GREENFIELD — During an initial review of the Planning Board’s proposed downtown design guidelines, members of the Economic Development Committee voiced a desire to ensure any guidelines are enforceable, but not too burdensome for developers.
The guidelines, which Planning Board Chair Jeff Sauser said the board has been working to develop for a while, would serve as a supplement to the city’s zoning codes and help developers understand the framework in which projects will be reviewed.
“We know there’s a lot going in Greenfield, in general, and downtown in particular,” Sauser said. “We’ve been evaluating some of our powers, and especially site plan review, and just assessing whether or not we feel like we have the guidance from the current zoning to be able to assess the impacts and benefits of new development on the downtown environment, on the quality of life, on the economic vitality.
“There were a lot of missing pieces … and there’s lots of precedent for having design guidelines like this to go with the zoning code,” he continued. “To provide the Planning Board, and the Zoning Board [of Appeals] as well, a concrete tangible reference that we can look at to evaluate things.”
Sauser said the guidelines would be helpful to developers, so they have an idea of what the city is looking for before any applications are submitted. Having guidelines in place would hopefully prevent situations where developers have to go back and make expensive design changes to meet city requirements.
The draft design guidelines state that “site design should integrate development harmoniously with existing natural, historic and built features.” The city encourages designs that make use of green space, are pedestrian-friendly, use native plantings and orient entryways toward sidewalks.
The guidelines also include sections on architecture, what materials and colors should be prioritized, roof types, lighting, pedestrian amenities, and parking and circulation.
Sauser said the Planning Board believes that the draft guidelines are already within its purview to regulate, and were developed while referencing existing Greenfield zoning codes, as well as looking at design guidelines from communities such as Winchester, Franklin, Framingham and Belchertown.
“You see these exact same types of rules in other places, and many places have much more detailed, elaborate, and specific, and rigorous and onerous [rules] in some cases,” Sauser said. “We think it’s a perfectly reasonable thing to do. … This will support a conversation with developers.”
Economic Development Committee members said they liked the idea of having design guidelines, but questioned how it would be implemented.
“This doesn’t look like any zoning amendment I’ve seen before,” Economic Development Committee Chair and City Council Vice President John Garrett said.
The committee discussed whether the document should be something that City Council votes to endorse, or whether the zoning codes should be updated to reference the documents. Members said they would want it to be easily visible to potential developers and formal enough to hold weight, but also able to be updated as the city’s needs change.
“I think it’s great. I would love to see us apply this to new developments in Greenfield,” Precinct 2 Councilor Rachel Gordon said. “I think the enforcement piece was my question immediately in reading this. I was like, ‘Oh this sounds great. How do we make sure it actually happens?’”
Sauser said the Planning Board’s authority would be through site plan review, and further enforcement of regulations would come through the building inspector.
The Economic Development Committee did not vote or take a formal stance on the proposed guidelines, but members indicated that they liked the idea and would be in support of the Planning Board continuing to develop them.
“I think it is great to have these basic guidelines, and I think it’ll help the Planning Board,” Precinct 4 Councilor John Bottomley said. “People won’t feel surprised when they come in to [meet with] the Planning Board; they might expect certain questions based on reading those.”
