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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2012-09-04 Planning Board Minutes PLANNING BOARD OF THE CITY OF BANGOR MEETING OF SEPTEMBER 4, 2012 MINUTES Board Members Present: Miles Theeman, Chairman Paul Bolin Charles Boothby, Alternate Member Doug Damon John Kenney John Miller Andy Sturgeon City Staff Present: David Gould Peter Witham Chairman Theeman called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. In the absence of Board Member Williams, Alternate Member Boothby was asked to vote. NEW BUSINESS Item No. 1: Site Development Plan approval to reconstruct and reconfigure the existing parking lot at 299 Union Street in a Multi-Family and Service District. Kiley and Foley Funeral Home, applicant. Chairman Theeman asked for the applicant to make a brief presentation. Mr. Joe Kiley of Kiley and Foley Funeral Home indicated they were over due to replace their parking lot. Mr. Kiley noted it had been a long time and the subsurface condition warranted replacement. Mr. Kiley noted they had retained CES to work with the City and insure the project met the applicable requirements. Member Damon noted that the site and the historic building were kept in great shape. Chairman Theeman asked Planning Officer Gould to briefly update the Board on the project. Mr. Gould noted the application was for Site Development Plan approval to rebuild the existing parking lot. The design, including a one-way entrance and exit, relied heavily on pavement markings to assist patrons through the layout. So long as the markings are 2 maintained the parking lot should work well. Mr. Miller asked if the one-way drives should include signage. Mr. Gould noted that the Planning Office had suggested that but the designers did not feel it was necessary. The Board briefly discussed whether maintenance of the pavement markings was a requirement. Mr. Gould noted that it was an element of the plan approved by the Board and was intended to be maintained as would other features. Mr. Bolin moved that the Board approve the Site Development Plan to reconstruct and reconfigure the existing parking lot at 299 Union Street for Kiley and Foley Funeral Home, applicant. Mr. Boothby seconded the motion. This passed unanimously. Item No. 2: Site Development Plan approval to construct an 8,240 sq. ft. building to be used as a youth center at 1476 Broadway in a Government and Institutional Service District. Bangor Baptist Church, applicant. Chairman Theeman asked for the applicant to make a brief presentation. Mr. Bob Wilbur of the Bangor Baptist Church indicated they have wanted to construct a youth center for some time. They currently use space in the existing facility, but have to move furniture before and after its use. This new building will provide a permanent space for that use. Mr. Wilbur noted there are no other changes to the site or other programs planned for the new building. Mr. Bolin asked about some of the notes on the plan that noted the removal of a parking space. Mr. Gould indicated it was likely at a location where there was less than 24 feet for maneuvering. Mr. Miller asked where the main access to the youth center would be, as there was not much parking by the building. Mr. Wilbur indicted it was their plan that the primary access would be through the main building. The students are used to that location and the plan is to continue to use that as the main access. This is why the building includes the two connecting additions. Mr. Theeman asked if the church could provide any landscaping or buffer planting along Broadway to screen the parking lot. Mr. Wilbur noted they would look at that but would not want to obscure any visibility for cars exiting the facility. Lucy Quimby of 1232 Kenduskeag Avenue noted that she found the church’s outdoor concert to be very loud. She liked the quiet rural atmosphere of Kenduskeag Avenue, but found the noisy outdoor events out of character. Planning Officer Gould noted that the Bangor Baptist facility predated the City’s current standards for parking lot buffer yards and internal landscaping. If you look to the south the Abundant Life Church was designed more recently and includes all the buffer yards and parking lot improvements of the current day. Mr. Gould also noted that Site Development Plan review does not include any noise standard or evaluation for the Board to review such a plan by. 3 Mr. Sturgeon moved that the Board approve the Site Development Plan to construct an 8,240 sq. ft. building to be used as a youth center at 1476 Broadway for Bangor Baptist Church, applicant. Mr. Miller seconded the motion. The Board voted 7 to 0 in favor of the motion. Item No. 3: Site Development Plan and Site Location of Development Modification approvals to construct two buildings containing a total of 65,500 sq. ft. located at 461 Stillwater Avenue in a Contract Shopping and Personal Service District. Stillwater Crossing, LLC, applicant. Mr. Sturgeon indicated that he has a conflict of interest regarding this item as he is employed by the firm that is doing the plan. The Board voted unanimously that Mr. Sturgeon had a conflict of interest. The Board inquired why the item was being requested to be tabled? Mr. Gould noted that just before the Staff Memorandum was completed, the designers called and indicated that the applicant had a potential change in the building configuration. The discussion was that if the site was going to significantly change then a new plan would be in order. If it did not, then the Board could take the tabled application back up without too much additional work. Regardless, when a plan is ready for the Board’s review Staff will notify abutters in advance and schedule it for the Board’s review. Mr. Boothby moved to table this item. Mr. Miller seconded the motion, which carried by a vote of 6 to 0. APPROVAL OF MINUTES Item No. 4: Planning Board Approval of Minutes. Chairman Theeman indicated that the Minutes of the August 21, 2012 Meeting were in order. Mr. Bolin moved to approve the Minutes of the August 21, 2012 Meeting. The motion was seconded and passed by a vote of 7 in favor and 0 opposed. There being no further items for discussion, the meeting was adjourned at 7:29 p.m.