HomeMy WebLinkAbout1995-05-22 Community Planning and Development Commission MinutesR E C E I V D
TOYN
JAN
TOWN OF READING
COMMUNITY PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT COMMIStION
MINUTES OF MAY 22, 1995
A meeting of the Community Planning and Developmer:_ Commission of
the Town of Reading was held in the Selectmen's Meeting Room of
the Town Hall, 16 Lowell Street in Reading, Massachusetts on May
22, 1995. In attendance were Bryan Irwin, Commission Secretary,
acting as Chair; and Members Nancy Shipes, Richard Howard, and
Jonathan Barnes. Also present was Town Planner Jonathan Edwards.
The meeting was called to order at 7:50 PM.
CONTINUED PUBLIC HEARING:
BEACON CIRCLE DEFINITIVE SUBDIVISION PLANS
Mr. Irwin called to order a Continued Public Hearing to consider
Definitive Plans for the proposed Beacon Circle Subdivision. The
applicant was represented by Attorney 0. Bradley Latham and En-
gineers Paul Finocchio and Richard Murphy, who delivered and
presented revised plans, entitled "Magnolia Circle". Mr. Edwards
stated that because of the delivery that afternoon of the plans,
staff was given no time to review them, and he presented a letter
from the Fire Chief expressing continued safety concerns at the
revised cul-de-sac slope of 7 percent. These revised plans did
not include grading or drainage. Mr. Edwards reviewed staff con-
cerns with the Commission item by item, with the applicant's rep-
resentatives responding. Comments from attending citizens con-
cerned the lack of time for the public to review these revised
plans, drainage effects on adjoining private properties and par-
ticularly on that immediately adjacent to and below the proposed
drainage outlet, illegal dumping on the site, grading and retain-
ing walls at both the end of the cul-de-sac and on the southwest
corner of the proposed street, and rights by the applicant and
abutters to the existing right-of-way along which the sewer line
is proposed to be located.
The Commission voted 4:0 to approve a motion of Mr. Howard,
seconded by Mr. Barnes, to clcse the public hearing, and then
voted 4:0 to approve a motion of Mr. Howard, seconded by Mr.
Barnes, to disapprove these plans for reasons stated in a
Notification to Town Clerk dated May 23, 1995.
PUBLIC HEARING: SITE PLAN REVIEW, 34 SALEM STREET
Mr. Irwin called to order a Public Hearing to review a Site Plan
for 34 Salem Street, for reconstruction of a nonconforming build-
ing in a modified format fcylowing the destruction of most of the
building in a fire last summer. Messrs. Latham and William Jen-
nings represented the applicant and presented the plans. Mr. Ed-
wards presented staff comments, and reminded the Commission that
these plans were also subject to special permit and variance
review by the Zoning Board of Appeals. Ms. Virginia Adams, and
Messrs. David Sullivan and Edward Palmer, representing the His-
torical Commission, sp::-ke to the history of the site and the im-
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portance of this site to the character of the Common area, which
contains many structures on the National Register of Historic
Places. They expressed concern with the design of the building,
particularly its massing, and they suggested a plaque be placed
on the site commemorating the previous existence thereon of the
Baptist Church and the Church Organ Company. Me. Gerry MacDonald
expressed concerns about safety, screening, and lighting on the
site.
After considerable discussion, including with the applicant,
during which Ms. Shipes had to depart, the Commission voted 3:0
to approve a motion of Mr. Howard, seconded by Mr. Barnes, to
send to the Zoning Board of Appeals a prospective decision on the
case as expressed in a memorandum of May 23, 1995 and to continue
the public hearing to 10:00 PM on June 19, 1995
ADJOURNMENT
At 11:11 PM a motion was made and seconded to adjourn and the
Commission voted unanimously to do so.
Respectfully Submitt~d: Approved 99'5
Signed: --74 A, I.-IJ
Date: 7 "
Bryan I wn, Secretary
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