2013-12-05CITY OF BEVERLY
PUBLIC MEETING MINUTES
BOARD OR COMMISSION:
SUBCOMMITTEE:
DATE:
LOCATION:
MEMBERS PRESENT:
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RECORDER:
Design Review Board
December 5, 2013
Conference Room A, Third Floor City Hall
Ellen Flannery, Rachel Matthews, Karen Berbergal,
Leah Zambernardi, Jane Brusca
Bill Finch
None
Leah Zambernardi
The meeting is called to order at 6:30 p.m. Zambernardi introduces the first agenda item.
1. Sign: H &R Block, 157 Cabot Street
A representative of Back Bay Sign Company presented a new sign for "H &R Block" that
would replace the existing internally illuminated box sign. The new sign would measure
15- inches in height and 9 -feet, 11 9/16- inches in length. The lettering would be white,
internally illuminated letters with no background. A green, internally illuminated logo
would be placed in front of the sign measuring 24- inches in height and 24- inches in
length. He stated the raceway would be painted a cream color to match the color of the
building.
Ms. Brusca made a motion to accept the sign as presented. Ms. Flannery seconded the
motion and it carried unanimously.
2. Site Plan: Herrick House, 89 Herrick Street
Mr. Matt Weber from Beals Associates Inc. presented a modification to a site plan for the
Herrick House. He explained that these modifications will be presented to the Planning
Board on December 17 and he is seeking a recommendation from the Design Review
Board on the matter. He stated there is currently inadequate parking at the site based on
visitors parking in unmarked areas (i.e. access areas and emergency vehicle lanes). He is
requesting to add 23 parking spaces and a 3 -foot wide gravel infiltration trench to store
and infiltrate stormwater runoff from the area.
Ms. Flannery asked about zoning for the site noting a zoning district boundary line
traverses the property. Ms. Zambernardi stated that the zoning ordinance allows that
district regulations governing either portion of the severed lot may be extended up to 5
feet into the adjoining district. Ms. Brusca asked about the proximity of the work to the
neighborhood nearby. Mr. Weber explained that the area is heavily buffered by natural
vegetation.
Design Review Board minutes December 5, 2013
Page 1 of 4
Ms. Brusca made a motion to recommend that the Planning Board approve the
modification to the site plan with the condition that the developer disturb only a minimal
amount of trees to accommodate the additional parking in order to preserve an adequate
buffer between the hospital area and the residential neighborhood. Ms. Flannery
seconded the motion and it carried unanimously.
3. Sign: 199 -215 Essex Street
Mr. Ron Rosetti stated he owns the property and he would like to put up a freestanding
monument sign along Essex Street to make his tenants' businesses more visible. He
stated that the sign would be mounted on two 4" x 4" black steel posts that are 126- inches
in height. The sign would be a non - illuminated and would overall measure 90- inches in
height and 48- inches in width. The sign would have 6 tenant panels measuring 11.5 -
inches in height and 45- inches in width. The property address would be located at the top
of the sign in black lettering reading "199- 215 ".
Ms. Zambernardi noted that the sign requires a special permit from the ZBA and the
Board's task is to make a recommendation on the design of the sign to the ZBA. Ms.
Zambernardi noted that freestanding signs are allowed in the CN zone at 20 s.f if the
building is more than 200 -feet from the front lot line or if more than 75% of the building
is obscured by topography. In that case, one freestanding sign of 20 square feet is
allowed. She noted that the building is only 74 -feet from Essex Street and that it is
visible from Essex Street. She also noted that Mr. Rosetti is asking for 30 square feet,
whereas only 20 square feet would be allowed if he met the noted circumstances (which
he doesn't). Mr. Rosetti stated that some of his tenants have businesses that need more
visibility and they have asked him for a sign like this. He gives the example of a hair
salon that is trying to draw walk -ins. He observed there are other freestanding signs
along Essex Street. Ms. Brusca stated that the drawings submitted show that the sign
would fit well in that location and that it doesn't appear too large. She agreed that the
sign would help the businesses and that the nature of traffic in the area makes it difficult
to see the businesses. Ms. Zambernardi observed that a smaller sign would make the
tenant panels more difficult to read.
Ms. Flannery asked if the sign would be illuminated. Mr. Rosetti stated the sign would
not be internally illuminated and that he had no plans to provide external lighting for the
sign.
Ms. Zambernardi asked if the designs for the tenant panels were what are actually
proposed. Mr. Rosetti stated that the panels shown on the drawings are conceptual and
reflect the designs of the existing wall signs. He stated that the tenants would have final
say on the designs of their sign panels. Further discussion ensued about how to address
this in the Board's decision.
After due deliberation, Ms. Brusca made a motion to recommend to the ZBA that it
approve the sign with the following conditions:
Design Review Board minutes December 5, 2013
Page 2 of 4
1) Recognizing that the proposed designs for the tenant panels are only conceptual,
the Board recommended that the owner finalize the tenant panel designs prior to
applying for the ZBA special permit.
2) In the event that the ZBA approves the special permit request, the Board
recommended that the ZBA decision require the following: a. that any future
tenant panel modifications shall be subject to review by the Design Review
Board; and 2. that the applicants shall not need further relief from the ZBA to
modify the designs of the tenant panels.
Ms. Matthews seconded the motion and it carried unanimously.
4. Approval of Minutes: November 7, 2013 and February 11, 2013 regular
meetings
Ms. Flannery made a motion to approve the draft minutes of the November 7, 2013 and
February 11, 2013 regular meetings. Ms. Matthews the motion and it carried
unanimously.
4. New or Other Business
Site Plan: Black Cow, One Water Street
Ms. Zambernardi explained that the Black Cow project received site plan approved from the
Planning Board in June 2009. The Planning Board approved the project subject to several
conditions, including that the maximum restaurant be no more than 200 seats and that revised
floor plans and elevations consistent with the approved site plan be submitted to the Planning
Board prior to the issuance of a building permit. Joseph Leone and his architect, Doug Trees
submitted revised plans pursuant to the Planning Board's conditions for review and approval
at the December 17, 2013 Planning Board meeting. She stated that Mr. Leone has asked that
the Design Review Board review and make a recommendation on the revised plans in advance
of the Planning Board's December 17, 2013 meeting.
Mr. Leone and Mr. Trees were present. Mr. Trees explained the changes to the architectural
elevations and the floor plans. He also described the following additional modifications: a
new handicap access ramp to the public deck; the reorientation of the main entrance to the
restaurant from the deck on the east side of the building; the rearrangement of some parking
spaces on the north side of the site to allow room for the ramp; the narrowing of the one -way
drive on the south side of the building to allow a wider of walkway in front of the lower level
DPA room; and the moving of dumpsters to the interior of the lower level and the elimination
of the dumpster next to the public walkway. Mr. Trees noted that their engineer, Peter Ogren
would submit a revised site plan in advance of the Planning Board meeting.
Board members concurred that the design is aesthetically pleasing. Ms. Zambernardi noted
that the sign shown on the plans is not permitted by zoning. Should the applicant wish to
pursue approval of the sign, that is a separate process requiring a recommendation from the
DRB and a special permit from the Zoning Board of Appeals.
Design Review Board minutes December 5, 2013
Page 3 of 4
Following its discussion, Ms. Brusca made a motion to recommend to the Planning Board
that it approve the modifications to the Black Cow site plan. Ms. Bebergal seconded the
motion and it carried unanimously.
b. 2014 Meeting Schedule
Ms. Zambernardi distributed the 2014 meeting schedule and stated that it would be filed
with the City Clerk.
5. Adjournment
Ms. Flannery made a motion to adjourn. Ms. Matthews seconded the motion and it
carried unanimously.
The meeting adjourned at 7:30 p.m.
Design Review Board minutes December 5, 2013
Page 4 of 4