Planning Board Considers North Amherst Library Renovation, Ramp For Bangs Center

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Report On The Meeting Of The Planning Board, April 7, 2021

The meeting was held via Zoom. A recording can be viewed here.

Participating: Planning Board Members Jack Jemsek (Chair), Maria Chao, Thom Long, Andrew MacDougall, Doug Marshall, Janet McGowan, Johanna Neumann. Staff: Chris Brestrup, Planning Director, Pam Field-Shadler, Assistant, Guilford Mooring, Superintendent of Public Works, Ben Breger. Planner, and Rob Morra, Building Commissioner

Public Hearing on North Amherst Library Continued
Discussion on the proposed addition to the North Amherst Library was continued from March 17. Architects Mike Liu of Berkshire Design and Chris Farley and Charles Roberts of Kuhn Riddle presented revised plans that incorporated suggestions by the Planning Board and Design Review Board. 

The primary concerns of the Planning Board revolved around parking and pedestrian safety. The original plan had 10 parking spaces, but 25 are required by the Zoning Bylaw. The new design had another 12 spaces painted on the pavement of the parking lot of the defunct gas station to the north and three on-street spaces on Sunderland Road. The architects stated that street lighting and crosswalks were outside the scope of this project, and would be up to the Town to revise. The curb cut on Montague Road was eliminated in the new plans, so that the entrance to the library parking lot will only be from Sunderland Road. The sidewalk along Montague Road was extended to meet the walk to the new library entrance

According to Mooring, the Town has plans to redesign the streets surrounding the library, but did not receive the hoped for grant from the State. Therefore, there will be no work on the design until at least July of 2022. The Town wishes to maintain the pavement at the old gas station for access for trucks at this time, but future planes would most likely involve demolishing the garage and much of the existing pavement. With the redesign of the North Amherst Center streets, the traffic pattern and parking for the library may need to be altered.

Long asked if the parking could be made more attractive, but Mooring said the anonymous donor has made it clear that they are interested in funding improvements to the building and not in investing a lot into the parking lot. He also said that Montague Road is controlled by the State, so changes in crosswalks and lighting need to be addressed with the Department of Transportation.

McGowan asked about incorporating permeable pavers in the north part of the parking lot, and resident Janet Keller expressed support for a rain garden at the site of the gas station, but the architects said that these suggestions could be considered in the future when the roads are redesigned.

MacDougall worried about commuters to UMass using the lot for all day parking, and Mooring said this is already a problem at the Mill River Recreation area. The Town must work out a policy for monitoring long-term parking in the area. There are four PVTA stops in North Amherst Center close to the library.

Changes to the design involve a sign near the new entrance and a three sided wood enclosure for the mechanicals on the west side of the building. The columns at the new entrance now mirror the ones at the existing building. They will be placed on brick bases for better longevity. The design team is researching the historic colors of the existing library and will finalize the color of the new addition to blend in with that of the existing structure. The colors shown on the renderings are not final. The architects realize they will need to come back to the Planning Board for approval of the chosen colors.

In response to a question by Neumann, the architects said that the roof of the addition would be able to support solar panels, though this is not part of the proposed project. The electrical systems would also be solar ready. Marshall wanted to be sure that there would be adequate drainage of the flat roof connecting the new addition to the existing library. He also was concerned that the large windows in the new meeting be able to be darkened to permit presentations in the room to take place in the daytime. 

There were some concerns about there being adequate lighting for the parking lot and the entrance to the building. McGowan also noted that the management plan submitted previously was incomplete. The design team will return to the April 21 Planning Board meeting to discuss the lighting plan and the recommendations of the Disability Access Advisory Committee. The Town will revise the management plan, since the library is a town owned building, so the Town will be responsible for its upkeep. 

The architects have submitted a Project Notification Form to the Massachusetts Historical Commission as required because the building is in the North Amherst Historical District.

Public Hearing On Ramp To The Musante Health Center
The Town received a $193,000 grant from the Department of Transportation Safe Streets Program to provide a pedestrian ramp to the entrance of the Musante Health Center at the rear of the Bangs Center from the Boltwood Parking Lot..

Currently, the accessible access to the Health Center is via the elevator in the Bangs Center, but the Bangs Center hours do not always correspond to those of the Health Center. Also the stairs from the parking lot to the lower level of the Center are in poor condition. 

Planner Ben Breger presented a plan for the pedestrian ramp (page 53 of the Planning Board  packet), that involves a ramp with a 12 percent grade from the parking lot to the sidewalk near the Health Center entrance. There will be a plaza with benches at the turn in the ramp. Several trees will need to be removed, but will be replaced after construction is complete.

Marshall suggested a better alignment between the ramp and the existing sidewalk. MacDougall proposed a meandering path at a lower grade which would preserve more of the existing greenspace, but Morra said that there is a major electrical easement north of Johnny’s Tavern that would limit construction in that area.

The Design Review Board approved the design with the suggestion that vegetation not be so dense that people do not feel comfortable walking there in the evening. The Public Shade Tree Committee, represented by Shoshanna King, recommended trying to save the distinctive London Plane tree near the building. The Planning Board concurred. 

The grant was received in March with the specification that construction be mostly completed by the end of May, so there was not a lot of time to tweak the plan. The Planning Board voted 6-1 to allow the Planning Department to modify the design incorporating suggestions offered. MacDougall voted no, saying that the ramp will be around for a long time and that a suboptimal design should not be built just because the money is there.

Conditions on the project were to replace trees removed with a mix of hardwoods and evergreens, trying to save the London Plane tree, ensuring that there is adequate lighting, and working to align the new ramp with existing sidewalks. Neumann also suggested a management plan to care for the newly planted trees.  Brestrup will present the finalized plan at a future Planning Board meeting. The Town also plans to replace the existing stairway with this project.

Announcements
The Planning Board added a meeting on April 14 to continue discussion on the proposed zoning changes for inclusionary zoning and the definition of mixed use buildings. They will also discuss the possibility of associate members on the Planning Board and the proposed six-month moratorium for residential units near the downtown and in village centers.

The Public Hearing for the Site Plan Review for the proposed five-story mixed use building by Archipelago at 11 East Pleasant will probably be held on May 5.

Brestrup said the Town is working on a website where proposed zoning changes will be explained and where the public can post comments.

The meeting adjourned at 9:30 p.m.   The next meeting is scheduled for April 14.