2007-11-19
CITY OF BEVERLY MASSACHUSETTS
PUBLIC MEETING MINUTES
BOARD OR COMMISSION:
Planning Board, Joint Public Hearing and
Special Meeting
SUBCOMMITTEE:
DATE:
LOCATION:
OTHERS PRESENT:
November 19, 2007
City Council Chambers, Beverly City Hall,
3rd Floor
Chairperson Richard Dinkin, Ellen Flannery,
John Thomson, Don Walter, Joanne Dunn
Charlie Harris, David Mack, Stephanie
Williams
Assistant Planning Director Leah
Zambernardi
Leah Zambernardi
MEMBERS PRESENT:
MEMBERS ABSENT:
RECORDER:
City Council President Guanci calls the meeting to order.
1. Joint Public Hearim!:: City Council Order #236 - Zonim!: Amendment - Site Plan
Review Ordinance
The City Clerk reads the legal public hearing notice.
Councilor Guanci invites Planning Board Chair Richard Dinkin to join the Council in
front of the room. Dinkin steps up.
Dinkin explains the contents of the proposed amendment. He states they wish to amend
the filing fees and the number of plans required at the time of submission of an
application. He states this proposal is also to allow the Planning Board to approve minor
modifications to site plans without a public hearing. He states that currently, owners of
properties that have undergone site plan review need to file a request for a modification
and go through a public hearing process even if they are making small changes. He cites
the example ofAxcelis Technologies in Cherry Hill Park who recently requested a site
plan modification to allow them to reconfigure a loading dock at the rear of their
property.
Councilor Gooding asks for other examples. Zambernardi states that a few years ago
Shaws requested a site plan modification to move a light pole. She states that Bushby
Estates on Dodge Street has requested permission to remove a handicapped parking space
from their lot. Although the City's ADA coordinator is fine with the change, the owners
must come back to the Planning Board for a public hearing to modify the plan under the
current site plan review ordinance.
Planning Board Minutes
November 19, 2007
Page 2 of3
Councilor Guanci asks for questions from the Council and Planning Board. There are no
more questions.
Councilor Guanci then asks members of the public for their comments and questions.
Rosemary Maglio, 30 Pleasant Street, asks a clarifying question about the plan
requirements. Dinkin and Zambernardi respond.
There being no more questions or comments, Guanci closes the public hearing.
Dinkin states that a special meeting of the Planning Board will take place immediately
after this in the adjacent conference room.
Dinkin calls the special meeting to order.
1. Recommendation to the City Council - Council Order #236 - Zonim!:
Amendment - Site Plan Review Ordinance
Thomson states that this amendment was proposed by the Planning Board. He also states
that if the Board was not comfortable with approving a minor modification, they could
require a public hearing.
Thomson: Motion to send a recommendation to the City Council that the zoning
amendment be approved, seconded by Flannery. All members and the Chair vote in
favor. The motion passes 5-0.
2. Open Space Residential Desi2n (OSRD) Discussion of Draft Amendments and
Recommendation to Set a Joint Public Hearin2 with the City Council -
Recommendation to the City Council
Zambernardi states that a draft of the OSRD has been submitted to members for their
review. She states that the Cecil Group was hired to review OSRD, apply it to 2 different
residential lots in Beverly and make recommendations for amendments based on their
analysis. The Planning Board reviewed Cecil Group's report in Fall 2006 and
recommended the Ordinance be amended to reflect their suggestions. Since that time,
Planning Staff has revisited those amendments and has made suggestions for further
amendments to reflect feedback received from the development community over the past
year.
Dinkin asks Zambernardi to review the changes proposed by staff since the Board already
voted upon the Cecil Group's recommended changes.
Planning Board Minutes
November 19, 2007
Page 3 of3
Zambernardi reviews staffs proposed changes, which include changes to Section 11.3.
(second paragraph and fourth paragraph), Section IlIA., Section IV.I. and Section VI.I.
She states the other changes were recommended by the Cecil Group and the Board
reviewed and voted upon them in Fall 2006.
During the course of discussion, the Board made additional changes, which include the
following:
· add the phrase, "in the RIO, RI5 and R22 zones" to the end of subsections 1I.l.a
and 1I.l.b.
· add the phrase "together or in conjunction with land outside the tract" to then end
of subsection 11.3. b.i.
· add a public hearing requirement to yield plans in subsection 111.3.
· add provision to subsection VII.6. that the Planning Board may allow pedestrian
access that is not parallel to the street in lieu of one or more traditional sidewalks.
The Board takes individual motions to incorporate each of the above bulleted changes
into the draft amendment. Each motion carries unanimously.
Thomson: Motion to submit the draft of OSRD as amended tonight to the City
Council in January and to recommend that the City Council set a joint public hearing date
to consider said amendment. Flannery seconds the motion and it carries unanimously.
Walter:
Motion to adjourn. Seconded by Dunn. Motion carries unanimously.
The meeting is adjourned at 8:15 p.m.