2013-03-13CITY OF BEVERLY
PUBLIC MEETING MINUTES
BOARD OR COMMISSION: Economic and Community Development Council
SUBCOMMITTEE:
DATE:
Wednesday, March 13, 2012
LOCATION:
Beverly Public Library — Staff Conference Room
MEMBERS PRESENT:
Chair Paul Guanci, Vice Chair Neil Douglas, Tina Cassidy,
Charlene St. Jean, Don Fournier, Mike Collins
MEMBERS ABSENT:
Bill Howard, Paul Guanci
OTHERS:
Denise Deschamps
RECORDER:
Eileen Sacco
Douglas calls the meeting to order at 5:30 p.m.
1. Approval of Minutes
The minutes of the December 11, 2012 meeting were presented for approval. Douglas asks if
there are any corrections that need to be made. There are none.
Fournier: motion to approve the minutes of the ECDC's December 11, 2012 meeting as
drafted, seconded by St. Jean. All members in favor, no one in opposition. The
motion carries 6 -0.
2. Discussion/Update: Brimbal Avenue/Route 128 Overpass Improvement Proiect
(stakeholders meetings, progress on proiect funding) Neil Douglas and Denise
Deschamps
Douglas addresses the Committee and states that there have not been a lot of changes since the
Committee last met in December, other than to attempt to refine the construction of the roadway
west of Brimbal Ave. to achieve equal access to the four major businesses in the area: CEA
Group, Northridge Homes, CPI (former Varian site) and Cell Signaling.
Douglas reports that Cell Signaling desires to have direct access to Sohier Road and more
parking in anticipation of the opening of their business in the summer with 200 new employees
on this site. He explains that they need to accommodate employees and vendor deliveries and
have made arrangements with CPI to use part of its parking lot for that purpose.
Douglas also reports that another business, the Halistar Corp owned by John Penni, is moving its
operation from Park Street to Bomac Road.
Douglas notes that the property owners are in agreement with the plans for improvements to
Brimbal Ave. and the interchange and he hopes that the City can come to agreement with
MassDOT through the efforts of its engineering firm, Jacobs Engineering.
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Douglas says that Northridge Homes is nearing the end of its affordable housing obligation.
That expires in 2018 and the development is facing a need to make significant improvements to
the existing 98 units and are considering a plan to possibly construct 75 new units.
Douglas reports that a second concern is that a transfer of land must occur between the CEA
Group and the State so that the Route 128 ramps can be relocated closer to the Northridge parcel.
Cassidy reports that the Mayor has been dogging the Secretary of MassDOT about the issue and
Jeffrey Simon, the Assistant General Manager of MassDOT has been asked to facilitate the land
transfer.
Douglas reports that when the proposed design and roadway alignment are done the City can
request approval of the land transfer by MassDOT. He also notes that once that is done he does
not see why Phase I of the project cannot get started. He also states that the Mayor is encouraged
that the money will be available from the State to pay for the construction.
Guanci suggests that Bomac Road should be moved a little and a traffic signal be installed.
Douglas notes that CPI owns the property. Cassidy suggests a site visit to the Brimbal /Sohier/
Tozer Road area in early April so that members can view the area and the locations involved.
Members schedule a date of April 11 at 4:00 p.m. for the site visit and Cassidy will work out
the details.
Deschamps addresses the ECDC and reports that at the last meeting it was noted that the
$500,000 in MassWorks funding is limited to design costs.
Douglas reports that the Mayor has left no stone unturned regarding this proposal and he has
done everything that he needed to do to make it a reality. He explains that the State needs to
approve the design and final access, and accomplish the land swap /transfer before construction
can begin.
Douglas also notes that using Otis Road as an access took a lot of pressure off the environmental
concerns. He adds that he hopes that the initial first phase of construction of phase I of this
project will start this calendar year.
3. Update from Planning Director Tina Cassidy on Development Projects and
"Development Scorecard"
Cassidy provides the following updates:
Flatley— 10 Acre parcel will be sold to Steve Connolly who will subdivide the lot into
two and construct a new private school (North Shore Academy) in the short term. The
site plan is currently before the Planning Board and calls for a 40,000 s.f building with
athletic fields. The school is currently located in the Cummings Center. The second lot
will be built on in the future.
Lil Peach Essex Street — Will apply to Planning Board for site plan approval of new
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building; approval by the Zoning Board of Appeals was previously granted.
130 Cabot Street — Received Planning Board approval — waiver not granted by Planning
Board for majority of parking in municipal lot on Washington and Franklin Place
Planning Board has asked for a change to the Parking Ordinance that will allow use of
municipal parking lots to satisfy zoning requirements by special permit only.
Black Cow — Cassidy reports that there is nothing new to report at this time.
McKay School — Beverly Bootstraps is interested in moving in there. Cassidy also notes
that there were a couple of other people looking at it as well. The City will likely
readvertise an RFP for this site in the Spring.
4. Proposed Residential TIF District
Guanci reports that a residential TIF District has been approved by the City Council for a
stretch of Rantoul Street. He notes that the application needs to be sent to the State but it
cannot be done until we have a specific TIF project to include in the application.
5. Compact Communities
Cassidy reports to the ECDC on Compact Communities. She explains that it is a State -
sponsored program that encourages communities to provide for affordable housing at
reasonable densities near transit nodes and places of commerce. She explains that it is
administered according to zoning and would require zoning changes. She notes that 1/3
of the City is already zoned in a way to "qualify" for Compact Community status but the
irony is that that zoning has been in place for too long to formally "qualify" the City. She
expresses regret that the City of Beverly will be penalized for doing, years earlier, what
the state would like to accomplish now. She adds that the State advised her to submit
comments regarding her concerns in writing.
6. Next Meeting
The next meeting of the ECDC will be held on Wednesday, June 12, 2013 at 5:30 p.m.
7. Adiournment
Guanci asks if there is any other business for the Council to conduct at this meeting.
There is none.
Fournier: motion to adjourn, seconded by Collins. All members in favor, no one in
opposition. The motion carries 6 -0.
The meeting is adjourned at 6:30 p.m.
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