DRB November 2 2016 MinutesCITY OF BEVERLY
PUBLIC MEETING MINUTES
BOARD OR COMMISSION: Design Review Board
SUBCOMMITTEE:
DATE: Thursday, November 2, 2016
LOCATION: Beverly City Hall Conference Room
MEMBERS PRESENT: Karen Bebergal, Ellen Flannery, Joel Margolis, Matthew Ulrich
and Allison Crosbie
MEMBERS ABSENT: Sandra Cook, William Finch, Rachel Matthews
OTHERS:
RECORDER: Brett Bauer
Flannery calls the meeting to order at 6:30 p.m.
Sign: Mattress Firm - 2 Enon Street
Applicant presents wall sign and panel sign on existing free standing sign.
There being no further questions or comments regarding this matter:
Margolis: Moves to approve the signs as presented. Flannery seconds the motion. The motion
carries (5 -0).
Sign: Aubuchon Hardware - 50 Enon Street
Applicant presents sign change for wall sign. Crosbie notes that Benjamin Moore logo is not allowed
on wall sign, but the existing Benjamin Moore logo on the free standing could remain, as it was
approved in 2013.
There being no further questions or comments regarding this matter:
Flannery: Moves to approve the signs with the condition that the Benjamin Moore logo is
removed from the wall sign and the free standing sign remains unchanged. Crosbie
seconds the motion. The motion carries (5 -0).
Sign: High Res Biosolutions - 102 Cherry Hill Drive
The applicant is a firm currently located in Woburn. They have received a TIF agreement with the City
of Beverly. Two wall signs and a free standing are presented. The free standing sign is intended to
direct vehicles to the parking area. All three signs will be illuminated, but nothing too bright.
There being no further questions or comments regarding this matter:
Crosbie: Moves to approve the signs as presented. Flannery seconds the motion. The motion
carries (5 -0).
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November 2, 2016
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ign: Dunkin Donuts - 409 Cabot Street
The applicant explains they are replacing the panel face on a free standing sign.
There being no further questions or comments regarding this matter:
Margolis: Moves to approve the sign as presented. Crosbie seconds the motion. The motion
carries (5 -0).
Sign: Alma Caribbean Fusion - 409 Cabot Street
The applicant explains this will be a new restaurant where the Happy Clam used to be. The color of
the wall sign will be changed to burgundy.
There being no further questions or comments regarding this matter:
Ulrich: Moves to approve the wall sign as presented. Crosbie seconds the motion. The motion
carries (5 -0).
ign: Evviva Cucina - 45 Enon Street
The applicant explains that the box sign was "Not Your Average Joes." Channel letters will be used,
but will not be illuminated. In addition to the wall signs, there will be window decals. Crosbie advises
that the window decals cannot exceed 20% of the window area. The applicant asks if this applies to
the window bay or the window pane. Crosbie responds that the 20% decal coverage limitation applies
to the window bay.
There being no further questions or comments regarding this matter:
Crosbie: Moves to approve the two wall signs and the free standing sign with the condition that
the applicant demonstrates how the window decals is not exceeding the 20% area
limitation. Flannery seconds the motion. The motion carries (5 -0).
Sign: Collective Jiu -Jitsu - 457 Rantoul Street
Applicant explains this was a dance studio and is changing to a self - defense school. They will be using
the same sign frame and will only be changing the sign itself. The sign is internally illuminated and
will be black lettering over a white background.
There being no further questions or comments regarding this matter:
Ulrich: Moves to approve the wall sign as proposed. Bebergal seconds the motion. The motion
carries (5 -0).
Informal Review: Temporary Sign: 131 Rantoul Street
The applicant explains that they need to raise awareness of this type of urban product in Beverly. They
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November 2, 2016
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are proposing to install signage along the construction fencing. They need to advertise the type of
space they will be leasing. The signs would stay up until roughly April. Crosbie asks about the height
of the signs. The applicant responds that the fence is 6 feet in height, but the signs will be 5 '/2 feet
from the top. They will also be putting "Now Leasing" signs on the building that will go up
approximately from March 2017 until the end of 2017. This will also be coordinated with an online
campaign. Flannery asks if they want to limit the amount of signs. Crosbie responds that there are
currently no rules regulating temporary signs. Overall, the response to the signs is positive.
Site Plan Review: 50 Dunham Road - Vitality Senior Living, LLC
The applicant is submitting formal application to the Planning Board for Site Plan Review and a
Special Permit for the parking ratios, and are seeking a recommendation from this Board. They will
also be meeting with the ZBA, Parking and Traffic Commission, and the Conservation Commission.
Minor changes have been made to the elevations since last presented. The building is 135,000 square
feet on a 4.5 acre site. There will be 118 units for 123 residents. There will be 20 -26 staff on site,
depending on the time of day. There will be 13 parking spaces for the retail /daycare use, and another
12 spaces deeded from Cummings. The amount of parking will meet the requirements for general
commercial use, but not for daycare use. This will be addressed when the exact use is determined.
In response to concerns about the institutional look, the applicant is trying to accomplish an overall
esthetic of contemporary. The owner feels the next generation of assisted living residents will be open
to and desire a contemporary look. The applicant also feels the traditional look would not make sense
in an office park. It would also be difficult to incorporate a traditional look with a large garage. They
want to take advantage of the natural landscape of the area with a contemporary look that includes
large windows and decks.
And in response to concerns about the scale, the applicant has made changes to the building elevations
to give the appearance individual townhomes as you might see in the Back Bay of Boston. The
applicant explains that they are trying to make the rooms feel bright and large with large windows and
decks, as the rooms are not very big in area. They would rather spend their money on windows and
other features that contribute to a high performing building rather than spend it on architectural
features. The windows are set back about 4 inches from the exterior siding because of the high
performance insulation used, but this gives the building wall some depth which is otherwise fairly flat.
Wood paneling is used to connect the bedrooms and livingrooms.
Fiber cement boards will be used for the exterior siding. Different materials that are slightly brighter
in color are used to call out public /shared areas. Parking will be on the lowest level and will be
exposed at the lowest half of the elevation, but will be masked with a green screen. The trash will be
on the loading dock near the parking entrance. Mechanical equipment will be on the roof, but set back
and mostly below the parapet.
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November 2, 2016
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Ulrich comments that he might be pickier about the design if this was a building located downtown,
but that it is an improvement to the office park. He would like to see some differentiation in heights of
the different buildings.
Flannery comments that the Planning Board will want more details about the lighting and solar panels.
Crosbie comments that she likes the color palette.
There being no further questions or comments regarding this matter:
Crosbie: Move to recommend approval to the Planning Board as proposed. Ulrich seconds the
motion. The motion carries (5 -0).
Adjournment
Crosbie asks if there is any other business to come before the Design Review Board this evening.
There being none:
Crosbie: Moves to adjourn the meeting. Flannery seconds the motion. The motion carries (5 -0).
The meeting is adjourned at 7:50 p.m.
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November 2, 2016
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