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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1993-11-08 Community Planning and Development Commission MinutesTOWN OF READING COMMUNITY PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION MINUTES OF NOVEMBER 8, 1993 A meeting of the Community Planning and. Development Commission of the Town of Reading was held in the Selectmen "s Meeting Poem of the Town Hall, 16 Lowell Street in Reading, Massachusetts on November u.: 1993. In attendance were Richard Howard, Chair: and Members Nancy Shipes, William Goodrich, and Jonathan Barnes. Also present was Town Planner Jonathan Edwards. The meeting was called to order at 7:45 PM. CONTINUED PUBLIC HEARING--PROPOSED SIGN BY-LAWS Mr. Howard called to order a. continued Public Hearing concerning the proposed revisions to Section 6.2., Signs, of the Zoning By- Laws, the subject matter of Article 16 on the `all Town Meeting Warrant. He began with an introduction to the matter, citing the Commission's objectives with regard thereto. Then he opened dis- cussion, with the public including representatives in attendance from the Chamber of Commerce, concerning the Chamber's memorandum of November 1, 1993 dealing with several items in the proposed revisions, Then the Commission reviewed the entire text, in or- der to finalize motion language to present at Town Meeting, At. 11:16 PM, the Commission voted 4:0 to approve a motion made by Mr. Goodrich, seconded by Ms. Shipes, to close the Public Hear- ing'.. After defeating by a vote of 1:3 an amendmen.t offered by Mr. Goodrich to modify language in Paragraph 6.2,3,2.d(2) regard- ing content of window signs, the Commission voted 4:0 to approve a motion made by Ms. Shipes, seconded by Mr. Goodrich, to present the latest revised text as the motion to be placed before Town Meeting. APPROVAL-NOT-REQUIRED SUBDIVISION PLANS After presentation by Mr. Edwards, reporting recommended accept- ance by the Town. Engineer, the Commission voted 4:0 to approve a motion made by Mr. Goodrich, ,seconded: by Mr. Barnes, to endorse a Plan of Land on Colbu.rn. Road, dated November 3, 1993. ADJOURNMENT At 11.:4°7 PM a motion was made and seconded to adjourn and the Commission voted unanimously to do so. Respectfully Submitted: Approved: Thomas Bai11? e , Secretary TOWN OF READING COMMUNITY PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION MINUTES OF NOVEMBER 29, 1993 A meeting of the Community Planning and Development Commission of the Town of Reading was field in the Selectmen's Meeting Room of the Town Hall, s~6 i{w''1 :l Street in Reading, Massachusetts on November 29, 1993. in attendance were Rich='i Y'{, Howard, Chair; _ .iff3_ir:is Baillie, Co?Slif!-ss.1.{1Y"i Secretary.; and Membe3'',.G' Nay_';{;y ,'h't pes and William Goodrich. Also pres=ent was Town Planner Jonathan Ed- wards. The meeting was called to order at 1:3 PM. APPROVAL OF PREVIOUS MINUTES The minutes of the Commission's meeting of November 1, 1993 were amended and accepted and those of November 8, 199:3 were accepted. APPROVAL-NOT-REQUIRED SUBDIVISION PLANS At this point Mr. Barnes was welcomed to the Q'uorum. Upon recom- mendation of the Town Planner and the Town Engineer, the Commis- sion voted 5:0 to approve a motion made by Ms. Shspes; seconded by Mr. Barnes, to endorse a Plan of Land of Hollis and Works on Summer Avenue dated November 20, 199:3 subject -to the Town Engineer "s memorandum of November 29, 1993. REQUEST FOR SITE PLAN REVIEW WAIVER--YMCA Mr, Edwards presented. a request for waiver from site plan review submitted by the YMCA, concerning the proposed expansion of their facility on Arthur B. Lord Drive.. The Commission members agreed to review this request and make a response to this request at the next meeting. READING BUSINESS PARK--POLICY DISCUSSION The Commission embarked on a discussion about the Reading, Busi- ness Barb, the former landfill, concentrating on development planning and development standards. Tile attached summary by Thomas Baillie outlines the course of this discussion. ADJOURNMENT At 10:11 BN a motion was matte and seconded to adjourn and the Commission voted unanimously to do so. Respectfully Submitted: Approved: _*De.ce,~2i°~_fl, g = e. d Date: Thomas BalllieSecretary 1 CPDC REVIEW OF PRELIMINARY MASTER PLAN OF READING BUSINESS PARK SITE The CPDC at its meeting of November 29, 1993 discussed two draft master plans designed by Jonathan Edwards, Town Planner. The first plan was dated 6/14/93 and the second plan was dated 9/3/93. The following comments were made by members of the Commission: 1. It was preferable to keep the lower rise buildings toward the side of the property that abutts the residential area. 2. If a hotel/restaurant type of development occurred it was preferable to keep it to the side of the property away from the auto dealer to minimize lights and noise. 3. It is important to provide a buffer zone between the residential apartment complex and the business park. 4. Encourage that the site be developed to the maximum intensity of .7 FAR due to the lack of other space in town for economic development. 5. The compatibility and quality in landscaping, lighting, signing, and building construction shall be at least equal to the TASC site and also should be inluenced by the first developer of the site. 6. The uses should be restricted to hotel/restaurant, R&D facilities, biotechnology facilities, and office buildings. 7. The Commission generally favored the plan by Jonathan Edwards of 9/3/93 over the first plan. Some reasons why this plan was preferred include: A. It met the criteria in items 1 - 6 above. B. It had better and more flexible lot configuration. G The main roadway was straighter and its entrance is directly across from the entrance to TASC thus providing better traffic control. 2 p. 2 D. The buildings in this plan have better visibility from the roadway. E. This plan senhances the use of the water channel for retention ponds which is an attractive landscape feature. TASC has a similar pond. 3