HomeMy WebLinkAbout2009-06-17 Economic Development Committee MinutesEconomic Development Committee (EDC)
RECEIVED
June 17, 2009 MINUTES ~
TOWN CLERK
READING, MASS,
In Attendance: Meghan Young-Tafoya (Chairman), Michele Williams, Kara Fratto, Russ Graham, George Rio, and
Jack Russell met in the Berger Room, Town Hall at 7:30 P.M. 2901 DEC i I A ID. 3 1
Members Absent: Sheila Clarke (Vice Chair), Michelle Ferullo Also Present: Staff Planner Abby McCabe
Call to Order: There being a quorum the Chair called the meeting to order at 7:35 PM.
Other Business: The letter from Dickinson Development about the real estate sign that was in violation of the sign by-
law was discussed. In early June Dickinson Development was sent a first notice of violation from the Town because
the real estate sign was larger than the allowed 8 sq. ft. maximum. The Committee discussed the situation and
considered increasing the allowed maximum size for real estate signs or maybe have it dependent on the building
size/frontage or allow industrial zoning districts to have a larger sign. Ms. McCabe noted that Bedford and Burlington,
VT allowed a maximum sign area of 6 sq. ft and Framingham allows a max. sign area of 16 sq. ft. EDC will look into
the requirements of other communities in regards to real estate signs & the maximum allowed size.
Sign By-Law Updates & Timeline
The CPDC is still working on the application and design guidelines for the downtown smart growth district and is
expected to be quite busy with this zoning change during the summer and fall. The Community Services Director/Town
Planner has also announced that she will be leaving in July. Given the CPDC's current schedule and absence of a
Town Planner the Committee discussed pushing back the sign by-law changes to Annual Town Meeting in April or
possibly calling a Special Town Meeting between the Subsequent one in November and Annual in April. Portable/A-
frame signs and business flags are still being considered by the EDC. The committee still needs to meet with the
business community and also talk to a few sign vendors before presenting the changes to CPDC. An online visual
preference survey to residents/consumers was also discussed to gather information in the next few months (Littleton,
MA recently used this tool). Important stakeholders should be invited to the business community meeting which should
be held once during the day and once in the evening to reach a wide audience.
Assignments for next meeting: Committee members should return to their communities sign by-law to see if there are
any other outstanding items still to be addressed and also look at the real estate sign regulations.
Work Plan (See Work Plan for complete details):
A craft vendor expressed interest in this year's farm stand, Ms. Ferullo to respond. The committee would like to create
a webpage for the street faire, similar to the one for Friends and Family Day. Ms. Tafoya is working on submitting
proposal for the Peer-to-Peer technical assistance grant with DHCD. The alleyway is expected to be complete very
soon with the lights to be installed tomorrow and the trees in the next few days. Ms. Tafoya has agreed to write a press
release to the newspaper summarizing and announcing the completion of the alleyway initiative project. Ms. McCabe
will update the website.
Economic Development Activity:
Ms. McCabe will update the available commercial property on the website. The butcher shop received site plan review
approval from CPDC at the June 8t" meeting, The new restaurant proposed (for the former Wayside Bazaar site) will
be submitting plans for site plan review soon and staff is meeting with the owner on June 22nd for a development
review team meeting.
Other Business.
The Code of Conduct for all committee members was distributed.
Mr. Graham made a motion to approve the Minutes from May 20'h, 2009 as written, seconded by Ms. Williams.
Vote; 4-0-0 to approve minutes as written.
Ms. Williams made a motion to approve the Minutes from June 3, 2009 with the amendments, seconded by Mr.
Graham by a vote of 4-0-0 to approve.
Mr. Graham took over the nomination section of the meeting.
Ms. Williams nominated Ms. Young-Tafoya to the committee Chairman position. Mr. Rio made a motion to
approve the nomination of Ms. Young-Tafoya as committee Chair, seconded by Ms. Williams. Vote 3-0-0 to
approve Ms. Young-Tafoya as the committee Chair.
Ms. Williams nominated Ms. Clarke to be the committee Vice Chair. Ms. Young-Tafoya seconded nomination
for Ms. Clarke as Vice Chair. Vote 4-0-0 to approve Ms. Clarke as the Vice Chairman.
The Committee did not appoint a Secretary at this time, but if Ms. McCabe needs the Committee to appoint
one at a later date, she'll ask the committee to reconsider appointing a secretary.
Meeting Schedule
Next scheduled meeting is July 1, 2009 at 7:30 PM in the Berger Room, Town Hall.
On a motion duly made by Mr. Graham and seconded by Mr. Rio, the Committee voted to adjourn at 9:21 P.M.
on a unanimous vote, 4-0-0.
Respectfully submitted,
Abby McCabe