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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1984-01-17 Planning Board MinutesMinutes of the Meeting of January 17, 1984. w` Chairman Messina called the meeting to 52 Sanborn Street (the Community Cente C. Arthur and M. Rich present, at 7:15 was scheduled to meet with the Finance of the Planning Board FY85 budget. Mr. 7:35 P.M. Correspondence order in Room 19, r) with Board members P.M. Mr. Messina Committee for review Mitchel arrived at Mail was reviewed. Ms. Rich asked that a copy of the letter from the Conservation Commission regarding available land within the Town and applicable conservation restrictions be sent to each Board member. The Board deferred any action on approval of minutes to a later meeting. Community Center - Rezoning/Sale Mr. Messina returned from the meeting with the Finance Committee and moved to table discussion on the scheduled agenda items and allow Mr. William Brown to speak regarding the rezoning of the Community Center. Mr. Brown asked that the Board review their thinking on the Community Center and place an article on ;he 1984 Annual Town Meeting Warrant to rezone this parcel of land. Mr. Brown further stated that he would like to see a "package" of articles presented to the Annual Town Meeting so that the Town could proceed with the proposed sale of the Community Center land and building.. Waiting for the Fall Town Meeting will only add unnecessary delays to the land sale. Mr. Brown and the Board explored the different options avail able for reuse/rehabilitation of this building which included office condominiums, apartment condominiums, elderly housing, housing with the Town as owners, and also the possibility of keeping this zoned as it is and using it as single family house lots after razing the building. Mr. Brown felt that the highest and best use for this building would be to convert to either office condominiums or apartment condominiums. He felt that this would add to the tax base of the Town, bring the highest price in selling and would get the Town out of the "real estate business". Mr. Brown also felt that we should move swiftly on_this rezoning. The sale of this building has been debated for over 30 years and it is still on the Town's hands. With prompt action, this building can be sold, thus forcing the consolidation of office space into the Town Hall/Library complex or eventually, he feels, to the Pearl Street school where space can accommodate all Town facilities (excluding BPW garage). The Chairman suggested that the Town may need this building, which is centrally-located, sometime in the future, and asked Mr. Brown his feelings on long-term lease of the property. 1/17/84 Page 2 Mr. Brown felt that the Town needed money from the sale of this building to go ahead with other projects it proposes, such as consolidation of offices. Long term leases are desirable, he felt, only if the Town was in a financially sound position to be able to move forward on its other projects without the lump sum payment from a land sale such as this. Under the constraints of Proposition 2 1/2, this Town is not able to do this and therefore will need the_money up front to move ahead on the office consolidation. The Chairman felt that this option needed greater review and that the Town could feasibly consolidate office space while enganging in a long-term lease. Mr. Brown stated that if this land was rezoned for Apartments of office condominiums, then the land sale value could be around $500,000. If this was sold as single family lots, there would be about 6 lots with a land value of $40,000 or less for each and the return would be in the $200,000 range. Mr. Brown stated that the big fear that he has is that while the Town is "discussing" the options for this building and delaying any final decision on its disposal, the building could be razed by fire and the Town-would lose substantial financial return. The Board briefly discussed reuse rezoning for such "excess" municipal buildings. The Special Permit process for allowing higher density use in'such buildings without rezoning was also mentioned. At 8:15 P.M., Mr. Brown departed after having asked the Board to consider a warrant article for Annual Town Meeting. This article will have to be submitted no later than the closing date of February 14, 1984 at 8 P.M. The Board then continued discussion of the listed agenda items. Finances Chairman Messina reported on his budget presentation to FinCom. The expense, portion of the budget was approved. Salaries will be reviewed and discussed later. The x-eques.t for a transfer of $3961 was deferred by FinCom stating that the.Board would have to ;letter to them and schedule a separate meeting. The Board had sent a letter to them on October 31 requesting this transfer. The Secretary was instructed to proceed on this matter so that this issue could be resolved. FinCom did not give much hope to approving the 25 hour per week request for the Administrative Assistant because of the budget constraints imposed by Proposition 2 1/2. The Board then reviewed the estimates for printing, collating and stapling the Zoning By-law Handbooks. The Board approved the quote from Benjamin Franklin Pierce Printers in the amount of $475 for 400 copies of a 40-page book with front and back cover. The cost of fasteners was double the cost of the. printing and the Board voted not to include the fasteners. At an additional 1/17/84 Page 3 cost of $45 for 400, the Board voted to have map pockets included on the back cover. The total estimate for this package will be $525 for the handbooks. A separate estimate will have to obtained for the l page Zoning Map printing. BPW has still not completed the printing of this order and we cannot move ahead until we get the new mylars from them. Mr. Arthur will speak with Mr. Bergeron to make sure that they are moving as quickly as possible on this matter. Work Program The Board discussed the rezoning of the Community Center and Mr. Arthur stated that he would take charge of preparing an article on this for Spring Town Meeting. The Board felt that the next 2 meetings should concentrate mainly on this issue and ,work toward preparing an article for submission by February 14. Meeting Dates The Board discussed the conflict in schedules and tried to arrange a more convenient time for the Board to meet and accommodate all members. A tentative schedule commencing February .2nd will be on Thursday evenings from 6-8 P.M. Next Tuesday will be the Board's next meeting at 7:15 P.M. The question of membership arose and the Board members will review their commitments and schedules and make their decision as to what commitment they will be able to make in serving the-Board:: These decisions will be made in time for,_interested persons,___ to place their names on. the Spring election nal.lot. Mr. Shaw arrived at 8:55 P.M. after his other meeting. The Board reviewed the matters discussed. on the Repetitive Petition Ms. Rich requested that a synopsis of the public hearings/be made for the Board's records. The Secretary was instructed to do this after completing the word-processing for the ZBL: There being no further business before the Board, it was unani- mously voted to adjourn at 9:15 P.M. Respectfully submitted, Barry J. Mitchel, Clerk