2005-09-21
CITY OF BEVERLY MASSACHUSETTS
PUBLIC MEETING MINUTES
BOARD OR COMMISSION: Economic and Community Development
Council
SUBCOMMITTEE:
DATE: September 21, 2005
LOCATION: Staff Conference Room, Beverly Public
Library
MEMBERS PRESENT: Carla Cox, Pat Grimes, Don Stacey, Joyce
McMahon, Neil Douglas
MEMBERS ABSENT: Larry Smith
OTHERS PRESENT: Tina Cassidy, Bill O’Hare (ex-officio
members)
OTHERS ABSENT: Jason Silva (ex-officio Planning Board
representative), Conservation Commission
representative (ex-officio)
RECORDER: Tina Cassidy
The meeting is called to order at 7:00 p.m. Cassidy starts the meeting by saying that Larry Smith
has indicated he will have to resign from the ECDC due to other time commitments and his
personal schedule. Cassidy will inform the Mayor and says that another member will need to be
appointed to the ECDC to fill the vacancy left by Smith. The position is designated for one with
financial experience, and members mention several people in the community that might be
appropriate members. Cassidy will forward the names to the Mayor.
Next, the members review a draft mission statement and goals and objectives. They
make several changes to the draft mission statement. The draft read as follows:
“The ECDC will prioritize the short-term and long-term economic and community
development goals of the City of Beverly as set forth in the Master Plan; review proposed
projects to ensure that they are consistent with those goals; assist developers in achieving
projects which are consistent with those goals; advocate changes to regulations and
procedures which impede the attainment of the goals; publicly promote appropriate
development within the City; and develop methods to attract and retain businesses to
targeted districts.”
Following discussion, members revise the draft mission statement to read:
“The ECDC will prioritize the short-term and long-term economic and community
development goals of the City of Beverly as set forth in the Master Plan; review proposed
projects to ensure that they are consistent with those goals; assist developers in achieving
projects which are consistent with those goals; advocate changes to regulations and
procedures to facilitate the attainment of the goals; publicly promote appropriate
development within the City; and develop methods to attract and retain businesses to
targeted districts.”
McMahon: motion to adopt the mission statement as revised, seconded by
Grimes. All members in favor, motion passes.
Meeting Minutes – ECDC Sept. 21, 2005 meeting
Page 1 of 6
Next, members discuss the draft goals and objectives developed by Douglas. The
draft goals and objectives were as follows:
“Master Plan Goals and Objectives
1. Stabilize and strengthen commercial and industrial property values;
2. Encourage commercial and industrial development through:
(a) Infrastructure improvements
(b) State/federal grants and loans
(c) Real estate and corporate tax incentives
(d) Supportive land use policy
3. Review and stream-line city regulations and processes providing oversight of private economic
development initiatives;
4. Refocus planning priorities for economic development upon specific districts including:
(a) Route 128 corridor from Brimbal Avenue to Essex Street
(b) Cherry Hill/Airport Area
(c) Rantoul/Cabot Street corridors from Gloucester Crossing to waterfront
(d) Waterfront area proximate to Beverly/Salem Bridge
ECDC Priorities
1. Provide a more equitable balance of tax revenues emanating from residential and non-residential
sectors by
(a) Advancing marketing strategies for use and reuse of industrial and commercially
zoned properties
(b) Identify industrial development obstacles and promote the advancement of
measures required to facilitate the optimal use of non-residential properties.
2. Promote full and productive use of vacant land resources supporting both community and
economic development through
(a) The maintenance and planned utilization of areas currently zoned for industrial and/or
commercial use in the Route 128 corridor including Cherry Hill Office Park, Garden City
Industrial Park, and Beverly Airport Area.
(b) Advance planning and development program for new Route 128/Brimbal Avenue
overpass and infrastructure improvements incorporating cultural, economic, recreational and
open space uses.
3. Stimulate the enrichment of Beverly’s older commercial/industrial areas through:
(a) Reconstruction of the Rantoul Street/Park Street road system and supporting
infrastructure including the specific objective of providing off-street parking facilities for
area’s business and industry.
(b) Encourage mixed residential and commercial development along the Rantoul and Cabot
Street corridors from Gloucester Crossing to the waterfront.
Meeting Minutes – ECDC Sept. 21, 2005 meeting
Page 2 of 6
(c) Advance a new vision for the development of the waterfront area embracing the properties
proximate to the Beverly/Salem Bridge incorporating recreational, commercial, and tourist
business development opportunities.
4. Provide an office and on-going forum promoting the coordination and advancement of public and
private development initiatives including:
(a) Appointment of Community Development Officer and provision of supporting budget
(b) Regular meeting schedule with City Department heads to facilitate a coordinated review and
consideration of private community/economic development projects
(c) Regular meeting schedules with business enterprise and public service agencies reinforcing
Beverly’s commitment to promote economic development
(d) Conducting business surveys to identify business needs and public program solutions.
(e) Facilitating State and Federal grants, loans and tax incentives supporting economic
development
(f) Review of regulatory and permitting procedures to facilitate a more timely and constructive
process in support of private economic development initiatives”
McMahon asks for an explanation of where the existing “IR” (Restricted Industrial)
zoning districts are. Cassidy explains that the IR zoning is around the airport
(including Cherry Hill Industrial Park, the airport, Garden City Business Park/Sam
Fonzo Drive), Brimbal Avenue near Route 128, and a parcel of land on the Wenham
Beverly line north of Route 128. Douglas elaborates on the Brimbal Avenue/Route
128 IR area, explaining that the properties along Dunham Road are also zoned IR,
including the North Shore Music Theater which contribute significantly to the local
economy.
The committee discusses whether its efforts should specifically include just IR zoned
land, or all industrially zoned land including IG (General Industrial). The consensus
is that both types of industry should be supported by the Committee’s efforts.
Grimes states that the master plan called for the City to encourage appropriate
commercial and industrial development on land already zoned for those purposes.
Members discuss the need to provide economic development related information on
the City’s web site, including areas zoned for industrial and commercial use and grant
opportunities for small businesses. The committee considers options for focusing
planning priorities on different areas of the City to support economic development,
including the Route 128 corridor from Brimbal Avenue to Essex Street, the Cherry
Hill Industrial Park/Airport area, the Rantoul/Cabot Street corridors from
Gloucester Crossing to the waterfront, the waterfront area near the Beverly/Salem
bridge and the Bass River, and Cummings Center.
Next, the Committee turns to establishing the committee’s priorities. Cox asks
Douglas to explain the following suggested priority: “Identifying development
obstacles and promoting measures to facilitate the optimal use of non-residential
properties.” Douglas answers that includes things like suggesting public policies to
the City’s elected officials and establishing grant funds to support economic
development. Cassidy adds initiatives such as hiring an economic development
director/manager, suggesting appropriate zoning changes, and creating a brochure
marketing Beverly as a place for business are other examples.
Meeting Minutes – ECDC Sept. 21, 2005 meeting
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Douglas urges the committee to consider creating an inventory of properties in need
of/capable of supporting new economic development, and taking proactive steps to
make the development possible. For properties deemed more significant, the
committee should engage the owners in a dialogue to find out what the obstacles and
impediments are to redevelopment.
Douglas offers his opinion that providing an office and an on-going forum to
promote the coordination and advancement of public and private development
initiatives is very important for the City. Cox states she would strongly support –
and advocate for – an economic development officer devoted to addressing
economic development-related issues on the City’s behalf. Douglas states that such a
position is probably essential to accomplishing the goals and objectives being
discussed here this evening with respect to economic development.
The subject of redevelopment of the Beverly waterfront is then broached, and
Douglas says that redevelopment of Beverly’s waterfront is essential to the City’s
long term economic health, and the City needs a staff person devoted to
accomplishing that and developing an overall plan for the waterfront.
Cassidy then gives members a status report on the Route 128 overpass project, and
offers to print out small size plans of the conceptual design options for this project
for further discussion at the next meeting. Stacey suggests that the alternative
designs be emailed to members if the plans are available in that format.
General discussion then takes place on the importance of the North Shore Music
Theater to Beverly’s economy and cultural richness. The reconstruction of Rantoul
Street is considered essential to the future economic health of Rantoul Street. When
construction does take place, it will be very important to have a community/business
liaison in place to shepherd the businesses and community in general through the
project.
The draft goals and objectives of the committee are amended as follows to reflect
tonight’s discussion:
Mission Statement
The ECDC will prioritize the short-term and long-term economic and community
development goals of the City of Beverly as set forth in the Master Plan; review
proposed projects to ensure that they are consistent with those goals; assist
developers in achieving projects which are consistent with those goals; advocate
changes to regulations and procedures to facilitate the attainment of the goals;
publicly promote appropriate development within the City; and develop methods
to attract and retain businesses to targeted districts.
Master Plan Goals and Objectives
1. Stabilize and strengthen appropriate commercial and industrial property
values;
2. Encourage appropriate commercial and industrial development through:
Meeting Minutes – ECDC Sept. 21, 2005 meeting
Page 4 of 6
(a) Infrastructure improvements
(b) State/federal grants and loans
(c) Real estate and corporate tax incentives
(d) Supportive land use policy
3. Review and streamline city regulations and processes providing oversight
of private economic development initiatives;
4. Focus planning priorities for economic development upon specific
districts including:
(a) Route 128 corridor from Brimbal Avenue to Essex Street
(b) Cherry Hill/Airport Area
(c) Rantoul/Cabot Street corridors from Gloucester Crossing to
waterfront
(d) Waterfront area proximate to Beverly/Salem Bridge and the Bass
River
ECDC Priorities
1. Increase tax revenues emanating from non-residential sectors by:
(a) Advancing marketing strategies for use and reuse of industrial and
commercially zoned properties
(b) Identifying development obstacles and promoting measures to
facilitate the optimal use of non-residential properties.
2. Promote full and productive use of vacant land resources supporting both
community and economic development through:
(a) The maintenance and planned utilization of areas currently zoned
for industrial and/or commercial use in the Route 128 corridor
including Cherry Hill Office Park, Garden City Industrial Park,
and Beverly Airport Area.
(b) Advancing planning and development for new Route 128/Brimbal
Avenue overpass and infrastructure improvements incorporating
cultural, economic, recreational and open space uses.
3. Stimulate the enrichment of Beverly’s older commercial/industrial areas
through:
(a) Reconstruction of the Rantoul Street/Park Street road system and
supporting infrastructure including the specific objective of
providing off-street parking facilities for area’s business and
industry.
(b) Encouragement of mixed residential and commercial development
along the Rantoul and Cabot Street corridors from Gloucester
Crossing to the waterfront.
(c) Advancement of a new vision for the development of the waterfront
area embracing the properties proximate to the Beverly/Salem
Meeting Minutes – ECDC Sept. 21, 2005 meeting
Page 5 of 6
Bridge and Bass River areas incorporating recreational,
commercial, and tourist business development opportunities.
4. Provide an office and on-going forum promoting the coordination and
advancement of public and private development initiatives including:
(a) Appointment of Development Officer and provision of supporting
budget
(b) Regular meeting schedule with City Department heads and
municipal boards and commissions to facilitate a coordinated
review and consideration of private community/economic
development projects
(c) Regular meeting schedules with business enterprise and public
service agencies reinforcing Beverly’s commitment to promote
appropriate economic development
(d) Conducting business surveys and developing web-based and
written materials to identify business needs and to promote public
program solutions.
(e) Facilitating State and Federal grants, loans and tax incentives
supporting economic development
(f) Review of regulatory and permitting procedures to facilitate a
more timely and constructive process in support of private
economic development initiatives.
McMahon: motion to adopt the goals and objectives as outlined above, seconded
by Grimes. All members in favor, motion carries.
Members then outline the agenda for the next meeting. Cassidy states that the
owners of the former Ventron site have confirmed their attendance at the next
meeting for a discussion on the future of that site. The committee decides to devote
an hour to that segment of the meeting.
Next, the committee considers candidates for chairman and vice-chairman of the
committee. After brief discussion, Grimes agrees to serve as vice-chairman and Cox
agrees to serve as chairman.
McMahon: motion to nominate Carla Cox as chairman of the ECDC and Pat
Grimes as vice-chairman of the ECDC, seconded by Douglas. All
members in favor, motion carries.
th
The committee asks Cassidy to see if the next meeting on October 19 can be held
in the same location. Cassidy says she will try to arrange that.
McMahon: motion to adjourn, seconded by Grimes. All members in favor,
motion carries.
The meeting is adjourned at 9:00 p.m.
Meeting Minutes – ECDC Sept. 21, 2005 meeting
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