2020-12-16 Minutes
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City of Salem Massachusetts
Public Meeting Minutes
Board or Committee: Design Review Board
Date and Time: Wednesday, December 16, 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, J. Michael
Sullivan
DRB Members Absent: None
Others Present: Kate Newhall-Smith, Principal Planner
Recorder: Kate Newhall-Smith
Chair Paul Durand calls the meeting to order at 6:00PM. Roll call was taken.
Signs
1. 18 Hawthorne Boulevard (Fisher and Orfaly): Discussion and vote on signage,
continued from October 21, 2020.
George Orfaly, owner of the business, was present to discuss the revised sign proposal:
• Blade sign installed on left side of building at the corner, 8’ from grade;
• No illumination;
• Black sign with gold text;
• Space for future tenant signage;
• Wood sign measuring 12.5 square feet.
Kennedy confirms the location of the sign. Sides confirms that the existing signs will be
removed when the new sign is installed.
Perras asks if the applicant has considered installing two blade signs – one on each
corner – one for his business and the second for the other tenants. Orfaly responds that
he likes the one sign and does not feel as though he needs two on the building.
Sides and Durand affirm their support of the sign design.
Miller asks if the street number is on the building itself. Orfaly states that he will be
installing the street number over the door, but the building does not currently have a
number on it.
Kennedy believes the street number on the sign is appropriate but believes the text
throughout the sign can be slightly adjusted to create more empty space around the sign
edges. Kennedy uses his graphic design programs to adjust the text. Orfaly requests
Kennedy send him the adjusted mock-up for him to share with his sign designer.
Members acknowledge their support of the changes Kennedy has suggested.
Chair Durand opens public comment.
No one in the assembly wished to speak.
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Chair Durand closes public comment.
Jaquith: Motion to recommend approval of the sign as modified by Kennedy.
Seconded by: Sides.
Jaquith, Kennedy, Miller, Perras, Sides, Sullivan, and Chair Durand all in favor. Passes
7-0.
Projects in the Urban Renewal Area
1. 256 Essex Street: Small Project Review – Façade Trim Painting and Replacement
Doors, continued from 11/18/20.
Newhall-Smith updates the Board on her discussions with the applicant. She
recommends removing this application from the agenda while she continues to work with
the applicant on refining the project and application documents.
Jaquith: Motion to remove the application from the agenda until the additional application
documents are submitted.
Seconded by: Miller.
Jaquith, Kennedy, Miller, Perras, Sides, Sullivan, and Chair Durand all in favor. Passes
7-0.
2. 32 Lynde Street: Small Project Review – Window Replacement on a Portion of
Building’s Windows
John Cempellin, owner of the property, is present to discuss the project.
He is seeking design review to replace 13 windows, eight are on the front (southern)
façade, two each on the east and west facades, and one on the rear, north façade. He is
proposing to install Window World, double hung, vinyl windows with grids applied to the
exterior.
Members are in agreement they prefer the two-over-one grid pattern.
Sides prefers an exterior grid and expresses concern over the bright white and plastic
look of vinyl; a buff or off-white product would have less a visual impact. She prefers a
wood product over vinyl. She is also concerned with the size of the replacement
windows since they have smaller glass openings than historic windows and may not
have the same look when installed.
Perras believes that this building is attractive, and the replacement windows should
respect its historic appearance.
Cempellin discusses the various windows on the homes nearby. He has concerns
regarding cost and has also signed a contract with Window World for the vinyl
replacement windows.
Perras asks if the windows come in different textures, which can reduce the sheen of the
vinyl.
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Cempellin doesn’t think the windows come in different textures or colors. He states that
the grids come in almond or white.
Sides would like more information on the proposed windows, the state of the existing
windows, and the types of replacement windows that have been installed on various
projects on Federal and Lynde Street. Durand agrees that more information is needed.
Sides volunteers to review this project in more detail and to work with the applicant
between meetings. Cempellin agrees to work with Sides.
Chair Durand opens public comment.
No one in the assembly wished to speak.
Chair Durand closes public comment.
Jaquith: Motion to support Sides in working with the applicant on this project before the
January meeting.
Seconded by: Sullivan.
Jaquith, Kennedy, Miller, Perras, Sides, Sullivan, and Chair Durand all in favor. Passes
7-0.
3. 304 Essex Street: Small Project Review – Installation of Access Ladder
Shane Yellin, President of Dynamic Property Management, is present to discuss the
proposal.
He is seeking design review of the installation of a ladder to be placed on the northern
façade of the building, which is visible as you travel south from North Salem along 114
and also visible standing on North Street looking at the building straight on. The
purpose of the ladder is to provide rooftop access to the building’s mechanical systems
and to shovel snow during storm events.
The proposed ladder is aluminum, silver, measuring 23.75” in width and will be installed
with the lowest rung at 12’ from grade. The ladder goes to the rooftop – a distance of
26’ – where it will be attached to a 6.75’ long aluminum landing platform that has railings
extending upwards 4.25’.
Perras asks about the one-story addition on the back of the building. Yellin states that
the addition is on the adjacent property and can’t be used to access his building’s roof.
Durand confirms the material.
Perras asks if the ladder comes in black. Yellin states that it does not. Newhall-Smith
states that the specification sheet says powder coating is an option.
Kennedy discusses his own research into this for his property. He has limited his
searches to only black ladders. He is happy to share what he has found with this
applicant.
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Sides suggests the applicant work with Kennedy to find an appropriate black ladder.
Yellin asks if the board would be supportive of this project if he can confirm that the
ladder will be black. Board members indicate their agreement.
Mille confirms that the ladder must be powder coated black, not just painted.
Durand states that the board can conditionally recommend approval of the project so
long as Yellin can provide documentation to staff that the ladder can be powder coated
in black.
Sullivan states that all of the components of the ladder must also be black.
Chair Durand opens public comment.
No one in the assembly wished to speak.
Chair Durand closes public comment.
Sullivan: Motion to conditionally recommend approval of the project upon the provision of
documentation to staff that the ladder and all of its components will be powder coated
black.
Seconded by: Jaquith.
Jaquith, Kennedy, Miller, Perras, Sides, Sullivan, and Chair Durand all in favor. Passes
7-0.
New / Old Business
1. Approval of Minutes:
a. May 27, 2020
Sides: Motion to approve the minutes from the May 27, 2020 DRB meeting as
presented.
Seconded by: Jaquith
Jaquith, Kennedy, Miller, Perras, Sides and Chair Durand all in favor. Passes 6-
0.
b. August 26, 2020
Miler: Motion to approve the minutes from the August 26, 2020 DRB meeting as
presented.
Seconded by: Jaquith
Jaquith, Kennedy, Miller, Perras, Sides, Sullivan, and Chair Durand all in favor.
Passes 7-0.
c. November 18, 2020
Perras: Motion to approve the minutes from the November 18, 2020 DRB
meeting as presented.
Seconded by: Jaquith
Jaquith, Kennedy, Miller, Perras, Sullivan, and Chair Durand all in favor. Passes
6-0.
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2. Staff Updates: there are no updates to discuss.
Adjournment
Jaquith: Motion to adjourn the meeting.
Seconded by: Sides.
Jaquith, Kennedy, Miller, Perras, Sullivan, and Chair Durand all in favor. Passes 7-0.
Meeting is adjourned at 7:00 PM.
Know your rights under the Open Meeting Law M.G.L. c. 30A §18-25 and City
Ordinance Sections 2-028 through 2-203