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Home My WebLink About2014-10-07 Request for WAIVER 7/1/2014 :R Merrimack L L NoFtTn A_smovER %IATSAcioE;serrs aI845 978-937-SNA Y i{;{1P.ftrtFFrffff{{"i.i2�if June 26, 2014 John Simons, Chair Town of North Andover Planning Board Town Hall 120 Main Street Borth Andover, Massachusetts 01845 RE: North Campus Development Project Merrimack College Dear Mr. Simons, Merrimack College is proposing to build a new student residence project OD a six-acre site known as the North Campus Development Project. The project site is situated in both Andover and forth Andover within a portion of the college campus, bounded by Rock Ridge Road in Andover, the church parking lot, Flaherty Road (a campus roadway in North Andover). The project includes the construction of fGur townhouse-style residences accommodating approximately 350 beds and an approximately 15,000 square foot student commons building to include student activity space. Of the five proposed bulldings, only two of them are located in north Andover. Each residence building contains approximately 85-90 beds within 2-3 stories and is approximately 20,000 square feet. Both residence builOngs in North Andover are accessed from Flaherty Road (a campus roadway in forth Andover) and adjacent campus walkways. Per the North Andover zoning bylaw, the project is subject to review under the site plan review special permit process. However, section 8.3.2.c of the zoning bylaw has a provision for a waiver process that the College is requesting consrderatiGn by the Planning Board. The section of zoning bylaw roads as follows: 8.3.2.c - Waiver of Site Plan Review r) l hen in the apiniori of the Planning Board, the alteration or reconstruction of are existing structure or nem, use or change in use will not have a significant impact both within the site and in relat on to adjacent properties and streets; on pedestl7an and vehicular b"af rc# public sef-vices arrd infrastructuro onvironinentai, unique and historic resources; abut0iig properties, and carmn unity needs, the Planiirixrg Board may determine, without a public moaning, that submission of a site plan review applicabofr is not required, ri) Me applicant must request a waiver from .Site Plana Re vie w In writing and may be required to submit supporting documentation drat Site Plan Review is not required. The wanner request will be discussed at a regular session of the Planf?lp-q Beard. Based on the details of the proposed project and the criteria sat forth its section 5.3.2.c of the zoning bylaw, it is our opinion that the project does not have a significant impact onto the Norte Andover community and qualifies for consideration of a waiver from site plan review. Supporting documentation is provided below in the point-icy-point justificadon below, and the attached proposed site plan; 1. The project is situated on an approximately six-acre portion of campus entirely within the campus property (two aces of which are in North Andover) and does not front a Nmth Andover street. Thus, the project has no significant impact on adjacent streets or properties in North Andover. 2. The project includes new campus walkways connecting the main campus to the existing Church parkfng and walkways thru the project itself. The result of the project is enhanced pedestrian routes for students and visitors. Furthermore, by constructing new student housing, the College is increasing the amount of students living on campus, and reducing the amount of commuting students who drive onto campus daily. Finally, the project includes no alteration to North Andover streets or sidewalks since the site is within campus and accessed from campus ways. Thus, the project has no significant impact to pedestrian and vehicular traffic in North Andover. 3. Similar to the recently construed student residences project that opened in 2013, public services and infrastructure {water, sower, lire) provided to the two buildings situated on the North Andover side of the project are proposed to come from Andover, thus no significant impact to Noah Andover public services is expected. 4. The project site is currently previoLisly altered open land that, in general, drains from Forth Andover to Andover. The proposed project will capture storrnwater and direct flow to drainage structures undlercground to the major campus detention basin located behind Elm Street in Andover. The project site does not contain any wetland resources. Thus, the project has no significant impact on environmental resources. 5. The project site does not contain historic resources, . Abutting properties in North Andover are mostly commercial properties along Andover Street, and further away along Route 114. The closest commercial properties are over 600 feet away from the project site and front onto Andover Street, which is not part of the project site. The distance from the project site to the nearest North Andover residentiM structure is approximately 7501 -feet, The view frorn that nearest rvsidentiall structure in North Andover is through, existing mature campus trees and landscape, as well an, active existing foUir-lane state h[ghway �ROUte 114) in, between the College and abutting properties. Thius, the project has no sl�gnificant impact on abutting properties. 7. The project addresses community needs by pro vidMing more stuldemt housing On campus, and rciducing the need for students to live in adjacent North nclover neighiborhoods. Further, the project represents, an investment in the growth of the t�own's only institution of higher learning which brings in hundreds, of visitors a year. The elconomic development benefit of the project and the College's growth to, Noith Andover is significant. 8. In addition, the Unique distinctive architectural character of the existing Student Residence Villzge completed in 2013 Is the basis of design for the proposed project, and rill) co nti nue to enh a nce the appearance of the c6l lege, for students and' visitor's cm-ning to, forth Andlover. 9, F[nal]y, beCaUse most of the project is in Andover and public services are, provided by Andover, the project will undergo, review with the Andover Planning Board und'er ,Site Plan Review for Dover Use. For those, reasons described above, the oliege is requesting the North Andover IPlanniing Board to consider a waiver from site plan review for the North, Campus Development Project. We look forward to appearing before you at the Juily 1"' Planning IBoardl rnieeting to, answer, any questions you rnay have. ShOUld you have any questions, please contact me at (978) 8,37-5459, or via ennall at sch,vyLaL7_f(d)OIerri qck.edU. Thank YOLL Sincerely, F'e!li'p,e Schwarz, AICP Assis-tant Vlcv,President, Extemal Aff-Jifs �m..... _.� ... MEETING NOTICE TO" O- F Nl7rIZTH ANDOVE °1'my°n Cler-k. Date Stamp Boarr•�l/C otin nittcr� Naarr e ?Iai�nir� araaa.�l Date- July 1, ZQ14 . Time of Meeting: TOO P''M p,a)ca icrrr: Town lN], 120, Win Strect, 2mmi1, IJoctr.Confcre tce... .ua��-r igrzautu rc, 1 ,e" .111 AGENDA Silts.Plan l curivNin Waa yer E e Irilest l"wrl<er-r;•irmIaaIJ (7011e t„ 31 "tTall-Mike trect; Request. fiol, ��wiaive>I-��f Sits Plan Reviewfor theconstruction of't%ono a orinitarrry buiiildings. N iC'crrge,i-cWC,hickgring R(raucl and Prescou StreO, Tcnyn, art'N ortlrr Arrduvet'. .gmg:st..to divide one last into two lams,. PUBLIC HEARINGS CONTINUED PUBLIC HEARING, 500 Great Pond B o.ad.: Applicant walks approval km- a1 practice facility and parking l(ot expansion within 100' f"ra BorderingVegetated Wetland and, within the General <un on- Distuirba nc,e 7ones cof"ific Waaterslrcd Protection. CON'fIp D PLIBL IC llllFARIN(j., l)iriritrl , gpg� ,,s,,, 107 ( Iatiii riarui l ac°aaa� . l)lrolictcrrit peek: s too oiistrkict ra irr ; family dwelling, rlrirarar ,m site autilitw, and lot r°auirr itlri.rx ani:scrlaata,ltlaou'rcl auartl its 1010 farm luatfiv°r in the, Non-Disturbance Buffer erne of tile W' ,atershed Protection District. NEW PUBLIC 11 FAR lNG, Salvatore Mcssirvq, 1:2.9 Winter trt t:; Applicant seeks,to construct an aarlwletiton to the br ack. rf au two ,starll garage, NIEW l'"UBLIC fll(ARI , w°a aol'l�iaoolp ra lar °c r. ararrcr aick.crirr�, Road. and Pr Prescott Street: Ap l'ioaarrt l�ra`°�a:lrcosr::(, a lonstr action of as 14, 0 sal. l't�, t:w o-stor° Fire,..Station �w?ith 6, parking s1xrces, Ntaoo-r warter• TIIarraa CTII rat, landscaping,ping, lighting and utilities in the Resid.cirtiaal 2 ( .!2) zoiling district. 1EE,i" G' MINUTES Approval of dune 17:, 2 14 mecting minutes. rBa�i e:p airvmrpr m r�4��ar��m to Lm*mry po ged v&aa�tursin a4lya��.ofIl�en111'edi"ri c,wr.^randhig Sallllda F,Sundays and IjyA atnlia;V5 IN'amc keep in,nurrii Llic 9'o%vn a leik-s hout� ofoperalki a and rnAx tae awry,mrangp c.A5 W hmr NUTc!VOLIT Pomp Ii ql;il made in in.adegivatc armo m of Lime, m"A 65:611F)r N(XIlics aruc Chvommir'TCd%O,iiIbI, iameti611,1Ca.1 will be discussed al th)c umtua°crin,l3 is irm he fisted an Me ages a.Aimemid ns necess y not to excrert onv pxgv. 19 � f y r r s x r /1 r a r , r riu i r 4 i w � r F sitc 1 mcUS Mal) Academic & Residential Colunions 1i aGO Feed Norgiv Amdovca, Massachusetts 0 f "4 T,� ?s rA 7' . .. ..... NOL%2 Eirr= 2TA Si collocr/. Acdar.is&-Rnid.mii-1 Cimums c 25 SO Feet Ngrili En6tt, Jeain Frozn: Beflavance, Curt Sent; Wed nesd ay, July 02', 2014 8,42' AM 'To�, '.1blin L Sinians"; Enright, Jean Subject: RE-, M,erriniack (,()11eq ---'bite Plan Review Histoly II informed IVIC that they shoUld irnoveon to the nt-xt Step. Th imay plain to,c�ome t�io the July 71. imeeting foir an informal oviervi ens . From John L Simons Sen;t: Wednesday, July 02, 2044 8:28 AM To. EnrighL, Jean Cc: Beflavance, Curt Subject: Re: Merrimack College ---Site P[ n Review Histary ,a Jean, Thanks. II think this denionstrates c[early that they need to come to,fln oard aiid that we should not grant Cher a waiver. Best regards, John� S John SIrnions I AVP, 04ea4 of Jnvestm�ent�Procurement Se!rviices &Vendor managemento Business Servkes 200 Berkeley Street I Boston, Massaichu,solts 1 8-3 1 '1. 617 S)2-5,1,)O8 9110 M to 08818 M Maii,ulife, Mnanchlll IFor yout future, 1-row: "Enri,g'N,Jean" Ta: "JGhn L.Simons Corn)" carn,-, CC; "Bellavctnce.Curtin", cbul,awv if.caon>,"Lasighl,Jean"<JCL wlk t u�tmxlrmAndfoivov Date; 07fO 10014 1 OA 4 AM Subied; Merrimack CoVega,-Site Plan Review,History ............---.......... J01111" As requested, the following is a lust of past perryflairip for iMerrimack College, 10/2/99---SPR three story, 54rOOO sq. ft.dassraorn/Lab bUilding, 10/1/96—SPR Construct 2,,250 sq. ft,,garagre structure atid rellocate existing 3,200 sqj, ft. bldg. to be used ais office bldg. 5/30/06---Waived SPR "Elm Street Cainplls Eritrance" 08/7/90---SPR Construct 75,000 sq. It. swdenL residence 08/19/95--SPR ConistRUCL 28,000 Sq, rL a�s enlbly hall Oa 4/99---5PR Construct G0,000 silo ft. addition to Gildea Hall 02,f7/12---5PR Expainsion of existing Volpie Affifefic Genter Jean Enright No nin i nig M51 sta nit Town(of North Andover 1,600 Osgou,d Street,Suite 20,35 North Andover, MA 0184-5 Phone: 978-588-9535 Fax., 978-688-9542 Email: !jqf n orthiand over,co m Web: �,oj,w,w,Towiri,�.)fNortl7b�%rtdove�r,conii ...........-.......... Flelse,note the massachusicus Sociralairy of Suite's uffico fi.is dotemined 1hat inwal cin'lads w al'od froll)MU'a1�6P21 aii ijkjblk.'(OC4m'dP.. kif 11w,re �nfcmma'kn plicase rofevla hup:1imm.soc: h1m. Flease consAe r the enwronma m before printing this c 111.1d. STATEMENT i CONFIDEN rl'1AL1TY The inform.adon contained in this enwil inessage and any attaclunclits, may be C011firdential and, lcgally privileged and is inmided for the usc of the addressce(s) only. 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