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2013-03-05CITY OF BEVERLY PUBLIC MEETING MINUTES BOARD OR COMMISSION: Parking and Traffic Commission SUBCOMMITTEE: DATE: March 5, 2013 LOCATION: Conference Room B, Third Floor City Hall MEMBERS PRESENT: Chair Rich Benevento, Tina Cassidy, Richard John Somes, Rich Hutchinson, Russ Rollins OTHERS PRESENT: Mr. Steve Connolly, Atty. Miranda Gooding, John Vogus, Peter Ogren, Chet Marcus MEMBERS ABSENT: Bill Bent, Bill Fiore RECORDER: Eileen Sacco Benevento calls the meeting to order at 8:30 a.m. 1. Discussion /recommendation to Planning Board: Site Plan Review application #110 -13: construction of two story 40,000 sq. ft. private school with accessory school uses / Connolly Brothers, Inc. Steve Connolly of Connolly Brothers Construction addresses the Commission and explains that he has the 10 acre parcel located at 96 Cherry Hill Drive under agreement for purchase and they are proposing to develop four acres of it for the future home of the New England Academy. He also notes that he may construct an office building on the other parcel in the future. Connolly states that he is joined this morning by Atty. Miranda Gooding of Glovsky and Glovsky, Mr. John Vogus, Chairman of the Board of Directors for NEA and Peter Ogren the site engineer for the project. Mr. Vogus addresses the Commission and explains that NEA is a Chapter 766 approved school by the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education for grades 7 -12. He explains that the school services a variety of students who come from out -of- district placements with various needs ranging from social emotional needs to school phobias, depression and anxiety and the like. He states that they presently have 91 students in the school and the curriculum is a rigid, strong curriculum where students are challenged and many of their students go on to college. He also notes that they have a staff to student ratio of 4 -1. He says that the number of students is not expected to grow much higher than it is now, even with the new facility because they are succeeding at the size they are now and they want to remain as they are. Peter Ogren addresses the Commission and explains the plans. The proposed building will house classroom space, gymnasium space and athletic fields. He states that there will be a single access driveway that will serve both parcels and explains the access on the site. Final Parking & Traffic Commission minutes March 5, 2013 Meeting Page 1 of 6 Ogren states that the site plan has been filed with the Planning Board and they will be reviewing it at their meeting on March 19, 2013. Ogren reviews the access on the site and the location of the driveway and believes there are no traffic issues on the site or off -site resulting from it. He notes that the proposed driveway will be one -way into the school site. Future traffic from an office building would utilize this driveway as both an access and an egress. Benevento asks what time the students will arrive in the morning. Vogus stated that they arrive at school between 7:30 and 8:00 a.m. He also notes that students come from different distances and are transported to school by about 30 mini -vans. He indicates that the students are released at 2:15 p.m. and they attend school 198 days per year. Benevento says that his concern would be what is happening at the Cabot /Conant Street intersection relative to traffic. He also states that if and when development plans for an office building are proposed for the other parcel, the Commission may want to see a traffic analysis that assesses the impact at that intersection. He says that if a majority of students arrive via mini vans that would obviously impact (positively) traffic conditions. He adds that when the transportation vans queue up, they can queue up in the parking lot if necessary and will not reach Cherry Hill Drive. Benevento asks Ogren to explain the parking on the site. Ogren does, noting they are proposing 80 spaces (which is the number required by zoning) and shows the area on the plan where the buses will be accommodated. He also notes the location of handicapped parking spaces on the plan. Benevento states that he likes that the plan calls for a right turn in and the students exit the vans on the curb side. Cassidy asks if the circulation in the parking area is one -way. Ogren answers that the traffic circulation is two -way and says the aisles are a minimum of twenty -four feet wide. He also states that the shared driveway will have two -way traffic as well. Benevento says that in anticipation of the future office development he would recommend that signage on the site include "Do Not Enter" signs and a "Right Turn Only" sign coming out of the driveway. Vogus states that there is not a lot of after - school activity on the site. Rollins says that parental traffic to /from the site seems to be more limited than it would be at other schools and asks what number of students they would top out at. Vogus stated they expect to keep enrollment levels where they are now, noting that at present they have 91 students and may finish the year with 93 students. Final Parking & Traffic Commission minutes March 5, 2013 Meeting Page 2 of 6 Benevento asks where deliveries to the site would be made. Vogus explains that most of the deliveries they get are from FedEx and the US mail but adds they do not have many deliveries. Ogren shows the location on the plan for a dumpster pad for trash. Benevento says that Bill Fiore of the Beverly Fire Department is not present this morning to comment on the project. Connolly states that they have held a couple of discussions about the project with him and he did not have any concerns with the plan. Benevento opens the meeting up for public comment at this time. There is no one present who wishes to comment on the project. Benevento asks if there are any other questions or comments regarding this matter. There are none. Cassidy: motion to recommend that the Planning Board condition any approval of the proposed site plan on the following: Additional signage at /near the parking lot exit that informs exiting motorists of the driveway's one -way travel direction; and Additional signage as needed to make it clear the easternmost (shared) driveway is not to be used as an exit from the school site. Hutchinson seconds the motion, all members in favor. The motion carries 5 -0. 2. Discussion: City policies and practices for municipal off - street parking lots / Mr. Chet Marcus representing condo association at 266 Cabot Street Cassidy reports that Mr. Somes had requested that the Commission set aside meeting time to allow Mr. Chet Marcus to address the members about ideas relative to downtown parking and the off - street municipal parking lots. There wasn't time on last month's agenda for that discussion so it will take place this morning instead. Marcus addresses the Commission, explaining that he has his business at 266 Cabot Street. He mentions in particular the two -level lot on Pond Street and the Pond /Chapman Street lot. The long -term spaces in the Pond /Chapman Street lot are often completely full. Marcus suggests that the City consider: (a) adding signage to the upper portion of the two -level Pond Street lot to better publicize the fact that there are long -term spaces available in the lower level; (b) removing the inaccurate signage on the fence at the back of the two -level Pond Street lot is inaccurate; and Final Parking & Traffic Commission minutes March 5, 2013 Meeting Page 3of6 (c) adding signage to the Pond /Chapman Street lot to more effectively alert motorists that short and long term parking is also available in the two -level Pond Street lot. Benevento asks if one of the lots could be designated for long term parking and the other designated for short term parking. Cassidy states that the changes /additions to signage are easy fixes. She states that she would recommend involving Eric Barber in the matter given the Engineering Department's role in designing /building /maintaining the lots. Benevento says the Commission has had a lot of discussions regarding the parking in the downtown and adds that Eric Barber had specific signage plans when the lots were reconstructed. He suggests that the Commission send a letter to him recommending that he review the signage for both lots and install additional signage where appropriate to more clearly identify short-term and long -term parking in the upper and lower Pond Street lot. Marcus notes that the Chapman Street lot is free and people park there long -term. He suggests that there should be a fee noting that the residents don't like this. He also says that there is a negative safety perception of the lower level of the Pond Street lot which is in some ways out of sight. He adds that the lower level of the lot is not very utilized during the day. Marcus informs members that he encourages his employees not to park on Chapman Street or Pond Street, out of respect for the neighbors and residents who live on those streets. Sgt. Rollins notes that discussions have been held regarding the possibility of all -day parking for a fee. Cassidy says several have floated that idea but that there are as many businesses opposed to the idea as there may be in favor. Some businesses like banks and retail outlets rely on "easy" parking for their customers and are concerned about employees taking up prime parking spaces for customers. Sgt. Rollins notes that if the lower lot near the Spear Post were free it would get utilized. Cassidy states it will get utilized if /when the City eliminates all -day street parking by non - residents in neighborhoods. Benevento suggests asking the Engineering Department to do a usage study on the parking lots morning, noon and night. Cassidy says that she would make the request and suggests a time frame of 30 -60 days for reporting back. Members agree this timetable would be acceptable. Benevento says that he would agree to that but noted that he would like the signage installed earlier. Cassidy will request that the signage be installed. 4. Discussion (continued): Police Department recommendation to restrict parking on Wayland Road (both sides) or to establish fire lane / S2t. Rollins Final Parking & Traffic Commission minutes March 5, 2013 Meeting Page 4of6 Sgt. Rollins requests that the matter be continued to the meeting next month, saying he sent a letter to the residents and is still waiting for some responses. 5. Update Request to State Re2ardin2 Truck Exclusion for Cole Street Cassidy reports that the Mayor has received the materials for the truck exclusion request for Cole Street and she is waiting for him to review it. She says that she informed him that Benevento and Bent would be available to discuss the matter with him if he so chose. 6. Approval of minutes: February 5, 2013 regular meeting Benevento asks members if they have reviewed the draft minutes of the Commission's February 5, 2013 meeting and whether there are any questions or corrections. There are none. Somes: motion to approve the draft minutes, seconded by Cassidy. All members in favor, the motion carries 5 -0. 7. New /Other Business a. Discussion Regarding Cummings Center Proposed Exit from Northwest Deck to Balch Street Cassidy reports that she received an email from Steve Drohosky regarding the proposed exit from the northwest deck to Balch Street dated February 15, 2013 regarding the requested signage for an "Exit Only" sign to keep traffic from entering there. He also included a sketch of the plan they will present to the Planning Board, in response to the recommendation made by the Commission. Benevento states that he reviewed the sketch and suggested that the words "Do Not Enter" be stenciled between the crosswalk and the stop line and that a second stop sign be added to the left leg of the "goal post ". Cassidy agrees, but says that taken together the improvements are "visually striking ". Rollins suggests that maybe Cummings should consider a motion - activated gate as a better solution there, noting that it would make it physically impossible to enter the garage unless the vehicle crashes through the gate. Benevento says he will mention the gate idea to the officials at Cummings but does not think the Commission should change its formal recommendation. Members agree. b. Discussion on Windover Proiect on Rantoul Street Benevento says he has noticed that Windover has taken over Rantoul Street with their project, noting that half of the street is blocked off He also says that there are big trailers on the side street. Cassidy states that the configuration of the Rantoul Street road closure has been modified since it was initially placed there. Final Parking & Traffic Commission minutes March 5, 2013 Meeting Page 5 of 6 Cassidy suggests that if the Commission is concerned about the City's road closure policies she would invite Eric Barber to an upcoming Commission meeting to discuss the subject. C. Discussion on Cabot and Balch Street Signal Rollins informs members that he is working to get "Do Not Block Tracks" signs erected at this location and at the tracks crossing Balch Street. Benevento reports that the traffic backs up to the railroad tracks and suggests that the traffic lights at that corner should be tied to the train signal. d. Next Meeting Cassidy recalls that several meetings ago Councilor Wes Slate recommended the Commission meet with the Superintendent of Schools and others on the recurring subject of parking and traffic issues near certain schools. She states that she has scheduled a meeting on the Commission's behalf for Wednesday, March 13, 2013 at 9:30 a.m. at the Memorial Building. She says that School Committee Chairwoman Maria Decker will also attend, and the Superintendent has invited the principals of several elementary schools to attend as well. Benevento requests that aerial maps of the schools be provided for the meeting. Cassidy asks members to let her know if they will be attending the meeting so that she can post it as a special meeting if necessary. The next regular meeting of the Parking and Traffic Commission will be held on Tuesday, April 2, 2013 at 8:30 a.m. 4. Adiournment Benevento asks if there is any additional business for the Commission to conduct. There is none. Hutchinson: motion to adjourn, seconded by Rollins. All members in favor, motion carries 6 -0. The meeting is adjourned at 10:00 a.m. Final Parking & Traffic Commission minutes March 5, 2013 Meeting Page 6 of 6