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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2009-01-26 Community Planning and Development Commission MinutesTown of Reading REcuvEa 16 Lowell Street - 0 N CLERK R ~DfPiG. MASS. Reading, MA 01867-2683 Phone: 789942-6612 ~AN 21 p~ ct 014 Pax: 781-942-9077. f'~ Email: ckowalskiCy ci.reading.ma.tiis Community Planning and Development Commission CPDC MINUTES Meeting Dated: Janua 26, 2009 Location: Selectmen's Meeting Room, Town'Hall Time: Members Present: David Tutt e (DT) 'Chairman; Nichola's Safina {NS), Secretary; Patterson (JP). Members Absent: John Weston (JW) Ms. Adele Blunt, 22 Linden Street Mr. Gary Davis, Architect Attorney Josh Latham of Latham, Latham & Lamond, P.C., 643 Main Street Mr. Jack McQuilken, JM Associates, Mr. Rick Schaffer, 67 Woburn Street Mr. Dave Talbot, 75 Linden Street Mr. Bill Thompson, 36 Woburn Street Mr. Christopher Vaccaro, 57 Woburn Street There being a quorum the Chair called the meeting to order at 7:30 PM. Public Comment There were no comments from the public. Site Plan Review (continued) 36 Woburn Street 0 PM Joseph The Chair opened this continuation of a site plan review opened on 1/12/2009. He noted there had been correspondence from Town Counsel stating the Board had authority to impose conditions to re- establish lost screening. The applicant, Mr. Bill Thompson, was present as was his engineer, Mr. Jack McQuilken. A draft decision had been prepared by the Staff Planner. Mr. McQuilken informed the Board he was also the engineer on the parking-lot project at 16 Sanborn Street and he provided the Board a copy of those plans which he said showed the landscape strip between the two lots was approx. six feet wide. Mr. Dave Talbot said he and other neighbors had looked at aerial photographs of the lot and counted only 21 to 23 parking spaces - fewer than the 30 the applicant says are there. The applicant said the Page 1 of 5 CPDC Minutes of 1/26/09 pre-existing plan they submitted showed 30 spaces and. they have not added any more but had only increased the area of the parking lot and. widened the driveway to provide better access for safety reasons. Mr. Rick Schaffer asked if the dimensions of the parking lot and parking spaces match what is currently striped for on the site. No one could answer this but the Chair noted the ZBA had limited- the-number of parking spaces on the site to 30. After much discussion, the Chair summarized what the Board would like to see on a revised plan: • The landscape strip between 16 Sanborn Street and 36 Woburn Street widened by 12 to 18 inches by removing pavement from the 36 Woburn Street side. • A curb added along the length of the 36 Woburn Street side of the landscape strip. • The six head-in parking spaces to the left of the dumpster to be replaced with as many angled parking spaces as would fit. • The first parking space to the right as you enter the site from Woburn Street (space 410 on the -plans) is to be replaced by a curbed landscape area. • Suitable trees (as determined by the Tree Warden) added to the landscape strip between 16 Sanborn Street and 36 Woburn Street and to the new landscape area on Woburn Street (the previous parking lot space #10). • An infiltration system to meet stormwater requirements. • Dumpster to be enclosed_ A member of the public asked if more mature trees could be planted so that screening is provided sooner. The Board and. Town Planner said this may not be possible because of the correspondingly greater size of the root-ball and increased chance of root shock. The Board was willing to give up some height for increased. chance of survival. The Tree Warden should be asked to suggest a species that would grow tallest and broadest in the areas provided. The applicant said they would like to speak with the Tree Warden and a revised plan should be ready by 2/23/2009. NS moved the Board continue the site plan review of 36 Woburn to February 23, 2009 at 7:30 PM. JP seconded. By a vote of 3:0:0, the Board continued the site plan review to 2/23/2009 at 7:30 PM. There would be no further notice of this hearing. Minor Modification to Master Signage Plan 580 Main Street, Bank of America Attorney Josh Latham and architect Mr. Gary Davis appeared for Bank of America. The Town Planner distributed a memo from the applicant which contained the plans. The sign will be located within the building's sign-band as per the plaster signage plan but will also: • consist of the individual letters of the words "Bank of America" and the bank's logo. • be in the bank's colors (red, white, and blue). Page 2 of 5 CPDC Minutes of 1/26/09 be illuminated using halo lighting. White-light LEDs will be behind the individual letters and the logo. The letters and logo will be opaque and when the LEDs are on the light will reflect off the building and around, not through, the letters and logo. One sign will face Main Street. A second will face Haven Street. NS moved the Board determine the proposed change- to the Master Signage Plan for 580 Main Street to be a Minor Modification. JP seconded. By a vote of 3:0:0, it was so moved. NS moved the Board approve the Bank of America signage for 580 Main Street as shown in a metro dated 1/22/2009. JP seconded. By a vote of 3:0:0, it was so moved. Minor Modification 8 Walkers Brook Drive, Salem S Bank This item was not on the agenda. The Town Planner asked the Chair if he would agree to allow the Board to hear it. The Chair so allowed. Attorney Josh Latham represented. Salem 5 Bank. He told the Board. the site plan review decision for 8 Walkers Brook Drive contains langi.iage stating Salem 5 Bank had six months from the time of the decision to decide on the fate of the existing pylon sign: either obtain a ZBA variance or remove the sign. He was before the Board tonight seeking an extension to this deadline. DT moved the Board extend the date when Salem 5 Bank must take action on the existing pylon sign at 8 Walkers Brook Drive to April 17, 2009. NS seconded_ By a vote of 3:0:0, it was so moved. Zoning Workshop Downtown 40R Smart Growth District The Town Planner and GK had met earlier in the month to discuss what and how to present the district to other boards and committees as well as to Town Meeting and. residents in an effort to garner support and suggestions. The Board. needs to solicit input from a wide variety of sources to have a better handle on all possible issues that might arise. Some have, been enumerated in the Downtown Parking Task F'orce's report of last year. GK had created a map showing the proposed 40R district's boundaries, the areas he and the Town Planner suggested the Board should focus on, and all historically significant buildings in the district. The four areas of focus are: • M. F. Charles building. • Oak Tree Developments' proposal for the Atlantic Supermarket. Page 3 of 5 CPDC Minutes of 1/26/09 • Eastern Bank's properties. • Businesses west of the depot. Graphics should be used to illustrate how these four locations might be developed under the 40R. The Town Planner asked for volunteers to work on the illustrations and a possible slide show. Mr. Dave Talbot and Mr. Rick Schaffer had questions and comments for the Board: • What is the timetable? Will Oak Tree be filing soon? The Town Planner doubted if anything would be ready by the next regular Town Meeting. Oak Tree has not yet filed and cannot file because they can't do what they want to do under the existing zoning. • Increasing the size of buildings ff•om the allowed 3-stories to the proposed 4-stories is a big change and too urban, for Reading. Why do it at all? The Town Planner explained four stories might be required to reach the necessary density required for 40R zoning and affordable unit requirements. Not all properties are likely to use four stories - the CPDC will provide neaps showing where they are unlikely. • Can the required density be distributed over multiple lots for instance across the street from each other? Affordable units cannot be separated from the market-value units. • Will properties just West of the depot be part of the district? Yes. • Please consider the impact such development would have on traffic and tragic patterns. Keep tra,fie off of residenticil .streets as much as possible. The Parking Consultant has provided recommendations and they have been forwarded to the 40R Consultant. Parking maximums and shared parking have been considered as well as the possibility of unlinking a property and its parking spaces. Actions: GK will send his map to the Board via email. The Town Planner will write a memo to the Town Manager outlining the Board's approach and contact the owners of the focus location for permission to use images of their buildings proposed or existing in any illustrations the Board might create. Decide when the Board should schedule their presentation to the public. The consensus was a time in March 2009 would provide enough time to put everything together. Zoning By-Law Amendments for Town Meeting The consensus of the Board was to defer this item to a future meeting. Other Business: ZBA Case Reviews: 345 Main Street Signage relief The consensus of the Board was the applicant has plenty of opportunities for signage without the need of a variance. The Chair said he would prepare a memo for the ZBA expressing the Board's view. ZBA Case Reviews: 8 Walkers Brook Drive - Signage relief The consensus of the Board was additional signage was not necessary. NS said he would prepare a memo for the ZBA expressing the Board's view. Minutes Page 4 of 5 NS moved the Board approve the minutes of 12/8/2008 as amended-. JP seconded. By a vote of 3:0:0, it was so moved. DT moved the Board approve the minutes of 1.1/3/2008 as amended. NS seconded. By a vote of 3:0:0, it was so moved. NS moved the Board approve the minutes of 10/27/2008 as amended. JP seconded. By a vote of 3:0:0, it was so moved. NS moved the Board approve the minutes of 10/6/2008 as amended. JP seconded. By a vote of 3:0:0, it was so moved. NS moved to adjourn. JP seconded. By a vote of 3:0:0, the Board. adjourned the meeting at 10:25 PM. CPDC Minutes of 1/26/09 These minutes were prepared. by Michael Schloth and. submitted to the CPDC on February 23, 2009; these minutes were approved as amended by the CPDC on February 23, 2009. Signed as approved, Nicholas Safina, /zoo Date Page 5 of 5