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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMPIC Minutes 5.3.21 Minutes: Master Plan Implementation Committee, May 3, 2021 In Attendance (via Google Meet): Members Kelly Cormier(Chair), Chris Nobile, Meredith Barnes-Cook, Sean McDonough, Jon Strauss, Jay Dowd Absent: Stan Limpert, George Koehler, Hollie Williams Staff: Andrew Shapiro (Director of Community and Economic Development), Jean Enright (Planning Director), and Dan Beckley(Staff Planner) Immediately prior to calling the meeting to order at 5:02 PM, Kelly Cormier read aloud the following statement: Pursuant to Governor Baker's March 12, 2020 Order Suspending Certain Provisions of the Open Meeting Law,G.L. c. 30A, §18, and the Governor's March 15, 2020 Order imposing strict limitations on the number of people that may gather in one place, this meeting of the Master Plan Implementation Committee will be conducted via remote participation to the greatest extent possible. Specific information and the general guidelines for remote participation by members of the public and/or parties with a right and/or requirement to attend this meeting can be found on the Town's website, at www.northandoverma.gov. For this meeting, members of the public who wish to watch the meeting may do so on their televisions by tuning to Comcast Channel 99 or Verizon Channel 28 or online at www.northandovercam.org. No in-person attendance of members of the public will be permitted, but every effort will be made to ensure that the public can adequately access the proceedings in real time, via technological means. In the event that we are unable to do so, despite best efforts, we will post on the Town of North Andover website an audio or video recording, transcript, or other comprehensive record of proceedings as soon as possible after the meeting. If the public would like to participate in public hearings please email your question/comment prior to or during the meeting to ashapirognorthandoverma.gov. The question/comment will be read during the proceedings and responded to accordingly. Public Comment Ms. Cormier asked Andrew Shapiro if he had received any comments from the public. Mr. Shapiro said that no comments had been submitted as of the start of the meeting. Approval of m*nutes of the A Jon Strauss moved to approve the minutes as submitted; seconded by Chris Nobile. Vote 6-0 in favor; motion passed. Final Discussion and Vote: R2y1LCrest and Master Plan Strategies Kelly Cormier sought volunteers to help deliver the "Royal Crest Estates - Trinity Financial - Master Plan Intersections"report to the Select Board at their May 10 meeting. She asked that responses be emailed to her by Friday, May 7. She asked the committee for additions or deletion to the document compiled at the April 12 meeting matching the proposed mixed use project to elements of the Master Plan. There were no additions or deletions. Meredith Barnes-Cook noted that our focus on the strategies intersects with Master Plan elements without editorializing and served to maintain our role as advisory only. Jay Dowd made the motion to send the finalized document to the Select Board as part of our second quarter progress report. Jon Strauss seconded. Vote 6-0 in favor; motion passed. Feedback and Discussion onkmoltq-Lig K 1111 Multi-FamUY Dwefliggs ML (per Master Plan) Chris Nobile moved the committee to discuss the moratorium on housing, the second matter on the evening's agenda. He asked that we evaluate the moratorium article for its impact on a host of ongoing Town projects including the new Senior Center and housing units planned for the historic Grange. The warrant article, briefly stated , seeks "a two year moratorium on new apartment construction; it further seeks to bar the Town from issuing new building permits for buildings with three or more units; further, it mandates the Town study the impact of construction on issues including schools, police, fire, traffic and environment." Jay Dowd asked for a clarification of the reach and limits of the moratorium. Jean Enright pointed out for the committee that the moratorium calls for a cessation in housing construction and would not affect commercial or projects and zone changes already approved at Town Meeting. She reiterated that the Royal Crest proposal has inspired the moratorium and that 40B housing there or anywhere would not be affected because it has state clearance from local objection. In response to Jay's question, Chris Nobile raised concern over maintaining the Town's reputation with those who seek to do business here, especially developers who have the power to build and renew. It will be difficult, he felt, if not impossible, to attract development when housing, which is such a large component of any mixed use proposal, is off the table. Jon Strauss noted that any element of the Master Plan incorporating, "mixed use" as a need or as an incentive to development would be negated by the moratorium. Chris Nobile noted that impact studies of developing housing in its various forms and configurations abound. A successful plan, he noted, is the result of good faith negotiations, not the use of"blunt instruments" like the hard stops which the moratorium calls for. He noted that the amount of data now available on the impact of large projects like Berry Road and Princeton Properties on their related schools needs to be brought forward. Andrew Shapiro noted the Merrimack Valley Planning Commission Housing Production Plan covers the period of 2018 to 2022. He added that copies of impact studies by Fougere Planning and Development Corporation are now available. These include studies on how new building will affect schools, police and fire, taxes, elder services, veterans services, community support services, the youth center, and the library. All will be on view at the May 4 Planning Board meeting. The committee knows that traffic studies of the Route 114 and Route 125 corridors are underway. The MPIC itself was invited to a Route 125 fact-finding session on Saturday May 1. Both Andrew and Jean Enright acknowledged the need for a water and sewer treatment study and noted the Town Manager's plan to fund one in the near future. Kelly Cormier led the committee through an analysis of Master Plan Elements dealing with housing. The purpose was to identify intersections with the moratorium article. The committee identified 19 Elements under the following headings: Housing, Land Use, Economic Development, Historic/ Cultural/Natural Resources, Transportation, Open Space and Recreation, Public Facilities and Services. Of the 19 intersections, the committee saw direct or indirect impact on the Master Plan in 16 of them; three were rated positive impacts and thirteen were rated negative. For example, Housing Element#15, "Continue to review the impact of new housing development on the Town's public infrastructure and services," earned a positive impact rating while Land Use Element#3, "Focus new development and zoning changes along commercial corridors that may be more appropriate for higher-density mixed-use development at key nodes or intersections," earned a negative impact rating. Chris Nobile made the motion to to include the "Citizen's Petition - Multi Family Moratorium - Master Plan Intersections"review in the Committee's quarterly report to the Select Board with language similar to the April 12 "Royal Crest - Trinity Financial - Master Plan Intersections" report that each is a"point in time"review. Jon Strauss seconded. Vote 6-0 in favor; motion passed. New Business Andrew Shapiro asked the committee as volunteers that they review the conflict of interest law for municipal employees. Members of public committees, he noted, fit that description and responsibility. He asked that if members felt at any time they may feel a conflict of interest, they should confer with the Town Counsel and get a proper disclosure form to fill out and submit to the Town. Adjournment Chris Nobile moved to adjourn at 6:55 and with a second by Jon Strauss, all members voted in favor. Next meeting is scheduled for June 21, 2021.