Everett City Zoning Code
SECTION 19
Site Plan Review.
(Amended as part of October 2021 update)
A.
Purpose.
For the purposes of protecting and promoting the health, safety, convenience and general welfare of the inhabitants of the city, promoting acceptable site planning practices and standards within the City of Everett and ensuring compliance with good zoning practices, notwithstanding any other provision of this ordinance to the contrary, no structure or premises exceeding five thousand (5,000) square feet in nonresidential gross building area or containing four (4) or more residential dwelling units shall be constructed, reconstructed, enlarged, altered or used, except in accordance with a site plan submitted to and approved by the planning board in accordance with the request of this section.
B.
Any application for approval of a site plan review under this section shall be accompanied by twelve (12) copies of a site plan, which shall be at a scale to be established by the planning board and, according to the size of the development, shall include twelve (12) copies of all information required for a definitive plan. The plan shall contain the following information:
1.
Location and dimensions of all buildings and other construction;
2.
Location and dimensions of all parking areas, loading areas, walkways and driveways;
3.
Location and dimensions of internal roadways and accessways to adjacent public roadways;
4.
Location and type of external lighting;
5.
Location, type, dimensions and quantities of landscaping and screening;
6.
Location and dimensions of utilities, gas, telephone, electrical, communications, water, drainage, sewer and other waste disposal;
7.
Location of snow storage areas;
8.
Location of all existing natural features, including ponds, brooks, streams and wetlands;
9.
Topography of the site, with two-foot contours;
10.
Conceptual drawings of buildings to be erected, including elevations, showing architectural styles.
Such site plan shall also be accompanied by a brief narrative, as requested by the planning board, addressing these site plan requirements and other appropriate concerns in the following defined categories. |
11.
Buildings;
12.
Parking and loading;
13.
Traffic flow and circulation;
14.
External lighting;
15.
Landscaping and screening;
16.
Utilities;
17.
Snow removal;
18.
Natural area protection and enhancement;
19.
Compatibility of the architecture of the proposed development with existing architecture of the surrounding area.
The planning board shall review such submitted information in accordance with accepted site planning standards and attempt to promote such standards and make certain that the development, if approved, takes place in a manner, which shall in all aspects be an asset to the city. The planning board shall request changes in such plans and information submitted to promote the quality of the development and its impact upon the health, convenience and general welfare of the inhabitants of the city. The planning board may also request, in their sole discretion, additional studies which may include but are not limited to, traffic, noise, and comprehensive environmental studies. The planning board shall review and amend all such submitted plans in accordance with the following criteria: |
20.
Adequacy of the parking facilities and number of parking spaces proposed for each development;
21.
Adequacy of loading facilities;
22.
Adequacy of traffic circulation system;
23.
Adequacy of access points and routs to and from the land parcel to adjoining streets and ways;
24.
Adequacy of type and amount of external lighting to be provided on the parcel;
25.
Adequacy of type, quality and quantity of landscaping to promote an aesthetically pleasing environment and to properly screen the development from adjacent land uses;
26.
Adequacy of type, quality and quantity of vegetative screening to protect adjacent and nearby land parcels from structures not aesthetically pleasing or wholly compatible with such parcels;
27.
Adequacy of the methods of disposal of sewage, refuse, and other waste;
28.
Adequacy of the method of surface drainage across from the site;
29.
Adequacy of the method of water distribution to and from the parcel and its structures;
30.
Adequacy of pedestrian circulation systems to and from parking areas and structures;
31.
Adequacy of protection or enhancement of natural areas;
32.
Compatibility of the architecture of structures with the architecture of surrounding or nearby buildings.
C.
The Planning Board shall, within seven (7) days after receipt of said application transmit one (1) copy of said application and plans to the inspector of buildings, city engineer, board of health, conservation commission and director of community development, who may at their discretion investigate the application and report in writing their recommendations to the planning board. The planning board shall not take final action on such plan until it has received a report thereon from the inspector of buildings, city engineer, board of health and conservation commission or until thirty-five (35) days have elapsed after distribution of such application without submission of a report. Notice of the filing of the application shall be given to the city clerk, fire department, police department, superintendent of streets and school department and further notice shall be given as required by the planning board, and a public hearing shall be held within sixty-five (65) days after filing of an application in accordance with Massachusetts General Laws, Chapter 40A.
D.
Failure of the planning board to take final action upon an application within ninety (90) days, following the date of the final public hearing shall be deemed to be a grant of the approval applied for.
E.
After a notice and public hearing as set forth above, the planning board, by a two-thirds (2/3) vote, may approve the plan provided that:
1.
The proposed development shall properly screen itself, its buildings, structures and other construction with vegetative landscaping, earth berms, fencing or other appropriate screening as determined by the planning board.
2.
To protect the quality of the surrounding area and environment, if such surrounding area is residential in nature, is land reserved for conservation use or is land which the board determines to be appropriate for such a requirement, a buffer zone shall exist along the property line within which no construction or destruction of land shall take place. The size of such zone shall be determined by the planning board according to the size of the proposed development, the land uses of the surrounding area, the aesthetic aspects of the development, and all impacts of the proposed development upon such surrounding areas which can be alleviated through such a buffer zone.
3.
In specific instances where the planning board deems such to be appropriate, it shall assess the compatibility of the architecture of a proposed development with the architecture of the surrounding structures and land uses and may request alterations to the architecture of such proposed development to ensure compatibility.
4.
The planning board may, in appropriate cases as it determined, impose further restrictions upon the development or parts thereof as a condition to granting the approval and may waive any defined restrictions.
F.
In exercising its jurisdiction, the planning board shall conform to all requirements of procedure applicable under Massachusetts General Laws, Chapter 40A, as amended, and the Everett Zoning Ordinance.
G.
Any approval granted hereunder shall lapse within two (2) years if substantial construction thereof has not commenced by such date except for good cause.
H.
Site Plan Review Fee: A fee of $1,500.00 or $.10/square foot, whichever is greater, will be imposed for site plan review.