DRB minutes_ 09.01.22 final DRAFT
CITY OF BEVERLY
PUBLIC MEETING MINUTES
BOARD OR COMMISSION: Design Review Board
DATE: September 1, 2022
LOCATION: Hybrid Meeting; City Hall Conference Room A
MEMBERS PRESENT: Sandy Cook(Chair), Ellen Flannery, Caroline Baird Mason, Rachel Poor,
Pam Gougian ZBA representative
STAFF PRESENT: Victoria Healey,Associate Planner
MEMBERS ABSENT: Jon Ouellette
OTHERS PRESENT: None
RECORDER: Sharlyne Woodbury
Sandy Cook calls the meeting to order at 7:02 p.m.
This is a hybrid meeting with special meeting format as required to honor Governor Baker's Executive
Order declared due to the national crisis of COVID-19.
Signs
1. The SHOP a Boutique Salon,30 West Dane Street Catherine Berkman
This is in the CN zoning district.The application includes one projecting sign and complies with the
ordinance. No illumination or special permits required.
Catherine Berkman presents to the board. Double sided hanging sign.This is in a walking neighborhood,
and desires to have increased visibility. Poor suggests making it more robust as the design is dainty,
Berkman is not looking to advertise. Her goal is to pique public interest. Berkman confirms her business
is a hair salon.
There being no further comments or questions regarding the matter:
Motion: Cook moves to approve the sign as presented. Flannery seconds.The motion carries 6-0.
2. Dunkin',44 Dodge Street Poyant Signs
This is in the CG zoning district.The application includes two illuminated signs on two fagades; a pylon
replacement sign; single lane drive thru tube sign. No special permits required.
Bill Gavian presents to the board on behalf of the applicant.The is a business remodel, updating the
branding with new imaging that includes white channel letters. New imaging seeks to decrease large
obtrusive signs.They will relocate the height detector to avoid damage from trucks hitting it. Healey
asks how the height detector calculations were determined. Members jointly review the calculations.
The drive thru sign is 8'4" which the board finds acceptable. Healey will confirm her calculations for the
fee schedule.
There being no further comments or questions regarding the matter:
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Motion: Flannery moves to approve the sign as presented. Mason seconds.The motion carries 6-
0.
Additional comments:
Gavian points out the new digital menu boards to the members. Currently there are no city ordinances
for digital signage.
3. Auto-Dyne,8 Railroad Avenue Brito Corp D/B/A Auto-Dyne
This is in the CC zoning district.The application includes two wall signs; a "no office sign"; projecting sign
with logo on primary fagade. No special permits required.
Kislaine Brito presents to the board. She and her husband are the new business owners.They are
modernizing the sign and are currently in the process of determining a marketing strategy.
Brito asks for suggestions and Poor provides insight for marketing strategies and sign design. Flannery
informs the client you want to tell the public you are doing both selling cars and providing auto repair
service but do so in a concise manner. Mason suggests, "service and used car sales". Gougian confirms
Brito is permitted for used car sales. Cook suggests removing the phone number and prefers a website
address. Cook asks Brito to resubmit the design to Healey for an administrative review for approval.
There being no further comments or questions regarding the matter:
Motion: Cook moves to approve the sign as presented with the condition(s):the wording will
change to "Service and Used Car Sales";the phone number will change to the website;
the applicant will submit a final copy to Healey for administrative approval;the board is
not approving the wall sign. Mason seconds.The motion carries 6-0.
4. The Falconer Pub, 280-282 Cabot Street The Falconer Pub
This is in the CC zoning district.The application includes an externally illuminated projecting sign and
door sign with window decal. No special permits required.
Chuck Barbato presents to the board. He is modernizing the pub sign and desires an Old English style.
The window sign,verbiage and falcon will all be in white. It will mirror the size of the actual sign with the
falcons to have a matching wingspan. Members ask Barbato how he calculated the window dimensions,
the ordinances permit for 20%of the total space. Barbato confirms the falcon wings will go to the edge
of the glass, however; he is willing to shrink the signage. Poor suggests a smaller sign. Cook instructs
Barbato to measure the window square footage and take 20%of the glass area to determine proper
size.
There being no further comments or questions regarding the matter:
Motion: Mason moves to approve the sign as presented with the shrinking of the decal on the
door and window. Flannery seconds.The motion carries 6-0.
Thad Siemasko requests switching order of the agenda items for site plan review.The board grants the
request. "Fresh Fields" (Agenda Item #7)will be reviewed first.
Site Plan
5. 350-354 Rantoul Street 350-354 Rantoul Street, LLC
c/o Glovsky&Glovsky, LLC; Miranda P.Siemasko, Esq.
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This is a proposed recreational cannabis retail location. Rick Alpern and Zack Brach are present for the
project.
Miranda Siemasko presents to the board on behalf of the applicant.The HDC found the building was
historically significant but not preferable preserved.They authorized the demolition to the building.The
applicants are building new and not renovating an existing building.The project engineers found the
structural damage and building integrity compromised and no longer viable to renovate.The same
materials and color schemes, landscaping, site layout remain the same.The building is reduced from 3
stories to 2 stories. Healey has notes of the landscape plan from Ouellette and will read his comments.
Main issues are the plant bed which proliferates weed beds,the conditions of the plantings are not
conducive to the location of the proposed landscape area. Being next to the road does not encourage
positive plant/shrubbery growth and allows road pollution and salt(winter plowing). Suggesting soil
testing for the plant beds. Brach notes the only landscaping plan will be a small strip along the corner of
West Dane and Rantoul Street. Members review their digital packets and are pleased with the proposed
plan overall.
There being no further comments or questions regarding the matter:
Motion: Cook moves to recommend to the Planning Board that the site plan for 350-354 Rantoul
Street, LLC "Fresh Fields" be approved. Flannery seconds.The motion carries 6-0.
6. 26, 28&28R Cabot Street;4-6,8& 10 Rantoul Street SW Rantoul Gateway, LLC
c/o Christopher D. Koeplin, Manager.This is in the CC zoning district.
Miranda Siemasko presents the project on behalf of the applicant.This is a 60-unit apartment complex,
mixed use building with associated garage.
Thad Siemasko presents the design to the board.They are looking to create some definition to the
street line from the Water Street view.They will be cleaning up the curb cut. Keeping driveway access
away from the busiest parts of the intersection. Siemasko presents multiple viewpoints from the street
views of Cox Court, Goat Hill Lane, Rantoul and Cabot Streets. Siemasko suggests the design will include
small green spaces as you travel over the bridge into Beverly, like "lily pads" on either side of the bridge
and Cabot Street.There are 43 parking spaces in the garage and 73 surface parking spaces.The parking
falls into the Depot overlay parking requirements.The mixed use includes a lounge,fitness area, and
office space. 3 street trees are proposed along Cabot Street. Looking to carve a 6-foot uniform sidewalk
along the edge of the building. It's a 4-story building from where the single-family homes are, increasing
to 5 stories at the base of Goat Hill Lane. 4 studios, 21 single bedrooms, and 35 2-bedroom units.The
intent is to accomplish a marine/nautical feeling to the building.The balconies would mirror boat masts.
The end units have prominent bay windows.The roof intends to have solar panels it will be flat.A brick
base will form a plinth,traditional windows, railings more nautical in character. The residential fagade
will be simple, clean and monotone. Attic story on the roof is minimal.There is a roof deck for residents.
Navy blue awnings top the windows,traditional black sash.The building mass is broken up along the
street, so it is not one big block. Small landscaping park along Goat Hill Lane. Landscaping is minimal. 3
street trees are 2 locusts sandwiching 1 pear tree, Goat Hill Lane will have gladiator crab trees.They do
not require a lot of water and are generally native.The brick walls will be softened with ivy.
Healey reads Ouellette's comments on the proposed landscaping design. Appreciates the traditional red
brick at the base of the building. Does not tie into the other buildings in recent design. Consider adding
more benches at the street level. Add two additional trees on Rantoul Street with recommended
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species. If trees are not an option add more height and texture with mixed shrubbery. Also suggests
adding height to the transformer area with taller shrubs. Provide a nod to historical character with
mosaic tiles,vibrant colors, please consider updating the rendering to have richer hues and vibrant
colors, especially if it is blue.The renderings make the blue appear gray. Please provide updated
materials and colors. Provides a suggested list of native species for plantings and shrubbery. Ouellette's
comments are provided to M. Siemasko for the project team. Suggests a dog park on the roof. Consider
the use of granite block instead of stone boulders.
Mason notes context and scale are missing from the discussion.This is the entryway into historic
downtown Beverly.This is a high-rise coming over the bridge.Too often the discussion surrounds
replacing landscaping preferences for the missing historic character and context of the district. If you
mess up the history that makes a place unique you lose a lot. Recent developments along Rantoul and
now Cabot Streets produced a lot of high-rises.The gateway to have a 5-story high rise is unfortunate.
Poor agrees with Ouellette and Mason.The building should be richer and appreciates the opportunity
for art. Mason notes the irony of a wall of art depicting the history of an area while it is part of the
"Disneyfication" of the history Beverly landscape.The high-rise dilutes the effectiveness of the history.
Gougian inquires if the art can be revolving where the gateway of Beverly leads into the local artists
district.
Flannery would like a more welcoming look;this is a gateway. Cook finds there's too much white.
Koeplin confirmed the project met with Ward 2 Civic Association who advocated for more white walls
like the Sedna Apartments.T. Siemasko notes the buildings being removed from site have a random
placement and does not have current historic context to preserve.T. Siemasko notes he does not want
the view coming over the bridge to look like a random mess of scattered mismatch buildings and homes.
Cook returns to the blue color in the rendering.T. Siemasko notes he does not object to deepening the
gray. Gougian asks what percentage of the units have balcony access.T. Siemasko replies, most if not all,
including ones not facing the ocean,those will have Juliette balconies. Members review the renderings
in depth. Flannery asks what was the preference of Ward 2 in reference to coloring? Koeplin replies they
want clapboard, not a lot of metal materials, or too much glass to avoid a corporate look. Members
would like updated renderings or updated color samples. Gougian notes the Mission Boathouse gray is
lighter,T. Siemasko confirms these buildings would be a deeper gray. Cook does not consider the
building a high-rise. Gougian notes the context is out of place next to single family homes. Cook is there
any chance of more space on the roof deck. Koeplin,they do not want to increase the roof deck or have
a dog park up there.
Members of the public:
Joan and Peter Johnson, 677 Hale Street
There being no further comments or questions regarding the matter:
Motion: Cook recommends approving the site plan for 26, 28 & 28R Cabot Street; 4-6, 8& 10
Rantoul Street; SW Rantoul Gateway, LLC to the Planning Board with the condition(s):
the applicant return to review final color selection; materials; landscaping plans; and
final project comments. Poor seconds. Mason abstains.The motion carries 5-0-1.
7. New/Other Business
a. Approve draft meeting minutes
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Motion: Flannery moves to table the minutes to the next meeting. Cook seconds.The motion
carries 6-0.
8. Adiournment
Motion: Cook moves to adjourn. Flannery seconds.The motion carries 6-0.
Meeting adjourned 9:00 p.m.
Next meeting Thursday,October 6,2022.
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