BELLINGHAM
(508) 966-0991 ; FAX (508) 966-2317
PlanningBoard@bellinghamma.org
July 27,
2006 Meeting
Minutes
·
Present at
the meeting:
Brian J. Sutherland (
Glenn C. Wojcik (
David Brown (DB) Secretary
Thomas J. Guerin (TJG),
Roland R. Laprade (RRL),
Stephen Bartha (SB)
Other
officials: Stacey J.
Wetstein, (
Amy Cook, (AC), Commission on
Disabilities (not present)
Mary Chaves, (MC) Coordinator
The minutes of the
RRL asked about the posting of the meeting minutes on the
website in response to an email sent to the board.
Storm water Regulation, Don
DiMartino
Don addressed the Board on storm water management and the
need to eliminate pollution by the control of discharges into a storm water
system.
There was discussion about the best place to contain the
post development storm water management policies and it was decided that they
would be referenced in the bylaws and that they would be spelled out in the
planning board procedural rules. The ten page document would be too much to
incorporate into the Zoning bylaws.
The Zoning bylaw will need to have different language and
WS Inc Development Presentation
and Informal discussion
Bob Frasier of WS Development spoke to the Planning Board at
the request of
The first item presented for review was a revised traffic
pattern at the intersection of routes 495 and 126. Three options were presented and there was
discussion of the pros and cons of each. The Board made it clear that it did
not want to have similar traffic backup that the Wrentham Village Outlets
experience with traffic backing on to Route 495 at the exit. In addition, a new
Route 126 was proposed to run out of the back of the development and joining
the existing Route 126 at the JPI site.
The Board was concerned with how this would affect the traffic flow in
the town center as well as on North Main Street. The plans presented were concept plans, and
the Board advised the applicant that the proposed new Route 126 would have to
be carefully scrutinized, especially because of the roadway’s proximity to area
residences. More than $16,000,000.00 in
roadway improvements has been proposed, all the costs being shared by WSI and
the Commonwealth.
The project itself was to be done in phases. The first phase, a 500,000 square foot retail
space is referred to as a lifestyle center with a downtown village feel called
“The Shoppes at Bellingham”. The
buildings would be primarily one level and the layout would encourage
pedestrian traffic and be very accessible.
There were places for recreation, lush landscaping, and restaurants with
outdoor dining facilities. The village is designed to be a place to convene and
spend time relaxing, walking, shopping, dining etc. A video of some of their other projects and
comments from officials and customers in those towns was shown as well. The
second phase has not been finalized and will be addressed in the future at some
point down the line.
Extensive discussion revolved around a particular aspect of
the Route 495 interchange; the use of roundabouts to replace the lights at the
end of the exit ramp. All members
requested clarification on the differences between the proposed roundabouts,
rotary designs and traffic circles.
After the questions were answered by Rick Bryant of Rizzo Associates the
board expressed their concerns over the practical nature of such a radically
different style interchange. Mr. Bryant
stated that the state would be looking at their proposal as well as any the
town wanted for a review.
David Scott, a resident, asked about the impacts of the road
merging at the JPI site. Other residents
on hand were concerned about the impacts of a project of this magnitude on the
town.
The Board advised the residents that the purpose of this
presentation was to allow the Board the offer suggestions before the
development plan was finalized and submitted.
Peter Morelli of Temi Road and Jeffrey Duhaime of Paul Road
both spoke about traffic impacts at the Route 495 interchange and on Route
126. Both asked the PB to address the
impacts of the added traffic through the town center, pointing out current
traffic backups stretch from town center to the JPI project or further.
SJW reminded Mr. Frasier that they had requested a hearing to determine the
need for a special permit for a water resource district. The Board agreed that a special permit would
be necessary based on the concept plan and the option to direct storm water
from the site across the subdivision roadway was not acceptable.
Thundermist Car Wash Informal
Discussion
MC
advised the Board that Mr. Lussier had called and could not attend this evening
and would like to reschedule for a future meeting.
Planner’s Report
SJW
reviewed comments from Judy Barrett regarding the writing of the affordable
housing in multi family zone bylaw. She
felt that perhaps it would be best to wait until the May town meeting for this
bylaw due to the complexities of adding affordable housing to multi family
zones and not major residential developments.
The Board advised that they were mainly interested in the multi family
piece and wanted in place before the drive-in property came up for a potential
zoning change.
RRL:
Motion to direct Judy Barrett to draft a bylaw providing that newly established
multi family zones contain an affordable housing component.
TJG;
Second
Vote:
5-0, Approved
SJW also updated the Board on her meeting with Mitch
Laplante and Judy Barrett regarding the Assumption Parrish overlay
district. Judy is working on the draft
and now had a clearer understanding of the area.
BJS reported on the Lakeview Estates 40B hearing in front of
the ZBA. He clarified some points raised
in the press regarding the acceptable number of units for the project. He asked that the issue be added to the next
meeting’s agenda for further discussion.
RRL: Motion to adjourn,
TJG: Second
Vote: 5-0, Approved.
Minutes Accepted on: ____________________ _______________________
(date) (prepared
by: Mary Chaves)
_________________________________ _____________________________
Brian J. Sutherland Glenn
Wojcik
_________________________________ ______________________________
Thomas J. Guerin David
Brown
Roland L. Laprade