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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2012-09-18 Planning Board Supplemental Materials (23) TOWN OF FORTH ANDOVER BOARD OF SELECTMEN 120 MAIN STREET NORTH ANDOVER, MASSACHUSETTS 01845 William F. Gordon, Chairman Rosemary Connelly Smedile TEL (978)688-9510 Donald B. Stewart FAX (978)688-9556 Richard M, Vaillancourt Tracy M. Watson September 12,2012 Mr. Gregory P.Watson,AICP Manager of Comprehensive Permit Programs Massachusetts Housing Finance Agency One Beacon Street Boston,MA 02108 RE: 16 Berry Street/Riding Academy Preserve Dear Mr.Watson: Tire Town is in receipt of a letter from your agency dated August 10, 2012 in regards to the project site approval application. The project is located on Berry Street and abuts Turnpike Street(Route 114)in North Andover. We understand that prior to your agency issuing a letter of eligibility,you seek comments from the Town regarding recent comprehensive permit action. Each application is unique and should be based on the goals and needs of the conunmrity in which it is located. The applicant has met with representatives from the Community Development Division as well as tire chairman of the Housing Partnership Committee and North Andover Trust. A site visit was also held on August 22 with your office and several corm amity representatives. As stated in your letter, below are the recent activities taken on behalf of North Andover in regards to affordable housing. The Town of North Andover has established a pro-active approach to comprehensive permitting and is working with various developers in order to create a mix of affordable opportunities in the community. The Board of Appeals is an experienced group that takes the time and effort to seriously review each project with a non-bias approach. Municipal Actions • The Town has three (3) active comprehensive permits as of September 5, 2012, all of which are located on Turnpike Street(Route 114). • In 2005, the Town approved a First-time Homebuyers program for North Andover residents. The program has used and/or leveraged approximately $345,000 using Conmmnity Preservation funds and North Shore HOME funds to encourage affordability in North Andover Housing. • At the 2006 Annual Town Meeting,the Town approved the creation of a Housing Trust. • At the July 2006 Special Town Meeting,the Town voted to amend the zoning bylaw to allow for a multi-family residential project on the same Berry Street property. • In 2007, the Town adopted a Stuart Growth 40-R zoning district. The Town land-use boards have been reviewing plans and bylaw language during the past eight months in order to submit an application to the Department of Housing&Community Development. Mr. Gregory P. Watson, AICP Page 2. September 12, 2012 2007-2009 the Town voted to provide Neighborhood of Affordable Housing (NOAH) $1,350,000 from the Community Preservation fund in order to construct 42 affordable units. The Board of Selectmen also voted to support several other NOAH grant applications. The project was completed in May 2012. In 2009 the Housing Trust voted to support the cost associated with the sale of affordable units. The Trust provides financial incentives to sellers for keeping their units affordable when they could be sold at market rate and lose their affordable designation. In February 2012, construction began on a 135-unit assisted care facility at Boston Hill located on Turnpike Street. Although your agency may not consider specific project issues, sone of the concerns raised by the submission of this particular application include the following are listed below. Police The Police Department has no public safety concerns with the proposed Riding Academy Preserve development project. Although they expect to provide additional comments when they have the opportunity to review the traffic study that is provided as part of the application process. That will allow them the opportunity to assess impact on local roads as well as the Rt. 114 corridor. Planning Board On December 20, 2011. the Planning Board approved an 11 lot subdivision on one of the parcels (Assessor's Map 106D, Parcel 33)that is now being considered for a comprehensive permit application submitted by North Andover Holdings, LLC. During the course of reviewing the application, the Board noted several items with regard to the characteristics of'the property, including its topography, the natural ecosystem and access to the property. 'These terns are pertinent to the current proposal and should be considered during the review process for this project. • The parcels contain significant wetlands, one certified vernal pool and several ponds. The parcel also contains endangered species habitat, as defined by MESA (Massachusetts Endangered Species Act). There is a recorded Declm ation of Restriction for the property, as required by MESA. • During the review of the proposed stormwater management system for the subdivision, it was noted that the property has a relatively high water table. The owner had received a LOMA (Letter of Map Amendment) front FEMA, since the current FEMA maps show a portion of the lot in a Special Flood Hazard Area. Large scale development will impact the water table in the area and has the potential to cause flooding. • An historic cemetery is located on the property and its use and access is defined in a deed for the property. Public access to the cemetery was a condition of the Definitive Subdivision and should be a condition for any future development. • The Right-of-Way in Berry Street is very narrow (approximately 33 ft.) and is bounded on either side by store walls. Berry Street is often difficult to pass, particularly in the winter months, when snow piles narrow the road The number of proposed homes will create a substantial increase in traffic, which will access Route 114 via Berry Street. • The Definitive Plan required a sewer pump station be installed in order to pump to the existing sewer infrastructure on Rahe 114. A larger scale development will require substantial capacity and the town ilia), require easements in order to provide future sewer capacity to Fern Street which abuts this properry. • The Multi-Family Residential Development dated August 2012, prepared by GPR shows 3 buildings and 442 parking spaces. This impervious area will require considerable stormwater drainage structures on a lot that contains a large area of wetlands, water bodies and endangered species habitat. It will be a challenge to provide stormwater management that meets the State's Stornnvater Management Requirements. Mr. Gregory P. Watson, AICD Page 3. September 12, 2012 Conservation Department The Conservation Deparbnent is in receipt of and has reviewed the Concept Plan for the proposed multi-family residential development on Berry Street dated August 2012, hi addition, the Conservation Department staff and members of the NACC attended a site visit held by MassHousing on the property on August 22, 2012. Portions of the proposed development are within areas jurisdictional to the NACC. These resource areas include Inland Bank, Bordering Vegetated Wetland, and Isolated Vegetated Wetland (IVW — local jurisdiction only) and the associated buffer zones. Portions of the resource areas were reviewed and approved under DEP File # 242-1533 in December of 2011. The property is located in Priority Habitat as designated by the Natural Heritage and Endangered Species Program(NHESP)and there is already a restriction on portions of the property. Initial comments are as follows: The Conservation Commission worked closely with the applicant under DEP File#242-1533 to protect the resource area buffer zones on the property including a planting plan and permanent barriers around the resource areas at the locally regulated 25-foot No-Disturbance Zone. The NACC would like the current developer to consider similar protection on this environmentally sensitive property. Stormwater Management will be a critical component of this project due to the large amount of impervious area. The NACC would like the applicant to minimize impervious area (look to reduce parking where possible especially within the 50-foot No-Build Zone) and consider LID measures including porous pavement, bioretention areas and rain gardens. • Fill of an Isolated Vegetated Wetland is proposed near the historic cemetery. This IVW is locally jurisdictional and the NACC would generally not permit fill without a full alternatives analysis. The applicant has however propose(] replication at a ratio of 2:1 which is in line with the North Andover Wetland Bylaw Regulations. • During the site visit. (here was discussion of roadway improvements. The NACC would like the applicant to be aware that there are resource at on the other side of Berry Street. These resource areas are also protected by a NHESP and Conservation Restriction. Thank you for your consideration and do not hesitate to contact us with further questions. Sincerely, BOARD OF SELECTMEN e cllt L. 0-1,4 William F. Gordon Chairman cc: Planning Board Conservation Commission Board of Appeals Community Development