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2005-12-29 CITY OF BEVERLY MASSACHUSETTS PUBLIC MEETING MINUTES BOARD: Planning Board TOPIC: Special Meeting DATE: December 29, 2005 PLACE: Council Chambers, Beverly City Hall BOARD MEMBERS PRESENT: Chairperson, Richard Dinkin, John Thomson, Donald Walter, Charles Harris, Ellen Flannery, Joanne Dunn, Jason Silva BOARD MEMBERS ABSENT Eve Geller-Duffy OTHERS PRESENT: Leah Zambernardi, Assistant Planning Director RECORDER: Leah Zambernardi Dinkin calls the special meeting of the Beverly Planning Board to order. Subdivision Approval Not Required Plans (SANR’s) 1. 675R Hale Street – 675 Hale Street Realty Trust, Caleb Loring III, Trustee James Monahan of Landvest speaks on behalf of the applicant. He states that the proposal is to create one additional building lot of 90,716 s.f. with frontage on Haven Avenue. He states that Haven Avenue is a private way that pr-exists the subdivision control law and that it is sufficient for passage. Thomson asks about the condition of the roadway. Monahan states that it is about 10-feet wide. Thomson asks if it is used by other lots for frontage. He notes that the Board can’t really say no if other ANR lots have been created on this way. Monahan states he is not aware of any. Zambernardi states she is not aware of any in the past 3 years or so but that she could check the ANR records in the Planning Department. She notes this could take some time because plans for these lots are sometimes filed under Hale Street without an address. Thomson states that 10 feet is very narrow. The Board accepting such a plan would set a precedent for 10-foot wide driveways to be used as frontage. He asks whether the Board should allow more lots on a substandard way. Thomson also notes that they can’t condition approval of an ANR. He asks about the applicant’s ability to improve the way. Monahan states that the range of width out to Hale Street is from 9-feet to 12-feet. He states that it is a fairly long road down to his client’s lot and he questions whether his client would be willing to improve the whole length. He states that perhaps some turnoffs would be more sufficient. Planning Board Special Meeting Minutes December 29, 2005 Page 2 Dinkin states that he cannot in good conscience look at something that was built to be a driveway and then consider it a street. Monahan asks whether some improvements to the road would make such a situation acceptable. Thomson states that would be a definitive subdivision filing with waivers. Dinkin states that with the current roadway standards, this road is too substandard for the proposed use. He states another solution might be to go ahead and improve that part of the road which constitutes frontage for the proposed lot and then come back with another ANR. Walter states that would not solve the problem of an insufficient road in total. He states it would only be a piecemeal fix. Dinkin asks Monahan if he would prefer that the Board vote on this plan or if he would prefer to withdraw the plan. Monahan states he would like to request to withdraw the plan without prejudice. Flannery: Moves to allow the applicant to withdraw without prejudice the request for endorsement of the ANR. Seconded by Harris. All members are in favor. Motion carries. 2. 675R Hale Street – Windover Development Mr. Kevin Dalton of Glovsky & Glovsky speaks on behalf of Windover Development. He states this plan is to create a new building lot of 90,673 s.f. with frontage on both Haven Avenue and Larcom Avenue. He states the frontage is the same road that was the subject of the last ANR. He states that the way was in existence prior to subdivision control. He states that he has not been down to the area himself. Zambernardi states she went there the day prior and observed that the road was paved and that it varied in width from 9 feet to 12 feet. Thomson states he does not see any difference in this plan and the one the Board just commented on. After some discussion, Dalton requests that the Board take a vote on the matter. Thomson: Moves to deny endorsement of the plan as one not requiring approval under the subdivision control law due to the inadequacy of the way serving the proposed use. New or Other Business Zambernardi reads an email dated December 29, 2005 from Planning Director Tina Cassidy related to a request by Bill Sheehan for the Planning Board to hold a site visit and an informal discussion at their January meeting to discuss the potential development of a lot off Rear Corning Street. 2 Planning Board Special Meeting Minutes December 29, 2005 Page 3 Members agree to make time on their January 24, 2006 meeting agenda for an informal discussion. They opt not to make a site visit at this time but would welcome photographs of the site and roadway. Approval of Minutes Zambernardi states that the minutes of September 21, 2005 and December 20, 2005 are ready for members to review and approve. She states that the October 18, 2005 minutes are not ready. Thomson: Moves to table approval of the meeting minutes to the next meeting of the Board. Seconded by Flannery. All members are in favor. Motion carries. Silva: Moves to adjourn. Seconded by Walter. All members are in favor. Motion carries. 3