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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2025-06-09 Master Plan Implementation Committee Minutes Master Plan Implementation Committee Meeting Minutes June 9, 2025 Attending: (in person): Meredith Barnes-Cook(Chair), Jon Strauss (Vice Chair), Al Manzi, Peter Koesterherm, Stan Limpert, Brian Roache, Sean Kevlahan, and Amy Mabley Absent: Hollie Williams Staff: Andrew Shapiro (Assistant Town Manager/Director of Community and Economic Development) Zach Melcher(Staff Planner) Call To Order Chair Meredith Barnes-Cook called the meeting to order and noted those who were present for the meeting, consisting of a quorum. Public Comment No public comments were offered and no emails had been received by either Ms. Barnes-Cook or Mr. Shapiro. Vote on approval of Awj116, 2025 minutes Stan Limpert motioned to approve the April 16, 2025 minutes as presented. Peter Koesterherm seconded the motion. The vote was 8-0 in favor; The motion passed. Old Business: Continued discussion of updates on Master Plan strategies that have been made on the MPIC Implementation Web Page. Mr. Shapiro covered the following updates to Master Plan strategies: • Land Use, Strategy 4: Review the current Zoning Bylaw and compare the current regulations to the desired vision and goals of the Master Plan. Ensure recommendations that can be tied back to zoning changes are identified,prioritized, and completed. o At Annual Town Meeting on May 13, 2025, the Town voted to approve a proposed ADU bylaw • Housing, Strategy 13: Identify financial and staff resources to facilitate the construction and/or preservation of affordable housing in North Andover: o On May 13, 2025, Annual Town Meeting voted to approve all recommended CPA projects, including the Fountain Drive affordable housing project. • Housing, Strategy 19: Create an Accessory Dwelling Unit (AD U) bylaw that would allow small accessory residential units on existing residential parcels. o At Annual Town Meeting on May 13, 2025, the Town voted to approve the proposed ADU bylaw. • Economic Development, Strategy 23: Look for opportunities to enhance visitation to the downtown area through special events and activities (such as the farmer's market). O Starting in the summer of 2025, the North Andover Farmers Market moved to the municipal parking lot behind Town Hall (120 Main Street). • Economic Development, Strategy 26: Evaluate the uses of the Stevens Estate for additional commercial potential while maintaining the historic value of the property and the surrounding open space. o On May 13, 2025, Annual Town Meeting voted to approve all recommended CPC projects, including the project to fund improvements to the Carriage House at the Stevens Estate. • Transportation, Strategy 4: Evaluate safety and congestion improvements along key roadway corridors and intersection improvements to promote safer travel speeds, improve safety at key intersections, and create a safer and more connected sidewalk network. This should include conducting/traffic counts on arterial roadways to ensure data is recent and relevant. o The Town is currently working with engineering firm Vanasse & Associates on a post-project traffic study related to the Amazon project located on Osgood Street. This study, required by the Planning Board's approval of the project, comes one year after full occupancy was achieved at the Amazon facility and will, among other things, obtain turning-movement and vehicle classification counts (TMCs) for a three-hour weekday morning period (6:00 to 9:00 AM) and a three-hour weekday evening period(4:00 to 7:00 PM) at the following intersections (the "Monitored Intersections"): ■ Osgood Street at Bradford Street ■ Osgood Street at the 1600 Osgood Street North Driveway ■ Osgood Street at the 1600 Osgood Street North Central Driveway ■ Osgood Street at the 1600 Osgood Street South Central Driveway ■ Osgood Street at the 1600 Osgood Street South Driveway/Gas Station Driveway ■ Osgood Street at Great Pond Road and the Casa Blanca Driveway ■ Osgood Street at Sutton Street 8. Osgood Street at Chickering Road ■ Sutton Street at Main Street and North Main Street ■ Main Street at Waverly Road Mr. Roache asked if this study would take into consideration the "holiday rush"traffic that the Town had experienced around late November, into December. Mr. Shapiro noted that the study would not necessarily focus or take these time periods into account. • Transportation Strategy 56: Continue to push for anew META commuter rail station at the Osgood Landing site if and when a redevelopment proposal is in place that matches the community's vision and goal for the site. o On June 2, 2025, Staff Planner Zach Melcher and consultant David Nelson(Jacobs Engineering) presented findings from the Commuter Rail Feasibility Study to the Select Board. • Historical, Cultural, and Natural Resources Strategy 74: Complete an Historic Structures Report for the Stevens Estate including outbuildings and landscapes, as well as possible reuse options. 0 2025 Annual Town Meeting approved an additional $450,000 for continued stabilization of the Stables (Carriage House). • Public Facilities and Services, Strategy 91: Continue to prioritize the update, repair; and renovation of the Town's public buildings and schools as needed. 0 On May 13, 2025, Annual Town Meeting voted to approve the recommendation to fund reconstruction and enhancement of the high school tennis courts with CPA funding. Additionally, the Town approved a capital appropriation to install a new turf playing surface for baseball/softball at the high school. In all, Town Meeting approved just over $13 million in funding to address capital projects that ensure the upgrade, repair, and renovation of the Town's public buildings and schools. • Public Facilities and Services, Strategy 90: Continue to upgrade and replace aging pipes for sewer and water systems, including evaluating possible expansion capabilities to residents that are not currently served by sewer and water infrastructure with a specific focus on protecting the drinking water supply. 0 On May 13, 2024, Annual Town Meeting approved $1,750,000 for the Town's Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) to support a lead service line replacement, water distribution system improvements, sewer pump station improvements, and sewer collection system improvements. • Public Facilities and Services, Strategy 92: Encourage the Youth Center to expand programming and, if necessary, space both on-and off-site. o On May 13, 2025, Annual Town Meeting approved $400,000 in capital funding to support developing a design for a Youth Center expansion. When Mr. Shapiro completed his updates, Mr. Kevlahan requested an update on what had been a proposed acquisition of a parcel on Johnson Street, at Calzetta Farm. Mr. Shapiro explained that the owner opted not to move forward with a sale of the property to the Town at this time. Mr. Kevlahan then asked if the property was designated as 61 A. Mr. Shapiro said that it is not, but that it has a right of first refusal for the Town to purchase the property. New Business • Discussion of additional project updates as time allows o Commuter Rail Feasibility Study Staff Planner Zach Melcher provided an update to the Committee on the Commuter Rail Feasibility Study. He presented slides that had been presented to the Select Board on this topic the week prior. Mr. Koesterherm asked if there was a way that North Andover could"sweeten the deal" for the MBTA to be encouraged to construct a station here. Mr. Shapiro noted that there is a State program called i-cubed, which is a public private partnership between the Town, MBTA, and a prospective developer that would be bringing an economic development project to the immediate area around the future station - this was done at Assembly Square for the extension of the Green Line. Mr. Limpert asked about the potential for the station to come given the lack of double-tracking in the area. Mr. Melcher explained that the station basically is not feasible without the introduction of double tracking. Mr. Shapiro further explained that the consultant had made it clear that the Town and other area stakeholders should advocate for double tracking, in order to speed up its consideration. Mr. Koesterherm asked whether the State would change the Town's MBTA Communities designation if it were to gain an MBTA Commuter Rail Station. Mr. Shapiro explained that the legislation governing MBTA Communities does not take this into account, but he doesn't think that it would force the Town to zone for more units. Discuss and agree to next meeting date The Committee agreed to meet next on Monday, September 8, 2025 at 6pm. Adjournment: Peter Koesterherm moved to adjourn, and Amy Mabley seconded. The vote was 7-0 in favor.