Planning Board

Chicopee Planning Board Voting Record and Minutes The Planning Board of the City of Chicopee public hearing for Thursday, May 5, 2022 at 7 PM Chambers Conference Room, 4th Floor, City Hall Annex, 274 Front Street, Chicopee, MA 01013 Meeting was brought to order at 7:00 PM. Planning Board Attendance Member Present Absent Excused Michael Sarnelli, Chair X Saulo DePaula, Vice Chair X Cynthia Labrie X Tom Reniewicz X Samuel Shumsky X Planning Department Staff Attendance Title Name Present Absent Excused Director Lee Pouliot X Development Manager James Dawson X Associate Planner Nathan Moreau X Note: The Board took a vote to take the agenda Items out of order and discuss Item 2 before Item 1 and its Waiver requests. Motion to take agenda items out of order and discuss Item 2 first was made by Cynthia Labrie and seconded by Samuel Shumsky. Vote was 5-0 to approve. Member Approve Deny Table Abstain Michael Sarnelli, Chair X Saulo DePaula, Vice Chair X Cynthia Labrie X Tom Reniewicz X Samuel Shumsky X ITEM 1a: Waiver of Preliminary Sit Plan Approval Process for the construction of a new 11,421 SF Travel Center to include convenience foods, a sit-down or take-out restaurant, a fast-food restaurant, and amenities for truck drivers. The development will also include a 16-position refueling canopy and a 7-position refueling canopy for large commercial vehicles. Location: 357 Burnett Rd. Applicant: Pilot Travel Centers, LLC, 5508 Lonas Dr. Knoxville, TN 37909 Notes: (Notes pertain to Items 1a, 1b, and 1c) Kevin Corridan of the City Law Department made a statement based on received information that the Applicant and/or Property Owner may have tried to contact Planning Board Members about the project. Mr. Corridan asked the Board Members on record if any of them had any discussion/contact with the project Applicant or the Property Owner prior to the hearing. Michael Sarnelli stated he would have each Board Member state whether or not they had any contact/discussion with the Applicant and/or Property Owner. All Board Members stated they had no contact/discussion with the Applicant or Property Owner. Based on the statements from the Board Members Mr. Corridan explained the hearing could proceed as scheduled. John Furman of VHB presented the Site Plans to the Board followed by a review of the Site Plan Review Advisory Committee (SPRAC) comments that resulted from the SPRAC review. Mr. Furman explained the Applicant was also requesting a Waiver of Site Plan Regulations for Preliminary Site Plan submittal as well as maximum slope requirements. Several Residents spoke in opposition to the project stating traffic was very bad in the area and the proposed project would only make it worse. Staff explained that per the Acting Building Commissioner the proposed project was an allowable use in the zoning districts that make up the property. Staff also presented to the Board its recommendations regarding the Site Plan and the requested Waivers. Staff recommended denial of the Waiver of the Preliminary Plan submittal due to the site being undeveloped and the proposal being significantly different from a previously approved site plan for the site. Board policy has always been to require Preliminary Plans for undeveloped sites. Staff recommended the Board approve the Waiver of the maximum slope requirement based on discussion with the City Engineer and geotechnical reports. Staff also recommended approval of the site plans as Preliminary Site Plans with the SPRAC comments as conditions of approval. Motion to deny the Waiver of Preliminary Site Plan was made by Samuel Shumsky and seconded by Cynthia Labrie. Vote was 5-0 to deny the Preliminary Site Plan Submission Waiver. Member Approve Deny Table Abstain Michael Sarnelli, Chair X Saulo DePaula, Vice Chair X Cynthia Labrie X Tom Reniewicz X Samuel Shumsky X ITEM 1b: Waiver of Artificial Lot Slope exceeding 25% for the construction of a new 11,421 SF Travel Center to include convenience foods, a sit-down or take-out restaurant, a fast-food restaurant, and amenities for truck drivers. The development will also include a 16-position refueling canopy and a 7-position refueling canopy for large commercial vehicles. Location: 357 Burnett Rd. Applicant: Pilot Travel Centers, LLC, 5508 Lonas Dr. Knoxville, TN 37909 Notes: See notes above. Motion to approve was made by Cynthia Labrie and seconded by Samuel Shumsky. Vote was 5-0 to approve Member Approve Deny Table Abstain Michael Sarnelli, Chair X Saulo DePaula, Vice Chair X Cynthia Labrie X Tom Reniewicz X Samuel Shumsky X ITEM 1c: Site Plan for the construction of a new 11,421 SF Travel Center to include convenience foods, a sit- down or take-out restaurant, a fast food restaurant, and amenities for truck drivers. The development will also include a 16-position refueling canopy and a 7-position refueling canopy for large commercial vehicles. Location: 357 Burnett Rd. Applicant: Pilot Travel Centers, LLC, 5508 Lonas Dr. Knoxville, TN 37909 Notes: See notes above. Motion to approve the Site Plans as Preliminary Plans with the condition that all SPRAC comments be addressed in future Definitive plans was made by Cynthia Labrie and seconded by Samuel Shumsky. Vote was 5-0 to approve the Plans as Preliminary Plans with the condition that all SPRAC comments be addressed in the Definitive Plans. Member Approve Deny Table Abstain Michael Sarnelli, Chair X Saulo DePaula, Vice Chair X Cynthia Labrie X Tom Reniewicz X Samuel Shumsky X ITEM 2: (Tabled from April 7, 2022) Liquor License – New Annual All Alcohol on Premise License for the Windsor Lounge. Location: 101 Main St. Chicopee, MA. Applicant: 2 Chix LLC, D/B/A The Windsor Lounge, c/o Melissa Hojnowski, 26 Linden St., Holyoke, MA 01040 Notes: The Applicant was in attendance and presented her application to the Board. Staff noted there were no “sensitive” uses in the vicinity of the proposed license and recommended the Board provide a positive recommendation to the License Commission. Motion to recommend approval to the License Commission was made by Cynthia Labrie and seconded by Samuel Shumsky. Vote was 5-0 to recommend approval. Member Approve Deny Table Abstain Michael Sarnelli, Chair X Saulo DePaula, Vice Chair X Cynthia Labrie X Tom Reniewicz X Samuel Shumsky X ITEM 3: ANR – 0 Chicopee Street / 40 Greenwhich – AJ Crane Notes: Staff explained the ANR to the Board Members. Motion to approve was made by Cynthia Labrie and seconded by Samuel Shumsky. Vote was 5-0 to approve. Member Approve Deny Table Abstain Michael Sarnelli, Chair X Saulo DePaula, Vice Chair X Cynthia Labrie X Tom Reniewicz X Samuel Shumsky X ITEM 4: Minutes from April 7, 2022 Motion to approve was made by Thomas Reniewicz and seconded by Cynthia Labrie. Vote was 5-0 to approve. Member Approve Deny Table Abstain Michael Sarnelli, Chair X Saulo DePaula, Vice Chair X Cynthia Labrie X Tom Reniewicz X Samuel Shumsky X ITEM 5: New Business / Discussion Notes: Staff explained that there would be a Site Plan with Waiver request from McKinstry Farm and a Waiver of Frontage for 1188 Montgomery Street on the June 2, 2022 meeting agenda. ITEM 6: Adjournment next meeting is scheduled for June 2, 2022 Motion to adjourn was made by Samuel Shumsky and seconded by Cynthia Labrie. Vote was 5-0 to adjourn. Member Approve Deny Table Abstain Michael Sarnelli, Chair X Saulo DePaula, Vice Chair X Cynthia Labrie X Tom Reniewicz X Samuel Shumsky X Meeting adjourned at 9:04 PM.