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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2008-06-23 Community Planning and Development Commission MinutesTown of Reading 16 Lowell Street Reading, MA O1867-2683 Phone: 781-942-6612 Fax: 781-942-9071 Email: ckowalski@ci.reading.ma.us Community Planning and Development Commission CPDC MINUTES Meeting Dated: June Location: Selectmen's Members Present: Brant Ball, (NS), and John Weston (JW). 1, 2008 g Room Town=Hall r' Time: 7 ltyne•(BB), Chairman; David-'Futtle (DT), Secretary; Members Absent: John Sasso (JS) Associate Members Present: George Katsoufis (GK) 0PM icholas Safina Also Present: Carol Kowalski, Town Planner; Abigail McCabe, Staff Planner; and Michael Schloth, Recording Secretary. Robert Buckley Shelia Clarke, 536 Haverhill Street, member of Economic Development Committee (EDC) Meghan Young-Tafoya, 40 Oak Street, member of Economic Development Committee (EDC) There being a quorum the Chair called the meeting to order at 7:30 PM. Public Comment There was no comment from the public. Zoning Bylaw Errata The Board reviewed Article 7 of the warrant to be sent to the upcoming Town Meeting for approval. It consists of the correction of the numbering of some sections of the Zoning Bylaws. After due deliberation, the consensus of the Board was that the bylaw sections should not be renumbered as described in the article and that it should not recommend Article 7 to Town Meeting pending further review. There were no comments from the public. DT moved the Board approve the text as written of Article 7 on the warrant of the June 30, 2008 Town Meeting. JS seconded. Voted Denied: 0:5:0. The Board unanimously decided not to recommend Article 7 to Town Meeting. Signage Certificate of Appropriateness for Awning 55 Haven Street, Carlson GMAC Page 1 of 4 CPDC Minutes of 6/23/08 Carlson GMAC was represented by an employee of the United Sign Company. The existing sign awning has an outdated logo which the applicant is proposing to change. No other changes are proposed. The representative noted that Carlson GMAC has agreed to remove the small wall sign on the side of the building. The Town Planner reported that the building inspector has requested that the Board's decision be conditioned on the requirement that Carlson GMAC not place A-frame signs on the sidewalk. Apparently, Carlson GMAC has placed a A-frame sign on the sidewalk many times in the past. Zoning does not allow such signs. JS moved the Board approve the issuance of a Certificate of Appropriateness for the awning sign at 55 Haven Street (Carlson GMAQ as shown in plans dated 6/18/2008. The Board places the following conditions on this approval. 1. The wall side on the side of the building is removed. 2. A-Frame signs are not allowed. DT seconded. Voted Approved: 5:0:0. Administrative Rule The Board discussed and reviewed the current draft of the proposed administrative rule which would allow the Town Planner in certain cases to administratively approve an awning sign. The Board questioned if the rule would or should allow the Town Planner to attach conditions to approval. The Town Planner replied that she did not think she has the authority to attach conditions. It was her understanding that that ability was the Board's alone. She said she would put the question to Town Counsel. No action was taken by the Board. Discussion of Fairchild Drive ANR (Approval Not Required) This was not on the agenda. The Town Planner said there was a possibility it would have been on the agenda if the materials had been submitted in time to be placed into the Board's information packets but the submission arrived too late. The applicant, Mr. Robert Buckley was present. He asked the Board to review the ANR tonight. The Chair said the Board would not review the ANR because it had not had time to review the plans. Mr. Buckley asked the Board to consider the Town Engineer's memo on the ANR and make an exception to review the ANR tonight. The Chair repeated his objection. Later in the evening, the Chair polled the Board if it should review the ANR. The consensus of the Board was to allow the review to proceed provided it is allowed ten minutes to review the plan. After due deliberation, DT moved the Board endorse the ANR for Fairchild Drive. JS seconded. Voted Approved: 5:0:0.. The Board signed the plans. Page 2 of 4 No action was taken by the Board. CPDC Minutes of 6/23/08 Planning Workshop South Main Street Planning & Design Guidelines The Board reviewed associate member George Katsoufis's plan of what he thought the Board's next steps should be. Mr. Katsoufis was not present. Among the concerns of the Board were: how to educate the public about the Board's goals for South Main Street; how to incentivize business owners to develop using the guidelines; determining which items could be handled through guidelines and which items would require zoning changes; developing the overall vision of the project versus the steps to achieve the vision. Public Comments Shelia Clarke and Meghan Young-Tafoya of the EDC were present. They were interested in somehow establishing a partnership with the CPDC to review and discuss such topics as building fagades (storefronts) and signage.... Regarding signage, Ms. Clarke noted that the EDC is conducting a survey of Reading businesses and offered to add questions about signage to the survey. The Board though this would be very helpful and suggested questions about shared parking and other items in the guidelines could be added to the survey too. The Board requested that the EDC provide its perspective on the balance among use, parking, and lot coverage; also to review George Katsoufis's plan. The Board agreed the next planning workshop should be scheduled for Tuesday, July 8, 2008. Review of Upcoming Zoning Board of Appeals Cases There were no new cases. The Board had already provided comments on the current cases. Other Items Burbank Arena, 51 Symonds Way The Town Planner reported that the Board of Selectmen has requested the CPDC review as a waiver form site plan review a proposal to add a 1200 sq. ft. locker-room to Burbank Arena. The Chair polled the Board: the Board unanimously agreed to hear the case as a waiver. Minutes of 6/9/2008 NS moved the Board approve the minutes of the meeting of 6/9/2008. DT seconded. Voted Approved: 5:0:0 Board Reorganization BB nominated DT as Chair. JS seconded. Voted Approved: 5:0:0. JS nominated NS as Secretary. DT seconded. Voted Approved: 5:0:0. Page 3 of 4 CPDC Minutes of 6/23/08 For 2008-2009, David Tuttle is the Chair of the CPDC. Nicholas Safina is the Secretary of the CPDC. BB moved to adjourn. NS seconded. Voted Adjourned: 4:0:0. The meeting adjourned at 10:00 PM. These minutes were prepared by Michael Schlot and are a faithful representation of the 6/23/2008 CPDC meeting. Recording Secretary Page 4 of 4