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05.05.2020 BPB MinutesCITY OF BEVERLY PUBLIC MEETING MINUTES Board: Planning Board Meeting Date: May 05, 2020 Location: Google Meet virtual meeting Members Present Chair Ellen Hutchinson, Vice Chair Alexander Craft, Sarah Bartley, Derek Beckwith, Ellen Flannery, Wayne Miller, Andrea Toulouse Members Absent: Allison Kilcoyne Others Present: Planning Director Darlene Wynne, Thomas Alexander, Jay Coughlin, John Coughlin Recorder: 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. She says that tonight's meeting is not being live - streamed by BevCam, and that a recording will be available for viewing after the meeting. Chair Hutchinson confirms that all can hear her clearly, and then she calls the attendance of the Board and staff as a note of public record. She states that Andrea Toulouse is now a voting member of the Board. Chair Hutchinson also calls the attendance of the meeting's anticipated speakers. 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. 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. Chair Hutchinson reminds all participants that they 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 they are 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 that she will introduce each speaker on the agenda and asks invited speakers to state their names before comments. Chair Hutchinson then says that after each presentation, she, as Chair, will formally invite Board members to provide comments or questions. After this, Chair Hutchinson will call the names of those who have registered for public comment. Members from the public who have been invited to speak are asked to first state their name and address, and then they will be given three minutes to speak. All attendees are asked to use their mute button except for when they are introduced to formally speak and to not Beverly Planning Board Meeting Minutes May 5, 2020 use the chat feature unless it is for technical issues. Chair Hutchinson states that each vote will be taken with a formal roll call that will be called in alphabetical order. 1. Subdivision Approval Not Required Plans There are none. 2. Approval of Minutes: February 11, 2020; March 10, 2020; April 14, 2020 The February 11, 2020 minutes are discussed and amended as needed. Flannery: Motion to approve the February 11, 2020 minutes as amended. Derek Beckwith seconds. Chair Hutchinson takes a formal roll call vote with all members voting yes: Bartley, Beckwith, Craft, Flannery, Miller, Toulouse, and Hutchinson. The motion passes (7 -0). The March 10, 2020 minutes are discussed and amended as needed. Flannery: Motion to approve the March 10, 2020 minutes as amended. Sarah Bartley seconds. Chair Hutchinson takes a formal roll call vote with all members voting yes: Bartley, Beckwith, Craft, Flannery, Miller, Toulouse, and Hutchinson. The motion passes (7 -0). The April 14, 2020 minutes are discussed and amended as needed. Flannery: Motion to approve the April 14, 2020 minutes as amended. Sarah Bartley seconds. Chair Hutchinson takes a formal roll call vote with all members voting yes: Bartley, Beckwith, Craft, Flannery, Miller, Toulouse, and Hutchinson. The motion passes (7 -0). 3. Request for Determination of Adequacy of Screening and Landscaping — 32 Dunham Road — Steve Frederickson, Director of Municipal Inspections Chair Hutchinson informs the Board that this request is similar to the Everett Street project where the Board had to make a formal recommendation to Mr. Frederickson that the proposed screening was adequate for conflicting uses. Darlene Wynne, Planning Director, projects an image of the landscaping plan for all to view. Chair Hutchinson invites Jay Coughlin (Gateway Realty) to speak, asking him to address two items: 1. What is proposed for the site 2. What is the current state of the screening and what changes does he propose? Jay Coughlin states that Gateway Realty closed on this building in late February 2020 and began removing both dead trees and invasive species of trees from the site. He says that they then began planting 80 new 8 -10 ft. high evergreens. Coughlin says that they began meeting with concerned neighbors and that the last meeting was April 25, 2020. He says that they walked through the area with the neighbors and showed them the plantings, and that all appeared to be in agreement that their landscaping plan would be an improvement. Coughlin says that Steve Frederickson suggested that they get their plan approved or that they would be proceeding at Beverly Planning Board Meeting Minutes May 5, 2020 their own risk. Chair Hutchinson confirms this speaker is Jay Coughlin with Gateway Realty. John Coughlin (Gateway Realty) also speaks to confirm that they removed dead trees and invasive species that were overgrown within their plan to improve the area. Chair Hutchinson asks how high the newly planted trees are estimated to grow. John Coughlin answers that the newly planted evergreens are white pines and will grow to the height of 15 -20 ft. He states that these trees will create a barrier around the property. Chair Hutchinson invites questions or comments from the Board. Wayne Miller says that pines sometimes die from the bottom up and that this would leave a hole at the bottom. He asks if this kind of pine is subject to this. John Coughlin answers that this type of pine will not do this. Miller then confirms with John Coughlin that the screening barrier is only required on the north and west side of the property. Beckwith asks if the lawn area in the front of the property has trees that will potentially be removed. John Coughlin answers that they have already taken down the dead trees that were closest to the building. He adds that once he knows what they will be doing with the building, they can provide a more specific plan for the Board. Beckwith asks if the road to the right side (that goes to the existing condos) is under jurisdiction of Conservation. Jay Coughlin says that they are in the process of drawing up plans for this. Flannery asks if they can confirm if the condo association has reviewed this plan. John Coughlin says that they have not heard anything from the condo association. Jay Coughlin confirms that they have cleaned up trash and dead growth to improve the area and have not heard from the condo association. Jay Coughlin also says that they only met with the neighbors on the left side of the road. Chair Hutchinson asks how many neighbors were in attendance. John Coughlin says there were two separate meetings, with almost every neighbor at the last meeting. Jay Coughlin confirms this. Chair Hutchinson then asks how they would categorize the response. John Coughlin says that while he doesn't want to speak for the neighbors, he can report that most seemed pleased with the improvements that included the new trees that provide a better sound barrier and view. He says that they were also concerned with what would be happening with the property building, and that as plans develop they can tell them more. Jay Coughlin adds that they had originally planned to plant the trees 10 -15 ft. apart, but were told that this was too far to serve as a barrier. As a result, the trees are planted 4 -5 ft. apart allowing for the best barrier while also giving trees room to live. Wynne notes that the City did receive calls from neighbors when the trees began to come down, but that she has not had any more calls since they met with the neighbors. Jay Coughlin says that everyone left the meeting with a positive tone, and that it appeared to him that everyone was on the same page. John Coughlin says that he informed the neighbors that they would keep them informed of any building and tenant plans as the neighbors were worried about lights and trucks coming to the site. He says that he assured them that they would take care of all of their concerns. Beverly Planning Board Meeting Minutes May 5, 2020 Chair Hutchinson asks if by the submission of this plan, if this will be the extent of the screening of the boundary. John Coughlin confirms this, saying that they planted thirty of the trees so far in the high impact area. Jay Coughlin says that they are planning to plant eighty trees, and that if requested they will add more. He says that they are also adding an irrigation system to promote growth and life to the trees. He says that they are really trying to do this right for this project and for their neighbors. He says that he feels confident that everyone will be happy with the results. John Coughlin adds that the irrigation well is already on the site, and that once the trees are all planted they will add hydroseed. Chair Hutchinson states that she appreciates their willingness to work with the neighbors. She says that the job of the Board is to decide if it wants to recommend that this proposed screening is adequate for the conflicting uses. She then asks if there are any more questions from the Board. Flannery: Motion to recommend that the landscape plan for 32 Dunham Road provides the adequate screening required for the conflicting uses. Craft seconds. Chair Hutchinson takes a formal roll call vote with all members voting yes: Bartley, Beckwith, Craft, Flannery, Miller, Toulouse, and Hutchinson. The motion passes (7 -0). 4. Minor Modification Request: Site Plan Review #129 -17, Special Permit #160 -17, and Inclusionary Housing Application #11 -17 — 245 Cabot Street Unit 2 — YNS Affordable Housing c/o Alexander & Femino Chair Hutchinson recuses herself from this item on the agenda. Vice Chair Craft takes over the meeting. Craft says that the Board is being asked to determine if the proposed changes to the site plan are minor or not. Craft states that if the Board determines that the changes are minor that they can vote on these modifications at tonight's meeting, but if the Board determines that they are not minor that they would need to schedule a public hearing to consider the site plan as a major modification. Attny. Tom Alexander, One School Street, is invited to speak on behalf of his client. Attny. Alexander says that the property currently houses 45 single occupancy units in addition to YMCA offices and facilities. On September 19, 2017, the Board approved a plan to propose increasing this project to 69 total single occupancy units, including adding one story to the building. Attny. Alexander explains that due to a request by the Department of Housing & Community Development that each unit host a 2'x2'x2' stove, they had to resize the units and are instead proposing a 67 total single occupancy unit project. Attny. Alexander says that this plan has been submitted to the Board to show the new configuration. He says that the image shows what had been approved as well as what they are asking to be approved tonight. Attny. Alexander says that there are minor changes, with the exterior looking the same except with the windows being slightly changed to accommodate the new units. Attny. Alexander states that this plan has been approved for DHCD funding, and that they have submitted the plans for the building permit. Attny. Alexander states that they are hoping to begin construction in June 2020. Vice Chair Craft invites questions or comments from the Board. Flannery says that she can see Beverly Planning Board Meeting Minutes May 5, 2020 the changes in the windows (from a total of five to a total of three) on the top floor. Attny. Alexander confirms this and says that on the Essex Street side, the windows are of the same number, but with a slight change in position. Miller asks if the DRB would want to review this plan, and Flannery says that the DRB will be reviewing it on Thursday evening. Wynne states that the Board can vote before the DRB review. Wynne says that if there were any issues, the applicant would have to go back to the Planning Board, but that it made sense to lump the two votes together as plans to be submitted to the file. Miller confirms that there are only two elevation changes. Attny. Alexander notes that only one side will host these changes, and that the other side will have minimal change. Beckwith says that eliminating the two units is an 8% change from the number of additional units and asks if this should be considered a minor modification. Attny. Alexander confirms that this change is the result of the state's request for the 2'x2'x2' stoves for each unit. Craft asks if there are any other interior changes beside the stove that would impact the first plan approved. Attny. Alexander answers that there are not. He notes that on level two a laundry room was added. Vice Chair Craft asks if the Board has any more questions or comments. He then explains that there are two parts to this vote: 1. determining if the changes are minor or major 2. voting on the modifications Flannery: Motion to deem the changes to Site Plan Review 11129 -17, Special Permit #160- 17, and Inclusionary Housing Application 911 -17 as minor. Beckwith seconds. Vice Chair Alexander Craft takes a formal roll call vote with all of the following members voting yes: Bartley, Beckwith, Flannery, Miller, Toulouse, and Craft. The motion passes (6 -0) with Chair Hutchinson abstaining. Flannery: Motion to accept and approve the requested modifications to Site Plan Review #129 -17, Special Permit Application #160 -17, and Inclusionary Housing Permit #11 -17. Beckwith seconds. Vice Chair Alexander Craft takes a formal roll call vote with all of the following members voting yes: Bartley, Beckwith, Flannery, Miller, Toulouse, and Craft. The motion passes (6 -0) with Chair Hutchinson abstaining. Flannery amends the motion to include the elevation changes as reflected on the plan. Beckwith seconds. Vice Chair Alexander Craft takes a formal roll call vote with all of the following members voting yes to the modification request with the added amendment to include the elevation changes as reflected on the plan: Bartley, Beckwith, Flannery, Miller, Toulouse, and Craft. The motion passes (6 -0) with Chair Hutchinson abstaining. Chair Hutchinson resumes as Chair of the meeting. 0 Beverly Planning Board Meeting Minutes May 5, 2020 5. Discussion a. Master Plan Update Chair Hutchinson asks Darlene Wynne to report on the Master Plan. Wynne reviews the conversation from the last Board meeting regarding ways to move forward with the Master Plan during the current State of Emergency. Wynne says that she spoke with the Mayor and they both agree that they should wait a month or two in order to hold a public event, and that future public meetings may not be able to include in- person events. Wynne says that she is learning from consultants about different methods to hold virtual public outreach. She notes the equity issues, including those who cannot participate in person and those who cannot attend online and mentions a variety of options for outreach. She adds that in light of the State of Emergency and all that the City is trying to work out with supporting its people and businesses that the Master Plan is on the back burner. Wynne acknowledges Board member Sarah Bartley's comments from the last meeting, noting that people do not have the bandwidth right now to focus on the Master Plan. Wynne says that she does want to move forward and not wait too long, and that they hope to revisit in the next month and come up with a plan to move it forward in a different way. Wynne says it continues to be a priority that the end result will be a Master Plan that all (the community, City Council, and the Board) will feel good about. Bartley asks about a past discussion of the role and possible release of the consultant. She asks if the current conditions due to the pandemic may influence the current recommendations, and if this could change what has already gone forward. Wynne answers that the prioritization may be influenced, but that in a recent meeting with the consultant, many of the goals and recommendations still carried much weight. Wynne adds that some, including housing, job creation, and quality of life, may now be even more important. Wynne says that she does not anticipate massive changes, but that in the short term (independent of the Master Plan) there is an immediate need on how to help the City's businesses and residents. Wynne says that they can still move forward on some things such as zoning changes in the short -term priorities. Craft says that he appreciates the delay in the hope for a public meeting in July. He asks if the City is looking at ways to provide online access for citizens who do not have it in the event of an online meeting. Wynne answers that they have not yet thought about this, and that it will depend on what is open in July; for example, the library with public wifi access, downtown windows for display, or even opportunities for people to meet and review with just a few staff members. Craft suggests a pre- recorded spot on BevCam. Miller states that with the need for public access added into the process, in addition to more people working from home and remote learning, all require that the City prioritize high speed broadband. Miller says that this is a blatant problem right now as there are families with children who cannot complete their homework. Miller recommends broadband access for everyone in the City as a priority recommendation. Beckwith also asks about broadband, and asks if its value is increasing in the Master Plan. Wynne confirms that this is one of their recommendations, and that she has a webinar scheduled for tomorrow on best ways to host public meetings in the age of the COVID -19 pandemic. Beverly Planning Board Meeting Minutes May 5, 2020 Chair Hutchinson says this Master Plan is an especially significant one for the City. She says she appreciates how challenging the pandemic has made accessing the public and providing access for the public to respond. Chair Hutchinson says that she appreciates that people are working on this and thinking about how to best move forward. Chair Hutchinson again stresses the significance of this Master Plan and thanks Wynne for her efforts on finding ways to best proceed. b. Other business not known at the time of the posting of this agenda. Wynne says that the City is setting up an emergency business support task force to determine how to support its businesses in their reopening plans such as the staggering of openings, full reopenings, processes, determining what businesses will most need. She notes a CPC subcommittee and staff have been discussing possible emergency rental assistance funded by the CPC. She says that she has spoken with other organizations, finding that from a rental perspective, the eviction moratorium is significant, but notes that into the summer and fall when it is lifted this will change. Wynne says that the City is looking for what options can be provided, noting that Beverly does not have access to Federal funding pools (like other cities of the same size) due to its higher income levels. Through the CARES act, Wynne says the City hopes to apply for funding again this year. She says that Beverly does not have the $400,000 that Salem can put into their programs, but that these are things that City staff are working on behind the scenes. She notes that there is not yet a City or state budget, so that the financial picture is unknown. Beckwith says that the CPC can put together an emergency rental program for those who earn less than 100% of area median income and are in need. He is on a CPC subcommittee (with others including City staff member Denise Deschamps). He says this subcommittee is performing independent research and are also waiting for the number of people in Beverly who have become unemployed during the past 6 -8 weeks in order to formulate a plan for a rental program. Beckwith says that if there is a need, he will be working with Wynne and the Mayor to provide help for those who don't qualify for other assistance. Chair Hutchinson asks if their committee is planning to provide rental assistance to the landlord or to the tenants. Beckwith answers that they are planning assistance to the tenants, but that the payments would go directly to the landlords. He also states that the tenant would apply for the aid, not the landlord. Chair Hutchinson asks Wynne if the City's inclusionary housing trust monies could be used for rental assistance. Wynne says that there is 60K in the account, and that they are still waiting for a payment from the Congress Street property. Wynne explains that the Congress Street property agreement is for them to pay 50% before their first building's certificate of occupancy and then the rest before the second building's CO. Wynne says that there are also some home funds and CDBG monies, but that city staff is considering the whole picture in order to determine how much of the balance they can spend. Wynne also says that the City is committed to supporting the Briscoe project and that their proposal included seeking funds from the CPC, Housing Trust and the City's HOME funds. She says they are looking for one million dollars to help them meet their match to get the historic and affordable housing tax credits. Wynne says that while this does take a large amount of money, it Beverly Planning Board Meeting Minutes May 5, 2020 will create 90 affordable housing units. Bartley says that rental assistance funds are a priority, and asks if the City has considered any philanthropic fundraising to lessen the needs for City funds. Bartley stresses that there will be long standing needs. Wynne says that perhaps she and Bartley can talk more about this in addition to banks and businesses, etc. Wynne says that an emergency rental assistance program would have to apply to the CPC, and that she will think more about this. She notes that Bootstraps is considering creating a fund. Wynne says that she will follow -up with Bartley. Wynne says that the Briscoe project will be on agenda for the next meeting of the Board on Wednesday May 27, 2020. Wynne says that the Board will be asked to make a recommendation to the City Council regarding a Special Permit. She says that they met with Parking and Traffic today and will be meeting with the DRB next Thursday. • Adjournment Flannery: Motion to adjourn the meeting. Craft seconds. Chair Hutchinson takes a formal roll call vote with all members voting yes: Bartley, Beckwith, Craft, Flannery, Miller, Toulouse, and Hutchinson. The motion passes (7 -0). The meeting adjourns at 8:30 pm.