TOWN OF MARION
PLANNING BOARD
POLICE STATION
April 6, 2009
MEMBERS PRESENT: Joseph Napoli, Chairman
Peter Winters, Vice-Chairman
Julia Deane Crowley
Thomas Magauran
Steve Gonsalves
Patricia McArdle
MEMBERS ABSENT: Jay Ryder, Clerk
BOARD SECRETARY: Debra Paiva
ALSO PRESENT: Robert Sylvia
Winnifred Sylvia
Carol Sanz
Burton Corkum
Robert Alves
Lucy Napoli
Christian Farland
Ricky Pursley
John Ludes
Kenneth Hanson
Sue Maxwell Lewis
Eunice Manduca
John Sweeney
Karen Dourdeville
John Rockwell
Annie Rockwell
Dana Anderson
Public Hearing – Site Plan Review – 550 Mill Street, c/o Marion Police Department
The public hearing notice was read into the record. Chief Lincoln Miller was present for tonight’s meeting. Also present were project manager Rick Pomroy, engineer Chris Garcia, and architect Brian Humes.
During Mr. Humes’ presentation to the Board he provided the following information:
The property is a 2.3 acre site donated to the town by Tabor Academy
The proposed building will have a front setback of 24’
Sidewalks will be installed along the entire length of the property on Route 6
Holmes Lane will be improved into an entry to the site
The existing stone wall will be improved
Lettering identifying the building as a police station will be placed on the building
An “add alternate” addition to the south of the building is shown on the plan. The addition will serve as a training facility, emergency operations center, conference room, and main entrance to the building. The bid for the project will be sent out without the addition and if the funding is available the addition will be constructed. Another “add alternate (#2)” shows the addition of a 1500 square foot basement to the building. The basement would be used for storage only.
During Mr. Garcia’s presentation to the Board he described the fencing proposed for the construction phase, the location of the existing utilities, the proposed 24’ wide concrete entrance drive, and also provided the following information:
The proposed lot is 1.37 acres.
Visitor parking will be in the front of the site, staff and official vehicle parking will be at the back, with a total of 30 spaces provided.
A sidewalk providing access from the visitor parking to the building entrance is proposed.
The dumpster will be in a fenced enclosure at the rear of the site.
Impounded vehicles will be in a fenced enclosure at the rear of the site.
The building will be serviced by municipal water and sewer. Electric poles and natural gas lines are located on Route 6. A sprinkler system is proposed for the building.
All stormwater will be treated on the site. Roof drainage will be infiltrated through subsurface leaching chambers. Parking lot runoff will be directed to the back of the site; a retention/detention system will also offer infiltration. An onsite visit was conducted with Field Engineering; some of Mr. Motta’s issues have been addressed at this time and some calculations are under review.
Member Crowley questioned the use of a cast iron water pipe and was told the pipe will not be cast iron. She asked if the groundwater is low enough for a basement used for records storage. Mr. Garcia said he did not believe the groundwater would be an issue.
Member Magauran noted that the public parking area did not provide enough parking for a community room. Chief Miller said the room has three purposes (training, emergency center, Town meeting room) and the back parking area could be made available for overflow parking. He said the proposed gate would be kept open for most of the time unless the back parking area had to be closed off to keep the public or media out.
Member Crowley asked if one tree was provided for each eight parking spaces and was told the landscape plan is not done at this time. Chief Miller said he has been in communication with the Tree Planting Committee to be sure that sufficient trees will be planted at the site.
Member McArdle asked why the public entrance to the building was so far back from the parking area; she was told adequate space was needed to allow for adequate queuing when vehicles exited the site.
Member Crowley asked if the official vehicles would be parked under a roofed area and was told no.
Vice-Chairman Winters asked if the easement over Holmes Lane is still owned by Tabor Academy and was told yes. He was told the easement is for the sewer line, maintenance, and access. Chief Miller said Tabor Academy has agreed to allow the town to widen and pave the easement.
Vice-Chairman Winters asked how many staff vehicles are anticipated to be in the rear parking lot during the overnight shift and was told three.
Eunice Manduca asked where prisoners will be brought into the building; the processing area is at the rear of the building.
John Sweeney asked to be shown the main public entrance to the building. He asked how the entrance will be accessed if the training room addition is constructed and was told the addition will contain an access vestibule and public lobby.
Karen Dourdeville, Bell Guzzle Lane, noted that Town Meeting voted to approve a certain building requiring a specific amount of funds necessary to construct the building. She questioned the construction of an addition if the bids actually did come in lower than anticipated. Chief Miller said the plan had been to construct the addition in the future but when the price of construction dropped it made sense to construct it now; it will be more expensive to construct it in the future.
Vice-Chairman Winters noticed that there was some spillover on the lighting plan and asked if that was intentional. Mr. Humes said Tabor Academy is aware of the spillover and explained that it was an attempt to try to limit the amount of property that would be transferred.
Member Magauran said the applicant is not obligated to go through this process and the fact they’re doing it this way is doing the project well.
Mr. Motta was present and was asked if he had any outstanding issues with the plan. He said his comments dated April 3 were the result of an onsite meeting and also reviewing the plan. Mr. Motta said he believes a consensus has been reached as far as what was suggested in his comments and what changes the design engineer is going to make. He recommended some more landscaping and commended the engineers on their approach to the layout of the plan. Mr. Motta stated that other than some of the technical points that need to be addressed this is a good project. Member Magauran asked if the plan meets all of the stormwater requirements. He was told there are some adjustments that need to be made with the calculations but the general approach taken is consistent with the town’s
stormwater management policy. Chairman Napoli thanked Mr. Motta for the complete and expert comments he has provided on this project and the Dunkin Donuts project.
Vice-Chairman Winters asked what color the building will be and was told no decision has been made on the color scheme. Chairman Napoli asked if the exterior will be masonry and was told it will be clapboard siding.
Vice-Chairman Winters said the Board still needs a landscape plan, Mr. Motta needs additional time to work out some of the minor drainage issues, and the Board needs time to write conditions. He suggested the hearing be continued to the next meeting. Mr. Pomroy said the design team has reviewed all of Mr. Motta’s comments and while there are a couple of areas that need to be discussed he does not see them as monumental; the landscape plan will be submitted when it’s completed. Mr. Pomroy said the project needs to go out to bid as soon as possible and the design team feels more comfortable if it goes out to bid with the Board’s approval and conditions.
Board members, the applicant, and Mr. Motta discussed approving the project subject to a satisfactory order of conditions being determined by Chairman Napoli and Mr. Motta. They also discussed the submittal process for the landscape concept or plan; Mr. Pomroy explained that the landscaping is not being included in the original bid package. Member Magauran suggested as a condition of approval that the applicant provide at a later date a plan that illustrates them meeting the minimum landscaping requirements.
Vice Chairman Winters asked what the construction hours will be; he was told normal hours will be Monday through Friday, 7:00 a.m. – 3:30 pm. Mr. Pomroy said the contractor might ask to work Saturdays and maybe Sundays in order to keep up with the schedule at the end of the project.
Moved by Member Magauran and seconded by Member Crowley to close the public hearing. VOTE: 6-0-0
Moved by Member Magauran and seconded by Member Gonsalves to approve the site plan subject to a satisfactory order of conditions being determined by the Chairman and the Board’s engineer and also subject to a satisfactory landscape plan being submitted prior to the issuance of the Occupancy Permit. VOTE: 6-0-0
Respectfully submitted,
Jay Ryder, Clerk
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