HomeMy WebLinkAbout2023-11-21 Planning Board Minutes Town of Norlh Andover
PLANNING BOARD
Eitatt Golrlbejg, Chair Gemna Wilkens
Peter l3oyntort Christopher Koskores,
John Simons Assoc.
Sean Kevlahan
Tuesday November 21 2023 7 .m. 120 Main Sheet Totim Hall North Andover MA 01845
I Present/Plannin Board: J. Simons, P.Boynton S. Kevlahan(remote), G. Wilkens, C. Koskores, Assoc.
2 Absent: E. Goldberg
3 Staff Present: J. Enright
4
5 J. Simons,Interim Chair: The Planning Board meeting for Tuesday,November 21,2023,was called to order at 7
6 p.m. This meeting is considered a hybrid meeting; both remote and in-person, Votes will be recorded as roll call
7 this evening.
8
9 J.Enright: Roll Call Attendance: C.Koskores,Assoc.-present,J. Simons-present,P. Boynton-present, G. Wilkens-present, S.
10 Kevlahan-Remote/present.
11
12 STAr,r'REPORT
13 Traffic Monitoring Report
14 419/435 Andover Street Jeffery Dirk Vanasse&Associates on behalf of Ethos Capital,LLC: The March 16,2021 Site
15 Plan Review approval conditioned a Drive-through Lane Monitoring study for the proposed Starbucks once a year for a for a
16 two-year period beginning one year after the Certificate of Occupancy.
17 J. Enright: Concern was raised during the permitting process regarding queueing for the Starbucks operations.VAI is here to
18 present an overview of the conditioned Drive-thru Traffic Monitoring Report.This is the first report;a second report was
19 conditioned for one year from now.
20 Jeffi"ey Dirk,P.E.,Partner VAI: Provided brief overview of the results of the first traffic monitoring assessment. Referenced
21 Condition 444 hi the 2021 Site Plan Review decision;the proposal removed the furniture store&salon,replacing it with 2
22 buildings;mixed-use building-Convenient MD clinic, Starbucks with Drive-thru and Chase Bank with Drive-thru.Monitoring j
23 focuses on two mail components;the queueing associated with the Starbuck's operation and Drive-thru including but not
24 limited to,average length of queue,peak length of queue,negative impacts to interior circulation and/or Rt. 125 (Andover
25 St.). Scope includes weekday morning/evening and Saturday daily counts at the Site driveways at a tune that is not during a
26 holiday week or at a time that school is not in session. Showed constructed site with Starbuck's Drive-thru queue lane,MD
27 Clinic,Bertucci's restaurant and Bank.Average vehicle queue during peak periods for weekday morning-5 vehicles,evening-
28 2 vehicles and Saturday midday-6 vehicles, Maximum results show weekday morning at 10-vehicles,weekday evening-9
29 vehicles and Saturday midday-12 vehicles. Lane is designed to accommodate 13-15 vehicles in the queue without inhibiting
30 circulation or access to parking, angled parking is not inhibited.Average is calculated using 501'percentile;maximum is 9511'
31 percentile; 5%of the time it could be more than 95%-it could have gotten to 13,but not 15 vehicles. Circulation was not
32 impeded. These results are considered typical based on our experience monitoring other coffee shops in this area helping
33 generate our design standards.Reviewed actual total volume of traffic data produced by the project by counting at the
34 driveways against the predicted volume of traffic in the original 2021 assessment.Differentials reveal morning peak hour at
35 16 more vehicles(6%increase),weekday evening peak hour 23 fewer vehicles(10%decrease over what was estimated)and
36 Saturday midday peak hour 79 fewer vehicles(20 %decrease).In summary,the project is in line with the original estimates
37 and slightly over during the morning peak-hour.Based on the 2023 results,no refinements are necessary. A follow-up traffic
38 report will be issued in October of 2024.
39 P. Boynton: Questioned whether testing was done during times when promotions were being offered.
40 J. Dirk: Will follow up with this information for the Board.
41
42 CONTINUED PUBLIC HIJARINGS
43 315 Turnpike Street,Greystar Development East,LLC:Application for Limited Site Plan Review under Article 8,Part 3
44 Site Plan Review and Article 10 Administration Section 195-10.7 of the North Andover Zoning Bylaw. Applicant proposes
45 construction,on Merrimack College campus,of a 77,600 SF building situated along Turnpike Street and a 62,000 SF building
46 situated along Andover Street. Both buildings are comprised of academic and residential space for College use. The site is
47 located in the Residential 3 zoning district.
48 Jeff Doggett Excc.V.P.,CPO Merrimack College,resident 84 Johnson St.: Responded to the question posed by the Chair
49 involving images of other projects that might be similar to what is being proposed in North Andover..ZBA has approved the
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Town of North Andover
PLANNING BOARD
Eitan Goldberg, Chair • ���! Genrfna Wilkens
Peter Boynton �6 Christopher I(oskores,
John Simons Assoc.
Sena Ke►tlahan
Tuesda v November 21 2023 7 P.r►r, 120 Main Street Town Hall North.Andover MA 01845
50 height variance. Presented images Greystar or Cube3 Architects has completed and Crowe Hall on campus. Reviewed
51 building setbacks along Rt. 114.
52 J.Enright: Frontage for the proposed lot is on Andover St.When you have frontage on a corner lot,the side setback has to be
53 equal to the required front setback.The side setback on Turnpike St. is shown as 30 ft.because the required front setback is
54 30 ft.Typically, R3 side setback would be 20 ft.
55 P.Boynton:Asked for clarification of the driveway openings in relation to the traffic on Elm St. Is the plan to prove the plain
56 enhance to Rock Ridge Rd.which falls under#2 Limited Review.
57 J.Doggett: During major events traffic is directed onto Rock Ridge Rd.There is no plan to immediately change that,the gate
58 makes sense where it is. MassDOT's plan calls for a crosswalk where the blinking light is now.This will become a fort-Dal
59 intersection;traffic will be directed through a second entrance via a curb cut resulting in relief for overall traffic.
60 P.Boynton: This project will result in more frequent back and forth traffic/deliveries/visitors/st€dents in and out toward Rt
61 114. Is there any consideration for relief there?An additional lane between the college and tlue intersection?
62 J.Doggett: The question of an additional turn lane has been explored by MassDOT who is responsible for that corner up to
63 the enhance gate.MassDOT did not deem it a long enough run.
64 P.Boynton: From your description,the only option for an additional lane is on the Merrimack College side of that street.The
65 diagram for Rt. 114 shows exact setback distances,do you have this detail for Elm St?
66 Jeff Koetteritz,PE,Vi-iB:The setback is 35 ft from building to property line,the edge of roadway grows 5 ft. toward
67 Merrimack College in the right of way which improves the sidewalk and the current MassDOT project gets wider by about 5
68 ft.to the back of the sidewalk.
69 P.Boynton: Questioned whether an additional queu€eing line could be added on this side of the street. If there isn't room,does
70 Merrimack have the ability to provide a portion of that width to allow that to happen since the topography does not allow for
71 it on tlue other side of tine road?If this is in the College's interest,would you consider helping to provide the adequate width
72 even if it included a portion of Merrimack property?
73 J. Doggett: It would be of great interest to Merrimack to have that conversation with MassDOT.
74 J.J. Enright: MassDOT plan shows an extension of queueing being accommodated for,however not all the way to the entrance.
75 Will share those plans again. Commented that on Thursday evening,December 7,2023 at 6:30 p.m.,MassDOT is hosting a
76 public meeting at Merrimack College to discuss the proposed Rt. 114 Improvement Plan.
77 J. Simons: Call we wrap this into our decision somehow,there's a level of uncertainty?
78 J.Koetteritz: Once we are through local approvals,this will require a MA Highway State Access Permit.
79 J.Enri ht:We can condition requiring the owner to pursue conversations with MassDOT. We did something similar with the
80 Amazon project regarding public transportation.
81 J. Simons:The point of the intersection will have more people moving out into Rt. 114.Questioned how that will be handled.
82 Suggested the decision should have a look back period specifically for traffic so we can catch anything missed.
83 G. Wilkens: Questioned whether MassDOT has a planting plan for street trees.Inquired how robust the plan is and locations
84 of tree screening. Best practice should provide shading for the Shared Use Path and possibly increasing the amount of trees
85 buffering the building,adding quality to the overall experience.
86 J. Doggett: Showed the new triangular design for the island in the intersection of Rt 114/Andover Street as depicted by
87 MassDOT.Does not know if MassDOT has a current planting plan for street trees.
88 J. Koetteritz:New design involves reconstruction of new,wider crossings(campus side),signal upgrades and curb ramps onto
89 the College side.
90 J.Enrialit: Merrimack has continued the timeline to render a decision to December 15,2023.The next meeting is December
91 5,2023. A draft decision will be prepared to incorporate the Board's comments for that meeting.
92 (Continued to the December 5,2023 Planning Board meeting)
93
94 492 Sutton Street,Homegrown Lacrosse: Application for a Site Plan Review and Watershed Special Permit Article 8
95 Supplementary Regulations,Part 3 Site Plan Review,Article 4 Building and Uses Permitted,Part 5 Watershed Protection
96 District,and Article 10 Administration 195-10.7 of the North Andover zoning Bylaw. Applicant proposes development of a
97 2.5 +/-acre leased area on the Lawrence Municipal Airport property fronting Sutton Street and situated between Terminal
98 Road(i.e.the Airport access driveway)and Old Clark Road,to include construction of a 3 9,100+/- SF athletic facility with
99 office space,parking lot,utilities and drainage improvements.The project is located within the Industrial 2 Zoning District.
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Town of North Andover
PLANNING BOARD
Eitarr Goldberg, Chair Gentrrra Willferrs sun, ChristoPlrer•I(nslfores,
Peter Boynton
Jalrrr Sinuous Assoc.
Sean I(evlalrrrn
Tuesday November21, 2023 a, 7 p.m., 120 Mani Street Town Hall,North Aiidover, MA 01845
100 J.Enright: It was requested at the last meeting that the engineer look into flipping the parking lot and building location in an
101 attempt to locate tine drainage system outside the Watershed Protection District. Our peer review comments are in the packet
102 which has been shared with the applicant,who will speak to this request tonight.ZBA approved the Special Permit to allow
103 for the use in the Industrial 2 zoning district.Tine second stormwater peer review was received;there was only one action
104 item;to provide an annual budget for the O&M plan. The applicant has provided this information. Peer reviewer submitted
105 final sign off. If flipping the building and parking is deemed to have merit,peer review will need to continue.Department
106 Review was received from Conservation,DPW Operations,NAFD and DPW engineering.The DPW Engineering comments
107 require a response.The other departments had no concerns.
108 Brian Vaughan,Aqy.-Snnolak&Vaughan: Flipping the parking and building has limited benefit for this particular project,
109 The change in design is economically infeasible,financially adding substantial expense to the project,resulting in two
110 stormwater systems;this project could not withstand this.This is a smaller project,on a tight budget,which could not
111 withstand more infrastructure.For economic reasons,we don't believe this would be feasible,offering litnited improvement.
112 The aesthetics of the current design with the building being set back from the road has better curb appeal with parking toward
113 the front.
114 Brian Geaudreau,PE,Hancock Assoc.:Addressed engineering noting the location of the Watershed Protection District and its
115 location within the site.The Red line designated on the plan toward rear of site notes the separation of water that flows either
116 to Old Clark Rd. &Sutton St. and water that flows to Lawrence Airport,which is outside the green line-the Watershed
117 District Map,and tine blue line-the calculated 325 ft.Non-Discharge zone,which the project is subject to. Site topography is
118 approx. 1/3 toward the airport,2I3 toward Old Clark and Sutton St. The 325 ft.Non-Discharge zone is applicable and further
119 calculated by the mean annual high watermark of Lake Cochiclnewick(non-applicable)and the BVW the wetlands
120 surrounding the lake(non-applicable).The jurisdictional Blue line depicts the line of the Watershed District which barely
121 knicks the corner of the property.The concern at the previous hearing was having stormwater located within the Watershed
122 boundary and to move it or flip it out.The stormwater is not within the 325-ft.Non-Discharge zone. The only piece is the
123 proposed pipe connecting the site to existing drainage on Old Clark Rd. The peer reviewer noted that a flip would require a
124 second stormwater management system resulting in greater cost.The Town Engineer had three comments mainly related to
125 understanding drainage direction. All roadway drainage discharges across Rt. I25.There is no concern with the current plan
126 providing we describe the drainage aspects;no additional flow rate or volume results into the town system. We are to provide
127 receipts and an ongoing maintenance plan to the Town Engineer,if requested. Justified drainage patterns which drove the
128 design.
129 J.Enright: The Town Engineer's comments need to be closed out,the O&M Plan updated and a draft decision will be
130 prepared for the next meeting.
131 (Continued to the December 5,2023 Planning Board meeting)
132
133 NEW PUBLIC HEARINGS
134 173 Johnson Street,Christopher&Katherine Hughes; Application for a Watershed Protection District Special Permit
135 under Chapter 195 Article 4 Part 5, Section 195-4.19(B)and Section 195-10.7 of the Town of North Andover Zoning Bylaw
136 to construct a 13.08' x 20.83' addition to a single-family house, The addition is located outside the I00-foot Non-Disturbance
137 Zone,but inside the 325-font Non-Discharge Zone. The project is located in the Residential 3 Zoning District.
138 J.Enright:This is a 260 SF addition to the rear of the house. Limit of Work and erosion control line is identified on the plan,
139 no trees are to be removed.The stock pile is outside of the 325 ft.Non-Discharge buffer zone and conshuetion access is
140 planned along the front of the house, inside the buffer zone. Property is connected to town water and sewer. Stormwater
141 review was received and addressed.A draft decision was prepared for the Board's consideration.
142 Jack Sullivan, Sullivan Enaincerina:This lot was created in 1948;majority of it falls within the 325 ft.Non-Discharge zone.
143 Tine 100 ft.Non-Disturbance zone is off-property.No trees are being cut; limited site grading;there is a pond off-site that
144 flows through Ridgewood and eventually connects to the Take.
145 Steve Martin,DM Remodeling;& Contracting,builder: Purpose of the addition is for a kitchen area below and master
146 bedroom/bath upstairs,
147 MOTION: C.Koskores made a motion to close the public hearing for 173 Johnson Street,P. Boynton seconded the motion.
148 Roll call vote: S.Kevlahan(remote)voted yes. G. Wilkens voted yes.P,Boynton voted yes. C. Koskores voted yes. J. Simons
149 voted yes. Tine vote was 5-0,unanimous in favor.
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Town of North Andover
PLANNING BOARD
Eitatr Goldberg,, Chair Getmna Wilkens. ��.�rrfi ,. � Cltristopherlfoslrores,
Peter Boynton •
John Simons Assoc.
Sean Kevlahan
Trtesdrty Novetnber 21, 2023 rr, 7 p.nt., 120 Main Street Town Hall,North Andover, AM 01845
150 MOTION:P.Boynton made a motion to approve the Watershed Protection District Special Permit for 173 Johnson Street,as
151 amended. C.Koskores seconded the motion. Roll call vote: S. Kevlahan(remote)voted yes.G.Wilkens voted yes. P.
152 Boynton voted yes. C. Koskores voted yes.J. Simons voted yes.The vote was 5-0,unanmous in favor.
153
154 DISCUSSION ITEMS
155 MBTA Communities Draft Zoning Bylaw
156 J. Enright: Presented a draft bylaw.The bylaw proposes a combination of a Plan Review process and a special permit process
157 for certain uses. Suggested not reviewing the draft in detail this evening,but rather having the Board review the draft for
158 discussion at the December 5,2023 meeting.Incentivizing sustainability,mixed-use,density provisions,etc.was discussed at
159 the last meeting. Requested ideas on this approached for the next meeting. Dimensional requirements and permitted rises
160 discussed at the last meeting have been incorporated.
161
162 Lake Cochichewick Water Levels: Discussion carried to December 511 meeting.
163 Draft Planning Board Rules&Regulations: Discussion carried to December 5`,meeting.
164
165 MEETING MINUTES: Approval of the November 7,2023 meeting minutes.
166 MOTION:P.Boynton made a motion to accept the minutes for November 7,2023. C.Koskores seconded the motion. Roll
167 call vote: S.Kevlahan(remote)voted yes. G. Wilkens voted yes. C. Koskores voted yes. P. Boynton voted yes. J. Simons
168 voted yes. The vote was 5-0,unanimous in favor.
169
170 ADJOURNMENT
171 MOTION: P. Boynton made a motion to adjourn the ineeting.The motion was seconded by C. Koskores. Roll call vote: S.
172 Kevlalian(remote)voted yes.G. Wilkens voted yes. C.Koskores voted yes. J. Simons voted yes. P. Boynton voted yes.The
173 vote was 5-0,unanimous in favor.Meeting adjourned a 8:35 p.ni.
174
175 MEETING MATERIALS: Planning Board Meeting Agenda November 21,2023,DRAFT Planning Board Meeting
176 Minutes November 7,2023;Staff Report:231121 Staff Report;419/435 Andover Street,Jeffery Dirk,Vanasse_&
177 Associates on behalf of Ethos Capital,LLC:231106 419 and 435 Andover St Monitoring Study;315 Turnpike,Gre star
178 Development East LLC: Plan Set:231116 Corner Development Project at Merrimack College—Site Plans Rev-2,
179 Presentation: 11.21.2023 Merrimack Corner Development;"492 Sutton Street,Homegrown Lacrosse: Department Review:
180 231010 Conservation Comment,231019 DPW Operations Comment,231101 NAFD Comment,231116 DPW Engineering
181 Comments,Rev Site Plan:20231106-27016-SP-RI-Stamped, Stormwater Peer Review: 11'Peer Review Letter
182 231018_FlW_SWPeerReview_492 Sutton Street,HW 21d Peer Review Letter:231116 HW final sign-off,
183 231116_2ndSWPeerReview_492 Sutton Street,Resp.to 231018 HW Peer Review:20231101 HW SWPcerRcview HSA
184 Response,20231106-27016-0&M,20231106-27016-SP-RI-Stamped,2023 1 1 06-270 1 6-SW report-RI,Resp,to 231116 HW
185 Peer Review:20231 I 16-27016-07M-Rl,231115 Peer Rev Resp to flipping Parking—Building,Traffic Study,231102 9833
186 TIA 1123 with Appendix,211121 DPW Engineering Comments;2023.11.21-27016-waterslfed presentation; 173 Johnson
187 Street,Christopher&Katherine Hughes:Application: 173 Johnson Street_Site Plan_10192023, Signed—Full WSP
188 Application_173 Johnson Street, Storniwater Review: 231116 15t SWPeerReview_173 Johnson Street,231121 Decision
189 WSP 173 Johnson Draft-, MBTA Communities Draft Zoning Bylaw:231113 Draft bylaw-�-Multi-family Mixed Use OD;
190 Draft Planning Board Rttles&Regulations:230405 NApbfulesandregs JE_EG,230418 Letter to Planning Board re Rules
191 and Regulations.
192
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