HomeMy WebLinkAbout2025-04-24 Eastern Gateway Priority Planning Steering Committee MinutesTown of Reading
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Board - Committee - Commission - Council:
Eastern Gateway Priority Planning (EGPP) Steering Committee
Date: 2025-04-24
Building: Library, Community Room
Address: 64 Middlesex Ave
Purpose: Hybrid Meeting
Time: 7:00 PM
Location: Hybrid Meeting - Zoom and
Conference Meeting Room
Session: Open Session
Version: Final
Attendees: Members In person: Kyle Tornow; John Sullivan, Finance Committee;
Karen Rose Gillis, Select Board; Kyle Vangel; Melody Yue Yin; Rob Tedesco
Members Present on Zoom: Guy Manganiello
Members Not Present; Corrin Wolf
Others Present In person: Andrew MacNichol, Community Development
Director; Olivia Knightly, Senior Planner; Kevin McCarthy, Economic
Development Planner; Michael Wang, Architecture and Urban Planner
Consultant
Present on Zoom: N/A
Minutes Respectfully Submitted By: Olivia Knightly
Topics of Discussion: Eastern Gateway District Vision Plan
MEETING HELD IN THE LIBRARY COMMUNITY ROOM AND REMOTELY VIA ZOOM
Mr. MacNichol called the meeting to order at 7:05 PM and provided an overview of the
hybrid meeting procedures.
Mr. MacNichol welcomed the steering committee and provided a presentation discussing
existing conditions of the Eastern Gateway District and commercial needs for the north side
and how this relates to zoning.
Mr. MacNichol presented the existing spaces on the site which predominantly include single
story variety retail uses with an anchor retail grocery store at One General Way. He stated
that the committee should look to identify local needs for the area, including local and
regional attractions to encourage, and a variety of uses to sustain the commercial tax base.
Mr. MacNichol said that arts and cultural use, food and drink establishments, and youth
opportunities have all been expressed as desired uses by the community. He stated that
expected challenges for the area include high rental costs for commercial space and
determining the right size of tenant spaces as well as future parking needs.
He stated that staff are preparing a grant application in partnership with Stoneham and
Wakefield to study regional market trends and are hoping to pursue an additional grant to
study the fiscal impacts of potential mixed -use and residential development in the Eastern
Gateway District.
Town of Reading
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Michael Wang, the project consultant, presented case study examples of mixed -use zoning
at similar scales to the Eastern Gateway from several other Massachusetts communities
including Winchester, Wayland, the Watertown Arsenal Yards, and Andover's Dascomb
Road.
The steering committee had a discussion about the Eastern Gateway site configuration and
existing anchor businesses and grocery stores followed by a discussion about existing uses
in the area.
The committee continued their discussion about density on site, and the level of density on
site that would support commercial uses. It was noted that the committee would prefer to
see density and height that is right sized for the district In combination with desired uses.
Mr. MacNichol informed the committee that six story buildings are allowed under the current
zoning.
The committee had a discussion about potential uses on site. Ms. Rose Gillis stated that
large-scale box stores with vacancies make an area unappealing. Mr. Tornow stated that
smaller store footprints could prevent turnover and larger box stores could be divided Into
smaller spaces to activate storefronts during vacancies, and this could include arts space,
working space, and Incubator retail storefronts.
The committee discussed potential impacts of increased growth and local first responder and
emergency services capacity.
Mr. MacNichol walked through next steps. He stated the survey will be closing soon and
results can be shared with the community and committee. He hopes to schedule another
steering committee meeting in late May. He added that staff are looking to provide an
update to the planning board and select board in the near future to provide a progress
update. He added that the town plans to conduct focus groups with abutters and property
owners and will begin working on some drawings and concepts over the summer to
conceptualize future zoning opportunities in the Eastern Gateway District.
The meeting was adjourned at 9:00pm,