Minutes of Combined Meeting of
Mashpee Design Review Committee and
Mashpee Plan Review Committee
Held Tuesday, January 21, 2014
Mashpee Town Hall Waquoit Meeting Room
Design Review Members Present: Joseph Cummings.
Plan Review Members Present:
Charlie Maintanis, Local Inspector
Michael Sexton, Police Department
Tom Fudala, Town Planner
Joel Clifford, Fire Inspector
Glen Harrington, Health Agent
Also Present: Tom Mayo, Assistant Town Manager
Audience: Geoff Spillane – Mashpee Enterprise
Bob Wooldridge – ADA Committee
Charlie Maintanis called the meeting to order at 9:07 a.m.
628 Main Street
New England Leadership Academy
Marcus Hamaker, Executive Director
Christian Boarding & Business Leadership School
Attorney Robert Mills and Marcus Hamaker appeared. Attorney Mills addressed the meeting and stated Christian Boarding & Business Leadership School is proposing to operate a non-profit, private school at 628 Main Street, which is in C-2 zoning district. The property is just over 2 acres. He said religious school is allowed under B(2)—a caveat is that also for boarding school so they will have to discuss with ZBA how to proceed with that issue. There are no plans to do any expansions with the existing building, but have exterior upgrade plans regarding landscaping, etc.
Later on during the discussion period, Tom Fudala stated the zone is C-3, not C-2.
Marcus Hamaker offered the following information:
- School deals with kids who are not motivated—such as kids with ADD, depression, anxiety, etc.
- School is early intervention program; a specialty school. Not like “boot camp” where you do “A” and then you’re set to go.
- Positive culture – uses peer pressure in a positive way.
- They offer environment of care, rather than punish. Put student in position of responsibility and mentor and another student helps.
- Schedule is very structured. Runs 7:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. and there is something to do that whole time.
628 Main Street (continued)
- They offer leadership curriculum. They want to attach business to school. They are thinking of opening a Subway for kids to work in.
- Teenagers today are dealing with a lot—for instance, peer pressure and pressure to perform. School wants to get them focused on what will make them successful in life. Focus on positive, not negative.
- Environment is very structured. Also have a transition program.
- They teach students how to get respect. They want to get them focused on future and teach them how to command respect.
- Approximately 60 students in boarding; and 15 staff on at any one time.
- No buses involved—everybody staying on site. Only traffic will be staff.
Marcus Hamaker said he spoke with Fire Department; Police Department; Richard and Charlie of Building Department.
He said he spoke with Glen Harrington and water issue has to be dealt with. Town water stops 1,000 feet short of where they are and there are pressure issues and that sort of thing. Marcus said they engaged an engineer to look at different ways to deal with water issue.
Glen Harrington addressed the meeting and said they have big hurdles. If water can be brought down that would solve a lot of issues.
Glen said he spoke with Marcus about septic issues before. A variance for schools has to be looked at re Title V. Glen said they would have to look at other facilities in the State that have similar number of people in the school and do 200% of the average water usage, but their engineer would take care of that and that would be the basis for getting that variance.
Glen advised that DEP has changed Title V and he believes it was just revised but he’s not sure whether approved yet. The State has stepped back from reviewing those types of variances and it may be local municipality that is to review and grant the variance. Glen said he will look into this.
Tom Fudala asked whether they are petitioning to Water District for water. Attorney Mills said they thought about it. Marcus said he spoke with Andy and Andy seems willing to do anything. Marcus said Andy is helping him run models. They had the well tested and it is probably not adequate so they are aware of that.
Marcus said he spoke with a sprinkler company and there are plenty of alternatives for fire suppression if they get the water to the property—they are looking at cost.
Marcus said he contacted an engineering firm in Falmouth to look at current septic system and it can’t handle what they want … so they have people working on water and septic issues.
Glen Harrington said flow would be 4200 gallons per day for 60 students, but system they have is for 1200 gallons per day. But that’s where variance for schools comes in.
628 Main Street (continued)
Joel Clifford stated that an October 14, 2009 memorandum from Commonwealth of Massachusetts, Fire Safety Commission’s Automatic Sprinkler Appeals Board, regarding adequate system of automatic sprinklers to be installed is where Fire Department requirements for water come from. Joel gave a copy of the October 14th document to Marcus and Attorney Mills.
Charlie Maintanis said this is a change in use so if you get over the hurdles Building Department will be looking for level of alteration and you may be required to upgrade some things you were not planning to do. He said they will be looking to the Building Code. Architect or engineer would do a narrative and that would come with the building package. Charlie suggested they may want to discuss with Building Department before they apply for the Permit. He said there will also be other requirements, such as: Accessibility; Working elevators; Number of parking spaces generated, which would affect number of handicap spaces; Rest rooms with handicap access; Length of travel, egress;
Sprinklers.
Tom Fudala said they would have to go to ZBA for Special Permit Modification.
Marcus said he spoke with Richard regarding “Settlement House” under B(8); and this has to be defined.
Tom Mayo, Assistant Town Manager, commented that architect engineer will be involved. He said the church that was there couldn’t use the building to capacity. Charlie said that’s why they will have to look at the building to figure out what can/cannot be done. Marcus said with the architect they will also bring in an engineer to look at everything.
During the discussion, it was thought that perhaps this school would fit under B(2). Charlie is to talk with Richard about having it under B(2).
Approval of Minutes
Plan Review: Glen Harrington motioned to approve the minutes of the Design Review and Plan Review combined meeting of December 13, 2013; Tom Fudala seconded the motion; and it was approved by Plan Review, with Michael Sexton and Joel Clifford abstaining.
Adjournment…This joint meeting of Design Review and Plan Review adjourned at 9:40 a.m.
Respectfully submitted
Jean Giliberti
Recording Secretary
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