so I'm going to call the Tuesday April 2nd 2024 meeting of the hon metal planning board the order um is there anyone in the audience who might be recording this meeting please state your name and the method you're recording think none we can move on from that uh those in attendance I'm going to have you announce your own name Cassie cheris swo Russell Denver fan shell all right uh first order of business is approval of the February 20th 2024 Open Session minutes I have a motion move to approve the February 20th 2024 Open session meeting minutes SEC motion made in second any discussion hearing none all in favor say I I uh approval of the March 19th 2024 Open Session minute make a motion to approve the March 19th 202 open second second any discussion so motion has been made and second it all in favor say iOS say nay so that passes Mr Terell first item of business please Cas s-221 d05 request for amendment of special permit for brew practi a brewery and Tap Room seeking amendment to include entertainment at 45 bald Street c partial ID 27-11 DC located in the industrial loing District applicant okay Canon heckly there we go thank you 53 Forest Len Road long metal Mass 01106 so please come forward so I I should tell you so this is an amendment to the special permit special permits taken affirmed there four votes uh there are four of us here this evening one member was unable to attend so we can either proceed or you can delay it for two weeks but your call I will be out of the country so I need to do it now okay all right okay okay and do I need to sign in here please yeah than you still need a motion to open public hearing I will okay so do I have a motion to open the public hearing so Mo okay motion made in second all in favor say I I I think why don't we just start off introduce yourself introduce the business tell us what your plans are because really there was really no information about the type of entertainment length of entertainment inside outside that type of thing so we'd like to know more so Tanzania Canon eckerly I am the majority owner bre practitioners Brewery and tap room here in East Long Meadow we've been in business there since 2021 um it is you have the plans in front of you I know um that I was working with before said that the plans aren't obvious that there is a back Patty area and that so there are like little seats out there I don't know if you can see it in that in that size so it does have a back patio has a little bit of a front patio um both of the front and back patio are licensed by the ttb at the federal level and the state level to have alcohol um the way that the building is set up again you can see in the plants kind of traverses the the length of the building um we have an entrance in the front has a little bit of a Lobby and then in the front what used to be the kitchen area now we just kind of use as um special event spot the majority of the tap room is in the back of the building which faces the back parking lot with the overhead door that opens out to the patio it is a sunken patio as it has that um what is that called a retaining wall and the parking there and then of course the big building and some bushes and then we've put the turf on the ground which is kind of sound um proofing if you will um we do have um radio out there now we've not had any issues any concerns um about that um in regard to the type of music or the length of the music or the length of entertainment I can't really specify um because I don't know it's um whom ever ask or and I hesitant to specify or make any um exemptions or any exceptions just because of we have our public accommodation and entertainment and music is culturally sensitive and ethnically sensitive and as soon as we start saying we can't have something that I might get myself in trouble I would prefer that if there were going to be any sort of restrictions that those parameters be specified maybe in decimals or you know after a period of time but not to address the type of music or entertainment just because that could get me in trouble yeah my my type was either Amplified non-amplified you know inside outside okay of operation for the music I'm those are the things that I was addressing okay perfect um so our oper we don't open let's see through the week I believe the the latest that anybody is even there is 11: p.m. um and weekends I mean clean up and everything 11: p.m we probably would have Amplified just because in my past experience they like to bring their amps and every other piece of equipment with them so um and that hasn't been a problem in the past actually the plast past place that I owned um there was um one complaint um but then the um City it was actually I can't remember his title the um it wasn't the planning board commissioner zoning enforcement officer it was Louie from Northampton he came out and he did the um and he did the desels and it was fine and it was just one person and it was um in a similar location actually it was a little more of a private location we've not had any issues in the past you mentioned the front porch where's the front porch it's got the little have if you've driven by there might have been there before it's got the little way out around do chairs there like at the entrance yes it's just kind of for beautification we don't okay that's fine I was wondering if I was missing something I just always make sure um do the planning that I license it in case somebody wonders out there you know and looks at the beautiful and they have a beer in their hand then not you know in violation but we don't actually utilize the spot as part of the brewery or anything so the goal would be to have it out back where the rollup door is inside or maybe outside on occasion um honestly the the best spot for it would be inside where the roll up door is just so the angle of view is from the inside and outside right and and honestly the U most musicians don't stuff outside because of weather so um I doubt but every once in a while you have you know a um somebody that brings a guitar and want to sit outside in the grass and strum away and so be it um I can't imagine because we don't have a lot of electrical out there either I mean we have some speakers but it's closer to the building um trying to think if there's any other in the past we've had standup comedians um which has you know gone over well um you used to have a belly dancing Troop that would come through I don't know if they're still in business but that was all always great fun um I think that's about it mostly mostly what we're going to do is um I used to do an open mic night um every Wednesday we'll probably um find that again which is actually a huge hit with the community people come in and you know play their three songs and it's like live karaoke without karaoke machine other questions so are you primarily saying that the bands or the music would be set up inside the building with facing out or would there be speakers in the on the patio or there are speakers on the patio now and we actually do utilize um like we pay for um like paid Pandora service and it's out there now and it's not been an issue I honestly can't say exactly where because we're not we don't have a stage um usually the way the bands do it is if if it's a small band they can sit anywhere if it's a band that has a set of drums um that tends to take I mean we're so small we're not ever going to get like we just don't have the space for massive bands um and I very much doubt that um even with the way that the hallway is if turning it up would not even be entertaining it would just be too loud in there so I don't foresee um there being massive like crash band or anything there um yeah I would it's conducive to like a smaller set but I honestly can't say who will come and ask I I do know for a fact that it's as I get an entertainment license um bands will come out of the woodwork and and they will line up and they and they'll ask to play okay yeah oh um I'm going to just recommend following as potential uh conditions that the entertainment be set up inside the building um is there s my ask is there a reason why that would be a concern you're close to to a neighborhood that's all and we just dealt with East Village you know just around the corner from you you know where East Village Tavern is right up the street oh yes yeah and one of the requirements of their permit is all entertainment is in inside okay so um just for the record I'd like to arue we our setup difference and that that it does face towards the industrial side yes but as I said uh as I said at the last meeting it was uh when I moved to East long metal I learned early on and of course I'm a fuddy duddy but uh you know Islam meow was always a place that that had restaurants with entertainment you're a little different because of your license which I understand um but I think just if I sit here and I think of the neighborhood um I think they might be a little nervous about you know bands coming out of the woodwork and being there till 11 o'clock at night when it's never been the way um so that's my recommendation for it to be inside and I would like to also put a limit on the length or the hour hours yeah I how anyone else feels and what you think is an appropriate number I think we just have to be conscious of what we do with these Village right yeah I think I think different right yeah so their license is different and it's I know the town struggled with figuring out I do remember all of that but um I think we got to be somewhat consistent too I know there's a difference we're just I know there's a difference but I think within that I think we're can to find an Avenue of consistency yeah so what do you think what was the other one's time it nine or 10 I don't remember want to say 10 I want to say 10 and it says that they close at 10: are your hours of operation you close at 10 or you close at 11 that's what it says I'm sorry I didn't says you're open 4 to 10 Tuesday through Sunday okay yeah okay actually Sunday we um was a little bit earlier than that but those are the parameters then okay so 9:00 I don't know 8:00 I don't know just no 8:00 too early it's too early yeah yeah so is there a um Town restriction is there no code of in the town like a quiet hour no on a special permit or entertainment license it's they they can put uh an hourly you know stop time and then they would enforce it based upon whether you're beyond that hour of service or obviously if during that period of time if you're too loud then the place can come and there is a there is a standard there a noise and nuisance ordinance yeah yeah yeah I've been do that before I'm fine at I'm fine at 10 o'clock okay yeah all right I think that's when you close and I'll be you know I'm just I just put it out there for discussion but I'm I can be agreeable with 10 yeah and if I can ask if um just for the record if if we can site what the purpose for any restrictions are that way any deviation or any variations I make sure that I hold to the purpose of the reason and not just what we're supposed to do this and and also because people will come to me and they'll ask and I want to be able to explain to them know this is the reason why we do it this way yeah well I'll give you my reason my my reason is uh due to the proximity of the neighborhood um two is you know there were the proximity of the neighborhood I I'm GNA leave it at that so and that's that's my major concern is the proximity of the neighborhood yeah and and I would even be fine if you wanted to do uh and this is excuse me I'm not a band person or a music person but non-amplified acoustic acoustic thank you you know if you did acoustic outside I'd be okay with that yeah but I mean then I think I don't want to get into too too much of a gray area because there's different types of acoustic as well not yeah so that's why I said right how much I know about it huh no electronics yeah I thought the same right because then if you amplify outside I think that's what pun intended amplifies the situation right it makes it a lot louder and carries a lot further but yeah who sticks outside one or two persons think you know that would be a lot more gentle in the neighborhood and again I this is you know it's new to the neighborhood so there's going to be like this growing or this incubation whatever term you know what I mean yeah it's something new and you don't want to start off on the wrong foot by any means that's why we waited yeah and actually the neighborhood came to us and like when are you gonna do music so that's why it took us so long like okay finally we okay so um why don't I accept a motion to approve amending the special permit close the public oh yeah thank you you're welcome well are there any other questions then can I get a motion to close I a motion to close here I'll second um motion made is second to close the public hearing any further discussion hearing done all in favor say I I then might I suggest a motion to amend the special permit to allow entertainment for um not to extend beyond 10 p.m. if there's amplification that it be um we within the premises and non-amplified music is allowed on the back patio yes yes not obviously not to exceed 10 10 o'clock yeah I I think that will and you understand the reasoning what we're trying to do here yeah yeah I'll make it real easy so moved all right any further discussion a second a second okay any further discussion okay all in favor say I I I post awesome thank you thank you completely workable Partners no problem all right other business Rebecca one to Parker Street utility notification um yes you should have a communication that demonstrates that the town has been or sorry the utility has been notified of a um electrical hookup for a small scale solar ground mounted solar project and I'm not seeing it this there yes that's it thank you um so right now the B laws state that for um small scale ground mounted solar projects uh the planning board needs to receive this communication as evidence that the utility has been notified and all you have to do is receive it and refer it back to the Building Commissioner and then why don't we just then go down to proposed bylaw Amendment natural segue um so I filed and uh the president of the Town Council has accepted the filing for amending the bylaw so that in the future um this step which seems um slightly redundant or not very useful um can be um stricken from the bylaw we could have more discussion um when it actually comes to us via the Town Council okay you want to give the planning staff report yes if um I think we need a motion however on the receive and refer to Department to the building department the proposed by NOP the the bylaw has been filed it's the actual receipt of that letter all right so do we have a motion to receive the utility notification and refer to the building department and refer to the building department 163 Par Street second second that's okay motion made in second any further discussion hearing none all in favor say I I um just capturing everything as I'm writing um so the planning and Community Development staff report um really consists of the um bylaw amendment that we had mentioned um we are making progress with the um preparations for the Centertown District um next meeting that will happen on April 23rd no sorry April 22nd May 20th or the next two meetings um the one in April 22nd is um more of a informational meeting where uh p p Valley Planning Commission will come back they will do a more in-depth review of the 40R um zoning um The process by which a town would adopt that zoning and then do a full review of the mixed use bylaw and uh zoning bylaw that we have presently um a review of the center Town District bylaw that was proposed previously and then um layer in all of the data that we have through various reports including the housing production plan the housing needs assessment and the master plan so it should be chalk full of information and then the May meeting the May 20th meeting will be um a full-on public engagement meeting where we'll have um residents come and participate in more of an interactive charet Style um I guess it's a it's a game of imagination what would you like to see what would you like to do what would you like to have in our town center in 50 years um and then other than that I would like to note that we have um closed the um application window for the director of planning we are inviting two applicants to interview with us next week um so there's a chance that before the end of this fiscal year we will have a uh new director of planning in place right very good so can I go back to the uh finary valy Planning Commission yes one so Bill and I once served on a charter Commission in town that actually recommended the current form of government that we're in and what Wise Wise choices what we did is um we spent a fair amount of time identifying what we were refer to as similar commun says Islam and uh the thing that struck me with the pioner valley presentation from two weeks ago is they showed the downtown of Northampton and the downtown of chabe which eastampton they CH chck not even remotely close to a similar community of Isam meow and I actually found so I spent a lot of time and this board adopted the Town Master Plan I spent a lot of time with the master plan committee and did not find their work to be um as professional as it should be I think uh those two pictures are evidence of some of their shortcomings so I would uh asked that maybe you could find the other communities that we I knew South Hadley was one I think East Hampton was one East Hampton we use Sturbridge we use Brimfield um as similar similar likes I don't think britfield blood low we use blood L because I went to blood L we use a couple from Central Mass yeah well that's why I was Going's going y i remember this Palmer yeah we looked at Palmer Palmer had they already had this started yeah right and it was the Collins Institute back then it was directing us on who to look at yeah because they were our consultant and so it was not just population but it was other characteristics of um the town like you know how much commercial space versus open space versus residential space you know I know this is very directed you know to the town center and everything but it would be as a mill District if it's yeah yeah things like this you know had some manufacturing wasn't all residential um so um so that when we made our presentations people could go oh yeah yeah we were yeah I know that town and yeah they're like us and to Russ's point we did spend awful lot of time here because we wanted to capture everything that we could in anticipation of questions that I'm sure will come from the public along the same lines because this is a huge undertaking and it's going to direct the future of East Long Meadow so I mean it's Gotta Get It Right to get coming out of the gate absolutely and it was interesting I mean there were a couple like they were a couple that had different like mixed juice housing and you know different characteristics they had a more robust downtown area than I still can't believe we call it downtown yeah I don't know anyone to call it down it's the rotary it's the rotary it's the rotary the rotary but it was something that um helped us you're right I mean lay out lay it out lay it out and be able to say well well I I mean going back there was still a opposition group out there so we needed to really make sure that we did our homework and I'm not saying that the opposite group will be out there this time but I think you need to be thorough to give answer all the be prepared to answer all the questions and I don't even know what the questions are yet yeah you need to do a a premortem of sorts absolutely absolutely yeah but I just yeah I I would just I'm sure it's somewhere in the archives that you could find I probably still have it if you find it if you dig it up I would love I will start going through the volumes that I have yeah and and my mention of like chick and Northampton someone's gonna go what are they talking about and that's that's exactly what it's gonna what it's gonna be okay if I don't even there's got to be somewhere in this state the rotary that we we have has got to be somewhere and that we can I know meol something in that area has a rotary that's lands in there downtown yeah the infamous Margaret gourlay from uh what coner yeah yeah I'm never gonna forget that no just some thoughts I mean yeah I I just want it to be accurate and thorough thorough and yeah so if we can just give you some pointers that would be great yeah no that's great it's great feedback and I I've very much appreciate it I'll relay the message all right anything else um nothing from me thank you motion to adjourn make a motion to adjourn the April 2nd 2024 planning board meeting a second um motion made in second any further discussion there none all in favor say I I