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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1996-11-19 Planning Board Minutes PLANNING BOARD `OF THE CITY OF BANGOR MEETING OF NOVEMBER 19, 1996 MINUTES Board Members Present: Moshe Myerowitz, Chairman Mary Ann Bostwick George Burgoyne Thomas Drummond Richard Fournier Scott Hall Carol Woodcock City Staff Present: Norman Heitmann Lynn Johnson John Lord Rodney McKay Robert Osborne News Media Present: Bangor Daily News Chairman Myerowitz called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. He explained the components of the agenda for the benefit of the audience. CONSENT AGENDA As no one wished to remove the items for discussion, Chairman Myerowitz asked for a motion. Mr. Burgoyne moved to approve the Consent Agenda. Mrs. Woodcock seconded the motion. The Board voted 5 to 0 in favor. The items approved were: Item No. 1: Site Development Plan Approval to construct a 16-space parking lot located at 232V Main Street in a General Commercial and Service District. Merrill Merchants Bank, applicant. Item No. 2: Site Development Plan approval to increase the snack bar building by 760 sq. ft. and decrease the club house building by 425 sq. ft. and other minor site modifications at 339 Odlin Road in a General Commercial and Service District. Blackbeard’s USA, applicant. PUBLIC HEARINGS 1 Item No. 3: To amend the Land Development Code by changing a parcel of land located on Outer Broadway from Low Density Residential District to Contract Government and Institutional Service District subject to certain conditions. Said parcel containing approximately l7.7 acres. St. Joseph Healthcare Foundation, applicant. C.O. # 97-7. Chairman Myerowitz opened the public hearing and asked for proponents. Mr. Don Evans, Chief Operating Officer for St. Joseph Healthcare Foundation, spoke in favor of the proposed contract zone change. He explained that the applicant was proposing to build an approximately 40,000 sq. ft. building on this site in order to consolidate some of their peripheral operations. John Rohman, WBRC Architects, discussed the contract zone change conditions. He noted that Condition B should have included a “fifty foot” buffer and suggested that that be included. He told the Board that the applicant had met with the neighbors and tried to incorporate suggestions of the neighbors in the contract conditions (no parking on the Broadway side, a limit on the height of the building, and 50' buffer yards). Chairman Myerowitz then asked for opponents. Dorothy Hill, an abutting property owner on Broadway, spoke in opposition. She told the Board that: she did not feel that 50' was an adequate buffer; she had concerns about the proposed building height ; traffic congestion; property values; drainage ; and future expansion of the proposed facility. She did not feel that these concerns had been addressed and requested that the Board delay consideration of this item until they could be addressed in writing. Marcel Coffin, a Broadway resident, expressed her concern with increased traffic resulting from this project and whether or not this project would negatively affect her property values. Richard Thomas, a Broadway property owner, was in favor of the project but had concerns regarding traffic congestion. He suggested that improvements to laneage and signals would help. He also felt that a 50' buffer zone was not adequate and suggested that a 100' buffer from Broadway may be better. Dr. George Wood, 840 Broadway, asked if future phases would be required to abide by the same restrictions. Planning Officer Lord noted that any future expansion would come under the contract zoning conditions. Chairman Myerowitz asked for comments from Staff. Planning Officer Lord told the Board that this zone change request was consistent with the Comprehensive Plan. This area of Broadway is proposed for Government and Institutional Service use (the parcel in question lies between two G & ISD parcels - the Husson College parcel and the 2 Bangor High School parcel). Planning Officer Lord said that the proposed zone change was also consistent with the existing uses in the area. He went on to say that the contract conditions provided for an impervious surface ratio limit of .6 (which is not a development standard in the G & ISD); provided for buffer areas on the north, south, and rear of this parcel; had a height limit of 20' for a distance of 400' back and would not allow for parking areas to be placed between the building and Broadway. Because the proposed contract zone change was consistent with the Comprehensive Plan and existing zoning, Staff recommended approval. Planning Officer Lord also discussed programmed traffic improvements on Broadway (future widenings and signalization). Chairman Myerowitz asked if the contract zone change request met all the criteria for the granting of a contract zone change could the Board recommend denial for other reasons. Assistant City Solicitor Heitmann told the Board that it could have no basis for denial. Chairman Myerowitz closed the public hearing and asked for a motion. Mr. Hall moved to recommend to the City Council that C.O. #97-7 be approved with an amendment to Condition B be to add a 50' dimension to the proposed buffer zones on the north, south, and rear sides of the parcel. Mr. Hall told the audience that he appreciated their testimony. He said that many of the items discussed were site development plan issues and would be discussed in detail at that stage. Mr. Burgoyne felt that because Broadway is a major arterial and the ordinance makes provision for larger projects to be developed on these streets, this proposed contract zone change was appropriate. After some discussion, the Board voted 5 to 0 in favor of the motion. Item No. 4: To amend the Land Development Code by changing a parcel of land located at 915 Union Street from Shopping and Personal Service District to General Commercial and Service District. Said parcel containing approximately 11.5 acres. Eastern Maine Healthcare, applicant. C.O. # 97-8. The public hearing was opened by Chairman Myerowitz who asked for proponents. P. Andrew Hamilton, Esq., represented the applicant. He explained that the applicant was proposing to consolidate existing functions such as out-patient rehabilitation services, doctor’s offices, Affiliated Laboratories and Affiliated Material Service, which is a wholesale business. Because of the wholesale use, the applicant needed the zone change to General Commercial and Service Use. He told the Board that he felt that the proposed change was consistent with the City’s Comprehensive Plan. 3 He noted that Norman Ledwin, Dennis King, Jean Mellett, Don Fletcher, Fred Marshall and Pat Taber were also present to answer questions of the Board. As no one spoke in opposition, Chairman Myerowitz asked for comments from Staff. Planning Officer Lord told the Board that the proposed change was consistent with the City’s Comprehensive Plan which calls for commercial use and also consistent with the existing land uses in the area which are also commercial. Therefore, Staff recommended approval. Chairman Myerowitz closed the public hearing and asked for a motion. Mrs. Woodcock moved to recommend to the City Council that the zone change request contained in C.O. # 97-8 be approved. Mr. Burgoyne seconded the motion, which carried by a vote of 5 to 0. Item No. 5: To amend the Land Development Code by changing a parcel of land located on Union Street, Randolph Drive, Maxwell Lane and Kelly Drive from High Density Residential District to Low Density Residential District. Said parcel containing approximately 12 acres. City of Bangor, applicant. C.O. # 97-9. Chairman Myerowitz opened the public hearing and asked for comments from proponents. Planning Officer Lord told the Board that this parcel was presently owned by the Federal Government who had determined that it was “surplus” property. Presently, it is zoned for High Density Residential use. The present use of this parcel was for either single-family attached or single-family detached dwellings. This zone change was initiated In order to protect the existing single-family area. Staff recommended approval as the proposed change was consistent with the existing uses and with the neighboring properties. Earl Rafuse, 181 Randolph Drive and Charles Birkel, 171 Randolph Drive, both spoke in favor of the proposed change. As no one spoke in opposition, Chairman Myerowitz closed the public hearing and asked for a motion. Mr. Drummond moved to recommend to the City Council that the proposed zone change (contained in C.O. # 97-9) be approved. Mr. Burgoyne seconded the motion. The Board voted 5 to 0 in favor. APPROVAL OF MINUTES Item No. 6: Planning Board Approval of Minutes of November 5, 1996 Meeting. The minutes of the November 5, 1996 Planning Board Meeting were unanimously approved as printed. NEW BUSINESS 4 Item No. 7: Site Development Plan approval to construct a 15,680 sq. ft. building for retail use located on Gilman Road (614 Stillwater Avenue) in a Shopping and Personal Service District. B. Dennis Payson, Jr., applicant. Planning Officer Lord noted that all submittal requirements had been provided except for documentation to allow the applicant access to the abutting property to tie into the sewer. Staff would recommend that the Board approve this site development plan with the condition that the applicant receive authority to access the abutting property to access the sewer. No one spoke in opposition. Chairman Myerowitz asked for a motion. Mr. Burgoyne moved to approve the site development plan with the condition that the applicant receive authority to access the abutting property to access the sewer. Mr. Drummond seconded the motion, which passed unanimously. MISCELLANEOUS BUSINESS Item No. 8: Planning Board Review of Correspondence and Other Communications From the Planning Office. Planning Officer Lord noted that the Planning Office received a copy of a 60-day extension of the completion date for the Salvation Army Project on South Park Street. There being no further items for discussion, the meeting was adjourned at 8:15 p.m. 5