Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAbout1984-09-26 Planning Board MinutesMinutes of she Meeting of September 26, 1984. Chairman Rich called the meeting to order at 7:05 P.M. in the first floor meeting room, 6 Lowell Street (old Library) with Board members B. Mitchel, J. Wood, J. Shaw 4 D. Devine present. Also present were Ms. Jean Christensen and Mr. Tom Jones from MAeC and Dan Ensminger from IDC. The Board then convened to discuss the technical assistance MAPC will be providing the Town on assessing impacts from development in the John Street industrial area. Mr. Ensminger would present histcommission's progress to date in readying the area for development. AAPC Technical Assistanc/John Street Industrial Land Chairman Rich and the Board members reviewed a map of the area under consideration. They then discussed with the MAPC assistants, the scope.of the work program to be studied and evaluated. The Board listed _the _details _to be considered to include but not be limited to the following: 1) Zoning 2) Available INDUSTRIAL land and access to land over railroad tracks 3) Traffic impacts 4) Water supply and adequacy 5) Commuter rail stop 6) Possible environmental impacts MAPC and Board reviewed the site plans for the TASC and BPW buildings. They discussed current zoning for this area and allowable zoning affecting other areas. Board discussed traffic problems and the probable impacts from development and traffic back-ups on Route 128 (I-95). 1, Board also reviewed the problems of water adequacy and supply relative to impacts from such growth. A brief overview of problems that the North Reading Riverpark 93 would have on Reading's groundwater quality was given. MAPC assistants reported that development from high tech industry has less of an impact on water supply and demand than other industrial/business developments. MAPC informed the Board as to the latest transportation incentives, which provide a rail stop at large industrial parks. The Board thought that a stop would be allowable in this area, but felt that a park/rail stop would not be compatible because of traffic and congestion. Mr. Ensminger spoke of the problems that developers have in reusing former dump sites. Superfund money is available, but the risks to the banks is greater and there is much slower movement in this area because of the uncertainty from adverse impacts such as lawsuits resulting from detrimental effects from methane gas, settling and other such problems associated with reusing former dump sites. At 8:45 P.M., the Board thanked the assistants from MAPC for their interest, support and assistance in this study. Ms. Christensen will get in touch with Chairman Rich to keep the Board updated as to their progress in the study. Transportation Mr. Wood reported on a recent statement made by State DPW Commissioner Tierney and Transportation Superintendent Salvucci while in Fall River. The State is desirous of t-- wining businesses with rail access and is making money available to open up roads for such rail stops. The Town should be aware of this avenue of funding especially in association with a John Street stop, as proposed by MAPC. The Board should be aware that the Governor is trying to encourage business development within the Commonwealth. Perhaps it would be wise to pursue a railroad -_'ess over the tracks through the political route. Current discussion is to bridge t___ tracks for access, which would require a lot of land for approaches and exit ramps. Where the land is restricted for industrial use only, perhaps bridging is not the only alternative but rather a direct railroad access over the tracks because the threat from normal pedestrian and heavy nighttime traffic would not be a problem. Mr. Ensminger felt that after his disucssion with the Selectmen, the only available access would be bridging. The 'T' is definitely not in favor of grade crossings and such permission would be difficult, if not impossible, to obtain. The Board then discussed other options such as depressing the RR tracks, depressing the roadway, etc. Fall Town Meeting Warrant The Site Plan review article was sent to Town Counsel for his review last Friday. Monday was the deadline for filing this article on the warrant. After the reservations expressed by Town Counsel, the Chairman polled the Board members, and the decision to delay placing this article for consideration by Town Meeting was made.The Board will talk to the other departments during the fall/winter to obtain their support for this process. An article will be written for publication in the Chronicle. Chairman Rich felt that a negative report from Town Counsel on the current wording would be sure fire shot to have Town Meeting veto passing this concept. Lv7AL FEES/CRITERION ROAD: The Law Committee is reportedly placing an article on the warrant to obtain additional funds for legal fees for the Planning Board in its case against the Board of Appeals, C&C Associates/Criterion Road decision. To date this Board has not been informed of any action in this regard. Criterion Road Litigation Reports in the Reading Chronicle have led people to believe that the Planning Board is holding out on settling with C&C Associates regarding conditions that would be a compromise for the existing violations on the 3 lots. To date, the Board has not received any substantive word about compromise settlements, as reported recently in~ the Reading Chronicle. Because all such details must be confidential, the Board discontinued further public discussion on this matter. Chairman Rich will contact Attorney Goodman on Monday to obtain a status report in this regard. BPW Facility/John Street Mr. Mitchel reported on the informational meeting held by the BPW on their proposed new John Street office/public works garage/storage facility. The bulding will be built on landfill, 25-35 feet above bedrock. They will dig pilings and construct a 1-story structure, the maintenance area will have ceilings 20 feet high. There will be a monitor for methane gas installed in the building. The heating system will be a cost efficient system that will also be used for cooling. The cost estimate is $3+million. Civil Defense will also be housed in this building. The Board discussed the reasons t this office was not only compatible but was an excellent site choice, especially because central dispatch is controlled from this site. Conservation The Board is in receipt of an informational packet regarding the proposed development in North Reading adjacent to the Town of Reading's only wellfields, called Riverpark 93. The Conservation Commission requests that the Planning Board, both as Town .-cers and individually as private citizens, send a letter to EOEA Secretary Hoyte 1.arding the adverse impacts such a development could have on the groundwater/wellfields of this Town's only water supply. The Board unanimously voted to have Ms. Plansky compose a letter and, after approval from the Chairman, send it to EOEA regarding the grave concerns that this Board has with thesproposed development. Correspondence Mail was reviewed. Membership The Chairman on behalf of the entire Board regretfully accepted the resignation of John W. Shaw and thanked Mr. Shaw most sincerely for his dedicated service and personal-concern to the growth and planning issues of the Town since he began in 1980. Minutes The minutes of August 27, 1984 were distributed. Further action on approval of any minutes was deferred until a subsequent meeting. Zoning Board of Appeals Hearings ;Board reviewed the ZBA decision on the Laquidara request to create a substandard lot off Main Street. This lot has a questionable frontage of + or - 17 feet. During this meeting the ZBA asked that the Planning Board review its criteria for such lots and think of writing legislation that would allow pork chop lots within the Town. The Board has also received a request to look at removing the restrictions for the date on the Accessory Apartment by-law. The removal of the date would allow any one building a home within the Town, to legally contruct an accessory apartment. The Board felt that this was not the intent of Town Meeting. It was Town Meeting's discussion that focused on not allowing speculative development with accessory apartments, but would allow for those existing homeowners, especially the elderly, to create an accessory apartment within an existing dwelling. There being no further business before the Board, it was unanimously voted to adjourn at 9:45 P.M. until their next scheduled meeting on October 3, 1984 at 7:00 P.M. Respectfully submitted, John D. Wood, Clerk