HomeMy WebLinkAbout9-23-2024 Joint Planning Board and HHDC Draft Mins (2) 1
Board Members
Stephen Robichaud – Chair Robert Twiss – Vice Chair Tim O’Neill - Clerk Mary Barry Michael Mecenas Raymond Sexton Matthew Teague
Felicia Penn – Town Council Liaison
Planning & Development Dept. Staff Support
James Kupfer, AICP, Director
Karen Pina – Principal Assistant - karen.pina@town.barnstable.ma.us
Town of Barnstable
PLANNING BOARD
Minutes
September 23, 2024
Stephen Robichaud – Chairman Present
Robert Twiss, Vice Chairman Present
Tim O’Neill – Clerk Present
Mary Barry Present
Michael Mecenas Present
Raymond Sexton Present
Matthew Teague Present
Hyannis Main Street Waterfront Historic District Commission Members
Cheryl Powell – Chairman Present
Tom Doherty – Vice Chairman Present
Jack Kay – Clerk Present
Laura Cronin Present
Cornelius Cawley Absent
Matt Clark Present
Jeniffer Hinckley Needham Absent
Kevin Matthews Present
Peri Wentworth Absent
Conrad Watson Absent
Also in attendance were Planning & Development Staff; James Kupfer, Director and Karen Pina, Principal
Assistant.
Notice of Recording The Chair must inquire whether anyone else is taping this meeting and to please make
their presence known. The meeting will be televised live via Xfinity Channel 8 or high definition Channel 1072. It
may also be accessed via the Government Access Channel live stream on the Town of Barnstable’s website:
http://streaming85.townofbarnstable.us/CablecastPublicSite/watch/1?channel=1
Call to Order Introduction of Commission and Board Members
Joint Meeting with the Hyannis Main Street Waterfront Historic District Commission
Planning Board Chair Stephen Robichaud calls joint meeting to order (PB)
Attendance Roll Call:
Michael Mecenas
Matt Teague
Town of Barnstable
www.town.barnstable.ma.us/PlanningBoard
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Tim O’Neill
Mary Barry
Bob Twiss
Ray Sexton
Stephen Robichaud
Hyannis Main Street Waterfront Historic District Commission Chair Cheryl Powell calls joint meeting to
order (HHDC)
HHDC Roll Call attendance
Tom Doherty
Laura Cronin
Kevin Matthews
Matt Clark
Jack Kay
Cheryl Powell
Unified Downtown Hyannis Design Guidelines and Regulations
In accordance with Section 240-24.1.3.B.2.(a) the Planning Board shall review proposed amendments to
the Design and Infrastructure Plan with the Hyannis Main Street Waterfront Historic District Commission
PB Chair Stephen Robichaud entertains a motion to open the public hearing, moved by Bob Twiss,
seconded by Mary Barry,
Roll Call Vote:
Michael Mecenas - aye
Matt Teague – aye
Tim O’Neill - aye
Mary Barry – aye
Ray Sexton - aye
Bob Twiss – aye
Stephen Robichaud - aye
HHDC Chair Cheryl Powell entertains a motion to open the public hearing, moved by Jack Kay,
seconded by Laura Cronin,
Roll Call Vote:
Tom Doherty - aye
Laura Cronin - aye
Kevin Matthews - aye
Matt Clark – aye
Jack Kay - aye
Cheryl Powell - aye
Jim Kupfer gives a review/history of this draft. Working for past years to provide suggested
amendments for unified design guidelines. Update track changes for the document. Working group
comments and HHDC. Document shown, Exhibit A. Town’s website under Planning Dept. Current
projects is where this document is located.
Jim Kupfer reviews by page/presentation. GIZ and HHDC areas/jurisdictions/map. Review of track
changes. Both parties jurisdiction and enforcement, including a section for this. This is the Bldg.
Commissioner. Administrative review and approvals for. Modification of how to use the guidelines.
Model of design features – requested to remove this image.
Ray Sexton, clarifies jurisdiction and this image.
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Chair Stephen Robichaud, would like this image in the document. Will work with if HHDC feels
differently.
Building Design Regulations – Massing Façade – Building Form. Section 3. Pg. 20.
Chair Stephen Robichaud, don’t have jurisdiction to combat the zoning.
Jim Kupfer explains – some concerns from HHDC for continued application for linear rooflines. Try to
create more character of the massing. Creating different massing and different heights.
Ray Sexton clarifies height. Discussion re zoning set backs.
Matt Teague, is this reasonable to allow?
Jim Kupfer, colors, Pg. 24 and signage. Frontage zones. Solar panels, Pg. 29. Glazing, Pg. 32. Tint.
Fenestration. Native plant listing. Parking lot lighting. Site amenities. Pg. 41, 42.
Pg. 47 – General Site and Placemaking Guidelines. Murals.
Chair Stephen Robichaud, this probably won’t apply to Planning Board (PB), from this standpoint, they
will most likely not come across this.
Ray Sexton. Actionable language now. Probably not in PB’s purview.
Chair Cheryl Powell, they added verbiage for.
Mary Barry, this is guidelines, not regulations. Clarifies.
Pg. 49 request to remove playful and add historic. To remove the images on page now. Imagery added
since last before the PB. Examples of acceptable signage. Trade flags. No inflatable displays. Pg. 67.
Review of Appendix’s. These will all be updated.
Chair Cheryl Powell, Pg. 47, part a – ground floor. Approval for murals? Clarifies.
Tim O’Neill – Pg. 26, building design guidelines. Bays or oriel windows. Tim Clarifies.
Jim Kupfer, building components to be added. Language suggested to be changed.
Bob Twiss – discussion to delete something on Pg. 19 – proposal is to remove Pg. 19?
Jim Kupfer clarifies, yes, to remove the image?
Bob Twiss, would we remove Pg. 19 and then after vote have a document that has this page removed?
Chair Cheryl Powell, replace the photo.
Laura Cronin just wanted this to be more representative.
Tom Doherty, like Pg. 20, but stores in front.
Jim Kupfer clarifies discussion last Wednesday with HHDC was to remove. Motion could be as amended
this evening. All is before all tonight for this.
Bob Twiss, we will have to vote – when all in agreement, can make a motion to amend by deleting the
image.
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Discussion re amending Pg. 19. With Pg. 19 reserved for future consideration.
Bob Twiss, abutting buildings and the heights. Main street has buildings on either side. What happens if
buildings are of different heights. Massing of the heights. How does builder resolve this?
Jim Kupfer, this document is not zoning, all can be waived through hardship. HHDC can take that into
consideration. Would require and action by HHDC.
Bob Twiss, Pg. 48 and 49, is this to remove the pictures? How resolve?
Jim Kupfer, proposal to remove them.
Chair Stephen Robichaud, figure 26 and Pg. 19 reserved for consideration. Also, Pg. 21 for future
consideration?
Jim Kupfer, we can format to make it work.
Chair Cheryl Powell, remove photos on Pg. 25 and Pg. 26 and remove pg. 19. Pg. 21 motion to add
additional photo.
Jim Kupfer, amend the design guidelines as proposed an amended this evening.
Jack Kay, a lot of Main Street has first floor commercial.
Chair Stephen Robichaud asks for any public comment
Roberta Mauch in attendance. 94 Stevens Street LLC, demolition of a church. Concerned with this
demolition. Holly trees will be taken down. Endangered species of trees. Zoning needs to be reviewed
to protect the character. Concerns with harbor and fisherman history, would like to see more
memorials done.
Anasteci Pacella in attendance. Thanks all for work with the Design Guidelines. Walkability and
sustainability. Public art. Architecture. Main street is intergenerational. Public spaces and public art.
Concerns with vague language – character and historical character, but with no real meaning, Pg. 47,
heading 7, b and d. Would like to add language to this. Examples could include industrial and other
nationalities.
Carolyn Ferrell, South Street. Concerned with maintaining historic clarity of the town. Greeting Hyannis
program. New tree program. Mid Cape Cultural Council. Strive to give grants to people for arts and
humanities. Public art. Thinks Town should have an oversight. Loves the public art we have now.
Examples of. Urge Committee to represent a wide cross section, many historic civic.
Lawrence Brown, Cape Cod Academy. Trustee for Hyannis Public Library. Supports the art wall at the
library. The presence of art on walls is fundamental. Columnist for Cape Cod Times. Modern library is a
living entity engaging the community. Want young people to have a place in community where art is
expressed publicly.
Mary George in attendance of the Cordial Eye. Diverse considerations of public art. Work with artists
that experience many emotions. Economic standpoint, a lot of struggles with putting public art projects
in this community. Would like to create guidelines that will contribute to creativity for projects.
Antonia Stephens, Director of Hyannis Public library. Community Art Wall, very successful. Some of the
language in this section may have an affect on what trying to do. Public art is spontaneous nature and
can be beneficial.
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Craig Florence in attendance. Support for public art. He is an artist. Language in the document.
Exclusionary and pushes out community members with diverse creativity. Should be true character of
people that live and work here. Housing in the area. Should be thinking about prioritizing with our
issues.
Desiree Filkins in attendance, artist and trained muralist. Influential impact art has. Art in public spaces.
Public art has meaningful impacts. Cultural and economic value. Creates inviting spaces. Can
discourage tagging, recommends: guidelines should act as a guide. Should have a color palette that can
be used by artists. Restricting would diminish the trueness of public art. Interactive. Find a balance in
the guidelines.
Mary Ann Agresti in attendance, architect and artist. 16 years in Hyannis, helped renovate many places
on Main Street. Also served on HHDC Appeals Committee. Was disappointed to see that guidelines are
still limiting public space. This is a limited language. The 7 kiosks that were designed, inclusive and to
the history of the character of Main Street. Guidelines should have different ethnicities. Change the
language. Length of Main Street. The art becomes the accent.
Ella Sampou, Maple St., West Barnstable. Pg. 47, under header 7, line item e. Would like the line to
include Cape Cod diverse and maritime character. Already have image of maritime and nautical.
Downtown Hyannis needs broader imagery. 400 generations. Ethnicities. Diverse history. Need to
depict cultural society.
Ray Sexton states he didn’t look as closely to this section. People should be able to exercise first
amendment rights. Some of the language in the guidelines can be tweaked. A lot of people concerned
about the limiting language in this. Maybe take another look at section b. Some of the language is
limiting.
Chair Stephen Robichaud, doesn’t like anything on Pg. 47. Number e, support local artists. These are
guidelines, not binding or regulating.
Michael Mecenas, he agrees with Chair Stephen Robichaud. Likes to hear from the public. He thinks
should have a period after the word artists.
Chair Stephen Robichaud, confirms that HHDC is the entity to review. Might make sense to have an
artistic entity to be the one to review.
Chair Cheryl Powell, yes, cultural counsel.
Jim Kupfer, there are arts commission that can review.
Tom Doherty, likes the way it is written. Doesn’t mean turn down a piece of art. Need guidelines, no
political. First amendment rights. Public art, all different types, people may not like all.
Laura Cronin, likes the way it is written. We are not limiting, will take each on its merit. We are historic
commission. Public art is subjective. Historic district. Trying to preserve Hyannis. This is our purview.
PB does not approve art.
Matt Clark, thanks all for their work that Commissioners have done. PB is making comments that don’t
count.
PB Chair Stephen Robichaud replies – PB does have a say, i.e., GIZ and regulatory agreement
applications.
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Kevin Matthews, art wall at library. Approved this at HHDC. Historic cultural and natural character.
Let’s find ways to find our history and honor it. Do need guidelines or rules. Not anti art. Like to see the
maritime art and history of the area. Trying to administer good guidelines.
Jack Kay, didn’t want to make a guideline that would upset anyone. Arts are very important. It’s
challenging.
Chair Cheryl Powell, does support the arts. Want to encourage. Art that can live within the community.
Maybe amend/tweak with some language.
PB Chair Stephen Robichaud, need 4 votes to move this document forward from PB.
Ray Sexton and Stephen Robichaud cannot support as is now. Pg. 47.
HHDC Chair Cheryl Powell asks if happy with amendment. Taking e out or change. PB did accept
guidelines previously.
Laura Cronin – didn’t have anything in guidelines for this type of art. Doesn’t exclude anyone.
Ray Sexton suggests add language to say strike section 7, b. Section b, as a whole.
Discussion for Pg. 47
Jim Kupfer, bring back at later date and both parties would have to agree.
Jim Kupfer, having two documents would be to confusing. Better to continue.
Discussion regarding bifurcating section - Pg. 47 and accept the rest of the document.
Public hearing will be left open. November 18th 2024, will be next meeting
PB Chair Stephen Robichaud moves to continue the discussion of Unified Downtown Hyannis Design
Regulations and Guidelines to Monday, Nov. 25th at 7:00 p.m., seconded by Ray Sexton,
Roll Call Vote:
Michael Mecenas - aye
Matt Teague - aye
Tim O’Neill - aye
Ray Sexton - aye
Mary Barry - aye
Bob Twiss - aye
HHDC Chair Cheryl Powell moves to continue the discussion of Unified Downtown Hyannis Design
Regulations and Guidelines to Monday, Nov. 25th at 7:00 p.m., seconded by Tom Doherty,
Roll Call Vote:
Tom Doherty - aye
Laura Cronin - aye
Matt Clark - aye
Kevin Matthews - aye
Jack Kay- aye
Cheryl Powell - aye
Adjournment from Joint Meeting with the Hyannis Main Street Waterfront Historic District
Commission
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PB Chair Stephen Robichaud entertains a motion to adjourn the Joint Meeting with HHDC, moved by
Matt Teague, seconded by Michael Mecenas,
Roll Call Vote:
Michael Mecenas - aye
Matt Teague - aye
Tim O’Neill - aye
Ray Sexton - aye
Mary Barry - aye
Bob Twiss - aye
Stephen Robichaud - aye
HHDC Chair Cheryl Powell moves to adjourn, seconded by Kevin Matthews,
Roll Call Vote:
Tom Doherty - aye
Laura Cronin - aye
Matt Clark - aye
Kevin Matthews - aye
Jack Kay - aye
Cheryl Powell - aye
Joint Meeting ended at 9:12 p.m. – Recess taken by the Planning Board
Call to Order Standing Meeting of the Planning Board Introduction of Board Members
Planning Board Attendance for Standing Meeting – 9:21 p.m. meeting started
General Public Comment
Special Permits
Lysetta Hurge-Putnam, Executive Director d/b/a Independence House has submitted an application for a
special permit for 160 Bassett Lane, Hyannis – Map 309 Parcel 232
Chair Stephen Robichaud entertains a motion to open the public hearing, moved by Matt Teague,
seconded by Ray Sexton,
Roll Call Vote:
Michael Mecenas - aye
Matt Teague - aye
Ray Sexton - aye
Mary Barry aye
Bob Twiss - aye
Tim O’Neill - aye
Stephen Robichaud - aye
Tim Sawyer of Catalyst Architects in attendance, representing Independence House. Bldg. on corner is
current administration and small commercial use bldg. leased to a tenant currently. Singal story. Offices,
3,500 sq. ft. parking to rear of property off Bassett and Steven Streets. Looking for relief from frontage,
which requires 85% frontage. We are 77.45% about 8 feet short, but have fulfilled the needs of the bldg.
Asking for relief from that requirement.
Tom Sawyer, draft condition no. 5 eliminated or modified. As of right project.
Chair Stephen Robichaud, ok with striking condition no. 5.
Jim Kupfer – façade build out. Tried to achieve the full build out. Intent to build along the frontage of the
way. He has met intent of the ordinance.
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Matt Teague, agrees condition 5 is burdensome.
Bob Twiss, clarifies, building is 8 ft short.
Chair Stephen Robichaud asks for any public comment. None.
Chair Stephen Robichaud entertains a motion to close the public hearing, moved by Matt Teague,
seconded by Bob Twiss,
Roll Call Vote:
Michael Mecenas – aye
Matt Teague – aye
Ray Sexton - aye
Mary Barry – aye
Bob Twiss – aye
Tim O’Neill – aye
Stephen Robichaud - aye
Motion made by Bob Twiss to approve subject to following Findings - on Pg. 2 of Staff Report dated
September 19, 2024;
Draft Findings
1. The property location is 160 Bassett Lane, Hyannis, MA, Hyannis is shown on Assessor’s Map
309 Parcel 232 in the Downtown Village Zoning District and Aquifer Protection Overlay
District.
2. The Applicant/Owner, Independence House, Inc. seeks a Special Permit pursuant to Section
240-24.1.7, Façade Buildout Requirements which requires a minimum of 80 percent façade
buildout where 77.45 percent is proposed by Special Permit.
3. The Planning Board finds that the despite the requested relief the issuance of the Special
Permit is consistent with the Design and Infrastructure Plan and that the development meets
the following criteria:
a. Provide driveway interconnections between adjacent properties where feasible to
avoid short trips and conflicts on the main road.
b. Provide shared driveways where feasible.
c. Reduce impervious surface and improve perimeter landscaping and stormwater
management.
d. No parking area shall be designed such that parking is within the required front yard
setback.
4. The application falls within a category specifically excepted in the ordinance for a grant of a
Special Permit. Section 240-24.1.7, Façade Buildout Requirements allows the Planning Board
to grant the dimensional relief by Special Permit.
5. After an evaluation of all the evidence presented, the proposal fulfills the spirit and intent of
the zoning ordinance and would not represent a substantial detriment to the public good or
the neighborhood affected.
6. A Site Plan has been reviewed and approved by the Site Plan Review Committee. The
conditions of Informal and Formal Site Plan Review shall be incorporated by reference as
conditions of this Special Permit.
Includes condition numbers 1 – 4, plus 6 and 7 of the Staff Report as well.
Seconded by Michael Mecenas,
Roll Call Vote:
Michael Mecenas - aye
Matt Teague – aye
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Ray Sexton – aye
Mary Barry – aye
Bob Twiss - aye
Tim O’Neill - aye
Stephen Robichaud - aye
General Correspondence
ENF Notification – 228 Straightway and 132 Smith St., Hyannis – water improvement/treatment plant
Staff Updates
Jim Kupfer, Local Comprehensive Planning Committee (LCPC) will meet on Thursday working with Capital
facilities program. Future land use map out for public consumption for comments.
Tim O’Neill – update on Marston Mills Elementary School?
Jim Kupfer, fine tuning conceptuals and then out to public in coming weeks.
Matters Not Reasonably Anticipated by the Chair
Approval of Minutes
September 9, 2024, Draft Minutes
Chair Stephen Robichaud entertains a motion to approved, moved by Tim O’Neill, seconded by Michael
Mecenas,
Roll Call Vote:
Michael Mecenas - aye
Matt Teague – abstain
Ray Sexton - aye
Mary Barry - aye
Bob Twiss - aye
Tim O’Neill - aye
Stephen Robichaud - aye
Future Meetings: October 28, 2024 and November 25, 2024 @ 7:00 p.m.
Adjournment
Chair Stephen Robichaud moves to adjourn, seconded by Ray Sexton,
Roll Call Vote:
Matt Teague - aye
Michael Mecenas - aye
Ray Sexton - aye
Mary Barry - aye
Bob Twiss - aye
Tim O’Neill - aye
Stephen Robichaud – aye
The meeting adjourned at 9:34 p.m.
Respectfully Submitted,
Karen Pina, Principal Assistant, Planning & Development
Further detail may be obtained by viewing the video via Channel 18 on demand at
http://www.town.barnstable.ma.us
List of Exhibit Documents
Exhibit A – Draft Unified Downtown Hyannis Design Guidelines and Regulations