2008-06-11
CITY OF BEVERLY
PUBLIC MEETING MINUTES
BOARD OR COMMISSION:
SUBCOMMITTEE:
DATE:
LOCATION:
MEMBERS PRESENT:
Parking and Traffic Commission
MEMBERS ABSENT:
OTHERS PRESENT:
RECORDER:
June 11, 2008
Beverly City Hall
Joseph Shairs, Wayne Francis, Susan Mueller,
Richard Benevento, Richard Hutchinson, Bill Bent
Tina Cassidy
Eileen Sacco
Benevento calls the meeting to order at 9:30 a.m.
Approval of Minutes
The minutes of the Parking and Traffic Commission meeting held on May 14, 2008 were
presented for approval. Benevento suggests that the matter be tabled until the next
meeting.
Recommendation to the Plannin2: Board on Site Plan Review Application #119-08 -
New Li2:ht Industrial Buildin2: on Sam Fonzo Drive
Peter Ogren, engineer for owner/developer Jack Kelleher addresses the Commission and
explains that there is a zoning issue with respect to parking and they will have to submit
to the ZBA. He reviews the plans and the zoning ordinance and states that they feel that
visitor spaces can be 15 feet back from the lot line and that is what they are proposing.
He notes that he received a memo from Leah Zambernardi outlining the zoning concerns
on the site.
Ogren explains that they moved six spaces from the front and will be relocating them out
back, and notes the area on the plan.
The Commission calls Leah Zambernardi into the meeting to review the plan.
Zambernardi explains that the zoning ordinance states that parking cannot be located in
the front yard of a lot in an IR zone and the current plan does in fact show parking within
the front yard.
Ogren states that his interpretation is that visitor parking can be in the front yard and that
is what they intended. Zambernardi suggests that they resolve the issue with the Building
Inspector as he is the zoning enforcement officer.
Ogren stated that they are not changing the location of the building and they would like to
have the visitor parking in the front of the building.
Parking and Traffic Commission minutes
Page 10f4
June 11, 2008
Benevento states that they need to be sure that the circulation works on the site. He also
asks if there would be any truck traffic on the site. Kelleher states that there would be
minimal truck traffic on the site noting that they are doing construction management and
there would be minimal equipment on the site.
Ogren reports that the site distances on the property are good and explains the locations
on the plan.
A question was raised as to whether this site is in a watershed protection overlay district.
Benevento explains that it is not something that the Parking and Traffic Commission
would decide. Ogren reports that they filed a special permit application for the watershed
protection overlay district. He also states that they do not have to go to the Conservation
Commission for this project. Ogren explains that in the future the intention is to put the
site to a larger use and at that time they will be back to the Conservation Commission for
phase two.
Shairs:
Motion to approve the plan with modifications to the driveway radius,
pending approval of the issues regarding zoning. Hutchinson seconds the
motion. The motion carries.
Discussion: Chairman's Presentation to the City Council on June 2. 2008 and
Resultin2: Follow Up Work N ecessarv
Benevento reports on his meeting with the Beverly City Council held on June 2, 2008.
He notes that guidelines need to be established between the Council and Parking and
Traffic Commission for requests and recommendations. He suggests that protocols be
established to be efficient and fair, noting that some issues require public input.
Shairs explains that the Council refers matters to its legal affairs subcommittee which
then refers the matters to the Parking and Traffic Commission for input.
Benevento suggests that items for review be agenda items and questions what items
should be considered the domain of the Commission. He states that he would like to
come up with a formal process in the next couple of months. He suggests that the
Commission find out what other communities have Parking and Traffic Commissions and
see what their regulations are with regard to review. He says that he will get some
sample regulations and bylaws from other cities and towns and report back to the
Commission.
Discussion/Recommendation on Council Order #151 - ReQuest for Commission to
Undertake Comprehensive Evaluation ofParkin2: and Traffic Concerns Around
Hurd Stadium
Benevento reports that he talked with City Councillor Kevin Hobin regarding the traffic
issues that prompted Order # 151. He notes that there are parking issues when events are
Parking and Traffic Commission minutes
Page 2 of 4
June 11, 2008
held during the day and asks if there was a recommendation that the Commission could
make.
Shairs reports that he also talked to Councillor Hobin and asked him to draft an official
letter. He also notes that there is a parking lot on Cedar Street that is being used to store
granite curbing. He suggests that it should be cleaned up and used for parking again. He
also suggests that signs could be posted instructing people to park in the Cedar Street lot
for events at Cooney Field and Hurd Stadium.
Benevento asks how many events are held there. Shairs explains that there are baseball
games in the spring and Pop Warner football from August 18t on.
Benevento suggests that a letter could be sent to the organizations using the fields
outlining the regulations for parking in the area.
Benevento and Shairs will visit the area and assess the parking situation.
Shairs:
Motion to continue this matter to June 25,2008 and make a formal
recommendation to the City Council in response to the order. Hutchinson
seconds the motion. The motion carries.
Discussion: New Traffic Aisle Confi2:uration and Resultant On Street Parkin2:
Issues - Cabot. Balch. Herrick. and Herrick and Cabot Streets
Shairs explains that the City has graded the intersection and installed a binder coat of
paving for the reconfiguration of Cabot and Herrick Street to include a right turn lane,
and the same thing was done at Balch and Herrick. He says he feels that the Commission
should discuss this because they recommended against no parking in this area.
Benevento suggests that the Commission send a letter to the DPW recommending no
parking signage for the area. He also suggests that the letter indicate that the
Commission has reviewed the issue at Cabot and Herrick and recommends that the
signage be included as improvements to the parking in the area.
Benevento also requests that Public Services and the City Engineer keep the Commission
informed on parking and traffic-related changes that affect the local ordinance and the
reconfiguration of any streets or signage. Benevento states that he would draft the letter.
Shairs suggests that Benevento call Frank Killilea and see what the plans call for.
No formal action was taken on this matter at this time.
Old/N ew Business
Mary Rodrick states that the Beverly Hospital intersection has a lot of traffic. She also
expresses concern about the gas station adding a convenience store and notes that it
Parking and Traffic Commission minutes
Page 30f4
June 11, 2008
would create a lot of pedestrian traffic. Benevento agrees and suggests that the
intersection should have a pedestrian phase. He recalls that there are plans for the area
that call for the installation of a controller and striping that has been approved for the
area. Shairs notes that there should be traffic studies that were done by the engineer for
the project. Benevento notes that there are different levels of analysis depending on the
size of the project. He recommends that the City request a peer review of the traffic
study and the Commission could work with them.
Benevento suggests that the Commission should be added to the routing slip for projects
as they go through review by City departments. He states that he would talk to Cassidy
about this at the next meeting.
There being no further business to come before the Parking and Traffic Commission at
this time, Benevento asks for a motion to adjourn.
Hutchinson: motion to adjourn the meeting, seconded by Shairs. The motion carries.
The meeting adjourned at 11 :30 a.m.
Parking and Traffic Commission minutes
Page 40f4
June 11, 2008