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04.14.2020 BPB MinutesCITY OF BEVERLY PUBLIC MEETING MINUTES Board: Date: Location: Members Present Members Absent: Others Present: Recorder: Planning Board Meeting April 14, 2020 Google Meet virtual meeting Chair Ellen Hutchinson, Vice Chair Alexander Craft, Sarah Bartley, Derek Beckwith, Ellen Flannery, Wayne Miller, Andrea Toulouse Allison Kilcoyne Assistant Planning Director Darlene Wynne, George Zambouras Jodi Byrne, Recording Secretary Chair Ellen Hutchinson calls the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. and announces that the meeting is being recorded and live - streamed. She confirms that all can hear her clearly and then verbally takes the attendance of the Board as a note of public record. Chair Hutchinson reads a prepared statement introducing the meeting. "Pursuant to Governor Baker's March 12, 2020 Order Suspending Certain Provisions of the Open Meeting Law, G.L. C. 30A, §18, and the Governor's March 23, 2020 Order imposing strict limitation on the number of people that may gather in one place, this meeting of the Beverly Planning Board will be conducted via remote participation to the greatest extent possible. No in- person attendance of members of the public will be available, but every effort will be made to ensure that the public can adequately access the proceedings in real time, via technological means. In the event that we are unable to do so, despite best efforts, we will post on the City's website an audio or video recording, transcript, or other comprehensive record of proceedings as soon as possible after the meeting. Please see below for detail on accessing the meeting remotely. REMOTE PUBLIC ACCESS TO THIS MEETING WILL BE PROVIDED IN THE FOLLOWING MANNER: 1. Broadcast and/or live streaming by BevCam at Channel 99 and /or https. //bevc /live - stream 2. Access through the Google Hangouts Meet application. This application will allow users to view the meeting and request comment using the Chat function. Pursuant to Open Meeting Law, M.G.L. C. 30A, §20, the Chair may elect to recognize public comment submitted through the Chat function at appropriate points in the meeting." Chair Hutchinson states that the meeting is being held for the public on Google Meet, and she provides instructions for the public to join and view the meeting. She reminds that all participants may be seen, heard, and captured by the recording. She offers participants the option of removing their camera from the meeting and asks for all to keep microphones on mute unless formally speaking. She instructs that all supporting materials may be accessed through contacting Darlene Wynne at the City Planning Department. Chair Hutchinson states the meeting's ground rules in order to promote a clear and effective conduct of business. She instructs each speaker to be introduced before providing comment, and Beverly Planning Board Meeting Minutes April 14, 2020 that she, as Chair, will formally invite Board members to provide comments or questions. All attendees are asked to use their mute button except for when they are formally speaking and to not use the chat feature unless it is for technical issues. Chair Hutchinson asks that any members from the public state their name and address before speaking. Chair Hutchinson states that each vote will be taken with a formal roll call. Asst. Planning Director Darlene Wynne confirms that Chair Hutchinson is present in the meeting without video and therefore cannot see the other participants. 1. Subdivision Approval Not Required plans There were none. 2. Endorse Plan and Accept Performance Bond: Definitive Subdivision Plan - 40 Ellingwood Court - Anthony P. Baltas, Trustee, Fresh Water Real Estate Trust Engineer George Zambouras, 17 Noble Hill Drive, Beverly, speaks on behalf of the applicant. He provides a brief review of the project timeline and states that his client is asking for an endorsement of the Definitive Subdivision Plan and the acceptance of the performance bond. Chair Hutchinson asks if on Form G, paragraph 4, there is supposed to be a date. Wynne answers that this date is typically two years from the subdivision approval. Wynne explains that the applicant is requesting a date of two years from today's date because the subdivision was approved 6 months ago. Wynne states that the Board has the authority to set and extend these deadlines. Chair Hutchinson confirms that the Board has the authority to set the construction completion date to a later date. Wynne confirms this and says that the Planning Department has no problem with the construction completion date being set from today's date. Wynne says that due to the virtual meeting, she has not yet determined how the plan will be physically signed, but noted the Board can still vote to accept it. Chair Hutchinson asks if there is a limited time frame for the plan to be endorsed. Wynne says that there is no statutory timeline, but that it is reasonable to endorse the plan once it is approved. Zambouras asks if the Board could authorize Wynne to sign on their behalf. Wynne answers that Chair Hutchinson is the designated person for signing, and that plans could be made for a delivery and pickup by Wynne to Hutchinson. Wynne clarifies that nothing will be signed during this meeting. Flannery: Motion to endorse the Definitive Subdivision Plan for 40 Ellingwood Court. Craft seconds. The motion passes with a formal roll call vote in alphabetical order with each Board member voting in favor: Sarah Bartley, Derek Beckwith, Zane Craft, Ellen Flannery, Wayne Miller, Chair Ellen Hutchinson. It is noted that Andrea Toulouse is not yet a voting member and that Allison Kilcoye is not present. The Beverly Planning Board Meeting Minutes April 14, 2020 motion passes (6 -0). Flannery: Motion to accept the Form G Covenant with a construction completion date of April 14, 2022. Craft seconds. The motion passes with a formal roll call vote in alphabetical order with each Board member voting in favor: Sarah Bartley, Derek Beckwith, Zane Craft, Ellen Flannery, Wayne Miller, Chair Ellen Hutchinson. The motion passes (6 -0). 3. Approval of Minutes The October 1, 2019 minutes are reviewed and amended. Craft: Motion to approve the October 1, 2019 minutes as amended. Beckwith seconds. The motion passes with a formal roll call vote in alphabetical order with each Board member voting in favor: Sarah Bartley, Derek Beckwith, Zane Craft, Ellen Flannery, Wayne Miller, Chair Ellen Hutchinson. The motion passes (6 -0). 4. Discussion: Master Plan Update Wynne provides an update to the anticipated schedule of the Master Plan. Wynne says that the City is close to completing a draft for the Master Plan Committee's review, and that she has been compiling public comments to share later this week with the City's consultant. Wynne says that because a public meeting cannot be held during this time, she is working on optimal ways for the general public to review the Master Plan draft and have access to virtual office hours. Wynne states that the City would like to keep moving forward with the Master Plan, and that she will be in contact with Mayor Cahill regarding best practices within the confines of the changed economy. Wynne says that a letter from the Mayor may be added to the Master Plan draft to address how it is placed within the current pandemic and economic conditions of this time. She states that she will continue to speak with the Mayor in the development of next steps, as the Master Plan is almost complete and the City would like to release the consultant. Wynne then opens up the Master Plan process for discussion, noting that some Board members have seen the Master Plan draft. Chair Hutchinson says that she has concerns in moving the process forward during the current difficult conditions. Chair Hutchinson states that she wants to be sure that the public has full access to the Master Plan draft for both review and input. She says that virtual meetings are very different from public comment opportunities, and that with an item so important to the City she does not feel comfortable moving forward. Beverly Planning Board Meeting Minutes April 14, 2020 Wynne says that she appreciates Chair Hutchinson's comments and will further discuss them with the Mayor. Wynne explains that there had been a plan for four public meetings, with the consultant involved in three. She says that she and City Planning Director Aaron Clausen had been discussing optimal ways for the public to review and vet the Plan and considering an alternative to a large formal public meeting prior to the pandemic. Chair Hutchinson says that she applauds the public involvement in the making of the Master Plan, and that the public should have a chance to weigh in on how this may affect certain aspects of their lives. Chair Hutchinson thanks Wynne for her response and research in determining best practices. Derek Beckwith says that it is important that the public be given an accessible input vehicle in order to promote inclusion and ensure the future value of the document. He suggests a virtual town meeting with plans for the Mayor and City Planners to present the new normal and how the Master Plan plays into this now, or as it is rolled out in the future. Beckwith says that this could allow people to see the presentation within a venue to both read the document and provide public comments. Sarah Bartley says that this is a difficult time for people to pay attention to the Master Plan as, due to the pandemic, different families are within different levels of crisis. Bartley agrees with the desire to place this on hold due to the public's physical or emotional ability to focus on the Plan. She says that while she is open to different options, she has concerns. Wynne says that there is no intent to rush the Plan within the serious state of our times and explains that there will be public venues including at least two Planning Board meetings and one City Council meeting. She adds that the City is trying to come up with an optimal strategy to move forward with the final draft edits. She also says that she appreciates the comments from the Board and will be in continued communication with the Mayor. Chair Hutchinson repeats the need to wait on the Plan in light of the pandemic. Wayne Miller agrees with the Board's comments and asks if there is pressure from the consultant to finalize, and if so, how the City could release the consultants without rushing the process. Beckwith asks if the consultants could take a pause for a few months before returning to work after the pandemic ends. Wynne explains that it is normal business for a consultant to want to wrap up a project and notes that the consultants are already working beyond their estimated budget. Wynne says that it is also necessary to respond to what needs to be done today within the current needs of the City's population. She also notes that the Plan is written in a software program that the City does not own, which makes it hard for the City to take on ownership of future edits. Wynne says that she and the Mayor will continue to discuss how to best move forward. Beverly Planning Board Meeting Minutes April 14, 2020 5. Other business not known at the time of the posting of this agenda. Chair Hutchinson reports that Aaron Clausen has accepted the position of City Planner for the city of Lynn. She states that Mayor Cahill announced Darlene Wynne as the next Planning Director for the City of Beverly. Wynne reports that the nomination will not be enacted until April 27, 2020. Beckwith asks if she will be staffing the Board. Wynne reports that she could continue to staff the Planning Board once a new Assistant Director is hired, but that is not defined yet. She thanks the Board and notes the positive contributions of Aaron Clausen. The next meeting of the Planning Board is scheduled for May 5, 2020. Chair Hutchinson reports that the meeting may not need to be on BevCam, but that it will be a virtual meeting with full public access. Adjournment Flannery: Motion to adjourn the meeting. Craft seconds. The motion passes with a formal roll call vote in alphabetical order with each Board member voting in favor: Sarah Bartley, Derek Beckwith, Zane Craft, Ellen Flannery, Wayne Miller, Chair Ellen Hutchinson. The motion passes (6 -0). The meeting is adjourned at 7:50pm.