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2004-05-18 City of Beverly, Massachusetts Public Meeting Minutes BOARD: Planning Board SUBCOMMITTEE: DATE: May 18, 2004 PLACE: Beverly City Hall BOARD MEMBERS PRESENT: Chairperson Richard Dinkin, Vice Chairman John Thomson, William Betts, Joanne Dunn, Ellen Flannery, Daniel Hamm, Donald Walter OTHERS PRESENT: Leah Zambernardi, Assistant Planning Director RECORDER: Jeannine Dion (by tape) Dinkin calls the regular meeting of the Beverly Planning Board to order. Betts: Motion to recess and reconvene for scheduled public hearings, seconded by Flannery. All members are in favor. Motion carries. Public Hearing (continued): Site Plan Review Application #73-03 Prescott Farms – Planned Residential Development (PRD) – Part of 70-Unit Residential Project in adjacent IR Zone Boulder Lane/The Miles Group Dinkin states this is a concurrent public hearing on two matters. Zambernardi reads the legal notice into record. Attorney Thomas Alexander, representative for the applicant, requests a continuance because he is continuing to work out some secondary access issues with the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Dinkin asks Alexander if there is any “hint” on when or if the ZBA might render a decision on this matter. Alexander responds that he can’t speak for the ZBA. He believes the ZBA is waiting for the State Highway Department. He is told by the State Highway Department that they will have an answer within 30 to 60 days. Alexander requests a two-month continuance. Thomson: Motion to continue the hearing for Site Plan Review Application #73-03 to July 20, 2004, at 7:30 p.m., seconded by Flannery. All members are in favor. Motion carries. Planning Board Minutes May 18, 2004 Page 2 Public Hearing: Special Permit Application #109-04 and Site Plan Review Application #80-04 – Pleasant Court Apartments (formerly Pisani’s Market) – Multi-family dwelling, in which residential use comprises from 76% to 100% of total floor area. Raze existing non-conforming wood-frame, mixed-use building & construct one 5-story masonry building – one-story commercial & residential space & four 116-128 Rantoul Street/Roof Investors Zambernardi reads the legal notice into record. Attorney Mark Glovsky represents the applicant. He introduces Phil Hresko, the Architect for the project and John Leary, developer from Roof Investors. Glovsky provides an overview of the project. The highlights are as follows: · There is approximately 16,500 square feet of land. · The property has 108 feet of frontage on Rantoul Street and 145 feet of frontage on Pleasant Street and 117 feet of frontage on Court Street. · There is an application pending before the Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBA), which has been continued twice and is scheduled for June. The applicant expects that the Planning Board’s action would follow action by the ZBA. · The application has been before the Parking and Traffic Commission, Design Review Board and the applicant plans to meet with Frank Killilea, City Engineer, to address other issues before the next Planning Board meeting. · The property is in the CC Zoning District and it is not a piece of property, which has been kept in good repair. · The proposal is to raze the existing building and replace it with a 5-story masonry building. The building will contain 46 dwelling units (28, 1-bedroom units and 18, 2-bedroom units). · There will be two retail units on the first floor on Rantoul Street containing 4,600 square feet. · The building will be served by two levels of parking. There will be a total of 84 parking spaces. · The project has been designed partly in response to the state’s encouragement of “smart growth” and a project that is consistent and responsive to the Design Guidelines that were promulgated by the City in December. · The state wants the development of housing near transit stations. Housing that would enable the occupants not to be depending on automobiles but to rely on public transportation and housing that would allow previously developed sites to be redeveloped and for the occupants of those sites to take advantage of existing retail and personal services opportunities and the existing infrastructure in the neighborhood. Planning Board Minutes May 18, 2004 Page 3 · The project would require a handful of permits from the ZBA and they have been applied for. It also requires a Special Permit and Site Plan Approval from the Planning Board. · Glovsky states the project could be the poster child for “smart growth” because it neatly responds to what the state is looking for and what smart communities might be doing in the near future. Phil Hresko, the Architect, provides an overview of the project. The proposal is to design a building that looks like it might have been there before, something that wouldn’t be out of place. Zambernardi reads the following letters into record: · A letter from the Conservation Commission dated May 18, 2004. · A letter from the Engineering Department dated May 18, 2004. · A letter from the Board of Health dated April 29, 2004. · A letter from the Parking and Traffic Commission dated March 18, 2004. · A letter from Fire Prevention dated May 18, 2004. · A letter from the Police Department dated May 18, 2004. · A letter from the Design Review Board dated May 17, 2004. Dinkin asks if the footprint of the building occupies the entire parcel. Glovsky responds that the footprint occupies almost the entire parcel. Dinkin states the city is currently considering an Inclusionary Zoning Amendment to the Zoning Ordinance, which as currently drafted, would require some units to be designated Affordable Housing. He states should this project be approved, it would probably be approved prior to the passage of the ordinance. Dinkin asks what percentage of the units would the applicant be willing to set aside as affordable. Glovsky responds the number of affordable units that the developer has been talking about is 10%. Dinkin asks what the intended sale price of the units would be. Leary responds that they will range from $260,000 to $300,000. Glovsky states the project was stalled because the applicant was asked to continue the hearing with the Zoning Board and meet with the MBTA. There has been a meeting with the MBTA and there is an ongoing dialogue to make sure this project is not going to limit the MBTA’s project. The MBTA anticipates a 600-car parking garage behind this building. Planning Board Minutes May 18, 2004 Page 4 Thomson asks if the entire property is under single ownership. Glovsky responds that it is. Thomson asks about exterior lighting, landscaping and building heights. Hresko responds. Killilea states he is still waiting for civil engineering drawings for the property. Dinkin puts this matter into recess until 8:35 p.m. Modification of Site Plan Review Application #79-04 – Bushby Estates – 58-64 Dodge Street – Mart Management, Inc. Zambernardi reads the legal notice into record. Attorney Thomas Alexander represents Mart Management. He states the project was approved by the ZBA and the Planning Board for Site Plan Review in February. In the course of meeting with Massachusetts Highway Department, Route 1A (Dodge Street) was redesigned about 1 ½ years ago. The Massachusetts Highway Department has requested that the driveway opening for this parcel remain 30 feet wide, as opposed to the 24 feet, which was approved by the Planning Board. Alexander requests that the driveway opening remain at 30 feet wide. Dinkin asks if there are clarifying questions from members of the board. Thomson asks if the only change is the width of the driveway. Alexander responds that is the only change being proposed. Dinkin asks if there are clarifying questions from members of the public. There are none. Dinkin asks if there are comments in support of the proposal. There are none. Dinkin asks if there are comments in opposition of the proposal. There are none. The hearing is closed. Discussion/Decision: Modification of Site Plan Review Application #79-04 – Bushby Estates – 58-64 Dodge Street – Mart Management, Inc. Thomson: Motion to approve the Modification of Site Plan Review Application #79- 04 – 58-64 Dodge Street, seconded by Dunn. All members are in favor. Motion carries. Planning Board Minutes May 18, 2004 Page 5 Subdivision Approval Not Required Plans (SANR) Ralph W. and Anne L. Drinkwater – Dix Way Zambernardi states the application involves a conveyance of a 11,714 s.f. parcel from land of Ralph and Anne Drinkwater to land of Thomas on Dix Way. No new lots are being created. Both lots meet the requirements for endorsement of an ANR and staff recommends that it be endorsed as such. : ThomsonMotion to endorse the plan for Dix Way as one not requiring approval under the Subdivision Control Law, seconded by Flannery. All members in favor. Motion carries. Marciano Bass River Trust Attorney Thomas Alexander represents two of the principals of the Marciano Bass River Trust, which are seeking to subdivide the property located on Elliott Street, known as Bass River Plaza into two lots. Each lot is in conformance with the requirements of the CT Zone, including area, frontage, parking and lot are coverage. Dinkin asks if there are questions from members of the board. There are none. : ThomsonMotion to endorse the plan for Bass River Plaza, Elliott Street, as one not requiring approval under the Subdivision Control Law, seconded by Flannery. All members in favor, no one in opposition. Motion carries. Thomson: Motion to recess and reconvene for scheduled public hearings, seconded by Flannery. All members are in favor. Motion carries. Public Hearing: Chapman’s Estates – Definitive Subdivision Plan – 2 Boyles Street – Manor Homes at Whitehall LLC/David Carnevale Zambernardi reads the legal notice into record. Attorney Thomas Alexander, representative for the applicant, requests a continuance due to ongoing negotiations with neighbors to try to work out a compromise. Dinkin asks if Alexander believes the applicant will be prepared to go forward in one month. Alexander responds that there has been one meeting with the neighborhood group. The plan has been redesigned and there will be another meeting in one week. Alexander requests a continuance until the June meeting. Planning Board Minutes May 18, 2004 Page 6 Thomson: Motion to continue the hearing for Chapman’s Estates – Definitive Subdivision Plan – 2 Boyles Street – Manor Homes at Whitehall LLC to June 15, 2004 at 7:30 p.m., seconded by Flannery. All members are in favor. Motion carries. The public hearing for Special Permit Application #109-04 and Site Plan Review Application #80-04 is called to order. Public Hearing: Special Permit Application #109-04 and Site Plan Review Application #80-04 – Pleasant Court Apartments (formerly Pisani’s Market) – Multi-family dwelling, in which residential use comprises from 76% to 100% of total floor area. Raze existing non-conforming wood-frame, mixed-use building & construct one 5-story masonry building – one-story commercial & residential space & four 116-128 Rantoul Street/Roof Investors Betts asks a clarifying question regarding parking. Glovsky responds that the applicant has not yet decided how to operate the parking lot. Dinkin asks if there are clarifying questions from members of the public. Euplio Marciano asks about trash. Hresko states there will be a trash room with recycling bins in the parking area. Dinkin asks about trash removal. Glovsky states the development will contract with a private removal service. Jim Pruette, 36 Felt Street, Salem, Massachusetts, asks if the apartments will be for sale. Glovsky responds that they will be condominiums. Pruette asks if storage of refuse will interfere with number of parking spaces. Hresko states the plan showed 89 spaces and they have taken out 2 for refuse storage. He states they are still above 81 spaces required by zoning. Rosemary Maglio asks about the gross floor area of the building. She asks how the 10 percent area for residential recreation facilities is being allocated. Hresko states private terraces are provided. Renee Mary of 27 Hale Street asks questions about this project and how it relates to MBTA parking garage. Pam Kampersal, 241 Dodge Street, asks if a traffic study has been done. Glovsky responds that they weren’t planning to do a traffic study. She also asks about water consumption. Pruette asks about the height of the vehicle entrance. Hresko states it will be 9 feet high. Pruette states that in Salem he has been active with an alliance of neighborhood Planning Board Minutes May 18, 2004 Page 7 associations and they are concerned about transit improvements. He addresses two issues. He states firstly, smart growth attempts to increase density and transportation facilities. He asks if we can expect that a certain number of residents will be drawn because of proximity to the commuter rail. He also contemplates that the anticipated parking demand might be less than what is provided. Dinkin states that the quality of public transportation reflects in desirability of real estate. Glovksy states that the Massachusetts Housing Task Force has concluded that by creating housing near transportation, ridership of MBTA will increase and this infers that people will be less likely to rely on automobiles. Mary asks why, if a traffic study was required for the MBTA parking garage, this project will not have one. Maglio asks where the parking for customers will be. Glovsky states parking will be provided in the garage. Leary states that during normal business hours, parking would be available to customers. He states that they’ll have limited access during night hours and weekends. (This matter recesses until 9:15.) Public Hearing: Special Permit #110-04 – Installation of Wireless Communicating Facility in the Watershed Protection Overlay District – Beverly Airport, 46 L.P. Henderson Road - Sprint Spectrum/T. Greene (Hamm recuses himself from this portion of the meeting.) Zambernardi reads the legal notice into record. Timothy Greene appears on behalf of Sprint Spectrum LP to request a Special Permit in order to construct within the Watershed Protection Overlay District, in which the Beverly Municipal Airport is a part. They met with the Zoning Board last month, and it was continued until May 25, 2004. Zambernardi reads the following letters into record: · A letter from the Beverly Conservation Commission Agent, Amy Maxner. · A letter from Frank Killilea, Engineering Department dated May 19, 2004. · A letter from the Board of Health dated May 17, 2004. · A letter from the Fire Department dated May 18, 2004. · A letter from the Police Department dated May 18, 2004. · A letter from Salem/Beverly Water Supply Board dated May 17, 2004. Planning Board Minutes May 18, 2004 Page 8 (This matter recesses until 9:45 p.m.) Public Hearing: Special Permit Application #109-04 and Site Plan Review Application #80-04 – Pleasant Court Apartments (formerly Pisani’s Market) – Multi-family dwelling, in which residential use comprises from 76% to 100% of total floor area. Raze existing non-conforming wood-frame, mixed-use building & construct one 5-story masonry building – one-story commercial & residential space & four 116-128 Rantoul Street/Roof Investors Dinkin asks if there are any comments in support of the project. Donald Preston, business owner and resident, states he is in support of the project. He states that having worked on the Master Plan for the City of Beverly, the need for “smart growth” was discussed and this project seems to be built to those standards. John Sulley, 17 Yankee Way, commends the Planning Board for Boston Magazine’s ranking of Beverly being on of the “Best Places to Live” and it is projects like this that will bring better rankings to the City of Beverly. He states it is one of the more exciting things that could happen to Rantoul Street. The building is a beautiful, historic-looking building, which will bring in people who are going to bring money to Rantoul Street. Dinkin asks if there are any comments in opposition of the project. Rosemary Maglio, Pleasant Street, states she is in opposition because of the number of variances necessary for the project. She does not think you need to go outside of the zoning requirements to have “smart growth.” Euplio Marciano, 18 Fayette Street, expresses concern about the lack of parking, safety, schools and that the applicant is asking to put too much in one little area. Thomson: Motion to continue the hearing until June 15, 2004, 8:30 p.m., seconded by Dunn. All members are in favor. Motion carries. The regular meeting of the Beverly Planning Board is called to order. Expiration of Special Permit #98-97: Watershed Protection Overlay District Special Permit for Mini-Storage Warehouse Facility/Tom Ford-Expiration Date Zambernardi reads a letter from the applicant, Tom Ford requesting an extension for the Special Permit, which expires on May 24, 2004. The City of Beverly and the Airport Commissioners has been engaged in a comprehensive environmental testing and remediation at the site. Planning Board Minutes May 18, 2004 Page 9 Zambernardi reads a letter from Frank Killilea, the Engineering Director into record. He recommends the Planning Board grant an extension to March 31, 2005. Thomson asks who is doing the demolition work. Killilea responds that Mr. Ford will be demolishing one of the buildings. Frank Killilea recommends that it might be a good idea to extend it until November due to the considerable amount of paving involved and site development, which may need to be done in warm weather. Shirley Johnson states she would like to clear something up. She states years ago they took the Beverly Airport from her family by eminent domain. Every time she receives a letter she goes along with everything they want to do. She went to the Manager of the Airport and offered for them to buy her land and they were not interested but yet, they want to build more and, in turn, it is ruining the valuation of her property and its an eye sore. She is opposed to anything they want to do at the airport. Thomson: Motion to extend the date of expiration of the special permit for 6 months to November 24, 2004. All members are in favor. Motion carries. Public Hearing: Special Permit #110-04 – Installation of Wireless Communication Facility in the Watershed Protection Overlay District – Beverly Airport, 46 L.P. Henderson Road - Sprint Spectrum/T. Greene Dinkin asks if members of the public have clarifying questions. Pam Kampersal, 241 Dodge Street, asks if there will be an electric line driving through the area to get to the tower. Greene responds that there will be underground electrical, telephone off an existing pole on L.P. Henderson Road. Kampersal asks how far the line will be and how deep the hole will be. Greene responds that it will be approximately 150 feet, 3 feet deep. Kampersal asks if the applicant would need special permission to do that because there is a lot of hazardous contaminated waste there. Greene responds he has no knowledge of hazardous waste on the site. Frank Killilea states the city is working on the DEP requirements to clear three sites in this area but on the other side of Henderson Road. Dinkin asks if there are comments in support of the project. There are none. Planning Board Minutes May 18, 2004 Page 10 Dinkin asks if there are comments in opposition. Kampersal expresses concern that it is a quality of life issue to the drinking water supply in this area. She states there are a lot of questions that need to be answered. She asks if the Planning Board members would like to meet with members of her group Groundswell to get a better understanding of what that area contains. She also invites Frank Killilea to offer his opinions. Dinkin recommends that she arrange that with Leah Zambernardi. Kampersal recommends that the applicant hire a Licensed Site Professional. Greene states if the Phase I shows that there is evidence of contamination out there, then they would go through the appropriate measures. Dinkin states he would like to see the results of the Phase I soil test before a vote is taken. Thomson: Motion to continue the hearing for Special Permit #110-04 to June 15, 2004 at 9:00 p.m., seconded by Betts. All members are in favor. Motion carries. The regular meeting of the Beverly Planning Board is called to order. Dinkin reminds members that another Joint Public Hearing with the City Council is scheduled to take place on June 3, 2004 at 7:00 p.m. regarding a proposed Zoning Amendment to rezone a portion of the Cummings Center from “IG” to “IR”. Adjournment Dunn: Motion to adjourn, seconded by Walter. All members are in favor. Motion carries. The meeting is adjourned.