MONSON PLANNING BOARD
MINUTES NOVEMBER 27, 2012
MEMBERS PRESENT: Tara Hengeveld, Paul Hatch, Kevin Haley, Karen King and Craig Sweitzer.
7:10 The Board met informally with Disaster Recover Manager Dan Laroche to discuss zoning as it affects municipal buildings. The Town is moving forward with new town offices and a police station but the present zoning does not allow municipal administrative buildings in the Residential Village zoning district. The Town could re-build on the same footprint but there is little interest in putting the building on the same footprint but rather move it forward closer to the street. There are several ways to address this one being to change the zoning district to Central Commercial which allows government administration buildings by right. There are two parcels one on which the offices and police station stood and the other the athletic fields. The properties on either side are zoned central
commercial and it would not be considered spot zoning to change the two acre parcel to conform to zoning on either side of it. The only other issue that would have to be addressed is the special permit for construction in the Water Supply Protection District.
Kevin Haley questioned why not say a municipal use not commercial use?
Mr. Laroche stated for some reason the uses are broken out and municipal uses are not allowed although the bylaw specifically allows a police or fire station.
Craig Sweitzer stated it would make sense to expand the zoning to correspond with the zoning of properties it touches. The Board has done this before expanding the Residential Village zoning along Main Street from one side of Wales Road to what used to be Zero’s Manufacturing (but not including Zero’s). Craig Sweitzer questioned the setbacks in the central commercial zone?
Mr. Laroche stated the minimum front yard is 20 feet with a requirement that front yards across the street from a residential district shall be landscaped with no parking in such yards. He questioned how the Board wanted to handle this? Two options present themselves changing the front setback requirement for the central commercial district or a variance. Mr. Laroche stated he was not a fan of variances, as they require specific criteria in order to be granted. What could the Town present for a reason to be granted a variance? He questioned how much constraint should there be for a public project?
Kevin Haley stated the main reason to move the building forward was cost.
Mr. Laroche stated many Towns and Cities exempt municipal, state and federal buildings from zoning because they are public buildings and that automatically necessitates a lot of review from the public and different federal, state and local agencies.
Kevin Haley stated he could understand why the Town was reluctant to fill in the land to allow direct access from Main Street. It makes sense to move the building forward.
Paul Hatch stated he thought changing the zoning for the 2 acre parcel into Central Commercial and requiring a zero set back would work.
The Board discussed changing the setback to zero but after lengthy discussion decided to ask Mr. Laroche to research commercial setback bylaws to determine how other communities handle this.
Mr. Laroche stated he was aware of plans to plant trees in front of the new administrative building. There are bylaws that allow front setbacks depending on the setback of abutting properties.
Craig Sweitzer stated for clarity the Board was in favor of leaving the zoning of the athletic fields alone.
Mr. Laroche stated he would move forward with the zone change for the two acre parcel and return to the Planning Board on Tuesday December 18, 2012 to discuss results of his research regarding setbacks. He stated signage in the Central Commercial district was 100 square feet and that would meet the needs for the new building. There is pre-existing parking and the bylaw allows some flexibility for parking.
Paul Hatch stated there is no site plan review for this project as it is a reconstruction of a tornado damaged structure and the use remains the same. The bylaw requires one space for each 200 sq. ft. of gross floor area exclusive of storage space on the ground floor plus one additional space for each 400 sq. ft. of gross floor area exclusive of storage space on all other floors. This would be the responsibility of the Building Inspector.
Mr. Laroche stated under section 2.4 of the Zoning Bylaw it could be argued that parking standards do not apply because the use of the building will not change and it is not proposed to expand the building by more than 20% in area.
Paul Hatch moved to hold a public hearing to rezone 2 acres of land at 110 Main Street from Residential Village to Central Commercial.
Craig Sweitzer seconded the motion.
It was so voted, unanimous.
7:50 The Planning Board reviewed a request from the Quinlan Land Trust to remove 5 acres of land located on Reimers Road from Chapter 61 to sell as a building lot.
Karen King moved to recommend that the Town waive its right of first refusal for a parcel of land known as Lot C Reimers Road having 5 +- acres owned by the Quinlan Land Trust.
Tara Hengeveld seconded the motion.
It was so voted, unanimous.
The Board received correspondence from the Board of Assessors regarding property owned by John M. Pekala on Cedar Swamp Road. Mr. Pekala owns a lot with frontage on Cedar Swamp Road and an Estate Lot with frontage on Stafford Hollow Road that he would like to combine into one lot.
The Planning Board stated anytime lot lines are changed a plan of land must be submitted to the Board for ANR endorsement.
Paul Hatch excused himself to avoid the appearance of a conflict.
8:15 The Planning Board received plans and documentation from Keenan Brinn, Nexlink Global Services, requesting a waiver from the requirements of Site Plan Approval Section 6.14.1.2. In his letter Mr. Brinn stated that A.T. & T plans to add six panel antennas and some ancillary cabling equipment within the steeple of the First Church of Monson when it is replaced. The temporary antennas that are presently located on the cupola will be removed permanently. All of the equipment will be located inside the steeple and there will be no outward evidence of the antennas.
Kevin Haley moved to grant a waiver from the requirements of Site Plan Approval as allowed in Section 6.14.1.2 for the following reasons:
- No increase in the total number of panel antennas is proposed.
- The visual impact of the installation would be enhanced by the removal of the temporary antennas and relocation of the antennas inside the steeple.
Karen King seconded the motion.
It was so voted, unanimous.
Paul Hatch returned.
8:25 Paul Hatch moved to approve the minutes as presented.
Tara Hengeveld seconded the motion.
It was so voted, unanimous.
Kevin Haley moved to adjourn.
Karen King seconded the motion.
It was so voted, unanimous.
Respectfully submitted,
Linda A. Hull
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