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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2010-11-29 Community Planning and Development Commission MinutesTown o Readln, CIEIVEO 16 Lowell Street TOWN CLERK Reading, MA 01867-2683 RE,` M G, MASS. Phone: 781-942-6612 Pax: 781-942-9071 ~j l ' Email: jdelios@ci.reading.ma.us 2011 JUN 2r1 Community Planning and Development Commission CPDC MINUTES Meeting Dated: November 29, 2010 Location: Selectmen's Meeting Room Time: 7:30 PM Members Present: Joseph Patterson (JP), Secretary; David Tuttle (DT); Nicholas Safina (NS); and Paul Bolger (PB). Members Absent: John Weston (JW), Chairman Associate Members Present: George Katsoufis (GK) Also Present: Jean Delios (JD), Town Planner; and Michael Schloth (MS), Recording Secretary. Mr. Matt Casey, Patch.com Mr. John Crafts, Nardone Electric, 100 Winchester Street, Medford, MA As the Chair was notable to attend, Joseph Patterson took on the Chair's duties. There being a quorum the Chair called the meeting to order at 7:42 PM. Request for Minor Modification to Approved Site Plan Decision 320 Haverhill Street Applicant intends to install an emergency generator and an underground vault containing a tank for propane gas to fuel the generator. John Crafts appeared for the applicant. The property is located between Killam School and St. Athanasius Church. The Board expressed concern that the generator and propane tank may be too close to the school, the playground, and wetlands. Mr. Crafts said the generator and tank would be located as far as possible from those areas and assured the Board that the underground tank would be encased in concrete. The Board noted that the Fire Department had signed-off on the plans. The Town Planner reported that she had encouraged the applicant to inform the School Department of the project. Mr. Crafts said he had tried to reach someone in the school department over the summer but no one had ever responded to him. The Town Planner noted that the generator must be tested frequently and is noisy when on. She suggested the Board add a condition requiring the applicant to coordinate the scheduling of the testing times with officials at both Killam School and St. Athanasius Church. The Board agreed. DT moved the Board determine the proposed installation of the emergency generator and propane tank is a minor modification to the original site plan review decision. NS seconded and the motion carried 4:0:0. Page 1 of 3 ~CPDC Minutes of 11/29/2010 DT moved the Board approve the minor modification with the following conditions. The applicant will obtain all necessary permits and approvals. The applicant will coordinate the scheduling of the testing of the generator with officials of both Killiam School and St. Athanasius Church. JP seconded and the motion carried 4:0:0. Planning Updates One Jacobs Way: A second Design Review Team meeting to review an updated proposal from Pulte Homes is scheduled for Wednesday, 12/1/2010. If all goes well, Pulte could be before the CPDC in early 2011. Johnson Woods: Johnson Woods will be before the CPDC on 12/13/2010 to discuss a modification to its site plan review decision that would allow the change of originally approved quads and triplexes into duplexes. In the ensuing discussion, the Town Planner suggested the issue of what determines a minor versus a major modification should be revisited. 30 Haven Street, Oaktree Development: The applicant is still working through issues of affordable . housing procedures and 40R compliance with the. Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD). There is no word on whether the underground drain pipe has been traced through the property. 258 Main Street (former location of Valerie's Bridal): The owner has submitted a demolition application to the Building Department. As the structure is on the Historic Inventory, it is subject to the Demolition Delay by-law which can delay demolition for up to one year. Members of the Economic Development Committee, the Board of Selectmen, the CPDC, the Historical Commission, and the Town Manager are scheduled to meet with the owner to discuss a possible middle ground between complete demolition and total preservation. Sign Enforcement: Violation warning notices on illegal A-frame signs were recently mailed. Owners of those located in the Business-B district were informed of the new by-law allowing A-frame signs in that district upon approval of a license to do so from the Board of Selectmen. Most seemed receptive to, obtaining this license. 107 Main Street, Sam's Bistro: The owner's case before the Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBA) was denied and he must remove the pavement in the buffer zone. One General Way, Wine Bunker: The Town Manager has determined the windows are in compliance with the condition the Board of Selectmen placed on its approval of the business's liquor license. Work Session: Zoning Priorities South Main Street The discussion centered on revisiting and detailing the vision plan for the South Main Street. GK noted the difficulties of reaching the goal of shared parking. He suggested some kind of incentive system would have to be established but he did not know how it could be written. into the guidelines given the legal entanglements involved: e.g: liability issues; zoning relief for owners; owner and tenant turnover; enforcement.... GK suggested contacting the Metropolitan Area Planning Council (MAPC) for assistance. Page 2 of 3 CPDC Minutes of 11/29/2010 DT suggested some kind of Parking Authority would have to be established and possibly also a parking- space market to buy or trade use of spaces. GK noted that some members of the Downtown Parking Task Force were active in trying to figure out how to make shared parking work. He offered to reach out to them for similar help with South Main Street. GK and the Town Planner would check how other communities and town planners have handled shared parking. The Town Planner added she would ask Town Counsel for language on shared parking. Minutes DT moved the Board approve the minutes of 813012010 as amended. NS seconded and the motion carried 3:0:1 with PB abstaining. DT moved the Board approve the minutes of 101412010 as presented. PB seconded and the motion carried 4:0:0. DT moved the Board approve the minutes of 111112010 as amended. JP seconded and the motion carried 3:0:1 with PB abstaining. Other Business NS reminded the Board of town's difficulty in dealing with the Massachusetts Department of Transportation over curbcuts (1321 Main Street, minutes of 11/1/2010) and suggested the MAPC might be of help. The Board agreed. The Town Planner said she would speak with the Town Engineer. DT moved to adjourn. PB seconded and the motion carried 4:0:0. The meeting adjourned at 9:15 PM. These minutes were prepared by Michael Schloth and submitted to the CPDC on 12/13/2010 these minutes were approved as presented by the CPDC on 1/10/2011. Signed as approved, Jo eston, Chairman Date Page 3 of 3