Reading, MA — Town Engineer Ryan Percival explained possible changes to the proposed new water pumping station at 160 Hopkins Street to the Community Planning and Development Commission (CPDC) on Tuesday. According to Percival in the June 14 CPDC meeting, the station’s purpose would be to improve water pressure issues in the neighborhood for residences and fire protection.
The original plan was that the new station would be accessed by extending Cedar Street toward the Gazebo Circle neighborhood and would include a driveway off of that extension. After discussion with neighbors, the idea of accessing the site from Gazebo Circle is now under consideration. Percival also indicated that Town Counsel is researching the possibility of a deed restriction on the property. The public hearing was continued to August 16 at 7:30 pm.
CPDC voted 5-0 to approve the final plan for the Grand View Road Extension subdivision, which it previously had approved on February 8. It also voted 5-0 to endorse an “approval not required” endorsement of plans to split the property at 17 Longview Road. Attorney Josh Latham, speaking for the property owners, Robert and Ellen Cagnina, said that the purpose of the split is to protect a large portion of the property from “mass development.”
Rob Paccione, architect of the redevelopment of 531 Main Street, presented CPDC with renderings of the materials to be used on the project’s exterior. By the garage area, the lower portion of the building will be adorned in brick, with the retail portion in the front of the building being sided in limestone. The upper levels will have grey panels on the front, with pale material with dark grey offsets on the north and south-facing sides of the building. CPDC requested that physical samples be submitted to planning staff at Town Hall.
CPDC also opened a public hearing regarding proposed zoning changes for consideration by Town Meeting in November. The proposed changes add language, which would further define when a major or minor site plan review would be triggered for businesses to change the use of space or expand their space. One of the proposals would trigger site plan review if a proposed expansion would require a business to add additional parking. Minor site plan review could be avoided if proposed changes address safety or circulation issues. The hearing was continued until August 16 at 8:30 pm.
CPDC voted 5-0 to assign John Weston to the Select Board’s special committee to examine ideas for downtown parking. It also voted 5-0 to select Pam Adrian as chair for the coming year and voted 5-0 to appoint Heather Clish as secretary. The planned continued site plan review for 18-20 Woburn Street was continued to August 9 at 8:30 pm.
CPDC adjourned at 11:00 pm.
