Town of Sharon Planning Board

Meeting Minutes of 1/13/10

Amended and Approved 1/27/2010

 

Planning Board Attendees

Paul Lauenstein, Chair 

Susan Price, Vice Chair

Eli Hauser

Amanda Sloan

David Milowe, Clerk  

Peter O’Cain, Town Engineer - absent

 

Barbra Nadler – Library Director

Bob Shelmerdine – Intoccia Properties

Rob Maidman

 

 

Chair Report

The meeting was called to order at 7:30 PM by Chair Paul Lauenstein.

 

Bella Estates

Bob Shelmerdine advised the Board that he would like to request a change to the 10/14/09 decision due to a technical issue. As each lot is sold, Mr. Shelmerdine needs to get a sign off on the work performed at each abutter’s home. This process as it currently exists, he stated, is holding up the certificate of occupancy. He is requesting that since it is now winter, and planting cannot be done until spring, that the landscaping bond be relied upon to assure that the agreed upon landscaping will be done. That way the new home can be occupied, while at the same time assuring that the required landscaping will be performed. He wants to amend the current landscaping plan to include the Roth Huse family issue to include the embankment stabilization measures they are requesting to an existing rebuilt stone wall.

 

Ms. Price moved to amend the landscaping plan of 10/14/09 for Bella Estates to include stabilization of the rebuilt Roth Huse stone wall in the open space behind the Roth Huse home. Mr. Milowe seconded the motion and the Board voted 5-0-0 in favor.

 

Mr. Shelmerdine agreed to return to the next Planning Board meeting to report on what occurred with the stabilization measures as pertains to the Roth Huse property.

 

Mr. O’Cain will be free to authorize the release of the certificate of occupancy for the new home which abuts the Roth Huse home.

 

Mr. Shelmerdine also indicated that he discussed the possibility of turning the club house at Bella Estates into affordable housing with Mr. Hauser.

 

Library Presentation review

Ms. Barbra Nadler provided the Board with a spreadsheet of ten years of circulation statistics for Sharon and neighboring town libraries. She also indicated that tours of other town libraries are being planned with the Board of Trustees. The Planning Board members will be invited as space allows. Ms. Nadler will be setting up visioning meetings to get the word out about the Sharon library’s needs.

 

Proposed Zoning Changes to P.O. Square

Ms. Price provided the Board with a brief update on the status of the P.O. Square Zoning Project. She stated the goals of the project are to change zoning in order to improve the pedestrian experience, encourage housing and apartments over stores, and to make the MUOD more flexible for a mix of uses for Business District B. She reviewed changes she made to the current text highlighting the major and minor changes. Mr. Hauser commented that if you bring in nice apartments, restaurants, library and banks, then people will come as well.

 

Rob Maidman of the Economic Development Committee stated that the town centers that sustain retail trade encourage pedestrian traffic, not car traffic. This concept he said is what is needed to revitalize the town center. Mr. Hauser said that redevelopment of the Delapa property would greatly help. Their constraint right now is waste water. Mr. Maidman said that Mr. Delapa recognizes his investment is not yielding what it can. The buildings and Pond Street have been allowed to remain unattractive. He has revitalized other properties and proved that if the buildings are made more attractive then the rate of return will increase but the units cannot command premium rents in their current condition. Mr. Delapa is amendable to do a 40B and move the buildings closer to the street with parking in the rear. He wants help in maneuvering through the process and suggested building a waste water treatment plant along with a parking garage.

 

Mr. Lauenstein questioned the types of businesses for this vision and Mr. Hauser replied the consultant study did not precisely identify specific businesses to bring in, however, most redevelopments, and even new developments, lean heavily to including a good number of restaurants, which bring in foot traffic. For PO Square, the consultants remarked in conversation that they could envision these down Pond Street at different "price points." For example, we already have, starting at Billings, Coriander, then Pizzagando and then Mandarin Taste...so they could see another two perhaps that would make a critical number.  The other types of business by nature of the site would be smaller boutique type stores most likely.

Mr. Hauser also commented that the objectives are to encourage development, remove constraints from developing, relieve parking pressures and encourage creation of a more compact space.  Mr. Lauenstein stated that the character of a community is paramount in the center of town. Any new development should be constructed in an environmentally responsible way in order to have the best chance of passing at Town Meeting.

 

Meeting Minutes

Ms. Price moved to approve the meeting minutes of 12/16/09 as amended. Mr. Milowe seconded the motion. The Board voted 4-0-1 in favor (Ms. Sloan abstained because she was not in attendance).

 

Adjournment

Ms. Price moved to adjourn the Planning Board meeting at 10:00 PM. Mr. Milowe seconded the motion and the Board voted 5-0-0 in favor.