Planning Board

City of Lowell - Planning Board Planning Board Meeting Minutes Monday, January 6, 2025 6:30 p.m. City Council Chambers, 2nd Floor, City Hall City of Lowell, 375 Merrimack Street, Lowell, MA Remote Participation Optional via Zoom Note: These minutes are not completed verbatim. For a recording of the meeting, visit www.ltc.org Members Present Chairman Linnehan Vice Chair Frechette Member Cheng Member Tenczar Member Cardoso Silva Member Sar Members Absent Others Present Peter Cutrumbes, Assistant Planner A quorum of the Board was present. Chairman Linnehan called the meeting to order at 6:32. I. Minutes for Approval 12/02/2024 G. Frechette motioned to approve the minutes. C. Cheng seconded. The vote was unanimous (4-0). II. Continued Business 1733 Middlesex St, 01851 – Site Plan Revision Tran Management, LLC has applied to the Lowell Planning Board to revise their Site Plan Review approval at 1733 Middlesex Street. On June 17, 2024, the applicant was granted approval to expand the rear parking area. The applicant is now proposing to revise the Site Plan by constructing an addition to the existing building. The subject property is located in the Regional Retail (RR) zoning district. The proposal requires Site Plan Review approval from the Lowell Planning Board per Section 11.4.2 of the Lowell Zoning Ordinance. On Behalf: Attorney Kevin Murphy, Engineer Matt Hamor. K. Murphy summarized their previous appearance, as this is a continuance of that hearing. He noted the biggest previous issue was the parking. They have obtained a letter from the Lowell Youth Soccer Association (LYSA) in support of using their 125 spaces except for Saturdays during soccer seasons. They will give the applicant a key to the gate. The applicant will provide signage to ensure that drivers follow the recommendations proposed by the City’s Transportation Engineer. Speaking in Favor: None Speaking in Opposition: None Discussion: T. Linnehan noted that Members Cardoso-Silva and Sar cannot vote on the project, as they are new members and were not in attendance for the original hearing. G. Frechette said they have received the letter from the LYSA. DPD noted that an agreement would need to be entered into with the City for the parking lot. G. Frechette expressed concern about the lighting. K. Murphy said they are going to put lights in as necessary. He also noted it would be valet parking for large functions. G. Frechette noted that the applicant has moved the dumpster and it is in a different spot than in the Site Plan. Thinks it is a better spot for the trucks to empty it. However, the dumpster was overflowing with trash on Sunday AM. Noted that if the existing dumpster is not enough for the current capacity, an expansion of the restaurant would generate more waste. He said that a lot of other towns require a gate around the dumpster. C. Cheng concurred with G. Frechette. Appreciates the work on the parking situation. G. Frechette has addressed the trash issue. At the applicant’s last appearance, they discussed landscaping. Suggested working with DPD on designing a landscaping plan, especially on the Edwards Street side. D. Tenczar asked how often are the dumpsters emptied. K. Murphy said three times per week. D. Tenczar said it will have to be emptied more than three times a week, as it is overflowing at current capacity. K. Murphy suggested conditioning that they meet Sanitation Department standards. D. Tenczar noted that they have to do that anyway. Not willing to leave the trash issue up to somebody else. He also expressed approval of the proposed lighting and the valet parking. D. Tenczar said that there should be a condition that the applicant enter into an agreement with the City. K. Murphy said they’d agree to five trash pickups, with one on the weekend. D. Tenczar stressed that he appreciates the business the applicant brings to the City. T. Linnehan concurred with his fellow Board members. This is the second time the dumpster has been overfloweing. The proposed addition increases the number of seats in the restaurant by over 100. Thinks at least 5 pickups is necessary. If there are rodents in the dumpster area, they’ll be in the building next. Expressed support for the lighting and valet parking. Noted that a formal agreement is necessary with the City to use the parking. Motion: G. Frechette motioned to approve the Site Plan Revision with the following conditions: 1. The applicant shall provide valet parking for large events and functions. 2. The applicant shall provide temporary lighting in the Edwards Street lot for evening events. 3. The applicant shall work with DPD on a landscaping plan, with a focus on the Edwards Street side of the property. 4. The applicant shall execute an agreement with the City of Lowell for the use of the Edwards Street parking lot. 5. The applicant shall provide a schedule to DPD showing five pickups per week of the dumpster, of which one must be a weekend day. D. Tenczar seconded the motion. The vote was unanimous (4-0). III. New Business 463-473 Gorham Street, 01852 – Site Plan Review DeSanctis Development, LLC has applied to the Lowell Planning Board to construct a new residential building with 39 units at 463-473 Gorham Street. The subject property is located in the Urban Mixed- Use (UMU) zoning district, and the Multi-Family Mid Rise (MFOM) overlay district. The proposal requires Site Plan Review approval from the Lowell Planning Board per Section 11.4 for a development with greater than 3 residential units. *The applicant is requesting a continuance to the February 3, 2025 meeting* On Behalf: Speaking in Favor: Speaking in Opposition: Discussion: The applicant requested a continuance to the February 3, 2025 meeting. Motion: D. Tenczar motioned to continue the matter to the February 3 meeting. Seconded by T. Linnehan. The vote was unanimous (5-0) with J. Cardosa Silva abstaining. 357 Pawtucket Street, 01854 – Special Permit and Site Plan Review Franco American Holdings, LLC has applied to the Lowell Planning Board to construct an 80-unit mixed- use building at 357 Pawtucket Street. The subject property is located in the Traditional Mixed-Use (TMU) zoning district. The proposal requires Special Permit approval per Article 12.1 and Section 11.3 for greater than 11 residential units on a lot, and Site Plan Review approval per Section 11.4 for a development with greater than 3 residential units. G. Frechette recused himself from the petition. On Behalf: Attorneys Steve Panagiotakos and James Harrington, Project Engineer Dave Jordan, and the Project Architect Chris Lizotte. Applicant is Brian McGowan. S. Panagiotakos said hey are proposing an 80-unit building. This is a conversion of the Franco-American school and churches. They have converted over 50 units while preserving the historic qualities of the buildings, as well as preserving the existing Grotto. This would bring important market rate housing to the City. D. Jordan the building will run along the corners of Pawtucket and Fanning Streets in an l-shaped. Two levels of parking with four levels of residential above. Access to the site will be through Fanning Street. The curbcut from School Street will remain as well. The driveway will pass through the building. When entering from Fanning Street, you are driving past the entrances to the two levels of parking. There is a second emergency access area at the end of Fanning Street. Fanning Street is privately owned and discussions with the abutter led to this access and parking agreement. LFD ladder trucks can access the site. The construction of the building will try to leave as much of the existing site as possible. They are providing two parking spaces for 139 units (including the existing 59 units). Also providing parking for the existing business and the proposed business. Stormwater is being managed through underground collection and detention system. Existing building has similar systems that have been working adequately. Plan is being evaluated by the Wastewater and Stormwater teams. The applicant will adjust the stormwater system to their specifications. They are providing are combination of shrubs and trees for landscaping around the building. They are amenable to working with the landscaping comments provided by DPD. Chris Lizotte, Architect. It is a 6 story building with four levels of residential and two levels of parking. Lower level of parking is below grade along Pawtucket. There are 80 units. Mix of 1, 2, and 3 bedroom units. Top floor steps in a bit to allow for balconies. The lower level of the exterior will be engineered stone, and the upper levels will be a mix of horizontal and vertical siding. Speaking in Favor: Dave Oullette, 113 Cabot Street present of the Acre ACTION Group. Mr. McGowan has consistently positively changed the neighborhood via his developments. He is in favor of the proposed development as a tool for renewing the upper Merrimack Street corridor. Speaking in Opposition: None Discussion: T. Linnehan noted they have three conditions from their ZBA approval and that DPD had landscaping plans they would like to see. They also need to meet with the LRWWU to discuss their staff comments in order to issue a Stormwater Permit. Summarized comments from other departments. D. Jordan said some of the comments are being carried over from when the project went to the Zoning Board. Some have already been addressed. Amenable to the landscaping comments. They have met with the LRWWU and are clear on the changes that are necessary. The comments from Engineering are also from the ZBA hearing, so they have been taken care of. The submitted site plan includes a swept path analysis. They included a trip generation letter and a TDM plan for the project to address the Transportation Engineer’s comments. Landscaping is the only open item. C. Cheng asked about whether City staff has received a trip generation letter. D. Jordan indicated it was in the application packet and is available online as well. He summarized the findings of the trip generation letter. He also discussed the 2021 safety audit of the Pawtucket and School Streets area. They were asked early on to consider implementing some of those. They are amenable to working with City staff to which ones they would like to see addressed. C. Cheng noted they will include that as a condition. C. Cheng asked about the mechanical/HVAC units on the roof of the building as they are not on the renderings. C. Cheng asked if there were any comments from the House of Hope, who is an abutter. D. Jordan said they worked with them during the ZBA process. C. Cheng requested they continued to work with them. C. Cheng brought up the sweep path analysis. The truck will be going under the building. Will it clear? D. Jordan confirmed. D. Tenczar says his biggest concerns were addressed by the presentation. However, the comments indicate many departments have outstanding concerns. These should be firmed up. He loves the project itself. Very happy it has parking. He likes the concept of underground parking. The four stories fit in well with the neighborhood. T. Sar concurred with D. Tenczar that they need more confirmation from the City that these issues have been addressed. T. Linnehan asked if they would be amenable to continuing until January 23 in order to confirm the City comments. S. Panagiotakos confirmed. C. Cheng asked about the bike parking and storage. D. Jordan said they are amenable, and could provide some near the proposed commercial spike, as well as in the interior of the building. Motion: T. Linnehan motioned to continue the application to the January 23, 2025 meeting. Seconded by D. Tenczar. The vote was unanimous (6-0). IV. Other Business V. Further Comments from Planning Board Members D. Tenczar noted that this month the CPA will meet to decide their grant awards for the current application cycle. VI. Adjournment D. Tenczar motioned to adjourn the meeting, and T. Sar seconded. The meeting was adjourned at 7:33 PM.