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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2009-04-13 Community Planning and Development Commission MinutesTown of Reading 16 Lowell Street RECEIVED Readin, MA 01867-2683 TOWN CLERK g~ilG. MtS Phone: 781-942-6612 Fax: 781-942-9071 Email: ckowalski@ci.read ing.ina.as 2010 JAN 21 Community Planning and Development Com i sib CPDC MINUTES Meeting Dated: April 3, 2009 Location: Selectmen's Meeti g Roo town Hal Time: 7:30 PM Members Present: David Tutt e (DT)7-'~Ehairtnm;4)4n W s teft (JW-4" 4h Paterson (JP). Members Absent: Nicholas Safina (NS), Secretary Also Present: Carol Kowalski (CK), Town Planner; Abigail McCabe (AM), Staff Planner; and Michael Schloth, Recording Secretary. Ms. Ann DiCicco, DiCicco Sign Co., 124 Pine Ridge Road, Reading, MA Ms. Nancy Twomey Attorney Brad Latham of Latham, Latham & Lamond, P.C., 643 Main Street Mr. John Hanley, Jordan's Furniture Mr. Marls Woll, 20 Benjamin Lane Mr. Scott Miller, 6D Carnation Circle Ms. Lorraine Toppi, 14C Carnation Circle Mr. Stephen Crook, 137 Pleasant Street Ms. Gina Snyder, 11 Jadem Terrace There being a quorum the Chair called the meeting to order at 7:30 PM. Public Comment There were no comments from the public. Public Hearing: Zoning By-law Amendments: Articles 18 & 19 The Chair opened the public hearing. JW read the public notice. Article 18: Reduce front yard setback in Bus-A district The purpose of this article is to reduce the front setback in the Bus-A district from 50 feet to 15 feet; and to simplify the language of Section 4.9.7.4.2.b. The Town and Staff Planners presented a short slideshow of various Bus-A properties overlain with red and blue lines showing the proposed 15 foot and exiting 50 foot setbacks respectively. A 15 foot setback would J. • Bring some now non-conforming properties into conformity. Give town and developers more options. Page 1 of 6 CPDC Minutes of 4/13/2009 • Coincide with town's goal to move parking spaces to rear of commercial properties • Allow enough room for a sidewalk and tree lawn. Suggestions from the public for presenting the article to Town Meeting included • Examples of other communities with a 15 foot front setback. • Expand the slideshow examples to include both properties closer to Rt. 128 and the north Main Street Bus-A district (e.g. Home Goods, Dandelions,..) The simplified language of Section 4.9.7.4.2.b. was crafted after the warrant was submitted and so would have to be made from the floor of Town Meeting. DT noted that the modified wording of Section 4.9.7.4.2.b had been presented to the By-law Committee. DT moved the Board recommend to Town Meeting Article 18. JW seconded. By a vote of 3:0:0 the Board voted to recommend Article 18 to Town Meeting. Article 19: Changes to language of PUD-B district The purpose of this article is to allow financial institutions and pharmacies the use of drive-thrus in the PUD-B district. The Chair noted that any application for a drive-thru to be used by a financial institution or pharmacy must still go through site plan review. Attorney Brad Latham said the original intent of the by-law was to allow drive-thrus for financial institutions. DT moved the Board recommend to Town Meeting Article 19. JP seconded. By a vote of 3:0:0 the Board voted to recommend Article 19 to Town Meeting. DT moved the Board close the public hearing on the Zoning By-Law Amendments. JP seconded. By a vote of 3:0:0 the Board voted to close the public hearing. Approval Not Required (ANR): 35 Pinevale Avenue The applicant, Mr. John McCraken, was present. A memo from the Town Engineer dated 4/13/2009 stated the plan meets the requirements to be endorsed as an ANR plan under the subdivision rules and regulations. JW moved the Board endorse the ANR for 35 Pinevale Avenue. JP seconded. By a vote of 3:0:0 the Board endorsed the ANR for 35 Pinevale Avenue. The Board signed the two mylar copies of the ANR plan and gave one copy to the applicant. Page 2 of 6 CPDC Minutes of 4/13/2009 Signage Certificate of Appropriateness (Continued): 86 Haven Street Appearing for the applicant was the signmaker Ms. Ann DiCicco. Ms. DiCicco said the sign's plan has been amended as the Board requested. The signboard will be black and the letters gold. The size will remain the same. JW moved the Board approve the application for a Certificate of Appropriateness for the wall sign at 86 Haven Street as submitted in a plan dated 4/13/2009. JP seconded. By a vote of 3:0:0 the Board granted a Certificate of Appropriateness. Site Plan Review Waiver Request: 198 Ash Street Both the applicant, Dr. Ravens, and the architect, Ms. Nancy Twomey, were in attendance. Ms. Twomey explained the building had been purchased in 1978 by Dr. Ravens and his then partner. Each had their practice on a separate floor. The partner has since sold his interest to Dr. Ravens who would like to combine the practices. This will require interior renovations. They need to meet Mass. Architectural Access Board requirements (i.e. handicap access) including a long wheelchair-ramp at entrance. They will also be adding to the rear staircase to square it off with the second floor. They will be going before the Zoning Board of Appeals for a variance and/or special permit. From the CPDC, they are requesting a waiver from site plan review because there is no change of use. CK said the Building Inspector had reviewed the plans and has no concerns. In her opinion the requirements for a waiver have been met. AM added that the Town Engineer had said he had no issues with the proposal. JW asked if there might be issues with stormwater, lighting, or the dumpster. • Stormwater: Dr. Ravens said water flows the other way - towards the railroad tracks. • Lighting: Ms. Twomey said there would be no lighting changes. • Dumpster: There is a dumpster and it will require and enclosure as per Board of Health regulations. DT moved the Board grant the applicant's request for a waiver from site plan review for the proposed renovations at 198 Ash Street conditioned on: • The applicant receive appropriate variance or special permit from the Zoning Board of Appeals • The dumpster meet Board of Health standards and the enclosure be constructed to match the appearance of the principal structure as closely as possible • No signage changes are approved and if any are proposed the applicant must make a separate application to the Board JW seconded. By a vote of 3:0:0 the Board granted the applicant's request for a waiver from Site Plan Review subject to the above noted conditions. ti Page 3 of 6 CPDC Minutes of 4/13/2009 Request for Site Plan Waiver & Determination of Minor Modification to Signage 50 Walkers Brook Drive: Paul's TV & Jordan's Furniture Attorney Brad Latham represented the applicant. Also present was Mr. John Hanley of Jordan's Furniture. Mr. Latham outlined the proposal: • A portion of Jordan Furniture's "Sleep Lab" will be partitioned for use by Paul's TV. • Signage changes: • No change in overall size. • Freestanding sign: "Beantown" will be changed to "Paul's TV" • West-side wall sign (facing Walkers Brook Dr.): "Sleep Lab" removed an replaced with "Paul's TV" • Five south-side wall signs (facing Route 128) for "Bose", "Richardson's", "Trapeze School", "Liquid Fireworks", and "Beantown" will be removed and replaced with one sign (with same, total edge-dimensions of all four) for "Paul's TV" • East-side wall sign will have "Liquid Fireworks" removed and replaced with "Paul's TV". Ms. Lorraine Toppi, a resident of Carnation Circle, asked what signage changes would face Carnation Circle. Mr. Latham said the only change would be to the lettering of the existing sign and [resented her with a photograph of the sign in question. Ms. Toppi said she has called the police about too loud an audio system at Walkers Brook. Mr. Latham said that has been turned off. Mr. Scott Miller also a resident of Carnation Circle, asked if a before/after analysis of signage illumination will be conducted. He wanted to be assured there would be no increase in lumens from any illuminated signs. Mr. Hanley said the illuminated signs in question face Route 128. The illumination technology will be changed - to more energy efficient LED lights - but not the output. Mr. Scott asked the Board the conditions for granting a waiver. The Board reviewed the three criteria (Section 4.3.3.12.1) and noted the applicant meets all three conditions where meeting only one is sufficient. The consensus of the Board was to grant the waiver and minor modification both. The Town Planner suggested the Board add a condition stating there would be no increase in lumens. This met with approval from the public. The Board agreed. JP moved the Board grant the applicant's request for a waiver from site plan review for the proposed interior renovations at 50 Walkers Brook Drive for Paul's TV. JW seconded. By a vote of 3:0:0 the Board granted the applicant's request for a waiver from Site Plan Review. The Chair moved the Board determine the proposed changes to the signage at 50 Walkers Brook Drive for Paul's TV to be Minor Modifications to the original site plan review decision subject to the condition that the new signage will not substantially increase the output of lumens. JW seconded. By a vote of 3:0:0 the Board determined the signage changes to be Minor Modifications to the original site plan review decision subject to the above noted condition. Page 4 of 6 CPDC Minutes of 4/13/2009 Mr. Scott asked if any before/after measurement of the lumens output would be required. The consensus of the Board was such a measurement would not be required. The Chair noted the only change would be to the sign facing the highway and as the change consists of using LEDs rather than fluorescent lights any change in output should be for the better. Request for Determination of Minor Modification 20 Benjamin Lane: Tree placement and fencing The applicant, Mr. Mark Woll, was present. Mr. Woll described the situation: His main concern is with the detention pond just outside his back door. When it fills with water, it is a hazard to his children. He would like to build a safety fence around it but trees were planted in the way. These trees were originally to have been planted further back along the property line he shares with Bagel World, but the developer had been granted a Minor Modification to move the trees forward. Mr. Woll would like permission to have the trees removed and new trees - cedar trees - planted in the original position along the property line. He said Bagel World would be very happy to have trees at the property line and they gave him permission to cross their property to do all necessary work. Also, he has spoken with the Conservation Commission and was told the commission has no issues with moving the trees. After the trees had been moved, he would erect a fence between the detention pond and his house. Mr. Woll said he would take responsibility for the trees. AM said the Conservation Commission had approved the modification at its last meeting subject to the approval of the CPDC and the Town Engineer. The Town Engineer had submitted a memo dated 4/13/2009 on this issue. In it he stated he had no objection to the applicant's proposal as long as two conditions were met: 1. The applicant provides a $750 bond to warrant the health of the relocated trees for one year, and 2. As the proposed fence would be located on a drainage easement, its construction should be allowed only if placed on the outer edge of the easement. The Board asked Mr. Woll if he would agreed to abide by the Town Engineer's conditions. Mr. Woll said he was willing to put up the bond but placing the fence on the outer edge of the easement would be too restrictive and he would like to be able to continue to work with the Town Engineer to come to a suitable accommodation. The Chair moved the Board determine the relocation of the trees to be a Minor Modification to the original site plan review decision. JW seconded. By a vote of 3:0:0 the Board determined the relocation of trees to be a Minor Modification. The Chair moved the Board approve the relocation of the trees to the rear boundary subject to the condition that the Town's access easement be retained and the construction work of relocating the trees not encroach upon the detention pond. JW made a friendly amendment of a second condition: the applicant must provide a bond of $750.00 to warrant the relocated trees' survival for one year. JP seconded. Page 5 of 6 CPDC Minutes of 4/13/2009 By a vote of 3:0:0 the Board approved the relocation of the trees with the conditions noted above. Mr. Woll said his research showed that although detention ponds can be very deep they are not always treated as a safety issue by towns. Minutes The Chair moved the Board approve the minutes of 2/9/2009. JP seconded. By a vote of 3:0:0, the Board voted to approve the minutes of 2/9/2009. JP moved to adjourn. JW seconded. By a vote of 3:0:0, the Board adjourned the meeting at 9:30 PM. These minutes were prepared by Michael Schloth and submitted to the CPDC on May 11, 2009; these minutes were approved by the CPDC on May 11, 2009. Signed as approved, Nicholas Samna, Page 6 of 6