GREENFIELD — The Planning Board presented its draft downtown design guidelines to the Zoning Board of Appeals last week, seeking feedback on how to present its vision for the city’s Central Commercial District to prospective developers.
“A bad project can do a lot of damage to a downtown,” Planning Board Chair Jeff Sauser told the ZBA on Thursday. “So as new projects come online, we have been evaluating our site plan review standards and criteria, and we haven’t felt like they’ve given us quite enough explicit authority to provide judgement, guidance and conditions on certain things.”
Sauser said the Planning Board has been reviewing design guidelines that are available in other communities and created its own version with what members believe are “the essential elements for a downtown Greenfield.”
The draft 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 draft guidelines also include sections on architecture, what materials and colors should be prioritized, roof types, lighting, pedestrian amenities, and parking and circulation.
ZBA members gave mixed feedback, saying they liked the idea and vision of the guidelines but weren’t sure how they could be enforced.
“I can see how this could be helpful to us,” ZBA member Debra Gilkes said.
“I’m not saying I don’t think this is a good idea, but there’s a gap between the idea and at least the Zoning Board in terms of being able to implement and enforce it,” ZBA Chair David Singer said.
In particular, Singer noted that the section on materials and colors might be difficult for the ZBA to enforce. He said the ZBA’s review of a project often looks at site plans and layouts, but does not include detailed explanations of what materials are being used.
The draft guidelines state, “Building materials and color palettes should reinforce Greenfield’s downtown character, support long-term durability and contribute to a cohesive streetscape.”
“I still have questions about, just how does that actually play out and get realized,” ZBA member Mark Maloni said. “But, everything you’re asking for seems kind of reasonable. … It’s not outlandish or over the top. It becomes part of a conversation.”
ZBA member Charles Roberts suggested an advisory design review board could be created to review projects under the standards of the design guidelines and then issue recommendations to the special permit granting authority.
“People don’t want to get a negative recommendation, so they try to go to the length they can with the economic feasibility to adhere to the downtown design standard,” Roberts said.
He added that an advisory board could consist of volunteer residents, hopefully with architectural or design backgrounds, and have Planning Board and ZBA representatives. As an advisory board, it could offer the permitting board guidance and recommendations.
Gilkes expressed concern that the guidelines could limit the creativity of building projects in the future, and said she disagrees that the entire Central Commercial District should be considered the downtown.
“I wouldn’t think that this should extend past 300 feet of Main Street on either side,” Gilkes said. “I personally feel that applying all of this to the CC District is overreaching. That doesn’t give anybody an opportunity to build something different.”
ZBA members suggested the Planning Board explore creating a downtown overlay district, similar to Northampton’s, to allow for regulation in a more specific downtown area.
Sauser noted the Planning Board did not limit the guidelines to any one type of architectural style in an effort to allow for some creativity. The draft guidelines do outline that designs should “reinforce Greenfield’s traditional downtown development pattern.”
The Planning Board plans to review the comments and suggestions, and incorporate feedback into the guidelines at its next meeting.
