(a) Community Meeting(s). For projects with four or greater residential units, or for non-residential projects with 10,000 square feet of new development or greater, the Petitioner will conduct a Developer's Community Meeting no less than 10 days prior to submission for Planning Board or Zoning Board of Appeals approval. The meeting will provide an opportunity for the public to understand and comment on the specifics of the project, the details of such project shall be made available to the public, through submission to DCDP, no less than 14 days prior to the meeting. The Petitioner shall coordinate planning this meeting with DCDP and the City Councilor who represents the district where the project would be built. The meeting shall be announced by the Petitioner no less than two weeks prior to the meeting. The required advertising by the Petitioner shall include a notice distributed to abutters and abutters to abutters pursuant to DCDP's Enhanced Noticing Requirements. Upon confirmation of the meeting time and place with DCDP, said Department will also announce the meeting by posting an announcement on the City website, with the City Council and using the City web-based notification system. Within one week of the meeting, the Petitioner shall submit a summary of what was discussed at the meeting to DCDP. At the discretion of DCDP, a second meeting may be required in instances of large projects with a community impact, or a project with circumstances that would necessitate a second meeting.
(b) Design Standards and Guidelines. The following requirements must be satisfied for design review as indicated, for any development with four or more multi-family residential units and/or 4,000 square feet and more of non-residential development that requires Site Plan Review and/or Special Permit under this ordinance:
1. For projects with between four and nine residential units, and for any non-residential or Mixed-Use project between 4,000 square feet and up and up to 10,000 square feet, Watertown's applicable Design Guidelines will be considered as part of the Site Plan Review and/or Special Permit review.
2. For projects with 10 or greater residential units, or for non-residential projects with 10,000 square feet of new development or greater, or any Mixed-Use project, the Petitioner's/Developer's proposed project shall be subject to a formal consultant design review.
3. Process and Timing: Prior to submittal for Board review, any project as defined in (b)(2) shall undergo a formal design review. The review will be conducted with representatives of the Petitioner/Developer, the DCDP staff, and Watertown's Design Consultant to determine and discuss the proposed project's conformance with the applicable Design Standards and Guidelines.
Within 14 calendar days of the design review, Watertown's Design Consultant will submit to the DCDP a written report analyzing the proposed project's conformance with applicable Design Standards and Guidelines.
The Petitioner/Developer may, in consultation with DCDP, have his/her proposed project undergo additional design review with the City of Watertown's Design Consultant after completion of the required Community Meeting noted above.
4. Peer Review Funds: Petitioners/developers for projects subject to review under Watertown's most current adopted Design Guidelines shall, in accordance with Chapter 44 of the Massachusetts General Laws, Section 53(G) and in accordance with § 5.2 of the Zoning Board of Appeals Rules of Practice, be required to make payment to Watertown's Design Review Fund to compensate the Design Consultant. The base payment into the Design Review Fund shall be a not to exceed amount of $10,000 as determined by the Director of Planning and Zoning. Funds collected in the Design Review Fund shall be used to pay for the services of Watertown's Design Consultant for the Petitioner's/developer's proposed project. Any funds not expended for this purpose at the conclusion of Watertown's review of the proposed project shall be returned to the Petitioner/Developer.
