Town of Sharon Planning Board
Meeting Minutes of 1/21/09
Amended and Approved on 2/25/09
Planning Board Attendees
|
Arnold Cohen, Chair |
Susan Price |
|
Paul Lauenstein, Vice Chair |
Amanda Sloan |
|
Eli Hauser, Clerk |
|
Peter O’Cain, Town Engineer, Consultant
Attendees
|
Gary Shuffain – Shuffain Insurance |
Tim Sullivan – Barlo Sign |
|
Paul Martin – Barlo Sign |
Susan Saunders – Sharon Housing Partnership |
|
Mary Tobin – Sharon Housing Partnership |
Alan Lury – Sharon Housing Partnership |
|
Gino Chitvanni – Abutter to Johnson Drive |
Joseph Chitvanni |
|
Miri Park – South East Eye |
|
Meeting Initiation
Chair Cohen began the meeting began at 7:40 PM.
Form A
None
Sign Reviews
Sharon Credit Union
Tim Sullivan and Paul Martin of the Barlo Sign Company representing Sharon Credit Union came before the Board to explain that the bank is going through a rebranding process and thus proposed to replace the 6.2 square foot internally lit sign at the front of the building with a 5.8 square foot internally lit sign. They indicated that they would be replacing the wall letters from its current silver color to an image that ties to their new branding identification as well. Mr. Cohen asked if the Sign Bylaws and the Design Guidelines for Post Office Square were taken into account and Mr. Sullivan replied that they reviewed the guidelines with. Mr. Sullivan added that since the building was built in 1983, he does not think a colonial looking sign would be appropriate. Mr. Cohen indicated that the Planning Board prefers that the Sign Guidelines are complied with. Mr. O’Cain indicated that the Credit Union is allowed a wall and free standing sign as well as directional signs. A brief discussion ensued amongst the Board members and the Board suggested that the base of the proposed sign be narrowed, exterior lighting be used, the black color be changed to a charcoal color and the sign look less modern. Given the Bank’s tight time frame, the Board suggested the sign designers come back to the next meeting with their changes.
17 Pond Street
Mr. Shuffain presented a sign design for his new office location at 17 Pond Street. Mr. O’Cain said the sign meets all of the requirements; the colors are historic and it is a painted wood sign with white vinyl letters.
Mr. Lauenstein moved to approve the sign for 17 Pond Street and Ms. Sloan seconded the motion. The Board voted 5-0-0 in favor of approval of this sign.
71 Pond Street
Miri Park is opening an optometric office at 71 Pond Street. The proposed sign will use historical colors (although the drawing submitted was not reflective of that) and will replace the current sign. She will also add a window sign which Ms. Sloan suggested would provide a boutique look.
Mr. Lauenstein moved to approve the sign for 71B Pond Street as submitted, with the stipulation that historical colors are used. Ms. Sloan seconded the motion. The Board voted 5-0-0 in favor of approval of this sign.
Sharon Housing Partnership
Ms. Desberg stated the goal of the Sharon Housing Partnership (SHP) is to create affordable housing and create opportunities for new homebuyers. She would like to create affordable housing on the three potentially available Town lots of approximately 28,000 square feet (7,859 +7,628+11,782 s.f.), located off of Johnson Drive. The Board discussed the history of the lots on Johnson Drive and what occurred at last November’s Town Meeting. Mr. O’Cain said that the zoning is 60,000 s.f. lots in that area and suggested that they may be able to build four to six units. Johnson Drive needs to become an official layout so the lots can have frontage. Susan Saunders of the SHP said she is thinking of building duplex units.
Mr. Joseph Chitvanni said if you put all of the land together, including Mr. Chitvanni’s property, it would be sixty thousand square feet. Regarding the issue of the neighboring property’s driveway, he said a person cannot create adverse possession over municipally owned land.
Mr. Cohen said the Planning Board may reintroduce the proposal to create the road layout, abandon the paper street, and offer lots for use by the Town for sale by auction, if no Town department has a use for them. Mr. Hauser said the SHP seems to have priority to the property over a private bidder. They would still have to deal with the neighboring resident of the Sadek property but the facts could be told at the next Town Meeting about the neighboring property and driveway. Mr. Cohen suggested that perhaps the SHP would want to acquire Mr. Chitvanni’s property or build something together. Joseph Chitvanni stated that if the county abandons the 7,859 sf. parcel, half goes to the Town and half goes to Chitvanni/Reid. Mr. Cohen said the Town has an interest in increasing its tax base.
Mr. Hauser suggested that the SHP and Mr. Chitvanni work together and build office and residential units combined. Mr. Lauenstein pointed out that Town has an interest in promoting affordable housing. Also combining properties would create one legally sized lot of approximately 60,000 s.f. Mr. Cohen said that zoning would not matter under friendly 40B. Mr. Cohen asked if the SHP could use some of the money allocated from Brickstone’s money to buy Mr. Chitvanni’s property and to build units. Mr. Cohen said if a Town department wants this property, i.e. SHP, then the original plan to sell it and for Mr. Chitvanni or someone to purchase it to create a larger property and put in a commercial use cannot happen, since there is a Town agency, the SHP, which would want to use it.
Ms. Desberg said the SHP would be open to talking to Mr. Chitvanni about a solution. Mr. Alan Lury said the first priority is to offer home ownership option to people who work in Town, like responders (fire fighters, police, teachers, etc.).
Mr. Cohen said the Planning Board should go forward with the articles to clear up Johnson Drive layout and abandon county layout. He said they should also try to get the neighbors to talk about the driveway. Mr. Hauser agreed the Planning Board’s role is to help free up the parcels. Ms. Desberg said she was not sure if Brickstone money allocated to the Sharon Housing Partnership would be available soon enough to fund a development on this property and also it was the intention to grow that money. Mr. Lury said that the units would have no more than three bedrooms. Mr. Gino Chitvanni said the property is sandy so it should drain well. Mr. Lauenstein said the Planning Board should go over the previous warrant articles and submit for Spring Town Meeting.
Chair’s Report
Mr. Cohen began the Chair’s report at 9:25 PM. He discussed the letter received regarding the Hunter’s Ridge bond and the fact that they missed a renewable fee for their bond. Mr. Hauser discussed the idea of using some of the Hunter’s Ridge property as a leaching field for P.O. Square sewage treatment (area from Billings Street down to Lantern Lane). Three acres are needed for this purpose. He said Mr. Intoccia wants 44 units but without age qualified, they could only get 29–32 units. Mr. Hauser said it may be possible to use the number of units in a negotiation over the sewage treatment needs. He said the risk is giving the Hunter’s Ridge property the number of units and then the Town doesn’t end up building sewage treatment there. Mr. O’Cain thinks the sewage treatment could work better in the back of the site but not towards the North Main Street portion.
Mr. Hauser also discussed Temple Israel property and Glendale Road property. Temple Israel could handle 750,000 gallons per day and Glendale could handle 150,000 gallons per day as estimated by the Wright – Pierce report. Glendale would need a two-thirds vote at Town Meeting and the State to allow use of conservation land and would need the public to agree to clear about 5 acres for the purpose of the sewage treatment plant. The Temple site could help P.O. Square but the larger site (Glendale or Hunter’s Ridge) could help the already oversaturated neighborhood too.
Meeting Minutes
Mr. Lauenstein moved to approve the 1/7/09 meeting minutes as amended. Mr. Hauser seconded the motion. The Board voted 5-0-0 to approve the minutes.
Meeting dates
2/4/09, 2/18/09
Meeting adjourned at 10:00 PM. Mr. Lauenstein moved to close the meeting and Ms. Sloan seconded the motion. The Board voted 5-0-0 in favor.