Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutmin of planning brd 101007 ~;ECEIVFO Planning Board Minutes ' t: ! October 10, 2007 0'" Present: Tom French, Chair; Fred Armstrong, Clerk, Doug Annino, K~J ~G~, MW: 02 DeMassi, Mike McClanahan, Stan Feck 1 ' " ' Alternate(s): Beth Ashman-Collins ftt, SlSXC~ltlsl~TS 1....l....iM~tiJlg~.U~t~~...fler.at..7:30.p.lll. 1.2.........l>~..s$iOtll\'it~.mre/tt.N'eal..llol_iIti.....:.......MIlJl.fi.,.4~.....ssiDg(;~tes Mr. French said the gates are behind Buildings D and J are for screening purposes. Lt. Boldrighini said he is concerned the gates will impede access to the buildings. He said he is also concerned about the gates swinging back and hitting the vehicles. However, he said he is not opposed to the gates being installed, but would like them to remain unlocked and have a way to be secured open. Mr. DeMassi suggested swinging gates that could be locked open. He also noted there will be on-site security that will help in the event of an emergency. Mr. French asked if it would be acceptable to have a gate with a latch that emergency personnel could open. Lt. Boldrighini said that would be acceptable. Dr. Torman suggested something electronic that emergency personnel could activate. Lt. Boldrighini said that would likely be expensive and said the simplest solution would be best. He said he would be happy if the gates simply stayed unlocked. Mr. Annino said the Fire Department should have easy access and if there is a problem, Weiner will have to address it. Mr. French said the board would ask Weiner to talk with Lt. Boldrighini about the best way to do this. '.2.Correspond.nee 1. September 26, 2007 minutes Motion: To approve as submitted (McClanahan- Torman) Five in favor. French, Feck abstained. PASSES 2. Request to set bond amount - Autumn Park Phase I / Memo from Mike Ahem approving the amount Motion: To set the bond amount at $132,383.02 (McClanahan-Torman) All in favor. PASSES 3. Meeting notices Easton, Norton, North Attleboro, JTPG, SE Mass Commuter Rail Task Force 4. The Beacon [Mr. Feck arrived at this time] 4. Interviews with Applieants for Citizen-at-Large Positions on the Master Plan Committee Mr. French asked each applicant to tell the board a bit about him or herself. Beth Dahlstrom said she works for Community Opportunities Group, a consulting firm that works on Master Plans, and will be working for the Town of Franklin as a planner Planning Board 1 10/11/2007 beginning in November. She said she hopes to live in Mansfield for a long time and has a strong interest in downtown and in housing issues. Walter Jenkins said he has served on the IDC and Planning Board. He said he is concerned about the train station area and the industrial park, and would like the Master Plan Committee to look at dimensions and use regulations. Nancy Wall said she is interested in how towns develop and wants to help ensure development is well though out. She said she is interested in helping to maintain the downtown businesses, especially with the new Mansfield Crossing. Leonard Flynn said he has served on the Board of Health and Zoning Board of Appeals, and is currently the Planning Board's rep to SRPEDD. He said he is interested in planning and zoning and how those things effect development. He said he would like to see more people get involved in town government. Thomas Ratliff said he has been involved in the Wheaton campus Master Plan, and is interested in how that kind of plan helps development. He said he is interested in the downtown and school issues, especially pedestrian and safety issues. Dr. Torman asked if the applicants attend Annual Town Meeting. The applicants all said they do. Dr. Torman asked if everyone would be available to attend the meetings; Mr. French said they would likely be on Wednesday nights. The applicants said they would be available. Mr. McClanahan said he was very pleased to see so many people volunteer for the positions. Mr. Annino asked what challenges the applicants see for the future. Mrs. Wall said the growing population and what it brings, such as traffic and housing issues. Ms. Dahlstrom said affordability in the housing market for younger people is important. Mr. Jenkins said the town has always had a strong industrial base, but as the town has grown, it has become more residential and the tax base has shifted toward the residential side. He said he wants to maximize commercial and industrial properties to take some of the tax burden off homeowners. He said he would like to help warehouse buildings mature into office uses, which would increase their value per square foot and therefore their tax contribution. He said the industrial park has changed from when it was built, when it was more of a warehouse park, to more of an office park. As an example, he said parking ratios are different for warehouse and offices, and the buildings being changed to offices are having parking problems. Planning Board 2 10/11/2007 Mr. Flynn said he is concerned about the town's water supply and open space. He agreed with Mr. Jenkins that the industrial park should shift from warehouse to office space. He said Mansfield has a unique situation because of its rail and road services, as well as an excellent school system. He said industry will come because of those things, and the town can afford to wait for it. Mr. Ratliff said he is concerned that the town will continue to grow, even without increases in housing. He said older people will move out and young families will move in, and he said he would like to see Mansfield be a place where people want to spend their time and not be just a bedroom community. Mrs. Wall said she would like to see the town be creative in terms of things like energy conservation. Mr. French noted there is a lot of retail development happening, and things like Mansfield Crossing will bring a lot of changes. Ms. Dahlstrom said the Master Plan will be able to guide those changes and said that committee should be made up of people with various backgrounds and open minds. Mr. French explained the Master Plan Committee will hire a consultant to help update the Master Plan. He explained the nine sections required in a Master Plan. He said the meat of the plan is the summary of findings, how to go forward to achieve the goals, and turning those things into zoning changes at Town Meeting. Mr. Jenkins said one of the changes that came out of the last Master Plan was not allowing retail in the industrial park and making retail uses over 100,000 square feet special permit uses. He noted this allowed the Planning Board a high level of control over a large development like Mansfield Crossing. Mr. Ratliff said the Master Plan could also be used to encourage things like green building. Ms. Collins said that could be done through density bonuses or tax breaks. Mr. Jenkins said the Planning Board has also talked about site plan review; he said if the by-laws are changed so the board has site plan approval, some more abstract ideas like green building could be incorporated into the process. Mr. Ratliff said the school budget is a big issue at every Town Meeting. Mr. DeMassi asked what unique talent each applicant brings. Ms. Dahlstrom said she has written seven Master Plans with COG and has led public meetings, and understands what works and what doesn't. She said she believes strongly that the Master Plan should be a public participation process. Planning Board 3 10/11/2007 Mr. Jenkins said he was on the Planning Board for several years, is in the real estate business, understands smart development concepts and feels his practical background will be helpful. Mrs. Wall said she has attended many meeting and is interested in how the town operates and its future and in being creative and working together to develop a plan that works. Mr. Ratliff said he is the main faculty liaison for the new science building at Wheaton, which has been in the works for several years, and which is almost at the construction stage. Mr. Feck said anyone of the applicants would make a great addition to the Master Plan Committee. Mr. French agreed. Mr. French noted two applicants were unable to attend the meeting but should be considered by the board. The board voted for each candidate as follows: Ms. Dahlstrom-McClanahan, Annino, French, Collins, Torman, Feck, Armstrong Mr. Jenkins-Feck, McClanahan, Annio, Armstrong, DeMassi Ms. Wall-DeMassi, Feck, Collins Mr. Flynn-Annino, Armstrong Mr. Ratliff- Torman, Collins, DeMassi, French, McClanahan Ms. Foley- Collins - 0 Mr. Clemmey - 0 Beth Dahlstrom, Mr. Jenkins and Mr. Ratliffwill be the citizen-at-Iarge representatives. Mr. French said the Master Plan Committee will meet next Wednesday, October 17 to interview the consultants. 5.....]).is~ussio*l\'i~.])'~'...qO'fV,,I\4y~JI~~4.~(jll~PtS~l1jiDeel'ittg..re:.....~onceptllal illail..oft'J(DiglltWay Dana Clow, Advanced Concepts Engineering, representing the Knight family, explained how they are considering developing the property. He explained the property is off Knight Way, a cul-de-sac off Balcom Street. This property is about 14 acres with the existing Knight residence and the Wading River on the westerly side of the property. Surrounding the Knight property is a significant amount of land owned by the town. Planning Board 4 10/23/2007 Mr. Clow said they are looking at a residential compound with five lots, including the existing residence. He said this would be an extension off the end of the existing cul-de- sac through a 50-foot roadway right-of-way. He said the extension of the cul-de-sac would provide four new lots and dedicated open space. Mr. Clow said the property is very long and narrow, so the geometric constraints allow for fewer lots than might be done on a parcel of this size. Mr. Clow said the topography is slightly rolling and there are no wetlands except for those associated with the bank of the Wading River. The soils are good and well-suited for on-site septic systems. Mr. DeMassi asked why this parcel was left so large. Mr. Clow said it is part of the Knight's property, and includes their house. Mr. Clow said they would have to present a conventional subdivision plan, which he showed the board. He said the length of the road is the primary issue, and said the conventional subdivision could not be done and be within the length of a dead end street regulations. Mr. French said the Planning Board has never granted a waiver on the length of a dead- end street in the 13 years he has been on the board. He said the board gets several requests a year for this type of waiver, and it has never been done. Mr. Annino said the intent of the residential compound by-law is as an alternative to the traditional subdivision; but the applicant has to prove he could do a traditional subdivision first. He said a conventional subdivision cannot be built on this site. Mr. French said the compound is intended to provide an alternative with smaller lots, closer together, with less roadway that remains private. Mr. French said the lots may be laid out for a conventional subdivision, but it cannot have an approvable roadway because it is more than 650 feet long. Mr. F eck said the board is concerned about the precedent that would be set by extending cul-de-sacs to more than 650 feet. Mr. Clow said there could be driveways coming from the end of existing Knight Way without extending the roadway. Mr. DeMassi said Jennifer Drive off Maple Street was extended like this. Mr. French said that land was granted a frontage variance by the Zoning Board of Appeals. Mr. Clow said this land has about 50 feet of frontage on the cul-de-sac. Mr. Clow asked if the board's unwillingness to allow the extension of the cul-de-sac in a conventional subdivision would preclude it from considering the extension for the roadway in a residential compound. Mr. French explained the residential compound is an alternative to a traditional subdivision, which has to be able to be built by right before a compound would be considered. Planning Board 5 10/11/2007 Mr. French said the only way he can see this working would be to add a lot on North White Pine Lane and put a second access road through. Mr. Clow said they have spoken with an abutter there and were unable to come to an agreement. He also said that would require more road construction than would be practical. Mr. Clow said he acknowledges that if the traditional subdivision cannot be built, the residential compound could not be done. Mrs. Knight said she and her husband bought that extra land with the intention of it being their retirement. Mr. McClanahan said a lot that large could be sold as an estate-type lot. Mr. Feck suggested if a lot on North White Pine Lane could be purchased, the roadway could come in from another location and might meet the length regulations, then the conventional plan might be buildable, and a compound considered. Mr. French said the residential compound would be a special permit at the discretion of the Planning Board. Mr. Clow said his client doesn't want to build all the way through because they don't want to build that much roadway. Mr. McClanahan suggested an alternate access might be worth investigating. t 5.i,l\l'Q..nflthe.'I'llbl~ Dr. Torman asked if Officer Lawson has looked at the Stanley Village issues. Officer Lawson is going to meet with Mr. Maloon. Mr. McClanahan said the Stanley site is heavily wooded, but many of the houses on Mary Dee Lane have been clear cut. Mr. Annino said he doesn't think the board should spend time designing someone's subdivision. The board agreed. Mr. French said he thought Mr. Clow's clients wanted to talk to the board. He said the board has to consider the best interests of the town, and he doesn't think it is in the town's best interest to grant waivers on roadway length. Mr. Annino said it is not good planning to build nothing but cul-de-sacs because it makes it hard to get anywhere. I 6. PubUe Comment Motion: To adjourn at 9:30 p.m. (Torman-McClanahan) All in favor. PASSES Next meeting: Wednesday, October 17,2007 at 7:30 p.m. (Master Plan) rIfl We~esday, October 24,2007 at 7:30 p.m1 V .lll~ 10 J.~ ).OO~ lerk Date of Approval Planning Board 6 10/11/2007