HomeMy WebLinkAbout2023-11-06 Community Planning and Development Commission MinutesTown of Reading";. -r, EIVUL;
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Board - Committee - Commission - Council:
Community Planning and Development Commission
Date: 2023-11-6 Time: 7:30 PM
Building: Town Hall Location: Hybrid Meeting - Zoom and Select
Board Meeting Room
Address: 16 Lowell Street Session: Open Session
Purpose: Hybrid Meeting Version: Final
Attendees: Members In person: John Weston, Chair; Tony D'Arezzo, Vice Chair;
Hillary Mateev; Tom Armstrong; Mark Wetzel; Heather Clish
Others Present in person: Community Development Director Andrew
MacNichol; Senior Planner Mary Benedetto
Remote Participants: Town Counsel Ethan Dively
Minutes Respectfully Submitted By: Mary Benedetto
Topics of Discussion:
MEETING HELD IN THE SELECT BOARD ROOM AND REMOTELY VIA ZOOM
Mr. Weston called the meeting to order at 7:31 PM.
Continued Public Hearing. Site Plan Review Application
413 Main St. McDonald's c/o Bohler
Mr. D'Arezzo made a motion to continue the public hearing for the Site Plan
Review application for 413 Main St to December 11, 2023. Mr. Weston seconded
the motion, and it was approved 5-0-0.
Executive Session
With resoect to GC Fodera Contractina. Inc. v. CPDC (459 Main St litiaationl
Mr. Wetzel made a motion to enter Executive Session under Purpose Three, to discuss
strategy relative to the litigation involving 459 Main Street, because an Open Session may
have a detrimental impact on the litigating position of the public body, and to invite
Community Development Director Andrew MacNichol and Senior Planner Mary Benedetto to
attend the executive session, and, once finished, to return to Open Session and continue on
with the meeting at the conclusion of the Executive Session. Mr. D'Arezzo seconded the
motion and it was approved 5-0-0.
The CPDC entered Executive Session at 7:44 PM. The CPDC returned to Open Session at
9:02 PM.
Other Business
6-16 Chute St Extension of Time Request — Mr. MacNichol updated the members on the
status of the project, primarily that it is on hold and they have been unable to start any
work yet. There was a round of questions and discussion about exactly what the extension
means. Mr. Wetzel asked what would happen if they did not approve the extension. Mr.
Weston stated that in his opinion the bar to do work and "start" the project is a low bar. Mr.
D'Arezzo asked about how long a building permit is valid if they don't start the work and it
was confirmed a building permit is valid for 6 months once it is pulled, after which it expires
if work hasn't started. Ms. Clish asked what the one-year extension would entail and Mr.
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Meeting Minutes
Armstrong asked if there was a way to put conditions on the approval. The members
discussed that they wouldn't want the applicant to demolish half the building to "start
construction" and then leave it in a half-complete state indefinitely. Mr. Weston and Ms.
Clish stated that they didn't see a big reason not to extend it. Ms. Clish asked if they didn't
grant an extension and the project expired and then they came back under a new
application, would it go over the old or new 40R, and Mr. MacNichol Indicated it would go
under the new 40R regulations. Ms. Mateev said that it was positive that they came back
now instead of in February and Ms. Clish stated that she wouldn't want to grant extension
after extension. The members concluded that it was acceptable to grant to extension to this
project.
Ms. Clish made a motion to extend the time for the Downtown Smart Growth
District Plan Review Decision for 6-16 Chute St by 365 days from March 16, 2024
to March 16, 2025. Mr. D'Arezzo seconded the motion and it was approved 5-0-0.
SWEC Update - Mr. MacNichol updated the members on the RFI and there had only been
one response. Ms. Clish clarified that the proposal was just for the land behind the Burbank
arena. The SWEC working group is supposed to wind down by the end of December with
recommendations.
2024 Schedule Discussion - Members agreed to test out starting the meeting start time
at 7pm starting in January and to see how it goes.
MBTA Communities Update - The Commission members asked for an update from staff
about how Reading's proposal and timeline stacks up compared to other communities and
staff discussed what other nearby communities are working on and the comparison on
timelines and proposals. Mr. MacNichol began reviewing the presentation for the upcoming
11/8 event. Members offered comments on the proposed slides for the meeting. There was
a discussion about the difference between setting a 6 -unit cap in the new zoning district vs.
setting a 22 units/acre density maximum. Members agreed with staff that they preferred
the max 22 units/acre. There were questions about upland area requirements and the
spread of lot sizes in the district. The group discussed the two map options being proposed.
The members indicated a strong preference for not running district lines down the center
lines of streets and instead following the lot lines in a middle of a block, so that in the long-
term it wouldn't result in a situation where one side of a street was developed and the other
side remained all single-family homes. Staff indicated this was certainly possible for the final
map. There was a discussion around the merits of including or not including the existing
historic districts within the new zoning district, with Commission members seeing both sides
of the arguments for and against. There was a discussion surrounding design guidelines and
that the members anticipate and want a robust design guide for the district. There was a
discussion about if deed -restricted affordable units could be included in the proposal, with
staff indicating that if the public signs off on the unit density approach there is potential to
include a 10% affordability requirement at larger unit counts, with details TBD.
Meetina Minutes
The Commission reviewed the minutes for October 16, 2023, and made changes.
Mr. D'Arezzo made a motion to approve the minutes of 10/16/23, as amended.
Ms. Mateev seconded the motion and it was approved 4-0-2 (with the two
members who were not present abstaining).
Adiournment
Ms. Mateev made a motion to adjourn at 10:52 PM. Ms. Clish seconded and it was
approved 5-0-0.
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Town of Reading
Meeting Minutes
Documents Reviewed at the Meeting:
6-16 Chute St Extension of gime Request
• 413 Main St McDonald's Continuance Request
• MBTA Communities Materials
• Draft Minutes: 10/16/23
• Calendar for 2024