6 Church Street, Gardiner, Maine 04345 Pat Hart, Chairperson
Dorothy Morang, Recording Secretary
{00030026-0000-0000-C000-000000000046} CITY OF GARDINER
PLANNING BOARD
Gardiner Planning Board June 05, 2008
City of Gardiner, Maine Special Meeting 6:00 PM
ROLL CALL
Present: Pat Hart Judith A. Dorsey Deborah Willis
Pamela Mitchel Edward Lawrence
Absent: Ian Burnes James Montell
Also Present: Dorothy Morang, Planning Board Recording Secretary
David Cichowski, CEO
William Najpauer, Planner
Sean Farris Jennifer Bunting Robert L. Johnston
John Lawrence
1.) Chair, Pat Hart called the meeting to order at 6:02 PM, welcomed everyone and went over the meeting schedule. She noted that this is an extension of last week’s special meeting and the Board has established to review this Application as an expansion of a non-conforming use.
2.) Roll call taken.
3.) May 29, 2008 Meeting Minutes.
Judy Dorsey noted that she had a few additions to add to the minutes and would get together with Dorothy to make the changes and recommended that we review them at the next meeting. Board members agreed.
4.) PUBLIC HEARING – Minor Site Plan Review
John Lawrence is seeking approval for a 25% expansion of an existing non-conforming commercial office use. The property, located at 103 Brunswick Av, City Tax Map 34, Lot 285, is in a High Density Zoning District.
The Board continued with the completeness review. They went over the items that were missing from the last meeting and determined that they are now here.
Judy Dorsey made a motion that the Application is complete. Pam Mitchel seconded the motion.
Vote: 5 in favor. 0 opposed. Motion passed.
6:10 PM Public hearing
Robert (Logan) Johnston, a resident of Gardiner said that he had started the business 25 years ago and feels that this business is very important to the City and talked about its name, Tilbury Publishing Co, having a connection to Gardiner’s famous poet Edwin Arlington Robinson. He also noted that it is not a printing plant, it is a professional office. He asked that they grant this application to allow this expansion.
6:13 PM Close public hearing.
The Board reviewed the Performance Standards in Section 3 and determined that some do not apply.
Pam Mitchel made a motion that the following Performance Standards do apply and the other standards do not apply: C, F, L, O, S, & X. Judy Dorsey seconded the motion.
Vote: 5 in favor. 0 opposed. Motion passed.
Pam Mitchel made a motion that Standard C has been met. Judy Dorsey seconded the motion.
Vote: 5 in favor. 0 opposed. Motion passed.
In Standard F, Buffers, Judy asked the Applicant if he was going to put in a fence or vegetation. John said he prefers vegetation. Bill Najpauer said that the key is the 4’ height to block headlights. The vegetation must be 3’ at the time of planting. He could also use a combination of fence and vegetation. John said he would like to have an option of fence or vegetation or both. He will be working with a landscape designer and will use native plants.
Pam Mitchel made a motion that Standard F. 1. has been met. Judy Dorsey seconded the motion.
Vote: 5 in favor. 0 opposed. Motion passed.
Pam Mitchel made a motion that Standard F. 2. does not apply. Judy Dorsey seconded the motion.
Vote: 5 in favor. 0 opposed. Motion passed.
Pam Mitchel made a motion that Standard F. 3. has been met. Judy Dorsey seconded the motion.
Vote: 5 in favor. 0 opposed. Motion passed.
It was noted that the Applicant is not adding lights.
Pam Mitchel made a motion that Standard L has been met. Judy Dorsey seconded the motion.
Vote: 5 in favor. 0 opposed. Motion passed.
Pam Mitchel made a motion that Standard O has been met. Judy Dorsey seconded the motion.
Vote: 5 in favor. 0 opposed. Motion passed.
Judy noted that the parking spaces are not big enough. They need to be about 1’ longer. John agreed to change that. Chair Hart noted that parking on the street is not allowed.
Pam Mitchel made a motion that Standard S has been met with the condition that the parking stalls be made larger to accommodate the 144 S.F. requirement, parking will not be on the street and vehicles will enter from Brunswick Av and exit onto Washington Av. Judy Dorsey seconded the motion.
Vote: 5 in favor. 0 opposed. Motion passed.
Pam Mitchel made a motion that Standard X has been met. Judy Dorsey seconded the motion.
Vote: 5 in favor. 0 opposed. Motion passed.
Bill asked about a provision for entrance and exit signs for traffic safety. Chair Hart said that the Board is ok with that and will let the CEO handle it.
The Board reviewed Section 5. Q. Site Plan Review Criteria and determined that some of the Review Criteria do not apply.
Judy Dorsey made a motion that Review Criteria 16, 17, and 21 do not apply. Pam Mitchel seconded the motion.
Vote: 5 in favor. 0 opposed. Motion passed.
Pam Mitchel made a motion that the project meets Review Criteria 3. Judy Dorsey seconded the motion.
Vote: 5 in favor. 0 opposed. Motion passed.
Pam Mitchel made a motion that the project meets Review Criteria 4 with the condition that parking is not on the street, the traffic is one way – entering from Brunswick Av and exiting onto Washington Av and entrance/exit signs will be put up. Judy Dorsey seconded the motion.
Vote: 5 in favor. 0 opposed. Motion passed.
Pam Mitchel made a motion that the project meets Review Criteria 5. Judy Dorsey seconded the motion.
Vote: 5 in favor. 0 opposed. Motion passed.
Pam Mitchel made a motion that the project meets Review Criteria 6. Judy Dorsey seconded the motion.
Vote: 5 in favor. 0 opposed. Motion passed.
The Board discussed where the trash cans will go and whether they will be screened. Mrs. Bunting said that she will keep the trash cans inside and put them in the loading bin for pickup.
Pam Mitchel made a motion that the project meets Review Criteria 7. Judy Dorsey seconded the motion.
Vote: 5 in favor. 0 opposed. Motion passed.
Pam Mitchel made a motion that the project meets Review Criteria 8. Judy Dorsey seconded the motion.
Vote: 5 in favor. 0 opposed. Motion passed.
Pam Mitchel made a motion that the project meets Review Criteria 9 with the note that the Applicant must use Best Management Practices for erosion control when installing paving. Judy Dorsey seconded the motion.
Vote: 5 in favor. 0 opposed. Motion passed.
Pam Mitchel made a motion that the project meets Review Criteria 10 with the note that we have a letter from the Fire Department. Judy Dorsey seconded the motion.
Vote: 5 in favor. 0 opposed. Motion passed.
Pam Mitchel made a motion that the project meets Review Criteria 11 with the note that we have a letter from the Water Department. Judy Dorsey seconded the motion.
Vote: 5 in favor. 0 opposed. Motion passed.
Pam Mitchel made a motion that the project meets Review Criteria 12. Judy Dorsey seconded the motion.
Vote: 5 in favor. 0 opposed. Motion passed.
Pam Mitchel made a motion that the project meets Review Criteria 13. Judy Dorsey seconded the motion.
Vote: 5 in favor. 0 opposed. Motion passed.
Pam Mitchel made a motion that the project meets Review Criteria 14. Judy Dorsey seconded the motion.
Vote: 5 in favor. 0 opposed. Motion passed.
Pam Mitchel made a motion that the project meets Review Criteria 15. Judy Dorsey seconded the motion.
Vote: 5 in favor. 0 opposed. Motion passed.
Pam Mitchel made a motion that the project meets Review Criteria 18. Judy Dorsey seconded the motion.
Vote: 5 in favor. 0 opposed. Motion passed.
Pam Mitchel made a motion that the project meets Review Criteria 19. Judy Dorsey seconded the motion.
Vote: 5 in favor. 0 opposed. Motion passed.
Pam Mitchel made a motion that the project meets Review Criteria 20. Judy Dorsey seconded the motion.
Vote: 5 in favor. 0 opposed. Motion passed.
Chair Hart said that based on the discussions from the last meeting, the Board needs to make it clear what can and can’t be done with this property in the future if this expansion is approved.
Judy noted that it is a 25% expansion of office space over 2,000 S.F. and can’t be expanded again. Chair Hart noted that there is adequate parking proposed for the garage/office and storage.
Pam Mitchel made a motion that (Section 5. Q. 2.) this property does meet the provisions of the applicable regulations and ordinances of the City and meets the intent of the Comprehensive Plan, as amended with the note that we are approving this as office space, as a legal, nonconforming use. Judy Dorsey seconded the motion.
Vote: 5 in favor. 0 opposed. Motion passed.
Pam Mitchel made a motion that (Section 5. Q.1.) this project meets all appropriate standards. Judy Dorsey seconded the motion.
Vote: 5 in favor. 0 opposed. Motion passed.
Pam Mitchel made a motion to approve this project with the conditions that the parking lot be larger stalls, the driveway be one way from Brunswick Av and exit onto Washington Av and in the future, there will not be an expansion of office space of a legally nonconforming use. Judy Dorsey seconded the motion.
Vote: 5 in favor. 0 opposed. Motion passed.
Chair Hart thanked everyone for their participation. Mrs. Bunting thanked everyone.
OTHER
5.) ADJOURN
Pam Mitchel made a motion to adjourn. Judy Dorsey seconded the motion.
Vote: 5 in favor. 0 opposed. Motion passed.
Meeting adjourned at 7:05 PM
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