2006-06-14
CITY OF BEVERLY
PUBLIC MEETING MINUTES
BOARD OR COMMISSION: Parking and Traffic Commission
SUBCOMMITTEE:
DATE: June 14, 2006
rd
LOCATION: Conference Room B, 3 Floor City Hall
MEMBERS PRESENT: Bob Mead, Wayne Francis, Tina Cassidy,
Chris Negrotti, Sue Mueller, Richard
Hutchinson
MEMBERS ABSENT:
OTHERS PRESENT: Attorney Mark Glovsky, Dinart Serpa
RECORDER: Tina Cassidy
Cassidy calls the meeting to order and states that the purpose of the meeting is to review a
requested modification to an approved site plan that has been filed with the Planning Board.
The site involved is the Dunkin Donuts facility on Elliott Street, the site plan for which was
previously approved. She explains that the City became aware of the fact that the existing
driveway configuration was creating dangerous conditions on Elliott Street, in that people
using the drive-through facility have been lining up over the train tracks during the drive
through’s busier times.
The City approached the owner, Dinart Serpa, and asked him if he would be willing to
propose changes to the site plan to reduce or eliminate the possibility of drivers blocking the
train tracks.
Mr. Serpa agreed to investigate possible site changes at his own expense, and the plan that
has been filed with the Planning Board proposes alterations that should effectively address
the issue.
Attorney Mark Glovsky explains the proposed changes, which would close off the driveway
closest to the train tracks and make the second driveway a combined entrance/exit driveway.
The orientation of the parking spaces will also change to accommodate the change in traffic
flow on site.
Hutchinson expresses concern about the impact of changing the parking space alignment on
the safety of pedestrians crossing the parking lot, and questions whether or not a car could
actually access the first space closest to what will be the new exit/entrance driveway. Serpa
states that he is certain a car can access the space, but will have his engineer double-check
that. Cassidy suggests that a crosswalk might address the concern about pedestrian safety in
the parking lot, by giving pedestrians a safe path between the majority of parking spaces and
the front door of the establishment.
Cassidy states that she spoke with Public Services Director Mike Collins shortly before the
meeting, and lists a number of issues/questions Collins has with the proposed changes. The
concerns were:
Parking and Traffic Commission Minutes June 14, 2006 meeting
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The existing 10’ wide easement owned by the City is labeled “proposed”; in fact,
the easement already exists, and the previously-approved site plan required that “no
parking” signs be placed along the fence to keep the easement open to public works
vehicles (the signs are missing);
??
The plan does not clearly depict the details of construction that will be required to
close the driveway – for instance, the plan doesn’t show how the sidewalk and
curbing on Elliott Street would be connected.
Members then discuss the issues raised during its review, and vote to recommend that the
revised site plan be approved by the Planning Board, subject to the following conditions:
(1) That pavement markings be added at the new consolidated entrance to identify
the ingress lane;
(2) That the word “proposed” be stricken from the description of the 10’ wide
access easement (the easement already exists) and “no parking” signs be erected
along the fence/guardrail along the eastern property line to eliminate vehicle
parking within the City’s 10’ wide easement;
(3) That pavement markings be added in the front parking lot to create a pedestrian
walkway (e.g. “crosswalk”) between the parking spaces in the front yard and the
building’s main entrance;
(4) That the applicant prove that a vehicle entering the reconfigured parking lot can
access the designated handicapped parking space without backing into traffic;
(5) That the Building Inspector determines that the proposed width of the
entrance/exit driveway meets the requirements of Section 29-24.E.2.e. of the
Zoning Ordinance; and
(6) That the construction details associated with closure of the second driveway
meet with the approval of the City’s Public Services Director.
There being no other business for the Commission to discuss, the meeting is adjourned.
Parking and Traffic Commission Minutes June 14, 2006 meeting
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