MONSON PLANNING BOARD
MINUTES MARCH 20, 2012
MEMBERS PRESENT: Craig Sweitzer, Kevin Haley, Karen King and Tara Hengeveld
MEMBERS ABSENT: Paul Hatch
The Board reviewed an ANR Plan for property located on Silver Street owned by John & Susan Booker. The Board denied endorsement of the plan for the following reasons:
- The parcel of land to be conveyed from Booker to Grassetti did not reference the property of which it was to become an integral part of by Book and Page number.
- The parcel of land to be conveyed from John & Susan Booker to Patricia Booker did not reference the property of which it was to become an integral part of by Book and Page number.
Karen King moved to approve the minutes of February 21, 2012 as presented.
Tara Hengeveld seconded the motion.
It was so voted.
Voting Aye: Kevin Haley, Karen King and Tara Hengeveld.
Craig Sweitzer abstained because he was not present at the February 21, 2012 meeting.
7:20 Bill Scanlan Pioneer Valley Planning Commission met with the Board to discuss the PVPC tornado recovery planning project. He stated the second phase is to conduct a zoning analysis primarily of the Town center. At a recent workshop Danielle McCann PVPC gave a presentation of the results of the survey of the visual preference findings in the Town center and the impacts of the present Zoning Bylaws on the Town center.
Bill Scanlan stated another workshop is proposed in April focusing on the visualization of the community preferences.
Bill Scanlan stated he gave a power point presentation at the March 14, 2012 workshop focusing on the relevant Master Plan goals for the Town center, the Zoning Bylaws, the Zoning Districts and overlay districts Flood Plain, Water Supply Protection and Scenic overlay.
Craig Sweitzer stated there is no scenic overlay map. The bylaw was voted in but no map created.
Bill Scanlan stated they looked at the percentage of acreage in each district and Monson is predominantly rural with 85.8% of the town in the Rural Residential District; 6.7% is zoned Residential Village; 0.3% is zoned Center Commercial; 0.7% is zoned General Commercial; 2.8% is zoned Industrial; 0.7% is zoned Commercial Recreation (camp grounds); 3.0% is zoned Reserved Land and 0.03% Multiple Dwelling District.
The flood plain of Chicopee Brook limits development on the east side of Route 32. The Town center is built in the valley of Chicopee Brook on top of the aquifer that serves the Town’s wells. The Town’s Water Supply Protection bylaw protects water quality and water recharge by requiring a Special Permit from the Planning Board to create more than 2500 sq. ft. of impervious surface on a property.
Bill Scanlan stated overall the Zoning Bylaws are in good shape, the Town has adopted a mixed use bylaw and the commercial development bylaw is detailed with regard to architectural standards. He suggested the Board consider preparing a design manual.
Karen King questioned the design manual?
Bill Scanlan stated the manual should contain a visual guide to demonstrate the concepts of the bylaw.
Craig Sweitzer questioned if that was something that would have to go to Town Meeting?
Bill Scanlan stated no the Board could adopt it as a guideline. He suggested asking students at UMASS to help out. He stated the Town center is a mix of commercial and residential and suggested re-drawing zoning lines by parcel because at present the residential properties along Main Street do not conform to zoning, or allow residential use in the Center Commercial district.
Craig Sweitzer stated he could see a conflict between business and residential use in the Center Commercial district and felt the narrow zoning regulations tried to reduce conflict between business and residential use. If Main Street were to be rezoned along parcel lines it would be even more of a patchwork situation than it is now.
Kevin Haley stated commercial uses are incompatible with families and children. The least intrusive use tends to be the ruling use and in defense of the commercial property much of it predates the residential properties in the Town center.
Bill Scanlan stated it was something to think about.
Craig Sweitzer stated if the zoning change was a continuation of the adjoining zoning district he would be more in favor.
Bill Scanlan stated the Master Plan had a goal to promote economic development but there is very little developable general commercial or industrial land in Monson and no developable commercial property in the central commercial district. There are 6 parcels zoned for industrial use and 6 developable properties in the general commercial district. Mr. Scanlan stated the majority of the damaged homes were non-conforming properties that under the bylaw must be granted a variance to be rebuilt within two years and on the same footprint. He suggested the Board consider allowing a larger structure to be built as of right.
David Beaudoin stated he serves on the Zoning Board of Appeals and a homeowner can build a non conforming structure on the same footprint without a variance but he would be against allowing a property to be rebuilt by right that was more non-confirming than the structure that was damaged. Abutters should have the opportunity to hear and voice an opinion on the impacts of a more non-conforming structure on their property.
Bill Scanlan stated it would appear that the Boards are comfortable with the bylaw they have.
Craig Sweitzer stated the bylaw the Board has discussed since the tornado is the two year limit to rebuild on a non-conforming lot or to rebuild a non-conforming structure.
David Beaudoin stated he would be against removing the two year requirement altogether and would prefer some type of extension.
Kevin Haley stated he would be comfortable with an extension for two years, in effect giving a property owner 4 years to rebuild but after one extension that is it.
The consensus of the Board was that only one extension should be allowed and that it would go with the property and not the property owner.
Craig Sweitzer questioned if this would apply only to the properties damaged by the June 1, 2011 tornado or any catastrophe, and how to define catastrophe?
The Board felt maybe it could be tied to a declaration of a disaster such as the tornado that affected Monson by the federal government.
Craig Sweitzer stated he was astonished to find out that under State law a non-conforming lot that was never held in common ownership with abutting properties and never built on is a lot forever but if a house is built on it that protection is lost.
Bill Scanlan stated they looked at lot size, frontage, building setback and height of properties in the Town center and compared them to the zoning regulations and found very few conform to zoning. The newer residential developments in the down town area do conform to zoning. He stated the Board should consider revising the dimensional standards in the center commercial zoning district.
Kevin Haley stated the center commercial district is built up. The buildings cannot be moved and chances are there is no more room to change anything.
Karen King stated the recovery plan is to make a more appealing landscape.
Craig Sweitzer questioned how much land would be affected by this?
Bill Scanlan stated property on Main Street demolished by the tornado.
Craig Sweitzer stated he could only think of one commercial property on which the buildings were demolished.
Bill Scanlan gave an example on Main Street of how catering to vehicles rather than people is visually unattractive because the building setback is out of character with other buildings in the center of Monson. Parking is in front of the building and there is no landscaping to soften the unbroken mass of pavement.
Craig Sweitzer stated lots would have to be wider to accommodate parking only in the rear.
Bill Scanlan stated the Board should consider a dimensional requirement for a minimum height of two stories because a single story building does not fit character of the Town center. The Board may want to consider hiring someone to do a parking study.
Craig Sweitzer stated he would like to see all of this money put into something useful. Planning is a great thing but with studies like this a document is produced that sits on a shelf and nothing is created.
Bill Scanlan stated this is like putting the house in order for the day that you must use it. He suggested looking at zoning for mill redevelopment there are two properties in town one on Main Street and the other on Cushman Street that could benefit from such zoning.
Craig Sweitzer stated he would love to see something done with those properties.
Bill Scanlan stated he would send the Board examples of other Towns design standards manuals and handbooks for developers. The zoning bylaws require multiple approvals for development in the Town center the Board should look at streamlining the process. He stated there is another tornado recovery planning forum scheduled for April.
9:15 Tara Hengeveld moved to adjourn.
Karen King seconded the motion.
It was so voted unanimous.
Respectfully submitted,
Linda A. Hull
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