by David Dahlbacka in All Ages, Beat Reporter, City Finances, Development and Zoning, Environment and Open Space, Events, Porter Square, Red Line
Posted on January 1, 2012 at 2:31 pm
Last Modified on January 1, 2012 at 5:28 pm
| January 5, 2012 | ||
| 6:00 pm | to | 9:00 pm |
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Somerville Planning Board Meeting
Thurs. Jan 5 6:00 – 9:00 PM
Somerville City Hall
Aldermanic Chamber
93 Highland Ave.
Somerville MA (map)
Public Notice (PDF)
Agenda (PDF)
This is the regular meeting of the Somerville Planning Board.
Agenda includes the proposed zoning changes to Somerville Avenue from Wilson Square to Porter Square, White Street, and Elm Street from White Street to Wilson Square. “What’s in it for us?”
The Planning Board holds public hearings, provides recommendations to the Zoning Board of Appeals and Aldermanic committees, and grants permits for special districts, such as Planned Unit Developments.
For more information, see:
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Beat Report: 1/5/12 Somerville Planning Board Meeting
Capuano, Favaloro, Kirylo, Maroney, Massa, Duchesneau
Bottom Line on Top
Wilson Square/Porter Square zoning change discussed, no vote (Chairman Prior not present due to operation). Sticking points in zoning change: Changing zoning on long-term residents (Capuano)[elicited claps from audience]. Single property on Mossland, unnecessary extension of RC zoning where not wanted (Maroney). Discussion on this and on Pervious Surface definition continued to 1/19/12 meeting.
Rough Notes (not chronological)
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Minimum Pervious Area Redefinition
City engineer here. Question asked whether crushed stone and artificial turf counted as pervious or impervious.
Eng.: Turf on top of concrete is impervious. Turf on top of pervious is pervious. Crushed stone is not a concern unless heavily compacted. Becomes impervious. Can better define these or remove from zoning.
George: Pervious area include soil, mulch, etc. Artificial turf and crushed stone aren’t. If artificial turf allows passage, is OK. Do on case by case basis. If compacted stone, is impervious. Gravel usually is pervious.
Maroney: Tweak the definition Have two slabs, gravel and rocks. Obviously that slabs aren’t gravel is.
Other question: Would adoption of this make existing conforming lots nonconforming?
Q: How many conforming lots are there?
A: More than 90% are nonconforming per lot size alone. Usually only large institutional lots are conforming.
Q: Can we amend otherwise conforming lots be exempt?
Favaloro: Was proposed before, time ran out. What was buzz about zoning change?
George Concern about paving lots without hindrance. Also concerns about bonds to contractors. Outreach to driveway contractors.
A: Didn’t hear anything back from two contractors. Compares well to other city’s ordinance.
George: Wanted to deal with this during winter, outside paving season.
Capuano: Think it’s a good start, but not perfect. Always concerned about green space. This applies to res. districts. Want to stop people paving back yards. But green space isn’t pervious pavers. Like to redefine pervious for businesses. No big plazas covered with pavers.
George: What landscape definition is also. Will deal with that relative to Comp Plan. Lot of discussion of open spaces. Need to deal with privately held publicly accessible space.
Maroney: Take up at next meeting 1/19. Vote to continue to 1/19.
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Somerville Avenue and Porter Square Rezoning
Michael Capuano was not present last meeting when this presented. He listened to tapes. Chair of board (Prior) not present (now having operation). Board will not take up matters for vote tonight. Will discuss tonight, continue later.
Closed oral portion 12/15. Written record closed 12/30.
BOA [Land Use Committee] written record open. P.B. record closed. We are beginning discussion.
Duch: Answers to questions raised.
1. Why is Porter Square Wilson Square area looked at instead of other areas?
A: Not only area. Looking at Union Sq., E. B’way. New projects in Union Sq.Som. Boys/Girls club Wash St. Lower B’way MudFlat Studios. Lot of Assem. Sq. devel. Ward Aldermen and at large reached out to planning staff.
2. What’s difference between RB and RC?
A: RB and RC small residential houses. RC small businesses in residential houses.
3. Holiday Inn occupancy rates? They didn’t want to release info.
Favaloro: Wash St. Holiday Inn has one of highest occupancy rates in their system.
4. Accident report data for neigh?
A: Provided to Board in packet. Avail to public.
5. Parking impacts on neigh.
A: No change within RB and RC have same req. In CCD, if no additional sq ft no increase. If increase, need to meet req. of zoning for CCD and TOD. (Also are Sec. 9 req for TOD area).
6: CCD 45 boundary?
A: Drawn to include parcels with frontage along Som Ave. One was very shallow, so included parcel behind it. That gave only 90 feet. Are 2-3 family structures.
If no structure there, new structure would need 20 feet offset, 15 foot 2nd floor setback. Current structure more invasive than new structure.
Favaloro: Wanted to create a buffer zone. What’s there already is less invasive than req of zoning?
7. Estimated tax revenue versus expenses for new developments?
A: Forecasting a crap shoot. Guessed what would be redeveloped and what not. Primarily assumed development in CCD 45 and TOD areas. All would have 1st floor and residential or commercial above. Tax numbers interesting. Commercial would produce $4.1 M new tax income. $460K if residential.
How would existing tax burden compare?
Existing nontransitional areas generate $615K Residential would produce $650K, commercial would produce $4.1M new tax revenue.
Tax bill within study area buildout?
3-family bill about $6500. Average tax bill would drop to $4000 based on comparison to Cambridge.
George: Philosophical question. Be clear. While Somerville has trouble with excess residential development, zoning isn’t driven only by tax revenue. Is piece of greater discussion, including Union Sq. and Greater Broadway. Inner Belt, Brickbotton, Boynton Yards also being looked at. CCD 45 are being tested in Somerville. Looking for ped. scale devel in area. Has buffers and protections to address neighbordhood impacts.
Maroney: Any other discussion now?
Capuano: Step in right direction to gain tax revenue. Not the way to go about it. Look at existing and proposed side by side. I don’t like at all that this is being done to long-term homeowners, being downzoned. Why would you downgrade them to RC? Only one quasicommercial property along that section of street. Has been there for decades. Mossland Street are triple deckers. Street already backed up. If you make that CCD 45, will add more cars to street. Owners strongly opposed to being zoned to CCD. I’m not so worried about TOD. Is that where hotel is?
George: Could be a hotel.
Capuano: Approved hotel across street, not started.
George: No intent to stop boutique hotel. Is under appeal, in the courts.
Capuano: Don’t want to do “if you zone it they will come”. Not much happening in Union Sq.
We’re starting to rezone properties that don’t want to be rezoned. Parking there already tough. I’m not thrilled at proposal.
George: Three pieces. Need time in BWay and Union Sq. Is a 20 years strategy. Economy has been tough. B’way lacks streetscape project to bring pedestrians into corridor.
Maroney
on’t want to rezone after economy comes back. Not fair to complain nothing’s happening. Trying to be prepared for the future. City has vision to do it in transit oriented locations. You’re looking at particular locations.
George: We’re waiting for Union Sq. transit.
Favaloro: Agree. Had discussion in B’way, not many concerns. Not too many in Union Sq. But 10 days before Xmas, large number of people came here with significant concerns about this zoning. Have to weigh against economic benefit. 20 years from now, would be different. They’re dealing with today.
Kirylo: We’re talking 20-30 years from now. If you live on Elm street in 2 family house, don’t know if it would be commercial. I can see there’ll be fewer cars. Wilson to Porter Sq. has always looked bad. Good retail would get people to stop. If I lived on Elm St I would be unhappy. Won’t happen soon. Need zoning in place for when economy improves.
Maroney: I have issue with Mossland property.Was there more of a buffer? One person had one property, everything else rezoned, not her? Two things that stood out to me, one was Mossland. If I lived on Mossland, it’d feel weird. Other is that one side of street already RC, other side really doesn’t want it. Is it that important to make other side RC?
George: RB has 40 ft height limit right up to boundary. RCC45 has 45 and requires a step back. Two blocks are pretty intensely developed. Not likely to take them out and replace them with CCD45. Take long term perspective.
RC district? We undertook to deal with these issues at vision meetings. We followed up with description of zoning. A lot of people who checked in aren’t here. There is no legal requirement to send announcements to everyone. Very dedicated people have showed up. A good number are against, some for. Can’t assume silent people are against. Trying to address valid concerns.
Maroney: I understand consistency, but is a hobgoblin. We’re talking about law offices, real estate offices. Not heavy industry. People have lived there a long time. Question for BOA, not us. The difference in commercial development among Cambridge, Somerville, Everett: very telling. We have to be proactive. If we don’t allow zoning around transit areas, there won’t be places to develop. Won’t have tax relief for homeowners. Have to help ourselves. All development can’t be in Assembly Square. I’m willing to tweak zoning. We have to look everywhere where there is transportation. Here, also at Green Life stops.
Capuano: I admit I was unfair regarding B’Way and Union Sq. I stand by rest of it. Would feel better if there were only slight amendments to address specific properties. I won’t put potential developments over long term residents.
Duchesneau: Regarding RC both sides. Did exercises, some people wanted adaptive mixed use That’s were RC came from. Mossland Street, person who spoke is now in RB district. She wanted to be in CCD district.
Maroney: Any more discussion? No discussion from audience. Will be continued to next meeting, 1/19, 6 PM.
George: Will be picked up by Land Use Comm. in Feb.
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[Meeting began with these two items]
76 Broadway (change to building facade)
Signage, new lighting. Applicant here. Package submitted. Existing sign and awning remove. New shed awnings above entrance. 2 new signs (metal frame, new lighting). Existing blade sign retained.
Adam D.: soft lighting, nice awning.
Questions? No. Anyone for or against? No.
Move to hear conditions. Staff to supply plans, damage repair, signage not to alter. Cast light downward, not onto properties.
Move to accept staff recomm. Voted in.
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112 Broadway (new signage for existing cafe Ola)
Favaloro read notice into record at beginning. 13′x4′ orange sign with red. Nobody knows cafe exists, needs signs. Done by prof. comp. Steel frame. Sign within norm for food establishments. Coffee cup displayed.
Questions? No.
Massa: Is only storefront in building. Usually on B’way are multiple stores. Fits with image of ped friendly uses. Hard to tell it’s there.
Maroney: Orange and red?
A: People like color.
For or against? No.
Waive reading of conditions. Vote to accept staff recomm.
[Recess before Pervious Surface discussion]
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So first we have the overdevelopment at the Dilboy Post site, and now we are trying to convert residential districts into quasi-commercial districts so the city can make some money?
This is wrong of the city, and it looks like only Maroney and Capuano can see that. Not a surprise, I guess.
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