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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2010-07-13 Planning Board Minutes PLANNING BOARD OF THE CITY OF BANGOR SPECIAL MEETING OF JULY 13, 2010 MINUTES Board Members Present: Allie Brown Paul Bolin Doug Damon John Kenney John Miller Andy Sturgeon Julie Williams City Staff Present: David Gould Jim Ring Peter Witham Lynn Johnson Chairman Brown called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. In the absence of Board Member Theeman, Alternate Member Williams was asked to vote. CONSENT AGENDA Item No. 1: Site Development Plan approval to construct a farm pond at 43 Finson Road in a Rural Residence and Agricultural District. Mike Longo, applicant. Chairman Brown indicated that she would like to remove this item from the Consent Agenda for discussion. The Board was in agreement not to place this item under New Business. Mr. Kenney moved to recuse Mr. Sturgeon from voting on this item due to a conflict of interest as he works for the design firm that prepared the Site Development Plan. Ms. Williams seconded the motion which passed by a vote of 6 to 0. Mr. John Theriault, P.E. with J. W. Sewall Company explained that this plan is to construct a farm pond at 43 Finson Road. This pond is strictly for aesthetic purposes but because of its size it needed to be reviewed by the Planning Board. He discussed the design and how it will capture stormwater runoff. Chairman Brown asked about the proposed grassed ditch and the 25-year storm event as she had concerns that this might flood onto the neighboring property. Mr. Theriault explained that they propose to install a depression on the top of the berm so that if the pond 2 should overflow, it will flow down to a grassed swale which flows into a channel that outlets to the stream adjacent to the property. In doing so, it will flow at a lower rate post-condition than at the pre-condition flow. Chairman Brown asked if there would be any type of maintenance of the swale to insure that it remains open. Mr. Mike Longo, the applicant indicated that there is approximately 1,000 feet of ditch area that he maintains on a weekly basis. Chairman Brown asked for Staff comments. Planning Officer Gould indicated that this is a request for Site Development Plan approval to create a farm pond at 43 Finson Road. This application under the Land Development Code fits under the category of a fill and grade. The City Engineer reviewed the details and does not have any concerns regarding downstream impacts or impacts on neighboring properties. Mr. Gould indicated that the plans were in order and Staff recommended Site Development Plan approval. Mr. Bolin moved to grant Site Development Plan approval to construct a farm pond at 43 Finson Road for Mike Longo, applicant. Mr. Miller seconded the motion. The Board voted 6 to 0 in favor. NEW BUSINESS Item No. 2: Site Development Plan and Planned Group Development approvals to construct a parking lot on a geo-block retaining wall structure located at 17 Second Street in a Government and Institutional Service District. The Bangor Y and Y Vision, LLC, applicants. Mr. Sturgeon moved to recuse Mr. Kenney from voting on this item due to a conflict of interest as he works for the design firm that prepared the site development plan. Mr. Damon seconded the motion which passed by a vote of 6 to 0. Attorney P. Andrew Hamilton of Eaton Peabody, representing the applicant explained that the Y was recently before the Board with a request to rezone 10 parcels of land. This application is for Site Development Plan and Planned Group Development approvals to construct a parking lot. The Planned Group Development request is because there are two entities of ownership involved for financing purposes. Mr. Mike Siele, CEO of Bangor Y gave a brief overview of the Y’s future plans. He noted that this parking lot expansion is the next step in the Y’s plans to consolidate both of its operations to this site. Ms. Anna Faloon a Civil Engineer with WBRC Architects-Engineers discussed the different plan set sheets explaining the existing conditions, the demolition plan, the landscaping plan and the site development plan. 3 Mr. Damon asked about snow removal on the site and if the snow would be pushed on-site or taken off site. Because the parking lot will be above the Sanford Street properties he asked if the snow melt would run down onto those properties. Mr. Siele explained that they have a contractor who plows and removes the snow from the site so that they maintain as many parking spaces as possible. Ms. Faloon explained that as part of the stormwater plan they are proposing that the drainage be graded to run to the middle of the site and then underground to the Sanford Street combined system. She indicted that there won’t be a substantial increase in runoff into the Sanford Street system and there will be a slight increase from runoff into the Union Street combined system. Ms. Faloon explained that in prior site plan approvals some of the landscaping plants did not get planted and they have included them in this site design. In addition to those plantings, the proposed plantings meet the current Land Development Code landscaping and buffer requirements. Mr. Bolin asked about the height of the proposed concrete wall and buffer requirements. Mr. Paul. Monyok with WBRC Architects-Engineer discussed the wall noting that there is a change in height from at grade at either end of the wall to 14 feet. They are proposing to plant trees and shrubs along the wall which will meet buffer requirements. Chairman Brown asked for Staff comments. Planning Officer Gould explained that this request is for Site Development Plan approval, as well as, Planned Group Development (PGD) approval to create a 90-space parking lot. The PGD is largely an issue of how they are financing this project. In order to review this as one site development both parties needed to enter into an agreement to act as one owner so that there are no issues with lot lines internal to the project. Mr. Gould discussed the B buffer yard abutting the parking lot and the C buffer where the parking lot abuts the residential uses. Regarding stormwater, Mr. Gould indicated that the site does not have much of a change in stormwater as the plans indicate on-site retention to handle runoff. The applicant is proposing to construct a new sewer on the site and the City will require an easement to access that sewer. The lighting meets the new city standards relative to the height of the lighting fixtures. Mr. Gould noted that some of the existing off-site parking lots have been included on the plans showing landscaping that was not planted as part of earlier site plan approvals. Staff recommended approval noting that the City will require a sewer easement to access the new sewer. Mr. Damon moved approval of the Site Development Plan and Planned Group Development for construction of a parking lot at 17 Second Street in a Government and Institutional Service District for Bangor Y, and Y Vision LLC, Mr. Bolin seconded the motion, which passed by a vote of 7 to 0. Item No. 3: Site Development Plan approval to construct an on-site bus loading and unloading area at 53 Thirteenth Street (Fairmount School) in a Government and Institutional Service District. Bangor School Department, applicant. 4 Ms. Jeanna DeTour with Carpenter Associates represented Bangor School Department. She indicated that this site development plan is to address the safety of the students who are being picked up and dropped off at the Fairmount School off of Thirteenth Street. Presently, the children are dropped off in the front of the building. They are proposing to install a new entrance at the south of the building with a cul-de-sac in order to separate the cars and the buses to improve traffic flow. A portion of the back playground will be replaced with grass to ensure separation between the playground and the cul-de-sac. They are proposing to reroute the stormwater runoff into a depression at the top of the cul-de-sac and a new underground outlet will be connected from the bottom of that pond to an existing catch basin which is at the end of Lane Street. 12 new parking spaces have been added to the staff parking lot to the north to address future growth. Chairman Brown indicated that while this is not a public hearing there were citizens in the audience who were in attendance regarding this item. She asked the Board Members if they wished to entertain comments from the public. Mr. Damon moved that the Board allow anyone from the public who wishes to address this item an opportunity to speak. Mr. Sturgeon seconded the motion. The motion carried by a vote of 7 to 0. Ms. Cynthia Simpson, 45 Lane Street spoke in opposition. She indicated that she lives in the last house on Lane Street on the right-hand side. Mr. Gilligan who lives across the street from her had hoped to attend but was not able to do so. She said that they are concerned that the plan has not been well worked out and they have doubts as to whether or not it could actually work. Ms. Simpson expressed their concerns that there wouldn’t be enough room for the four school buses and the snowplow to turn around in this area, and where they are proposing to put the snow. She expressed concern that they are proposing to place the dumpsters 25 feet from her house. She said that she had talked to several people on Lane and Dexter Streets. They are concerned about parking for the ballfields because the proposed parking lot will now be half the size it was. She indicated that they already have issues with people coming into the park after hours that are drinking and partying and they are afraid that with the placement of the proposed cul-de-sac this is going to be right up against the neighborhood. Ms. Simpson had questions as to whether or not they are proposing a fence, and said that there is a recently installed gas line which crosses this project area that could pose safety concerns. Ms. Simpson indicated that she was concerned that this would lead to her basement being flooded and future expansion toward her property. Ms. Sara Moon 46 Dexter Street also spoke in opposition. She has three daughters and has many neighbors who have children who walk through the area where the buses will now be coming through. She felt that having buses coming around the back side of the school is going to cause more safety problems for the children than it is going to solve. She said that she felt that there was enough room on the front of the school to be able to put in a U-shaped drive for them to come in and drop off the children and pick them up safely, thus eliminating the problem of traffic on the street. She said that this is costing a lot of money in this economy. 5 Planning Officer Gould indicated that this application is for Site Development Plan approval for Bangor School Department to construct a school bus drop off area on the side of the Thirteenth Street School and to do some improvements to the parking on the front of the site in a Government and Institutional Service District. The plan proposes to create a C Buffer between the school property and the bus turnaround and the adjacent residential properties. The proposed plan is designed to capture any new stormwater that would come off of the new paved turnaround, store some of that in a detention area, and outlet it to a catch basin to the end of Lane Street. The plan is to remove pavement that is presently behind the school that will be replaced with a green area between what is the bus area and the existing pavement. Mr. Gould indicated that Staff felt that the plans meet the Site Plan Review standards. In rebuttal, Ms. DeTour noted that for a 25-year storm event they did a hydrocad plan that shows that with this plan there will be no negative impact from stormwater runoff from this project. In fact, it will be less. The snow removal is proposed to go into the detention pond. The dumpsters were placed there to get the traffic away from the staff parking area which sees more traffic. The traffic problems that they were experiencing were from people passing buses while their lights were still on which was causing traffic congestion on Thirteenth Street. By separating the two, sight vision along Thirteenth Street will be better without the buses in front of the school. There is an existing fence that goes along the existing property line right next to the buffer. A small portion of the chain link fence will be cut only for the new entrance. Mr. Sturgeon asked if thought had been given to placing this on the right- hand side of the building. Ms. DeTour indicated that in looking at the site the right-hand side has playgrounds. She explained that the buses will drop off students next to the building and pick them up next to the building thus always loading and unloading next to the building. There are four buses which load and unload. Mr. Kenney asked if they proposed any fencing around the dumpster. Ms. DeTour indicated that they did not. Mr. Gould indicated that there are no specific requirements for such a fence within the Land Development Code. Mr. Miller asked why they moved the dumpsters. Ms. DeTour indicated that there are less conflicts in relocating the dumpsters from the staff parking area to this area. Chairman Brown asked City Engineer Jim Ring to comment on drainage. Mr. Ring indicated that the drainage on this site is relatively flat. Currently the runoff from the side of the school building is sheet flow toward the adjacent properties. The applicant summarized the values of the peak flows based on a 25 year flow and in his analysis it appears to be correct. The proposed design lessens the proposed runoff on the site. Mr. Sturgeon asked if the Board could encourage the applicant to require that the dumpsters not be picked up at 3:00 a.m. Mr. Gould indicated that this cannot be enforced through Site Development Plan approval. 6 Chairman Brown asked for a motion. Mr. Sturgeon moved to approve the Site Development Plan to construct an on-site bus loading and unloading area at 53 Thirteenth Street in a Government and Institutional Service District for Bangor School Department. Ms. Williams seconded the motion. The Board voted 7 to 0 in favor of the motion. APPROVAL OF MINUTES Item No. 4: Planning Board Approval of Minutes. Chairman Brown indicated that the Minutes of the June 16, 2010 Meeting were ready for consideration. Mr. Bolin moved to approve the Minutes of the June 15, 2010 Meeting. Mr. Damon seconded the motion. The motion passed by a vote of 7 to 0. There being no further items for discussion, the meeting was adjourned at 7:58 p.m.