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Jul25 1 STAFF REPORT PERMIT TYPE PUBLIC HEARING DATE PROPERTY ADDRESS/ ZONE/LOT SIZE CONTINUATION FROM JUNE 13 SPECIAL PERMIT WITH SITE PLAN JULY 25, 2024 7:00 PM 8 View Ave/ URB /CLICK FOR PERMIT FILE Record #LU-24-11 OWNER EXISTING USE SOVEREIGN BUILDERS SINGLE FAMILY Summary of Request: The applicant seeks permission to develop 12 small detached single units with access from North Street along View Ave, which is a private street owned by this owner. This was continued for the applicant to obtain a stormwater permit from DPW. As a continuation, the Board should pick up where it left off, acknowledging comments already received, and seeking new comment on either plan changes or response from DPW regarding Stormwater. Comments from the last hearing: Tree removal, proximity to wetlands, high water/flood risk, architectural compatibility, location of common parklet. Compliance with Sustainable Northampton:- This site is adjacent to the Mass Central Rail Trail, walking distance to schools, downtown, groceries and will provide small attainable ownership options for prospective buyers trying to enter the real estate market in Northampton. This site has long been planned for housing and meets the goals in the plan of creating compact units that provide options to reduce the number and length of necessary trips by vehicle while maintaining approximately half the site as undeveloped forested wetland and buffer zone abutting the bike path. (Pathways 1&7 & 8). These units will be electric for thermal loads with solar capacity (Pathways 4&5). 2 Compliance with Zoning: The number of units over 6 triggers a special permit and compliance with the site plan standards as well. See applicant responses in the attachment. Note: These very specific criteria in the URB table for this kind of development that were intentionally adopted based on the community’s desire to direct new housing in a way that meets the City’s goals and objectives for all the beneficial elements that the City wants out of housing. This was to provide a path of assurance for those investing in development and seeking to building slightly larger number of units witha reduced risk. Essentially this is a cookbook and if the applicant can meet these special provisions as well as the other requirements in site plan and traffic mitigation and tree replacement then the Board should approve the project. A. Buildings and parking. 1) The first row of buildings along a street shall face the street and add to the streetscape. There shall not be any parking, except incidental to a driveway or roadway, between the first row of buildings and the street. Parking shall be located behind buildings or designed otherwise to minimize view from the public street. (NOTE THAT THIS ODD SHAPE means that the driveway is what fronts the street. The location of the buildings at the end of the driveway is what will be visible and not parking) 2) The area between the property and the road pavement shall be made to be pedestrian friendly, with sidewalks, street furniture, trees and other vegetation, all of which shall be in conformance with City standards. All landscaping incorporated as part of the applicant’s design between the street and the building(s) shall facilitate and enhance the pedestrian use of sidewalks and other areas adjacent to the building. Such streetscape may include rebuilding by the applicant, as necessary, of granite curbs, ADA- compliant concrete sidewalks, tree belts, and drainage improvements incorporating low-impact development standards for any necessary drainage improvements triggered by these changes. Note- the proposed sidewalk is bituminous. A condition should require cement. 3) Buildings that abut existing residential properties shall incorporate building articulation alongside facades. Building projections shall be incorporated for any side façade that is longer than 30 feet. 4) Front facades shall have setbacks consistent with other buildings within the block or provide a different setback that is necessary to address any natural resources constraints. These are all small units and not one long façade (eg of an apartment block). B. Streets and roadways. 1) Projects shall connect to all surrounding neighborhoods with bicycle and pedestrian access to the extent possible. a) For projects that have more than one vehicular access, driveways and roadways shall internally and externally connect to each other and dead-end streets shall be avoided whenever possible. Dead-end roadways and driveways shall never exceed 500 feet and, to the extent possible, must include a bicycle and pedestrian connection from the dead-end street to a street, common area, park or civic space. b) For projects that have a single vehicular access, such access shall not exceed 500 feet and pedestrian access shall also be provided directly from any street to residential units. This is what triggers the connection via TRG (due to wetlands) to Northern Ave, which creates connectivity to the neighborhood and access to the MCRT. 2) The design standards for the length of dead-end streets, protection of natural features, sidewalks, wheelchair ramps, landscaping, utilities, and the construction method and materials for water lines, sanitary sewers, storm sewers, fire protection, sidewalks, private roads and other infrastructure shall be 3 those set forth in Chapter 290, Subdivision of Land. These standards shall apply even for private roadways and driveways that are not part of a subdivision, unless waived by the Planning Board. 350 Attachment 7:7 Supp 15, Feb 2024NORTHAMPTON CODE This is where cement concrete is also triggered to match those conditions on North St.and the rest of the urban neighborhood. 3) Driveways and private roadways shall be designed to function as private alleys, or shared streets with pedestrians and cyclists, and engineered to keep speeds below 15 miles per hour, or yield streets with separate sidewalks as shown in the subdivision regulations. Such sidewalks shall connect to sidewalks along adjacent streets. 4) Vehicular access shall connect to surrounding streets as appropriate to ensure safe and efficient flow of traffic within the surrounding neighborhood and to mitigate increases in traffic on nearby streets. 5) Preexisting paths historically used as bicycle and pedestrian trails shall be preserved to the extent possible and marked with appropriate signage. C. Park space. 1) All projects shall include a park/common area fully designed and constructed to be integrated into the project, which area shall be easily accessible and available for residents of the project. At a minimum, this space shall be 300 square feet or 30 square feet per dwelling unit of buildable land area, whichever is greater. 2) All such space shall be contiguous unless waived by the Planning Board upon finding that it is in the public interest and consistent with the intent and purpose of this section. D. Environment and energy. Buildings shall meet one of the following environmental standards: 1) Home Energy Rating System (HERS) rating for the building envelope at least 25% lower than the current municipal standard at the time the special permit is requested, but in no event shall the HERS rating be greater than 47 for units of 1,200 square feet or less, and no greater than 41 for units larger than 1,200 square feet. Alternatively, for units of 1,200 square feet or less, the Planning Board may consider a comparable energy standard to the HERS rating of 47 after consultation with the Building Commissioner. 2) U.S. Green Building Council LEED New Construction Gold or Neighborhood Development Gold Certified. E. Size, access and affordability. 1) Buildings shall meet one of the following standards: a) 11% of the units shall be “affordable units” as that term is defined in § 350-2.1 of the Code of the City of Northampton; or b) Contain 25% or more of the units no larger than 1,200 square feet gross floor area. 2) Equal access. All projects shall provide equal access to all building amenities, park and civic space and public entrances to buildings to residents of both affordable and non-affordable units. F. Internet connectivity. All projects that include infrastructure making internet connectivity available shall do so without differences in quality, capacity or speed to residents of both affordable and non-affordable units. 350-11.6 (Site Plan Criteria) 350- Attachment 7 ISSUES DISCUSSED FROM THE LAST HEARING  Trees- There are 29 trees over 20” being removed for this project. The City does not prohibit tree removal on property. However, the tree replacement requirements for trees over 20” does require trees to be replanted. The applicant is meeting the requirements. 4 o Further consideration that abutter’s have raised is that the Board should not allow this number of trees to be removed because of the cooling effect on the City. Again, there is no prohibition against tree removal in the city. There are many more trees that will remain. The entire canopy that abuts the bike path and for 350'+ beyond the bike path will remain. Just under 20% of the site is allocated for development of 12 new units. There is a balance and that balance is illustrated in the ordinances that require tree replacement via specific formula. Northampton is one of the few cities in the Commonwealth that regulates tree cutting, but only for projects that also require a permit from the Planning Board or Zoning Board. Consider the single family homeowner on Barrett Street who recently clear cut the remaining significant trees in their front yard and a portion of their backyard of a 3 acre parcel. No replanting is required. However, we are requiring this applicant, who is providing much needed energy efficient homes in a place that is walkable and bikeable to grocery, schools, downtown, to replant over 170 new trees either on site or elsewhere in the City.  Tree protection is not included and should be conditioned. See Jun 13 Staff report regarding Stormwater, Traffic and carbon calculations comparing this site with 12 units built in a more suburban location. Staff Recommendation: Final DPW comments have not been received but are anticipated by Thursday. As stated in the previous staff memo, this project represents the type of new housing construction that will fit demand while allowing access to homeownership and building equity. Staff recommends approval of this project with conditions to address issues identified and those that may arise during the hearing. Conditions to consider: 1. Preconstruction plans incorporating conditions that include- cement concrete sidewalks, detailed tree protection for those noted and others that arise. 2. Prior to site work- certification by an arborist that the tree protection has been installed according to arborist recommendation. 3. Prior to CO- a. Traffic mitigation in the amount of $11,000 shall be made to address the zoning requirement for incremental increase in trips generated by the new use. b. Proof that tree replacement in accordance with the ordinance has been completed c. Certification that the lighting installs complies with the zoning and plans. 5 PERMIT TYPE PUBLIC HEARING DATE PROPERTY ADDRESS/ ZONE/LOT SIZE SITE PLAN TWO FAMILY JUL 25, 2024 7:40 PM 57 Woodland DR/ WSP /CLICK FOR PERMIT FILE Record #LU- 24-21 OWNER EXISTING USE APRIL & JEFFREY IGNEIRI SINGLE FAMILY HOME Summary of Request: The owners seek approval to add a pool house but it has bathing kitchen facilities so it must be approved as a second unit. (This would allow it to be used as such) Compliance with Zoning: This is a small unit (640 sf footprint) and due to its location, many of the standards in 6.11 are not applicable. 6 The Planning Board may waive the traffic mitigation requirement as this size is well under the previous by right ADU standard and it is technically being used as an accessory pool structure.(11.6 B2). No trees will be removed. Staff Recommendation: Other than the issues stated above, staff has no concerns with the project. The applicant appears to have met the site plan standards. Staff recommends approval. Approve Approve with Conditions Deny PERMIT TYPE PUBLIC HEARING DATE PROPERTY ADDRESS/ ZONE/LOT SIZE SITE PLAN TWO FAMILY JUL 25, 2024 7:55 PM 35 Bliss/WSP /CLICK FOR PERMIT FILE Record #LU-24-23 OWNER EXISTING USE SARAH RIGNEY SINGLE FAMILY HOME Summary of Request: The owners seek approval to add a second detached unit adjacent to the existing home. Compliance with Zoning: This is a 900 sf unit with attached garage. The standards in 6.11 are applicable. The Planning Board could waive the traffic mitigation requirement as this size is equal to previous by right ADU standard for a 1 bedroom unit.(11.6 B2). The main issue is the existence of two driveways that appears to have been in place for many years. The applicant is proposing to move the driveway to align with the proposed new gar age. Staff Recommendation: 7 From the perspective of the Plan, this is an appropriate location to add a second unit. Moving the second driveway may be appropriate given location of the existing driveway storage and proposed location of the unit. In addition, the Board may determine other conditions are appropriate based on the hearing. Staff has no concerns about the new unit. Approve Approve with Conditions Deny .