Planning Board

City of Lowell - Planning Board Planning Board Meeting Minutes Thursday, February 20, 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 Tenczar Member Sar Member Walker Members Absent Member Cheng Member Cardoso Silva Others Present Peter Cutrumbes, Assistant Planner A quorum of the Board was present. Chairman Linnehan called the meeting to order at 6:32 PM I. Minutes for Approval 2/3/2025 G. Frechette motioned to approve and T. Sar seconded. The vote was unanimous (5-0). II. Continued Business III. New Business 50 Payne Street, 01851 – Site Plan Review Green Tree Properties, LLC has applied to the Lowell Planning Board to convert an existing livery business depot at 50 Payne Street to 24 townhouse style residential units. The property is located in the Traditional Mixed-Use (TMU) zoning district as well as the Multi-Family Overlay Neighborhood (MFON) zoning overlay district. The project requires Site Plan Review under Section 11.4.2(2) for construction of a structure with more than three (3) dwelling units. On Behalf: Attorney John Geary, the applicant’s attorney. Representing Greentree Properties, LLC, the applicant. Matt Hamor, the project engineer, was also present. J. Geary discussed the location, size, and zone of the parcel and summarized the proposal. The use is as- of-right. The project only needs Site Plan Review. It will have to go to the Conservation Commission due to a portion of the project being in the 100-Year Flood Plain. The location was a former livery business. It has been vacant for a long time. The property is unkempt and the buildings are dilapidated. It is adjacent to Clemente Park. The neighborhood is mostly industrial automotive uses. The project will consist of three buildings. Each unit will have a single car garage, with the majority of units also having an additional space in front. The application meets the criteria of the Site Plan Review. There is adequate pedestrian and vehicular access. There is a 22-foot drive aisle. There will be a walkway along the abutting side with Clemente Park. The project has more than the required 12 parking spaces. There will be private trash pickup. External lighting will be provided on both the front and rear facades (to be approved by the Historic Board). The applicant is going to be hiring a landscape designer to meet the requirements for landscaping and screening. Snow and ice management will be done by a private contract. Snow will probably have to be removed. The connection to the sewer utility has been challenging. During periods of intense rainfall, the sewer system backs up. Matt Hamor has worked with the LRWWU to come up with a plan to tie into the sewer line without exacerbating this issue. City staff comments were generally favorable. The applicant has been working with DPD design staff on an easement through the property for residents to walk from Clemente Park to the canal walk. DPD needs the access points to the canal to be ADA accessible. The developer does not need to do the work to meet ADA standards, only to grant the easement. The City will have to design/construct how to make the walkway meet ADA standards. M. Hamor presented the site plans to the Board, starting with summarizing the existing conditions. The site will consist of three buildings. There is a screened dumpster area between the two largest buildings. There will be a 12.5 foot access point easement at the edge of the property abutting the Boys and Girls Club. M. Hamor discussed the sewer issue. The site is the low point for the whole area. The water all flows into the canal due to the grading. The sewer in that area reaches capacity during large storms and can overflow into the canal. To not exacerbate this issue, the proposal will have an 8,000 gallon tank underneath the site. During an overflow event, the tank will close itself off from the City’s sewer line so that it does not exacerbate the issue. After the event, the tank will reopen and pump the reserved waste water back out. M. Hamor briefly discussed the architectural design. T. Linnehan asked about the “no parking” sign that the Transportation Engineer recommended. M. Hamor noted that the auto body shop on the abutting property often stores vehicles on the road blocking the view. There will now be signage on Saunders Street and the access drive indicating that there is no street parking. Speaking in Favor: Vesna Nuon of 10 Gibson Road. City Councilor. Frequent user of Clemente Park. Very familiar with that area. Strongly in support of the project. It is important to clean up the area and to add housing stock to the City. The project will also be a fiscal positive for the City. This proposal could start a beautification of Payne Street and that neighborhood. Speaking in Opposition: None Discussion: G. Frechette noted that there were discussions with the Board about developing this site in the past few years. The sewer system solution is innovative. Asked if there are any environmental issues. J. Geary said the applicant had a Phase 1 ESA done on the site and that all that was needed was minor remediation issue. G. Frechette expressed support for the architectural designs. Noted that there are 46 parking spaces total. The drive lane seems wide enough. Minor concerns about the snow storage in the drive line. Could there be snow storage between the buildings? M. Hamor said there is an average of 10 winter storms per year. The applicant will actually be contracting to remove the snow. G. Frechette said that the park is also a positive. The more eyes on the park the safer it will be. Believes it may be easier to deed the proposed 12.5 access easement to the City. J. Geary agreed. M. Hamor noted that there is a mechanism to deed the land later on and not have to come back for Site Plan. J. Geary said the applicant’s preference is to deed the land. They have been working with the City. The drop requires work to be done to meet ADA compliance. M. Hamor says there is about 8 feet in grading that would need to be addressed. He also noted that the National Parks Service will need to be involved. G. Frechette said he wants to leave as much flexibility as possible on this issue within the Board’s decision. G. Frechette asked about the trash pickup. M. Hamor said the truck will front load in, back out, and use the roadway to turn. G. Frechette said it is nice to see the site being developed. It will make the area safer as well. D. Tenczar thanked the developer for providing sufficient parking. He asked about the height of the buildings. M. Hamor said 34.5 feet tall. D. Tenczar asked if that is indicated on the plan. M. Hamor showed the elevation with the height listed. D. Tenczar asked if there is a dedicated spot on the plan for snow storage. J. Geary said it will be between the centers of the building, the area between the duplex building and the adjacent building, and the end of the drive aisle. D. Tenczar asked if there is a possibility the units are rented by the developer. J. Geary said no. The expectation is that they are all owner- occupied, not investment properties. D. Tenczar asked what the potential sale price would be. J. Geary said they are not sure yet. D. Tenczar agreed with G. Frechette that the access be deeded to the City. Thinks this should be part of the approval. Asked if the sensor system that turns the containment system on and off has any backups. M. Hamor said there will also be a gate valve that can be shut manually in an emergency. D. Tenczar asked about their meetings with LRWWU. M. Hamor said that they have had three productive meetings, and that there will be intensive construction designs over the next 6-10 months. D. Tenczar expressed strong support for the project and its positive impact it will have on the City. L. Walker concurred with her colleagues. The design is aesthetically pleasing. This project, along with the Clemente Park improvements, will be very positive for the City. T. Sar expressed strong support for the project. T. Linnehan noted that all the renovations to the park will be positive for this project as well. The area is currently difficult to navigate due to the autobody shops parking their cars on the street. Happy to see this being developed. The residents will have a great amenity in the canal walkway. Asked about why they are going to the Conservation Commission. J. Geary stated that the corner of the most easterly unit is within the flood plain. The plan has provided compensatory flood storage. T. Linnehan said the language of the condition for the access should be broad. Motion: G. Frechette motioned to approve with the following conditions: 1. T Snow will be removed off the premises as warranted to ensure vehicular access to the units; 2. Access to the twelve and a half foot strip of land on the eastern side of the property noted on the plan shall be granted via easement or deed to the City of Lowell; 3. The applicant shall submit a landscaping plan to be approved by DPD before building permits are issued; 4. The applicant shall continue to work with LRWWU to finalize the design of the wastewater retainment tank before building permits are issued; 5. The applicant shall continue to work with the City to restrict parking on public roadways where necessary;  6. No parking signs shall be posted on the south side of the access road and incorporated into the condominium documents D. Tenczar seconded. The vote was unanimous (5-0). The site plan was approved. IV. Other Business D. Tenczar complimented DPD staff on their ability to get responses from all of the departments across the City. V. Further Comments from Planning Board Members VI. Adjournment D. Tenczar motioned to adjourn and G. Frechette seconded. The vote was unanimous. Meeting adjourned at 7:36 PM.