HomeMy WebLinkAbout1992-04-06 Community Planning and Development Commission MinutesTOWN OF READING
COMMUNITY PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION
MINUTES APRIL 6, 1992
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
April 6, 1992. In attendance were Nancy Shipes, Chair, Jonathan
Barnes, Commission Secretary; and Member Thomas Stohlman. Also
present were Town Planner Jonathan Edwards and Town Engineer Wil-
liam Robertson. The meeting was called to order at 7:34 PM.
APPROVAL OF PREVIOUS MINUTES
The minutes of the Commission's meeting of March 23, 1992 were
amended and accepted.
SOUTH STREET SCENIC ROAD
Mr. Robertson reported that the State Highway Department District
Engineer's office had informed him that they would not approve
less than a 20-foot pavement width on South Street. Ms. Shipes
asked for this information in writing from that office and la-
mented that positions seemed to have become staked out without
exploring all possibilities.
PUBLIC HEARING: SITE PLAN REVIEW, DUNKIN DONUTS, 151-157 MAIN ST.
At 8:00 Ms. Shipes opened a public hearing to review a Site Plan
for a proposed Dunkin Donuts restaurant and two retail stores at
151-157 Main Street. Mr. Barnes read the public hearing notice.
Mr. 0. Bradley Latham, representing the applicant, made a basic
presentation, followed by Mr. Stephen Stapinski outlining the
details of the site plan. Messrs. Edwards and Robertson
presented staff comments. At 8:16 PM Mr. Goodrich arrived to
join the quorum.
Mr. Stohlman pointed out that no part of the residentially zoned
portion of the site can legally be used for commercial because
the majority of the rear lot was not commercially zoned, and the
Zoning By-Laws specify this exemption applying to lots as they
were configured at the time of By-Law adoption. Mr. Latham
stated that he would research the matter. Ms. Gentile, an abut-
ter, objected to potential noise, rubbish, rodents, lighting,
traffic, blasting, and effect on access to her own land. Mr.
Stapinski stated that a pre-blast survey would be done and seis-
mic readings taken, and that deliveries would be done during
non-peak hours as much as possible.
Mr. _ Goodrich raised_ a number of _concerns_, including_ the loading
zone being visible from Main Street, the Building Inspector would
need to determine the application of parking and loading require-
ments to this proposal, poor location of the handicapped parking
space, brick veneer should face the dumpster enclosure, lighting
contour diagrams should be presented, the applicant should show
the Commission samples of building materials, and potential icing
of walkways. Ms. Shipes raised concerns with handicap provisions
being inadequately designed. Mr. Robertson questioned the loca-
tion for plowed snow storage and suggested that a silt fence may
be needed. He noted that the traffic report and his own ex-
perience indicated a substandard traffic safety situation with
regard to left-hand turning movements into Main Street. Mr. Ed-
ward Clarke, a neighbor, stated that runoff could become unaccep-
tably high from the site in an area known to have serious exist-
ing runoff problems.
Mr. Latham and Ms. Shipes signed an Extension Agreement to May
18, 1992, following which the Commission voted 4:0 to approve a
motion made by Mr. Stohlman, seconded appropriately by Mr.
Barnes, to continue the public hearing to 8:00 PM on May 18,
1992.
SOUTH STREET SCENIC ROAD (CONTINUED)
The Commission reviewed Article 7 of the Warrant for the Special
Spring Town Meeting, concerning the filing of Home Rule Legisla-
tion for South Street by which Scenic Road criteria could over-
ride any Chapter-90 street design standards. The Commission
voted 4:0 to approve a motion made by Mr. Stohlman, again
seconded by Mr. Barnes, that the Commission recommend to Town
Meeting the concept contained in Article 7.
ADJOURNMENT
At 10:14 PM a motion was made and seconded to adjourn and the
Commission voted unanimously to do so.
Respectfully Submitted: Approved: May 5, 1992
S igne Date :
na han Barnes, Secretary
_CF