Planning Board

City of Salem Planning Board Minutes, July 20, 2023 Page 1 of 12 CITY OF SALEM PLANNING BOARD A public hearing of the Salem Planning Board was held on Thursday July 6, 2023, at 6:30 p.m. via remote access. Public participation was possible via Zoom video and conference call. Chair Bill Griset opens the meeting at 6:32 pm I. ROLL CALL Present: Bill Griset (Chair), Kirt Rieder (Vice-Chair), Carole Hamilton, Zach Caunter, Jonathan Berk, Sarah Tarbet, Josh Turiel, Helen Sides, Tom Furey ( 9) Absent: Also in attendance: Amanda Chiancola, Deputy Director of Planning and Community Development II. CONTINUANCES A. Location: 37 Winter Island Road (Map 44, Lot 0036) Applicant: Scott Grover, Esq., f/b/o Plummer Youth Promise, Inc. Description: A continuance of a public hearing for all persons interested in the application of Scott Grover, Esq., f/b/o Plummer Youth Promise, Inc., formerly known as the Plummer Farm School for the property located at 37 Winter Island Road (Map 44, Lot 0036) in the R1 Zoning District for Site Plan Review in accordance with the following sections of the Salem Zoning Ordinance: Section 9.5 Site Plan Review and Section 8.1 Flood Hazard Overlay District Special Permit and Section 37 of the Salem Code of Ordinances, Stormwater Management Permit. The applicant specifically proposes to sequentially construct a new residential building (Building 1), which will include two independent youth residential programs, family meeting space, exercise and therapy areas, and associated program space, and the renovation of the existing Building 2. Site development will include installation of a paved two-way driveway with circular turnaround, paved parking areas, a gravel service road, stabilized stone dust pedestrian walkways, landscaping, stormwater management system, and utility installations. An amendment will be filed at a later date that will consist of additional improvements. • Attorney Scott Grover is here for the Applicant. He is joined by Michael Whitmore, Rondell 47 and Bob Griffin, Griffin Engineering. The Engineering Department has completed their internal review of the project and has included conditions in the decision. • Amanda Chiancola pulls up the draft decision for review. Know your rights under the Open Meeting Law M.G.L. c. 30A § 18-25 and City Ordinance § 2-2028 through § 2-2033. City of Salem Planning Board Minutes, July 20, 2023 Page 2 of 12 PLANNING BOARD COMMENTS REGARDING THE DRAFT DECISION • Mr. Rieder would like the “maintaining” of landscaping to be “ongoing”, not limited to a time frame. Mr. Grover wants to clarify if it is all landscaping or the approved and proposed as part of the plan. Mr. Rieder confirms all. • Mr. Turiel loops back to the HVAC condition. Would like to change screened to blend with the building if not screened. Ms. Sides disagrees and believes all objects on the building roof should be dark against the sky. Ms. Sides thinks that the language should be that all roof penetrations are dark. Ms. Tarbet would like specificity for HVAC units but thinks for a general statement the dark is best. Ms. Tarbet recommends removing the word unit in favor of equipment or penetrations. • Mr. Grover questions the last conditions, the recording of the operations and maintenance manual at the Registry of Deeds. Without the Engineering Department present, there should not be a change, but recording this decision should be enough to put future owners on notice about the operations and maintenance. Ms. Chiancola recommends it stay for multiple reasons, including finding the information easily in the future. Ultimately the discussion ends with keeping the condition but subject to a conversation with City Engineering. • Mr. Grover asks if the Clerk of the Works (COW) is city staff. Ms. Chiancola says it is a consultant typically but can be staff if there is capacity. Mr. Grover asks if it is fair to say that the COW relates to city infrastructure on the site? Yes. • Mr. Rieder, typically the landscape plan is stamped by a licensed landscape architect not the civil engineer? How do you use the catchall for as built plans? Amanda says they are separate plans. City Engineer versus. Mr. Rieder would like it to say, “as built engineering plans”. PUBLIC COMMENT Jeff Cohen 12 Hancock Street Ward 5 Councilor Troubled with the conversation regarding the color of anything on the roof from a sustainability standpoint. An ordinance was passed a year ago for municipal properties saying that every roof will have a green or solar roof and we will be adding language for non-municipal buildings. We will be opting into the specialized code, and this may conflict with planning board decisions. A white roof with a bifacial panel will capture the energy from the roof. The penetrations can include the racking for solar panels and the most productive solar panels are white panels with black modules. The conversation is not reflective of the technology that is evolving that we need for mitigating the climate crisis. Know your rights under the Open Meeting Law M.G.L. c. 30A § 18-25 and City Ordinance § 2-2028 through § 2-2033. City of Salem Planning Board Minutes, July 20, 2023 Page 3 of 12 Betsy Fredrick 93 Canal Street Thoughts on the conditions – ONM Manual and the as-builts. These elements are also component for The National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) requirement for stormwater management and some of these elements are critical to tracking who maintains the private systems discharging into the city’s water. John Hayes 13 Hancock Street Chair the Sustainability, Energy, and Resiliency Committee Offers comments in support of Councilor Cohen’s comments on lighter roofs. Ms. Sides clarifies that she is aware of white roofs, this is not a white roof project and white roofs are typically flat roofs, not pitched. A motion to close the public hearing on 37 Winter Island Road is made by Carole Hamilton, and seconded by Tom Furey, and passes 9-0 in a roll call vote. Bill Griset Y Kirt Rieder Y Zach Caunter Y Carole Hamilton Y Sarah Tarbet Y Josh Turiel Y Jonathan Berk Y Helen Sides Y Tom Furey Y A motion to approve the decision on 37 Winter Island Road is made by Helen Sides, and seconded by Tom Furey, and passes in a 9-0 roll call vote. Bill Griset Y Kirt Rieder Y Zach Caunter Y Carole Hamilton Y Sarah Tarbet Y Josh Turiel Y Jonathan Berk Y Helen Sides Y Tom Furey Y Know your rights under the Open Meeting Law M.G.L. c. 30A § 18-25 and City Ordinance § 2-2028 through § 2-2033. City of Salem Planning Board Minutes, July 20, 2023 Page 4 of 12 B. Location: 266 Canal Street (Map 32, 0038), 282 Canal Street (Map 32, Lot 0037), 286 Canal Street (Map 32, Lot 0036), 282 Rear Canal Street (Map 23, Lot 0144), and 2 Kimball Road (Map 32, Lot 0102) Applicant: Joseph Correnti, f/b/o Canal Street Station, LLC. Description: A continuance of a public hearing for all persons interested in the application of Joseph Correnti f/b/o Canal Street Station, LLC, for the property located at 266 Canal Street (Map 32, 0038), 282 Canal Street (Map 32, Lot 0037), 286 Canal Street (Map 32, Lot 0036), 282 Rear Canal Street (Map 23, Lot 0144), and 2 Kimball Road (Map 32, Lot 0102) in the RC, B2, and I Zoning Districts for Site Plan Review in accordance with the following sections of the Salem Zoning Ordinance: Section 9.5 Site Plan Review, 7.3 Planned Unit Development Special Permit, 8.2 Entrance Corridor Overlay District, and Section 8.1 Flood Hazard Overlay District Special Permit and Section 37 of the Salem Code of Ordinances, Stormwater Management Permit. The applicant proposes to redevelop portions of the parcels located at 266, 282, 282R & 286 Canal Street and 2 Kimball Road into a multi-use Planned Unit Development consisting of residential units, 20% of which will be affordable, commercial space along Canal Street, and over 9 acres of open space. The redevelopment of the property will include razing and removal of all existing buildings and infrastructure, construction of five new buildings, which total approximately 73,615 square feet, 250 residential units, 117 surface parking spaces, 196 garage parking spaces, and supporting infrastructure. • Attorney Joe Correnti is here for the Applicant. He is joined by Chris Koeplin, Marc Tranos, and Scott Cameron. The Conservation Commission (ConCom) has granted an order of conditions for the project. • Amanda Chiancola shares the draft decision o Mr. Rieder asks how you define 9 acres of open space. Mr. Correnti responds that it is 9 acres of undeveloped land, essentially Rosie’s Pond. Mr. Rieder would like to change the open space to conservation land. Attorney Correnti is fine with this as it is currently zoned RC. o Mr. Koeplin confirms that the 73615 square feet is just the footprint, not the total square footage.  City staff in the traffic peer review felt that 11 spaces do not have enough room to maneuver and are concerned they are not usable, the recommend a change in parking spots to 295 spaces. Recommend bike spaces for the 11 unusable spaces. Attorney Correnti says their intention was to look at the garage spaces and see if they could be made more accessible, including through the engineering of the walls and without changing the footprint to maintain the footprint. This condition will not allow the team to do that. Attorney Correnti would like to see if the Applicant team Know your rights under the Open Meeting Law M.G.L. c. 30A § 18-25 and City Ordinance § 2-2028 through § 2-2033. City of Salem Planning Board Minutes, July 20, 2023 Page 5 of 12 can make this work to use for vehicle spaces. Mr. Griset states that this is the time when the Planning Board has input and after an approval it is different. Mr. Rieder agrees that this is not apple to apples as the Brix has dedicated spaces. This is open parking. Mr. Cameron says that they don’t know that yet. Mr. Burke asks if the Board can approve with 295 with the option to work with engineering to see if they work? Mr. Cameron continues believing that he spaces are accessible, they are tight but accessible. Mr. Correnti asks that the condition be stricken or modified. o Mr. Correnti would like to review under specific findings where it references “amendment to previously approved project...”, it should be the proposed project meets the provisions. o Mr. Koeplin Section 7.3.81 is the same, is not dependent on municipal parking. o Mr. Correnti forwarded the updated drop-in table of plans, so the decision doesn’t have the correct plans. o Mr. Correnti doesn’t know what that means when it says necessary trust documentation. Attorney Correnti asks staff to do a follow-up with the City Engineer and if the response is positive, then it stays in. Mr. Cameron reminds the Board that this will likely be recorded with the Certificate of Compliance with the Conservation Commission. PLANNING BOARD COMMENTS Mr. Furey understands the need for more affordable housing but thinks this project would have been spread out more. He finds that the project feels inappropriate to the City of Salem. Mr. Turiel is happy with a lot of what the project brings. Increased affordable housing, increased rental property, improved area on Canal Street. Close to a train station eventually. Not crazy about how we could do more with the design on Canal Street. Does feel that this is a wasted opportunity for commercial space on Canal Street. Overall parking, housing, spaces for EV use, bike use, and connectivity and will be valuable to the city. PUBLIC COMMENT Jeff Cohen 12 Hancock Street Ward 5 Councilor Disagrees with Mr. Furey and doesn’t feel it is up to the developer to create neighborhood and thinks this may be the impetus needed to improve Canal Street. Finds the project transformative for workforce housing. Know your rights under the Open Meeting Law M.G.L. c. 30A § 18-25 and City Ordinance § 2-2028 through § 2-2033. City of Salem Planning Board Minutes, July 20, 2023 Page 6 of 12 Motion to close the public hearing is made by Kirt Rieder, seconded by Sarah Tarbet, and passes in an 9-0 roll call vote. Bill Griset Y Kirt Rieder Y Zach Caunter Y Carole Hamilton Y Sarah Tarbet Y Josh Turiel Y Jonathan Berk Y Helen Sides Y Tom Furey Y Motion to approve the decision is made by Jonathan Berk, seconded by Zach Caunter, and passes in an 8-1 roll call vote. Bill Griset Y Kirt Rieder Y Zach Caunter Y Carole Hamilton Y Sarah Tarbet Y Josh Turiel Y Jonathan Berk Y Helen Sides Y Tom Furey N C. Location: 67 Derby Street (Map 41, 0339) Applicant: Joseph Correnti f/b/o Crowley Wind Services Description: A public hearing for all persons interested in the application of Joseph Correnti, Esq., f/b/o Crowley Wind Services, Inc., for the property located at 67 Derby Street, Salem, MA (Map 41, Lot 339) in the I Zoning District for Site Plan Review and Flood Hazard Overlay District Special Permit in accordance with the Salem Zoning Ordinance section 9.5 Site Plan Review and section 8.1 Flood Hazard Overlay District. Specifically, the applicant proposes to create an offshore wind (OSW) marshalling terminal where turbine components will be partially assembled and deployed to OSW farms. Freighters, barges and other marine vessels will be used to deliver the components to the marshalling terminal and to transfer the partially assembled turbines to OSW project locations for full assembly and installation. To support these efforts, renovations and improvements are proposed Know your rights under the Open Meeting Law M.G.L. c. 30A § 18-25 and City Ordinance § 2-2028 through § 2-2033. City of Salem Planning Board Minutes, July 20, 2023 Page 7 of 12 for the upland, shoreline, and watershed areas of the project site. This project is Phase 2 of the existing Planned Unit Development of this site. Review in accordance with the following sections of the Salem Zoning Ordinance: Section 9.5 Site Plan Review, 7.3 Planned Unit Development Special Permit, and Section 8.1 Flood Hazard Overlay District Special Permit and Section 37 of the Salem Code of Ordinances, Stormwater Management Permit. The applicant proposes to create an offshore wind (OSW) marshalling terminal where turbine components will be partially assembled and deployed to OSW farms. Freighters, barges and other marine vessels will be used to deliver the components to the marshalling terminal and to transfer the partially assembled turbines to OSW project locations for full assembly and installation. To support these efforts, renovations and improvements are proposed for the upland, shoreline, and watershed areas of the project site. This project is Phase 2 of the existing Planned Unit Development of this site. • Attorney Correnti is here for the Applicant. Joined by Jared Kemp, John Berry, Joe St. Pierre, David Simpson, and Lorayne Black. • Mr. Kemp shares his screen and first recaps existing conditions. Mr. St. Pierre then recaps the operations of the site. • Mr. Simpson shares civil improvements to the site. No major work to the site, mainly open still. Currently The State Turning Basin and the Federal Navigation Channel are 32ft depth. Maintenance dredging of the State Turning Basin will need to be done to ensure safe navigation – 80000 CY of with offshore disposal. Need to raise the grades for a variety of reason, Including the load of the components. New stormwater system will be installed for the Upland Soil Improvements, there is not currently any stormwater management. This system will be overland flow with a graded site and overflow picked up in vegetative swales. They meet the MA stormwater standards. Will stormwater management create swales along the edges of Laydown Yard A. Two new electrical substations will be put in. The transformer pads are 3 feet above the grade with a minimum of 6” thick pads. Mr. Kemp discusses the modular offices and reaffirms that they are standard for ports. • Ms. Black, AECom Studio, discusses landscaping improvements. Introduces the design guidelines for the planting plan. General design is to provide a natural edge with plantings to provide a visual screening with the abutters. Selected plants for hardiness and sustainability and in zone 6B for plant hardiness. Majority are native and they are excellent screeners. Wanted a mix of diverse plantings for the screening particularly on Derby Street. Took a look at the plantings at the power plant. We wanted to reflect the style of the landscape. Derby Street Plantings: protecting the existing mature shade tree canopy was important. Wanted to maintain the neighborhood feel and support the Know your rights under the Open Meeting Law M.G.L. c. 30A § 18-25 and City Ordinance § 2-2028 through § 2-2033. City of Salem Planning Board Minutes, July 20, 2023 Page 8 of 12 evergreen screen with diverse evergreens. Want to preserve the existing arborvitaes that are viable and replace the ones that are declining. There will be 67 new evergreens planted and 23 arborvitaes saved. On Blaney Street, plants are different, wanted to create the natural green buffer with some larger planting for a visual screen between lot and project site. Waterfront space will reflect the natural green edge of shoreline. The design is intended to have grasses and low shrubs. Slides are shared to show the height of structures at the terminal with a combination of the house on Derby Street. Three different line of sight slides are shared (street, existing trees, proposed evergreens, height of blades) standing on Derby Street and from a 2nd floor. Also proposing benching on Derby Street. Some berms have been incorporated to gain height and raise up some of the plantings. All plantings are salt and drought tolerant. There will be gabion seating with a wood top. Waterfront fencing matches the one at the ferry landing. PLANNING BOARD COMMENTS Mr. Turiel is happy to see the presentation as this is the first time seeing relevant scaling. Questions how much is going to be done staging and how long they will be present before going out to sea? Mr. Berry says the towers will be preassembled in 24 hours and immediately put them out to the offshore wind farm. These projects take about 3 years in total, including mobilization. The actual activity will vary. Mr. Turiel asks if we are building a finite number of Offshore Wind (OSW) sites, what happens when the turbines are out in the ocean? Mr. Berry can’t predict what will happen, but the idea would be to use the facility to refit the OSW installations. Chair Griset asks what is the maximum height of assembled structure? Mr. Berry says that only the two tower sections together at 1 time – 260 feet. Mr. Berk asks about the public seating on the waterfront, the North End park in Boston has tiered seating. Would also like to see the site have some elements visible for folks to see. Mr. Caunter agrees with Mr. Turiel about the renderings and was surprised by the scale of the pieces. Wondering if the crane is only at full height when activity assembling? Mr. Berry says the crane will stay at full height once mobilized the first time. The project is approximately 3 years in duration. Ms. Sides agrees that the vertical elements projecting up are exciting. The laying down pieces are tough to look at. Has there been a type of screening for these pieces before? Are the pieces always bright white? Mr. Berry says that there will likely be a cover on the end of the blade ends. Typically they are blue, but it varies. Don’t know if screening will be much more visually appealing. Know your rights under the Open Meeting Law M.G.L. c. 30A § 18-25 and City Ordinance § 2-2028 through § 2-2033. City of Salem Planning Board Minutes, July 20, 2023 Page 9 of 12 Mr. Rieder commends the team on the set of drawings as they will help expedite the process. Does not think we need to hide the stacked pieces as it will also add to the landscape. Does the runoff change the pH of the water and the slope of the plant materials? On India Street, is there a reason it can’t be disposed of back to the city, so the uniform Derby Street curb is in place. Is it mandatory to have vehicle access to the backflow preventer? Blaney Street on the north side, where is the fence line in the existing pathway of the powerplant trail? Suggested adding landscaping on the north edge between the power plant and the OSW site. Why is there a guardrail separating visitors from riprap? Would like a rendering with light towers. Mr. Berry responds that with respect to the cruise access area, the fencing is a security issue, and we are trying to unpack NTSA regulations so we can have access to those areas. The riprap fencing is for safety. Mr. Rieder acknowledges that Ch. 91 requirements must be balanced with Homeland Security. Mr. Kemp says that through the community outreach efforts, having visual access to the laydown A was requested and we thought that was the best place for this was a walking path and with no trees or plants. Mr. Rieder says there needs to be a sign for the site and it cannot be the Salem Wind Port. Mr. Rieder is curious about the stripes in the paving. Ms. Black says they wanted to have something that would be to stand on the edge but making it more creative with lines and the feeling of wind, the material will be DecoMark, like for playgrounds. Mr. Rieder continues, the Tree Warden is concerned with salt tolerance of some of the species, including paper birch and he would like to see more shade trees like the oaks with salt tolerance. To not disturb the roots of other trees. What happens to the turbines on footprint (new laydown b)? Ms. Tarbet agrees that the Derby Street edge feels wrong for the scale. Regarding logos, if there are large concentrations of logo, where will it be. Wondering what the perception will be from Forest River or Derby Wharf. Can vegetation be added from the water? Is there coastal rehabilitation that can be done there? Not excited about the modular buildings on site. Something less disposable would be a better fit. Mr. Furey is thrilled about the jobs this project will provide. Mr. Rieder reminds the team that fabric used to screen the site during the construction of the gas-powered power plant was unpleasant to look at and would like the team to be mindful of that. PUBLIC COMMENT Bonnie Bain 22R West Avenue SAFE and Salem OSW Alliance Excited about the project unfolding. Know your rights under the Open Meeting Law M.G.L. c. 30A § 18-25 and City Ordinance § 2-2028 through § 2-2033. City of Salem Planning Board Minutes, July 20, 2023 Page 10 of 12 Jamie Kelley 459 Woodlawn Estates Drive Kirkwood, MO Also excited about the towers and the project. Believes that construction trailers are not allowed by Salem ordinance. It would be wonderful if they built buildings with sustainable design in mind. Delighted by the renderings. Curious about the lack of pervious pavement on site. Overland flow calculations with regard to stormwater and bioswales. What is the depth of the bioswales and will they be adequate. Contingency plan for the crane in case of a hurricane. Betsy Fredrick 93 Canal Street The issues around the Flood Hazard Overlay District (FHOD) area have been dismissed and “raising the site” isn’t enough to deal with climate resiliency and stormwater management. Concerned about the quality of water and the temperature off the sheet flow and the effects on the water. Jeff Cohen 12 Hancock Street Ward 5 Councilor Agrees with Tom about this being about an economic driver as well as sustainability . John Hayes SAFE 13 Hancock Street Neighbors are concerned with traffic, lights, noise, and aesthetics. Do we know the ambient noise environment today and what it will be like during the project. And the same with the light. Jamie Kelly 459 Woodlawn Estates Drive Kirkwood, MO Ms. Kelly asks to speak again to suggest utilizing India Street for an observation deck. Motion to continue to September 7, 2023, made by Josh Turiel, seconded by Helen Sides ,and passes in an 9-0 roll call vote. Bill Griset Y Kirt Rieder Y Zach Caunter Y Carole Hamilton Y Know your rights under the Open Meeting Law M.G.L. c. 30A § 18-25 and City Ordinance § 2-2028 through § 2-2033. City of Salem Planning Board Minutes, July 20, 2023 Page 11 of 12 Sarah Tarbet Y Josh Turiel Y Jonathan Berk Y Helen Sides Y Tom Furey Y III. OLD/NEW BUSINESS A. Update on City of Salem Subdivision Regulations They are being reviewed by the on-call City Solicitor. It is a 30-hour project, and the review should be done in August. B. Updates from Staff IV. APPROVAL OF MINUTES A. Approval of the May 18, 2023 Regular Planning Board minutes Motion to approve the May 18, 2023 Regular Planning Board Minutes is made by Josh Turiel, seconded by Jonathan Berk , and passes in a 9-0 roll call vote. Bill Griset Y Kirt Rieder Y Zach Caunter Y Carole Hamilton Y Sarah Tarbet Y Josh Turiel Y Jonathan Berk Y Helen Sides Y Tom Furey Y B. Approval of the June 8, 2023 Regular Planning Board minutes Motion to approve the June 8, 2023 Regular Planning Board Minutes is made by Josh Turiel, seconded by Jonathan Berk, and passes in a 9-0 roll call vote. Bill Griset Y Kirt Rieder Y Zach Caunter Y Carole Hamilton Y Sarah Tarbet Y Josh Turiel Y Jonathan Berk Y Helen Sides Y Tom Furey Y Know your rights under the Open Meeting Law M.G.L. c. 30A § 18-25 and City Ordinance § 2-2028 through § 2-2033. City of Salem Planning Board Minutes, July 20, 2023 Page 12 of 12 V. ADJOURNMENT Motion to adjourn made by Jonathan Berk, seconded by Zach Caunter, and passes in an 9-0 roll call vote. Bill Griset Y Kirt Rieder Y Zach Caunter Y Carole Hamilton Y Sarah Tarbet Y Josh Turiel Y Jonathan Berk Y Helen Sides Y Tom Furey Y Adjourned at 9:25 pm Approved by the Planning Board on September 7, 2023 Know your rights under the Open Meeting Law M.G.L. c. 30A § 18-25 and City Ordinance § 2-2028 through § 2-2033.