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Home My WebLink About1999-07-01 Community Planning and Development Commission Minutes1W Town of Reading 16 Lowell Street Reading, MA 01867-2683 Phone: 781-942-9012 Fax: 781-942-9071 Email: akrieg@a.reading.ma.us CPDC MINUTES Meeting Dated.• July 1, 1999 COMMUNITY PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION Members Present, Richard Schubert (RS), Chairman, Jonathan Barnes ('B), Secretary; Michael Flaminia (MF); Richard Howard (RIB Also Present Joseph Delaney, Town Engineer (JD); Anne Krieg, Town Planner (AK) The Chair called the meeting to order at 7:40 PM. MF read the advertisement for the Walnut Street Improvement Project. The Chair outlined the process for the hearing as outlined in the agenda as attached to these minutes. Slides were used throughout the discussion to illustrate design changes. These slides are available for public inspection in the Community Development office, Town Hall. Objections were raised by residents as to the process for discussion at the hearing, focusing on the ability for public comment. A letter from Benta Starbele to the Town Meeting on the petition for Walnut Street to be a scenic way, as defined, was read at the meeting. Overall comparisons were made to the South Street Re-construction project. The following actions were taken: 1) handicap platform at north cor. of Hopkins RH motioned to accept change, seconded by ME Concerns and comments raised were: Concrete color bright Side slope and material as per Mass Highway regulations Votes taken as unanimous of members present (1B absent for vote). C:\My Documents\CPDC\Agenda-Minutes\7.1.99 minutes.doc Last printed 08/20/99 2:013 PM Created by Anne Krieg TOWN OF READING COMMUNITY PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION Minutes for Meeting dated. July 1, 1999 2) extended curb in front of #34 RH motioned to accept the change, seconded by MF Concerns and comments were: Questions as the intent from the original approved drawings Types of curbs available for installation - drawbacks and advantages Maintenance issues Historic options Transitional piece as option Vote taken unanimously in favor. 3) driveway curb corners @ #33 RH motioned to reject the change and remove curb corner. Seconded by JB. Concerns and comments were: Engineering intentions vs. Intentions of the Scenic Road By- law/Regulations Cost implications to the project - budget evaluation by Mass Highway - relevance to the hearing for this project - no consensus established Involvement of the homeowner in the mechanics of the deliberations Maintenance/Wear issues related to curb corners Transitional curb as option Resident at 33 Walnut concerned with abrupt edge and stormwater issues; prefers transition Roadway classification determination by AK to be a residential collector 149 and 162 Walnut Street residents concerned with decision being driven by the intentions of the regulations Mark Favolaro, Esq. Concerned with focus to remain with changes RH withdrew previous motion not acted upon, and moved to accept curbing on west side, remove curbing on east end and replace with transition curb. Motion was seconded by JB. Vote taken in the affirmative 3 to 1, with MF voting in the negative. 4) curb between #33 and #35 Motion made by RH to accept change. Seconded by MF. All in favor. Page 2 of 4 TOWN OF READING COMMUNITY PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT COMML%ION Minutes forMeetingdate . July 1,1999 5) driveway curb corners @ #35 Motion made by RH to remove east side and replace with transition; leave curb as current on west side. Seconded by JB. Vote taken in the affirmative 3 to 1, with MF voting in the negative. 6) driveway curb corner Q east side #41 Motion made by RH to remove corner curbing and replace with transition curbing. Seconded by JB. Vote taken in the affirmative 3 to 1, with MF voting in the negative. 7) extensive curb Q #55 and #56 After extensive discussion, RH made the motion to table action to July 14, 1999. Seconded by JB. All in favor. Issues discussed included: Optional approaches; i.e. cape cod berms, walls, remove and re-grade Durability and character of options Historic character of 55 Walnut Street Pedestrian path requirem direction by the Board of State Highway manual compliance Lowering of roadway gradient in this block - existing site condition Construction operation issues 8) driveway curb corners @ #70 After extensive discussion, RH made the motion to table action to July 14, 1999. Seconded by JB. All in favor. 9) extensive curb between Holly and Red Gate @ #71 After extensive discussion, RH made the motion to table action to July 14, 1999. Seconded by JB. All in favor. 10) curb at steep bank @ #70 After extensive discussion, RH made the motion to table action to July 14, 1999. Seconded by JB. All in favor. A ten- (10) minute recess was taken. 11) extended curb @ #81 No action was taken. 12) extended curb and driveway corner opposite #81 RH moved to accept change. Motion seconded by ME All in favor. from previous action on overall Page 3 of 4 TOWN OF READING COMMUNITY PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT COMMLSSION Minutes for Meeting dated. July 1, 1999 13) handicap platform on west side of Strawberry Hill Motion was made by RH to remove platform and keep existing curbing. Seconded by JB. Vote taken in the affirmative 3 to 1, with MF voting in the negative. Objections to this removal were made by staff, due to Mass Highway requirements for platforms at all intersections. 14) driveway corner on east side @ #113 Motion was made by RH to accept the change. Motion seconded by MF. All in favor. 15) driveway corner on west side Q #119, extended from catchbasin Motion was made by RH to remove and replace with transition curbing. Motion seconded by JB. Vote taken in the affirmative 3 to 1, with MF voting in the negative. 16) driveway corner on west side @ #163 Motion made by RH to accept change. Motion seconded by JB. All in favor. 17) Extended curb from catchbasin @ #169 Motion was made by RH to remove one length of curbing west of the catchbasin, to be replaced with bituminous berm. Seconded by JB. All in favor. Requests by property owners at 133 and 139 Walnut Street After discussion, RH moved to table action to July 14, 1999. Seconded by JB. All in favor. CPDC requested for AK to re-notify abutters of the matters before CPDC at their meeting July 14, 1999 as noted in these minutes. Meeting adjourned at 11:15 PM. These minutes were prepared by Anne Krieg, Town Planner, and submitted to the CPDC on August 23, 1999 Signed as approved: Neil Sullivan, Secretary Date Page 4 of 4