Minutes August 19, 2010
Regular Meeting
Planning Board Agenda for Monday, August 19, 2010
7:30 PM Continuation of Hearing (with ZBA) WSM Hingham Properties, LLC - 90 Derby Street
Site Plan Review in association with a request for modification to the existing Special Permit A2
Old/New Business
Form A – 235 Summer Street (re-division of property of William Litwin)
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Present: Planning Board Members, Sarah Corey, Clerk, Judy Sneath, and Gary Tondorf-Dick. Also present was Planner Katharine Lacy.
7:30 PM Continuation of Hearing, WSM Hingham Properties, LLC - 90 Derby Street
Present for the Applicant: Diana Podasky, Robert Fraser, Mike McKenna; WSM Development
This application is for modification to the existing Special Permit A2 under §III-A 4.17 and §III-A 3.7 (changed to a SPA2 at this year’s Town Meeting) with Site Plan Review, to allow seasonal activities at the existing detention pond at the Derby Street Shoppes, a Retail Group in the Industrial Park District.
The Applicant seeks use of the existing detention basin on the east side of the site near the intersection of the Service Road with Keith Way to provide free, seasonal entertainment including skating during January and February, and fishing, walking, and nature activities during the summer months. This would entail the implementation of temporary landscaping including ice sculptures, benches, planting etc. intended to enhance the appearance of the area and draw visitors.
Discussion focused on traffic and parking. Bob Frasier explained that there were 2012 parking spaces at Derby Street Shoppes, located in a series of parking lots around the site. Mr. Frasier showed an aerial photograph of the site taken on “Black Friday”, 2008, which is traditionally the heaviest shopping day, and while the two central lots were full, the outlying lots still had plenty of capacity. Activities at Hidden Pond would be programmed only during off-peak sales periods, including February and March; and then again in July and August when sales are slowest. Parking for the pond-related uses would take place in the 53-space employee parking lot on the east side of the Service road near the intersection of Keith Way. During period of activity at the pond, employees would be directed to park in other employee lots, and this lot would be reserved for visitors to Hidden Pond only. Based on this discussion, Board members determined that there was sufficient parking to accommodate the proposed new use.
Board members asked about traffic impacts on the intersection of Derby Street and the Service Road, 2) impacts on internal traffic circulation, (it is unclear how they would get to and from the Pond without going back out to Derby Street.). Board members suggested, and Mr. Frasier ultimately concurred, that it would be preferable to direct people through the Derby Street site out to the Service Road and then to the pond rather than directing them to turn directly from Derby Street onto the Service Road to get there. In order to permit this internal circulation, the Applicant agreed to reconfigure the egress from the Bertucci’s/Whole Foods parking lot to the Service Road so that cars were allowed to exit with a right turn only. Currently, this access point is limited to cars turning IN from the Service Road to the parking lot only.
Ms. Podasky described some of the suggested programming, which all sounded fairly low-key. Board members asked what kind of lighting is used for the night-time youth hockey, which is scheduled for one evening a week. Mr. McKenna noted that they use the existing parking lot lighting, as well as one or two temporary construction lights, which are approximately 20 feet tall. These lights would be turned off a 9:00 pm.
It was moved, seconded and SO VTED to approve the Site Plan for Hidden Pond and Derby Street Shoppes, subject to the following conditions:
1. The access/egress leading from the Service Road into the Bertucci’s/Whole Foods parking lot will be reconfigured to allow vehicles to exit out to the Service Road, limited to right-turns out only.
2. Adequate trash/recycling facilities will be provided and emptied as needed.
3. Should complaints or concerns arise relative to the use of the temporary lights for nighttime activities, the Applicant will return to the Board to modify the plan.
Old/New Business
Form A – 235 Summer Street (re-division of property of William Litwin)
It was moved, seconded, and SO VOTED, to endorse the plan entitled “Kilby & Summer Streets Plan of Land,” dated June 8, 2010, prepared by James Engineering, Inc., Hanover, MA for Litwin Summer Street Realty Trust.
The Meeting was adjourned at 8:30.
Respectfully Submitted,
Katharine T. Lacy, Town Planner