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Home My WebLink About2008-09-08 Community Planning and Development Commission MinutesTown of Reading 16 Lowell Street Reading, MA 01867-2683 Phone: 781-942-6612 Fax: 781-942-9071 Email: ckowalski@ci.reading.ma.us Community Planning and Development Commission CPDC MINUTES Meeting Dated: Septe ber, 8, 2008 Location: Selectmen's Meeting Rooown~Hal Time: 7:30 PM Members Present: David Tut e (DT);-Chairman; i, hola Samna (N-S); Secretary; J hn Sasso (JS), and John Weston (JW). Members Absent: Brant Ballantyne (BB) Associate members present: George Katsoufis (GK). Also Present: Carol Kowalski (CK), Town Planner; Abigail McCabe (AM), Staff Planner; and Michael Schloth, Recording Secretary. Tom Hurley, Deer Run Developers Attorney Jim DiGiulio, 599 North Ave., Wakefield MA, 01880 There being a quorum the Chair called the meeting to order at 7:40 PM. Public Comment Attorney Jim DiGiulio, representing Deer Run Developers, requested the Board release Lot #7 of the Kylie Drive subdivision. Also present for Deer Run Developers was Mr. Tom Hurley. Mr. DiGiulio put Deer Run's case: • All lots should have been released once the bond had been posted. • In addition to the posted bond, there are still three other lots to be released. • As requested by the Board when the Board approved the release of Lot#8 [August 11, 2008], they have met with the Town Engineer and submitted a construction schedule. • Work is proceeding and some concerns of the Town Engineer have already been addressed (e.g. all manholes but one are now up to grade and accessible). • An opportunity to sell the lot may fall through if it is not released soon. In a memo to the Board dated 9/8/2008, the Town Engineer wrote Deer Run's construction schedule was acceptable but he still recommends against the release of any further lots until the curbing and binder course of the sidewalk has been installed. The Board requested the Town Engineer meet with them at a future meeting to discuss and clarify the requirements for releasing lots. Although uncomfortable to go against the Town Engineer's recommendation, the consensus of the Board was to release Lot#7. Page 1 of 4 CPDC Minutes of 9/08/08 JS moved the Board approve the release of Lot47 of the Kylie Drive subdivision. JW seconded. Voted Approved: 4:0:0. The Board signed the release. The Town Planner said it would be notarized the next day. The Board emphasized any future formal request for lot releases would not be accepted on such short notice. The Chair added and the Board agreed that lot release future requests should be accompanied by photographs of existing conditions. Public Hearing: Zoning By-Law Amendments for Subsequent Town Meeting DT opened the Public Hearing. NS read the legal notice. The Board discussed and the language they would recommend to the Board of Selectmen to be placed on the warrant for Subsequent Town Meeting. It was the consensus of the Board that the relevant subsection with the changes added be added to each amendment to provide context. Also, a brief background explaining the rationale should accompany each amendment. Signage By-law amendments. The board decided to accept the two amendments as written. Background: • The height of awnings above sidewalks will be changed from ten feet to eight feet to be consistent with the Massachusetts Building Code. The Board noted the new height would not interfere with snowplowing. • The word "calendar" will be added to the section on Temporary Signs to clarify that such signs may be displayed no more than three times in a calendar year. JS moved the Board recommend the amended language to the Board of Selectmen for review. NS seconded. Voted Approved: 4:0:0. By-law Errata amendments. Town Counsel was not able to attend but did submit a memo with suggested language for the by-law errata amendments. After discussion, the Board decided not to use Town Counsel's language with regards to the sections beginning 4AA and instead to insert a new section: "Section 4.4.1 Reserved". Other language was as originally proposed. Background: the article's purpose is to correct certain typographical and formatting errors in the by- laws. Page 2 of 4 CPDC Minutes of 9/08/08 The Board asked if the Errata Page should be removed from the zoning by-laws. The Town Planner replied Town Counsel had told her the Errata Page should be struck from the by-laws and no action would be needed from Town Meeting to do so because Town Meeting did not vote to have the page added to the by-laws. The Board directed the Errata Page be struck from the zoning by-laws. JS moved the Board recommend the amended language to the Board of Selectmen for review. NS seconded. Voted Approved: 4:0:0. Lot Coverage Definition amendment. After much discussion, the consensus of the Board was not to recommend the Lot Coverage amendment be placed on the warrant for Subsequent Town Meeting. There was agreement on the definition alone, but not on what the lot coverage percentage should be, if there should be different percentages for the S 15 and S20 zoning districts, or if percentages should be mentioned at this time. DT moved the Board recommend to the Board of Selectmen only the new Lot Coverage definition and not any specific Lot Coverage percentages. JS seconded. Voted Not Approved: 1:3:0. The Board decided the proposal needs further discussion. The Board asked to have the lot coverage data provide by GIS administrator Kim Honetschlager broken down further. The consensus was the zoning districts (S 15 and S20) may be too broad. DT asked if it would be possible to base lot coverage off of the actual size of a lot rather its location within a zoning district. The Board asked for Town Counsel's comment on their proposal. JS moved the Board close the Public Hearing. JW seconded. Voted Approved: 4:0:0. Downtown 40R Design Guidelines The Town Planner reported she had met with the consultants to discuss the possibility of subdistricts (lower roof heights in Ash/Green/Gould area vs higher along Haven and Main), street-front setbacks (e.g. outdoor restaurants), and the Historical Commission's suggestions. She also had asked the consultants to stop emphasizing their slideshow of computer generated growth in the downtown and instead show photos of actual buildings from the downtowns of nearby towns fit in their respective settings. The Board discussed how the Historical Commission's concerns might be addressed.. JW suggested first a common terminology should be agreed upon. For example, the Historical Commission crossed out the word "urban" in the draft and replaced it with "suburban". The Board agreed they did not want a sub-urban downtown and that "urban" did not necessarily imply "city". GK provided a brief report on the downtown 40R presentation at the Selectmen's meeting. • The slideshow presented Reading as far too built-up. The existing character of the downtown should be maintained and not overwhelmed. Page 3 of 4 • More visual aids CPDC Minutes of 9/08/08 There was agreement the goal was still to enliven the downtown. Housing diversity was also a goal but the target of 300 housing units may need to be reviewed. GK emphasized the guidelines should be written with their effect on existing buildings (M. F. Charles building, etc...) always kept in mind. The consensus of the Board was the guidelines too should contain more illustrative pictures and if the consultant is not capable of providing them then the Board and Planning Staff should. Next milestones: Consultants prepare the next draft and includes visuals. Further discussion of setbacks and subdistricts (have map of subdistricts ready South Main Street Design Guidelines The Board decided to postpone discussion of this item until the next meeting. Review of Upcoming ZBA Cases Case 08-21. A one-story Dividence Road residence and shed is to be torn down and a larger home built in its place. The impervious cover will be 21% but a proposed infiltration system will bring that down to 19.9%. According to submitted materials all setbacks will be met. The consensus of the Board was the project seemed reasonable and they had no issues with it. The Town Planner noted the ZBA case concerning the sign at One General Way has been decided and is in its appeal phase. JS moved to adjourn. JW seconded Motion Approved: 4:0:0. The meeting adjourned at 10:30 PM. These minutes were prepared by Michael Schloth and submitted to the CPDC on October 27, 2008; these minutes were approved as amended by the CPDC on October 27, 2008. Signed as approved, Nicholas Safina, Secretary Date Page 4 of 4