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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2022-02-01 Planning Board Minutes Town ofNortlt Andover PLANNING BOARD Eita11 Goldberg, Chair • ' Johfl Srtltotls Pete1 Boytttott Kelly CortWei- Alissa Koenig Tuesday February 1, 2022 a 7p._trt., 120 Maitt Street,Toivit„Hrrtlr North Andover,MA 01845,., Present: E. Goldberg, J. Simons,A. Koenig, P. Boynton-Remote, K. Connier-Remote Absent: Staff Present: J. Enright E. Goldberg, Chairman: The Planning Board meeting for Tuesday, February 1,2022,was called to order at 7 p.m. (Read Governor's Order into the record. This meeting is considered a hybrid meeting; both remote and in-person. Votes will be recorded as roll call this evening.) Pursuant to Chapter 20 of the Acts of 2021,this meeting of the North Andover Planning Board will be conducted in person and via remote means,in accordance with applicable law.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.nortitandoverma.gov. For this meeting,in-person attendance of members of the public and Board members will be permitted. Members of the public who wish to watch the meeting live may do so on their televisions by tuning to Comcast Channel 8 or Verizon Channel 26 or online at www.iuortlrarrdovercanr.org.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,but not attend the meeting in-person please email your question/cornment prior to or during the meeting to lenright�northandoverma. ov.The question/comment will be read during the proceedings and responded to accordingly. STAFF REPORT DISCUSSION ITEMS Master Plan Implementation Committee: Q4 Report and Framework Evaluation—Downtown Improvement Master Plan. Jon Strauss Chair MPIC &Meredith Barnes Cook V. Chair MPIC: Primary activities during this quarter were to evaluate major projects before the town for their relationship to the Master Plan. We reviewed the Downtown Improvements Master Plan using previous framework to review the project with respect to how it matched up with the stated element areas and specific strategies in the Master Plan. Objectives for the next quarter include discussions and outreach with groups, organizations, and town bodies responsible for implementing the selected strategies,continue to identify strategies which may be already underway or completed along with active projects or initiatives and governance. We will continue to monitor the proposed Royal Crest Development, as warranted. A new web page will be available to the public that will detail progress on all the strategies contained within the Master Plan including those currently in progress and under review. E. Goldberg: Have you found anything helpful or anything you are having difficulty with; any challenges you didn't expect? J. Strauss: Trying to stay on top of projects as they come about,things that come under the purview of the Master Plan; keeping current with what is happening in town. M. Barnes-Cook: Our role is to create continuous understanding, not to make recommendations. J. Strauss: Our analyses are objective with relation to the Master Plan. J. Simons: Can you talk about what you concluded with the Downtown Master Plan? 1 Torun of North Andover PLANNING BOARD Phan Goldberg, Chair • • Johra Simms Peter Boynton ��rw_; • Kelly Corjniej- Alisso Koenig Trresrlay Februai-y 1, 2022 a, 7 wn., 120 Main Seel Town Hull,Not-Ili Amlovet•,MA 01845 J. Strauss: We honed the 130 strategies to those applicable,read the entire program of improvements and concluded the goals were positive as they aligned with the future of the town. A link was provided with the rubric that we use to evaluate. E. Goldberg: Explajned the the Planning Board representative„K. Cormier, has been on this committee for 18 months, it is time to rotate that position. Polled Board for interest in stepping into this role meeting I per month. E. Goldberg volunteered himself to serve on the MPIC. MOTION: J. Simons made a motion to appoint E. Goldberg as Planning Board representative to the Master Plan Implementation Committee. A. Koenig seconded the motion. Roll call vote: K. Cormier voted yes. P. Boynton voted yes. A. Koenig voted yes. J. Simons voted yes. E. Goldberg voted yes. The vote was 5-0, unanimous in favor. Plannine Board: Draft Inclusionary Zoning bylaw. J. Enright: Christopher Jee, Chair of the Affordable Housing Trust, is attending remotely. The draft bylaw was recently presented to the Trust. He is here to share their sentiment and offer input. Christopher Jee, Assoc. Chief Counsel MA Dept. of Housing& Community Development,NA Affordable Housing Trust Chair: Expressed unanimous support of the bylaw. The Trust functions to provide for the preservation,creation and support of affordable housing in our town. The Trust has funded long and short-term rental assistance, down payment assistance, home rehabilitation assistance,provided funds to Bread& Roses Housing in Lawrence which has been a tremendous partner to us for the purchase of homes that will later be sold to income eligible home buyers at an affordable price. The bylaw provides for payment in lieu fees to be paid to the Affordable Housing Trust. More potential funding from the bylaw will enable us to continue to expand on our program and possibly create new ones we haven't contemplated. The bylaw may undergo further refinement, i.e., the calculation of the payment in lieu.This is an important step for the town; the draft is comprehensive,well thought out. J. Enright: At the next meeting we will present alternatives to the payment in lieu calculation. The Board can discuss this and communicate what is appropriate. Board Chair suggests a hybrid measure based on today's market and good for 3 years; it's important to have the flexibility to make changes without going back to Town Meeting. The public hearing for zoning amendments opens at your next meeting, February 15, 2022. Planning Board: Watershed education: watershed postcards, watershed street crossings,DCR pool guidance. J.Enright: The water demand evaluation study was presented at the last meeting.The Board had questions related to watershed education. A best practice guide for watershed swimming pool owners. was sourced. We could create similar best practices and incorporate similar language in our watershed permits. The O&M plans we currently incorporate account for marry of these best practices. P.P. Boynton: Our surface water supply and open lake is very similar to large state reservoirs. We should take advantage of the best practices the state has identified.Education plays a big part in that. J. Enright: In the past, we have had two watershed mailings. Dan has provided us with 3 different mailers; residences in the watershed, landscapers and realtors;why it's important and what we ask of them. Potential street signage would be reviewed by the Town Manager and possibly Select Board;wanted the Board's feedback first. Presented typical watershed signage found in other towns. Will solicit input from a sign company. Dan Beckley, Staff Planner: Presented draft signage,sign locations rnap and sample signs for 10 key entry points. Board: Board critiqued locations; conceptual street and trail signage design. Board preferred road sign simplicity— adapt Tear Drop design "Keep it Clean"to reflect"Entering Lake Cochichewick Watershed", "Keep our drinking 2 Town of North Andover PLANNING BOARD Eitan Goldberg, Chair •' John Simons • Kelly Cor►nie► Pete►•Boynton ' �'• Alissrr Koenig Tuesday Feb►•ua► 1 2022 7 .►n. 120 Mai►t Street Town Hall North Andover AM 01845 water clean", include: "restrictions in place". Jean to explore who this would be presented to for feedback. Board liked modeling Trustees signs for Trails. Royal Crest Estates(1 &28 Royal Crest„D,rirve),.Trinity Financial,Jim Keefe: Proposed Master Redevelopment Plan for the property. Detailed information related to the revised program presented at the January 18, 2022, Planning Board meeting. Jim Keefe,Principal, Trinity Financial: We have assembled comments and questions in a way that responded— last meeting provided an overview. Tonight we have more details and answers to questions brought up at the last meeting. John Martin,FAIA,Principal Elkus Manfredi: Presented four Districts with varying characteristics and provided comprehensive summary of the proposal. Focused on character of the campus, presented photos of existing site frontage. Site is screened by large deciduous and evergreen trees. Provided historical backdrop.NA was originally settled as an agrarian community for two centuries. In the mid 1800's NA became a center for manufacturing which persisted until the mid-1950's when with the advent of interstate, it became attractive as a bedroorn community thus the 1960's development of Royal Crest with a site plan that emphasized vehicular movement v. pedestrian movement. We presented a rational community site plan in August of 2021;the current plan has grown and improved by assimilating numerous comments received. Buildings along Rt. 114 are now set back further(at least 70ft. -one less than, some greater than)to preserve the mature tree screen. Block sizes differ and arrangement of buildings has changed. Building heights are now 3-4 stories tall; lower than originally proposed, more irregular and set further back from Rt. 114. The Town Green is now more organic in shape creating a natural landscape. Housing units remain consistent(multi-family,market rate, town homes, and 40B). Student housing has been reduced from 1,000 beds or 250 units to 824 beds or 206 apts. Increased open space, adding longer legs to the C- block to the rear creating larger linear greenspace anchored by the clubhouse. We have maintained all peripheral buffers which have not decreased in size. Over 100 mature trees will be maintained along Rt. 144. (Original plan only called for 36 to be reused) Over 800 new trees will be planted throughout the site. One of the key critiques we learned from was the architecture and space was too large and too uniform. We have designed the project into four distinct districts,each having historical references to the town's history. The Mill District, one commercial building and 4-5 residential buildings-red brick, oversized windows; The Town Center including the Town Common or Town Green will draw references to colonial neo-Georgian architecture-red brick, sloped roofs, clapboard and wood, The Campus District designed around historic New England collegiate architecture and the largest land area is The New England Village, characterized by the long green common space, some multi-family housing,yet predominantly 3-story townhomes-wood frame saltbox architecture. Showed preliminary sketches juxtaposed against new plans to demonstrate plan changes as well as architectural and spatial character of the project. A tall iconic clock tower is designed to frame the Town Green announcing the primary entrance. Small footprint grocer has been moved back to the corner of Main Street contiguous to proximate parking. Town Green anchored by a signature hotel which becomes the center of the composition. Described dormitory architecture. Townhornes are now more attached than clustered. (All sketches depict trees and plantings in both spring and winter.) Michael Lozano, V.P. Development, Trinity Financial: Provided a summary of changes and specific planning information based on the current plan. Responded to questions Board posed at the last meeting. Significantly increased setback along Rt. 114 to 70 ft. from property line(85 ft. from roadway)with exception of the signature building framing the Town Green for placemaking gesture. Showed colored plan overlays to designate setback improvements. Dormitory originally T-shaped, now L-shaped is set back 162 ft. from the edge of the Rt. 114. 3 Torun of North Andover PLANNING BOARD Eita►t Goldberg, Chair + • Joh►r Simons Pete►•Boy►rtaa W Kelly Co►•mien Alissa Koenig Tr►estla Febi-yary 1 2022 7 .nr. 120 Main Street Tow►r Hall North Aiulovei% MA 01845 Perimeter setbacks remained and some increased; in most cases the set back is larger than exists today. Summarized detailed building height information.All buildings 3-4 stories. Clocktower(69 ft.)and chimneys may be taller to create a memorable place. In the calculation of building height, existing building code does not include chimneys, spires,meclranicals or penthouses used to enclose mechanical equipment. E. Goldberg: Originally, student housing was 4-5 stories with heights of 65----66 ft.Now they are 4 stories and 69 ft.?Why is that if we are reducing the height of the buildings? M. Lozano: Articulated pitched roofs v. original flat roofs creates contextual architecture; retained mature trees are at 80-10011. Flat story buildings(less costly to build) 50-55 ft. tall are planned for other areas.New plan has more open space than previous plan (1 addl. acre). We have provided public amenities for the site, playgrounds,walking trails, etc. Included an updated parking table to show entire site; provided more than required under existing zoning and aggregate. We are still working on updating the video previously shown which will take more time. Updated Program Summary to reflect the reduced program; student housing by 176 beds,townhouses by I and office building by over 15K sf. This is in addition to the more substantial reduction we had done over the summer of last year. We maintained the size of the 40B component and the affordable units. E. Goldberg: Read abutter comments into the record: Earl Cook, 82 Berkeley Rd.: Pleased with design changes, buffer zones, heights& setbacks. Anticipates design of barrier structure. Reservations with Merrimack College being granted "ownership"of the project v. lease agreement; no tangible contribution(s), i.e., sponsor programs or offer scholarship grant monies to students.Aimco should become more involved in community. Sorena Pansovoy, 671 Johnson St.: Attended zoom seminar. State's Rt. 114 project designed for current Royal Crest density not new density. Hotel& office space not necessary. Parking needs further review. Changes demonstrate recent improvements. J. Simons: Asked what the 3-4 story multi-family rental apartment buildings in the middle of the site look like? Concerned about scale and design for the 200 townhouse units in long rows facing the road. J. Martin: Showed winter sketch of The Village District;4-story wood-frame clapboard and shuttered structure, i.e., large residence at Salem, MA. Townhouse roofs may have dormers or gables perpendicular or parallel to the road, some may be attached. It is a"maximum"of 200 units on 30 acres; could be fewer units. A. Koenig: Curious to see the video, I still see a lot of brick along Rt. 114? J. Martin: We are trying to vary the brick colors and patterns, interspersing mixture of cast stone. E. Goldberg: The numbers chart helps show the lower numbers; a revised video will be helpful. You have assimilated the pieces of North Andover into one cohesive unit resulting in a significant improvement from where we started,parking looks thoughtful yet will need further review. J. Enright: Public hearing opens at the next meeting 2/15/22; held both in-person and remotely. We have a comprehensive draft bylaw with placeholders for dimensional requirements, setbacks and parking regulations. MEETING MINUTES: MOTION: J. Simon made a motion to approve the January 18, 2022, meeting minutes, as revised. A. Koenig seconded the motion. Roll call vote: K. Cormier voted yes. P. Boynton voted yes. A. Koenig voted yes. J. Simons voted yes. E. Goldberg voted yes. The vote was 5-0, unanimous in favor. ADJOURNMENT MOTION: J. Simons made a motion to adjourn the meeting. The motion was seconded by A. Koenig. Roll call vote: K. Cormier voted yes. P. Boynton voted yes.A. Koenig voted yes. J. Simons voted yes.E. Goldberg voted yes. The vote was 5-0, unanimous in favor. Meeting adjourned a 8:50 p.m. 4 Town of North Andover PLANNING BOARD EiNit Goldberg, Chair - Johit Simons Peter Bayttton Kelly Cormier Alissa Koenig Tues(lay Februarp 1 2022 7 p.m. 120 Mrrin Street Twit Hall Nof•th Andover MA 01845 MEETING MATERIALS: Planning Board Meeting Agenda February 1,2022, DRAFT Planning Board Meeting Minutes January 18, 2022; ,Staff Report: 220201 Staff Report; Master Plan Implementation Committee: MPIC Progress Report Q4 2021_1.10.22,NA MPIC Framework Evaluation—Downtown Master Improvement Plan- Strategies Table; Inclusionaa Zoning: 210201 Clean Part 13 lnclusionary Housing Requirements to Planning Board SE;Royal Crest Estates 1 & 28 Royal Crest Drive Trinity Financial Jim Keefe: Abutter Comment: 220126 Abutter Comment—Cook,220126 Resident Comment—Pansovoy, Draft Mixed Use Overlay District: 220201 Mixed Overlay to Planning Board,22-0201_TownMeeting_Draft_V8, 22 0201 TechPres V3 (1); Watershed Education: Watershed Signage: 2022 Trail_Signage—draft, 2022_Watershed_Example Signs, 2022_Watershed_Signage—draft,210201 Watershed Crossings—rec signage, 2022—Watershed—Postcards-final, DCR--pool guidance, 2022—Watershed_Posteards-final. 5