HomeMy WebLinkAbout1984-01-24 Planning Board MinutesMinutes of the Meeting of January 24, 1984.
Chairman Messina called the meeting to order in Room 19, 52 Sanborn
Street (the Community Center) at 7:45 P.M. with Board members
B. Mitchel and M. Rich present.
Chairman Messina reported on a telephone conversation that he had
with Board of Selectmen Chairman John Russell about the rezoning
of the Community Center. Chairman Russell stated that he would
like to see more definitive plans for reuse of the building before
the Town Meeting is presented with a rezoning article. Chairman
Messina felt that the Board was not going to be rushed into making
a decision but would study the options available to the Town
under different types of zoning, assess their drawbacks and
benefits, and look into what types of proposals the space study
committees were making before forging ahead on rezoning the
property.
The Board then discussed looking into presenting a position paper
to the Town Meeting outlining different uses under different
zoning and presenting pro and con on each.
Gentile-Adams land Salem Street
The Board discussed a call received from Carlson, P.E.,,Mr. Bolotin,
asking for different uses for the land in question. Among the
matters discussed were: cluster, townhouse condos proposals.
Access would be off Salem Street, Farrelli property. Board will
try to keep up to date on happenings in this regard.
Correspondence
Board reviewed the mail.
A letter from the mass. Municipal Association was received in which
it states that the State Senate and House acted on legislation
approving a 3 year freeze on dimensional controls for any land
which is on an accepted way. Mentioned also in this letter is
the fact that land use zoning is frozen for a.3 year period. The
Secretary was asked to write a letter to the State senators and
representative seeking.more details and voicing our objections
to loss of local control. Under such legislation, the proposed
projects off John Street would be affected. To be mentioned in
the letter is that this land is currently zoned for Industrial
and the Dump Site may not be able to support such a use and would
have to be rezoned. If such legislation takes effect, Propos.i
tion 2 1/2 will come home to roost with great severity on many
towns, especially Reading since this land will have to be issued
either use variances or rezoning to be used commercially.
Town Meeting Issues
It was the concensus of the Board members present not to present
an article for this Spring on rezoning the Community Center. The
Board will research a position paper on different zoning uses and
present this paper in the Town Clerk's mailing to Town Meeting
members.
1/24/84
Page 2
In summarizing the assessed value for different uses, it appeared
that:
Current zoning - S-10 = 6 lots w/value after
building @ $125,000 each = $ 750,000
Residential condos = at least 15 condos @ value
of $100,000 each after
rehabilitation 1-1-500--000
Office condos - Board felt that office condos for
this building was riot as saleable
as residential condos would be,
although.cost per square foot would
be higher.
Low & Moderate Income - Board felt that this would help
Housing-- Mixed family- to answer the requirements that
are placed on the Town to meet
this need but its return on the
assessed value thus the tax $
would not be as great: This
alternative may be better for
the.Town in the overall picture
as Federal and.State funds to
the Town have and could still be
held up because of Reading's -a e :ed poor
attempt at meeting this need.
Zoning Issues
The Building Inspector requested that the Planning Board look at
the requirements fora church within the Town's zoning. Currently,
there is no control on the number of parking spaces, etc and Mr.
Stamatis felt that this could cause.problems as lesser kno-vm congreTa-
tions designate part of their premises as a "church". The
Secretary was asked to call - and find out what other Towns have
regulations governing churches and report back to the Board at the
next meeting.
Meetinq Schedule
The meetings for the Planning Board are scheduled for Thursday
evenings from 6-8 P.M. Ms. Rich has some conflicts for 2/9
and 2/16. Notices will 'be posted to this effect to all con-
cerned citizens and Boards.
Other Business
Mr. Messina had a scheduled meeting with FinCom to request a trans-
fer of $3961 to cover the salary expense for the Board's Administra-
tive Assistant.
1/24/83
Page 3
Board Membershi
Mr. Messina announced that he would not be.seeking another 3-year
term. He stated that he enjoyed his term in.office and as
Chairman, but the time conflicts-with his business and personal
commitments was making it increasingly more difficult to continue
_.to --serve_ on- _-the Board__-_.He .f_e-l.tt__that -t was__-best --that -he - resign
before reelection to give any other interested citizen an oppor-
tunity to seek a seat on the Board. He regretted that he would
not be able to continue, but felt it in the best interest of the
Town and-the Board to resign if a firm commitment could not be
made to serve for th.e.next 3 years. Mr. Messina will send a
letter to Town Clerk informing him of his position.
Ms. Rich will be attending the 2/8 and 2/22 meetings of the Essex
Conservation-District's workshop on "Land Planning, Regulation,
and Development".
There being no further business before the Board, the.vmeeting was
adjourned at 8:45 P.M. so that Chairman Messina could meet with the Finance Committee.
Respectfully submitted,
Barry J. Mitchel., Clerk