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2005-02-15 City of Beverly, Massachusetts Public Meeting Minutes BOARD: Planning Board TOPIC: Regular Meeting DATE: February 15, 2005 PLACE: Council Chambers, Beverly City Hall BOARD MEMBERS PRESENT: Chairperson, Richard Dinkin; Joanne Dunn; Ellen Flannery; Jason Silva; Donald Walter OTHERS PRESENT: Leah Zambernardi, Assistant Planning Director RECORDER: Jeannine Dion (by tape) The regular meeting of the Beverly Planning Board is called to order. Chapman’s Corner Estates – Definitive Subdivision Plan Dinkin states that the applicant for Chapman’s Corner Estates – Definitive Subdivision Plan has asked that the hearing be continued until the regular March meeting and has provided a request for an extension of time. That extension of time is the time that is allowed for the Planning Board to render a disposition. Dinkin states the hearing will not be opened tonight and asks for a motion to accept the applicant’s request for a waiver of time to March 2005. Flannery moves to accept the applicant’s request for a waiver of time to March 2005, seconded by Walter. All members are in favor. Motion carries. Dinkin tables the hearing until March 15, 2005 at 7:30 p.m., the public hearing to be held in Council Chambers, City Hall. Cummings Center Garage Zambernardi states the Cummings Center was scheduled to be heard for both the review of the access driveway and for the discussion and decision on the 6-story hotel, however, last week one of the voting members on this petition called and said she could make this meeting. There would only be four eligible voting members for tonight’s meeting. Gerard McSweeney agreed to wait until the March meeting for the discussion of both. Dinkin states the public hearing has been closed and the matter will be tabled until March l5, 2005. Planning Board Minutes February 15, 2005 Page 2 City of Beverly Affordable Housing Plan – Planning Board Review, Comment and Eventual Adoption Zambernardi states under Executive Order 418 (EO418), municipalities in Massachusetts could apply for $30,000 to fund creation of a Community Development Plan. EO418 also stipulated that communities that already had Master Plans in place, which met certain criteria, could apply for “Equivalency Status” under EO418 and use the funds toward implementation of the Master Plan. As Beverly completed its Master Plan in 2002, the City applied and received partial equivalency status as it met some of the criteria for a Community Development Plan. The City was allocated $30,000 to hire a consultant to complete the Housing and Economic Development components of the Master Plan and to begin the Comprehensive Rezoning process. The chosen consultant, Ralph Willmer of McGregor & Associates, recently completed the Beverly Affordable Housing Plan to supplement the Beverly Master Plan. Specifically, they were asked to research and conduct a comparison of current and projected housing supply and demand for low, moderate, and middle-income households were to be developed to address any identified gaps. A housing suitability GIS map was to be created to illustrate potential affordable housing project locations. In addition, the City needs to have a housing strategy in place in order to retain its Housing Certification under Executive Order 418. The City’s Community Development office will submit the Beverly Affordable Housing Plan to the Department of Housing and Community Development to fulfill the requirements for Housing Certification once the Planning Board adopts the Plan. Ralph Willmer has submitted the draft plan for review, comment and eventual adoption by the Planning Board. Procedure-wide, in accordance with M.G.L. Chapter 41, Section 81D, the Master Plan can be added to or changed from time to time by a majority vote of the board. Dinkin asks if Mr. Wilmer’s obligations to the city have been completed. Zambernardi responds that it is completed although he is still accepting comments for this plan. Dinkin recommends to table this until the March meeting since a few of the members are not present for this meeting and this is a very important topic. Zambernardi states in the interim, if members have any comments or questions, she can forward them to the consultant. Planning Board Minutes February 15, 2005 Page 3 Approval of Minutes Flannery moves to accept the minutes of the December 21, 2004 Planning Board meeting as written, seconded by Walter. All members are in favor. Motion carries. Subdivision Approval Note Required Plans (SANR’s) 14-16 Cole Street – Baribeault, Manzi, Bussone, Goodall, Brace, Thompson & Gorman Zambernardi states the proposal is to create one building lot. Lot 7 is being created and shifting the lot line over Parcel A. The plan is technically compliant. Silva moves to endorse the plan ANR for 14-16 Cole Street, seconded by Flannery. All members are in favor. Motion carries. Set Public Hearing: Definitive Subdivision Plan for Thompson Farm Subdivision, Cole Street – Creation of Thomson’s Farm Way cul-de-sac, which will provide frontage for 6 new lots. Flannery moves to set the public hearing for the Definitive Subdivision Plan for Thompson Farm Subdivision, Cole Street on Wednesday, April 20, 2005 at 7:30 p.m., seconded by Walter. All members are in favor. Motion carries. Set Date for North Shore Wind Power Project Presentation by Sam Cleaves of MAPC & distribution of Wind Power Survey – Suggested Date: Wednesday, April 20, 2005 from 7:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Zambernardi states MAPC received a grant to do some education and outreach to the North Shore communities to talk about onshore wind turbines. They have been collecting data and visiting different North Shore communities for informational purposes. Sam Cleaves of the MAPC is doing a survey of town officials and asked that the Planning Board members take a copy of the survey. She will E-mail the survey to members. Seminar on the Open Meeting Law sponsored by Paul Guanci, Beverly City Council President - March 7, 2005 at 7:00 p.m., Council Chambers, City Hall Zambernardi states a Seminar on the Open Meeting Law has been scheduled for March 7, 2005 at 7:00 p.m. City Council President, Paul Guanci, has invited Paul Donovan from the Attorney General’s office to discuss the Open Meeting Law with the Planning Board, Commissions and anybody else that wants to attend. Planning Board Minutes February 15, 2005 Page 4 495 Cabot Street – Cabot Crossing Zambernardi states most members will recall the Site Plan Approval for 495 Cabot Street – Cabot Crossing. She reads one of the conditions, which pertains to the building right on Cabot Street: “The board requires that the applicant come back to the board for any use of the ground floor and for any use other than professional offices for the second and third floors.” Zambernardi states she received a call from a bank that wants to locate within that building and will have to go through a review and they wanted some guidance as to what kind of information the board will be looking for. Dinkin state he thinks the board would like to know the following: ?? Projected traffic generation for the usage ?? Hours of operation ?? Parking ?? Is there a drive-through planned? ?? Is a 24-hour ATM planned? ?? Relationship of bank services to the curb cuts Question Regarding the Garage Access – McKay Street Zambernardi states the Parking & Traffic Commission reviewed the garage access today and they formulated a recommendation. Police and Fire wanted to know if the Board wanted recommendations from them. Dinkin responds that he would like recommendations from those departments, including the Engineering Department. Adjournment Silva moves to adjourn, seconded by Dunn. All members are in favor. Motion carries.