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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2017-02-02 Zoning Board of Appeals Minutes0 FR Town of Reading Meeting Minutes 0 6Jg. lNC°Rp°wr Board - Committee - Commission - Council: Zoning Board of Appeals Date: 2017-02-02 Building: Reading Town Hall Address: 16 Lowell Street Purpose: General Business Attendees: Members - Present: David Traniello, Chairman John Jarema Kathleen Hackett Robert Redfern Erik Hagstrom Nick Pernice Members - Not Present: Damase Caouette Others Present: Town Representatives: Chris Heep, Town Counsel Time: 7:00 PM ul P'ECEWD TN -i READING. 7011 APR 19 P 4: 2,; Location: Selectmen Meeting Room Reading Equitable Housing 40B Development Team: Attorney Joshua Latham, Latham Law Offices, LLC Daniel Skolski, DMS Design LLC Mike Jacobs, MHJ Associates Matt Ulrich, Ulrich Bachand Landscape Architecture, LLC MKM Reading Development Team: Matt Zuker, MKM Reading Public: Douglas & Dee Birch, 12 Wenda Street Justin Birch, 12 Wenda Street John & Mary Daly, 163 Woburn Street Joe Lupi, 167 Summer Avenue Jonathan Barnes, 41 Pratt Street Richard Coco, 4 Freemont Street Al Sylvia, Reading Chronicle Kevin Sexton, Board of Selectmen Minutes Respectfully Submitted By: Kim Saunders, Recording Secretary Topics of Discussion: Case # 17-01 (40B) The Zoning Board of Appeals held a Public Hearing in the Selectmen's Meeting Room at Reading Town Hall, 16 Lowell Street in Reading, Massachusetts on February 2, 2017 on the petition of Reading Equitable Housing, LLC, who seeks a Comprehensive Permit to develop 20 Page 1 1 on? Town of Reading Meeting Minutes p ��O 6J9'lNCOR?OSP units of rental housing within an existing 3 -story brick building on a 45,779 square foot residentially -zoned tract of land under Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 40B Sections 20-23, with waivers from zoning requirements, on the property located at 172 Woburn Street (Assessors Map 16, Lot 182) in Reading, Massachusetts. Chairman Traniello opened the public hearing at 7:00 p.m. Chairman Traniello summarized how the public hearing would proceed: the design team will present the proposed project, the Board will respond to the materials submitted by the applicant and Town staff, and the public will be able to comment. He reminded the Board they will need to vote to authorize a 53G account for peer reviews. Mr. Joshua Latham, the Attorney representing Reading Equitable Housing, LLC, gave a brief overview of the proposed project. He said the former St. Agnes property will be converted to 20 residential units. He gave his opinion that the proposal is an appropriate use of the site, and will help the Town reach their Affordable Housing goals. He introduced 40B consultant Mike Jacobs, landscape architect Matt Ulrich, and architect Daniel Skolski. He apologized that the property owner Mike Sullivan and project engineer Jack Sullivan were not available for the public hearing. He said they had prior commitments but will be available for future meetings. After Mr. Latham established the petitioner's standing, he provided the history of the site. He said the property is located in a S-15 Zoning District and is 45,775 square feet. The property was previously part of St. Agnes Church and was subdivided via an ANR Plan. The building was utilized by St. Agnes and the Town of Reading as a school, and then as a commercial business. It has recently, been used as storage and classrooms for the St. Agnes Church. He reminded the Board that they granted a Special Permit to the church to establish their own parking. Mr. Latham stated that Mike Sullivan attended an informal meeting and a DRT with the Town. He said there have been neighborhood meetings and a final one was held on January 19, 2017; and opined all concerns raised by the neighbors have been addressed. Mr. Latham stated there will be limited construction. There will be 9 one -bedroom, 9 two- bedroom and 2 three-bedroom rental units. All 20 units will count towards the Town's Subsidized Housing Inventory. One unit will be handicap accessible, but all units will be handicap adaptable. There will be some minor exterior work done with the intent to make the building fit more into the neighborhood. He listed the following as part of the proposal: a handicap ramp, elevator, fencing, buffering and a small addition at the back of the building which will be rebuilt. Mr. Latham stated that Exhibit 7 lists the requested waivers. Mr. Latham said the traffic report by Vanesse and Associates was submitted with the application. The proposed project will have little impact with regards to traffic. After a discussion with the Police and Fire Departments, the property will share an exit with the church. The driveway will be widened to 18' so the Fire Department can easily access the property. Mr. Latham commented that there is sufficient parking. There will be 66 spaces, 35 of which will be dedicated spaces for the residents. The parking ratio is 1.75 for each unit. There will be 7 visitor parking spaces. Mr. Latham stated that the Special Permit the Board approved requires 24 parking spaces for exclusive use by the church. The 24 parking spaces will be within an easement, which is stated in the Deed. He requested that Town Counsel review the Deed for Town approval. The 7 visitor � FR�`� V k Town of Reading Meeting Minutes sJ9' �xcoReoaP� parking spaces can be used by the residents or the church. He said the applicant is seeking a waiver for the loading zone. The five 8'x20' parallel parking spaces are not standard. Mr. Latham said the dumpster will be on the side by the church property. The drainage will be improved through installation of a larger pipe. There will be pervious pavers and a rain garden. The snow will be stored in the 7 visitor parking spaces, until it is hauled offsite. He reviewed the landscaping and fencing. He said the lighting plan demonstrates a safely illuminated site. Mr. Daniel Skolski of DMS Design LLC gave his opinion that the property is an excellent candidate for housing conversion. The building is well maintained and sturdy with no roof leaks, no mold, and level floors, and in excellent condition. The windows are long and narrow, and the floor heights are generous. He said the one deficiency is that there is no elevator. An elevator will be installed in the back of the building and will be accessible to all floors. There will be windows installed in-kind that will increase the natural light and add to the character of the building. Mr. Skolski reiterated that there will be 9 one -bedroom, 9 two-bedroom and 2 three-bedroom units with room sizes that exceed code requirements. He described the interior design and ceiling treatments. Mr. Skolski explained that the mailroom can be in the back or front of the building; the Post Office will be given the option of where to deliver. The boiler room is located on the ground floor at the Woburn Street end. The condenser will be located in a cut-out in the retaining wall, which will keep the noise to a minimum. Mr. Skolski stated that there will be a covered entry installed over the handicap ramp. The brick exterior is in good shape, but will require minor repointing. Mr. Matt Ulrich of Ulrich Bachand Landscape Architecture, LLC said that the low stone wall at the front of the building will be preserved. He explained that there is a proposed break in the wall that will allow a walkway and a ramp to the front entry. He described the proposed plantings and rain garden. He said the plantings and the 6' fence will provide screening for the abutters. Chairman Traniello presented a memo from the Town Manager with comments and concerns from the Town. He also referred to a letter from Jack Williams of the Historical Commission which expressed some concerns with the project. Mr. Redfern stated concerns with providing more parking than required. He suggested removing some parking spaces to create additional green space. Mr. Redfern questioned the parking agreement with the church. Mr. Latham reminded the Board that they issued a Special Permit at their November 15th meeting regarding parking between the two sites. The church historically has been using the parking lot for vehicle overflow, but even up to 32 spaces are allocated to meet the church minimum, the spaces are not used 90% of the time. He said the green space request will be reviewed. Mr. Redfern questioned where packages delivered by UPS or FedEx will be stored. Mr. Latham replied that they will be stored inside, but that a specific location has not been determined yet. Mr. Redfern questioned the loading zone waiver. He said a moving truck would need space to park and unload. Mr. Latham responded that there will be space on-site for trucks, but that it will 3 o OFR' Town of Reading .. Meeting Minutes lNCOkpoP not be dedicated exclusively to loading/unloading. Mr. Redfern asked where emergency vehicles would park, and suggested dual use areas for moving trucks and emergency vehicles. He opined that the proposal is an appropriate reuse of the property. Ms. Hackett agreed that the proposal is a good use of the property. She stated that she has similar concerns as Mr. Redfern. She questioned the loading zone and common areas. She asked how the parking would be managed. She agreed there should be more greenery in the parking lot. Mr. Jarema stated that he has four areas of concern. One regards trash and how trash trucks will maneuver around the parking lot. The second concern is snow removal and the proposal to allow snow storage in parking spaces. His third concern is that there is no proposed loading zone. He said that emergency vehicles and delivery trucks should have some place to park. The fourth was the parking; he suggested having designated parking for the residents. Mr. Hagstrom commented that the project is a great use of the space. He agreed that not having a loading zone is a concern. He questioned whether the parallel parking spots need a waiver. Mr. Latham clarified that the parallel spaces are standard. Mr. Pernice questioned how the loading/unloading would work and requested it be added to the management plan. He complimented the rain garden and the use of pervious pavers. Chairman Traniello stated his agreement with most of the comments from the other members. He questioned the I&I waiver and requested feedback from the Town staff on this waiver. Mr. Jarema asked if the handicap unit will be an affordable unit. Mr. Latham replied that due to the demand, it probably will be. Chairman Traniello opened the meeting to the public. Mr. Douglas Birch from 12 Wenda Street stated his concern that the church will lose parking spaces and the overflow will park on the streets. He questioned whether the lighting would intrude into the neighborhood. Mr. Justin Birch from 12 Wenda Street said the project would create an influx of people taking the train. He questioned the sound and light pollution the building would create. He opined that the project could drive people out of the neighborhood. Mrs. Dee Birch from 12 Wenda Street said she chose the location of her home carefully; and that currently there are no apartments near her property. The current on -street parking situation is terrible. She suggested resident and visitor parking stickers. She questioned the noise level from the AC unit. Chairman Traniello closed the meeting to the public. Mr. Latham replied to the statements made by the public. He said that the extra parking on-site is specifically to address expressed neighborhood concerns with parking. He explained that noise impacts are expected to be minimal because the mechanical unit is located far from abutters. He said the traffic report is detailed and thorough and that there should be no significant increase. He concluded that the lighting industry has gotten smarter and lights are now downward facing. He offered to bring a cut sheet of the lighting to the next meeting. 4 O� OFR' r h O �C. �s3s,�xcono°aP� Town of Reading Meeting Minutes Mr. Chris Heep, Town Counsel, reviewed the process and next steps. After discussion, it was agreed that the Board would like traffic, parking and engineering peer reviewed. Mr. Latham asked the Board to consider the cost and pointed out that the Town Engineer has reviewed the drainage. On a motion by Mr. Jarema, seconded by Mr. Redfern, the Zoning Board of Appeals moved to the authorize Town staff to begin the peer review process. Vote was 6-0-0 (Traniello, Jarema, Hackett, Redfern, Hagstrom, Pernice) On a motion by Mr. Redfern, seconded by Mr. Jarema, the Zoning Board of Appeals moved to authorize Town staff to engage the applicant to establish a 53G account to cover the cost of peer review. Vote was 6-0-0 (Traniello, Jarema, Hackett, Redfern, Hagstrom, Pernice). On a motion by Ms. Hackett, seconded by Mr. Hagstrom, the Zoning Board of Appeals moved to continue the public hearing for Case 917-01 to March 2, 2017. Vote was 6-0-0 (Traniello, Jarema, Hackett, Redfern, Hagstrom, Pernice). Case # 16-02 (40B) The Zoning Board of Appeals held a discussion on the draft Decision for MKM Reading, LLC who seeks a Comprehensive Permit on the property located at 31-41 Lincoln Street and 2-12 Prescott Street in Reading, Massachusetts. Mr. Redfern requested a revision date be added to the Decision to ensure everyone is working from the most updated version. Mr. Heep reminded the Board that no additional information or plans will be submitted. Mr. Jarema commented that the following should be in the Decision: the specific letters from the Police and Fire Departments accepting the proposed project layout; the RMLD approval of the transformer; and specific locations of the affordable units. Mr. Jarema questioned the materials the Applicant would be using for the building. He asked if the DRT memo would need to be in the Decision. Mr. Heep noted that the definition of "substantial change" has been added to the draft Decision. He suggested that if the Applicant deviates from the approved elevation drawings, the Board could allow the Community Development Director to approve the change. After a discussion with Mr. Jarema, Mr. Heep stated he will update the Decision to clearly state that the RMLD approved transformer locations shall not result in a net loss of parking spaces below the 1.25 ratio or generate negative impacts to traffic circulation. F �. . Town of Reading b Meeting Minutes i6Jg°I"CoB90 Mr. Jarema asked who is responsible for the O&M Manual once the project is approved. Mr. Heep suggested the O&M Manual be kept on file with the Community Development Director. Mr. Jarema stated that visitor parking spaces are critical and that snow removal will force the occupants to park on the street. He opined that there should be an on-site building manager. Chairman Traniello suggested tabling this discussion to give the Board time to think about a solution. Mr. Pernice asked for clarification on the deed restriction. Mr. Heep explained that if allowed by zoning, the deed restriction will resolve. After the Board discussed signage, Mr. Heep agreed to edit the Decision to explain that signage suggested by the parking/loading peer review does not need further approval. Any other type of signage will need to be approved by the Town. Chairman Traniello questioned if a construction fence should be required. The Board agreed that the construction vehicles should not park on the street. They suggested the construction vehicles park at the spaces located across from Bolton Street. Mr. Kevin Sexton from the Board of Selectmen will verify the Town owns that lot. Mr. Heep stated he will edit the Decision to reflect the changes that were discussed by the Board, and will forward the updated Decision. On a motion by Mr. Jarema, seconded by Ms. Hackett, the Zoning Board of Appeals moved to schedule an open session on Case #16-02 to February 16, 2017. Vote was 6-0-0 (Traniello, Jarema, Hackett, Redfern, Hagstrom, Pernice). After a discussion, the Board agreed to hold a meeting to vote on the Decision on February 21, 2017. Mr. Heep confirmed that Mr. Hagstrom cannot vote as he missed two meetings. On a motion by Mr. Jarema, seconded by Ms. Redfern, the Zoning Board of Appeals moved to continue Case #16-02 to February 21, 2017. Vote was 6-0-0 (Traniello, Jarema, Hackett, Redfern, Hagstrom, Pernice). Adjournment On a motion by Mr. Redfern, seconded by Ms. Hackett, the Zoning Board of Appeals moved to adjourn the meeting at 9:20 p.m. Vote was 6-0-0 (Traniello, Jarema, Hackett, Redfern, Hagstrom, Pernice). Documents reviewed at the meetin ZBA Agenda 02/02/2017 FR Js''g' 1NC°RQ°aP Town of Reading Meeting Minutes Schoolhouse Commons 4013: Application Package, Plans & Drainage Report, submitted 1/4/17 Letter from Jack Williams, dated 1/17/17 Memo from Town Engineer, dated 1/26/17 Reading Village 40B: Draft Decision MGL Ch. 40B Comprehensive Permit 7