2.11.2020 BPB MinutesCITY OF BEVERLY
PUBLIC MEETING MINUTES
Board: Planning Board Meeting
Date: February 11, 2019
Location: Beverly City Hall, City Council Chambers
Members Present Chair Ellen Hutchinson, Sarah Bartley, Derek Beckwith,
Alexander Craft, Ellen Flannery, Allison Kilcoyne, Wayne Miller
Members Absent:
Others Present: Assistant Planning Director Darlene Wynne
Recorder: Jodi Byrne, Recording Secretary
Chair Ellen Hutchinson calls the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m
1. Subdivision Approval Not Required plans
There were none.
2. Election of Officers for 2020 - Chairperson and Vice - Chairperson
Ellen Flannery, as a senior member of the Board, asks for a nomination for Chairperson of the
Planning Board.
Kilcoyne: Motion to nominate Ellen Hutchinson for the position of Chairperson of the
Planning Board. Wayne Miller seconds. The motion passes (6 -0) with Hutchinson
abstaining.
Hutchinson: Motion to nominate Zane Craft for the position of Vice - Chairperson for the
Planning Board. Kilcoyne seconds. The motion passes (6 -0) with Craft abstaining.
3. Authorization of Planning Board Signatory
Wynne explains that the Board will be authorizing Chairperson Hutchinson to sign plans and
documents that the Board has approved, and that in her absence, Vice - Chairperson Craft will be
authorized to lead the discussions as noted by these Board meeting documents.
Flannery: Motion to designate Hutchinson as signatory for the Planning Board, with Craft as
alternate. Miller seconds. The motion passes (7 -0).
4. Approval of Minutes:
Revisions were discussed to the draft August 20, 2019, September 10, 2019, and December 17,
2019 Beverly Planning Board Minutes.
Flannery: Motion to approve the August 20, 2019 minutes as amended. Craft seconds. The
motion passes (7 -0).
Flannery: Motion to approve the September 10, 2019 minutes as amended. Craft seconds.
The motion passes (7 -0).
Beckwith: Motion to approve the December 17, 2019 minutes as amended. Bartley seconds.
The motion passes (7 -0).
Beverly Planning Board
DRAFT Meeting Minutes
February 11, 2020
5. Discussion: Planning Board Standard Conditions
Darlene Wynne discusses the possibility of developing a set of standard conditions for all project
petitions in order to streamline the motion process for the Board. Wynne shares a compiled list
of conditions that have been used on project petitions. If a set of standard conditions are
approved and placed in Board documents, a motion could include a reference to the standard
conditions rather than restating each one. The standard conditions would be written within the
letter instead of as an added attachment.
Wynne shares a list of conditions she compiled that are in use, noting that conditions often say
what happens if they are not met. Miller asks the legal justification. Wynne states that conditions
are official because the Board claims them to be so. For example, she explains that if the
condition says that snow removal is included, then a snow storage area must be included. Miller
asks if conditions in the Master Plan can be included within the Board conditions. Wynne states
that she will check on this.
Hutchinson asks if the Board wants to review the list of suggested conditions one -by -one.
Wynne notes that the Engineering Department is also reviewing this document.
Miller questions what constitutes adequate and appropriate facilities. Wynne notes that this is a
criteria for decision making, just for special permits. Hutchinson explains that special permits
usually call upon others to meet requirements, for example, the public to not have an effect on
property values.
The Board reviews each condition on the list. The following changes are suggested:
1. Item 91 - take out "as amended as appropriate."
2. Possibly combine items #1 and 95.
3. Select either item 42 or 93 - (do not include both).
a. Chair Hutchinson suggests adding a comma in item #2 "...Planning Board,
...without..."
b. Miller notes the second half of #3 must be retained, "Any waiver of conditions...
c. Craft states that the clause, "...without the written approval of the Planning
Board..." in #2 is not necessary.
d. The Board discusses the language of items #2 and #3, in wanting things to be
submitted to the Board. A decision is made to add the following, "Any waiver of
conditions contained within said changes shall require the approval of the
Planning Board."
4. The Board feels 94 reads acceptable as written.
5. Condition #5: Delete Cease and Desist Order - Add Stop Work Order
6. Item #6
a. Decision to remove "authorized."
b. Change Planning Board Office to Planning Board Staff.
7. Item #7
a. Hutchinson asks what happens if only part of a site is included in transfer.
Kilcoyne suggests "...part or all of a site..." transfer of "...any part of the site...
b. Wynne asks if 5 business days is too short of a time.
c. Craft suggests using "Planning Board Staff " to keep language consistent.
d. Keep "owner" instead of "applicant."
Beverly Planning Board
DRAFT Meeting Minutes
February 11, 2020
8. Item #8 - consider using" applicant" instead of "Petitioner."
9. Item #9 -Omit
10. Item #10
a. add, "...and any tree or shrub specified on the approved plan..."
b. Hutchison asks for clarification as to the time frame for this item.
c. Beckwith suggests taking the last part of the sentence out, or Miller suggests
specifying how many seasons. Board decides to table this item.
11. Item #11
a. Applicant versus Owner discrepancies noted.
b. Beckwith reminds the Board that Engineering will also be reviewing these
conditions.
c. Miller notes contradictory language in the recycling text. Hutchinson suggests the
different procedures in single home versus an apartment complex.
d. Craft suggests different conditions categorized upon housing types: condos,
HOA's, apartments, etc.
e. The Board tables this item for further discussion.
12. Item #12 - Wynne suggests this be added to #10.
13. Items # 13 and # 14 - Omit.
a. Board discusses any exceptions.
b. Wynne notes that the Fire Department and Building Inspector have their own
checks and balances, and that these conditions reference the authority that they
already possess.
14. Item #15 - Noted that this is targeted for Engineering review.
15. Item #16 - Submit to the Planning Board Staff not the City Planner.
16. Item #17
a. Wynne explains that this is a new item, and she provides an example of a
temporary occupancy where some details need to be completed even though the
building is complete and marked safe for occupancy.
b. Hutchinson suggests adding comma "...completed, sufficient for..." and
"...entirety, but that the As- Built..."
c. It is suggested to change "Planning Department" to "Planning Board Staff."
17. Items 918 and 419
a. Discussion of "The Applicant" and when this role changes to "The Owner."
b. No issues with the general content of item #18 and 919.
18. Item #20 - Refers to asking forgiveness. It is noted that this is a Solicitor question.
Wynne clarifies that these would be part of the Board's rules and regulations which are just for
the Board. The Board can change these as they see fit. These are not subject to the same
procedures as the zoning laws. Hutchinson thanks Wynne for this effort to streamline the motion
process.
6. Discussion: Master Plan Update
Wynne reports that the City is one month behind the Master Plan schedule, noting that much
time was spent on compiling and reporting all public comments on the draft recommendations.
Wynne says that she incorporated the public comments in a red line version, including noting
comments that required further attention or discussion. Comments were made as is, combined
with other similar comments or otherwise modified, or not included as the team saw fit. She also
Beverly Planning Board
DRAFT Meeting Minutes
February 11, 2020
made a spreadsheet summarizing key points and recommendations from the public. She said she
received approximately fifty comments and that approximately twelve to fifteen of them were
brief sentences. She also reports that there was a Facebook thread containing misleading
information that created undo concern.
Wynne says that she anticipates introducing the draft plan during either the last meeting of
March or the first meeting of April, and does not see acting upon anything until after that time.
Wynne notes that public comments would then follow for four weeks, with the Final Plan
proposal and Final Plan for approval to City Council concluding after that.
Craft asks the anticipated number of rounds planned for public comment. Wynne says that the
draft recommendations were the first round. These will be added to the Vision Statement and
existing conditions chapters to complete the Master Plan, which in full will be available for
public review.
Miller asks about future plans that will also follow; for example, the climate action plan. Wynne
states that Mayor Cahill will determine this, but that the City does not yet know targets, and that
the RFP for the climate action plan is still being written. She notes that a climate action plan will
be referenced in the Master Plan though its completion is 1 to 1 1 /2 years away. While the Master
Plan is required to have a climate component, Wynne notes that this plan must also contain
social, fiscal, and environmental sustainability.
Wynne states that they hope to have one public comment period and an open meeting. There
would be no joint meeting with City Council. Wynne notes that the meeting may be an open
house or held during a meeting of the Planning Board.
Sarah Bartley asks if the invitation to comment will occur in one big public meeting or in
separate meetings. Hutchinson suggests hosting two separate meetings, each covering different
items to best target appropriate audience. Bartley notes the need for a sense of the whole for the
public as all items are a part of a bigger picture. It is discussed that some of the proposals are
significant, and that people who have read them should be present. There is a brief discussion of
the public views of the plan and the role of the City Government. Wynne notes that the North
Beverly strategy which raised some questions, will be refrained.
7. Other business not known at the time of the posting of this agenda.
a. Cluster Subdivision Plan Chapman's Corner Estates (Settlement Plan) - Request for
Extension of Construction Completion Date (February 28, 2021) and Renewal of
Letter of Credit - Manor Homes Development LLC
No one from the project is present at this meeting. Wynne explains the history of this project to
the Board and the request. She notes that the project is many years old, but has only a few more
lots to build. They inadvertently let their construction completion deadline and letter of credit
lapse and need it extended to finish the project.
Flannery: Motion to extend the construction completion date until February 28, 2021. Craft
seconds. The motion is passed (7 -0).
Beverly Planning Board
DRAFT Meeting Minutes
February 11, 2020
Flannery: Motion to renew the letter of credit to the expiration date of January 30, 2021.
Craft seconds. The motion passes (7 -0).
Adjournment
Kilcoyne: Motion to adjourn. Bartley seconds. The meeting adjourns at 8:56 p.m.