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Home My WebLink About2003-11-24 Community Planning and Development Commission MinutesTown of Reading 16 Lowell Street Reading, MA 01867-2683 Phone: 781-942-9012 Fax: 781-942-9071 Email: creilly@ci.reading.ma.us Community Planning and Development Commission CPDC MINUTES Meeting Dated: November 24, 2003 Members Present: Chair, Susan DeMatteo (SD), Secretary Neil Sullivan (NS), Jonathan Barnes (JB), Richard Howard (RH) Also Present: Chris Reilly (CR), Town Planner; Joe Delaney (JD), Town Engineer The Chair called the meeting to order at 7:42 PM. RH moved to approve the following minutes with amendments/ additions: 10.20.03, 10.27.03 NS seconded. Voted 4-0, all in favor. Administrative Review: Pondview Lane Extension Request David Murray attended for the Applicant, Ranger Development, Inc. CR went over the status of the subdivision and a memo by Conservation Administrator Fran Fink on her recent site visit. Mr. Murray requested a 1-year extension for completion of the subdivision. The approval expired in April 2003. Mr. Murray explained that poor economic conditions caused delays and there have been changes to grading by individual lot owners that he has no control over. There is a covenant that restricts such changes, but the Conservation Commission has been approving grading changes under their Order of Conditions and Mr. Murray claimed he has little recourse to prevent that. When they have, it has effected adjacent lots and made it difficult for him to meet the grading plan in the subdivision approval, causing unforeseen delays. Blasting is ongoing and Mr. Murray would rather finish that before putting the granite curbing in so he doesn't have to do it twice. Blasting is not predictable; he doesn't know where remaining lots will need blasting. Some people are sitting on lots; he has been waiting on these owners so any - ^ "impact can be mitigated. e will try to rough^out sidewalks before winter. C\My DOCLtments\CPDC\Agenda-Minutes\Minutes\Minutes 11.24.03.doc JD advised an extension should be granted to November 1, 2004; they should try to beat the weather so there is not a rush. RH moved to extend to November 1, 2004. JB seconded, Voted 4-0, all in favor. Pierce St. Condo Assoc. Request for Modification to the Approved Site Plan The Samuel Pierce Condominium Assoc. has submitted a request to modify the landscaping of the approved site plan for 15-17 Pierce Street. CR reviewed the letter outlining the request. SD asked about what was on the approved site plan and what was required. The plan shows locations of plantings around the perimeter of the lot. CR talked with the condo residents and explained that the approved and required landscaping reflects concerns about visual impacts on abutters. The trees required on the perimeter of the site are meant to screen the building mass. CPDC has to decide if this constitutes an insubstantial or substantial change to the approved plan. If substantial, a public hearing should be required. Having reviewed the Samuel Pierce Condominium Association request as stated in the letter to the Town Planner dated October 20, 2003, JB moved that the CPDC deny the insubstantial modification request and ask the Association if they want a public hearing for a substantial modification request. RH seconded. Voted 4-0, all in favor. CR will contact the condo association to see if they want the public hearing. JD left. Certificate of Appropriateness: Colombo's Cafe, 2 Brande Court Phillip Duchette from Morgan Industries represented Frank Colombo, the property owner. RH noted that the Zoning By-Laws require only 1 business name per street. The phone number should be deleted. The proposed signage on Chute Street is fine. RH read from the zoning by-laws on signage allowed on side streets. ➢ No stacked signage ➢ Nothing on 45 degree section. ➢ Lettering should be only on one side. JB doesn't prefer this signage design; he likes Main St. signage better. A canvas material -rather than vinyl- would look better. ----The-311umi-na-tion-of the-slgn-was discussed. Mr. Duchette explained that the awning can be irradicated for backlighting. C:\My Documents\CPDC\Agenda-Minutes\"nutes\NEnutes 11.24.03.doc RH stated we don't have any backlit awnings in Town and our by-laws don't allow them. CR noted in the Zoning By-Laws that the awning has to be 10 ft. in height unless approved by CPDC. RH moved to issue the Certificate of Appropriateness for Colombo's, based on drawing entitled "Awnings-Colombo's Cafe," dated 11.18.03, with the following Conditions: The 45 degree, corner area of 4 sq ft. and the right portion of right side elevation are deleted. 2. The awning shall have a height of at least 8 ft. 3. The awning shall not be backlit or internally illuminated. JB seconded. Voted 4-0, all in favor. Zoning Workshop (continued): Atlantic- Tambone Development Corp. proposed PUD, 80-100 Main Street CR has not received any comments other than Goerge Katsoufis' memo on his testimony from the prior meeting. SD felt we need to include Zoning By-Laws Section 4.9.5-Environmental Standards and General Design Guidelines. RH suggested we don't need special requirements for biotechnical; we need language on signage requirements and need to incorporate George Katsoufis' comments. Atty. Latham looks at Mr. Katsoufis' uses as contradictory to what Mr. Tambone wants; mixed use in the rear of the lots is counter to the office development he desires. JB talked about south Main St. and whether Mr. Katsoufis' concept would be nice because he doesn't want to see 4-story office buildings down the length of south Main Street. Is there an appropriate place for his uses? CR said Mr. Katsoufis' approach is otherwise known as "New Urbanism," in the planning profession and seeks to achieve neighborhood-based nodes that are walkable and self-servicing. Atty. Latham talked about the proposed uses and how they want to limit the scope of the PUD-B because Town Meeting may be suspicious that an intrusive by-law will result allowing undesirable uses abutting residential neighborhoods. CR will include the 4.9.5 language in the PUD-B proposal and get it back to Atty. Latham and Mr. Tambone for review. If he can do so before the 11.8 meeting he will have a draft for review in the hearing, time permitting. CAMy Documents\CPDC\Agenda-Minutes\Minutes\Minutes 11.24.03.doc Staff Briefing: Longwood PUD CR explained that the Longwood PUD application has been submitted. They did not submit the proper application fee according to the Building Inspector's determination, which will need to be resolved at the first public hearing on 12.8. There are 3 bedrooms units and all the affordable units are located in the same location, which Town staff feels was not the intent in earlier plans and is contrary to state guidelines for affordable units. The plan is likely to take 110 affordable units off the Chapter 40B affordable housing certification for the Town if the 40B legislation amendments go through and the plan is approved as proposed. The consequence will be numerous 40B applications throughout Town for the foreseeable future until the Town can make up all the affordable units lost at Longwood. There are several small 40B projects around Town that are under appeal and highly contentious, the likes of which might become the norm the further the Town gets from the 10% affordable housing stock 40B requires. As such CR has concerns about how the Town will react to this. RH moved to adjourn. NS seconded. Voted 4-0 All-in favor. The meeting adjourned at 10:42 PM. These minutes were prepared by Chris Reilly, Town Planner and submitted to the Community Planning and Development Commission on December 8, 2003. The minutes were approved as amended by the CPDC on December 8, 2003. Signed as approved, Neil Sullivan Date CAMy Documents\CPDC\Agenda-Minutes\Minutes\Minutes 11.24.03.doc