HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes - PB - 03/13/2019 Planning Board Meeting APPROVED MINUTES 1 of 3
March 13,2019
COHASSET PLANNING BOARD MINUTES
DATE: TUESDAY MARCH 13, 2019
TIME: 7:00 PM
PLACE: WILLCUTT COMMONS
91 SOHIER STREET, COHASSET,MA 02025
Board Members Present: Clark H. Brewer, Chairman (CB)
Michael Dickey, Vice-Chairman (MD)
Erik Potter(EP)
Brian Frazier(BF)
Amy Glasmeier(AG)
Paul Grady(PG)
Recording Secretary Present: Jennifer Brennan Oram
7:00 P.M. Chairman Brewer called the meeting to order.
Definitive Subdivisions
The Board has three Definitive Subdivision Plans to vote on this evening. Chairman Brewer asked if
the representatives for the applicants, John Cavanaro of Cavanaro Consulting and Attorney Jeffrey De
Lisi, had any additional comments regarding these applications; they stated they did not. Chairman
Brewer then reviewed the history of the filings, saying essentially these Definitive Subdivision Plans
are being used to freeze the current zoning. There will be language in the decisions to protect the
Town and to ensure that these will not be built. After a brief discussion, the Board, Director of
Planning, Peter Matchak, and Mr. Cavanaro and Attorney De Lisi agreed that the decisions will be
filed with the Town Clerk and after the 20-day appeal period, the Board will sign Mylar plans of each
subdivision and then hold them in the Planning Board office for 60 days.
Definitive Subdivision Plan—Entitled Definitive Subdivision,Loden Ledges Cohasset,MA
02025,prepared by Cavanaro Consulting. The land is located at 443 Jerusalem Road, Cohasset,
shown on Assessor's Map 10 as Plots 123.
MOTION: By Member Frazier to approve the Definitive Subdivision Plan for Loden
Ledges, Cohasset, MA
SECOND: Member Potter
VOTE: 6—0 MOTION CARRIES (CB,MD, EP, BF,AG & PG)
Definitive Subdivision Plan—Entitled Definitive Subdivision, Richardson's Ledge Cohasset, MA
02025,prepared by Cavanaro Consulting. The parcel is further identified as 422 and 438
Jerusalem Road, in Cohasset, shown on Assessor's May 10 as Plots 42 and 134. See also ANR
Plan dated 1/4/18 endorsed by the Cohasset Planning Board on 1/8/18 and recorded at the
Norfolk County Registry of Deeds in Plan book 666, Page 52 of 2018.
MOTION: By Member Frazier to approve the Definitive Subdivision Plan for
Richardson's Ledge, Cohasset, MA
SECOND: Member Potter
VOTE: 6—0 MOTION CARRIES (CB, MD, EP, BF,AG & PG)
Planning Board Meeting APPROVED MINUTES 2 of 3
March 13,2019
Definitive Subdivision Plan—Entitled Definitive Subdivision, Harbor Estates, Cohasset,MA
02025,prepared by Cavanaro Consulting. The locus is further identified as 96, 100 and 104
Howard Gleason Road, Assessor's May 31 as Lots 20, 21 and 22.
MOTION: By Member Frazier to approve the Definitive Subdivision Plan for Harbor
Estates, Cohasset,MA
SECOND: Member Potter
VOTE: 6—0 MOTION CARRIES (CB, MD, EP, BF, AG & PG)
7:30 P.M. PUBLIC HEARING—Harbor Village Overlay (HVO) District which will allow
multifamily residential use in a mixed-use building of development pattern within
the boundary of an overlay district. The commercial uses will include retail,
professional office, professional services, other public amenities both permanent
and seasonal, and restaurant. This use will require a special permit from the
Planning Board and will be subject to dimensional and performance standards.
Documents used for this public hearing:
➢ 3.13.19 Power Point presentation prepared by Harriman Associates
Member Frazier read the public hearing notice aloud. Chairman Brewer reviewed the protocol for the
hearing. Steve Cecil from Harriman will review the power point presentation for the Board and the
public, after which the Board will ask questions and then the public will be invited to speak.
Mr. Cecil reviewed the presentation. After the lengthy presentation, Chairman Brewer explained that
the Planning Board is now proposing to have an Overlay district(HVO) instead of a WB District. This
overlay would only be over certain parcels and would exclude the Atlantica and Marina sites. This
HVO would be a stand-alone portion of the Zoning Bylaws and would contain its own definitions,
purpose, procedures and design standards. The Board then reviewed the many aspects of the proposed
HVO that they would need to affirm for the final language for the Annual Town Meeting article. This
discussion included the following:
Would the Board want to consider allowing residential dwellings on the first floor of the buildings in
the district?. It was agreed they did not want to privatize the harbor and that they would not want this
to an option. Chairman Brewer suggested they review what the commercial values are in the Harbor.
Member Glasmeier stated there are some values in the draft Harbor Plan they could refer to. The
Board will also need to determine what the best parking requirements for this area would be, and what
the maximum allowable height for a structure in the HVO would be. This area is impacted with the
Flood Plain, so height allowances need to factor this in. It also needs to be determined what the public
benefit will be, and what the access to the harbor and open space will be required of any development
to address Chapter 91. Setbacks in the Harbor area need to be determined. The village allows for a
10' setback, but the Board can give waivers. In a waterfront area, it makes a lot of sense to allow a 0'
setback. The Board may want to adopt design standards for this area as they did in the village. This
could be done after Town Meeting. Chairman Brewer asked the Board to determine what parcels
would be included in the HVO. He would be inclined to include the American Legion Post and the
War Memorial. Chairman Brewer said there had been some concern expressed that the HVO may be
Planning Board Meeting APPROVED MINUTES 3 of 3
March 13,2019
"spot zoning". Town Counsel, Karis North, who is present this evening, stated that the proposed HVO
is not spot zoning.
Chairman Brewer then asked if anyone in the audience wished to speak. Mr. Will Kirkpatrick of 48
Smith Place stated that he is an abutter to the Village Business District(VBD) and his experience with
the district has been a disaster. He feels that what has been built is over developed and he has spent a
lot nights away from his kids to attend these meetings. He thinks the Board should fix the VBD before
the Town moves onto something else. Mr. Chris Peck of 17 Elm Court does not understand why there
is such a tight time constraint. Chairman Brewer said that the Board is trying to be accommodating
and get something for consideration on the Town Meeting Warrant. Mr. Michael Dick of 27 Parker
Avenue suggested the Board look a different percentage for commercial use other than designating
20% as commercial. Mr. Jim Blake, representing the owner of 82 Border Street, stated they have
always been in support of positive harbor development. He is disappointed that the entire area in not a
part of the HVO. Chairman Brewer said they still have an open public hearing on the WB District, but
based on input the Board has received, they are looking at the HVO as a softer approach. Mr. Douglas
McGregor of 7 Border Street stated that he has been coming to all of these meetings, is an abutter, and
is in full support of this. The future is the Inn going dark and something needs to happen. Member
Potter stated that there were concerns about including the entire Harbor in a zoning change, this
process is a balancing act and there are still many hoops to go through, but the HVO seems very simple
to him. Chairman of the Open Space Committee, Peter Pescatore, said that whatever the Town ends up
with, the citizens should be afforded more access to the Harbor.
The Board then went through the proposed language of the HVO bylaw. They agreed that the FAR
should not have a minimum, but perhaps put in a maximum. They should change the parking
requirements and the height requirements should be consistent with the rest of the Town. They will
continue this hearing and discuss the HVO proposal further on March 20th
MOTION: By Member Frazier to Continue the Harbor Village Overlay public hearing
until March 20, 2019
SECOND: Member Glasmeier
VOTE: 6—0 MOTION CARRIES (CB, MD, EP, BF, AG & PG)
10:30 P.M. PUBLIC HEARING—Article XX Special Permits in Waterfront Business (WB)
District—The Planning Board will be conducting a hearing to consider a zoning
use change in the WB Distict
MOTION: By Member Frazier to Continue the Waterfront Business public hearing
until March 20, 2019
SECOND: Member Glasmeier
VOTE: 6—0 MOTION CARRIES (CB, MD, EP, BF, AG & PG)
MOTION: By Member Frazier to adjourn the meeting at 10:30PM
SECOND: Member Potter
VOTE: 6—0 MOTION CARRIES (CB, MD, EP,BF,AG & PG)
NEXT PLANNING BOARD MEETING: March 20, 2019