Minutes of Meeting – October 20, 2015
The Hudson Planning Board met at the Town Hall, 78 Main Street, Hudson, Massachusetts.
At 7:00 PM, Bob D’Amelio called the meeting to order.
Present: Bob D’Amelio, Rodney Frias, Dirk Underwood, Tom Collins, David Daigneault and Teresa Vickery, Clerk.
By-Law Amendment: Family Home Daycare, Public Hearing
Bob D’Amelio convened the Public Hearing.
Mr. D’Amelio suspended the public hearing and noted that it will be the last item discussed on tonight’s agenda.
173 Washington Street, Site Plan Review, Saxon Partners
Present were: Paul Giannetti, Atty. at Law
Jesse Johnson, Bohler Engineering
Brian Leahy, Saxon Partners
Heather Monticup, Traffic Engineer, GPI
Bob D’Amelio convened the Public Hearing.
Atty. Giannetti noted that the applicant has met with ITC and feels that they have addressed their concerns.
Mr. D’Amelio noted that the Town’s peer review consultants will not have comments ready until the Boards meeting of November 17th.
Jesse Johnson explained that McDonald’s will be relocating to this site if this plan is approved.
Allyson Hay, 11 Maxwell Circle had a list of concerns for the applicant. She noted issues with the traffic, citing her concern for the exit and entrance onto Route 85. The height of the sign is also one of her issues. She feels that the 20 foot high maximum height in the Town’s regulations is too high. She suggested that the lighting at the back of the site be minimal. Her major concern is for the back portion of the property. Ms. Hay stated there is a big hill at the back of the site with a lot of big healthy trees on it that abuts the RailTrail and from what she saw on the plans it looks as if a good portion of this will be graded in order to decrease the size of the retaining wall. She suggested making the retaining wall bigger in order to keep the trees and the hill in order to try to
buffer the back of the property. She also asked if the retaining wall be made more aesthetically pleasing.
Mr. Johnson explained that this is a formerly developed site at the corner of Washington and Giasson Streets. There is an existing detention basin that is fenced in on the site. This was done as a result of the widening of Route 85. It was designed with the consideration of future development of this site. The basin was over designed as the site was looked at as being developed to its maximum 85% impervious surface capacity which is allowed under zoning.
The layout of the building is a typical prototype for a McDonalds it is 4,338 square feet in area. The building is oriented so it runs parallel to Washington Street.
There will be two-way access off of Giasson Street extension. There is an existing curb cut at this location. A one way in and a one way out are being proposed onto Washington Street. This was discussed in depth with the Internal Traffic Committee. The Committee agreed that the design being proposed would discourage anyone wanting to take a left out of the site from being able to do so. However they did ask that the applicant reexamine the entrance to the site and see if they could do better at discouraging a left into the site. The applicant then opted to bring some of the sidewalk into the site allowing for the enlargement of the median at the entrance to the site.
The circulation around the site is one way. There will be signage within the site to help direct people while in the site as well as signage directing how to exit the site. There are 35 parking spaces being provided the regulations call for 26 spaces.
The utilities for the site will be extended. Mr. Johnson stated that they tried to minimize the disturbance to the street as much as possible as it has been recently paved and they do not want to make any cuts in the road that are not needed. However the extension of the gas and sewer lines will require them to access Washington Street. The sewer and gas lines are on the opposite side of the street from the site. They were able to connect to the water supply without having to disturb the roadway.
The landscaping at the site will be very robust. Trees will be erected along the edge of the site to screen the site and the entrances have been framed.
Mr. Johnson responded to some of Ms. Hay’s concerns. The applicant is willing to color the retaining wall a more earth toned hue and perhaps add some plantings or vines that could help break it up. There is approximately a 30 foot elevation difference that will serve as a natural buffer between the building and the residents behind the site. The tree line is an 80 foot vegetative buffer between the existing back yard of the closest resident into the McDonalds site. The applicant feels that the 80 foot buffer as well as the grade change creates quite a substantial buffer for the residents at the back of the site.
The applicant has proposed to add a bike rack as well as a four foot wide stone dust pathway that would connect the parking lot to the rail trail. They have also offered an additional bike rack and two picnic tables.
The lighting for the site has been designed not only to Town specifications but to industry standards. The light dissipates to a zero “foot candle” by the time it reaches the abutters at the back of the site.
Denise Reid, 8 Brenton Wood Road asked what the applicant is planning to do to deter seagulls from congregating at the back of the site as they do at the Burger King and are a nuisance. Mr. Johnson stated that the trash will be maintained which will be the most important deterrent. She then asked the applicant to rethink the height of the sign.
Mr. D’Amelio agreed with Ms. Reid regarding the sign.
Ms. Reid asked if the signage along the rail trail is sufficient for the pedestrians/bicyclists along the trail. Ms. Monticup stated that there is plenty of signage along the trail instructing those on it that they must stop and do not have the right of way.
Trisha Bishop, 7 Maxwell Circle also cited her concern for the height of the sign.
Mr. Underwood asked if the retaining wall is going to be a poured wall as a segmented wall would be more appealing. Mr. Johnson noted that a decision has not yet been made regarding the material for the wall.
Rodney Frias, seconded by David Daigneault, made a motion to continue the public hearing for 173 Washington Street until November 17, 2015 at 7:00 PM.
Vote: 5-0-0, Unanimous.
Westridge, Minor Modification to Site Plan
Present was: David Eastridge, Thorndike Development
The Board is in receipt of a letter dated September 23, 2015 from Mr. Eastridge requesting that the Board determine whether the revisions to the site plan represent minor modifications. He is seeking to change three detached homes for a four unit townhouse.
This change will increase the total number of units by one making the final unit count 136.
The Board had no issues.
Bob D’Amelio, seconded by Rodney Frias, moved to accept the changes to the WestRidge site plan as shown on the plan entitled “LAYOUT AND ZONING PLAN” as drawn by Cubellis Associates Inc. dated June 21, 2005 last revised April 2, 2013 as minor modifications with no further action required by the Planning Board.
Vote: 5-0-0, Unanimous
Rite Aid, Proposed Bank Building, First Bristol Corp.
Present were: David Morello, Morello Enterprises
Paul Giannetti, Atty. at Law
The conditions of approval for the Rite Aid site included having the applicant coming back before the Board once a tenant for the second building on the site had been secured. The building proposed for this site is slightly smaller than the building shown on the plans.
The additional site will be used for a bank building. There will be signs erected on the front and side of the building as well as one at the corner of the property. There will be four signs in total.
The Board had no issues with the addition of the bank.
Bob D’Amelio, seconded by Rodney Frias, made a motion to acknowledge that the applicant has met the conditions set forth in the decision dated December 16, 2014 for the plan entitled “Site Development Plan for First Bristol Corp.” as drawn by Bohler Engineering of Southboro, MA dated July 22, 2014 last revised December 16, 2014.
Vote: 5-0-0, Unanimous.
By-Law Amendment: Family Home Daycare, Public Hearing, Cont.
Mr. D’Amelio reconvened the Public Hearing.
This is a petitioned article for the November Town Meeting. MGL requires that the Planning Board hold a public hearing regarding and zoning by-law amendments. The Petitioner is seeking to change the number of children allowed at a home daycare in Hudson. Currently the by-law states that total number of children at a home daycare cannot exceed six (6), the new by-law would have the maximum number of children at ten (10).
After a brief discussion among the Board members they unanimously agreed that ten children are too many for a home daycare and opted not to support said amendment.
There was no input from the public.
Rodney Frias, seconded by Bob D’Amelio made a motion to NOT support the amendment to the Zoning By-Law under section 5.2.2.j.
Vote: 5-0-0, Unanimous.
Minutes
Dirk Underwood, seconded by David Daigneault, made a motion to accept the minutes of October 6, 2015, as written.
Vote: 3-0-0, Mr. D’Amelio and Mr. Frias not voting.
Adjournment
Dirk Underwood, seconded by David Daigneault, moved to adjourn at 8:30 PM.
Vote: 5-0-0, Unanimous
Document List October 20, 2015
Documents |
Location |
Application – Site Plan Review – 173 Washington Street |
Planning Office |
Minor Modification request – David Eastridge |
Planning Office |
By-Law Amendment and memo |
Planning Office |
Rite-Aid plans for Bank Building |
Planning Office |
Minutes of October 6, 2015 |
Planning Office |
Cc: Town Clerk
Department of Public Works
Jeff Wood, Building Commissioner
| 
