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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2008-09-16 Planning Board Minutes PLANNING BOARD OF THE CITY OF BANGOR MEETING OF SEPTEMBER 16, 2008 MINUTES Board Members Present: Nathaniel Rosenblatt, Vice Chairman Miles Theeman Laura Mitchell Jeff Barnes Doug Damon City Staff Present: David Gould Bud Knickerbocker Lynn Johnson News Media Present: None Vice Chairman Rosenblatt called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. CONSENT AGENDA As no one wished to remove the item from the Consent Agenda, Vice Chairman Rosenblatt asked for a motion. Mr. Theeman moved to approve the Consent Agenda. Mr. Barnes seconded the motion, which carried by a vote of 5 to 0. Item No. 1: Site Development Plan approval to construct a 12,140 square foot addition for large electric motor repair and reconstruction use at 40 Target Industrial Circle in an Industry and Service District. AC Real Estate, LLC, applicant. 2 NEW BUSINESS Item No. 2: Site Development Plan approval to construct 30 additional parking spaces, walkways, and to reconstruct and pave an existing parking lot at 656 State Street in a Government and Institutional Service District. State of Maine, Dorothea Dix Psychiatric Center, applicant. Vice Chairman Rosenblatt indicated that because there were only five members present the application would need four affirmative votes for approval. He asked the applicant’s agent if they wished to proceed or continue this item to the Board’s next meeting. Mr. John Theriault with Ames A/E, representing the applicant indicated that they wished to proceed. Mr. Theriault explained that the plan before the Board is for a parking lot expansion at the Dorothea Dix Psychiatric Center. They are proposing 30 additional spaces in front of the main entrance to the Center. This parking would be used primarily when there is training or an event at the facility. Presently, when they have training at the facility cars line the sides of the roadway in front of the facility which reduces the overall width of the roadway. In the wintertime it reduces it even further. Mr. Theriault noted that other designs were developed but this one afforded the least amount of impact and affected the least amount of green space while providing the most parking. The project will create approximately 8,000 sq. ft. of impervious ground cover and also includes paving an existing parking lot on the site. Mr. Theriault indicated that he spoke with DEP and was informed that they did not need a Stormwater Permit for this project. Noting that the Planning Staff did not endorse this design Mr. Theriault indicated that he felt that this is a very low volume driveway and the proposed parking along that drive provides an alternative that is better than the existing condition and is a safer alternative than what exists now. Mr. Damon asked where the stormwater runoff goes. Mr. Theriault indicated that it will go to the same place it went before. Mr. Theeman asked about the Planning Staff’s concern regarding the need for a SLODA permit for this site. Planning Officer Gould indicated that it is the responsibility of the applicant to make sure that they comply with the applicable rules. Mr. Theeman asked if the Board should request a letter from DEP indicating whether or not a SLODA permit is needed before the Board votes on this application. Mr. Gould indicated that Staff will write the responsible parties at the State of Maine informing them of this concern. Mr. Gould noted that there have been many uses on the campus that have moved to other locations on-site and Staff has no idea what the parking demand and supply is or the amount of impervious is on the site. Staff will request that an analysis be done. Once this information is available and it is determined that they need a DEP Site Location of Development Act Permit they will need to get an after-the-fact Permit. Mr. Gould indicated that by pointing this out it was not Staff’s intention to hold this application hostage while waiting for an answer. However, Staff would like to get this documented into the record that this is something that the State needs to look into. 3 Vice Chairman Rosenblatt asked for the Staff report. Planning Officer Gould indicated that what is under consideration is only a small area of the larger State complex which includes numerous State offices around the campus. Mr. Gould noted that it presently is a very beautiful campus and the State should be commended for its pedestrian access to parking lots from the buildings with sidewalks. Mr. Gould indicated that Staff does have concerns with the proposed 90 degree parking on an access road. Staff feels this is a bad practice to undertake and it would be better to add parking in a parking lot. Because of this Staff does not endorse this and urges the applicant to look at another arrangement to add those parking spaces. Mr. Gould indicated that the Board needed to evaluate the standards in Section 165-114 and determine whether or not they think that the arrangement is going to create a bad situation on that access drive. Mr. Barnes felt that the additional parking would be eliminating a hazard. Mr. Theriault added that head-in parking is not uncommon. Because it is not on a roadway he said that he was not concerned from a traffic engineering standpoint. Mr. Theriault indicated that this is a much safer alternative and in order to achieve this number of parking spaces it would be necessary to have parallel parking on both sides of the road which is not desirable. The applicant asked that they provide the largest number of spaces with a minimum amount of disturbance. Mr. Theriault informed the applicant that Staff did not endorse this and the applicant expressed the desire to go forward with this design and if denied they would keep things the way they are. Mr. Damon indicated that he felt that this is a driveway and not a public roadway which would be similar to backing out into the street. Mr. Damon said that this proposal does get the cars off the road and he felt that it would be a safety improvement. There being no further comments, Vice Chairman Rosenblatt asked for a motion. Mr. Theeman moved that the Board grant Site Development Plan approval at 656 State Street, Dorothea Dix Psychiatric Center, State of Maine, applicant, to construct 30 additional parking spaces, walkways, and to reconstruct and pave an existing parking lot at 656 State Street in a Government and Institutional Service District. Mr. Barnes seconded the motion. The Board voted four in favor and one opposed. APPROVAL OF MINUTES Item No. 3: Planning Board Approval of Minutes. Vice Chairman Rosenblatt noted that the Minutes of the June 3, and June 17, 2008 Meetings were in order for approval. Mr. Theeman moved that the Board approve both sets of Minutes. Ms. Mitchell seconded the motion which carried unanimously. 4 Other Business Planning Officer Gould noted that the Planning Office had received word that day that Eastern Maine Medical Center had received their State Site Location of Development Modification Permit for construction of the parking garage. In other business, Mr. Gould indicated that the Special Committee on Comprehensive Planning would be holding its first meeting on Tuesday, September 23, 2008 at 7:00 p.m. There being no further items for discussion, the meeting was adjourned at 8:00 p.m.