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SALEM PLANNING BOARD MEETING MINUTES 3/1/12
A regular meeting of the Salem Planning Board was held on Thursday, March 1, 2012 at 7:00 p.m. in Room 313, Third Floor, at 120 Washington Street, Salem, Massachusetts.
Those present were: Chuck Puleo, Chair, Mark George, Lewis Beilman, Tim Kavanagh, Helen Sides, George McCabe, and Tim Ready. Also present: Lynn Duncan, Director of Planning and Community Development, Danielle McKnight, Staff Planner, and Beth Gerard, Planning Board Recording Clerk. Absent: John Moustakis, Vice Chair, and Randy Clarke.
Chuck Puleo opened the meeting at 7:08 pm.
Approval of Minutes
February 2, 2012 draft minutes
No comments or corrections were made by the Planning Board members. Mark George motioned to accept the minutes, seconded by Tim Ready. Approved 7-0.
Continuation of public hearing: Petition of MRM PROJECT MANAGEMENT, LLC for the property located at 3 HARMONY GROVE RD and 60 & 64 GROVE ST (Map 16, Lots 236, 237 & 239), Salem MA (redevelopment of the former site of Salem Oil & Grease factory), for Site Plan Review, Planned Unit Development Special Permit and Wetlands and Flood Hazard Overlay District Special Permit. The proposed project includes construction of three multi-family residential buildings (total of 141 units), re-use of an existing 17,000 square foot commercial office building, and associated parking and landscaping. APPLICANT REQUESTS TO CONTINUE HEARING UNTIL 3/15/12.
Helen Sides made a motion to continue the public hearing until March 15, 2012, seconded by Lewis Beilman. All approved 7-0.
Continuation of public hearing: Petition of G.B. NEW ENGLAND 2, LLC, for the property located at 72 LORING AVE; 292, 296 & 300 CANAL ST; and 399 ½ & 401 JEFFERSON AVE (Map 32, Lots 27, 29, 30 & 31, and Map 23, Lots 170 & 191), Salem MA, for Site Plan Review, Planned Unit Development, and Drive-Through Facilities. The proposed PUD project includes the buildings currently housing the existing Eastern Bank, Tedeschi Food Shop, Autozone and Atlantic Ambulance service, and the construction of a new CVS pharmacy with a drive-through, including associated parking and landscaping.
Documents & Exhibitions:
- Applications for Planned Unit Development Special Permit, Site Plan Review and Drive-Through Special Permit, all date-stamped 11/10/11, and accompanying materials
- Site Plan for CVS/Pharmacy #7109, Jefferson Avenue & Canal Street, Salem, MA 01970, prepared by R.J. O’Connell & Associates, Inc., last revised 1/9/12
- Exterior Elevation drawings prepared by BKA Architects, Inc., dated 11/8/11
- Stormwater Management Study, CVS/Pharmacy #7109, Loring Plaza, Canal Street and Jefferson Ave., Salem, Massachusetts, prepared by R.J. O’Connell & Associates
- Traffic Impact and Access Study, Proposed CVS/Pharmacy, Salem, Massachusetts, prepared by GPI (Greenman-Pedersen, Inc.)
- Revised page C-2 of the site plan, last revision dated March 1, 2012
- Photographs of aluminum fence detail
Attorney Joseph Correnti, 63 Federal Street, Salem, represents the applicant and introduced Paul Beck, Jason Plourde and Phil Henry. He stated that they feel that they have made very good progress based on suggestions made by all interested parties and this is a project that everyone should be pleased with. They made a few changes that are small but worth discussing. They have nothing new to present this evening but will answer any questions that anyone may have. They have been working closely with Planning staff and their team to address every issue that has come up. One of the things that they did do is address the issues of what Kimball Road will look like. Phil Henry, the site engineer and Jason Plourde the traffic consultant went out to do more work on this area and the outcomes will be discussed. Mark George stated that he looked at the site with the spray painting which was helpful and asked what will the final outcome look like. Mr. Correnti stated that the final
plan was finished today and he shared that with the board. Mr. Correnti stated that the driveways are 24 feet within a 40 foot way. He noted that some of the spaces intrude into the layout, but not into the drive aisles. Mr. George asked how this will be demonstrated to the public.
Phil Henry, site engineer, stated that there will not be curbing there but there will be striping that will delineate the area as a road into the site. Mr. George asked if this will extend into the ambulance area on Kimball Road. Mr. Henry described the striping layout. Lewis Beilman asked if this is striping, not curbing, to which Mr. Henry stated yes. Mr. Puleo asked why they are using white stripes instead of yellow. Mr. Henry stated that CVS uses white lines on their sites and clarified that the white striping was for the internal site, not the roadway. Mr. Puleo asked where Mr. Henry is ending the striping to which Mr. Henry described on plan the location of the end of the striping. Mr. Henry said that this will differentiate between the “sea of asphalt” currently there, and
Kimball Road. Mr. Puleo stated that he was concerned about parking in the area of the road. Mr. Henry stated that they will have more space than the 24 feet width; they actually have 27 feet and they think that the striping for the access road will deter people from parking on the road. Mr. George asked how they plan to direct traffic out of the site in the area of Kimball Road. Mr. Henry stated that most of the traffic to CVS is repeat and customers will get used to it. Mr. George said that he agrees. Mr. Puleo asked what the widths of the crosswalks were and Mr. Henry said that they were 8 foot crosswalks.
Mr. Puleo reviewed what the other issues were which included the entrance on Canal Street. Mr. Correnti said that based on the board’s recommendation, they will restrict a left turn on Canal Street, which includes no left turns between 3 and 6 pm, Monday through Friday, which they have noted has worked well on Marlborough Road. Mr. Henry described the signage on the traffic control schedule and the locations of the no left turn signs. Mr. Correnti stated that they would talk to the city about who is responsible for the striping and maintaining it. He said he is not sure if the city allows private owners to paint, so they will work with the city to maintain it.
Tim Ready stated that he is concerned about the maintenance of the striping, noting that it has to be maintained for the safety of the site and also for the appearance of the site. Mr. Correnti stated that they fully understand his concern and will accept that as a condition and want to make the site safe.
Mr. Puleo stated that another issue was granite curbing. Mr. Correnti stated that granite curbing has been considered and the developer will put in vertical granite curbing throughout the site. Mr. Henry then showed Mr. Puleo where the granite curbing will be located on the site. Mr. Correnti stated that Mr. Henry is pointing to the curb cut on Canal Street, by the Auto Zone all the way around the site to Jefferson Avenue. Additionally, he said that Mr. Henry took all of the extruded concrete out of the site.
Mr. Puleo continued his review of the plans. He noted that where the dumpster and the compactor are located is in the same space and Mr. Henry stated that they are putting up a stockade fence there. He also reviewed the locations of the bollards around the project. Mr. Correnti stated that the bollard lighting will be coming in on the Jefferson Avenue side of the curb cut.
Mr. George asked about the stormwater and asked to clarify if the stormwater runoff will slow down and be cleaner, to which Mr. Henry said yes.
Mr. Puleo said that he was down at the site and was looking at the lights and asked if the lights at other businesses could be coordinated with CVS’ lights. Mr. Correnti said that they will coordinate the lights.
Mr. Correnti said that there is one more major feature that they haven’t discussed which is fencing. He described a black four foot heavy grade wrought iron style fence which will run from the front of Canal Street to the internal sidewalk to the front of the Eastern Bank building, and will stop at the interior crosswalk. He noted that this will help to direct pedestrian traffic by giving some definition to the site and preventing pedestrians from walking through the drive through lanes, which will then direct traffic to the interior crosswalks. This was suggested to the team and they liked it, and they hope the Board will like it also. Ms. Sides said that she likes it. Mr. Correnti stated that the fence would be a four foot aluminum and cast iron fence, and they will come up with a final design to
submit to the Board. Ms. Sides stated that she likes the double horizontal fence they show in the sample photos. Mr. George asked Mr. Correnti to show where the fence will be, and Mr. Correnti pointed it out on the plan. He further stated that as they thought about this, they wanted to make it look open, not like a compound, and inviting for pedestrians. Mr. George asked that due to the proximity to the crosswalk and bus stop if the fence could go the there instead. Ms. McKnight, Staff Planner, directed board members to the landscaping plan, noting that the fence stops here because this is where the landscaped area begins; Ms. Sides concurred.
Mr. Ready stated that the fence looks good but won’t look good if it is not maintained and to maintain it is going to add maintenance costs to the project. Mr. Correnti stated that he is correct and they will have to maintain it. He further stated that they are not going to make this kind of investment to make the front door look trashy. The store will have someone pick up trash periodically throughout the day. Mr. Correnti stated that without a fence, garbage would all blow into the street, and this can help keep the property clean.
Paul Beck, from CVS, stated that the barrels are cleaned out more often and in terms of mechanical sweeping, it’s done regularly and this can be added to their cleaning processes.
Ms. Sides stated that she wants to comment on the parking and thanked the applicant for the sketches showing parking alternatives. She agrees the two driveways are acceptable but she wants to know more about the landscaped edge there. Mr. Henry stated there will be shrubbery there. Mr. Puleo asked about the driveway they are planning to close, and noted that this one is where the curbing is in bad shape. He asked if they will match the curbing and sidewalk to which Mr. Henry said yes. Mr. Puleo pointed out that in the current state, the sidewalk and curbing is a liability waiting to happen. Mr. Puleo asked who determines if the sidewalk looks good. Mr. Correnti stated that they do, they want it to look good but noted that they can’t do anything without a city permit to do so. Mr.
Henry said that this is a plan for the city and once this is approved they will submit the construction plan. Mr. Puleo stated that he thought that this driveway is in such bad condition due to all of the delivery vehicles and asked if they can move Tedeschi’s receiving to which Mr. Frank Bertini, 196 Old Burley Street, Danvers, property owner, said this was done by National Grid, not their delivery trucks. Mr. Correnti stated that rear door deliveries are probably not possible there.
Issue opened to the public for comment
Jim Rose, 25 Linden Street, asked if the exterior of the building is going to be a hybrid between slate and brick to which Mr. Henry responded that they would be brick and clapboard. Mr. Correnti described how they added on features due to public comment. Mr. Rose asked when all of the enhancements will be available in a pdf. Mr. Correnti stated they won’t, but final plans will be submitted to the Board, and if he would like a copy of them and they will send it to him.
Mark George made a motion to close the public hearing, seconded by Tim Kavanagh. All approved 7-0.
Mr. Correnti spoke of some other notes on the plan in regards to the fence on Adams Street which will be opaque; he also stated that the drainage has been agreed upon as well. Mr. Puleo asked where the dumpster will be relocated. Mr. Henry said that this is a note that it was re-located to this specific spot on the plan. Mr. Puleo asked about the existing dumpster on the site and Mr. Bertini stated that it is Eastern Bank’s dumpster and they will speak with them and enclose it. Mr. Henry pointed out that the enclosure to the dumpster is a stockade fence.
Mr. George stated that they spoke of looking back in a year on how the traffic design is working and Mr. Puleo stated that is part of the draft decision.
Ms. McKnight reviewed the draft decision with the board, which includes the PUD findings and the conditions. Ms. McKnight noted that C-2, the revised sheet submitted tonight, is dated 3/1/12. Mr. Puleo asked if anything else had been revised and Mr. Henry said that L-1 has been revised and will also be dated 3/1/12.
Mr. Puleo asked if the only other sign is going to be on Jefferson Avenue, and Mr. Correnti said yes.
Mr. Puleo asked about the lighting, and Mr. Correnti noted that they will coordinate the timing of the pole lights on the site.
Mr. Puleo asked at what point the drainage will be inspected. Mr. Henry stated that he goes out to inspect it as he is responsible to the city and to CVS for this aspect of the project. Mr. Beck noted that in order to get the certificate of occupancy, everything underground has to be done according to specifications.
Mr. Puleo and Mr. George asked about maintenance to the pavement markings and striping, to which Ms. Duncan said that would be a good thing to include in the conditions, and will be subject to city approval.
Mr. Puleo asked if there will be a stop sign at the end of Kimball Road to which Ms. McKnight stated yes and pointed it out on the plan.
Ms. Duncan noted they may want to add a condition that the relocated, enclosed dumpster servicing Eastern Bank must be shown on the new plan.
Mr. Henry stated that during the construction phase he will go out to the site and delineate the curbing on Jefferson Avenue.
Tim ready made a motion to approve the application for Site Plan Review, a Planned Unit Development special permit, and a Drive-Through Facilities special permit, seconded by Tim Kavanagh and approved 6-0 (Chuck Puleo, Helen Sides, Tim Kavanagh, Tim Ready, Mark George and Lewis Beilman in favor, none opposed; George McCabe abstained). The decision is hereby incorporated as part of these minutes.
Old/New Business
Tim Ready stated that he had received correspondence from the city solicitor regarding the Lowe’s lawsuit, in which he was personally sued. He asked Mr. Puleo to read the letter into the record. Mr. Puleo read the letter which stated that the case was dismissed with prejudice, including the part of the case that pertained to Mr. Ready.
Documents & Exhibitions:
- Letter from Elizabeth Rennard, City Solicitor, to Timothy Ready re: City of Lynn vs. City of Salem
Adjournment
Mark George made a motion to adjourn the meeting, seconded by Lewis Beilman. All approved 7-0. Chuck Puleo adjourned the meeting at 8:40 pm.
Respectfully submitted,
Beth Gerard, Recording Clerk
Approved by the Planning Board 3/15/12
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