. He said he thinks the retail may attract more people coming off the train because their cars would already be parked in the commuter lots. He asked how many units are rented in 1 Mansfield Avenue; Mr. Crugnale said around 60 units are rented,, which is ahead of his plan. Mr. Lesty asked about business tenants in 1 Mansfield Avenue; Mr. Crugnale said there is a MetroPCS and an accounting office in that building. Lorraine Tavares,, 22 Fairfield Park, asked how much retail space is occupied in 1 Mansfield Avenue; Mr. Crugnale said around 60% is occupied. Ms. Tavares said there are empty spaces in the existing North Main Street building and asked how retail space in a new building would be filled. Mr. Crugnale said the new building will have quality retail space, which will attract business. Ms. Tavares said there has always been a parking issue around that building; Mr. Crugnale said he is working with Mr. Alves on parking issues, and he will be working with the town on the MassWorks grant. Ms. Tavares said with no visitor parking on the site, the only place for visitors to park will be on the street. Mr. Bing el said there are only two businesses rented in 1 Mansfield Avenue and said he understands 1 Mansfield Avenue has had positive impacts on nearby businesses, but said there are a number of empty retail spaces downtown now. Bob Cohen, Fairfield Park, said it is important to have anchor stores downtown and said the area should not be overwhelmed with residential units. 5 Planning Board 6/6/18 Mr. French asked if the independent consultant will be at the June 20 public hearing on the Branch Street wireless tower; Mr. Burke said he would contact him tomorrow to ask him to attend. Motion: To send the Board of Selectmen a letter requesting "No Through Trucking" signage be installed through downtown (McClanahan -Friedman) All in favor. PASSES Mr. Cleary distributed a summary of the special permit considerations from the Zoning By -Law for members to consult during special permit discussions. Mr. Cleary asked about getting tablets for the board members. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . - - - - - - - . . . . . . . . . . . . . --- - - -r. - ------ ----------r. ................ ....... .... . . ... Am I . .... Motion: To adjourn at 9:15 p.m. (McClanahan- All in favor. PASSES A Next Planning Bol Si of Crerk Meeti­,I: June 20, 2018 at 7:00 p.m. FV Date Of Aproval 7 Planning Board 6/6/18