HomeMy WebLinkAbout2001-10-16 Planning Board Minutes
PLANNING BOARD OF THE CITY OF BANGOR
MEETING OF OCTOBER 16, 2001
MINUTES
Board Members Present: Richard Fournier, Chairman
Mary Ann Bostwick
Harold Wheeler
David Clark
Robert Guerette
City Staff Present: Katherine Weber
David Gould
Chairman Fournier called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. In the absence of Board Members
Costlow and Lingley, Associate Member Clark was asked to vote.
CONSENT AGENDA
Chairman Fournier asked if any Member wished to remove any items for discussion. As no one
wished to do so, Mrs. Bostwick moved to approve the Consent Agenda. Mr. Clark seconded the
motion which carried by a vote of 5- 0. The items approved are:
Item No. 1: Site Development Plan/Site Location of Development Modification Approval to
construct an 8,000 sq. ft. addition to the existing Telford Aviation Building for
warehouse use located off Odlin Road in an Airport Development District. City of
Bangor, applicant.
Item No. 2: Site Development Plan Approval to construct a 28,000 sq. ft. building for medical
office use located on Enterprise Avenue in an Industry and Service District. NECA
Realty Group, LLC, applicant.
Item No. 3: Final Subdivision Plan approval of a two-lot subdivision located at 250V Church
Road in a Rural Residence and Agriculture District. David Plunkett, applicant.
PUBLIC HEARINGS
Item No. 4: To amend the Land Development Code by changing a parcel of land located at 477
Essex Street from Urban Residence 1 District to Contract Neighborhood Service
District. Said parcel containing approximately .75 acres. Robert M. Kassa,
D.M.D., applicant. C.O. # 01-393.
Chairman Fournier opened the public hearing and asked for proponents. Dr. Robert Kassa of
477 Essex Street, indicated he had operated his dental practice at the Westgate shopping center until
Eastern Maine Medical Center purchased it and renovated it. At that time, he divided portions of his
practice into different locations, one being at his residence on Essex Street. Under the existing home
occupation standards, he cannot have outside employees. Dr. Kassa indicated he did not see any
adverse impact on Essex Street as he already operates his practice at this location on a limited basis.
Mrs. Bostwick asked how many employees (staff) he has. Dr. Kassa indicated it was not many,
as the space did not accommodate many. He indicated that there would only be one practioner at a time
but that another specialist would be using the space for part of the week.
Chairman Fournier asked for any opponents. Being none, he asked for Staff comments.
Planning Officer Weber indicated that the request was for a contract rezoning. The property had
a history of mixed use and office use. The adjacent land uses included medical office and other
institutional uses. The Neighborhood Service District was intended for small neighborhood based uses.
The building and lot in question are quite large and are arranged in a way, that does not create an
adverse or overwhelming impact on the neighborhood.
Chairman Fournier closed the public hearing and asked for a motion. Mrs. Bostwick moved to
recommend the proposed contract zone change to the City Council. Mr. Wheeler seconded the motion.
The Board voted 5-0 to recommend the contract rezoning of 477 Essex Street (C.O. # 01-373) to the
City Council for approval.
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Item No. 5: To amend the Land Development Code by changing a parcel of land located at
337-345 State Street from Government and Institutional Service District to Multi-
Family and Service District. Said parcel containing approximately .436 acres.
Thomas J. Vanidestine, Jr., and Dahl-Chase Pathology Associates, applicants.
C.O. # 01-394.
Chairman Fournier opened the public hearing and asked for proponents.
John Vogel representing Thomas Vanidestine and Mark Ellingworth of Dahl Chase Pathology
Associates provided the Board with a brief history of this site and their anticipated uses. The property
was zoned Government and Institutional Service to allow Dahl Chase’s medical office buildings. The
proposed change to Multi-family and Service District would allow office uses other than medical office
uses in the buildings.
Mr. Wheeler inquired if Mr. Vanidenstine was a Medical Doctor. Mr. Vogel indicated he was a
chiropractor.
Chairman Fournier asked for any opponents. There being none, he asked for Staff comments.
Planning Officer Weber indicated that this parcel was rezoned in the mid 1980’s to Civic and
Institutional to allow medical office use on a major arterial street. The current Multi-family and Service
District zoning will allow as a conditional use 3,000 square feet of office space on a major arterial. The
proposed request is consistent with the Comprehensive Plan 2000 and consistent with adjacent zoning.
The existing group development is ideally suited for this location as the multiple buildings share a
common parking lot and driveways. Staff recommended that the Board recommend this zone change to
the City Council.
Chairman Fournier closed the public hearing and asked for a motion. Mary Ann Bostwick
moved to recommend the proposed zone change to the City Council. Robert Guerette seconded the
motion. The Board voted 5-0 to recommend approval of the zone change request contained in C.O. #
01-394 to the City Council.
APPROVAL OF MINUTES
The Chairman requested approval of the October 2, 2001 Minutes. Mrs. Bostwick moved to
approve the minutes of October 2, 2001, as written. Mr. Clark seconded. The Board voted 5-0 to
approve the minutes of October 2, 2001.
Chairman Fournier noted that Members Clark, Wheeler and Bostwick were present at the
September 19, 2001 meeting and requested that they review the September 19, 2001 minutes. Mr.
Clark moved and Harold Wheeler seconded a motion to approve the Minutes of September 19, 2001.
The vote was 3-0 in favor.
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OTHER BUSINESS
Planning Officer Weber updated the Board on the Council’s deliberation on the St. Joseph
Hospital rezoning. The Council requested additional discussion of the City’s Comprehensive Plan for
that area, and the Hospital’s plans for more development. The Council will take up the rezoning at the
end of November after more discussion on the issue. The Board briefly discussed its role in
development review in its quasi-judicial capacity, and in its advisory capacity to the City Council.
ADJOURNMENT
There being no further items for discussion, the meeting was adjourned at 7:32 p.m.
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