HomeMy WebLinkAbout2020-01-27 Decision Correspondence SPR i
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COMMUNITY AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DIVISION
Building Consez-vation Health Planning Stevens Estate Zoning
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TO; Melissa Murphy-Rodrigues, Esq.,Town Manager
Richard Vaillancourt, Chair, Board of Selectmen
FROM; Eitan Goldberg, Planning Board Chair
DATE; January 28, 2020
SUBJECT; Stevens-Coolidge Place
As you are aware,The Trustees of Reservations recently submitted an application to the
Planning Board requesting a Special Permit to allow for the repurposing of an existing 24'x
60' shed to become a Visitor Center, parking for 61 cars and associated landscaping, A
Notice of Decision approving the Special Permit request was issued,
During the Special Permit process, the Planning Board heard comments from many
neighbors of the Stevens-Coolidge Place, Several concerns were raised, such as, the
increasing number and scope of events held at the Stevens-Coolidge Place; the seeming
transition of operation from primarily an educational use, as deemed by the Building
Commissioner, to commercial and beyond; and the number of events with music and
alcohol in a Residential 3 zoning district.
The Planning Board would like to suggest that members of the Board of Selectmen, The
Trustees of Reservations, and Planning Board work collaboratively to monitor the use over
the next few years to better understand the direct impacts and work together to help
mitigate them.
The approved Special Permit includes the following condition:
"One year after the issuance of a Certificate of Occupancy, and yearly thereafter for three
years, the Applicant shall furnish the Planning Board with a report on the operations of the
Stevens Coolidge Estate,focusing on the effects of changes noted in this site plan. This
report shall include, but not be limited to, frequency of overflow parking, lot use, pictures
of plantings/screening, pictures of the new parking lot and overflow parking lot(when in
use and when not in use), evidence of Project Engineer certification that the stormwater
management system is functioning as designed,and a photometric plan analysis to
determine actual lumen intensity vs, planned lumen intensity".
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COMMUNITY AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DIVISION
Building Conservation Health Planning Stevens Estate Zoning
Once this report is received the Planning Board recommends a joint meeting with
representatives from The Trustees of Reservations, two Planning Board members, and two
members of the Board of Selectmen to review the findings and to recommend mitigation
measures,if warranted. Please advise if you are supportive of this recommendation,
CC; Andrew Shapiro, Director of Community and Economic Development
Jean Enright, Planning Director
Katherine K, Macdonald, Director
The Stevens-Coolidge Place Portfolio
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44 Wood Avenue
Mansfield,MA 02049
Tel(508j 339-3929
Engineering, Inc.
® .� Engineers & Environmental Scientists Fax(508j 40
w'vvw,oEriengi neeringsriug.coni
November 3,2021
Planning Board
Town of North Andover
120 Main Street
North Andover, MA 01845
Re: Stevens-Coolidge Place
Chickering Road
North Andover,MA
Dear Board Members:
Based on site specific survey conducted by this office, and by visual observations performed
up through 10/29/2021, 1 hereby certify that the site irnprovernents for the above-referenced
project have been completed in substantial conformity with the approved design plans, as
amended by plan entitled"Grading and Drainage Plan"prepared by OHI Engineering, Inc.
dated June 11, 2021.
A constriction record plan accompanying this certification is attached and entitled
"Construction Record Plan, Stevens Coolidge Place"dated November 2, 2021.
Very truly yours,
OHI ENGINEERING, INC.
James R. Borrebach,P.E.,L.S.P.
President
Cc: Josh Hasenfus, The Trustees of Reservations
Mansfield, MA Aniherst, MA
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200 High Street,4th flooa'
Boston MA 02110
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Eitan Goldberg, Chair, Planning Board
Town of North Andover
120 Main Street
North Andover, MA 01845
Cc:Jean Enright, Director of Planning Town of North Andover
July 171h, 2022
Chairman Goldberg,
Please find attached an Operations Report for the Stevens-Coolidge blouse &Gardens, as required in
Order of Conditions dated January 7, 2020.
"One year after the issuance of a Certificate of occupancy and yearly thereafter for
three years,the Applicant shall furnish the Planning Board with a report on the
Operations of the Stevens Coolidge Estate,focusing on the effects of changes noted in
this site plan.This report shall include but not be limited to frequency of overflow
parking, lot use, pictures of plantings/screenings, pictures of the new lot and overflow
parking lot(when in use and when not in use), evidence of Project Engineer Certification
that the stormwater management is functioning as designed, and a photometric analysis
to determine actual lumen intensity vs. planned lumen intensity."
We are also happy to report that since the revisions of the infiltration basin in the fall of 2021,the site
plan as approved by the Planning Board has been operating as designed. In fact, our impact to the site
has been lighter than anticipated.
Thank you for your consideration,
Jared Bowers
Director
Stevens-Coolidge House & Gardens Operations Report
June 6th, 2022
Parking, Overflow Parking,and Visitor Vehicular Circulation
The gravel road has been successful in managing water flow as well as maintaining a manageable speed
by visitors as they enter the property,The road required maintenance after the busy Winterlights
season and was fine graded and re-graveled after the event was over.We anticipate that the road will
continue to need to be managed as such.
For the new and main parking lot,we have not required a parking attendant during busy events and
visitors have been able to find a parking spot in this lot without having to park along the drive or in other
areas that would create any issues. We will continue to monitor the use of this area but have not had to
actively manage its use either for daily visitors or during larger events.
The overflow parking lot, located adjacent to entry driveway and approved for a capacity of 100 cars,
has yet to be used for events. Due to the conditions of the field, only dry season use for parking cars
would be possible. Instead of using the overflow field, we have limited our capacity for the property and
any events to our existing parking lot through a timed ticketing system.
Lastly,visitor flow through the parking lot appears to be working well thus far. The new curb cut on
Chickering Road has been effective at highlighting our new entrance and there haven't been any issues
with visitors exiting the property.The stop sign, located by Vanasse Associates and approved by
MassDOT has been functioning as intended.
The post and chain gates at the Chickering Road entrance and the Wood Lane extension were installed
during construction to prohibit people from entering and attempting to drive through to Andover Street.
Cars unassociated with construction of staff were entering the property both during and after property
hours. Neighbors were reporting their use to The Trustees and the Town. Since the completion of
construction,the gate at Chickering Road was removed to eliminate any hazard emergency responders.
The Wood Lane gate was removed upon planting of extension buffers, which has been effective as a
vehicular buffer.The property hours remain 10am—6pm, except for Wednesdays when we are closed.
We have experienced very few cars using the property outside of those hours.
Overflow Parking Lot ^X Main Parking Lot
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Site Lighting Amendments
The Lighting Photometrics Plan L600 dated 8/7/2019 illustrates the use of two types of landscape light
fixtures; a 13' light post and a bollard light, Both fixtures meet Dark Sky requirements.The Plan locates
40 Sistemalux bollards along the entry walk to the Garden Gateway Building and then lighting the path
to the historic house and gardens. As the nighttime use of the property is extremely limited, the number
of installed fixtures was reduced by 10.The fixtures not installed were those proposed between the
Gateway Building and the Farmhouse,This is a back-of Douse space that has a greater exposure to our
neighbors. The exterior architectural light fixtures at entrances to both buildings provide enough light
for safe travel between the buildings and additional pathway lights are unnecessary.
Additionally, two of the 6 parking lot light posts were relocated to avoid being a nuisance to our
neighbors.The two fixtures that had been located on the Southeast side of the turnaround, were
relocated to the Northwest side of the planted islands,The plants block the fixtures from our neighbors
while providing a safe route for vehicles at the turnaround.A revised plan showing the final location of
light fixtures, as installed, has been included at the end of this report,
The parking lot lights are only used when we have evening events, which has primarily been during our
Winterlights event in late November and December, During this time, a staff member will turn the lights
on at the beginning of the event and then as part of our routine operations,they would switch them off
by 9pm when the event is finished.There haven't been any safety issues with the use of these lights and
they have provided support for our visitors entering and existing the parking lot for this event,
Given this information and the fact that there have been no complaints made to the organization
regarding site lighting as installed,the Trustees is respectfully requesting relief from providing an as-
built site plan from a lighting consultant.
Buffer Plantings
There were three areas identified in our Site Plan review that needed expanded buffer plantings.The
first is at the new Chickering Road curb cut. During construction,Trustees staff has worked closely with
the Town Planner and Old Village Lane residents to thicken the existing vegetated buffer at this
entrance. While two rounds of plantings were completed,the Trustees also obliged a neighbor's request
for a fence along the length of the property line.This fence was installed in the late summer of 2021.
The second area in need of a thickened buffer planting was at the property line shared with an Andover
Road abutter.This area was planted with IS' tall arborvitae, some of which were lost but have since
replaced with similar and are currently doing well. The shrub layer at this buffer has sustained losses due
to extremely wet soils in 2020/21. Replacements have been made and we will continue to amplify the
density of the planting with time.
The third area treated with a screen planting was the end of Wood Lane.The Trustees worked closely
with Wood Lane residents and the Town Planner to locate new plant material, both evergreen and
deciduous,within the Wood Lane roadway as it extends onto the Trustees' property.There was a
request by our neighbors to strategically plant in a way that leaves an unobstructed view down the
center of the former Wood Lane Road. As expected,there had been some plant loss post construction
and this area was planted with replacement material earlier this month. Buffer material will continue to
mature during the coming growing seasons.
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Framed View Into Wood Lane Extension
Management of Events and Sound Attenuation
In collaboration with Town Staff, the Stevens-Coolidge Engagement Site Manager hired a consultant to
establish acceptable decibel rates as well as to monitor a pilot concert event as well as daytime
visitation for sound pollution. It was determined that both the concert and daily operations are within
reasonable sound decibels.The Engagement Site Manager also monitored sound at various locations of
the property during summer 2021 concerts to ensure that decibel levels were not exceeding established
standards.Since this time, staff is unaware of new concerns or complaints from abutters during larger
events.
Stevens-Coolidge has an Entertainment License that establishes requirements regarding the location of
stage and type of music that can be performed live on site.
Project Engineer Certification
Project Engineer Certification has been supplied to the Town by OHI Engineering, Inc.
44 Wood Avenue
Mansfield,MA 02049
CAMMEngineering, Inc. Tel(508)339-3929
Engineers & Environmental Scientists Fay(508j 339-3I40
www.ohiengineering,coin
May 3, 2021
Josh Hasenffis
Trustees of the Reservation
75 Walcott Ave
E. Walpole, MA 02032
Re: Stevens-Collidge Place
153 Chickering Road
North Andover,MA
Dear Josh,
Please find attached as-built for the newly constructed Welcome Center at Stevens-Coolidge
Place at the above-referenced address,
Based on the as-built information collected by OHI Engineering, Inc. (OHI), the location of
the new Welcome Center is in general conformity with the approved Site Plans prepared by
Hancock Associates, Inc. dated 8/15/2019, latest revision dated 12/10/2019,
Be advised that OHI is also evaluating the stormwater management system due to operational
issues with the constructed inhltrationMetention basin in the northwesterly portion of the
Site. Once any modifications to the infiltration/detention basin are completed, if required,
OHI will prepare ail overall As-built Plan for the project.
Please contact me should you have any questions or comments regarding this matter,
Sincerely,
OHI ENGINEERING, INC.
James R, Borrebach,P.E,, L,S.P,
Principal
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WELCOME CENTER RELOCATED PER THE PERMIT SITE
PLAN SET, SHEET 4, DRAWN BY HANCOCK ASSOCIATES (IN FEET)
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