The URL can be used to link to this page

Home My WebLink About2020-05-05 Planning Board Minutes COMMUNITY&ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PLANNING DIVISION PLANNING BOARD TUESDAY, MAY 5, 2020, 7:00 P.M. COUNCIL CHAMBERS, CITY HALL AND ON ZOOM WEBINAR MEETING FORMAT MEETING MINUTES Board Members Present:Ken Huhn, Chair Donald Meagher, Asst. Chair Michael Bazinet Ted Brush Ronda Hogan Reese Perkins Lisa Shaw City Staff Present:Melissa Bickford, Dev. Asst. Anne Krieg, Planning Officer Josh Saucier, Asst. City Solicitor Chair Huhn called the meeting to order at 7:00P.M. MEETING MANAGEMENT 1.Public Participation The Planning Board and Staff were introduced. The Chair, the Planning Officer, and the Assistant City Solicitor were in the Council Chambers for the meeting; the remainder of attendees and members were on the Zoom call. Asst. Solicitor Saucier discussed the State of th Emergencyis through May 15thus the city will be allowed to continue Zoom meetings th through June 14.The empowering legislation, LD2167, expires or lapses 30 days beyond State of Emergencydate.If the Governor extends the State of Emergency, it is expected this allowance for virtualpublic meetings will continue to happen. There was discussion with Member Perkins regarding ceasing Zoom meetings sooner. Saucier advised that we’re prohibited from gatherings of more than 10so that would be difficult to hold a meeting with the full Board, applicants, and the public. City of Bangor Planning Division Meeting Minutes Planning Board Meeting 05.05.2020 Saucier will continually update the Board on this matter. PUBLIC HEARINGS 2.Land Development Permit for Preliminary Subdivision Approval –Preliminary Subdivision approval request for Knoll Crest, 14-lot detached residential home development on 35.5 acres, keeping 14.4 acres of open space to be owned by the lot owners with deed restrictions at property located at 1971 Union Street, (Map-Lot R04- 007), in a Rural Residence & Agriculture(RR&A) District. T&T Property Management, applicant. Jim Kiser, representative of the applicant, reviewed the project. He went over the cluster standards within the Land Development Code. The development is in outer Union Street from a35 acre parcel divided by Osgood Stream (tributary). The owner plans to develop14 lots, 1 acre up to 73,000 SFin sizedue to configurations. The property was formerly a farm, mostly field until top of the ridge, then wooded area to the back of the property. They have harvested mostly sapling sized trees, and was harvested before current owner acquired the property. They propose to save over 40% open space,that is, the landon the other side of the stream. A portion of the land is in theShorelandZone and Resource Protection District, noting that there is not development proposed in that area. There is a small section of Shoreland Zoning on lot 14 which comes into the property from the wet bog that’s on the otherside of the railroad tracks. This area is zoned limited residential. The lots will be served by onsite septic and private wells. For utilities, they are proposed to be overhead. No further DEP permits for SLODA, wetland or storm waterareneeded. Member Brush inquired on the exhibit that was included in the planning board packet regarding sheet #1, areas noted as “ponded areas.” Kiser shared his screen to showwhere the stream curls and heads north, including a large beaver damwith backwater that had ponded the area. The water as recededfrom the dams, and expected as continuation of stream through property. Member Bazinet asked if the soil has been tested for wells and permeabilityfor septic. Kiser responded there wereno tests yet, did have well from existing farm house, and wasin poor condition. 2 test pits have been put in eachlot for wastewater disposal that were included in planning board packets received, shown on each plan for the lots. Page 2 | 5 City of Bangor Planning Division Meeting Minutes Planning Board Meeting 05.05.2020 Member Meagher asked if this was going to be a public roadway. Kiser indicated that it was proposed to meet City standards reviewed bytheCity Engineer. Member Meagher asked if there would be maintenance for open space or if it would be wild. Kiser advised that property owners to leave it wild, would have to go over thestream, potentially do a walking bridge. It’s not a “jump over” type of stream. Intend to deed ownership out to each lot, deeding 1/14 of open space. Member Meagher noted that it didn’t appear to have a need for a homeowners association. Chair Huhn inquired if the railroad track was active. Kiser advised that it is, former B&A owned by the State of Maine now. He was unsure of how many trains go through the area. Chair Huhn mentionedspecifically lots 8-14abut the railroad line directly. Member Shaw noted that historically the City hasbeen reticent to expand densityfor housing in that area, asthere were not a lot of City provided services and utilities in that area. She wanted to assure readiness to do this before expandingmore housing. She inquired about road maintenance, plowing, and trash. She thinks further discussion with the City is needed about this. Kiser stated that it has not been directlyaddressed. It was notedthat the property is outside of the Compact Zone, outside of the plowing limits of the City from that standpoint. Kiser indicated that the City Engineer’s review didn’t cite concerns regarding the City’s acceptance of the road for maintenance. Member Shaw deferred that question to Planning Officer Krieg. Krieg indicated that when items are reviewed at a staff level, wereview more technical items such as storm water, not necessarily larger issues as overall provision of services. It’s a good conversation to have and Krieg thinksthat this should be an agenda item to discussthis in general. Member Shaw clarified that tonight the applicant was looking to take the next step. Krieg advised that was correct, and that it’s a 2-step process. Tonight was the preliminary plan, then the final plan is filed. The purpose of the preliminary approval is to make comments to incorporate into the final plan, or, in this case, direct staff to speak with other city staff such as public works, regarding the effect on cityservices. There were no proponents or opponentspresent at the meeting. No written comments were received prior to the meeting. Page 3 | 5 City of Bangor Planning Division Meeting Minutes Planning Board Meeting 05.05.2020 Member Bazinet asked if there was a preferred builder to choose, or could the lot owner choose their own? Kiser stated that in the past, the developers and applicant build some as “spec”houses, and also sold lots to other individuals that were interested to build on their own.Usually they sell abuilder 2-3 lots if they’re interested. Member Brush asked about the documentation provided in the packets regarding Land DevelopmentCode 165-28, as it was technical items that he wasn’t able to evaluate such as driveway angles. Brush asked staff if we’re sure that this proposal meets all of those limitations. Krieg advised that yes, that’s the role of the City Engineer to review, and make sure that all of those requirements are met. There were no other questions for City Staff. Member Shaw made a motion of approval for preliminary subdivision plan, seconded by Member Bazinet. Roll Call Vote: Meagher, yes. Perkins, yes. Brush, yes. Hogan, yes. Shaw, yes. Bazinet, yes. Huhn, yes. Member Shaw wants to see discussion on this item with how it’ll impact city services going forward. Kiser acknowledged the request and advised that he expects tobe back in 2 meetings. Member Perkins had a question for Planning Officer Krieg regarding review of the Comprehensive Plan. Page 189 talks about annual review and evaluation methodology, on April 1 of each year with additional information, and if that had been done, if Krieg was aware, and if we planned on doing this. Krieg indicated that she would find out, and had not previously noticed that in the plan. At a staff level, we’re gearing up to look at the next plan, updating that plan because it’s getting close to 10 year point. Usually, it takes a couple years to do a Comprehensive Plan, so she was planning to start in 2021. It’s a good exercise to take the timenow, and evaluate where we are right now with this type of report. There may be a heavy agenda for the next meeting, so might not be able to include this on that agenda, but will planto discuss at a June meeting. Member Perkins wondered if changes should be made. Krieg also indicated that in the year she’s been here, we’ve received a lot of zone change requests, which makes her think that we are changingour minds on how we want to develop, especially incompact area with single family zoning. There’s a lot of development in the works, and the planning board will be busythis summer. Member Perkins echoed Member Shaw’s comment regarding build-outs in RR&A District, and utilities. The Comprehensive Plan assumes that the utilities will get out there and we’ll build, but they’re not always getting out there (the utilities) and we’re building anyway. Page 4 | 5 City of Bangor Planning Division Meeting Minutes Planning Board Meeting 05.05.2020 He questioned if we are we okay with this? 3. Meeting Minutesof April 21, 2020 were approved pending Roll Call Vote: Meagher, yes. Hogan, yes. Brush, yes. Perkins, yes. Shaw, yes. Bazinet, yes. Huhn, yes. 4.Adjournment-Meeting adjourned at 7:29p.m. Respectfully submitted, Melissa Bickford Development Assistant Planning Department Page 5 | 5