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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2013-11-19 Planning Board Minutes PLANNING BOARD OF THE CITY OF BANGOR MEETING OF NOVEMBER 19, 2013 MINUTES Board Members Present: Doug Damon, Vice Chairman Paul Bolin Charles Boothby Wayne Mallar, Alternate Member Julie Williams City Staff Present: David Gould Peter Witham Vice Chairman Damon called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. PUBLIC HEARINGS Item No. 1: To amend the Land Development Code by changing a parcel of land located at 2 Fourteenth Street from Urban Residence One District to Contract Urban Residence Two District. Said parcel containing approximately 2.58 acres. JRG Properties, applicant. C.O. # 14-006. Vice Chairman Douglas Damon indicated that he was filling in due to the absence of Chairman Sturgeon. Mr. Damon noted that Associate Member Mallar would be participating to bring the voting members to five. Vice Chairman Damon opened the Public Hearing. He noted that the issue before the Board was zoning policy and future development and the Board did not have a specific site plan before them nor were they dealing with curb cuts, sidewalks, or landscaping. Those details would be reviewed later when a specific project is proposed. Mr. John Graham, owner of JRG Properties, indicated that he was seeking to change the zoning of his property to allow him to build something other than single- family homes on the 2.5 acre parcel. Mr. Graham noted he had several business ventures in Bangor and had been a resident his whole life. He has several rental developments that are all first-rate projects and cause little or no adverse impacts on adjacent properties. 2 Mr. Graham noted that abutters had concerns about development adjacent to their properties. His understanding is that he has access to Fourteenth Street as well as Holland Street. The property has been for sale for some time but few parties were interested in it being limited to single-family detached dwellings. Mr. Walter Kamyk, of 38 Holland Street, indicated that he was not in support of apartments or rental units in his neighborhood. He noted he resided there, went to work every day, and came home there at night and his property was not a business opportunity but a home. He did not find the real estate market concerns a reason to change the character of his neighborhood. Mr. Mark Ricketts, of 50 Holland Street, indicated that he was not in support of the proposed change. He was concerned that apartment units would bring with them more traffic, more noise, and a potential increase in crime. Ms. Dale Ruopp, 28 Holland Street, indicated that she was not in support of the proposed change. She was concerned about additional traffic on Holland Street which is very narrow with limited areas to turn around. Neither Holland Street nor Fourteenth Street have sidewalks so any additional traffic would be hazardous to pedestrians. Mary Ricketts, of 50 Holland Street, indicated that apartment units are not consistent with their neighborhood of single-family homes. Caragene Brennan, of 58 Holland Street, noted that she lived at the end of Holland Street and it was narrow and much of the traffic from the complex will need to access Holland Street immediately next to her home. D. W. Mayweather indicated that he resided at 18 Holland Street and did not find the proposal consistent with the neighborhood. William McCready and Michael Brecht, 31 Tyler Avenue residents, were unable to attend the meeting but forwarded an email to the Planning Board. They had concerns of the disruption of construction and the narrowness of Holland Street. They also thought apartment dwellings would be inconsistent with the existing detached single- family homes. Mr. Graham addressed the Board to answer some of the concerns raised. He noted that at his attached residential development off Burleigh Road there was very little traffic. Mr. Graham noted that while Holland Street is narrow he found there was room for two vehicles to pass even with a large oncoming truck. Mr. Graham noted he was very interested in being a good neighbor and was very proud of the developments he had done in Bangor. 3 Planning Officer Gould explained how the contract zone change process worked and what additional restrictions were added in this contract. The housing style would be limited to attached residential only and the units would have an individual outside access similar to a townhome or duplex. Mr. Gould noted several attached residential developments in low density residential areas of the City. Mr. Gould indicated that the second contract standard limited the density to 5 units per acre and that density would allow for a maximum of 12 units on the property. Mr. Gould noted from a traffic generation perspective that attached units and apartments generate fewer trips per unit than single-family dwellings. The amount of site disturbance from attached residential is less than single-family dwellings especially if new roads and utilities are involved. Mr. Gould noted that often the Board hears that neighbors fear they will lose some level of privacy when a new development is constructed next door. The fact is everyone values privacy. The occupants of a new dwelling value their privacy as much as the occupant of the existing dwelling. Planning Officer Gould noted that what the contract rezoning requests the City to consider is whether this property along Fourteenth Street Extension can be developed in a manner other than detached single-family dwellings that can coexist harmoniously with existing development on Holland Street. Vice Chairman Damon closed the Public Hearing and asked for a motion. Member Williams made a motion to recommend the proposed contract zone change to the City Council. Member Boothby seconded the motion. The Board voted two in favor and three opposed to recommend to the City Council that the contract rezoning from URD-1 to URD-2 Contract as contained in C.O. # 14-006 be approved. Planning Officer Gould noted that the City Council would take final action on the application on Monday November 25th. With a negative recommendation from the Planning Board it will take a 2/3 majority of the Council to approve the proposed change. APPROVAL OF MINUTES Item No. 2: Planning Board Approval of Minutes. Vice Chairman Damon indicated that the Minutes of the November 5, 2013 Meeting were in order. Mr. Boothby moved to approve the Minutes of the November 5, 2013 Meeting. The motion was seconded and it passed unanimously. The meeting was adjourned at 7:53 p.m.