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2000-05-11 CITY OF BEVERLY Public Meeting Minutes BOARD: SUBCOMMITTEE: DATE: BOARD MEMBERS PRESENT: BOARD MEMBERS ABSENT: OTHERS PRESENT: RECORDER: Master Plan Steering Committee May 11, 2000 Joanne Avallon, Richard Dinkin, Wendy Frontiero, Linda Goodenough, Scott Houseman, Bruce Oveson, Wendy Pearl, Donald Preston, Larry Ralph, William Rodenbaugh, John Young, Maureen Troubetaris, John Murray, Virginia McGlynn Willinnl Delaney, Charles Zarba, John Thomson Tina Cassidy, Planning Director and Steve Cecil, The Cecil Group Jeannine Dion Cassidy calls the meeting to order at 7:15 p.m. Cassidy introduces Steve Cecil from the Cecil Group and asks members of the Master Plan Steering Committee (MPSC) to reintroduce themselves. Cassidy asks the members of the public if they would like to identify themselves and state why they are attending the meeting. Lynn Warren, a resident of Hale Street states she supports the efforts of the MPSC and is looking forward to seeing what the committee does. Karl Benne, Hope Benne and Ralph Venier introduce themselves. Cassidy states at the last meeting the members agreed to break into subcommittees. The subcommittees were to discuss the following topics: 1. Open space, natural resources and cultural resources, economic development 2. Land use, housing and economic development 3. Economic development, circulation and services and facilities goals Cassidy hands out copies of the subcommittee notes and asks for subcommittee 1 to present its discussion notes. Dinkin presents for subcommittee 1. Master Plan Steering Committee Meeting Minutes May 11, 2000 Page 2 Housing · Availability from HUD of model ordinances to create increased housing diversity and to create zoning that encouraged housing affordability. · Beverly meets the minimum of affordable housing required by the state, but mostly through housing for the elderly and disabled, rather than families. · There is a great need for more affordable housing and education within the community as to who actually benefits (i.e. local people can afford to stay in town). Land Use/Zoning · Discussion regarding alternatives to single-use zoning. · Zoning strategies to increase or maintain the inventory of open space that the community has (i.e. acquisition of development rights to existing privately owned open space either directly through the community or through the creation of a separate non-profit entity). · Redevelopmont and zoning in the waterfront area. Agreement that this is a very good location for mixed-use development. · Critiqued some of the land use proposals that translated themselves into zoning ordinance amendments in the last Master Plan (i.e. the elimination of use variances in residential districts). Historic properties have suffered, for example; adaptive re-use needs to he encouraged by a well-constructed ordinance, without calling it a use variance. See Ipswich' s "great estate" zoning. Economic Development · Talked about how the community wants to shape its commercial and industrial growth · Cummings property is well exploited and the airport property could use some additional attention. · Geographic priorities for economic development include the downtown, waterfront, (both harbor and the Bass River) and Beverly Farms. · Tourist attractions to be promoted. Downtown Revitalization · Developing design guidelines and facade improvement programs. · Zoning requirements should encourage street traffic and pedestrians. New business is generally good for all business, but development should avoid mini-malling and splintering the downtown area. Cecil states design guidelines can be implemented, however, Mass. Gen. Law states you cannot make approvals entirely contingent upon design review. You can go through special permit as a way of triggering design review, usually through a site planning review mechanism with one exception. That exception is historic districts. In Massachusetts you can regulate properties in historic district down to the door knobs if you wish. Many locations around the country have used these to great benefit. The best example is College Hill in Rhode Island. It was the first Community in the country to sit up and recognize the fact that it needed to reverse its downward trend through historic preservation guidelines. It set up a process about 35 years ago that turned Master Plan Steering Committee Meeting Minutes May 11, 2000 Page 3 the place around. Cecil states he is a fan of that approach, but you have to he very pragmatic about it. Very often there are people in the historic districts who are concerned that you are putting constraints and raising expenses and making the property less valuable. There is a whole educational process that needs to take place. Cecil states it has been most successful in site plan review and special permit. Cecil states as far as open space is concerned, the big question is money and the best thing he can do is give the MSPC a menu of ideas. Cecil states he will pay attention to the HUD report that targets what Beverly wants to achieve. Linkage programs or percentage requirements of affordable units as a part of special site plan review are mechanisms that are out there and are working very well in some communities and he can bring some of those ideas to the table. Trouhetaris states she had a meeting several years ago at Apple Village with tenants. She states that the government only funded the programs for 20 years and right now they are on a voucher system, year by year and it affects an enormous amount of people. She adds that there are quite a few units that are affected by the HUD funding. Preston states Folly Hill Apartments have been sold and the Housing Authority lost 8 affordable units in that sale. He adds that Beverly will have a problem with affordable housing in the future. There is discussion regarding the waterfront area. Cecil states the Harbor Planning Committee was moving ahead according to the outlines of what a municipal harbor plan is at the state level, which requires a fantastic amount of resources and time to do. The issues that Beverly is faced with are narrower than a whole municipal harbor plan would require. A Municipal Harbor Plan, properly done would he approximately $100,000 - $150,000 effort. He states the feeling was that Beverly needed a much more focused effort. A special subcommittee will focus on this and it will he a parallel process of the overall Master Plan for the community. Houseman presents for subcommittee 2. Economic Development · The over-arching economic goal is to continue to reverse the decade-long slide in commercial and industrial property value ($350 million in 1990 to $275 million in 1998). Commercial · Encourage upgrade and refurbishment of commercial enclaves in the city. · Continue to upgrade/improve parking, appearance, safety, convenience of the following business districts: downtown (from the bridge to Gloucester Crossing), Beverly Farms, Ryal Side (Bridge Street) and N. Beverly, etc. · Limit/discourage new commercial thrusts into established residential areas. · Discourage the "strip mall" idea for new development. Master Plan Steering Committee Meeting Minutes May 11, 2000 Page 4 Industrial Encourage upgrade and refurbishment of the existing industrial facilities. . Continue/increase efforts to open up currently zoned industrial areas for development. · Deliberately establish city-sponsored programs to attract new industry that will buitld the appraised tax base (i.e. advertising, use of EOA, TIF, etc.). · This plan will result in a significant increase in the assessed industrial base. Avallon states that there was discussion regarding waterfront area and the frustration that the city has a phenomenal asset that it can not get a hold of for potential commercial development. Rodenbaugh presents the following: Circulation · Maintain/improve streets and sidewalks as appropriate, include identifying problem intersections. · Continually improve traffic flow/safety by improved intersections, sight distances, curb cuts, etc. · Parking garage at Beverly Depot (open issue to be resolved). · Improve parking in business districts. · Support the development, selective extension, and improvement of existing and planned mass transit systems as needed to support city goals in growth, access, etc. (open issue to be resolved: Blue line MBTA extension). · Airport Master Plan - incorporate missions and goals. · Route 128 overpass, exits/entrances, etc. (open issue to be resolved). · Harbor Master Plan - incorporate missions and goals. Services and Facilities · Maintain/support/improve existing facilities (schools, City Hall, library, police/fire station, cemeteries and public works) to fulfill purpose/meet the legal requirements. · Formulate a municipal long-term expenditure capital expenditure plan. · Incorporate selected (global) school department goals and policies. Avallon adds there was discussion regarding the importance of an outstanding school system. Pearl comments that the analysis is somewhat "autocentric" and there should be some overlying goals in the Master Plan to research bike paths and walkways, so that it is not all about how to deal with all the cars but, rather, how to provide alternatives that are as attractive as driving to downtown. Goodenough states the problem with the harbor is that you can't get there. There are no sidewalks on Water Street and it is unsafe for pedestrians and bicyclists. She adds if the harbor is going to be a commercial entity, it has to be accessible. Master Plan Steering Committee Meeting Minmes May 11, 2000 Page 5 Murray states that Bass River should be included as the waterfront area. Cassidy states that Harbor Authority has viewed the Bass River as part of the waterfront area. Ralph presents for subcommittee 3. Open Space Complete and maintain current open space study. Establish a priority for open space acquisition. Encourage public funding of open space acquisitions. Encourage private acquisition and preservation of open space through zoning changes where appropriate. Encourage open space preservation where appropriate and needed. Establish tax incentives or other alternatives for public access and open space corridors on private lands. Consistency in these goals in all permitting and regulatory arms of the city. Create an open space overlay district. Encourage recreational, beach access, and vista preservation through site plan review. Identify alternatives to funding of open space acquisition and preservation. Natural Resources Inventory current natural resources Encourage private preservation of Natural Resources through education and incentives. · Tighten up standard order of conditions on wetlands protection. · Develop city wetlands regulations that are based on, but more strict than state regulations: Chapter 131 See. 40 and 310 CMR. Maintain waterfront access to all below high water mark (preserve ancient highway). Provide wildlife corridors. Complete harbor management study. Cultural Resources · Make Beverly a destination for tourists. Work with Beverly Historical Society, Chamber of Commerce, Cultural Council and arts organizations to encourage tourism, develop historic trails, cultural events, etc. Establish a visitors center. Establish an arts and theater district. Encourage adaptive reuses of historic buildings. Economic Development · Encourage alternative modes of transportation. · Get people over the bridge from Salem. Master Plan Steering Committee Meeting Minutes May 11, 2000 Page 6 · Work with State and Essex County National Heritage Area to get signs on the highway regarding Beverly sites. · Establish signage system for cultural destinations. · Create a better !it, labeled, and landscaped pathway from the railroad station to downtown. · Encourage overnight hospitality resources. · Parking expansion and better use of existing resources. · Establish shuttle bus during tourist season. · Support studio apartments/live-in-loft zones for students, artists, etc. Virginia McGlynn states she has some information regarding a parcel of land on Lakeshore Avenue, which abuts Sally Milligan Park. The owner of the property, Ernie Santin has been in discussion with several city officials regarding the city purchasing the property. She states the Waldorf School is also interested in the property. McGlynn states one appraisal has been conducted and Tina Cassidy has ordered a second appraisal Avallon states another area which covers both cultural resources and open space is the Endicott College property. She states the college is talking about putting in a conference center. If it is built, three more dorms will be built in what is currently open space land. Avallon states that would make a big impact on open space in that area and the city should think about whether it wants a Conference Center there. Murray states there could be a real estate tax benefit if the conference center is built. Cecil states that while he was listening to the subcommittees notes, there were several key phrases that came up. 1. Open space 2. Special places 3. Historical/culture 4. Economics/tax base 5. Quality of life 6. Diversity 7. Location 8. Size 9. Practical/Action Dinkin states the last Master Plan attempted to address the issue of whether we wanted to be more like the urban centers to the south or the bedroom communities to our north and east. He states the diversity of the community is perhaps its most attractive feature. Dinkin states the biotech sector is present in Beverly. It is a growth industry which yields great benefits to the community. He would like to discuss helping some of the emerging industries build on some of the successes they have experienced, grow and pay more taxes. Master Plan Steering Committee Meeting Minutes May 11, 2000 Page 7 A member of the public, Lynn Warren states there are three non-profit educational institutions that want to grow. She asks how you balance having the educational institutions in the city, without having them take too much away. She asks if there is an equation to follow. Cecil responds that doing a plan for a city like Beverly is not like an equation. You must look at the trends and set up a series of clear actions that will lead in the right direction. There is discussion regarding developing standards for TIFs. Cecil states the notion of creating a picture where the different boards (City Council, Planning Board, etc.) understand what they are trying to achieve. When the TIF issue comes up, there will he a much larger group of people who understand what they are trying to achieve and are going to bring the right kinds of proposals to the table to pursue within the community. Cecil reviews the next steps in the Master Plan process. The committee will reference surveys, and time key statements (Goals and Objectives). He states a way to test how to achieve goals is to develop "alternatives" or themes. The group builds a list of"alternatives." Alternatives 1. Tourism development 2. Cultural Resources 3. Economic development 4. Open space preservation 5. Industrial build-out 6. Residential build-out 7. "Likely" build-out 8. Waterfront 9. Traffic capacity 10. Infrastructure capacity 11. Low growth/high transit 12. Educational institutions 13. Physical design 14. Quality of life The next meeting of the committee is scheduled for June 8, 2000. The meeting is adjourned at 9:15 p.m.