by David Dahlbacka in All Ages, Assembly Square, Beat Reporter, Development and Zoning, Environment and Open Space, Events, Mystic River, Orange Line, Uncategorized
Posted on August 12, 2012 at 4:23 pm
Last Modified on August 19, 2012 at 4:58 pm
| August 23, 2012 | ||
| 6:00 pm | to | 9:00 pm |
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Somerville Planning Board Hearing
Thu. Aug. 23 6:00 – 9:00 PM
Visiting Nurses Association
Community Room
259 Lowell St.
Somerville MA (map)
Public Notice (PDF)
Agenda (PDF)
This is the regular meeting of the Somerville Planning Board.
Agenda likely includes a Special Permit for parking lots in Assembly Square blocks 5 and 6 to serve retail in blocks 1, 3, 4.
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:
- Assembly Square Mixed-Use Development Project
- Somerville Planning Board (Agendas and Minutes | Reports and Decisions)
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Beat Report: 8/23/12 Planning Board Meeting
All present plus planning staff.
Bottom Line on Top
Assembly Square Blocks 5 and 6 case continued to Sept. 20 meeting. City has secured major grant toward library in Union Square. City has signed MOA whereby City, DOT, MBTA will take land for T stop. Housing & Community Development taking up Union Square Revitalization Plan next week. There will be a public hearing in September. Under the plan, Somerville Redevelopment Authority can take parcels as necessary. We would take around station (D2 block).
Rough Notes
118-120 Broadway
Recommendation for conditional approval. Architect present, not owner. [COMMENT: Owner came late.] Frank Curtis, architect. From 13 Rural Crest Dr., North Hanover.
Total renovation of exterior. For restaurant. Sidewalk portion with portable fenced in area. Will go in basement off season (summer month use).
Favaloro: Resident of area. Welcome. Tell me more about the establishment.
Owner: Family style restaurant, American/Italian. Open kitchen, bar seats 40 people open window and sidewalk seating. Nothing over $20. Community looking forward to it. To open October/November. No outside dining until spring.
Q: Proposed sign says “fine dining, sports bar”.
Owner: I intend family style, but part will be bar style, part dining.
Moved and seconded to approve. “Good luck”.
Assembly Square Blocks 5 and 6
For the public record: Applicant for Assembly Square Blocks 5 and 6 asked for continuance to Sept. 20 meeting.
331-333 Broadway
[COMMENT: An antenna permit.]
Hearing opened last time. Anyone in favor? (None) Anyone in opposition? (None)
Conditional approval recommended. Adam Gaylord, attorney representing Sprint.
Existing conditions: Building has 3 antennas, one per sector, plus two on the roof. Replace 3 panel antennas with larger ones, plus 2 per sector per sector (directional).
Q: Does Sprint have any equipment on top of 424 Broadway down the street?
A: Don’t think we do. Doesn’t need it so close.
Favaloro: 6 months ago we agreed that Sprint do a report of current inventory on antennas in the city. Don’t see that in the recommendation.
Maroney: Other area is covered with old antennas. It’s an eyesore. Everyone who comes here has no equipment there.
Proakis: Verizon array as of 1989. We’ve talked to them about removing large disk and relocate the other pieces flush to the wall. We haven’t seen that application, though. Would take topmost part of problem away. Can’t see the Zakim Bridge because of it.
Maroney: You can’t know we’re asking everyone to report their inventory. Need to add the condition that we always get info on what they own.
Favaloro: An effort to be proactive.
Capuano: Add as a condition to this application? Or to standard conditions?
Proakis: Ask what that company has elsewhere in city.
Capuano: What’s a reasonable period of time? 30 days?
A: Prefer it one of the conditions with no time line. But 30 days is OK.
Motion to accept as amended. Voted to approve.
844 McGrath
[COMMENT: Another antenna permit.]
Speak in favor? (None) Speak against? (None)
Presentation: conditional approval.
Adam Gaylord, representing Sprint.
Modify existing wireless facility. 2 panel antennas per sector, total 6, 3 equipment cabinets. Two GPS units. Want to reduce number by 1 per sector. Add 2 remote radio heads per sector lower, out of view.
Q: Add condition that city receive full inventory before building permit.
Motion to accept as amended. Voted to approve.
Other Business
Is the Union Square Revitalization Plan consistent with the Comprehensive Plan?
Clarification of our discussion.
Proakis presentation: Were typographical errors on earlier info.
Maps in latest online version OK. Charts slightly off. Announced that city secured significant grant toward construction new library in Union Square. Signed MOA with City, DOT, and MBTA providing process whereby T acquires parcels in Union Square.
We are already doing this. Is inefficient process. Want to work with state, we agreed to do a 20 year revitalization plan, similar to Assembly Square. Establish how to take visions of Union Square and put them together. Is an urban renewal plan. SRA can take parcels as necessary. We would take around station (D2 block). Others are marked that development occurs there. SRA could acquire those parcels for agglomeration of land. Redevelopers make own plans, we would evaluate their plans for consistency with plan.
Public hearing in Sept. H&CD taking it up next week. Their input will feed back into proposal. SRA voted that parcels are decadent (last week?). Voted to submit plan to PB. PB votes based on state rules. State rules say revitalization plan has to be based on a local survey and consistent with Comprehensive Plan.
1. Mapping work based on GIS based on Assessors based upon bounds records based upon registered deeds. Went and surveyed areas. 2. Compare with Comprehensive Plan. Found that 79 of goals etc. relate to achievement of Union Sq. Urban Renewal Plan. Don’t have details of transportation changes. Believe it’s consistent with Comprehensive Plan.
Prior: 2 votes. (1) Is the plan based on a local survey? (2) Is the plan consistent with the comprehensive plan?
Maroney: Authorizing SRA to do takings. What’s process?
Proakis: SRA and PB vote, BOA adopts plan. SRA can take property designated acquisition parcel. Board needs to vote to take a specific property. SRA needs public hearing, need appraisal, pays owner. City must then relocate owner, hire a consultant to keep the owner business whole. Some shut down, others seek out new location. In Lowell, we moved 5-6 businesses for a parking garage.
Favaloro: Did that in Davis Square.
Proakis: Will be difficult to do immediate taking within the GLX timeline.
Kirylo: City pays based on what?
Proakis: Based on fair market value (not by assessment). Owner can’t sue to get the property back, but can sue to increase value.
Maroney: When city can do taking, what can owner appeal on?
Proakis: The value it’s assessed at.
Prior: Sorry I laughed about local survey. Summer 1980 there was a hand-done local survey of vacant properties (assessors and treasurers records). Most of them were in Union Sq. and Assembly Sq.
Proakis: Still a lot of people walking around looking at properties.
Maroney: How many owners are we talking about?
Proakis: About 30. Some own more than one property. About 5 owners along block where Kawasaki Motors and Dunkin Donuts are. Vast majority of uses are auto sales, auto bodies, scrap metal, few very consistent with mixed us area.
Maroney: Just doing due diligence. Owners have to feel fairly treated.
Prior: Will be an ongoing process for many years.
Favaloro: It worked in Davis Sq.
Prior: Came out to appraised value plus 10%.
Prior: Vote the question. Is the plan based on local survey? Voted to approve.
Vote the question. Does the plan conform to the comprehensive plan? Voted to approve.
Prior: Is an extremely long process. Every case, every acquisition will be separately heard and handled. I was 23 when Assembly Square started.
Proakis: Next meeting Sept. 20. Sept. 6 meeting canceled because of election.
Voted to adjourn.
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