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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2013-08-06 Planning Board Minutes PLANNING BOARD OF THE CITY OF BANGOR MEETING OF AUGUST 6, 2013 MINUTES Board Members Present: Andy Sturgeon, Chairman Paul Bolin Charles Boothby John Kenney Wayne Mallar, Alternate Member John Miller Julie Williams City Staff Present: David Gould Peter Witham Chairman Sturgeon called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. In the absence of Board Member Damon, Alternate Member Mallar was asked to vote. PUBLIC HEARINGS Item No. 1: Conditional Use/Site Development Plan/Site Location of Development Modification approvals to construct a 7,000 sq. ft. building addition for 24 transitional housing units and other site work at 185 Indiana Avenue in a Government and Institutional Service District. Penobscot Community Health Care, applicant. Chairman Sturgeon declared that he had a conflict of interest as he is employed by the firm representing the applicant. Mr. Bolin moved that Member Sturgeon has a conflict of interest. The motion was seconded and it passed unanimously. Mr. Miller as the senior member of the Board was asked to chair the meeting (in the absence of Vice Chairman Damon). Mr. Miller opened the Public Hearing and asked for a presentation by the applicant. John Theriault, P.E. from the James Sewall Company, represented the applicant. Also present were Jodi O’Neal, an engineer from the James Sewall Company, Vinal Applebee, Facilities Director with Penobscot Community Healthcare, Ed Marsh and 2 Lori Dwyer representing the applicant. Mr. Theriault explained that this is a request to construct a new 7,610 sq. ft. building next to the Hope House Health and Living Center which will connect the two existing buildings on the site. They are also proposing a small addition (735 sq. ft.) to an existing building. The site will be accessed by two driveways (originally there were three driveways). They are providing 38 parking spaces for the site. Mr. Theriault discussed the various elements of the plans. He noted that the site is in the Birch Stream watershed so stormwater treatment is important for the site. They propose to provide porous pavement for a majority of the parking lot and stormwater will be directed and collected into the existing closed system. They are increasing the impervious ground cover by .4 acres but because of the way they are treating the stormwater the post development flows are equal to the predevelopment flows. Mr. Theriault also discussed the conditional use standards indicating that the proposal met those standards. Mr. Boothby asked if the total number of parking spaces increased or decreased as a result of this project and what the resulting number of beds would be. Mr. Theriault indicated that parking has increased but the number of beds will remain the same. There are 114 beds with a shift from shelter beds to transitional housing beds. No one from the audience spoke either in favor of or in opposition to the request. Mr. Miller closed the Public Hearing and asked for Staff comments. Planning Officer Gould indicated that this is an application for three approvals: Conditional Use, Site Development Plan, and Site Location of Development Modification. Mr. Gould discussed recent Zoning Amendments adopted by the City Council. One amendment adopted was for definitions of emergency shelter and transitional housing. The other adopted amendment was to make transitional housing a conditional use in the Government and Institutional Service District. This is why for the first time the review of this facility is being done as a conditional use as opposed to a permitted use which is how it was treated before when it was originally approved in the 1980’s and plans were revised in the 1990’s. Planning Officer Gould explained that the actual number of shelter beds will go down from 90 beds to 66 beds and this proposal is to add 24 more transitional housing units. This will fall in line with the newly adopted ordinance. They are proposing 38 parking spaces where 34 are required, the site is served by public utilities and provides two access points. Mr. Gould discussed the conditional use standards of the Land Development Code. This proposal will have little or no traffic impact in terms of trips as most of their clients come by foot or public transportation. There is a standard relative to architectural compatibility. This building fills in two existing buildings in an architectural form that is consistent with the two existing buildings and the buildings in the area. This application complies with the Conditional use standards and the site provides for all of the appropriate facilities and public improvements. The site is in the Birch Stream watershed (which is nonattainment status) and the applicant is proposing 3 porous pavement in the parking lot to handle and treat stormwater. Staff feels that all the details are in order and Staff recommended approval. Ms. Williams moved to approve Conditional Use/Site Development Plan/SLODA modification approvals to construct a 7,610 sq. ft. building addition for 24 transitional housing units and other site work at 185 Indiana Avenue in a Government and Institutional Service District for PCHC, applicant. Mr. Boothby seconded the motion. The motion carried unanimously by a vote of 6 in favor and 0 opposed. NEW BUSINESS Item No. 2: Site Development Plan and Site Location of Development Modification approvals to construct a 14,000 sq. ft. addition for office use between two existing hangars and other site work off Godfrey Boulevard in an Airport Development District. City of Bangor, applicant. Jeanna Detour from Carpenter Associates and Luc Dionne, Maintenance Supervisor at Bangor International Airport (BIA) represented the applicant who is proposing a 14,000 sq. ft. office addition between two existing hangars located off of Godfrey Boulevard at BIA. Ms. Detour explained the elements of the Site Development Plan and the Site Location of Development Modification. Planning Officer Gould indicated that this application is for Site Location of Development Modification to the Airport’s Site Law License because it is at BIA and for Site Development Plan review in the Airport Development District (ADD). The ADD does not have very specific development standards in terms of setbacks, lot coverage, and other details. However, because the site is in the Birch Stream watershed which is a nonattainment watershed stormwater and water quality needs to be addressed so that they can meet the Stormwater standards. The applicant is proposing underdrain soil filters and to collect roof runoff to meet the Chapter 500 Stormwater standards. This application is for use by a facility that maintains and repairs aircraft that is looking at expanding their presence at BIA which is why the existing parking is being expanded up to 118 additional spaces (for future employees). They are requesting approval of an employee parking lot which the Board needs to determine whether the design of the parking can work without the raised islands and without the additional landscaping within it as a normal parking lot would have. At the edge of this property is the international canal which the City had designed to give the water some more movement and additional treatment. Staff suggested they make it clear the extent of the project so as not to undo this work. Chairman Sturgeon asked the height of the existing hangars and if the addition was compatible. Luc Dionne indicated that the new building addition line is going to be a bit lower than the hangars themselves, but compatible. 4 Chairman Sturgeon asked if there were any easement issues where Vermont Avenue is going to be closed off. Planning Officer Gould indicated that there are many unaccepted streets at the Airport that were laid out by the Air Force. Because they are not accepted City streets, when sites are developed they are often bulldozed up and they disappear forever. This is the case with Vermont and Wyoming Avenues and there are no easement issues. Mr. Gould noted that because they are not accepted streets, Staff made reference to this project being located off of Godfrey Boulevard. Chairman Sturgeon asked for comments from the audience. No one spoke. Mr. Bolin moved that the Board grant Site Development Plan and Site Location of Development Modification approvals to construct a 14,000 sq. ft. addition for office use between two existing hangars and other site work off Godfrey Boulevard in an Airport Development District, City of Bangor, applicant. The motion was seconded by Mr. Kenney. The motion carried unanimously. APPROVAL OF MINUTES Item No. 3: Planning Board Approval of Minutes. There were no Minutes for consideration. Other Business Mr. Mallar indicated that at the last meeting he was asked to check with the Taxation Dept about property that was not being taxed and he indicated that the City Manager is working on this. There being no further items for consideration, the meeting was adjourned at 7:26 p.m.