HomeMy WebLinkAbout1980-11-24 Planning Board Minutes1980.
Minutes of the Meeting of November 24,
Chairman Zorabedian called the meeting to order in Room 19,
52 Sanborn Street (the Community Center) at 7:44 PM with
J. Shaw and B. Mitchel present.
Correspondence
Mail was reviewed. A letter from Mr. Rocco Mancini, META, was cir--
cualted. This letter was in response to our Nov. 13, 1980 letter
requesting a timetable for construction at both John Street and
the "T" owned land at the Depot. The response was noncommital.
Chairman O."Brien has informed the Board that there was a deletion
in Appendix A of the newly printed Zoning By-law handbook. The
secretary was told to make the following addition: 11/30/78 -
Deleted verbage describing districts; substituted map.
A letter from MAPC re: Improvements to the 100 Acre Water Treat-
ment Plant in Reading was authorized for distribution and comments
to the Board of Health and the Finance Committee, each for a period
of one week. Their response is to be returned to the Board no
later than 12/8/80.
The request from the Personnel Board for a current job description
of the Secretary was authorized for release to Mr. Morley. This
job description was approved by the Personnel Board last January.
MAPC's Water Quality Planning program proposes a multi-community
groundwater protection program. This letter was to be forwarded
to Mr. Gardner, Conservation Administrator, for his review and
comments.
A copy of the Public Hearing in Wilmington re: zoning amendments
for elderly housing and nursing homes was authorized to be for-
warded to Ms. Janet Pierce, Reading Housing Authority.
the
The Board of Appeals.notice on/hearing for a Special Permit to
erect a canopy at BayBank/Middlesex on Main Street was distributed
to the Board members for their review. The Board's opinion is
that this canopy should not be allowed in the Business Districts
as this Board has made their position known in this regard as per
the recent amendment of the Zoning-By-laws for canopy exclusion.
The Board felt that this exclusion should continue to be allowed
in Industrial districts only.
Finances
Bills payable in the amount of $70.83 was unanimously approved for
payment.
FY '82 Budget was discussed by the Board. The secretary was asked
to insert an additional page with the mailing with the following
amounts being requested for FY 182 budget:
Salary - $ 4959
Expenses 1135
Encumbered 480
exp from FY81
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The Finance Committee recommended that the present salary amount
be submitted and that they will then make the necessary adjust-
ments for salary and merit increases.
In view of Proposition 2'1/2, the Board may have to further reduce
the FY 182 Budget. As yet the FinCom has no clear indication as
to how the State will respond to 2 1/2.
Minutes
The Board unanimously approved the minutes of the meetings of
August 4, 1980 and August 25, 1980.
Commuter Rail Fringe Parking Study
Mr. Shaw will speak with Gary Hebert of the "T" to try to deter-
mine what action the "T" will be taking to improve the Reading
Depot area. As proposed in option 3B in the CTPS study, there is room
room for approximately 71 parking spaces at this site. The secre-
tary was instructed to determine who owns the land immediately
adjacent to this "T" property off Woburn Street.
As for Town-wide parking problems, the Board noted with interest
the solution that lower Haven Street merchants now have available
at the Municipal Light Department's parking lot on Saturdays and
after work hours. The secretary was requested to speak or write
to Mr. Rhinerson to find out what investigations were done re
liability of MLD and/or the Town.
If this is a viable alternative, the Board could then investigate
using the parking lots owned by the Knights of Columbus, Baptist
Church, banks, etc, in and around the square to help free up
the congestion in the downtown Main Street parking area.
After obtaining more substantive information on these matters, the
Board will again approach the Board of Selectmen for a Town-wide
parking regulation program.
Housing
The Reading Housing Authority held a meeting last week to present
the various types of program that other town such as Lexington,
Concord and Acton ahve implemented in solving their subsidized
family housing programs. M.APC has received "bonus fund" for family
housing. At present, rehabilitation rather than new construction
receives the greater advantage in these programs. With no present
plans for housing, the Town is not able to respond.
Town Property
The task force under the direction of the School Committee which
is studying the impact of declining enrollment on school buildings
will make their report next week. Their recommendation will be
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that by the Fall of 1981, one school should be closed, most
probably the Highland School - although this will not be so
stipulated in the report.
The present space needs facing the Town might find some solution
with the vacated Highland School. Floor plans for the Library,
Town Hall and Community Center plus the distribution of employees,
type, per department will have to be obtained before making an
assessment as to a solution of the space needs problem.
Town Meeting Issues
The Board voted to defer action on the matter of Town Meeting
issues until a subsequent meeting.
128 Sales, INc.
Mr. Amon and 3 members from the Board of Selectmen, 3 members
from the IDC and the Chairman of the Planning Board walked the
property at the Dump which is being considered for sale to
128 Sale, INc.
The peninsula area,. shown as Lot C on the sketch by 128 Sales,
is approximately on the same elevation as the Dump, but has a
far different elevation than the 128 Sale property. In view of
this, the present negotiations will focus on excluding this
parcel, except for a small area behind the 128 Sale building,
from the sale. No meeting has been scheduled on this matter
but the Board of Selectmen have taken it under advisement.
Zoning
The Town of Woburn will be holding a public hearing on the rezoning
of the land commonly known as Russell Farm. This land is located
in Woburn but direcly abuts Reading's S-20 property. As such, the
Board feels that this Town should make a unified presentation on
their position at this hearing on December 16, 1980. A letter is to
be sent to the Board of Public Works, Conservation Commission,
Board of Assessors and Selectmen stating:
The Town of Woburn is contemplating a zoning change for the land on
West Street known as Russell Farm. The Planning Board is concerned
about this zoning change because of the possible impact on traffic,
safety and land values to neighboring residents, as well as other
adverse effects that we are not able to aniticpate at this time.
The Planning Board has asked MAPC.udner theer Community Assistance
Program to study the impact of industrial development on bot1l the
Woburn and Wilmington ends of West Street.
The Board would appreciate your response before Friday, December 5,
1980, so that this Board may make a unified presentation to the Town
of Woburn on Reading's p/ositon in this regard.
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The Board then discussed the matter of applying for a grant
application from MAPC under their Community Assistance Program.
Upon a unanimous vote of the Board a 2-page summary of the
project to study traffic safety and the proposed new develop-
ments and their impact on West Street will be made to MAPC by,
the November 28, 1980 deadline.
Meeting Schedule
The Board has made the following schedule for the month of December:
12/8 - Planning Board
12/10 - Bd of Appeals - re: canopy at BayBank/Mddle-
sex, Main Stret
12/15 Tentative PB
12/16 - Woburn Public Hearing re: Rezoning of
Russell Farm
12/22 - Tentative, if not held 12/15
Upon a motion duly made and seconded, the Board unanimously voted
to adjourn: at 10:30 P.M.
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BJM