Franklin Matters

Wednesday, September 3, 2008

Live reporting - Parking study

2,088 striped parking spaces available
additional unstriped 2 hour parking spaced

77,8 believe there are problems with parking

There is a perception that there are problems when with a little walk there are available spaces available. Can we increase the spots in specific areas? How else can we help to address the perception?

Rarely are more than 80% of the metered spaces utilized.

Bartlett - is there still discussion amongst the businesses to improve the walking within the downtown?
Taberner - while there was good discussion before, I am not sure that has been a current discussion. There is no consensus on a resolution to parking.

Whalen - There is good news on the availability of spaces. It may just be an awareness campaign that is needed.
Taberner - if the town does go down the road of bricks and mortar we should only go forward with businesses as a partnership to share the expense.

Live reporting - presentation on DP&CD

Brian Taberner, Director of Department of Planning and Community Development
Beth Dalhstrom also present at the meeting

Open space and recreation plan due for public review in October 2008

Affordable Housing plan due for 2010

Zoning bylaws

Non-conforming use bylaw due to Town Council in 2-4 weeks
Sign Bylaw revisions to follow
Inclusionary bylaw to follow

Commonwealth Capital
Avg score 76.5, Franklin score 102. Currently only 11 communities have a higher score

Doak - What are the top things that are driving that score?
Taberner - an aggressive and proactive policy development is driving that, will be tougher to get a hig score each year as we go forward. It looks at what you are doing now, not what you did before.

Create a community where entrepreneurs will want to settle and raise their families

Bartlett - given the recent major layoffs, will that pattern affect this?
Taberner - yes, not directly but yes
Nutting - yes, declines in education will cause property values to decline

Nu-Style Property, Grove St

may get a brownfields grant to help in this

Town owned properties
working on unresolved parcels and tax title properties

Four Corners: just about ready to go to the Planning Board and begin that process

Business outreach - don't have the resources to go out and attract specific businesses to Franklin. No longer have the Downtown Manager position to do this.

Industrial zone - substantial opporuntity
900,000 sq ft either empty or underutilized

We want to identify and work with the owners to get the property occupied and generating more revenue than it was before.

Downtown Revitilization plan

continue to work with the Downtown Partnership
establish an image and identiy
Promote Franklin as a Historic Commercial District
Create and promote Cultural Corridor including a historic walking trail

Bike racks - reimbursable project, need ideas for locations

Public transit - EMC interested, meeting with GATRA later this month to explore options

Live reporting - Zoning bylaw

Zoning Bylaw Amendment 08-625: Chapter 185-5:Zoning Map: Business to Commercial II- 1st

resumed after recess

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Vallee - the business zoning is already set for allowing a number of items

Doak - I worry about things going bad and something else coming in with the change and we wouldn't be able to stop it.

Taberner - this is the ideal zoning for that area.

Nutting - Condos are a good thing for the town. One where there were 1200 residents and 22 students was a favorable deal for the town.

Approved for second reading (unanimous)

Live reporting - rezoning bylaw moved to 2nd Reading

Zoning Bylaw Amendment 08-625: Chapter 185-5:Zoning Map: Business to Commercial II- 1st Reading

Motion to move to second reading, under discussion

Vallee - I won't for that bylaw until they tell me what they are going to do with that.
Nutting - I heard that they are attempting to get a car dealership in there.

Doak - I share Vallee's concern. I don't think we should change this to open an opportunity for housing or a car dealership.

Nutting - intent is to take a piece of property that does not pay taxes and turn it into a paying property.

(two minute recess)

Live reporting - Resolutions approved

Resolution 08-56: Establishing an Economic Opportunity Area

approved

Resolution 08-57: Authorizing Tax Increment Financing (TIF)

Further to the Economic Opportunity Area being passed above, there is interest in obtaining the Tax Increment Financing.

Foundation tax collection does not change, the proposal is to provide a tax reduction for the improvement. With the improvements come 200 manufacturing jobs being relocated here from Holliston and RI.

By doing so, the owner would also get state tax credit. If he doesn't do the investment, he doesn't get the tax break.

Approved - unanimously

Live reporting - Street opening bylaw

H. PRESENTATIONS/DISCUSSIONS –

Street Opening Bylaw – Gas Conversions

Doak - can we use discretion to do this instead of changing the bylaw?
Nutting - No, that is a slippery slope.

Whalen - I disagree, I think we are in unchartered waters here. The spot market for home heating and gas prices are still higher than they have been. Anything that we, the Town Council, can do to help our citizens get through this period we should.
Brutus - In an emergency, it is a formality to provide a permit where there is a gas leak. It is between the owner and the gas company (or other utlity company) to repave the street.

Whalen - they are digging up Charles River Dr, what is that for?
Brutus - Verizon is putting in FIOS there. It is permissible because of the age of the road.

Vallee - We have to protect the roads. I helped work this bylaw. It needs to be tightened.
Brutus - the builder had the option to tie in when the road was being done. Others in the development tied in at that time. It is unfortunate that he happened to buy into the property after the opportunty came and went.

Bartlett - How does a road degrade?
Brutus - good recap of the life of a road. (will do more justice with the recording of this later).

Bartlett - What did Maple St cost us?
Brutus - About $350,000 for the top, it was another about 500,000 for the water lines.

Pfeffer - how much was the overlay on Summer St?
Brutus - about $47,000 for that portion.

Zollo - How many requests of this type have come in during the past year?
Brutus - About a couple of dozen.

Vallee - I didn't think we paid that?
Brutus - no it was a betterment fee. The Councilor asked how much it cost and it did cost that amount. We did not pay it.