Salem Planning Board
Minutes of Meeting
June 5, 2008
A regular meeting of the Salem Planning Board was held on Thursday, June 5, 2008, at 7:00 p.m. in Room 312, Third Floor, at 120 Washington Street, Salem, Massachusetts.
Those present were: Chuck Puleo, John Moustakis, Pam Lombardini, Nadine Hanscom, Tim Kavanaugh, Tim Ready, Christine Sullivan. Also present were: Amy Lash, Staff Planner and Stacey Dupuis, Clerk.
Absent: Gene Collins
Approval of Minutes
The minutes of the May 1st meeting were reviewed.
A motion was made by Pam Lombardini to accept the minutes, seconded by Nadine Hanscom, and approved (6-0).
Old/New Business
· Notice of MEPA review- Amy Lash said this doesn’t require any action but the Planning Board is on the notification list. The City of Peabody is looking to improve flooding issues. Three proposed projects are being considered, one of these projects involves widening the North River in Salem (behind Stop & Shop). The Conservation Agent, and Jason Silva from the Mayor’s office recently attended a meeting about this and they’ll be finding more out about how it will involve Salem.
· Election- Pam Lombardini nominated John Moustakis as Vice-Chair, seconded by Christine Sullivan, and all approved (6-0).
· Discussion- Amy said that Salem Suede is requesting continuance to July 17th and she knows about other projects coming around that time as well, so, the Board should possibly hold a meeting in August. August 7th will be held as a possible date for a Planning Board meeting.
Continued: Public Hearing- Site Plan Review, Wetlands & Flood Hazard District Special Permit, and North River Canal Corridor Mixed Use District Special Permit- Riverview Place LLC, 72 Flint Street, 67-69 Mason Street & 71 Mason Street (Map 26, Lots 91, 95 & 97) (formerly Salem Suede)- Attorney Scott Grover- Request for Continuance to July 17, 2008
Amy Lash had letter from Attorney Scott Grover requesting continuance of public hearing to July 17, 2008 and also requesting that final action to be extended to August 23, 2008. Chuck Puleo added that if they hold a meeting in August, they’d have to extend this again.
There being no further questions or comments regarding this matter, a motion was made by Tim Kavanaugh to continue the public hearing to July 17th and to extend the date of final action to August 23rd, 2007, seconded by Pam Lombardini and approved (7-0).
Discussion and Vote- Recommendation to City Council on Zoning Amendment to rezone the St. Joseph’s parcel located at 129-151 Lafayette Street (map 34, Lot 0307) from Residential Multi-Family (R-3) to B-5 Central Development (B-5).
Nadine Hanscom recused herself from this portion of the meeting and left the room.
Chuck Puleo said there was a public hearing that the Planning Board attended the previous night with the City Council. Chuck requested that Amy review what is allowed under R-3 and R-5: Currently R-3 zoning allows a lot area/dwelling unit of 3,500 sq. ft. For new mixed use buildings in B-5 the minimum lot area/dwelling unit is 500 sq. ft. B-5 would allow for a mix of uses. Christine Sullivan said the original site plan approved was a six-story building that had 97 units. Chuck Puleo said that density was an issue for R-3 and in R-3 you can’t have commercial component. John Moustakis remembered that when this project was originally approved, they needed a variance for height.
Tim Kavanaugh thinks this is a huge increase from the potential development site and he’s not opposed to the commercial on the first floor but it’s a lot of dwelling units. Amy Lash said that accommodating the parking requirements will affect how many units could really go on site. Tim Ready was troubled by John Carr’s presentation that suggested that going to the Planning Board for rezoning is somewhat of an end run around the City’s zoning requirements. He feels the Planning Board has a responsibility to look at the facts and not the current litigation.
Chuck Puleo thinks whatever they say, it will come back to the Board. They will look closely at benefits for that neighborhood. John Moustakis said regardless of what happens with litigation, they can’t look at that as something that will hold us back. Whatever the Planning Board says or suggests, the Councillors will be the ones to make the ultimate decision.
Christine Sullivan is in favor of the zoning change. She feels the site needs something it’s deteriorating. She thinks of it as a residential/commercial site. If you look at the shape of the area (triangle), it’s a commercial area. Tim Kavanaugh favors a commercial component of this project. It seems to work well on that street. He doesn’t see how any project at the site would work without commercial component. At the park across the way, there are drugs and some prostitution. A new building may discourage that activity. John Moustakis said if you look at the map, the front ends of streets surrounding that area are B5. Pam Lombardini is in favor of the zoning change, it’s a site that needs to be developed. Commercial could be anything- a drug store,
restaurant, etc. Pam Lombardini said it would be good for new residents. Tim Ready wanted to make clear that they’re not giving the developer anything. They’re strictly recommending zoning to the Councillors.
John Carr (7 River St.) requested to speak on a point as a matter of fact and was acknowledged by Mr. Puleo. John Carr asked Board members if they have considered that by making the zoning change they have permitted as a matter of right the original plan of six stories to be approved without any further public hearing and the commercial use on the first floor. Tim Kavanaugh said anything that is approved would have to come before the Board for site plan review.
Christine Sullivan reminded all that they were at the meeting to talk only about zoning change. Pam suggested putting a motion to recommend to City Council to rezone to B5 with footnote that if approved the building by right could be 6 stories. Tim Kavanaugh phrased it as “Recommend to City Council the adoption of B5 zoning for the parcels of land in question” and have sub paragraph “Planning Board notes that B5 zoning allows 6 story building as a matter of right”. In their opinion, this parcel of land would be better utilized as B5. Tim Ready wondered if the City Attorney’s decision to advise to the City Council (regarding the lawsuit) had been made yet and it’s affect on the Planning Board’s recommendation and Amy said that it hadn’t been rendered yet.
There being no further questions regarding this matter, a motion was made by Tim Kavanaugh to recommend to the City Council that they rezone the St. Joseph’s parcel located at 129-151 Lafayette Street (Map 34, Lot 0307) from the current R-3 residential to B-5 central development zoning, seconded by Pam Lombardini and approved (6-0).
Request by Puleo Realty Trust for insignificant change to July 26, 2006 Site Plan Review Decision- St. Jean’s Credit Union, 370 Highland Avenue
Chuck Puleo recused from this portion of the meeting and exited the room.
David Hark (600 Loring Ave) said the project has been completed and the bank is open for business. The issue is that there is supposed to be a hedge to possibly prevent people from cutting across, right now there’s a curb there and that seems to be working fine. If they put the hedge in, it will interfere with the space needed for Fire Engines to get through. There are a couple of extra trees and some landscaping around Puleo’s Dairy. The Credit Union likes that there is no hedging because of security and the curbing that is there seems to keep people from cutting across the lot. Christine Sullivan asked why they needed to discuss this at the meeting if it’s an insignificant change and Amy said because they are asking to modify a condition which had been articulated by the
Planning Board.
Tim Kavanaugh moved to modify the condition of hedging on the grounds that the curb acts as sufficient barrier and putting in hedging would take away from the required area for Fire Engines to get through.
There being no further questions regarding this matter, a motion was made by Tim Kavanaugh to strike the condition from the original decision, seconded by Pam Lombardini and approved (6-0).
Tim Ready excused for remainder of meeting.
· John Moustakis mentioned that the curb cut on Highland Avenue next to CVS isn’t supposed to be there. Amy will find the address and look into the issue.
· Chuck Puleo mentioned that Lynn Duncan, Director of Planning Dept., is looking into John’s recommendation to make Goodhue St. a two-way street. John Moustakis said the owners’ of Flynntan property agreed to give the City some land, which may also help. Amy said the traffic consultants looking at Riverview Place would provide recommendations on the two-way option for Goodhue St. John mentioned that Walter made the storage facility (on the corner) include an easement. Tim Kavanaugh said it would be like a ramp into the Boston St. corridor.
· Amy Lash said that they have preliminary plans from RCG for the plaza and mentioned that RCG is interested in moving the bus stop. Christine Sullivan asked if they got final approval and which building are they putting in- Amy said yes, and she believes it’s the one that’s more modern, with more glass. Chuck Puleo said they added more details as well.
· Christine Sullivan suggested that in Lappen Park they remove the grass and put more tables and chairs, as it’s a central part of the City. John Moustakis added that it’s where the information booth should be. It would encourage more people to use that area and make the City livelier. Tim Kavanaugh agreed as well.
Adjournment
There being no further business to come before the Planning Board this evening, a motion was made by Pam Lombardini to adjourn the meeting, seconded by Nadine Hanscom and approved (6-0).
The meeting adjourned at 8:06 p.m.
Respectfully submitted by:
Stacey Dupuis, Clerk
Salem Planning Board
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