HomeMy WebLinkAbout2018-03-18-BOS-min Joint—March 8, 2018
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Joint Meeting
Board of Selectmen and Planning Board
March 8, 2018
A Joint Meeting of the Board of Selectmen and the Planning Board was held on Thursday,
March 8, 2018 at 7:05 p.m. the Samuel Hadley Public Services Building Cafeteria, 201 Bedford
Street. Present for the Board of Selectmen (BOS): Ms. Barry, Chair; Mr. Pato; Ms. Ciccolo; Mr.
Lucente; and Ms. Hai as well as Mr. Valente, Town Manager; and Ms. Katzenback, Executive
Clerk.
Present for the Planning Board (PB) were Mr. Canale, Chair; Mr. Creech; Ms. Corcoran-
Ronchetti; Mr. Hornig; Ms. Johnson as well as Mr. Henry, Planning Director and Ms. Kowalski,
Assistant Town Manager for Development.
Also present: Ms. Zammuto, Economic Development Coordinator; David Gamble, Gamble and
Associates; and Pam McKinney, Byrne McKinney & Associates, Inc.
Hartwell Avenue Zoning Initiative
Mr. Gamble presented his recommendation to incorporate the following seven principles in the
planning of the Hartwell Avenue Zoning Initiative:
• Capitalize on the natural environment towards health and recreation
• Diversify transportation alternatives
• Establish a new interface between Hartwell Avenue and buildings with streetscape
enhancements and lighting
• Nurture a neighborhood by diversifying land uses
• Foster pedestrian scaled gathering spaces and mid-block connections new development
• Anticipate diminished need for parking areas and capitalize on underutilized land for new
development
• Establish sustainable buildings and performative landscape
Ms. McKinney presented key feasibility requirements from the commercial and residential
development studies. She provided an analysis of the potential long range market opportunities
based on a full redevelopment build-out of the Hartwell Avenue initiative assuming zoning
changes are made to enable the following redevelopment/transformation:
• Total GSF of Vision build-out=3.2M SF(30%office;45% lab; 15%residential;5% lodging;
5% retail/rest/rec/svc)
• Market feasible FAR target= .50 to 1.0 FAR
• Market feasible building heights = 5 to 6 stories for commercial and 4 to 5 stories for
residential (plus a ground floor with lobby and amenity space)
• Market feasible floor plates = 25,000 to 50,000 SF for commercial and 20,000 to 30,000 SF
for residential
• Market feasible parking ratios = 3.0 spaces/1,000 SF for commercial and 1.0 space/BR for
residential
Joint—March 8, 2018
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• Market feasible coverage ratios = 20% to 30% building footprint; w/100% surface parking
<70% impervious
Ms. Zammuto presented the proposed Hartwell Zoning Initiative scope of work and timeline.
The Board of Selectmen and the Planning Board were in agreement that the Hartwell Zoning
Initiative should move forward based on the proposed scope of work while incorporating sufficient
public and neighboring community outreach in order to bring this project to a Special Town
Meeting later in 2018. In addition, both Boards expressed the importance that this initiative be
executed in parallel with the Comprehensive Plan.
Adjourn
Upon motion duly made and seconded, the Board of Selectmen voted 5-0 to adjourn at
approximately 8:40 p.m. The Planning Board voted to adjourn at 8:40 p.m.
A true record; Attest:
Kim Katzenback
Executive Clerk