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HomeMy WebLinkAbout484 Willow DRC Comment Sheet 092022 - JSM 9-22-22Review is:  Conceptual  Formal  Binding (404 Motels/VCOD/R.O.A.D. Project)  Non-binding (All other commercial projects) Review is by:  Planning Board  Design Review Committee DESIGN REVIEW COMMENT SHEET Meeting Date: September 20, 2022 Map: 73 Lots: 10.1.1 & 11 Applicant: Eversource Energy (Att. Jason St. Martin)Zone(s): B3/APD Site Location: 484 Willow Street & Un-numbered lot off Willow Persons Present: DCR Members Present Yarmouth Town Staff Present Guests Charlie Adams Kathy Williams Emily Williamson Dick Martin Jason St. Martin Steve O’Neil Stacey Brockett Leigh Ostrander Isaac Hodgins Danielle Cavanary Nick Olsen Jack Moriarty DRC Review for this project started at: 4:18 PM DRC Review ended at: 4:51 PM On a motion by Mr. O’Neil, seconded by Mr. Adams, the Design Review Committee (DRC) voted (3-0) to adjourn the September 20, 2022 DRC meeting at 4:51PM. Project Summary General Description: The Applicant is proposing to construct a parking lot with site improvements for use during energy emergencies after large storms when workers and vehicles are brought in from other locations to fix the energy grid. The lot will remain empty during normal times. Summary of Presentation: Mr. Jason St. Martin discussed the need to develop parcels they own to improve storm response. The parcel would be left vacant except for when out of state crews are called in to help with storm events. Once the storm is over, there will be a clean-up and the site vacated. Currently, they partner with other facilities. Emily Williamson presented the site plans noting the vacant wooded lot. Trees within the 20’ front setback and 10’ south side setback would remain for screening. Materials needed by the crews for up to 97 trucks, site lighting, portable restrooms and temporary trailers will be located on the site. Storm drainage would be provided along with landscaping. DRC Questions & Discussions: Steve O’Neil asked about the number of trucks they need to store in order to minimize tree impacts and what is being done for buffering the parking lot? Emily Williamson indicated 97 vehicles is the maximum that will fit on the size for bucket trucks, along with the other operations the trucks need for emergency response. Mr. St. Martin noted they needed to ensure vehicle circulation also and would only be used for the duration of event. Charlie Adams was concerned about loss of vegetation and effort to replace as much as possible within the area. Mr. Martin asked if they were providing only minimum buffers and retaining existing trees within the buffers. Ms. Williamson noted the additional plantings in areas of grading. Mr. Martin asked if this meets parking lot requirements or if relief is needed from the parking lot standards. Mr. Martin indicated he could understand no in-lot trees, but should compensate with additional width buffers and more plantings. Ms. Williamson said relief would be needed from in-lot tree requirements. Mr. Martin noted the areas of pavement and gravel and the stormwater drainage in the southeast corner. Will this area naturally vegetate? Ms. Williamson noted that it would be naturalized. Stacy Brockett indicated a no mow seed mix used for stormwater management. Kathy Williams reviewed the need to provide more buffers to fully screen the parking lot from the public ways especially if there are no in-lot trees. She also inquired as to the fence material. Mr. St. Martin noted the fencing is typically chain link. Ms. Williams recommended using black coated rather than galvanized. The screening of the lot could include solid fencing along with robust plantings. Mr. Martin indicated a better buffer along Willow Street to block and improve the views from the public road would likely be viewed favorably to compensate for the in-lot trees. Review Comments In Relation To The Design Standards SITING STRATEGIES Sect. 1, Streetscape  N/A  Meets Standards, or  Discrepancies: There are no proposed permanent buildings. Sect. 2, Tenant Spaces  N/A  Meets Standards, or  Discrepancies: Sect. 3, Define Street Edge  N/A  Meets Standards, or  Discrepancies: There are no proposed permanent buildings. Also see Comments in Sect. 7 below. Sect. 4, Shield Large Buildings  N/A  Meets Standards, or  Discrepancies: Sect. 5, Design a 2nd Story  N/A  Meets Standards, or  Discrepancies: Sect. 6, Use Topo to Screen New Development  N/A  Meets Standards, or  Discrepancies: Sect. 7, Landscape Buffers/Screening  N/A  Meets Standards, or  Discrepancies: The large parking area without any in-lot trees should have a more robust buffer to screen the parking lot from the public way. It is unclear the extent of existing trees that would actually remain along the street and side buffers (type/size) and how much screening this would provide once the clearing has been completed. Applicant may need to supplement with additional plantings to fully screen the large expansive parking area. Recommend increasing the front yard buffer to a minimum 30’ and supplementing existing vegetation as needed to fully screen the large open area. All new trees to be 3” caliper. Effort should be made to minimize the amount of gravel/paved area, especially in the front corners, where additional buffering could be added. The future trail shown on the south side of the lot would impact the required 10’ wide landscape buffer and should be eliminated. Sect. 8, Parking Lot Visibility  N/A  Meets Standards, or  Discrepancies: See Comments in Sect. 7 above. Sect. 9, Break up Large Parking Lots  N/A  Meets Standards, or  Discrepancies: See Comments in Sect. 7 above. Sect. 10, Locate Utilities Underground  N/A  Meets Standards, or  Discrepancies: Sect. 11, Shield Loading Areas  N/A  Meets Standards, or  Discrepancies: BUILDING STRATEGIES: The project does not include any permanent buildings and the Building Strategies are Not Applicable for this project. Sect. 1, Break Down Building Mass – Multiple Bldgs.  N/A  Meets Standards, or  Discrepancies: Sect. 2, Break Down Building Mass – Sub-Masses  N/A  Meets Standards, or  Discrepancies: Sect. 3, Vary Façade Lines  N/A  Meets Standards, or  Discrepancies: Sect. 4, Vary Wall Heights  N/A  Meets Standards, or  Discrepancies: Sect. 5, Vary Roof Lines  N/A  Meets Standards, or  Discrepancies: Sect. 6, Bring Down Building Edges  N/A  Meets Standards, or  Discrepancies: Sect. 7, Vary Building Mat’ls For Depth  N/A  Meets Standards, or  Discrepancies: Sect. 8, Use Traditional & Nat’l. Building Mat’ls  N/A  Meets Standards, or  Discrepancies: Sect. 9, Incorporate Pedestrian-scaled Features  N/A  Meets Standards, or  Discrepancies: Sect. 10, Incorporate Energy-efficient Design  N/A  Meets Standards, or  Discrepancies: Next step for applicant:  Go to Site Plan Review  Return to Design Review for Formal Review On a motion by Mr. O’Neil, seconded by Charlie Adams, the Design Review Committee (DRC) voted (3-0) to approve these DRC Comments as meeting minutes for the September 20, 2022 DRC Meeting for the proposed Eversource emergency parking area at 484 Willow Street. Received by Applicant(s) ATTACHMENTS:  September 20, 2022 Agenda  9/13/22 e-mail from Kathy Williams  DRC Application: o DRC Application Form o Site Lighting Cut Sheet o Site Plans: All plans prepared by Shive-Hattery, dated 9/9/22, unless otherwise noted:  C000 – Cover Sheet  C003 thru C006 – Boundary Survey & Existing Conditions Plans by Christopher Danforth, PLS, dated 5/2017  DC01 – Existing Conditions & Demolition  C101 – Site Plan  C102 – Fire Truck Access Plan  C201 – Grading Plan  C301 – Utility Plan  C401 – Landscape Plan  C402 – Landscape Details o Electrical Plans: Prepared by Shive-Hattery, dated 9/9/22:  E100 – Electrical Site Plan  E101 – Electrical Photometrics Plan  E500 – Electrical Details Plan