2007-01-10
CITY OF BEVERLY
PUBLIC MEETING MINUTES
BOARD OR COMMISSION:
SUBCOMMITTEE:
DATE:
LOCATION:
MEMBERS PRESENT:
Economic and Community Development Council
January 10, 2007
Beverly Public Library
Tina Cassidy, Frank Killilea, Pat Grimes, Neil
Douglas, Bill O'Hare, Don Fournier, Don Stacey
MEMBERS ABSENT:
RECORDER:
Eileen Sacco
Grimes calls the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m.
Approval of Minutes
The minutes of the ECDC meeting held on December 6, 2006 were presented for
approval. Grimes asks if there are any changes to the minutes. Killilea says that the
minutes show him as being present at that meeting and he was not. The minutes will
need to be amended to reflect that fact.
Fournier:
motion to approve the minutes as suggested, seconded by Killilea. All
members in favor, motion carries.
Discussion on Scope of Work and Studv Areas for Waterfront Rezonin2
Cassidy summarizes the draft scope of work that she prepared noting that she
incorporated some of the suggestions members made at the last meeting as well as several
that were made by Douglas in an email after the meeting.
Douglas notes that he had suggested that a map of the study areas be included as well as
excerpts from the master plan for the consultant to review. He also suggests that the
consultant be encouraged to read the entire master plan. He also notes that the harbor's
Designated Port Area status is intended to encourage industrial maritime uses and that
may not be what the City wants to see in the future.
Cassidy explains that the scope of work is intended to be an outline of what the city is
looking for and notes that a number of comments that were made were individual
impressions (like the waterfront build out analysis) and suggests that those kinds of
things should be messages delivered to the consultant during face to face discussions,
rather than as specific statements in the scope of work.
Douglas notes that his email was sent following the last ECDC meeting and he sees some
reflection of that in the revised scope. He agrees that some of the contents of his email
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are in fact best conveyed during discussions with the consultant that is hired. He notes
that the task of the consultant is to prepare a zoning ordinance for the city, not a master
plan for the city. He feels it is important to underscore the elements of the
comprehensive master plan that we would like to see and he would like the consultant to
keep the focus on drafting the new zoning ordinance.
Grimes notes that the master plan is a high level, "big picture" guideline and did not
involve a detailed analysis of the issues.
Douglas notes that the language regarding the Bass River was an attempt to clarify the
master plan.
Douglas reviews his comment and suggests that the study area should encompass the area
from Elliott Street to beyond Pleasant Street and include all of the land between the Bass
River and Rantoul Street. He also notes that there are incubator businesses in that area
and that type of use should be encouraged by the City and suggests the City should
rezone the area as an overlay district and allow the market, over time, to dictate what uses
locate there. He also notes that he would like to see a higher and better use for the area
generally than that which is there now.
Cassidy notes that there is a fundamental question in the minds of some about what
happens to the existing businesses in that area if it is rezoned to allow mixed commercial
and residential uses. Douglas notes that the ECDC is the economic arm of the City and is
sensitive to jobs and the creation of jobs, noting that it starts with small businesses and
grows.
Cassidy notes that she would eventually like to see residential and retail uses at the
Moynihan Lumber site. Douglas states that he would be comfortable with that.
Cassidy notes that parking is an issue in this part of the City and that within the next five
years Beverly Depot may serve as an important transportation center. She explains that
the MBTA is trying to move forward with building a large scale parking garage in the
immediate area. She explains potential locations that the MBT A is looking at. She also
notes that there is $3.5 million earmarked for a parking garage in Beverly thanks to the
efforts of Congressman John Tierney. She also explains that the MBTA is required to
build about 1,000 parking spaces in the Boston area as a result of a successful
environmental lawsuit several years ago. The timeline for creating those spaces has run
out and as a result she is even more confident about the possibility of the parking garage
becoming a reality now than she was a year or two ago.
Cassidy says she agrees that additional off street parking aside from the MB T A garage is
also needed.
Fournier states that he feels that mixed use zoning of this area is important and that
industrial uses will gradually migrate out of the area if it is rezoned. He also thinks it is
important that the industrial uses stay there.
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Douglas says he is struck by the fact that other cities are raising the same issues about
industrial uses, mentioning Walnut Street in Peabody as an example.
Fournier notes that building owners will dictate future uses as they choose to redevelop
their properties, and suggests that if there is an alternative location in the City where
those industrial uses are more properly located, it should be identified by the City and
businesses encouraged/assisted to relocate there.
Douglas states that this is a complex issue that we are asking the consultant to address.
He notes that his suggestion of an overlay district would add a new layer of allowed uses
that would allow existing businesses to remain as allowed uses while still letting the
market drive future land uses in the desired direction.
Cassidy notes that the benefit of an overlay district is that existing businesses do not
become non-conforming. She points out the working waterfront area on the map.
Members generally concur with the proposed boundaries for that part of the study.
Cassidy notes that the Bass River area along River Street will be included and she was
thinking about including the McDonald's site and the Stop and Shop site on Elliott Street.
She explains her thinking on this as well as the current limits of the IG zoning district.
Douglas recommends that the Stop and Shop/McDonald's site not be included as the
owners will do what they want with that property anyway. Cassidy notes that it is zoned
CG, which does allow residential and commercial uses anyway.
Douglas notes that most redevelopment will focus on property that has some relative size.
Many of the existing IG lots are very small, and their redevelopment will be hard unless
they are aggregated.
Douglas says that he would go all the way out to Rantoul Street in terms of the study area
and would drop back to Park Street, noting that some properties have frontage on both
Rantoul and Park Streets.
Fournier states that he feels the City would get some resistance if the McDonalds and
Stop and Shop sites were included in the study area.
Fournier suggests that the street names be added to the map.
Cassidy will add street names to the map and will email it to members for their review
prior to the next meeting. The committee can discuss its thoughts on the Bass River
study's physical boundaries at the next meeting.
Other Business
Cassidy updates the ECDC on progress with the Black Cow proposal. She reports that
the restaurateur is in the process of drafting an Environmental Notification Form and that
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the applicants will also have to file for a Chapter 91 license from DEP. Following those
State-level review and approvals, the restaurateur will file for the local approvals.
Cassidy updates the ECDC on the pending lawsuit between Beverly Port Marina and the
City and potential solutions.
Cassidy reports that the Ventron project has been reviewed by the Design Review Board
and that the property owners have filed applications for Site Plan Review and a Special
Permit with the Planning Board. The hearings on those applications will be held in the
next few months.
Grimes notes that a Chair is needed for the ECDC to replace Carla Cox who resigned.
She indicates she is not interested in filling that role, preferring to remain as Vice-Chair.
Cassidy says there are currently four vacancies on the committee. Two are reserved for
representatives of the Planning Board and Conservation Commission, but two others are
also vacant. Those two vacancies are also prescribed, but she cannot recall what they are.
Grimes suggests that Cassidy provide the membership information to the members and
that members think about possible candidates to serve on the ECDC. Any suggestions
should be forwarded to her or Cassidy.
Fournier nominates Douglas to be Chair of the ECDC. Douglas declines the nomination.
Douglas suggests that Grimes stay on as interim Chair until the two vacancies are filled,
at which time the entire membership can vote on the matter. Grimes agrees to do so.
Next Meetin2
Grimes states that the next meeting of the ECDC will be held on February 21,2007.
Douglas:
motion to adjourn the meeting, seconded by Killilea. All members in
favor, motion carries.
The meeting is adjourned at 8:40 p.m.
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