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Home My WebLink About2002-10-28 Community Planning and Development Commission MinutesTOWN OF READING VEa 16 Lowell Street CLERK Reading, MA 01867-2683 ;SS. Phone: 781-942-9012 Fax: 781-942-9071 ~ Email: creiIly@ci.reading.ma.us APlt I P P 4: j 8 COMMUNITY PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION CPDC MINUTES Meeting Dated: October 28, 2002 Members Present: Jonathan Barnes(JB), Chairman; Michael Flammia(MF), Secretary, Richard Howard (RH), Neil Sullivan, (NS), Paul Devlin (PD), Commissioners. Also Present: 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: 9.30.02 STAFF BRIEFING a) CR updates the Commission about the Gaels Chase LIP application on Van Norden Rd. There are 24 proposed units on this project; 6 would be affordable. There are flooding concerns regarding this property. There have been many letters from property owners surrounding the proposed site expressing concerns about existing drainage problems and the impact of more development. CR shows Commission an overhead flowchart about what the working session review process would look like between the Town and the developer, as proposed to the BOS. The CPDC would need to provide a volunteer as a representative on the Working Group, as directed by the Town Manager. NS volunteered for this Working Group. CR said he will provide NS with a copy of the Gaels Chase application. NS recommends that someone dig out some of the Kurchian Woods files/maps for background information. CR said he would do so. MF recommends that the Commission meet sometime after the Working Group met. JB mentions that at some point that there would be a formal letter for this project. CR states that there was a request at the last BOS meeting for comments on the Gaels Chase application. RH mentions that there should be letters to the abutters on the proposed review processand acknowledging that their letters were received and reviewed. CR will be responding to PH regarding CPDC's intention to provide a representative for the Working Group and comment after reports from NS; the developer will be copied C:\My Documents\ CPDC\ Agenda-Minutes\ CPDC Minutes 10.28.02.doc Last printed 03/10/03 3:30 PM Created by ggr Created on 11/20/021:57 PM TOWN OF READING COMMUNITY PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION Minutes for Meeting dated: October 28, 2002 Under the proposed review process outlined in the flowchart, the developer would not be at the first meeting with Town Staff present (i.e., Town Engineer, Conservation Administrator), but would come in at the second meeting. There would be an informal presentation on the application at the first meeting to get the Working Group up to speed. There has only been one Board of Selectmen meeting regarding this project. CPDC agrees that NS will be the liaison to the Gaels Chase Working Group and relay correspondence as requested and received. b) Longwood PUD Zoning Amendment AK, former Town Planner, sent in the legal ads required for the 8/26 public hearing on August 9th, but the Chronicle never advertised. PH has proposed to re-advertise, hold the public hearing and go back for a special Town Meeting to get the Articles approved again. CR will update the CPDC on the status of the Amendment at the next CPDC meeting on 11/7. c)Longwood Poultry/Spence Farm Comprehensive Permit application CR updates the CPDC about the status of these comprehensive permit applications before the ZBA and Working Groups. CR indicates that there have been 2 Working Group meetings with applicant Ted Moore regarding Longwood, with the ZBA Chairman, Town Manager, Town Planner and Town Counsel representing the Town. Edy Netter, a consultant provided by funding from MHP, is facilitating. - CR explains that the same Working Group representing the Town has not met with Spence Farm yet. CR describes the presentation of concerns on Longwood the Town provided the applicant; including drainage, excessive parking, inadequate open space and questions about the applicant's intentions on the remaining property. This is one of the last large tracts of developable in Reading and the ZBA Chairman expressed the Board's desire to see a quality design that respects the unique physical and aesthetic characteristics of the site. The Working Group is requesting a lower density on the proposed site, or a transfer of density to other locations, such as the inner loop in Enos Circle. The Working Group has meetings on December 8th and the 18th for this project, and Longwood is back on the ZBA agenda on the 11th... The PUD is the commercial part of the lot. There will be a new conceptual plan t addressing the Town's issues that will be come back to the Working Group into on the 8th APPROVAL NOT REQUIRED PLAN Address: 48 Park St; Reading, MA Action: They are trying to combine the two lots, looks pretty straightforward. RH moves to approve. MF seconds. Voted in favor, 5-0-0. Page 2 of 4 TOWN OF READING COMMUNITY PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION Minutes for Meeting dated: October 28, 2002 8:41 PM - PUBLIC HEARING: SITE PLAN REVIEW/137 MAIN ST Atty. Mark Cavallaro is here to update the Commission regarding this project, along with the applicant. There were some drainage issues as described by the Town Engineer. They decided to do some on site testing before corning to tonight's hearing. There is an amended site plan (new parking spots and new location for dumpster and loading space). They are asking the Commission for approval tonight, subject to a curb cut variance before the BOS. They were before the Board Of Selectmen two weeks ago. PH sent a memo to the CPDC on behalf of the BOS stating that the BOS would like the CPDC to have all other Board approvals before approving a site plan, rather than make approval contingent on other Board's decisions. CR goes over Joe Delaney's memo dated 10.28.02, mentioning the apparent lack of adequate parking spaces, apparent relief required by the ZBA, and other issues that have been addressed. MC mentions that everything is OK except for the curb cuts requiring BOS approval and the parking spaces, and reviews his interpretation of the General By-Laws regarding this issue, which he feels is the applicant has addressed. There was question to whether or not the handicapped spots are part of the 15 parking spots or not. However, there is one handicapped parking spot already, so there is only 14 reserved parking spots despite the handicapped reserved spot. DH drafts a condition that allows 15 regular parking spots, but requests that the applicant provide a handicapped space if possible. RH makes motion to close. MF seconds. Voted in favor, 5-0-0. RH makes a motion to approve the site plan dated 10.7.02 subject to following conditions on Joe Delaney's memo (as amended tonight) and satisfactory soil testing given to Town Engineer. MF seconds. Voted 5-0-0. The applicant would like to have three office spaces with one bathroom down in the basement, and and had previously requested a site plan review waiver for the basement offices . There would only be three 12' by 12' offices. CR agrees to grant the waiver request independent of the site plan review because the request was put in before the site plan application and RH leaves at 9:30 PM. The lot has gone from being a residential use to a mixed residential/commercial use. The applicant may need an exemption for what he would like to do. The CPDC has no issue with a site plan waiver request for the basement, as previously requested. The basement is vacant right now, with top floor being residential. Joe Giacalone, the applicant, would like the recommendation, for the BOS, from CPDC regarding the curb cut. MC gives a two minute history regarding the current curb cuts. PD would like the radius going onto Tarpin Terrace be tightened up. JB likes to see less curb cut "less is more." PD would like to see more curb cut, maximizing the curbing. JB would recommend proposing to increase the curbing/decrease the radius on the curb Page 3 of 4 TOWN OF READING COMMUNITY PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION Minutes for Meeting dated: October 28, 2002 A recommendation to the BOS will say that the CPDC would concur to minimize the curb cut entrance; the curb cut is decreased due to radius east of egress, west of garage. CR is asked to draft and send the letter to the BOS with the recommendation on the Tarpin Terrace curb-cuts, on behalf of the CPDC 10:03 PM - ADMINISTRATIVE REVIEW Sunset Rock Lane JB would like to hold off until RH is present. The Town Meeting voted to take the bond for completion of tree work. MF thought that everything was done that had to be done. This was done 10-12 months ago. MF mentions that there was only one bond, so he thought. CR will find out what's going on; he will talk to Fran Fink, Conservation Commission Administrator and ask Joe Delaney if he has estimates for the work to be done and whether the bond can pay for it. Motion to adjourn at 10:10 PM, made by MF, seconded by NS. All in favor. These minutes were prepared by Kelley Meier, Recording Secretary, and submitted to the CPDC on November 19, 2002. Minutes were approved by the CPDC on November 25, 2002. Page 4 of 4