2023-5-15 Parking and Traffic Commission minutes CITY OF BEVERLY
PUBLIC MEETING MINUTES
BOARD: Parking and Traffic Commission
SUBCOMMITTEE: None
LOCATION: City Hall, 3rd floor Council Chambers
DATE: May 15, 2023
BOARD MEMBERS PRESENT: Chair Richard Benevento, Vice Chair Darlene
Wynne, Captain Jake Kreyling, Sergeant
Michael Henebury, John Lozada, Michael
Collins, Jonathan Salt, Dayna Morton
BOARD MEMBERS ABSENT:
OTHERS PRESENT:
RECORDER: Naomi Moca
Benevento chairs and opens the meeting at 8:33 a.m.
1. Review and Discussion: Temporary Traffic Control Plan —Southwest Rantoul Gateway -
926, 928 &28R Cabot Street, and 94-10 Rantoul Street—GPI o/b/o Beverly Crossing LLC &
Procopio Companies
Tyler Palermo and George Bertocchi of Procopio Companies and Rebecca Brown of Greenman-
Pedersen, Inc. are present to describe the proposed construction management plan for the subject
project. Palermo states that the applicant had proposed to use the site's existing driveway and to
close the sidewalk adjacent to the property, while keeping access to the existing pedestrian
crosswalk open during the Phase I demolition. Palermo states that due to considering the
Commission's previous comments, today's plan differs from the original plan in that it
eliminates the installation of a temporary crosswalk and instead redirects pedestrians to the
School Street crosswalk. During demolition, which will be two to three days' duration, the site
access will be closed for pedestrian safety, and the crosswalk will be temporarily moved to
School Street. The plan proposes using wayfinding signs to direct pedestrians to School Street.
The Commission discusses whether the wayfinding signs will be noticed or heeded by
pedestrians and bikers.
The Commission discusses concerns about the sidewalk being closed and using a temporary
sidewalk, alternatives for access to area businesses such as The Anchor and The Mission
Boathouse restaurants, ways to make the temporary sidewalk safer such as fencing and covering,
and the timing of lights in the intersection being concurrent and running with non-conflicting
vehicle movements. The Commission discusses the idea of using the existing bike lane for both
pedestrians and bikes during the project versus converting the existing bike lane into a pedestrian
path with bikes moving into the road.
Palermo explains that the plan for delivering materials and equipment to the site is to use the
existing driveway off Rantoul Street for light duty trucks. The new driveway will be the primary
City of Beverly Parking and Traffic Commission
May 15,2023 Meeting Minutes
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exit for the building,where possible, to avoid vehicles having to exit onto Rantoul Street. All
exiting vehicle traffic will use the proposed driveway onto Goat Hill Lane.
Palermo agrees to regularly meeting with the Commission during the construction, if requested,
and states that the Superintendent, Pasquale Triantafyllou, will be present on site every day.
Brown agrees to provide the bicycle count data of the intersection to the Commission.
The Commission discusses with Palermo the timing of notifying the adjacent businesses of the
project. The Commission discusses what recourse, if any, the Commission has if the traffic plan
is not followed. Wynne clarifies that if the approved Planning Board decision is not followed
the permit may be rescinded. Palermo states that one condition of the permit is that the project
have a traffic management plan approved by the Commission.
Benevento states that the success of this project should not be at the inconvenience of the people
trying to get to work, who do not benefit from the success of the project. Palermo points out that
he lives in Goat Hill himself and experiences the impact firsthand. Brown states that she
analyzed the swing radiuses of all trucks and that WB-40 is the largest truck that can enter the
site. Palermo states that materials staging will be at the Bowl-o-Mat, that a section of the
building will be assembled offsite, and that the project will benefit the neighborhood by
providing 60 units of housing.
The Commission discusses that it should not be in the position of defending or enforcing its
guidelines but rather that the applicant should modify its actions to comply with the guidelines.
The Commission discusses various options to enforce the traffic management plan during
construction, such as adding conditions to require the contractor report to the Commission at the
monthly meetings, to implement wayfinding signage,to limit or disallow road closures,to
approve an entire parking and traffic plan, or to approve the project in phases.
Palermo emphasizes that the plan makes use of existing infrastructure, and that the neighboring
businesses and residents have not been notified of the project due to questions of timing of
approvals and finalization. Palermo states that the entire duration of the project will be about 12
to 14 months.
Kreyling states that he is not a proponent of closing the sidewalk at all. Palermo states that the
applicant anticipates a couple of days of very large deliveries such as steel trusses on long trucks.
For those large deliveries, a police detail will be needed, and the trucks will access the site from
Cabot Street, and back into Goat Hill Lane. This plan will block the southbound side of Cabot
Street a few times for a short period of days. Palermo states that a WB-67 truck will be needed
for delivery of steel beams.
The Commission discusses the safety of pedestrians and bikes crossing over a construction
entrance versus construction vehicles crossing over a pedestrian path. Palermo observes that it is
a large project,that there will be some inconveniences, and that the applicant is committed to
having the trust of the neighbors.
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May 15,2023 Meeting Minutes
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Steve Lotito, owner of Al's Bait and Tackle at 24 1/2 Cabot Street, states that thus far no one from
the project has communicated with him. Lotito states that he is in his 27th year in the business,
and he expresses shock at the increase in the number of people in the neighborhood since the
Mission Boathouse opened. Lotito expresses doubt that the traffic count from the intersection in
2022 is accurate anymore, and observes that the traffic lights allow very little time for
pedestrians to cross the street. Lotito expresses dismay at the large size of the project, that
construction dust is a concern, and that in the recent three years of construction in the area, he
almost went out of business due to restricted access to his property. Lotito states that the City's
three eminent domains on the property over the years have already severely limited access to his
driveway, where he regularly needs deliveries of around 1,500 pounds of bait to be unloaded.
Lotito expresses frustration with watching his customers drive by his business and states that
when access to his property is blocked,he does not prefer to call the police. Lotito shares a video
of one of many crashes he has witnessed in the intersection, and states that he still has trauma
from witnessing a dog being hit by a car in the intersection 20 years ago. Lotito mentions that
there is no sidewalk on Cox Court.
Palermo states that all deliveries will be unloading within the project site.
9:51 a.m. Kreyling departs.
Wynne: Motion to recommend continuing this discussion to the next meeting noting
that contractor can apply for the building permit in that time. Kreyling
seconds. Motion carries (7-0).
2. Review and Discussion: Demolition, Construction, and Traffic Management Plan—Reverie
73 —350-354 Rantoul Street—JJ Welch Construction o/b/o 350-354 Rantoul Street
The Commission discusses that the existing structure is three stories, that the new building will
be two stories, and that the business will be a marijuana dispensary. Bruce Baisch of JJ Welch is
present and states that the duration of the project is estimated to be eight months, with the
anticipated start date being June 1, 2023. The applicant plans to close the sidewalk and use jersey
barriers around the parking lane for pedestrian traffic to navigate around the site. Baisch states
that ADA ramps will be installed and that they will comply with slope requirements and
consideration for drainage.
Baisch states that the applicant's goal is to finish the project before it snows. The Commission
discusses that there will be a fence in front of the site,that there will not be a canopy over
sidewalk, that there will be wayfinding signs with arrows, and that the existing structure is a
wood frame with a few steel columns. Baisch clarifies that the project entails both demolition
and construction.
The Commission discusses the conditions to maintain the quality of the sidewalk, to maintain
pedestrian access around the property, and that all deliveries will be off the side street in the back
of the property, not from Rantoul Street. Baisch agrees to communicate changes, should there be
any, to the Commission.
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City of Beverly Parking and Traffic Commission
May 15,2023 Meeting Minutes
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Lozada: Motion to accept plan. Salt seconds. Motion carries (7-0).
3. Approval of Minutes:
a. February 7, 2023
b. March 7, 2023
Kreyling: Motion to accept the February 7, 2023 and March 7, 2023 meeting minutes as
written. Benevento seconds. Motion carries (7-0).
4. General or New Business
The Commission discusses that the Mission Boathouse's temporary Certificate of Occupancy
will expire in June, that members have typically observed six to seven vehicles illegally parked
on site,that two parking spaces were removed to improve circulation, that it is a public parking
lot, that the Anchor staff uses the parking lot, and that the parking situation is not ideal overall.
The Commission discusses that Mayoral appointee George Binns has resigned, and that City
Council appointee Lozada is resigning from the Commission. The Commission discusses that
nine members are needed.
5. Adjournment
Lozada: Motion to adjourn. Wynne seconds. Motion carries (7-0).
Meeting adjourns at 10:15 a.m.
The next regular meeting of the Parking and Traffic Commission is scheduled for June 6, 2023.
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