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Home My WebLink AboutAbutters letters & emails - Correspondence - 3 GREAT POND ROAD 11/10/2020 11/2312020 Town of North Andover Mail-Fwd:In Support of Elaine Einbury's request for a Special hermit No, �i +�` K IMl sachu r f Jennifer I attersby Fwd: In Support of Elaine Fi nburyrs request for a Special Permit 5 messages Kathy Stevens s Tue, Nov 10, 2020 at 9:38 PM To: Jennifer Battersby Where was my letter below Kathy ----------Forwarded message--------- From: Kathy Steven: Date: Thu, Nov 5, 2020 at 10:57 PM Subiect: In Sunnort of FlAinra Pins-—0— for a Special Permit To: _. Cc: Kathy Steven; D. Paul Koch,Jr., Chair Zoning Board'of Appeals North Andover, MA 01845 Dear Mr. Koch, am writing as a neighbor and a person interested in preserving the historic landscape of the Old Center. I support Elaine Finbury's request for a Special Permit in order to convert the former Grange to multifamily residential use. Attached is an article published recently in the North Andover Historical Society's newsletter, the North Andover Ledger, about the history of this 113 year old building at 3 Great (Pond Bead.This building represents our agriculturail past when our now sleepy Old Center was a bustling business center serving local farmers with blacksmith shops, taverns, two general stores, many shoemakers, a carpentry shop, a hay scales, a slaughter house and stables. This building was built in 1907 to be a function hall for Grange activities.Today there is no demand for function halls with minimal parking. For the building to survive,another use needs to be found that is financially viable. Ms Finbury proposes three residential units,a benign use which implies at most three families with six cars. It is my fondest hope that the building will survive long into the future as a reminder of our agricultural past. 1 The property has been listed twice in the MLS database in the last year.There were 1,924 online viewings. All of the prospects (except 2) who contacted our realtor were interested in multifamily residential.The two exceptions, who had in mind an assembly hall use, lost interest when they realized that the parking was minimal. i In the interests of full disclosure, I am a trustee of Center Realty Trust(CRT) which has owned this property since 1984. CRT is 100l0 owned by North Andover Historical Society of which I, am also a board member. I hope you will read the attached newsletter insert which has more details about the buildings history and the reasons it should be preserved'. Sincerely, Kathy Stevens 1 https://mail.google.earn/mail/u/0'?ik=9hb4 b64086&view=pt&search=all&p ermthid=thread-f%3A1683029800184798606&simpl=msg-f%3A16830298001... 1/3 wens Street North Andover, MA 01845 October 29, 2020 North Andover Zoning Board of Appeals 120 Main Street North Andover, MA 01845 Dear Sir/Madam: As an abutter of #3 Great Pond Road, my wife and I are directly affected by increased traffic and danger caused by the proposed conversion of the historic Grange building into three condominium residences. I have walked the property and observed what is planned. In essence, there is a very narrow entrance/exit intended for four vehicles to the right of the grange building AND a pair of parking places to the left of the building. The residents' vehicular use would increase (to a dangerous level) "congestion" along an already heavily trafficked road only 125 feet away (!) from a busy traffic circle, which motorists often negotiate quickly and carelessly -- only seldom yielding to traffic and showing courtesy and common sense. The proposed entrance/exit and parking places would be unsafe and unwelcome. All the residents of Stevens Street who pass #3 Great Pond Road at least once or twice a day would be jeopardized by residents of #3 Great Pond Road backing up their vehicles (!) into traffic, night and day, and slowly exiting/entering a very narrow driveway. Pedestrians who hazard to pass along this stretch of road would be further endangered. There are no sidewalks —just guard rails to protect motorists. It is reasonable to ask: Why must there be three condominiums rather than two at #3 Great Pond Road?? Attempting to accommodate parking for three residences in light of building layout exacerbates the problem. Still, even if three residences were allowed, a solution to the dilemma might be found by stipulating "one-way" traffic — entry to the right of the grange and exit to the left only. Re-design of the parking place locations around the grange, it seems to me, may be feasible. Of course, danger will increase even if a "one-way" solution is found, but in time all North Andover residents would learn to be even more cautious in negotiating this notorious bottleneck. Out-of-area tradesmen and delivery-persons who recklessly drive large trucks, however, will continue to be a "constant and ever-present danger" — no matter what solution is found to the development of #3 Great Pond Road. Please ask developer Elaine Finbury to redesign the parking at #3 Great Pond Road, or if she will not, to reduce the residences from three to two. The variance, as it is proposed, should NOT be granted. Sincerely, Z4" Richar Michael Gramly, PhD (former Member of the Old Center Historic District committee) Transcription of phone message from Dr.Richard Michael Gramly RE: 3 Great Pond Road Wednesday,November 4.2020 at 10:56 a.m. Hello. This is a message for JenniferBattersby. This is Dr.Richard Michael Gramly,an abutter to this proposed development at number 3 Great Pond, Elaine Finley. I met with her today at 10:30 this morning,this is Wednesday, November the 4"with regard to her property and the parking and the traffic that would be generated by it and she asked me to tell you that we had this discussion. Thank you. Bye. Frmw Jennifer Battersby Fwd: Concerning the 3 Great Pond Road Proposals Nov 10, 2020 at 7:12:62 PM ----------- Forwarded message --------- From: Michael Donovan t> Date: Tue, Nov 10, 2020 at 6:48 PM Subject: Concerning the 3 Great Pond Road Proposals To: Jennifer Battersby Hi Jennifer, From Michael Donovan, ......[ohnison Sfi,eet., Nor,t[i Arid over an abutter. ................. .............................. I have a few concerns and questions for tonight's meeting and will be watching and may want to add to the discussion if I can? Special Permit, Residential Adaptive Re-use. Wanting to make the Grange building into a 3 family building. Turning the building into a 3 family building is in my opinion asking too much. The 3 family will consist of 11 bedrooms which can easily equate into 14 + people occupying the building. In the special permit request it states that "Parking will be met? Parking is 3 more Variance requests that in the 1st variance, 100 % relief is needed. In the 2nd Parking Variance required is 25' and they are requesting 14' of relief? Less than half of the required Aisle width. In the 3rd Parking Variance request, the entrance, required 18' and 11' the request. 6 parking spaces I suppose are required for the 3 proposed condos. First; with the size of vehicles today not getting any small how is this to work? Second; With 14 + / - people occupying the proposed condos, will there be more then 6 vehicles, could there be more than 6 vehicles owned by the residents? Where would any overflow go? Lastly, this is within the 50 ' buffer zone for.wetlands. Has the wetlands been surveyed and certified that there is not an Ephemeral pool J pools along the stream? There certainly are many frogs and other wetlands wildlife living along the stream. That is all I have for now and will listen and email in if any other thoughts or concerns come to mind. Thanks Michael Jennifer. Battersby Zoning Board of Appeals Department Assistant Town of North Andover. 120 Main Street North Andover, MA 01845 Office Hours: Monday-Thursday 8:30AM - 12:30PM Friday 8:30AM - 10:30AM Phone: 978-688-9541 Fax: 978-688-9542 Email jIN)a . er..�..byl �, i(,I[t. ia�ido�veri gf) Web: g,gv AN o nail snesssago s and attached Content sent frorn and to this r u�raait account are tauubliC reCORIs uialca S ctuatipur��a:9 as an exemption unr,.9er(he lv'1assachusotts Pual li't's IRaauuaro ds III a, . Visit ass on inn at wmq,na th amudPyu�"n ttgy. 10/29/2020 Town of North Andover Mail-3 Great grand Road-Zoning Board of Appeals.Application No WR Mai a lar� `(°%� 751Jennifer Battersby <jbattersby@northandoverma.gov> o 3 Great Pond Road - Zoning Board of Appeals Application ASAA--Mike - _ , Wed, Oct 28, 2020 at 2:15 PM To: Jennifer Battersby Dear Jennifer, I walked around the Grange Building and observed. The proposed driveway (entering and exit) to the right of the grange is a scant 125 feet from the Great Pond Road exit off the traffic circle. It is a terribly busy and dangerous road, and having a steadily trafficked entrance/exit just a short way along Great Pond Road is ludicrously dangerous for both automobiles and pedestrians. Add to the problem by having a pair of parking places to the left of the grange where t automobiles would be BACKING UP onto Great Pond Rd and you have a recipe for disaster. Honestly, I believe the parking could be redesigned by having an entrance to parking on the right of the grange and the exit from parking on the left of the grange, in effect, the flow of the parking traffic of the residents would be "one way" and, therefore, much safer for everyone. I find the proposed parking plan to be unacceptable and it should be denied. If approved as it stands, the Town stands to bear great responsibility when in the future death and injuries occur .... as they most surely will. Siincerely, Richard Michael Gramly, PhD [Quoted text hidden] All email messages and attached content sent from and to this email account are public records unless qualified as an exemption under the Massachusetts Public Records Law . Visit us online at www.northandoverma.gov, i 'tw https//i rail.google.coin/mail/u/0?ik=9bh4b54086&view=pt&search=all&permmsgid=msg-f°/n3Al681820394928455177&simpP=msg-f%a3A18818203949... 1/1