BELLINGHAM
(508) 657-2892 FAX
(508) 966-2317
PlanningBoard@bellinghamma.org
November
8, 2007 Meeting Minutes
·
Present at the meeting:
Brian J. Sutherland
(BJS) Chair
Glenn C. Wojcik (GCW),
Vice Chair
Stephen Bartha (SB) Secretary
David Brown (DB)
Patricia Buckley
(PMB)
John Sexton (JS)
Other officials: Stacey J. Wetstein, (SJW) Town Planner
Amy Cook, (AC),
Commission on Disabilities
Mary Chaves,
(MC) Coordinator
DB: Motion
to accept minutes of
GCW: Second.
Vote: 5-0,
Approved.
DB: Motion
to accept minutes of
GCW: Second.
Vote: 5-0,
Approved.
DB: Motion to sign vouchers.
GCW:
Second.
Vote: 5-0,
Approved.
Cedar Hill Estates Definitive
Subdivision
GCW: Motion to waive reading of public notice.
SB: Second.
Vote: 5-0,
Approved
Scott Medeiros,
project engineer from Andrews Survey and Engineering, asked to continue in
order to respond to peer review but would like to discuss the option of waiving
sidewalks in favor of a low impact development.
SJW
reviewed the memo from Don DiMartino, DPW director, and suggested that since
the sidewalk affects only 2 lots and alternately the road could be made wider
and striped for a bike or pedestrian walkway.
GCW
commented that he did not favor the waiver of a sidewalk for safety issues,
kids on the road on their bikes.
DB: Motion
to continue public hearing for Cedar Hill Estates to
GCW:
Second.
Vote: 5-0,
Approved.
Shoppes at
BJS advised
the applicant that the hearing would need to end around
Bob Frasier
of WS Development, Marc Lavoie, consultant and Rick Bryant, traffic consultant,
appeared on behalf of the proponent.
Bob Frasier
told the Board that MassHwy had elected the round about option for the 126/495
interchange. They are still waiting for
an environmental meeting with MassHwy.
Rick
Bryant, traffic consultant reviewed the traffic study points including
suggested mitigation. He showed the
impact of the access road for roads along
Dan Mills,
town’s peer review consultant, asked if it were true that a roundabout solution
could still be on the table with MassHwy even if there were no project
involved. Dan also questioned the numbers regarding the amount of traffic that
will use the access road.
Rick Bryant
answered that the numbers were an engineer’s guess. He also added that a roundabout could still
be built at 495 without this project but would not be exactly as shown by WS. WS was giving some of their land as part of
the development. If the development did
not go through, the land would need to be purchased.
Once Rick
Bryant’s presentation was done, Dan Mills made general comments. Although the proposed mitigation would
improve some areas, others will still be adversely impacted and have difficulty
getting out of their driveway.
PB stated
her concern about safety on the bypass due to the passivity of speeding
traffic. Rick Bryant responded that the
road is no straighter than
DB stated
that he believed we needed more capacity in the bridge Rick Bryant claimed that
it was the signals that caused backup not the lack of capacity. DB pointed out the bridge in
GCW stated
that although they addressed some area, a lot more area of the town will be
adversely affected.
BJS stated
that it was not enough for them to say they are working on solutions for Deer
Run and the streets off of
Jeff Duhaime
of
Gary
Gustafson asked if the bypass road and how it would solve the backup on 126.
Peter
Morelli,
Peggy Rake
asked where the main entrance would be and was advised it would be off of 495.
Debra Ferullo
of
PB: Motion to continue public hearing for Shoppes
at Bellingham Development Plan Review to January 24, 2007 at 720 PM.
GCW: Second.
Vote: 5-0, Approved.
PB: Motion to continue public hearing for Shoppes
at Bellingham Special Permit for Water Resource District to January 24, 2007 at
720 PM.
GCW:
Second.
Vote: 5-0,
Approved.
PB: Motion to continue public hearing for Shoppes
at Bellingham Major Business Complex Special Permit to January 24, 2007 at 720
PM.
GCW:
Second.
Vote: 5-0,
Approved.
BJS brought
up subject of fiscal analysis. SJW and
PB has met with three consultants and had chosen the one they felt would do the
best job for the Town SJW had a contract proposal from the consultant and
presented it the Bob Frasier of WS Development. Bob questioned the review
process and stated that he was not willing to pay for such an analysis at this
time as he had no idea that this consultant was and exactly what they would
look at or the process in which he was chosen.
Marc Lavoie stated that he felt they should not have to absorb the cost
as they had paid someone to develop the analysis that had be presented to the
Board. The Board argued that a project
of this magnitude would require someone experienced in this type of review who
“thought outside the box” and looked at all potential impacts to the town, some
which not be as obvious as others. Bob
responded that he was willing to pay for such an analysis, but not as this
point of their review.
DB: Motion
to adjourn.
PB: Second.
Vote: 5-0,
Approved.
.
Minutes
Accepted on: _______________________
______________________________________
(date) (prepared
by: Mary Chaves)
__________________________________________ ______________________________________
Stephen
Bartha Brian J.
Sutherland
__________________________________________ ______________________________________
David
Brown Glenn
Wojcik
__________________________________________
Patricia
M. Buckley