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Home My WebLink About2016-07-19 Board Of Selectmen PacketTown of Reading 16 Lowell Street Reading, MA 01867 -2683 Phone: 781 - 942 -6610 Fa)c 781 - 942 -9071 COMMUNITY PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION & BOARD OF SELECTMEN MEMORANDUM To: Downtown property owners and abutters within 1,000 feet of downtown & Downtown business owners CC: Town of Reading Boards, Committees and Commissions From: Jeff Hansen, Chair, Community Planning & Development Commission John Halsey, Chair, Board of Selectmen Date: June 30, 2016 Re: July 19' Zoning Charrette The CPDC and BOS request your presence at a Zoning Charrette on July 1 in the Great Room at the Pleasant Street Senior Center. from 6:00 -8:30 PM Our boards are interested in pursuing this in order to advance housing production and economic development in Town, and community input is essential to understanding future visions for the downtown area. Specifically we want to understand: The needs of residents and other stakeholders • How best to align zoning to land use goals including housing production and economic development • How rezoning or zoning overlays can be drafted with the broadest support possible To assist us with ordering food for the Charrette, please RSVP by July 14`h to Julie Mercier, Community Development Director: jmercier e,ci.reading.ma.us / 781 - 942 -6648 The Charrette will focus on different zoning options for the following areas *: • The Business B Green Street neighborhood south of the Downtown Smart Growth District; and • The Business B Main Street corridor from Haven Street to the railroad tracks. *See map on the back of this sheet — these areas were identified as priority areas by community members at a Downtown Zoning Workshop on April 11, 2016. The format of the Charrette will include the following: • 6:00 -6:45 PM: Refreshments, poster boards, familiarization with downtown zoning • 6:45 -7:15 PM: Presentation of feedback, zoning options, and process 7:15 -8:30 PM: Q&A and roundtable discussions Preparation in advance of the Charrette is encouraged via: Town of Reading Zoning Bylaw (hiP: / /www.readingma.gov/ sites /readingma /files /uploads /2015 -11 zoning bylaw 0 Pdt) • Section 5: Use Regulations per Zoning District • Section 6: Dimensional Regulations per Zoning District • Section 10.5: Downtown Smart Growth District (DSGD) Economic Development Action Plan (httl2: / /www.readingma.gov/ sites /readingma/ files/ u281/ readingedactionplannarrativeappendicesmerged 201 6- 2022.Pd� Feedback received at the Downtown Zoning Workshop on April 11, 2016: (http:/ /www.readingma.gov /community - planning- and - development- commission /pages /downtown - zoning_ workshop- april -11 -2016) reedbaok Reached at the Downtown Zoning Woduhop - April 11. 2016 Existing 40R District Areas to Prioritize f By # of Votes - #1: Main Street Comdor from Haven Sl. to RR Tracks -03: Green Street Neighborhood south of 40R District fir; Parcels Buildings Map Wepa —I by Town W Raa" DMe J 14 2016 IOI +* a - , l► '40 `'•, <1 �— ' • Include in 40R District OR Create New Overlay District cFtosey RD O . .... _ SVIEETgERAVE MAVEN 4T 3 O rn ° O CHAPIN AVE 1 i Consider New Overlay District instead of Expanding 40R BOLTON ST 0 0.023 - 0.05 0.1 Me N Directors: Reading -North Reading Chamber of Commerce PO Box 771, Reading, MA 01867 legan @rnrchamber.com • 978.664.5060 • www.readingnreadingchamber.com July 19, 2016 Andrew Schultz President Lisa DeLeo Reading Board of Selectman Past President Town Hall Francine Coughlin Reading, Massachusetts 01867 Secretary Michael Doyon First Vice President Dear Reading Board of Selectmen: Shanna Cahalane Second Vice I am writing to express the Chamber of Commerce's support for the President expanded overlay district being considered for Reading. As the President of Virginia the Chamber, I have heard first -hand from owners who are Yeanacopolis Co- Treasurer property frustrated but the lack of options to improve their properties. Expanding the downtown smart growth district was specifically recommended in the Lisa Egan Executive Director Economic Development Action Plan and by the Metropolitan Planning Council (MAPC). Expanding the overlay district means that businesses will Christopher Baird stay in town and thrive, and when people live downtown the increased foot Matt Donnelly traffic is good for all businesses. This overlay will be critical for Reading's Geri Farrelly economic development and mixed use is continually noted as the best way Josh Harrington to stay vital. Additionally, the development would be granted by a special permit to ensure a public process and reasonable growth that is in line Nancy Wolff Leary with the town's character. Robin Krane William McElhiney I respectfully request the selectmen vote to increase the overlay district. Due to a conflict I am unable to attend the Zoning Charrette to be held on Leslie McGonagle July 19th, and I appreciate your consideration. Molly O'Neill Peter Simms Sincerely Jackie Williams Andrew J. Schultz Reading 2020 - A Vision Selectmen ChairJohn Halsey .July 19, 2016 ZONING CHARRETTE BOARD OF SELECTMEN 1 COMMUNITY PLANNING & DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION Volunteer Boards Vision Three years ago, under a new Town Manager, we took a closer look at ourselves. We found quite a lot of `good', and that begins with the high quality of our staff and volunteer community. However, we learned that communication was imperfect. We also learned that our residents and businesses spent a lot of time with our `night time government'. Volunteer Boards Communication Our department head level communication (including town - school) is regionally acknowledged as excellent. Communication was not as excellent at all levels of the organization, leading to volunteers with partial vision. We changed to more full-time employees with a Reading focus, which improved this internal communication. Next - how to improve communication with and between Volunteer boards and committees ? Volunteer Boards Policies The first step was to acknowledge that the Policies followed by some boards lacked a `continuous improvement' process. The second step was to determine how to change that, given very lean staffing levels and the ever - present desire to not spend too much money. The third step was to prioritize improvements needed. Volunteer Boards Po I i cy We began with the biggest steps: Charter - a complete overhaul for the first time since it was adopted over 25 years ago. Zoning Project -first significant revision since the turn of the century (the 1900s!). Some work is still ongoing. General Bylaws -these were in better shape given many changes and a recent recodification, but several sections (such as Animal Control) had legally fallen out of date. Volunteer Boards Action - Reading 2020 Working Groups The current Board of Selectmen have varied backgrounds, expertise and opinions. Some meetings are like a coffee- shop discussion, with full transparency and honesty. For three years, members have met regularly with other town elected officials, and fellow Selectmen from other communities. The results are a Vision for the town and annual Goals for the Town Manager and his staff. Volunteer Boards Action - Reading 2020 Working Groups for FYI 7 - Financial Sustainability {Halsey & LeLacheur} - Operational Efficiency JEnsminger &Angstrom} - Communication {Sexton & I<raunelis} - Policy {Arena & G Burns} - Long Term Planning {Berman & Delios} Volunteer Boards Action - Reading 2020 Working Groups We have conducted detailed transparent comparisons to our 25 Peer Communities, and sought feedback from residents and businesses in town. A loud message has been to try to diversify our tax base more into the commercial sector, a challenge given our lack of open space. Another has been to streamline the interactions with government, and for example we now boast one of the fastest permit application turnarounds around. Volunteer Boards Tonight You will see a continuation of a discussion about ways to increase commercial presence with sensitivity to the residential character of the town. We are now at the stage where we need help from our fellow Volunteers, to open up all lines of communication so that you see where your board fits into this Vision for 2020. Join the coffee -shop discussion and share your views with the Selectmen and each other.