City Council - License Committee

City of Chicopee City Council License Committee Members Stanley Walczak, Chair Fred Krampits, Vice Chair APPROVED 8-27-18 Shane Brooks Frank Laflamme Derek Dobosz MINUTES July 23, 2018 The following are the minutes of a public hearing held Monday, July 23, 2018 at 6:30 PM in the City Council Chambers, Fourth Floor, City Hall Annex, 274 Front Street, Chicopee, MA 01013. Members Present Walczak, Krampits, Dobosz Absent Brooks, Laflamme Also Present Carl Dietz (Building Commissioner), Attorney Daniel Garvey (City Assistant Solicitor) The meeting was called to order at 6:30 PM In compliance with the Open Meeting Law the Chairman asked if anyone in the audience was recording the meeting. Hearing none the meeting continued. ITEM #1 Application for a Class II License for Matt’s Auto Mall, LLC located at 1840 Memorial Drive. Applicant Matthew Jenson 229 Miller St. D6 Ludlow, MA 01056 Applicant was present he stated that the previous owner moved to Belchertown and closed the business in Chicopee. Councilor Walczak stated that the previous owner owed fees on the property but those have been taken care of. Matthew Jenson stated that he will be selling used cars. He stated that he sends everything out for repair. Councilor Walczak stated the Departments recommendations state that they do not want the two curb cuts listed as parking spots. 1 Attorney Garvey stated do they need two curb cuts for vehicular traffic. Carl Dietz stated that the Fire Department wants both curb cuts open because there’s not the twenty four feet in here to have two way travels. Councilor Walczak stated the plan shows two curb cuts on Memorial Drive showing parking space stalls. He stated that the Planning Department is asking that these curb cuts be discontinued and that you do not have any vehicle parked there. Attorney Garvey stated that those four spaces need to be eliminated. He stated that the Fire Department has to get in and out in case there is a problem. Councilor Walczak stated he sees no issue with the second curb cut. Matthew Jenson stated he presently has fourteen cars for sale. Councilor Walczak stated you will be allowed twenty six cars with four customer stalls with one Handicap spot. Councilor Walczak was concerned about the signage. Carl Dietz stated that if all we are doing is putting a new face on it he does not think we create a new violation. He stated that the State can enforce it. Councilor Walczak asked if the sign is the same sign that the previous owner had. Matthew Jenson answered yes. He stated he also has one on his building. Councilor Walczak stated that all the parking spots need to be lined. Councilor Walczak stated that drive isles for two-way traffic have to be twenty four feet. Carl Dietz stated that this might be one of the issues but if we have a separate entry and exit point which would allow you to have only a fourteen foot drive isle. Attorney Garvey stated if its two-way traffic but we are creating one-way traffic. Carl Dietz stated that fourteen feet would work for one-way traffic. Carl Dietz stated that when he stripes the parking lot he can put some arrows that indicate traffic flow. Matthew Jenson agreed. Matthew Jenson stated that he will be the only employee. Councilor Krampits stated that the cars for sale include cars that have been sold and are waiting for pickup, cars that are being prepped and trade-ins that are waiting to go to the junk yard. Fire Department No Concerns Engineering Department Any site work requires further review Handicap space shall have 5’ wide access aisle adjacent to it (striped) The parking spots near the pylon sign do not meet the travel lane width of 24’ for two- way travel. Pylon sign is within the State layout 2 Planning Department Property is zoned Business A; Auto trade is permitted (275-58(B)(4)) Planning has the following concerns: 1.) Two curb cuts on Memorial Drive with showing parking space stalls – please confirm if this curb cut is planned for discontinuance and how traffic will know to avoid its use. 2.) Please confirm applicant intends to line the parking area as detailed on the plan (condition of approval) 3.) Drive aisles for Z-way traffic need to be 24’ 4.) Plan notes 2 sign locations – only one allowed. That must be setback 25’ or requires a Special Permit. Signs look to be located in Mass DOT Row; which is a violation. Restrictions 1st curb cut – no parking for 4 cars Traffic flow should be indicated by arrows marked on pavement Owner will drive a for sale car Cars serviced at B&G Automotive Councilor Krampits motion to approve with restrictions – Councilor Dobosz 2nd the motion – motion passed Committee vote 3 – 0 favorable ITEM #2 Application for a Class II License for Economy Auto Service located at 957 Meadow Street. Applicant Ariel Ortiz 32 Lawn Street South Hadley, MA 01075 Applicant was not present Councilor Krampits to postpone to the call of the chair – Councilor Dobosz 2nd the motion – motion passed ITEM #3 Application for an alteration of a Class II license to increase the number of cars available for sale and to display for sale at the front of the property at Broadway Auto Shop, Inc. located at 376 Broadway. 3 Applicant Kassem Kabbout 232 Lafayette Street Chicopee, MA 01020 Applicant was present with Abbas Hamdan Councilor Walczak stated that this was postponed because we needed a revised plot plan. Abbas Hamdan 203 Hannoush Drive, West Springfield stated that they wanted three or four cars for exposure not necessary to increase the amount of cars. He stated they wanted them in the front so people could see them. Abbas Hamdan stated that the plan is not revised. Carl Dietz stated that he thought we were going to revise the plan but because of where the property line is we still didn’t have the fourteen feet to do the cars and still have your fourteen foot drive isle. Abbas Hamdan asked is it fourteen feet from the building to the car. He stated that they measured and it’s fourteen feet. Carl Dietz stated that we don’t know where the property line is. He stated that after we met and you were going to draw up a new plan the owner John had called me just to clarify that we needed fourteen feet to get around and he said we don’t have the room there. Abbas Hamdan stated that he has tried to reach the owner but he doesn’t get back to him for three months. Abbas Hamdan stated what if he just has two cars. Carl Dietz stated if you just have the two cars it would probably work fine. Abba Hamdan stated it’s just for the people to know there is a Car Dealership there because if you don’t have two cars in front the business is hidden in the back. Councilor Krampits stated he thinks the whole issue behind the travel isle was to use this curb cut to go around. He stated that he thinks having a couple pylons and a chain so people couldn’t come in this way would alleviate the issue of people going in and around the cars. Carl Dietz stated that he would be fine with that. He stated that he would like Engineering to comment on it Abbas Hamdan agreed. Councilor Krampits stated that the parking on city property got taken care of. Abba Hamdan stated that it is hard to get a hold of the owner John. He stated that he has a meeting with the surveyors and we will go from there. Councilor Walczak stated to his understanding he thinks parking two cars in front should work if there are no other concerns. Carl Dietz stated that we will allow them to have two cars until they present a different plan. 4 Councilor Walczak answered yes. Councilor Krampits stated to eliminate the four you have there now and bring it down to two cars. Abba Hamdan answered absolutely. Engineer Department Plan should show relation of property line to surface characteristics such as sidewalk and road edge. Parking shown in the rear is on city property. Any proposed changes to the site? Paving, grading, drainage. Restrictions Motion to approve 2 vehicles to be parked for sale Revised plot plan be submitted to the committee within 120 days License subject to review within 120 days Presently 2 cars to be positioned parallel to Broadway Street Committee vote 3 – 0 favorable Councilor Krampits motion to approve – Councilor Dobosz 2nd the motion – motion passed ITEM #4 Councilor Krampits motioned to approve the Minutes of June 25, 2018 – Councilor Dobosz 2nd the motion – motion passed Meeting adjourned at 7:15 PM. 5