BPB 7-16-24 City of Beverly Planning Board
CIT1' July-16,2024
RECEi'.,-Meeting Minutes� [J
CITY
1 CITY OF BEVERLY
2 PUBLIC MEETING MINUTES ZDA JET C 0 A 19: ��l
3
4 BOARD OR COMMISSION: City of Beverly Planning Board
5 DATE: July 16,2024
6 LOCATION: Beverly City Hall, 191 Cabot Street, Yd Floor Council
7 Chambers
8 MEMBERS PRESENT: Chair Ellen Hutchinson; Ellen Flannery; Sarah. Bartley;
9 George Gomes;Nathaniel Lewis; Wayne Miller; Vice-
10 Chair Derek Beckwith [7:1 Opm]
11
12 MEMBERS ABSENT:
13 STAFF PRESENT: Assistant Planning Director Kenneth Clawson
14 RECORDER: Kristan Patenaude
15
16 Call to Order
17 Chair Hutchinson called the meeting to order at 7:04 p.m.
18
19 1. Subdivision Approval Not Required Plans
20
21 None at this time.
22
23 a.Recess for Public Hearings
24
25 Flannery: Motion to recess for public hearings. Gomes seconds. Motion carries by roll call
26 vote (6-0).
27
28 2. Public Hearing: Waiver of Frontage and Definitive Subdivision Plan—93 Hale Street—
29 William D.Little and Luana B. Little,Trustees of the Luana Baldi Realty Trust and the
30 William D.Little Revocable Trust of 2019
31
32 a. Waiver of the frontage requirements and a Definitive Subdivision Plan for 93
33 Hale Street.
34
35 Clawson reads the legal notice. Tom Alexander, of AIexander and Femino presented on behalf of
36 the applicant. He explained that a variance was granted from the frontage requirements on
37 October 25, 2023. An Order of Conditions was issued by the Conservation Commission on June
38 4, 2024. The intention is to build a house on the lot, as shown on the plans, and share an existing
39 driveway with the existing home on the property, owned by the applicant's parents. Tom
40 Alexander reviewed the frontages for nearby lots, including a 22' frontage next door to this lot.
41
42 Beckwith joined the meeting at 7:10pm.
43
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City of Beverly Planning Board
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Meeting Minutes
44 Tom Alexander explained that the proposed frontage is in keeping with the surrounding
45 properties. A 25' frontage is more than what is required for two-way traffic in a shopping center.
46 Notice was sent to all abutters within 300' of this property.
47
48 In response to a question from Gomes, Tom Alexander stated that the driveway access will travel
49 with the property.
50
51 Miller asked about objections from a neighbor. Tom Alexander stated that this was not filed by
52 with a direct abutter. The abutter in question is over 300' from this property.
53
54 Beckwith asked if this lot was non-conforming to begin with. Tom Alexander stated that this is a
55 preexisting,non-conforming lot. There was no zoning relief given to create the lot. If this waiver
56 was granted, it would be the first for the lot.
57
58 There was no public comment at this time.
59
60 Flannery: Motion to close the public hearing. Gomes seconds. Motion carries by roll call
61 vote(7-0).
62
63 Flannery: Motion to grant a waiver of frontage for both lots at 93 Hale Street. Gomes
64 seconds. Motion carries by roll call vote (7-0).
65
66 Flannery: Motion to approve the Definitive Subdivision Plan for 93 Hale Street. Gomes
67 seconds. Motion carries by roll call vote (7-0).
68
69 3. Public Hearing: Special Permit#194-24— 14 Greenwood Avenue—Benco LLC
70 a. Creation of Pork-Chop shaped lots
71
72 Flannery: Motion to grant a continuance of the public hearing for Special Permit#194-24—
73 14 Greenwood Avenue to August 20,2024. Gomes seconds. Motion carries by
74 roll call vote(7-0).
75
76 4. Public Hearing: Site Plan Review#167-24 and Inclusionary Housing#28-24--478
77 Rantoul Street—478 Rantoul Street LLC
78 a. Conversion of existing 3-family residential use to 250 s.f. of commercial use on the
79 first floor. A one-bedroom residential use and three-bedroom residential use will occupy
80 the rest of the existing building. The existing building will be connected to the new building
81 consisting of a first level parking area and four levels of residential use above totaling 30
82 new one-bedroom residential units.
83
84 Clawson reads the legal notice. Tom Alexander, of Alexander and Femino presented on behalf of
85 the applicant. He explained that the applicant was previously proposing an application for 37
86 new residential units. Since that time, the plan has been redesigned to accommodate a reduced
87 number of 30 residential units. The existing front building is proposed to be refurbished and
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Meeting Minutes
88 contain two residential units, with a commercial unit on the first floor. The applicant previously
89 met with the Design Review Board and heard positive comments on the plan.
90
91 Dan Ricciarelli, Seger Architects, Inc., representing the applicant, explained that the revised plan
92 has removed four parallel parking spaces next to a conservation area in order to obtain a 24'
93 wide drive aisle for the site. This also led to approximately 800 s.f. of landscaping included on
94 the plans. The existing building contains a one bedroom and a three-bedroom unit. The two
95 buildings on the site will be connected using an underground tunnel, allowing this to be
96 considered a one building structure. The revised plan shows a loss of one floor from the
97 previously proposed application. The same materiality is proposed for this revised plan. There
98 will be adequate parking for emergency vehicles to access the site.
99
100 Brendan Pyburn, P.E., Bobrek Engineering & Construction, representing the applicant, explained
101 that there was no change to the stormwater or utility design for the site from the previous
102 proposal.
103
104 Dan Ricciarelli stated that the proposed tunnel will be 8' wide, approximately 12' deep, and 3'
105 below grade. The tunnel will be used as storage space for the tenants of the building. There will
106 be no public access to the tunnel. This area will not be connected to the commercial operation on
107 the property.
108
109 Vincent Orlando, principal for 479 Rantoul Street LLC, noted that he spoke with the Zoning
110 Officer, who stated that the tunnel was a good amenity for storage on the site, as there is no
111 basement for the building. The tunnel also avoids the applicant having to seek a Special Permit
112 for this project.
113
114 Clawson noted that the report from the Engineering Department was included in the Board's
115 packet. Dan Ricciarelli explained that plans will be provided to answer any questions from the
116 Engineering Department.
117
118 Chair Hutchinson noted that one of the Fire Department's apparatus trucks will not be able to
119 access the site and one access point is proposed to be the CVS nearby. This gives her reason for
120 concern. Tom Alexander stated that he noticed many buildings along Rantoul Street that could
121 have a similar problem and are not sprinkled. He believes that the proposal meets code.
122
123 Beckwith shared similar concerns regarding the Fire Department access. He asked what
124 restrictions could be put in place regarding access in case there are future changes to the CVS
125 property. Tom Alexander stated that he does not believe it is the applicant's job to answer that
126 question. The applicant's job was to design the building to code,which it did.
127
128 The Board reviewed the comment memo from the Fire Department,dated July 9, 2024.
129
130 Beckwith asked if there is another example of a tunnel in the City being used this way. Tom
131 Alexander stated that he has not researched this. The proposal has been reviewed by the Building
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Meeting Minutes
132 Commissioner,who agreed that this is an acceptable way to attach one building to another, and
133 that it will fill a legitimate purpose for the tenants.
134
135 Chair Hutchinson stated that a memo from the Fire Captain notes that the current plans show
136 code compliant mitigation solutions for some of the risks. However,the new design still has
137 restricted Fire Department vehicle access that creates higher than normal practical complications
138 in its design and in the parcel layout. Tom Alexander stated that he does not believe a code
139 violation is in play. There is a housing shortage in the Commonwealth, and the intention is to
140 build zone compliant housing. The building will be sprinkled. The applicant team's job is
141 designed to code and is not bothered by the higher-than-normal complications mentioned by the
142 Fire Captain.
143
144 Chair Hutchinson asked about the material for the parking area. Tom Alexander stated that the
145 parking lot will be gravel. It is currently asphalt.
146
147 Clawson noted that the Board is still waiting for comments from the DRB, Parking, and Traffic.
148
149 Thad Siemasko,AIA, architect, stated that a residential project in Beverly did utilize a tunnel and
150 it was helpful in terms of utility space and transportation of tenants. This is a proposal to use the
151 existing zoning appropriately to benefit the project.
152
153 Flannery: Motion to grant a continuance for Site Plan Review#167-24 and Inclusionary
154 Housing#28-24 located at 478 Rantoul Street. Miller seconds. Motion carries by
155 roll call vote(7-0).
156
157 b. Reconvene meeting
158
159 Flannery: Motion to reconvene the meeting, Beckwith seconds. Motion carries by roll call
160 vote (7-0).
161
162 S.Discussion on closed Public Hearings, if not already decided:
163
164 None at this time.
165
166 6. Set Public Hearings:
167
168 a. Special Permit##195-24—14 Paine Avenue—Ford and Kate O'Neil,c/o Glovsky
169 and Glovsky LLC, 8 Washington Street,Beverly,MA 01915
170 i. Creation of Pork-Chop shaped lots
171
172 Flannery: Motion to set a public hearing for August 20, 2024 for Special Permit#195-24
173 located at 14 Paine Avenue. Miller seconds.Motion carries by roll call vote (7-0).
174
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175 7. Request for Planning Board authorization and recommendation of peer review of
176 upcoming 0 Trask Lane project for parking and traffic study as required under
177 Massachusetts General Law 53G
178
179 Miranda Siemasko, Glovsky and Glovsky, present on behalf of the applicant explained that this
180 is a request to prepare for a Site Plan Review filing, likely in September. Ahead of this filing,the
181 applicant would like the information to be sent off for peer review.
182
183 Flannery: Motion to authorize the peer review of the upcoming 0 Trask Lane project for
184 parking and traffic study as required under Massachusetts General Law 53G.
185 Miller seconds. Motion carries by roll call vote (7-0).
186
187 8. Approval of Minutes (as available):
188 a. November 14,2023
189 b. December 19,2023
190 c. January 17, 2024
191 d. May 21,2024
192 e. June 18,2024
193
194 No minutes to review at this time.
195
196 9. New or Other Business
197
198 Clawson stated that the Board will hear a presentation by the Planning Department regarding
199 MBTA 3A at the August 20, 2024, meeting. Other boards and commissions will be invited to
200 attend. The public engagement for this will be wrapping up at the beginning of August, and the
201 intention is to be before the City Council at the end of September.
202
203 10. Adjourn
204
205 Flannery: Motion to adjourn. Miller seconds. Motion carries (7-0).
206
207 Meeting adjourns at 8:17 p.m.
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