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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1996-12-11 Board of Selectmen Minutes i Board of Selectmen Meeting December 11, 1996 The meeting was convened at 7:30 p.m. in the Senior Center, 49 Pleasant Street, Reading, Massachusetts. Present were Chairman George Hines, Vice Chairman Camille Anthony, Secretary Bruce MacDonald, Selectmen Dan Ensminger and Sally Hoyt, Town Manager Peter Hechenbleikner and the following list of interested parties: William Brown, Joe Gatta, Bob Silva, Frank Maggio, Donna Houston Adams, Betty Cronin, Gerry Varney, David and Coni Russell, Pat and Jim Sharkey, Mark Dinjian, Wilbar M. Hoxie, Bill Bogaert, Eric-Jason Smith, Carol Shapiro, Robert K. Tosi, Paul Peoples, Susanne Martin, Priscilla Ryan, Mark Egler, James Cormier, Eugenia Zanges, John Bullman, Agnes Donovan. Discussion/Action items Hearing Relative to the Siting of the Police Station- The Secretary read the notice of the hearing. The Town Manager noted that all abutters were notified of the hearing. A handout was distributed, and the Town Manager made a presentation on five alternatives for the Police Station. Dan Ensminger noted that this is a very critical need for the Town. This is a problem that we have to solve. We will need to select one of the options that is outlined. Not acting is not an option. Bruce MacDonald noted that people sometimes think that the Board comes to these hearings with preconceived ideas. He noted that the Board does not have any preconceived notion and they have not made up their minds between the two main options being presented. Sally Hoyt noted that she checked with the State House today regarding funding. Funding had been proposed but is not yet available. The State had hoped to have an addition in the insurance premium pay for public safety needs. There was opposition from the industry. The Bill is refiled, and it is hoped that we could be reimbursed at a later date. George Hines noted regarding funding that the program that Ms. Hoyt outlined was similar to the SBAB Reimbursement Program. However, the project is not dependent on such funding and the Capital Improvements Program has $3.5 million of Town funds to do the project. Camille Anthony noted that the Board of Selectmen received two letters with regard to the issue, one from the Downtown Steering Committee and one from the Chamber of Commerce. The hearing was open to public comment. Bill Brown of 28 Martin Road noted that in 1976 the Town did the same study, and came up with the same three sites. He feels that the Oakland Road site is the best site. He can't see spending $200,000 plus of Town funds for additional land. He had asked for Town Counsel's opinion on the ownership of the land on Oakland Road. The ledge on that site is the spoils from the 1952 construction of the High School. He will oppose a Downtown site at Town Meeting. Mark Dinjian of 94 Pleasant Street spoke. He asked what would happen if the property owners decided not to sell. Could the Town buy it anyway. George Hines noted that legally the Town Board of Selectmen Meeting-December 11. 1996 - page 2 could, but the Town has not engaged in an unfriendly eminent domain taking especially of residential property. Bruce MacDonald agreed that he would not support a hostile taking of residential property. Bill Bogaert of 91 Pleasant Street noted that Option 5 would be literally in his backyard. It would be taking a residential lot and converting it to a two story, 20,000 square foot office building with 30 parking spaces. This would change the character of the neighborhood. The traffic in the neighborhood has increased. Relocation to another site would help alleviate the traffic. Middle and Union Street tend to be less traveled. He would be concerned also about the short term effect during construction. The Senior Center already has inadequate parking. Will the Senior Center and Police Station sites be useful during construction with inadequate parking. He noted that people with technical expertise feel the estimates of construction costs for renovation of the existing Police Station are very low. He wondered how many parking spaces were available in Downtown. Donna Houston Adams of 97 Pleasant Street spoke. She preferred putting the Police Station at the Union and Middle Street site. It is an opportunity to revive that area. She feels there is faster, safer and better access from that site to the entire Town. George Hines noted that everybody present should be aware that if we go to an alternative site,then the existing site could be sold and reused for a two story office building. Bruce MacDonald asked for comment from the public as to what uses they would like to see the existing site use for if the Union/Middle Street site was selected. It was noted that the Police Station is in an A40 zone which permits certain office uses as well as apartments. It's also part of municipal reuse zone and this creates zoning flexibility for future use. Donna Houston Adams indicated on a personal note that she was saddened that the neighborhood could have its property values threatened by expanding a Police Station on site. Had she known that expansion was possible, she would have reconsidered her option of locating there. She noted that the existing site could be reused for purposes spelled out in the "letters" sent out - i.e., for an Arts Center or a Teen Center. Susanne Martin of 111 Pleasant Street noted that she walks her dog every morning along Pleasant Street. She used to live on Grove Street, but this area seems'to be the heart of the community. In living in this area, you get an intense feeling of community. This makes Reading special. Adding a Police Station at Union Street would not throw the neighborhood out of kilter. This is a fragile neighborhood. Union Street has a sense of being a little bit abandoned. She would love the existing building to be converted to an Arts Center. Eugenia Zanges of 91 Pleasant Street spoke. She noted that the Police Station is a 24 hour a day, 7 day a week operation. There is traffic and cars in constant flow. If it was further expanded, that would decrease the quality of life in the neighborhood. Robert Tosi of 129 Pleasant Street agrees with what has.been said. He feels that a Teen Center at this existing site or an Arts Center would be great. In the morning, Pleasant Street gets a lot of Board of Selectmen Meeting-December 11, 1996 - page 3 Route 128/129 traffic. It also gets a lot of truck traffic from the Wax Works. He has parking on site, but he often can't park on the street. Eric-Jason Smith of 12 Middle Street did not get a copy of the notice. The Town Manager confirmed that he recently moved into the property and that letter had been returned. He noted that he is not opposed to the Union Street lot being used for a Police Station, although he would prefer the plan that would make it part of a large municipal parking lot connected to the back of the Christy's building. He has just bought the property on Middle Street and is renovating it. Sally Hoyt noted that there may and probably would be funding for Town reuse of the existing Police Station building. Dan Ensminger asked for specifics, and there were no specific programs available. He noted that the Town has a poor record of building reuse. The Town would have to maintain the building prior to it being reused. He feels that reuse of the Police;Station has to be part of the decision. Bruce MacDonald noted that using the existing Police Station as an Arts Center is unrealistic. To be viable and, therefore, not to be a drain on the tax dollars, it has to have a theater, and that creates a demand for parking, etc. There is not a constituency in the Town at this time on a coordinated basis for an Arts Center. Bill Brown corrected the Town Manager regarding the amount of parking that would be created by the Hardnen Street parking improvements. He noted that there are already 10 spaces in this area. He noted that the cost of this project would be $11,000 per parking space. He felt that was expensive, although Chairman Hines noted that if you have no parking, then $11,000 may not be an unreasonable price. He reviewed the statistics on population changes, changes in the number of Police Officers and number of Police vehicles over the past years. Robert Tosi asked if the Board's minds were made up. Dan Ensminger noted that they were not. Frank Maggio of 320 Haven Street is opposed to expansion of the existing Police Station. The Town uses Haven Street extensively for snow plows and snow hauling at the front of his property, and know we would have a parking lot at the rear. John Bullman of the Eastern Middlesex Board of Realtors spoke. They've been at their existing site for 25 years. The chart noted that they are an unwilling seller, and he noted;that they do not want to particularly move but if a fair price is paid for the property, they would be willing to. He asked if the Board would take their property. He noted that the comments from the Board have been that they would not take a residential property on an unfriendly basis, but wondered about a business property. He noted that it took the Board of Realtors 30 years to pay for the property. If the Board is going to consider taking their property, they should pay a fair market value for it, and the current offer is not enough to relocate. Priscilla Ryan of 42 John Street thought that possible reuses of the existing Police Station may be for a Day Care Center, a movie theater with cafe, or a restaurant such as they've done in Concord, New Hampshire. Regarding taking the multiple listing service building - she feels that we should offer a fair price. The Eastern Middlesex Board recently joined with the Lawrence Board, and they may need larger space anyway, and perhaps this could be a coordinated effort. Board of Selectmen Meeting-December 11, 1996- page-4 r Mr. Bogaert felt that suggestions for reuse of the Police Station could be handled creatively. He noted the Town did a very creative job of reusing the Fire Station as a Senior Center. Perhaps increase in parking and reuse of the building would be appropriate. Gerry Varney of 64 Village Street noted that she and her sister own the property at Haven and Elliot Street. She felt that if the Russell property is taken, then they will be.looking at a parking lot with a lot of lighting and parking. That intersection already takes a lot of traffic. Donna Houston Adams noted that at Union and Middle Street currently they have a lot of cars and traffic. Expansion of a Police Station to an abutting site will intrude on their privacy and will decrease property values. The Pleasant Street neighborhood has been kept up and the Union Street neighborhood has not. Camille Anthony asked if there were other abutters from the Union Street area. Eric-Jason Smith was the only one plus the Middlesex Board of Realtors. Bruce MacDonald noted that as one Board member he made a comment about not taking residential property on an unfriendly basis. That doesn't mean that he is in favor of taking any property on an unfriendly basis. He noted that if there is an unfriendly taking, there is a process that makes sure that fair market value is paid. Agnes Donovan of 330 Haven Street noted that the Town and the neighborhood needed to be careful if they move out of the existing Police Station as to what would happen with the existing Police Station. It could be something undesirable in the neighborhood. - Mark Egler spoke and preferred the option of the Union Street lot because of neighborhood impact. Ms. Dinjian of 1 Middle Street noted that she gets no noise from the Police Station and didn't think it was a problem. Priscilla Ryan felt that the existing location is problematic for the Police because of traffic congestion. On motion by Ensminger seconded by Anthony, the Board voted to close the Public Hearing at 9:05 p.m. On motion by Ensminger seconded by Anthony, the Board voted to adjourn at 9:06 p.m. by a vote of 5-0-0. Respectfully submitted, i 4». Secretary