2020-09-23 Meeting Minutes
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City of Salem Massachusetts
Public Meeting Minutes
Board or Committee: Design Review Board
Date and Time: Wednesday, September 23, 2020 at 6:00 pm
Meeting Location: Remote Participation via Zoom
DRB Members Present: Chair Paul Durand, David Jaquith, Glenn Kennedy,
Catherine Miller, Marc Perras, Helen Sides
DRB Members Absent: J. Michael Sullivan
Others Present: Kate Newhall-Smith, Principal Planner
Recorder: Colleen Brewster
Chair Paul Durand calls the meeting to order at 6:00PM. Roll call was taken.
Signs
1. 318 Derby Street (Sage - Window Decals): Discussion and vote on signage.
Olivia Oldsman was present to discuss the project.
Oldsman stated that she wants to install decals on the storefront windows. The blade
sign was recently installed. A small change has been made, the window decals were
small and hard to see across the street. Both will be scaled up so their length goes
from 32-inches to 36-inches, and their height will adjust as well. The dot after “home”
will be a smaller than shown. Chair Durand suggested the dot be centered between the
two words “home” and “apothecary” or remove it entirely. Oldsman’s preference was to
keep the dot. The left “Sage” font will be custom and match the blade sign. The skinnier
and similar looking font on right is called Gilmer. Kennedy suggested stacking and
centering the three words, so they are easier to read. Oldsman stated her preference for
his suggestion so it’s centered to match the “Sage” sign. Sides agreed with Kennedy’s
suggestion.
Chair Durand opens public comment.
No one in the assembly wished to speak.
Chair Durand closes public comment.
Kennedy: Motion to approve with suggested edits of stacking and centering the right-
side text.
Seconded by: Sides.
Jaquith, Kennedy, Miller, Perras, Sides, and Chair Durand all in favor. Passes 6-0.
2. 20 Central Street, Suite 103 (Maitland Financial Group – Window Decal):
Heather Maitland of Maitland Financial Group was present to discuss the project.
Maitland stated that the vinyl background will have no black background, it will be
transparent with white lettering. The sign dimension will be 1-foot x 1-foot.
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Kennedy stated that Maitland worked for him years ago but that will not sway his review
of the sign proposal. He suggested if the sign is all white, they eliminate one of the two
lines dividing the text.
Chair Durand and Jaquith stated that they liked the proposed sign.
Chair Durand opens public comment.
No one in the assembly wished to speak.
Chair Durand closes public comment.
Kennedy: Motion to approve with the recommendation to eliminate one of the horizontal
lines.
Seconded by: Sides.
Jaquith, Kennedy, Miller, Perras, Sides, and Chair Durand all in favor. Passes 6-0.
3. 90 Washington Street (Red Lion Smoke Shop): Discussion and vote on signage.
Mike Allen was present to discuss the project.
Allen stated that the dimensions of the proposed sign are 18-inches W x 28-inches H,
the same size as the Bada Bing sign. It will also be mounted at the same height and be
placed above the door with the same silver bracket as Baba Bing’s sign. It will be
directly above his door, above the metal lip.
Chair Durand opens public comment.
No one in the assembly wished to speak.
Chair Durand closes public comment.
Jaquith: Motion to approve as presented.
Seconded by: Sides.
Jaquith, Kennedy, Miller, Perras, Sides, and Chair Durand all in favor. Passes 6-0.
Entrance Corridor Projects
1. Highland Avenue (Barnes and Cedar Road, Overlook Acres: Advisory design review
of revised site plan for multi-family residential development
Attorney Scott Grover, Dan Ricciarelli of Seger Architects, and Scott Cameron of The
Morin-Cameron Group.
Atty. Grover stated that one building location has changed to reduce the impact on the
wetlands. They didn’t meet with the Planning Board last week as scheduled because of
Zoom public participation feature issues. They are looking for an amendment to the
existing approval, to approve the change of location for Building #3.
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Cameron stated that Building #3 was on the East side of the driveway that connected
the North and South areas of the property. It was done to preserve more greenspace at
the wetlands. Rotated Building 3 and placed it on the West side of the driveway. It’s
also 30-40-feet shorter. They’ve extended the length of Building #1 by 30-feet and
shifted Building #4 to provide more of a buffer at the North-Western corner between it
and the wetlands. They’ve upgraded the walking trail to include fitness trail features for
outdoor exercise. The preservation around the wetland will create a substantial setback
and buffer. Circulation around the site and the overall theme is the same.
Ricciarelli stated that when Building 3 was rotated, its length was shortened by nearly
50-feet, because they reduced the unit by 16-units to make it fit in this location. They’ve
added 8 units to building #1 and stretched that building by 30-feet to accommodate the
unit relocation. There has been an overall unit reduction for the site of 8-units. The
Building #3 entrance has also been moved and grade changes were needed to access
parking below the building. They will return to the DRB after the completion of their
Planning Board review process.
Chair Durand noted that these are minor changes and having neither of the buildings
facing the street is good because extending them deeper into the site helps conceal their
length. Jaquith agreed. Sides noted her appreciation for the changes made based on
the Planning Boards earlier comments.
Miller asked if the new wall match the base of the building. Ricciarelli replied that it
hasn’t been determined, it might match the other retaining walls on the site. Miller
requested they address this new retaining wall in a similar way. She prefers the
chunkier building base because retaining walls aren’t elegant. She noted that the
parking has been reduced but the playground is missing. Cameron replied that it’s been
removed due to feedback from the neighborhood. Atty. Grover added that the neighbors
were concerned with parking near the playground on Barnes Road. They are exploring
other options so that it remains open public space.
Chair Durand opens public comment.
No one in the assembly wished to speak.
Chair Durand closes public comment.
Sides: Motion to approve the changes as submitted.
Seconded by: Jaquith.
Jaquith, Kennedy, Miller, Perras, Sides, and Chair Durand all in favor. Passes 6-0.
New / Old Business
Staff Updates: Newhall-Smith stated that SRA interviews with the three Courthouse
development teams were held last week. A meeting in an executive session is
scheduled for tomorrow with the option for an additional Executive Session to be held on
October 7, 2020 if necessary. Proposals are available on the City website, for anyone
wishing to learn more about the proposals.
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Newhall-Smith noted that Kennedy assisted in the proposed sign for the Artist in
Residence sign at Artists’ Row since they were having challenges with their design
consultant.
Brewster asked for an update on the Hampton Inn blade sign. Sides replied that it has
been removed, and the applicant is in the process of appealing the Zoning Boards
decision.
Newhall-Smith asked if anyone knew who the new owners of new smoke shop between
Lafayette and Central Street. They’ve painted the panels below the storefront windows
black and installed signage on the storefront glass without a review by the City. No one
knew the owner.
Adjournment
Jaquith: Motion to adjourn the meeting.
Seconded by: Miller.
Jaquith, Kennedy, Miller, Perras, Sides, and Chair Durand all in favor. Passes 6-0.
Meeting is adjourned at 6:45PM.
Know your rights under the Open Meeting Law M.G.L. c. 30A §18-25 and City
Ordinance Sections 2-028 through 2-203