2012-06-05CITY OF BEVERLY
PUBLIC MEETING MINUTES
BOARD OR COMMISSION
SUBCOMMITTEE:
DATE:
LOCATION:
MEMBERS PRESENT:
MEMBERS ABSENT:
OTHERS PRESENT:
RECORDER:
Parking and Traffic Commission
June 5, 2012
City Hall Conference Room B, Third Floor
Chair Richard Benevento, Vice -Chair Bill Bent,
Tina Cassidy, Bill Fiore, Richard Hutchinson, John
Somes, Russ Rollins
Tina Cassidy
Chairman Benevento calls the meeting to order at 8:30 a.m. and suggests taking
agenda items out of order in order to accommodate late arrivals.
1. Discussion of neighborhood traffic issues on Woodland Avenue
Benevento invites Ms. Lois Johnson to address the Commission regarding her recent
email about traffic problems and resulting safety concerns on Woodland Avenue.
She explains that although she lives on Ashton Street, she baby sits her
grandchildren who live at 22 Woodland Avenue and sees first hand significant
traffic issues with that roadway. Issues include cars going too fast and volumes of
traffic associated with cut through commuter traffic and school drop offs. She
presents a map and a typed summary of issues. Other neighborhood residents are
also present including Ben Johnson and residents of Garden Street and they echo her
concerns.
Members discuss some of the issues in a general fashion including lack of curbing,
narrow sidewalks, faded crosswalks obscured by hills, speed and traffic volume.
Benevento cautions that some of the potential recommendations (such as new
sidewalks or new curbing) could be very expensive and therefore unrealistic, while
other recommendations may be affordable and easily implemented.
Members decide the best time for a site visit would be either during the school pick-
up and drop -off periods (7:30 - 8:30 a.m. or 1:45 - 2:15 p.m.) or the afternoon
commuter rush hour (4:00 - 5:30 p.m.). Members agree to conduct a site visit on
Friday morning, June 8, 2012 at 7:30 a.m. Participants will meet at the playground
on Livingstone Avenue and will proceed from there.
2. Discussion /recommendation to Planning Board: Site Plan Review
application #108 -12 and Special Permit application #131 -12 for new
commercial /residential building at 130 Cabot Street / Levy & Maffeo,
Trustees of 130 -140 Cabot Street Real , Trust
Final Parking and Traffic Commission meeting minutes June 5, 2012
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Attorney Tom Alexander addresses the Commission and explains the proposed site
plan. It consists of a three story building with 4,250 sq. ft. of commercial space and
one 1 bedroom apartment on the first floor, with twelve additional 2 bedroom
apartments on upper stories. A total of 14 parking spaces would be provided on site
(13 typical spaces plus 1 handicapped) which is less than required by zoning.
However, the applicants are requesting a waiver of the requirement, or will rely on
the City's current policy of recognizing public spaces within 500' of the main
entrance.
Alexander also notes that the three parking spaces proposed for the side of Vestry
Street are too close to the lot line (should have 5' setback), the width of the
driveway off of Cabot Street is 10' wide where 18' is typically required for one way
traffic, and the two way travel aisle in the parking lot is only 22' wide at one point
where 24' minimum is required. He adds that the project will have two affordable
housing units in order to meet the City's inclusionary zoning ordinance.
Benevento expresses concern about the proposal to put three parallel parking
spaces on Vestry Street. In total they will be 66' long and he asks if this would meet
zoning. Cassidy states that she does not know, it would be a question for the
Building Inspector to answer. Benevento asks how the public will know those
spaces are for private use - they will look like on- street spaces to those who don't
know otherwise. Alexander states that they intended to erect signage indicating
their private use.
A member asks how trash trucks will access the property. Fiore speculates the
hauler will need to use Railroad Avenue, travel down Elm, take a right onto Vestry
Street and service the trash from Vestry Street directly. Cassidy asks where the
trash container will be located. Trash containers will be located interior to the
building and the trash hauler will need to come onto the property, wheel the refuse
containers to the truck, then return the containers to the building.
Fiore states that the building will be fully sprinklered.
Cassidy expresses great concern about the proposed 10' driveway and asks for
elaboration on its intended use as a drive through. Alexander states that it is
designed as a drive through, for a bank branch. Zoning would not permit a drive -
through for a restaurant in this district and the applicant knows about that. Cassidy
suggests that the drive through be eliminated and the area used for parking instead.
Benevento expresses concern about the last parking space in the proposed lot at the
extreme southwest corner. Because the aisle is narrow at that point it appears that
vehicle will need to back out using the proposed 10' wide driveway in order to leave
the space.
Bent suggests that the applicant consider the Commission's comments and return to
its next meeting in July with a revised plan. He encourages the applicant to
Final Parking and Traffic Commission meeting minutes June 5, 2012
Page 2 of 4
investigate shifting the building southward. He does not like the proposed spaces
off of Vestry and moving the building might allow for a re- design that provides more
conventional, site - internal access to those spaces.
Alexander promises to research and reconsider the present design and return to the
Commission at the next meeting. Members agree to schedule the next Commission
meeting for Tuesday, July 10, 2012. Alexander promises to provide a revised site
plan to all members at least one week in advance of that meeting by email to the
Planning Department assistant.
3. Update /discussion: Possible truck exclusion for Cole Street
Rollins distributes printouts of the automated traffic counts that were done on Cole
Street. Bent states that he had an opportunity to review them and, in a nutshell,
they show less than 1% of the traffic on Cole Street consists of 3 axle vehicles or
bigger. This percentage is far less than the 5 -8% truck traffic MassDOT typically
uses as a threshold for approving truck exclusion routes, but that percentage is not a
regulation /requirement so it would still be okay to submit an exclusion request.
Members discuss the next steps that should be taken on this matter. Bent agrees to
draft a summary memo of the automated traffic count analysis and Cassidy will
work with him to create a memorandum for the Council that outlines the results of
the traffic counts and the steps needed to request a truck exclusion route from the
State. The letter will be drafted between now and the next meeting and this matter
will be placed on the July agenda for additional discussion related to the memo.
4. Update /discussion: Council Order #4: Conduct of traffic and parking
study in the vicinity of the proposed commuter rail parking _garage
Cassidy states that she has nothing specific to report other than the fact that the
MBTA held a pre -bid meeting at Beverly City Hall yesterday with the three firms
pre - qualified to bid on the Beverly garage project: Suffolk, Welch, and Consigliano.
The matter will be placed on the next Commission agenda for additional discussion
and update.
S. Update on status of roadway signage installation in the Chapman's
Corner subdivision (follow up to Order #194
Cassidy updates members by informing them that the missing /required signage was
erected several days after the last Parking and Traffic Commission meeting.
6. New or Other Business
a. Citizen complaint regarding parking near Hannah School / Traffic Sgt.
Russ Rollins
Final Parking and Traffic Commission meeting minutes June 5, 2012
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Rollins informs members that he has received an emailed complaint
regarding on- street parking during school drop off and pick up hours at the
Hannah School. He says the complaint was lodged by the owner of the day
care center on Wayland Road, Mr. Markarian. Rollins states that he will be
contacting Mr. Markarian and will report back to the Commission at the next
meeting.
b. Schedule site visit to Hale Street
Fiore reminds the Commission that it received a complaint mid - winter from
a resident of Hale Street regarding an unsafe parking situation at 740 Hale
Street. The complainant indicated that the issue is at its worst in July, and
suggests that a site visit needs to be scheduled as a follow up.
Benevento states that this matter will be put on the July meeting agenda and
a site visit scheduled at that time.
Benevento asks if there is any other business for the Commission to discuss. There
is not.
7. Approval of Minutes: May 1, 2012 and May 10, 2012 meetings
Benevento asks if everyone has had a chance to review the draft minutes and
whether there are any edits that need to be made.
Fiore: motion to approve the minutes of the Commission's May 1, 2012
meeting, seconded by Hutchinson. All members in favor, no one in
opposition. Motion carries 7 - 0.
Bent: motion to approve the minutes of the Commission's May 10, 2012
meeting, seconded by Fiore. All members in favor, no one in
opposition. Motion carries 7 - 0.
Benevento asks if there is any other business to discuss. There is none.
The meeting is adjourned at 10:40 a.m.
Final Parking and Traffic Commission meeting minutes June 5, 2012
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