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1960-PLANNING BOARD A public meeting of the Salem Planning Board was held on November 21, 1960, at 7.30 p. m. , at City Ball. All the members of the Board were present except Mr . Malkowski, also Mayor Collins, members of the City Council, representatives of City Departments pLnd the Chamber of Commerce and others (see lists of attendance. Mr. Baker, the Chairman, presided, and opened the meeting by saying that it was an explatory meeting called for the purpose of laying the groundwork for a comprehensive survey and study of Salem' s planning needs including both present and long range ? projects. He said there had been too much recent loose talk that Salem is stagnant and slipping by those who cannot see the difference between transition and stagnation. tie said that it was true that Salem is facing problems created by fast moving and changing conditions of the present era along with many other communities and he said that he felt sure that _• Z5alem c,,ould meet this challenge constructively and t1_,-.t '_ t,.' is ,,E, d .d now is an effective planning program, comprehensive and total in its scope , containing an over-all long-range objLctivu, •,; +.h y;r,_� „ y needs as they come alL.ng fitted into this over-all pattern. 4s such a planning program embraces so many and diverse phases it should be channeled through a central planning agency, such as the ilInning Board, and independent studies made by independent vLencies 2y themselves, praiseworthy for their efforts and purpose, may lead to confusion and indecision. The mechanics of carrying out such a planning program is a complex project and Mr. Baker said that he thought that in order to get this program off the ground would require the services of a planning consultant or agency, this being the least expensive way to obtain the maximum amount of information -• in the shortest time. He said the two important areas of a total approach to meet Salem' s planning needs were : 1) cooperation at the municipal level of all governmental departments and agencies; and 2) active citizenship participation through various civic organiza- tions, agencies and groups, and individual citizens themselves. • Mr. Baker then introduced Mr. Bruce Campbell and Mr. Robert C. Blumenthal of Bruce Campbell and Associated, who discussed the various phases of preparing a master plan for a city like Salem. Mr. Campbell said that a master plan would: 1) inventory assets; 2) determine basic needs; and 3) map a program to attain these needs. He said the preparation of such a plan would require a comprehensive study of population distribution, economics, existing land uses, land use costs, land uses for recreation and public facilities, traffic and parking, schools, etc . Such studies do not commit a municipality to a program of Urban Renewal but it is impossible to go into Urban Renewal without a master plan. Mr . Blumenthal said that Salem' s problems were a little different from the average: there had been a drop of 3,000 in population since • 1950 while at the same time kkxk tble tax base had tremendously in- creased from 50 million to 90 million. The Urban Renewal Bill allows the acquiring of land, demolishing buildings if necessary and the more efficient use of the land , with the Federal Government paying two- thirds of the cost and the city one-third, but this third not necessarily in cash. Mr. Campbell said that a Land Use Cost and Income ,Area Analysis (copyrighted by B. Campbell & As;o . ) presented a survey of areas as to contribution to the tax base as compared to their cost to the city; that some slum areas were found to contribute only 15% to the tax base while costing 40-45% for services. In answere to questions, Mr. Campbell said that the survey for a • master plan would cost $1 per person of population, when prepared by his firm, and that under 50,000 the Government pays half. he said that the City should bave a resident City Planner but that one man could not make the over-all survey required for a master plan. After preparation • of the plan, to get action, it would be necessary either to have a city planner or to promote public participation with the planning board, Mayor and Catty Council. Hr said there were three phases of Urban Renewal : 10 Redevelopment - tear everyt#ing down; 2) Rehabili- tation - tear part down; and 3) Conservation - enforce codes and ordinances. He said recommendations should accompany a. master plan when it was prepared, either by consultants or a cite planner; and that it was advisable to have a city planner on the job while consultants were preparing the mast plan. The meeting adjourned at 9.30 p. m. Respectfully submitted, Secretary • Attending meeting of planning 'board on Nov. 21, 1960- cowrG, CHof azlexn ttssttc �zse## s�RAfl E Planning Paurb fl LOUIS E. BAKER,CHAIRMAN DANIEL J. O'BRIEN, JR., SECRETARY JOHN M. GRAY, JR. PETER C. MALKOWSKI JAMES J. MUSE Izzz s ��,covol 3 (fitg of '�$alEm, Aussarhusetts • YT Planning 19attra LOUIS E. BAKER,CNAIRMAN DANIEL J. O'BRIEN, JR., SECRETARY JOHN M. GRAY.JR. PETER C. MALKOWSKI JAMES J. MUSE 1 , v • `y v2tiu � , � , s QTitV Of �$UIem, flAHS tt IVASIMS S 3YJS 1G ,,,� �Ctzxrritng �IIttP� i LOUIS E. BAKER,CHAIRMAN DANIEL J. O'BRIEN, JR.. SECRETARY JOHN M. GRAY,JR. PETER C. MALKOWSKI JAMES J. MUSE A meeting of the Planning Board was held on December 28, 1960 at 7.30 p. m. All the members were present e) cept Mr. Neuse and Lor. Baker presided. A hearing was held on the petition of John and James V. Grasso to extend the business zone on the northwesterly side of Highland i Avenue between Mvrlborough Road and Verona Street, at present 200 feet in d epth, to a depth of from 300 to 350 feet, this involving changing a general residence zone to a business zone. Mr. Joseph A. Furnari appeared in favor on behalf of the peti- tioners and said they were interested in erecting a building to lease for business, that there were no definite plans as to what kind. of business, the building would probably provide for three stores . He said he thought such a development would improve properties on Marl- borough Rd and it would bring increased taxes to the City. Mr. James Grasso, appearing in f avoP, said he wanted to be a good neighbor, that he will make the property, if rezoned, an asset, and the conditions of the vacant land at the location will be improved. Councillor Cawley, as Councillor representative and also a resident of the locality, said he understood that the rezoning was being requested in order to buildd- bowling alley and- if that was the case he was opposed. He .said that widening the business zone at this point would be the beginning of a similar widening along the rest of Highland Avenue; that business already established there has contributed nothing to the appear- ance of the area. Mr. Thaddeus Weaver, 150 Marlboroiigh Road, appeared in opposition and spoke in particular of the Serve. house on Marlborough Road which • would be crowded by a business extension. Mr. Joseph Serva, 18 Marlborough Road (lot 911 appeared in opposition. Mr. Elmer Dion, 2 Cloverdale St. , appeared in opposition and spoke of the increased traffic nuisnnee and danger. SIn rebuttal, Mr. Furnari said that the petitioners own about 300 acres of land in Salem and they want an opportunity to develop land for the benefit of Salem. He said they would be willing to erect a 6 foot cedar fence on the line of the Serva property. The hearing closed at 9.30. The Board discussed the petition and the need to consider the rights of owners of adjacent and near-by residence property. Mr. Gray advocated the preservation of buffer zones between residence zones and business zones. On motion of Mr. Gray, seconded by Mr. Sweeney, it was voted to recommend to the City uourcil that the petition be denied for the reasons as set forth in the following communication to • the City Council: • ,� �,�•tawnTtiq,, W Ctu of '*ttlem, 'fflttssar4use##s ` m planning pourb LOUIS E. BAKER,CHAAIIA�yMwv PETER C. MALKOWSKI JAMES J. MUSE Ralmond Y1* Sweeney RRPOFT OF T119 PLANNIM WAFM FDR ME YEAR 1980 To his donor the Rayor antl the Honorable City Council, Salem, marss► Dear Sires During the year 1960jI the Salem Planning Board has further considered the preparation of an overs-all Master Flare .for the City. even with thea help of Federal 3overnment grants, • this may be an expensive procedure and the Board has not bad era appropriation sufficient to :U=asegurate sures: a plan. At 6 public meeting* sponsored by the Board to explore the means of solving Sealemt s planning problemas repr�asentstives of Bruce Campbell Assoe ates, professional plannilne conasultantas, discussed Urban Renewal and described the types of surveys and please made by their organization. urban Renewal of certain share areas is in three theses: X71 �#adovelopme3nt (tear everything down) 2) ReYabilitati.on (tear part down); and 3) Conservation (enforce codes aad ordina.�-=cess)* lwo-thirds of tho a s;seanese of acquiring land, demolishing buildings, if necessary, and more efficient land use, r,.nder can Urban Renewal program, vf11 be paid by the • Federal Govi;rnmenst provided the City has adopted a Master Plano Such ,sa plan shows the assets of the City, its basic needs and a program to attain such needs, and the preparation of the phare / -2- requires comprehensive studies of population, economics, existing land use and land use costs, recreation and public facilities, traffic and parking, schools etc. Such planning studies do not commit a community to Urban Renewal but this Board would like to emphasize that grants by the Federal Government for Urban Renewal are made only if the community has previously adopted a Master Plan and under certain circum- stances Federal funds are available for part of the expense of such a plan, The City of Salem does not (>employ a City Planner and it would ,appear doubtful that one man could make the over-all surveys for a Master Plan in any reasonable time. ' However, the Board has not come to a definite conclusion as to what method is best and plans further meetings at which Planning experts will be called in to discuss and • advise in the choice of the best method to select to carry out a Planning program for Salem, that is, either b7-1)engaging a Planning Consulting agency, 2)emplo7ing a City Planner to draw up the Master Plan, or 3)employing both a Planning Consultant and anCity Planner. During the year, the Board discussed the advisability of creating a Traffic Commission to have full authority for the control of traffic. This Commission would consist of the follow ng. a representative of the Police Department, the Superintendent of Public works, the City Engineer, the Chairman of the Planning Board and the Chief of the Fire Department. The advantage of such a plan is that it would lead to a unified and coordinated traffic control. The Planning Board looks with favor toward the creation of such a Commission. The only petition for a zoning change was referred to the Board • by the City Council late in the year. This petition was to change a general residence zone to business zone at a parcel of land, owned by r John and James V. Grasso, adjacent to the business zone on the north- • westerly side of Highland Avenue between Marlborough Road and Verona Street. The Board held a public hearing on the petition on December 28th, at which the petitioner appeared, and opposition was recorded by neighboring residents. At the close of the year, the Board .had the petition under advisement. Respectfully submitted, I Planning Board •