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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2002-11-25 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 -D UL_EPK _ASS. v it 8 P 4: I U DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION CPDC MINUTES Meeting Dated: November 25, 2002 Members Present: Jonathan Barnes(JB), Chairman; Richard Howard (RH), Neil Sullivan, (NS), Paul Devlin (PD), Commissioners. Also Present: Joseph Delaney, Town Engineer (JD); Chris Reilly, Town Planner (CR); Kelley Meier (KM), Recording Secretary. The Chair called the meeting to order at 7:38 PM. The following minutes were approved with/ without amendments or editions: 10.28.02 STAFF BRIEFING - Van Norden LIP CR updates Commission about what has been going on. NS has attended both meetings and makes a presentation. The applicants have an ANRAD. There is a vernal pool there that hash t been delineated yet. There is about 5 + acres on site. There will be another Working Group meeting on December 12, 2002. On the Working Group, there is NS, Larry Goulet, CR, Peter H, 2 residents, and Rick Schubert. Sunset Rock Lane CR updates the Commission on this project. Town Meeting previously voted to take the bond so the money is in a Town account. Joe Delaney wrote a memo on the estimate for the trees that was passed out to the Commission. There is about $4,003 to spend on the trees. Street Acceptance money has already been spent and the money needs to be sent over to the Engineering Department. JB asks if we have to spend the money on the trees or if the Commission can save some of it just in case. RH makes -the motion to have the-$4,003 available for the installation of trees. PD - seconds. Voted in favor, 4-0-0. C:\My Documents\CPDC\Agenda-Minutes\CPDC Minutes 11.25.02.doc Last printed 03/10/03 3:28 PM Created by ggr Created on 01/16/03 2:23 PM Spence Longwood Farm CR updates the Commission. There will be another meeting with the ZBA and the Working Group on 11.26.02 regarding the Longwood 40B application. There will be a public-noticed ZBA hearing on 12.12.02 to present the revised 40B conceptual plan. There will be 218 units, 32 low rise units on the Enos Circle belt loop, for 250 units total. Mnay of the concerns have been addressed. RH brings up the status of the Walkers Brook Drive development. RH mentioned that the hotel and the office building were being redesigned for retail and was wondering if there were any plans on them or if anyone has heard anything regarding proposed development. CR mentioned he had heard of a proposal but nothing was public yet. JB discussed the Scenic Road Articles before the prior Town Meeting. He said he was put in a leading role and awkward position regarding the motion for the Scenic Road Article up to 155 West St. CR explained he worked with Carla Abate on the presentation and had asked Peter Hechenbleikner what his role should be per JB's request. CR was unaware there was a problem with the Article. JB updates the Commission on what happened and that it passed along with w - Walnut St. There is a movement to have West Street be designated an historic area. JB mentioned there appears to be similar interest for a Scenic Way on Border Road. 8:14 PM - PUBLIC HEARING: SITE PLAN REVIEW/320 HAVERHILL ST The applicant, Brad Latham, is present. The applicant is VNA Hospice of Middlesex East, who is represented by Atty. Brad Latham. Mr. Latham makes a presentation on what the applicant proposes. There is 2.29 acres, located between St. Athanasius and Killam Elementary School, across from Symonds Way. There is no by-law on the amount of parking spots for this kind of place. The wetlands have not been delineated yet. The Applicant's design consultant, TRO, makes a presentation on the proposed construction, site work and historic preservation. There have been present additions to the historic house, such as a garage. The barn was also renovated. TRO presents the existing conditions and the proposed plans. Page 2 of 8 The applicant would like to have a 9 room hospice and 3 guest bedrooms. The applicant has visited other hospice-care facilities in the area to have an idea on what their parking situation is. They have added 4 more parking spots, but it will be of impervious turf paver; not cement or pavement. They would like to have a little patio in the back by the living room for passive recreation for the patients and visitors. There is a fence in the front of the building that will remain in place. The utilities will remain the same. In the house there will only be widening of the doorway due to its historic nature. There is clapboard siding along the original house, with barnboard along the existing barn. They need site plan approval at this hearing because they have an obligation to close on December 5f and the Commission doesn t meet before then. The original 2 bedrooms in the main house do not have direct access to the bathroom. CR goes over some of the memos that were passed out earlier this evening. JD walks the Commission through his memo. JD has a concern with the driveway; it's 12 feet wide and he is not sure whether or not it should be two way traffic or not. CR highlights Conservation Administrator Fran Fink's memo. Clayton Jones from the Historical Commission highlights their memo and the Commission's concerns. The water sprinklers would be added for safety issues; sideways sprinklers would be added so that they wouldn't interfere with pipes. PUBLIC COMMENT -Carl Stintson, 293 Haverhill St: has lived there for 39 years and is saddened that this house will be converted into a hospice care. This house is one of the finest antique houses in the Town of Reading: has photographs and portfolio of traffic over the past three weeks that he would like to share with the Commission; would like to see this to continue to be a residential area/ piece of property; would like to know who would be placed in here; thinks that hospice should not be placed here; what kind of feasibility study was done?; seems like this is out of line for where it's going to be; saw that there was an approach to take a million dollars from the Hospital Trust Fund; feels that this kind of hospice would be better if it were closer to the 129 Rotary. -Paul Merider, 320 Haverhill St: reason why they got the house was due to the hockey rink; mentions that the traffic on the street is increasing anyway and there will be no big difference to the house; he and his wife have lived in the house for nine years. JB makes a few comments on this project regarding historic preservation of the main house and 1850 addition where there is disagreement with the Historical Page 3 of 8 Commission on what can be renovated. He asks the applicant if they would like to confer with counsel, which they do. JB calls for a five meeting break. JB calls the meeting back to order. Mr. Latham makes a few comments to resolve the remaining concerns the Commission has. They can widen the road to 16 feet, just to the parking area, due to its flat terrain. He mentions that this is private property, not public property. This is a tax-free building. The building is on the National Historic Register. PUBLIC COMMENT -Bill, Enos Circle: when you buy the house, it's yours. -Carl Stintson: the interior of the house should not be changed ; what would happen if they need room for 18 beds instead of the 9 beds?; how is the place going to support the many communities surrounding it? Mr. Latham tries to address the issues that some members of the community have. On behalf of applicant he agrees to a Preservation Restriction agreement with the Historical Commission before the building permit will be issued RH moves to close the Public Hearing on 320 Haverhill St. PD seconds. Voted in - favor, 4-0-0. RH moves to approve the site plan review as subject to the amended conditions set forth in the attached Decision. PD seconds. Voted in favor, 4-0-0. 9:55 PM - PUBLIC HEARING: ZONING/Planned Unit Development Textual and Map Amendment PD motion to refrain from continuing to read the announcement. NS seconds. Voted in favor, 4-0-0. CR updates the Commission. There are no substantive changes or amendments. For clarification, the edits to the headings were changed and the assessors maps were changed/ deleted. It remains exactly how it was voted on at last Town Meeting RH moves to close the Public Hearing. NS seconds. Voted in favor, 4-0-0. RH moves that the subject matter of the Longwood PUD zoning text amendment be recommended to Town Meeting. PD seconds. Voted in favor, 4-0-0. RH moves that the subject matter of the Longwood PUD map amendment be recommended to Town Meeting. PD seconds. Voted in favor, 4-0-0. CR updates the Commission about his conversations with Anne Krieg, former Town Planner, regarding the Community_ Development Plan. Motion to adjourn at 10:05 PM, made by RH, seconded by NS. All in favor. Page 4 of 8 These minutes were prepared by Kelley Meier, Recording Secretary, and submitted to the CPDC on January 3, 2003. Minutes were approved by the CPDC on January 27, 2003. Signed as a Flarnrnia, Secretary Date Page 5 of 8