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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2016-10-04 Planning Board Minutes PLANNING BOARD OF THE CITY OF BANGOR MEETING OF OCTOBER 4, 2016 MINUTES Board Members Present: Wayne Mallar Steve Hicks Pete Parizo Dora McCarthy Chuck LeBlanc, Alternate Member City Staff Present: David G. Gould Peter Witham Planner Gould opened the meeting and indicated the Chair and Vice Chair were absent and noted the Bylaws direct the Board to elect a Chairperson from the available members. Member Mallar nominated Member McCarthy to serve as chairperson for the evening. Member Hicks seconded the motion and the remaining members voted to have Member McCarthy act as chairperson for the evening. Acting Chair McCarthy stated there were five items on the evening’s Agenda, the Consent Agenda, a Text Amendment and two Site Development Plans. CONSENT AGENDA Item No. 1: Site Development Plan to construct a 9 space parking lot expansion at 417 Main Street for existing ERA Dawson office building in an Urban Service District. ERA Dawson, applicant. Site Development Plan to construct a 9-space parking lot expansion at 417 Main Street for the existing ERA Dawson office building in an Urban Service District. Chair McCarthy asked the Board how they wanted to proceed with Item Number 1 on the Consent Agenda. 2 Member Mallar asked that the item be removed from the Consent Agenda for a few questions. Chair McCarthy asked if the applicant or their representative was present. Mr. Fred Marshall of Plymouth Engineering was present and gave a brief overview of the proposed project. Mr. Marshall indicated the applicant had removed the adjacent building and was proposing to replace it with a small parking lot. Member Mallar asked Mr. Marshall why the access drive to the new parking lot was at such an odd angle, approaching 45 degrees. Mr. Marshall indicated it was the applicant’s desire not have to remove the street tree so the driveway was angled to avoid impacting it. Typically cars come from Main Street and exit via Main Street so very few cars venture back towards Third Street. Member Mallar asked if it would be a problem to limit egress to left hand turns only. Mr. Marshal indicated that was likely the direction they would be heading, so no, it would not be a concern. Chair McCarthy called for a motion on the application. Member Mallar moved that the application for site Development Plan for ERA Dawson to construct a 9 space parking lot in an Urban Service District be approved with the condition that the driveway to the new parking area be limited to left hand turns only or that the drive have an improved the curb radius to facilitate right and left hand turns. Member LeBlanc seconded the motion and the Board voted unanimously to approve the plan with the condition. PUBLIC HEARINGS Item No. 2: Amending the Land Development Code, Chapter 165, by Allowing Information Processing Centers in Commercial Zones – Chapter 165: Section §165-13 Definitions; §165- 72 Required number of spaces; §165-101 Shopping and Personal Service District; §165-103 Industry and Service District; & §165-103.1 Technology and Service District. C.O. #16-364 3 Acting Chair, Dora McCarthy opened the Public Hearing and Planning Officer David Gould provided the Board with an overview of the proposed amendment. Mr. Gould noted that the use was added to the Technology and Service District when it was created in 2006. At this time we will add a definition as to what such a use includes and add it to the permitted uses in the developing area commercial districts. The nature of such facilities range in size, but most all are enclosed within a building and could easily fit into a large retail or industrial building. Bangor has had a few examples over the years, LL Bean which is now Wayfair, and the Verizon Wireless Center on Telcom Drive and Union Street. There were no other proponents or opponents to the proposed text amendment. Member McCarthy asked if the use would generate high levels of traffic. Mr. Gould indicated it could, but it would be calculated on number of employees. He did note that most large retail stores by the Mall already have MDOT traffic movement permits as they are high trip generators as well. Member LeBlanc made a motion to recommend the City Council adopt the proposed amendment to add Information Processing and Communications Facilities to the Shopping and Personal Service District as contained in C.O. 16-364. Member Hicks seconded the motion and the Board voted unanimously to recommend the City Council adopt C.O. 16-364. NEW BUSINESS Item No. 3: Site Development Plan to construct a 1,600 sq. ft. accessory brew house and related site improvements at 320 Bangor Mall Boulevard in a Shopping and Personal Service Business. Ever Spring, Company Inc., d/b/a Oriental Jade, applicant. Chair McCarthy asked if a representative of the applicant was present. Sean Thies of CES indicated he represented Oriental Jade in this application. Mr. Thies indicated that the plan was to construct a 1,600 square foot brew house to brew beer for the Oriental Jade Restaurant. The restaurant is being remodeled and will include a small outdoor seating area between the brew house and the restaurant. Mr. Thies noted that all the improvements are within the existing impervious footprint. Chair McCarthy asked Mr. Gould for the Planning Staff comments. 4 Mr. Gould noted this was a minor change to the Oriental Jade Site plan from the 1980’s. He noted that the original plan called for wooden timber islands in the parking lot. When the wood did not hold up to plowing they were removed. Presently only the center island has a raised concrete surface and the end islands are painted on the asphalt. We wanted the Board to have the opportunity to review whether they were content to keep the end islands as just paint. Member Parizo made a motion to approve the Site Development Plan for the Oriental Jade to add a 1,600 square foot brew house and other related site improvements. Member Mallar asked if the approval would allow the applicant to utilize painted end islands. Mr. Gould noted if the Board approved the plan as presented, it would. Member Mallar indicated he just wanted to clarify what the Board’s approval would mean and seconded the motion. The Board voted unanimously approved the Site Development Plan for Ever Spring, Company Inc., d/b/a Oriental Jade to construct a 1,600 square foot brew house and associated site improvements in a Shopping and Personal Service District. Item No. 4: Site Development Plan to expand and reconfigure the existing parking area at 103 – 113 Maine Avenue, servicing the daycare and the building to the north. In addition, a dumpster pad will be relocated to the northeastern corner of the site in a Government and Institutional Service District. Penobscot Community Health Care, applicant Sean Thies of CES indicated he represented Penobscot Community Health Care (PCHC) in this application to add some parking to the site. They were adding some features to ensure drop off for the day care is safe and provide better access to the building used for storage by PCHC. Planning Officer Gould provided the Board with a brief history of the site since the City acquired it from The University of Maine System. The site is a Planned Group Development (PGD) as it has many shared elements, drives parking and utility service. Mr. Gould noted the plan does include some stormwater treatment to deal with new impervious areas and does update the plan to include elements added since the last approval. 5 Member LeBlanc moved to approve the Site Development Plan for Penobscot Community Health care to add parking and other related elements at 107 Maine Avenue in a Government and Institutional Service District. Member Hicks seconded the motion and the Board voted unanimously to approve the Site Development Plan for PCHC. APPROVAL OF MINUTES Item No. 5: Planning Board Approval of Minutes. Acting Chair McCarthy asked for a motion on the Minutes of September 20, 2016. Member Parizo noted he was not present at that meeting but is listed as in attendance. Member Mallar moved approval of the September 20, 2016 meeting Minutes with the note to correct Member Parizo’s absence. Member Hicks seconded the motion and the Board voted unanimously to approve the Minutes as corrected. There being no further items before the Board the meeting adjourned at 7:20 pm.