The URL can be used to link to this page

Home My WebLink About1999-10-13 Community Planning and Development Commission MinutesTOWN OF READING 16 Lowell Street Reading, MA 01867-2683 w Phone: 781-942-9012 Fax: 781-942-9071 Email: akrieg®ci.reading.ma.us{ # t COMMUNITY PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION CPDC MINUTES Meeting Dated.• October 13,1999 Members Present Jonathan Barnes, Chairman QB), Neil Sullivan, Secretary (NS); Richard Schubert (RS); Richard Howard (RH) Also Present Peter Hechenbleikner (PITY), Town Manager; Joseph Delaney, Town Engineer (JD); Anne Krieg Town Planner (AK) The Chair called the meeting to order at 8:45 PM. CONTINUATION OF A PUBLIC HEARING - DANVERS SAVINGS BANK Nancy Attaya-McCann, attorney for the applicant, updated the Commission on the Board of Selectmen's review of the lease agreement and the Pleasant Street one-way modification. Queuing issues were discussed. Replacement of parking in another location was discussed. AK did not recommend condition due to situations beyond the control of the Town or the developer. Circumstances would have to be unmitigating to consider denial. The Chair questioned if there was a possibility to eliminate the drive-thru and have no curb cuts onto Harnden. Attaya-McCann remarked if there were no drive-thru then more parking would likely be necessary to accommodate the customers. She also remarked the limited employee need of six (6) spaces. Don Cowan, proprietor of A+ Printing showed the Commission pictures of MassBank queuing during the Saturday peak hour. Peter Simms, proprietor of Simms jewelers, President of the Reading Chamber, _ of Commerce, and Chair of the Downtown Steering Committee, remarked more spaces would be lost with the re-construction of Downtown. C:\My Documents\CPDC\Agenda-Minutes\10.13 minutesAm Last printed 12/03/9910•.55 AM Created by Anne Krieg TOWN OF READING COMMUNITY PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION Minutes for Meeting dated.- October 13,1999 He expressed concern of not re-striping Pleasant Street and of the old Police Station re-development into a parking lot's schedule. He also stated downtown revitalization includes encouraging people to leave their cars and move through the Downtown area, and drive-thru's do not contribute to this goal. George Hines, Selectman, stated he was pleased with the cooperation of the applicant. He is favorable to the fagade design. He is concerned with the loss of parking in the area. He relayed the situation of a competitor who did not pursue a drive-thru is still thriving without one. He agreed downtown revitalization depends on pedestrian movement. Attaya-McCann responded to the comments. The drive-thru is integral to the facility. In their opinion, and from their market research, a drive-thru is a benefit and an important service to their customers. They believe they have gone beyond what is normally asked of a 3100 SF building. RH reviewed the alternatives with the Commission for their action: A. Approve the plans as they are presented; B. Deny the plans as submitted; C. Approve with the removal of drive-thru. The Chair added the option of approval with some kind of mitigation. Jay Smith of the Reading Chamber of Commerce remarked Atlantic Grocery had donated land for the Town to construct further parking in the vicinity of their establishment when they expanded. He further added the demolition and construction of a parking lot at the Pleasant Street Police Station is unsure as to when it will happen. He recommended the Commission consider having the applicant to fund the demolition of the building as mitigation for the loss of parking spaces. AK agreed this would be more proper mitigation to consider since the property is under the control of the Town. NS questioned if the exiting Harnden Yard lot could be further modified to accommodate more spaces. PIH explained the difficulties with the layout of the parking lot. Page 2 of 5 TOWN OF READING COMMUNITY PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT COMMLSSION Minutes for Meeting dated. GL-tober 13,1999 The Chair remarked his agreement with the need for a drive-thru; but also the impacts from parking loss in the downtown. AK re-introduced the suggestion by Jay Smith to require the applicant to expend funds to the Town to demolish the old Police Station. This would further move that project along in a timely fashion. Attaya-McCann responded they would agree to some donation to the Town for the purpose of demolishing the Pleasant Street Police Station; but details would need to be worked on. The Commission and staff discussed at great length the arrival of a number for a donation and the cost breakdown for the Pleasant Street Police Station, comparing to the Atlantic parking lot. Attaya-McCann expressed concern with number presented at $58,000 to mitigate the loss of three parking spaces. She also agreed to leave the drive-thru lanes open during non-business hours for direct access from the lot onto Harnden Street. RHmoved to close the public heazing, seconded by RS. All in fa vor. RHmade the following motion: We, the CPDC, as requested by Christ G. Grevelis, Trustee of Harris Realty Trust, under the provisions of Section 4.3.3 of the Zoning By-Laws of the Town of Readm& to consider the contemplated site plan development for property addressed at2137Harnden Street (Assessors Map 76, Loth, as shown on the plans entitled "Danvers Savings Bank ; lastly revised September 10,1999, prepared and stamped by Dana Perkins, Inc., LandForms, Ltd, and Royal Design Builders; do hereby vote.. to approve the above noted site plan. This approval is subject to the following conditions. 1. l or to the issuance of a building permit, all other requirements and permits shall besought and received, including, but nothmited to a curb cut permit and a utility connection permit. The applicantshall bear the burden of ensuring all state and local pezznitting has been sought and received. 2. Exterior construction of this project shall be limited to the following hours - Monday through Fzrdayfrom 730AMto 630PM, Saturdayfrom 830AMto 5.•30 PM. No construction on the exterior shall be allowed on Sunday. Page 3 of 5 TOWN OF READING COMMUNITY PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION Minutes for Meeting dated.- October 13,1999 Interior construction shall be limited to these hours if the work performed is audible within three hundred feet of the property boundary. 3. Construction apparatus shall not use the followingroadways - Union Street, John Street, Middle Street, and Pleasant Street. Work within the right of way shall be designed and constructed as per the Downtown Streeiscape Master Plan prepared by Gates, Leighton & Associates and shall be reviewed and approved by the Town Planner, prior to the issuance of a buildingpermit. 4. All comments from the Town Engineer memorandum dated September 17, 19Y9 shall be met and approved. 5. Both drive-through lanes shall be open and available during the bank's business hours 6. No building permit shall be issued prior to the execution of the easement agreement with the Chief Elected Officials for the Town of Reading regarding the rights of access of the Hamden Yard municipal lot 7 To mitigate the loss of critical municipal parking spaces caused by the construction of the drive-through facility, the applicant shall donate to the Town ofReading a sum, not to exceed .$58,000for the demolition of the PleasantStreetPolice Station planned forre--developmentinto a municipal lot. 8. Vehicular access through the drive-through lanes to Hamden Streetshall not be inTeded upon, as or otherwise determined by the easement agreement described in #6above. Motion seconded by RS. All in fa vor. ANR PLAN - WOBURN & CHUTE STREETS AK presented the project as a proposal to re-distribute land between two properties. One property has inadequate frontage without zoning relief at the time of application. Attached to these minutes is a staff request for legal counsel on this matter, explaining the issues related to the plan. It is recommended by staff for no endorsement of the plan to be made until such time the required relief/finding from the Board of Appeals is sought and whose docket number is noted on the plan to be recorded. Staff noted further the severe separation of-zoning issues with subdivision endorsement; adequate frontage __must_be shown for all lots on the plan, unless noted as-unbuildable--or ifzoning relief has been granted and is noted on the plan. Page 4 of 5 TOWN OF READING COMMUNITY PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION MmutesforMeetingdated. OctoberM,1999 The Commission agreed with staff recommendation and research. RH made the following motion: We, the Reading Community Planning and Development Commission, under the authority of Massach usetts General Laws Chapter 41, Section 81P, having been requested by The Church of the Good Shepherd, to endorse the Form A plan entitled "'Subdivision Plan of Land Located m Read m& MA', stamped and signed by modern Continental construction of Cambridge, MA, dated may 10, 1,999, for property currently addressed a06 Chute Street (Assessors Map 63, Lot 239 do hereby vote; to withhold endorsement of this said plan due to a lack of adequate frontage for the zoning district shown for Lot2 on the plan Seconded by RS. All in favor. Motion to adjourn at 1020 PM, made by W seconded by NS. All in favor. These minutes were prepared by Anne Krie& Town Planner, and submitted to the CPDC on November 12,1999 Minutes were approved by the CPDC on November 22,1999 Signed as approved: Page 5 of 5 iNen 5uinvan, Secretary Date