Minutes February 8, 2010
Regular Meeting
Planning Board Agenda for Monday, February 8, 2010
6:30Old/New Business
7:0049 & 55 Main Street - Hingham Institution for Savings
7:45Continuation of Zoning Hearings
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Present: Planning Board Members, Chair, Judy Sneath, Clerk, Paul Healey, Sarah Corey,
Susan Murphy, and Gary Tondorf-Dick.Also present was Planner Katharine Lacy.
6:30 PM Old/New Business
The Board met with Jeffrey Dirk, Traffic Consultant for the Town, to discuss the Board’s response to the request for comments on the Environmental Notification Form submitted by the South Shore Industrial Trust, LLC, c/o A.W. Perry, in support of a proposed Bone and Muscle Center to be operated by the South Shore Hospital and located at 2 Pond Park Road. Comments are due at the MEPA Office on February 16, 2010. In summary, the draft will say that the Board is very supportive of the project, but very concerned about traffic impacts on Derby Street. Based on the traffic study prepared by the applicant, as well as the Board’s review engineer, the Board is of the strong opinion that a fully actuated traffic signal must be installed at the intersection of Derby Street and Pond Park Road in conjunction with the project in order to improve traffic operations and safety.
The Board approved the Minutes of February 1, 2010.
Form A – 69 Fearing Road
This Form A creates another house-lot with frontage on Cole Road.
It was moved, seconded and SO VOTED to endorse the Form A entitled “Plan of Land, 69 Fearing Road, Hingham,” prepared for Alice F. Horner, dated October 15, 2009 and prepared by Cavanaro Consulting, Norwell, MA.
Form A – Pleasant Street
This Form A transfers a large portion of the back-lot from an adjacent lot owned by Stonkust to land owned by Villani at 80 Pleasant Street.
It was moved, seconded and SO VOTED to endorse the Form A entitled “Compiled Plan of Land, Pleasant Street, Hingham, MA,” prepared for Stephen A. Villani, dated January 27, 2010 and prepared by Perkins Engineering, Inc., Hingham, MA.
7:00 PM49 and 55 Main Street, Hingham Institute for Savings
Present for the Applicant: William Donavan, Senior Vice President; Michael Joyce, Cavanaro Associates.
The Applicant is seeking Site Plan Review and Special Permit A3 to construct a three story, 15,000 sf addition and associated site improvements. The new addition to the Hingham Institute would extend out the back into their parking lot, and will house approximately 12 additional Hingham Institute employees currently located at other branch offices. The project is located in the Historic District, but is exempt due to the fact that it will be at the rear, but the applicant has met with the HDC, and HDC members will attend the hearings. The site work will include expansion of the parking lot, new site lighting, and significant improvements to the site drainage, which has had chronic problems over the years.
Mr. Joyce described the site drainage system, which will result in a net decrease in the flow and volume of site run-off. Proposed site drainage has been reviewed by the Town’s projects engineer, Roger Fernandes, who submitted a peer review letter to the Board and the applicant dated February 4, 2010. The applicant is planning to provide 73 off-street parking spaces, along with an additional 12 spaces that could be provided in a “reserve” lot that could be built out on the southwest side of the site. According to the applicant, current bank customers tend to use the 11 on-street parking spaces on Main Street; the back lot is used by bank employees and employees and patrons of other downtown businesses.
Prior to and during the hearing, immediate abutters had expressed concern about the visual impacts of the expanded parking lot, as well as about the current condition of the back of the property along Central street, which is currently marked by a rusted cyclone fence and trash.
Due to time constraints, the hearing was continued to the following Monday, February 22 at 6:00 PM. Topics to be addressed at that hearing will include 1) dust and noise mitigation during construction; 2) how parking for customers and employees will be provided during construction; and 3) post-construction site lighting, ADA compliance, on-site circulation etc, and 4) long-term nuisance mitigation for abutting properties.
Continuation of Public Hearings on Proposed Amendments to the Zoning By-Law
The Board discussed, and then voted to recommend that Town Meeting approve the following article:
ARTICLE 8:Will the Town amend the Zoning By-Law of the Town of Hingham, adopted March 10, 1941, as heretofore amended, as follows:
Item 1:At Section III-A, Schedule of Uses, add a new use as follows: “2.5 Farmer’s Market” [this is under agricultural] [or 4.24 Farmer’s Market (under commercial uses)] to be allowed with a Special Permit A2 in the Official & Open Space District.
Item 2:At Section VI, Definitions, add after the term “Family”, a new definition for “Farmer’s Market” as follows:
“Farmer’s Market
An occasional or periodic market held in an open area or in a structure where groups of individual sellers offer for sale to the public from booths located on-site “agricultural products” (fresh produce, seasonal fruits, and fresh flowers), freshly caught seafood (“seafood”), “freshly prepared foods” packaged for sale, “arts and crafts items”, and beverages.To classify as a Farmer’s Market, the following must apply:
(a)Agricultural products, seafood and foods must be grown, caught or prepared directly by the vendor or acquired by the vendor directly from an identified local producer.Freshly prepared foods, (for example, baked goods, jams, dressings, salsa) must be locally produced and packaged.
(b)No more than 50% of vendors may sell arts and crafts items and such arts and crafts items must be created by the vendor offering such items for sale at the Market.
Item 3.At Section III-A, Schedule of Uses, add the following accessory use permitted with a Special Permit A1 in all zoning districts:
“3.11Outdoor Concession as an accessory use when supporting outdoor athletic field uses permitted or allowed under Sections 3.2, 3.3, 3.5 and 3.7 (subject to Section III-I)
Item 4.At Section VI, Definitions, add a new definition after the term “Non-conforming Use” as follows:
Outdoor Concession
The sale of non-alcoholic beverages and snack foods from a counter accessible from the outside of a building or from a temporary outdoor location, providing no indoor seating and operating only during the hours that athletic activities are occurring at the site.
Or act on anything related thereto?
Article 3-Creation of Harbor Overlay District
The Board continued discussion of this article, but did not make a final recommendation. The discussion was continued to Thursday, February 18 at 7:00 PM.
The Meeting was adjourned at 11:00 PM.
Respectfully Submitted,
Katharine T. Lacy, Town Planner