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2011-03-03CITY OF BEVERLY PU BOARD: DATE: BOARD MEMBERS PRESENT BOARD MEMBERS ABSENT: STAFF MEMBERS PRESENT: BLIC MEETING MINUTES Design Review Board March 3, 2011 Colleen Bruce, Patrick McGowan Jane Brusca, Bill Finch Associate Planner Kate Newhall OTHERS: RECORDER: Kate Newhall Bruce calls the meeting to order. 1. 50 Dunham Road — Dunham Corporate Center — Hazel Wood Hopkins, 2 Phoebe Way, Worcester, MA 01605 Ms. Hopkins of Hazel Wood Hopkins presents the sign design to the Board. The proposed 78" tall by 80" wide freestanding sign is constructed of aluminum. The sign will feature the name of the office park, "Signature Office Park" with a leaf graphic, along with space for six sign panels advertising the businesses in the office park. The sign will also show the address of the office park along the bottom. The background is a brushed aluminum with maroon and black text. The base /skirt of the freestanding sign will be maroon as well. Ms. Hopkins is proposing to use external illumination. Bruce asks if this is a replacement sign. Ms. Hopkins states that there is no sign there currently. Bruce asks about lighting. Ms. Hopkins responds that there will be a spotlight on the ground. Bruce cautions that it cannot shine into the road /vehicles. McGowan asks how far the sign is set back from the road. Hopkins states that she assumes the sign will be put right inside the lot line. McGowan is concerned with obstructing site lines. Bruce and McGowan state that the sign should be set back at least 10 feet. Ms. Hopkins states that 10 feet may excessive. Newhall suggests putting the recommendations in the letter to maintain site lines at the intersection when installing the sign. Bruce: Motion to approve the sign design as presented with the site line and spotlight notations, seconded by McGowan. All in favor. 2. 81A Rantoul Street — Ultimate Auto Sales — Richmond Shea, 132 Conant Street, Beverly, MA 01915 Mr. Shea of Ultimate Auto Sales presents his proposal for two wall signs, a freestanding sign and two directional signs to be located at 81A Rantoul Street. Steven Frederickson, the Building DRB March 3, 2011 Page 2 of 3 Commissioner, noted on the application that the freestanding sign and one of the directional signs is not allowed per zoning. The wall signs, which meet the zoning requirements, are two different sizes. One measures 120" in length by 36" in height and features the name of the business in red text with yellow details against a white background and also features the phone number in white text against a red background. The second wall sign has the same design but with no phone number measures 96" in length and 24" in height. All of the signs are constructed of aluminum and will not be illuminated. McGowan states that the phone number is prohibited. The applicant agrees to remove it. Newhall asks about the small directional sign. This sign is to be placed above the office door, but must have the word, "ultimate" removed for it to be allowed. The applicant agrees to this. Mr. Shea discusses the larger directional sign. Newhall states that if the sign were reduced in size to only 2 square feet, then it would be allowed. The applicant agrees to reduce it. McGowan asks where the two wall signs will be placed. Mr. Shea states that one will face Rantoul Street and the other will face Edwards Street. The applicant states that he will discuss his proposal for a freestanding sign with Mr. Frederickson. The Board does not discuss this sign and does not include it in their vote. Newhall: Motion to approve the signs without the word "Ultimate" from the Sales Office sign and without the phone number from the wall sign. Also, reduce the size of the directional sign to 2 square feet and meet the other requirements listed in section 29- 26.C.6 of the zoning ordinance, seconded by Bruce. All in favor. 3. 437 Rantoul Street — The Scotty Dog — Ed Juralewicz, United Sign Co, Inc., 33 Tozer Road, Beverly, MA 01915 Mr. Juralewicz was unable to make the meeting, as was the owner of the business, Mr. Steven Scott. Newhall presents the sign design to the Board. The proposed wall sign, constructed of aluminum, measures 24" in height by 178" in length. It has a white background with red and black lettering reading, "The Scotty Dog" "Chicago Vienna Beef Hot Dog." The sign also features a hot dog graphic. The sign will utilize existing external illumination. McGowan suggests that the sign appears to be long. Newhall states that Mr. Frederickson signed the application stating that it complies with zoning. Bruce suggests that there could be more than one sign on this application due to some of the text provided on the sign design drawing. She wants to insure that only the one sign, facing Rantoul Street, in approved. Newhall states that the motion can clarify that the Board approved only one sign. McGowan: Motion to approve the design as presented for one wall sign, seconded by Newhall. All in favor. DRB March 3, 2011 Page 3 of 3 4. Approval of Minutes — February 3, 2011 Meeting Bruce: Motion to approve the minutes as presented, seconded by McGowan. Approved 3 -0. 5. New /Other Business Newhall distributes an OSRD site plan for 875 Hale Street. She also passes out a memo to the members describing the OSRD design standards listed in the zoning ordinance. Jeff Rhuda of Symes Development presents the site plan: the parcel is currently lawn with two existing homes to be salvaged; four additional homes will be built; each lot will be 4,000 sf; 50% of entire parcel is open space. Rhuda describes the yard easements, which count toward the open space, but only allow the individual owners to use. Bruce asks about the size of the houses. Rhuda says that they will be about 2,500sf rather than his preferred 3,500sf to 4,500sf. Bruce asks about fencing. Rhuda said that the landscaping plan uses shrubs rather than fencing. Bruce asks if the plants are native to this region. Rhuda states that he is unsure. Bruce points out the few non - native species on the species list. She also asks about the irrigation system; Rhuda states that there will probably be one, but it is dependant on each homeowner. Recommendation: use only plantings that are native to the region/New England. Bruce asks about the paving; Rhuda states that the amount of asphalt is relatively low due to the reduced roadway width. He describes the LID drainage measures. Bruce asks about the parking area; Rhuda confirms that they driveways will be asphalt. Bruce asks about walkways from the houses to the street; Rhuda states that there will be no sidewalks along the new road. Bruce would like to see more permeable pavement. McGowan suggests permeable pavement for the driveways. Rhuda objects, stating that nothing will prevent an owner from paving over the material after the project has been built. Newhall asks about the width of the new road. Rhuda states that at the entrance the road is 22' then it tapers all the way down to 18' then to 12' by the end of the road. McGowan asks about the lighting. Rhuda states that they haven't proposed specific fixtures. Recommendation: Light fixtures need to shine downwards to minimize the glare and reduce the light pollution. Fixtures should keep with the surrounding neighborhood's aesthetic. Meeting is adjourned at 7:30.