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FINCOM MINUTES 02-19-2015
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Town of Canton Finance Committee Minutes Voted on: 3/3/15
Meeting Minutes Vote: 7-0-2
Thursday, February 19, 2015
Members Present:
Rob Barker, Sepp Bergschneider, Jim Casamento, Jerry Dorfman, Nichola Gallagher, Stephanie Leach,
Tim McKenna and Mark Porter.
Members Absent:
Dianne Gustafson, Barbara Saint Andre, Jim Sims and Diane Wolff.
Guests Present:
Jeremy Comeau, Chairman, Planning Board
John Connery, Connery Associates
Richard Mann, Esq., Law Office of Richard Mann
Howard Neff, Senior V.P. & Chief Investment Officer, Boston Mutual Life Insurance Company
Bernie Plante, Melton Associates, LLC
Paul Schneiders, Esq.
Jim Murgia, Finance Director
Ellen Jones, Finance Committee Secretary
Opening:
A meeting of the Canton Finance Committee was called to order at 7:00 p.m. on Thursday, February 19,
2015 in the Salah Meeting Room of Town Hall.
A. Approval of Agenda
Chairman Porter reviewed the items on the agenda.
B. Announcements
Chairman Porter announced that the Revenue Forecasting Committee would be meeting on Friday,
February 20, 2015 at 9:00 a.m.
C. New Business
Attorney Paul Schneiders presented detailed information (see meeting handouts) with regard to Town
Meeting warrant articles for which he is representing the article sponsors.
Article 25 — Amend Hotel Overlay District (HOD) Zoning By-Law
Article 26 — Amend Zoning Map — Placing Limited Industrial within HOD/Royall Street
Article 29 — Amend Zoning By-Law — Allow Restaurants in HOD
Mr. Schneiders stated that there was a contradiction in the current HOD By-Law (passed by Town
Meeting approximately 10 years ago). The current HOD By-Law specifically allows a hotel at only one
location on 50 Royall Street (currently the Homewood Suites). Mr. Schneiders represents Boston Mutual
Life Insurance Company who would like to locate a hotel containing a restaurant, a boardroom and
conference rooms next to its building at 120 Royall Street. The Canton Association of Businesses and
Industries supported the HOD By-Law change 11-0 and the Planning Board supported this change 4-0.
Mr. Howard Neff of Boston Mutual Life Insurance Company presented information about the proposed
hotel. After conducting a needs-based study as well as a traffic study Boston Mutual decided that a hotel
would be better suited for the site rather than an office building. Mr. Neff presented information with
regard to potential real estate taxes, hotel taxes and meals taxes for the hotel with a restaurant. The
proposed hotel has the potential of bringing in $590,000 in tax revenue. In a separate warrant article the
Board of Selectmen would be asking Town Meeting to approve a home rule petition, thereby requesting
Representative Galvin to petition the state legislature for additional liquor licenses for the Town of Canton.
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If the additional liquor license were not approved, Mr. Neff stated that Boston Mutual would still move
forward with the hotel but without a full restaurant.
With regard to Article 29, Attorney Schneiders explained that the current Table of use Regulations
prohibits restaurants in a Limited Industrial District. Article 29 would allow the Zoning Board to grant a
special permit for a restaurant in a particular Limited Industrial District. Attorney Schneiders represents
Topgolf who is interested in building a facility on the former Cumberland Farms property. This is one of
five liquor licenses that Attorney Schneiders is seeking. If a license is not obtained for this site, Topgolf
would withdraw their interest for locating in Canton. Planning Board voted 4-0-0 in support of Article 29.
A traffic analysis was done and Topgolf concluded that there would be no impact to this area. Attorney
Schneiders will respond to Mr. Dorfman's question regarding the expected number of people anticipated
to visit this site.
Article 32 — Amend Zoning Table of Use Regulations — Motor Vehicle Repair Garage
Attorney Schneiders explained that the current Zoning Board Table of Use prohibits most vehicle repair in
a Limited Industrial District. This article would allow "motor vehicle repair garage" and "motor vehicle
body repair and ,painting" in a Limited Industrial District. Attorney Schneiders represents the Ronan
Brothers who would like to put a garage behind their current car wash business on Route 138. According
to Attorney Schneiders, the Planning Board would be making a substitute motion at Town Meeting to
allow the Zoning Board of Appeals to approve by special permit.
Article 23 — Amend Zoning By-Law — Add "Priority Revitalization Area C"
Article 24 — Amend Zoning Map — Parcels along Revere/Neponset St. CCEOD
Attorney Richard Mann, Bernie Plante, John Connery and Jeremy Comeau joined Attorney Schneiders in
explaining various aspects of the Plymouth Rubber revitalization project. The Plymouth Rubber site is
currently zoned full industrial. These two articles would superimpose a mixed use overlay district over the
existing industrial and residential districts at the Plymouth Rubber site on Revere Street and Neponset
Street. Exhibits regarding the Plymouth Rubber project would be posted on the Town's website the
morning of the Board of Selectmen's Public Informational Meeting. The Development Agreement has
been signed by the developer and is posted to the Town's website as well.
The proposal for housing units have been reduced from 500 units 8 years ago to either 295 or 272
(depending upon a 5-acre parcel of land being purchased by the Community Preservation Committee).
Ten percent of the units will be affordable units. Redevelopment will include 26 townhouse style units, 60
age-restricted rental apartments, 186 apartment style for-sale units, 4,000 square foot commercial along
Revere Street and a 10,000 square foot daycare center to be located on a parcel on Neponset Street.
This daycare would have a capacity for 103 children. There will also be $2,000,000 given to the School
Department with payments being in stages.
Mr. Connery explained the project's fiscal impacts on the town. Of 272 units the project will have only
168 units that will generate school aged children. Mr. Connery stated that he worked with John
Bonnanzio by assessing already developed properties in town and the effect those properties had on the
school-age population. Mr. Connery has estimated the long term operating annual range of new students
to be 15 to 25 students per year. While the report was not on-line at the time of the Finance Committee
meeting, the Exhibit would be posted on the Town's website the morning of the BOS Public Informational
meeting. The Assessors will be assessing the project while it is under construction. The Planning Board
voted 4-0 to support these articles.
Chairman Porter suggested that any questions by Finance Committee members should be referred
through him.
Solar Facility — Net Metering Credits (meeting handouts) Mr. Murgia provided an overview for the
—
Finance Committee with regard to the Solar Facility (Fund 111) and surpluses the Town has realized due
to net metering credits. The Town is currently receiving $315,000 per year in lease payments from
Southern Sky Renewable Energy Canton LLC for the use of the property located at the former landfill.
Currently there are ten Town accounts/departments that are the biggest electric users. These
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departments are charged for the electricity not taking into consideration the net metering credits. Mr. Murgia stated that in FY13 the positive result was $303,000, in FY14 $414,000 and so far in FY15 $292,000. At year end the solar fund's balance is closed out and transferred to the general fund. A second meeting handout from Mr. Murgia contained information about the school solar panels. So far in FY15 the surplus is approximately $57,000. D. Old Business/Open Issues Liaison Reports — Fire Department — Chairman Porter reported to the Committee that he had followed up with Chief Doody with regard to the Town of Canton not joining the regional dispatch center in Holbrook. Primarily there were two reasons for this change one being that Holbrook was reluctant to have a community the size of Canton join the regional dispatch and the shift in the state budget for lack of 911 funding. E. Approval of Minutes The minutes for the meeting of February 12, 2015 would be presented for approval at a future meeting. F. Next Meeting Date: The next meeting date would be February 23, 2015 at 7:00 p.m. in the Community Meeting Room of the Canton Public Library. Adjournment: A motion made by Rob Barker to adjourn the meeting at 9:40 p.m. was seconded by Jim Casamento. Vote: 8-0-0. Minutes reviewed by: Sepp Bergschneider Respectfully submitted, Mar Ch an, nton Finance Committee FINCOM 02192015 MINUTES.cloc Page 3 of 4 02/28/2015
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Town of Canton
Finance Committee Meeting — February 19, 2015
List of Meeting Handouts
Amended Agenda (1 page).
Article 23 — Amend Zoning By-Law — Add "Priority Revitalization Area C"
Article 24 — Amend Zoning Map — Parcels along Revere/Neponset St. CCEOD
Memorandum from John Connery to the Canton Finance Committee, dated February 19, 2015, Revised
fiscal profile, service cost and revenue estimates (3 pages).
Article 23 — Copy of Warrant Article, provided by Attorney Paul Schneiders (14 pages).
Article 24 — Copy of Warrant Article along with 3 page explanation of Articles 23 & 24, provided by
Attorney Paul Schneiders (4 pages).
Articles 23 & 24 — Plymouth Rubber Redevelopment, Redevelopment Components, dated February 19,
2014, provided by Bernie Plante (4 pages).
Article 25 — Amend Hotel Overlay District (HOD) Zoning By-Law
Copy of Warrant Article along with explanation of Article 25 and Site Design, provided by Attorney Paul
Schneiders (3 pages).
Article 26 — Amend Zoning Map — Placing Limited Industrial within HOD/Royall Street
Copy of Warrant Article along with explanation of Article 26, provided by Attorney Paul Schneiders
(3 pages).
Proposed Hotel for Royall Street, provided by Howard Neff of Boston Mutual Life Insurance Company
(8 pages).
Article 29 — Amend Zoning By-Law — Allow Restaurants in HOD
Copy of Warrant Article along with explanation of Article 29, provided by Attorney Paul Schneiders
(2 pages).
Article 31 — Amend Zoning Table of Use Regulations - Restaurants
Copy of Warrant Article along with explanation of Article 31 and information regarding Topgolf,
provided by Attorney Paul Schneiders (14 pages).
Article 32 — Amend Zoning Table of Use Regulations — Motor Vehicle Repair Garage
Copy of Warrant Article along with explanation of Article 32, provided by Attorney Paul Schneiders
(2 pages).
Solar Facility - Solar Fund form FY13 thru FY15, Solar Facility net benefit recap, email from Jim Murgia
to the Finance Committee, dated February 13, 2015, Solar Facility Net Metering Credits FY13, FY14 and
FY15 (5 pages).
School Solar Panels - Email from Jim Murgia to Jim Sims, dated February 19, 2015, School Solar
Panels Net Metering Credits FY14 and FY15, (4 pages).
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