HomeMy WebLinkAbout1994-01-24 Community Planning and Development Commission MinutesTOWN OF READING
COMMUNITY PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION
MINUTES OF JANUARY 24, 1,994
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 Readings Massachusetts on
January 24, 1994. In attendance were Richard Howard, Chair;
Thomas Baillie, Commission Secretary; and Member William
Goodrich. Also present was Town Planner Jonathan Edwards. The
meeting was called to order at 7:34 PM.
APPROVAL OF PREVIOUS MINUTES
The minutes of the Commission's meeting of January 10, 1994 were
accepted.
APPROVAL--NOT-REQUIRED SUBDIVISION PLANS
Mr. Howard called to order discussion of an Approval-Not-Required
Flan of land on Longwood -toad, as continued from the previous
meeting. After discussion amongst themselves and with the ap-
plicant, Richard Murdoch, the Commission voted 3:0 to approve a
motion made by Mr. Goodrich, seconded by Mr. Bailli.e, to endorse
the Plan of Land at 85 Longwood Road, LCC8882A, dated December
28, 1993 and January 24, 1994, provided that the roadway be
widened to a minimum of twelve feet and constructed with a
suitable gavel base; the Commission then so endorsed the plan
and instructed Mr. Edwards to secure compliance with the proviso
through the building and occupancy permit procedure.
SCHOOLHOUSE CONDOMINIUMS SPECIAL PERMIT CONDITIONS
Mr. Howard then called to order a discussion requested by the.
Trustees of the Schoolhouse Condominiums on Sanborn and Linde€?
Streets about potentially amending the Special Permit conditions
requiring interior rubbish storage. The management went for the
Trustees, Charles Giacchetto, cited problems with smells, bugs,
unkemptness, and possible fire hazard with the present arrange-
ment, and proposed installation of an outside fenced dumpster.
He stated that the Board of Health would be taking up the matter
next month. The Fire Chief, Donald Wood, reported the fire in-
spections had revealed an unsafe condition, but added that an al-
ternative from a fire hazard point of view would be to ensure use
of metal can.-, installing 2-hour fire--rated walls, and installing
a fire-rated door in the existing rubbish room. Several neigh-
bors objected to the idea of an outside dumpster, citing possible
neighborhood Problems with litter, blowing rubbish, smells, and
rodents, and pointing out that this matter had been reviewed in
considerable detail during the p€.€blic hearings for the site plan
v~cti art nrwA ,-r,c !z r,c. Ml+ T'k4 cr ~I vdFa~vrr7 rratni ~"ic car
forcement problems which have been encountered on the property.
The resulting consensus of the Commission was that the improve-
ments to the room for meeting fire hazard code requirements, plus
improved housekeeping and adequate ventilation, sh.oul.d be fully
conducted before the {.commission would entertain officially any
modification to the existing requirements,
OTHER BUSINESS
On motion of Mr. Goodrich, seconded by Mr. Baillie, the Commis-
sion voted 3:0 to endorse the definitive plans for the Ashley
Woods Phase II subdivision, and did so endorse these plans.
The Commission agreed to the following recommendations concerning
Commission members being on several task forces:
Arts Center--Jonathan Barnes
RMLB Sales---R-chard Howard,
Mineral Street Bridge---Bill Goodrich
The Commission discus
Board of Selectmen.:
economic development;
Main Street Program;
parking improvements,
for Downtown economic
sed last week's quarterly meeting with the
priority to Reading Business Park and other
pursuit with the Chamber of Commerce of a
and of public street,, signalization, and
and of the Pending RMLD sales as catalysts
development.
Master Plan implementation Priorities for 1994 were agreed to be:
B2.2 business min improvement.
B1.0 public/private cooperation
B3.OA Main Street program for downtown
B3.OB downtown improvement, program
E2.OA downtown traffic and pedestrian improvements
E2.OB downtown signalization improvement
A1.2A gateways, erspecially in connection with improve-
ments to Route 129
PUBLIC HEARING--SUBDIVISION REGULATIONS
Mr. Howard called to order a Public hearing concerning potential
amendments to the Rules and Regulations Governing the Subdivision
of Land. Mr. Edwards reported that his and the Town. Engineer's
recommendation would be to devote Portions of most upcoming meet-
ings, to discussion of various issues and receiving Commission
feedback concerning various research matters. with a view to
finalizing the amendments by the end of spring. The Commission
voted 3:0 to approve a motion made by Mr. Baillie, seconded by
Mr. Goodrich, to continue the Public Hearing to 8:00 PM on May
23, 1994.
ADJOURNMENT
At 10:05 PM a motion was made and seconded to adjourn and the
Commission voted unanimously to do so.
Respectfu Submitted:
Signed:
Thomas Baillie, Secretary
Approved: February 7, 1994
Date: ~ 94
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