HomeMy Public PortalAbout03-10-2015 Eco development Minutes 03052015_201503060944530307MEETING MINUTES
COMMITTEE ON ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT and PLANNING
Meeting: March 5, 2015
Report: March 10, 2015
Attending were: Economic Development Committee members Stephen P. Corbett, Chair, Vincent
Piccirilli, Vice Chair, and Susan Falkoff, Secretary; Council President Mark Sideris, Town
Councilors Palomba and Dushku; Zoning Board Chair Melissa SantucciRozzi, and approximately
12 members of the public. The attendance sheet is attached. The purpose of the meeting was to
interview Melissa Santuccirozzi for reappointment to the Zoning Board of Appeals. The meeting
was convened at 7:15 PM.
Councilor Corbett introduced Ms Santuccirozzi and thanked her for her years of service on the
zoning Board of Appeals. The committee members asked about her experiences on the Board
and as the Planning Director for the Town of Braintree. Ms. Santuccirozzi talked about the
changes in Watertown and the town's proactive approach to development by working on the
Comprehensive Plan and Design Guidelines. She commented on the range of expertise on the
Board and her feeling that developers are generally willing to work cooperatively with the town
on development projects. The councilors asked Ms. Santuccirozzi about the role of the public in
decision -making and she stated that the public's comments are an important component in the
Board's decisions. She believes it is important for the public to be well-educated about pending
projects and thinks that having required developer meetings has been very helpful.
Members of the public raised concerns about whether citizen input was valued and considered by
the Board. There were also questions about how Special Permits are evaluated since the criteria
are less objective than the criteria for granting a variance. Other residents commented on a
perceived lack of coordination between projects, the role of fear of lawsuits in decision -making,
and the wish for more information from the Board members on how their decisions were made.
Council President Sideris said that the town is planning to hold a "Zoning 101" workshop for the
community, with presentations by the town's law firm on how zoning decisions are regulated
under state law. He believes that this workshop will address many of the community concerns.
Councilor Piccirilli made a motion to recommend Ms Santuccirozzi to the Council for
reappointment to the Zoning Board of Appeals, with a term to expire on 2-15-2020. The motion
was seconded by Councilor Falkoff and approved by a vote of 3-0. The meeting adjourned at 9:15
PM.
Respectfully submitted,
Susan Falkoff, Secretary