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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2009-03-17 Planning Board Minutes PLANNING BOARD OF THE CITY OF BANGOR MEETING OF MARCH 17, 2009 MINUTES Board Members Present: Allie Brown, Chairman Nathaniel Rosenblatt David Clark Jeff Barnes Doug Damon John Miller City Staff Present: David Gould Jim Ring Peter Witham Lynn Johnson News Media Present: WABI-TV 5 Chairman Brown called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. CONSENT AGENDA As no one wished to remove either item from the Consent Agenda, Chairman Brown asked for a motion. Mr. Rosenblatt moved to approve the two items on the Consent Agenda. Mr. Barnes seconded the motion, which passed by a vote of 6 to 0. The items approved are as follows: Item No. 1: Site Development Plan approval to construct a new entrance, relocate the existing driveway, and reconfigure the parking lot located at 805 Stillwater Avenue in a Shopping and Personal Service District. Goodwill Industries of Northern New England, applicant. Item No. 2: Site Development Plan approval to construct a handicap accessible ramp and parking lot improvements at 499 Broadway in an Urban Service District. Cedarjack, Inc., applicant. 2 NEW BUSINESS Item No. 3: Site Development Plan approval to construct a 40’ x 90’ single- story, 6-unit family shelter at 629 Main Street in an Urban Service District. Manna, applicant. Mr. Fred Marshall with Plymouth Engineering, represented the applicant. Mr. Marshall explained that this is a proposal to construct a 3,600 sq. ft., 6-unit building for family shelter use. Mr. Marshall noted that they have been working on this proposal for some time. Because of the recently adopted Land Development Code Amendment that allows for setbacks abutting the interstate, the applicant is now able to site this building on a portion of the existing parking lot which abuts I-395. While they will be eliminating some existing parking, the number of remaining spaces will be sufficient to meet the parking requirements. He added that during the day most of those using the parking lot are people who work there. During the evenings there is not much demand for parking. Mr. Clark asked who would occupy the units and if the housing was temporary or permanent. Mr. Bill Rae, Executive Director of Manna Inc, explained that these units will be for mothers and their children. The housing is strictly for women only, as men are housed within the main building. He explained that this housing is a step between someone sleeping in a car and permanent housing. Mr. Damon asked if this will help out existing shelters. Mr. Rae indicated that at present there is no available housing like this just for women. Mr. Miller asked if they could expand. Mr. Rae indicated that he did not think that they could. He noted that he would like to see other towns do this as well. He said that he would like to see various members of Boards volunteer to come down and serve dinner (at Manna). No one spoke in opposition. Chairman Brown asked for Staff comments. Planning Officer Gould indicated that when Manna occupied this site in 2004, because it was a change from one permitted use to another, there was no need for site plan approval at that time. He noted that this Site Development Plan shows all of the details of the site. The Engineering Office reviewed the plan and found it acceptable. As the plans are in order, Staff recommended that the Board grant approval. Mr. Barnes moved that the Board grant Site Development Plan approval to Manna at 629 Main Street. Mr. Miller seconded the motion, which carried unanimously. Item No. 4: Site Development Plan approval to construct a 2,000 sq. ft. storage building located at 1380 Hammond Street in a General Commercial and Service District. Perry and Morrill, Inc., applicant. Mr. Don Nason with Perry and Morrill, explained that they are requesting site development plan approval to construct a storage garage to put their equipment under cover which is presently stored outside. 3 No one spoke in opposition. Chairman Brown asked for comments from Staff. Planning Officer Gould noted that the applicant rebuilt this site last year after a fire destroyed the building. The applicant is now requesting approval to construct a 2,000 sq. ft. storage building to house their equipment which is better than having outdoor storage. Mr. Gould noted that the plans have been reviewed and approved by the City Engineer’s Office. Staff recommended approval as the plans submitted met all of the details in the Ordinance for approval. Mr. Rosenblatt moved that the Board grant Site Development Plan Approval to Perry and Morrill to construct a 2,000 sq. ft. storage building at 1380 Hammond Street. Mr. Clark seconded the motion. The Board voted six in favor and none opposed to the motion. Item No. 5: Site Development Plan approval to construct a 9,800 sq. ft. building for use as a place of worship and construct 120 additional parking spaces at 1195 Ohio Street in a Government and Institutional Service District. The Rock Church, applicant. Mr. Kirk Winters, Pastor of the Rock Church, explained that the existing church building was built in 1961 on this 10.5 acre parcel. It was originally built for approximately 100 people. The Rock Church purchased the site in October 2005. They have now outgrown the building as they have approximately 500 people who attend. They are proposing to construct a 9,800 sq. ft. sanctuary and use their existing building for other church related activities such as a children’s sanctuary (K-5 grades) and office space. No one spoke in opposition. Chairman Brown asked for comments from the Board Members. Mr. Rosenblatt discussed traffic and asked if there was more traffic on Ohio Street or on Finson Road. Pastor Winters indicated that it was about equal. Mr. Damon asked if most of their activities were held indoors. Pastor Winters indicated that they have a few outdoor activities such as their Halloween Carnival but they try to contain the noise. Board Members asked what other activities they have. Pastor Winters indicated that on Friday night they have meetings with people with recovery issues, they have teen groups, have youth leadership meetings, and on Tuesdays there is a group that gets together to send letters, notes and flowers to people. Planning Officer Gould indicated that the plans propose to eliminate a second driveway on Ohio Street that was never constructed and replace it with another drive onto Finson Road. The distance between the drives on Finson Road is significant enough not to cause any issues. (There was concern about having two accesses on Ohio Street as was previously proposed.) Mr. Gould discussed the proposed stormwater system noting that because they are going from a small building to a larger building it was necessary for them to design an elaborate system to handle the more complicated stormwater issues on the site. Mr. Gould indicated that the applicant will need to obtain a stormwater permit from the Maine Department of Environmental Protection. Mr. Gould discussed the Site Development Plan noting that it had been reviewed and approved by the City Engineer and that all of the Ordinance requirements for submittal have been met. Staff recommended approval of the Site Development Plan with the condition that the applicant obtain a stormwater permit from the Maine Department of Environmental Protection. 4 Ms. Jeanna DeTour with Carpenter Associates, explained the proposed stormwater drainage which includes three detention ponds on the site to cool the water down to handle both quality and quantity requirements. There being no further comments, Chairman Brown asked for a motion. Mr. Clark moved that the Board approve the Site Development Plan for the Rock Church at 1195 Ohio Street with the condition that the applicant obtains a Stormwater Permit from the Maine Department of Environmental Protection. Mr. Rosenblatt seconded the motion. The Board voted 6 to 0 in favor. APPROVAL OF MINUTES Item No. 6: Planning Board Approval of Minutes. Chairman Brown indicated that the Minutes of the March 3, 2009 Meeting were in order for approval. Mr. Rosenblatt moved that the Minutes of the March 3, 2009 Meeting be approved. Mr. Barnes seconded the motion, which passed unanimously. Other Business Chairman Brown indicated that she would like to entertain Mr. Rae’s challenge for the Board, as a group, to go down and serve dinner at Manna. She asked that anyone interested in doing so contact her. Chairman Brown indicated that because this could be Mr. Clark’s last meeting before the City Council’s Committee appointments that she wanted to take the time to tell him that she has enjoyed serving on the Planning Board with him and praised him for his many years of civic duty. The Board Members wished him well. Mr. Clark, noting that he has served just a couple of months shy of nine years, said that it had been a very interesting time for him and noted some of the more controversial issues during that time. There being no further items for discussion, the meeting was adjourned at 7:32 p.m.