HomeMy WebLinkAbout1994-10-24 Community Planning and Development Commission MinutesTOWN OF READING
COMMUNITY PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION
MINUTES OF OCTOBER 24, 1994
A meeting of the Community Planning and Development 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 Oc-
tober 24, 1994. In attendance were Thomas Baillie, Chair; Bryan
Irwin, Commission Secretary; and Member Jonathan Barnes. Also
present was Town Planner Jonathan Edwards. The meeting was
called to order at 7:38 PM.
APPROVAL-NOT-REQUIRED SUBDIVISION PLANS: Mr. Edwards presented
an Approval-Not-Required Subdivision Plan for land at 149 Howard
Street. He pointed out that the plan was not submitted as a
reproducible copy as required in the Subdivision Regulations.
The Commission voted 3:0 to approve a motion of Mr. Irwin,
seconded by Mr. Barnes, to refuse to endorse this plan due to the
application therefor being incomplete.
PUBLIC HEARING--SITE PLAN REVIEW: McDONALDS, 413 MAIN STREET
Mr. Baillie called to order a Public Hearing to consider Site
Plan Review for McDonald's Restaurant at 413 Main Street. Attor-
ney Alan Altman, representing the applicant, presented the plans,
one showing proposed landscaping, the other showing revised park-
ing layout, stating that the purpose of the addition was to re-
place seating area lost through the addition of handicapped
restrooms. He stated that the applicant was flexible about such
details as lighting, signage, parking, and landscaping, even
though the applicant maintains that the net square footage of the
addition is less than 300 square feet and thus would not in the
applicant's opinion necessitate site plan review. Mr. Peter
Napoli, agent for the applicant, stated that he would be willing
to screen or paint the play structure, the physical life expec-
tancy of which is 20 years, the economic life thereof is a mini-
mum of 7 years. Mr. Edwards presented a staff-developed plan
showing reconfiguration of the Main/Ash/Bolton intersection with
increased area for landscaping and details of curb-cut reloca-
tions. Mr. Napoli stated that he was amenable to the staff plan.
Messrs. Alan Bond and Victor Carlson stated that the appearance
of the play structure results from and contributes to the poor
image which the Town's commercial areas convey, is a traffic
hazard, and is counter to the commitment which CPDC has made to
improve the appearance of commercial areas. Mr._ Irwin stated his
agreement with these contentions and remarked that the site plan
was inadequate as regards proposed landscaping. Mr. Baillie sug-
gested that the three separate plan documents presented be con-
solidated as one final proposed plan. The Commission then voted
3:0 to approve a motion of Mr. Irwin, seconded by Mr. B"arne"s,"
that the public hearing be continued to 9:30 PM on November 9,
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1994 and that the Commission would look favorably on the Building
Inspector's continuance of the temporary occupancy permit for the
play structure and for granting such for the building addition.
PUBLIC HEARING--ZONING ARTICLES ON THE WARRANT FOR THE SUBSEQUENT
1994 TOWN MEETING
Mr. Baillie called to order a public hearing to consider zoning
warrant articles for the Fall 1994 Town Meeting. He led the Com-
mission through these articles in the order which they appear on
the Warrant. Discussion focussed on Articles 18 and 19, which
proposed to rezone the entire 5-10 residential zoning district as
an 5-15 residential zoning district. Several of those in atten-
dance agreed with the intent of these articles, stating that
recent trends have resulted in appropriate densities of new
development in the established 5-10 areas of the Town. Others
questioned the affect that such rezoning would have on the status
of lots and houses on lots which would become nonconforming.
Town Counsel, Ted Cohen, cited at length the var_ous provisions
in current Zoning By-Law and in State Law concerning this issue.
The Commission agreed with those who felt that owners of existing
legal lots should not be encumbered with loss of rights or in ex-
tra procedures or uncertainties in exercising these rights. Dis-
cussion was held concerning the other relevant Articles:
Articles 13, 14, and 15: use of delineated wetlands to
determine zoning compliance when wetlands or
floodplains exist on parts of lots
Articles 16 and 17: prohibition of common driveways except
by special permit
Article 20: increase in frontage circle diameters
Article 21: establish a required relationship between lot
size and the length of the lot perimeter
Article 22: designation of a Zoning Administrator
Article 23: amendment of 20-percent impervious rule in the
Aquifer Protection Overlay District
Article 24: allowing the Sign Review Board to vary the re-
quired clearance beneath fixed awnings or canopies
Article 25: clarification of Affordable Housing standards
Article 26: modification to Home Occupation definition
Article 27: definition of Dwelling Unit.
The Commission voted 3:0 to approve a motion of Mr. Barnes,
seconded by Mr. Irwin, to close the public hearing, and agreed
that it would formulate its recommendations and motions at the
next meeting.
ADJOURNMENT
At 11: 52 PM, a motion was made and seconded to adjourn and the
Commission voted unanimously to do so.
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