06.09.2020 BPB MinutesCITY OF BEVERLY
PUBLIC MEETING MINUTES
Board:
Planning Board Special Meeting
Date:
June 9, 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, Darcy Jameson (Beacon),
Andrew DeFranza (Harborlight), Thad Siemasko, Miranda
Gooding, Michael Aveni
Recorder:
Jodi Byrne, Recording Secretary
Chair Ellen Hutchinson calls the meeting to order at 6:00 p.m. and reads a prepared statement
introducing the meeting, the authority to hold a remote meeting, public access and public
participation, and meeting ground rules. She takes roll call attendance.
1. Planning Board Recommendation on Special Permit of The Beverly City Council Order
#107 and Inclusionary Housing #19-20 - 7 Sohier Road - Briscoe Village LLC c/o Glovsky
& Glovsky
Hutchinson reviews the status of this project from the May 27, 2020 meeting of the Planning
Special Permit until a
recommendation was received from the Parking and Traffic Commission. She says that this
recommendation has now been received with some minor conditions of approval, and she asks
City Planner Darlene Wynne to present these conditions.
Wynne reports that the Parking and Traffic Commission voted unanimously (7-0) to recommend
the approval of the Site Plan and the Special Permit to both the Planning Board and to the City
Council subject to the following conditions:
1.The areas on the site shall be designated for pick-up and drop-off and include livery
services and ride sharing vendors.
2.Bike racks shall be included throughout the premises, as shown on the plan.
3.Wayfinding signage to be used shall be unique and distinguishable to the theater use and
implemented clearly directing the public to designated parking areas for auditorium
events.
4.Once an operator is selected for the theater, the operator shall meet with the Parking &
Traffic Commission to further discuss parking and traffic management, including shuttle
services and other mitigating methods/options.
5.Parking information shall be included on the venue website and made available to patrons
when purchasing tickets.
6.Work shall be coordinated between the proponent and the City through the Department of
Public Services for improvements along Sohier Road and Colon Street.
Beverly Planning Board
Meeting Minutes
June 9, 2020
7.Traffic mitigation as presented by GPI in the Traffic Impact Analysis to be provided to
Department of Public Services for the City to make improvements, including
signal timing adjustments.
Chair Hutchison asks Attny. Miranda Gooding to speak on the ap
Gooding says that the applicant agrees to all of the conditions as requested by the Parking and
Traffic Commission.
Derek Beckwith reports that he viewed the site and spoke with some neighbors who had
concerns about parking on Fielder Road, as this was an issue when Briscoe was open. Beckwith
requests that when the theater opens for shows, Fielder Road be a part of the discussion with
plans to discourage the public from parking on the street.
Atty. Gooding says that because the theater operator has not yet been identified, it will be
difficult to know what theater operation will look like. She adds that the Parking and Traffic
Commission addressed this issue in condition #4
the operator shall meet with the Parking & Traffic Commission to further discuss parking and
says that none of the ten public parking spaces identified in that area were on Fielder Road, and
that the peak times of field and theater use should not conflict.
Hutchinson asks how often the field is used. Attny. Gooding and Andrew DeFranza both report
that (to the best of their knowledge) the field is infrequently used. Beckwith says that the two
local residents reported that sometimes the high school football team practiced on this site.
Wynne says that the field may have better use with new accessibility. Wynne says that managing
parking will need to be worked out with the theater manager. Wayne Miller confirms with Thad
Siemasko that the original theater held 1,200 seats, and that the restored theater will contain 500.
Hutchinson asks about condition #4, in that it presumes cooperation between the Parking and
Traffic Commission and the theater operator. Attny. Gooding says that the Special Permit
conditions keep the jurisdiction under the authority of the Parking and Traffic Commission, and
that once the project is up and running, they will work with the theater manager. Wynne adds
that the Occupancy Permit could be influential in terms of getting the necessary review
complete.
Hutchinson speaks of a concern with this building housing 91 occupants and a theater operator
who will have permission to run the theater with an unknown number of events. She says that
she has concerns that residents could tire of multiple events, and asks if they will have a voice in
this. DeFranza says that they want to live up to the RFP to restore the theater, and that any
resident concerns would become a management issue. Darcy Jameson (Beacon) says that
residents will be able to share concerns with the management company and also that property
management will educate prospective residents so that they will fully understand the community.
Hutchinson states that the role of the Planning Board is to vote on whether to recommend or not
recommend an approval of this Site Plan to the City Council. Wynne says that she included a
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Beverly Planning Board
Meeting Minutes
June 9, 2020
letter for the language of the Special Permit and Site Plan approval with the referenced
conditions and each of the Committee letters.
Craft:
Motion that the Planning Board recommend that the City Council approve the
Special Permit request in Order #107 and the accompanying Site Plan shown on
the drawings and documents, as named in the application, subject to the following
comment letters and conditions therein submitted by the various Department
Heads, Boards and Commissions, as follows:
1.Letter dated May 11, 2020 from Emily Hutchings on behalf of the Design
Review Board.
2.Letter, undated, from Sergeant Michael Henebury on behalf of the Police
Department.
3.Letter dated May 27, 2020 from City Engineer Eric Barber.
4.Letter dated June 9, 2020 from Richard Benevento, Chair of the Parking and
Traffic Commission.
5.Letter dated May 27, 2020 from Conservation Agent Jenna Pirrotta.
Beckwith seconds. There is a roll call vote with each Board member voting yes:
Sarah Bartley, Derek Beckwith, Alexander Craft, Ellen Flannery, Wayne Miller,
Andrea Toulouse, and Ellen Hutchinson. The motion passes (7-0).
2. Minor Modification Request to Site Plan Review #138-19 50 (44) Dunham Road Map
69 Lot 2 Dunham Ridge LLC
Hutchinson
major or minor; stating that if they are major, the changes will require a public meeting.
Michael Aveni speaks on behalf of the applicant. Aveni says that in May 2020, a building permit
application was submitted to erect the structural steel for this project. He says that the City
Planning Department noted a different facade than the original drawing approved in June 2019
and requested a review. Aveni says that he presented these changes to the DRB on Thursday,
June 4th, and that the DRB unanimously approved them. He says that the applicant is requesting
that the two sheets showing the changes be substituted into the approved package. Aveni says
facilitate a loading dock.
Craft requests feFlannery says that the DRB unanimously
approved, finding the new changes to be more attractive than the original plan. Hutchinson
requests that Aveni show a comparison of both the original and changed images for the Board to
review. The images are projected onto the screen.
Hutchinson asks about the roof handlers. Aveni says there will still be some mechanical
elements (materials) are the same, yet because of the elevation changes, the structure is
aesthetically different.
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Beverly Planning Board
Meeting Minutes
June 9, 2020
Craft asks if they decreased the number of loading bays. Aveni answers no, as that would
eliminate the possibility of adding more. Aveni says that the right side of the building changed so
that it could split the use by users. Both Miller and Hutchinson say that they do not see these
changes as minor. Wynne says she didn't envision the changes as major, but that it is up to the
Board. Beckwith asks if the newly added door is confirmed as an egress door. Aveni states that
no one will access this entrance as it has no sidewalk and backs into the woods.
Beckwith asks why the island was eliminated as it provided green space. Aveni says that the
elimination was to provide better movement for the loading docks.
Wynne notes that the elevation changes were already in the April 9, 2020 drawings, and says that
they are looking at modifications from before this. She reviews that Emily Hutchings noticed the
elevation changes, resulting in the Design Review
set of images that were most recently approved by the DRB. Hutchinson confirms that these
designs are more similar with the current proposal. She also says that she wants to be clear of
what was approved and what is being proposed. Aveni shows all comparison images. The Board
reviews each image that was approved by the DRB. Hutchinson says that these do appear more
minor. Beckwith confirms with Aveni that these images are exactly what the applicant is
proposing. When asked about the removal of the island green space, Aveni says that this will
allow better access to the loading areas, and that he continues to make minor changes to make it
a better project. He also notes that there will be green space surrounding the project.
Hutchinson confirms that pages A2.01 and A2.02 are the ones to be substituted into the plan.
Aveni states that this is what he submitted in the permit application. Wynne says that there does
not have to be a special vote to approve the two pages, as they can just be referenced and then
added into the plan for the vote.
Flannery:
Motion to deem that the changes to the approved Site Plan Review #138-19 50
(44) Dunham Road Map 69 Lot 2 Dunham Ridge LLC are minor. Craft
seconds. A roll call vote is taken with the following Board members voting yes:
Sarah Bartley, Derek Beckwith, Alexander Craft, Ellen Flannery, Andrea
Toulouse, and Ellen Hutchinson. Board member Wayne Miller votes no. The
motion passes (6-1).
Flannery:
Motion to accept the requested changes to Site Plan Review #138-19 50 (44)
Dunham Road Map 69 Lot 2 Dunham Ridge LLC as described on sheets
A2.01 and A2.02 revised on May 22, 2020; and sheet C-2 revised on May 26,
2020. Beckwith seconds. There is a roll call vote with each Board member voting
yes: Sarah Bartley, Derek Beckwith, Alexander Craft, Ellen Flannery, Wayne
Miller, Andrea Toulouse, and Ellen Hutchinson. The motion passes (7-0).
New Business
Wynne says that ten restaurants are opening for outside dining and encourages all who are
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Beverly Planning Board
Meeting Minutes
June 9, 2020
Craft:
Motion to adjourn the meeting. Bartley seconds. There is a roll call vote with each
Board member voting yes: Sarah Bartley, Derek Beckwith, Alexander Craft, Ellen
Flannery, Wayne Miller, Andrea Toulouse, and Ellen Hutchinson. The motion
passes (7-0). The meeting is adjourned at 7:11 pm.
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