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HomeMy WebLinkAboutPlanning 10/30/2019Planning Board Minutes RECEIVED October 30, 2019 CL C RKS OFFICE Present: Donald Cleary, Chair; Richard LeBlanc, Clerk; Beth Ashman -Collins, Michael McClanahan, Michael Feck, Joseph Cerretani, Sharon Friedman, AlternJ011 liffi 15 A IQ: 00 Shaun P. Burke, Director of Planning and Development; Jennifer Davis, Ad,,j'4Ttivg Secretary ; , if,HU )E �<<a,SS ";C;NCSETTS The cleric read the public hearing notice. Mr. Cleary explained how the public hearing would be conducted. Attorney Nicholas Riccio introduced Ryan Miller, Miller Recycling; Drew Hoffman, Harbor Outdoor; and Eliot Bray, Corporate Council for Harbor Outdoor Attorney Riccio explained this is the same article he submitted in 2017, is narrowly written, would only impact one or two properties and would have zero residential impact. Mr. Hoffman explained they are looking at the Miller Recycling property to locate a digital billboard. He explained digital billboards allow for multiple advertisers to share a location and display a digital message that changes advertising copy in 10 second intervals, which is the state requirement. He said digital signs emit less light than traditional static signs. Mr. Hoffman showed the board photos of digital and static signs, which look similar; he said digital billboards have a dimming effect at night. Mr. Hoffman presented a MassDOT memo regarding digital billboards, in which they looked at crash data 13 months after billboard installation and found no increase in crashes. Mr. Hoffman said Foxboro, Sharon, Walpole and Canton have installed digital signs. Mr. Riccio said Norton and Wrentham have recently approved digital signs. Mr. Hoffman said there are no residences near the Miller Recycling property and the nearest residence is over 2,200 feet away. He said the billboard would not exceed .17 footcandles, four percent of what a typical streetlight emits. He said there will be no viewshed from the soccer field and the sign will be v-ed toward the highway. Mr. Hoffman said the proposal is to allow billboards in the PBD and noted billboards cannot be installed within 1,000 feet of another permitted billboard nor within 500 feet of an on or offramp, so there are not many locations where this use could be allowed. Mr. Riccio noted the proposal is to make the use a special permit, so any application would have to come to the Planning Board. Mr. Hoffman showed the board a photograph of a billboard frame and said they would do as little tree trimming as possible. Planning Board October 30, 2019 Mr. Riccio said there are existing digital billboards at high school and DPW/Public Safety building. Mr. Hoffman said they plan to donate $12,500 per digital face for 20 years, or about $500,000, to the town, with five years up front. Mr. Riccio said this would be in addition to the taxes paid on the structure. He said Mr. Dumas has asked those funds go toward economic development. Mr. Hoffman said there will be an economic benefit to local businesses through discounted advertising rates on the billboard. Mr. Riccio said they met with IDC last night. Mr. Hoffman said the new billboards are warranted for 7-10 years, and will be painted and maintained. Mr. McClanahan asked if the sign would be painted or powder coated; Mr. Hoffman said it is probably powder coated. Mr. Hoffman said there would be a benefit to public safety because during an Amber Alert, the state remotely takes over every digital billboard in the state. Mr. Riccio said he has spoken with the Fire Chief, who seemed supportive. Mr. Hoffman said they have to provide 15 hours a month to the state and plan to give an additional five hours to the town. Mr. Hoffman said tobacco advertising is not allowed, and they have an agreement with the property owner that adult entertainment or marijuana cannot be advertised. Mr. Riccio noted that can also be a special permit condition. Mr. Miller said Miller Recycling is a fourth -generation business that does commercial and residential recycling. They employ 25 people in the Cabot Business Park, pay around $121,000 in taxes and $70,000 to the Mansfield Municipal Electric Department. He said their business is in a volatile market, so this would be an additional revenue source. He said they work with local organizations like Habitat for Humanity, Toys for Tots and the Mansfield Benevolent Society. Mr. Riccio said Miller Recycling is a good corporate citizen. Board Comment Ms. Friedman said she appreciates the amount of homework the applicant has done, but said she still questions why Mansfield needs this type of advertising along the highway. She said almost everyone has a smartphone and get public safety alerts in seconds. She said she has a question about the type of advertisers; Mr. Hoffman said they will be advertising legal goods and services. Mr. Riccio said there are many of advertisers who want to be on digital billboards. Mr. McClanahan said he supported this in 2017 because the additional revenue to the town would be a community benefit. Ms. Ashman -Collins said the issue is not about digital signs versus static signs, but rather whether billboards should be allowed or not. She said the proposed amendment does not speak to the type of billboard. She said she is not in favor of billboards for the town. Planning Board October 30, 2019 Mr. Burke said he did not support this amendment in 2017 and he does not particularly like signs. He said he understands there would be financial incentive to the town, but he does not support it. Mr. Cleary asked if meetings could be advertised on billboards. Public Comment Scott Weiner, 22 Fieldstone Drive, said there is a dichotomy between the applicant's statement that the sign wouldn't be very visible, but would be used for emergencies. He said he has looked at a lot of studies and some found billboards cause no distraction, while others found they cause additional distraction. He said there was no evidence anyone has ever been helped with Amber Alerts on billboards. He said he doesn't like billboards and wouldn't want to live near them. Scott Feely, Finance Committee, said there is a clear financial benefit to the community, and said there would be limited opportunities because of the limited possible locations. Mr. Weiner said the state's regulations should not be used as Mansfield's standards because the state regulations might change. Mr. Cleary said those issues would be considered during a special permit public hearing. He noted this is not an application for a specific project. Motion: To support Article 13 at 2019 Special Town Meeting (McClanahan-Feck) Mr. Feck said there could be benefits to local businesses, and the town could use time on the sign to advertise things like downtown events. Five in favor. Two opposed. PASSES Motion: To close the public hearing (Ashman-Collins-Cerretani) All in favor. PASSES Motion: To adjourn at 7:10 p.m. (McClanahan- ) All in favor. PASSES Special Town Meeting: Tuesday, November 5, 2019 at 7:00 p.m., Mansfield High School Auditorium Next Planning Board Meeting: November 13, 2019 at 7:00 p.m. - & 4--L Signature of Clerk it- 13-2oi°( Date of Approval Planning Board October 30, 2019