Planning Board

Chicopee Planning Board Voting Record and Minutes The Planning Board of the City of Chicopee public hearing for Thursday, June 5, 2025 at 7 PM Chambers Conference Room, 4th Floor, City Hall Annex, 274 Front Street, Chicopee, MA 01013 or RiverMills Senior Center, Classroom 30, 5 West Main St., Chicopee, MA 01020 Meeting was brought to order at 7:12 PM. Planning Board Attendance Member Present Absent Excused Michael Sarnelli, Chair X Cynthia Labrie, Vice Chair X Andrew Desrochers, Clerk X Eric Oulette, PVPC Rep X Tom Reniewicz X Rajesh Sanghvi X John Paquette Jr. X Planning Department Staff Attendance Title Name Present Absent Excused Director Lee Pouliot X Development Manager James Dawson X Assistant Planner Patrick Collins X Associate Planner Nick Kiser X NOTE: The meeting began late as there was a very large number of attendees that exceeded the room capacity of Classroom 30. The meeting had to be relocated to a larger room within the RiverMills Senior Center. A sign was posted on the door of Classroom 30 to advise people of the room change. ITEM 1: Zone Change from Business A to Residential B for .78 +/- acres located at 11 St. Anthony St., Chicopee, MA. to allow for the most appropriate use of the existing structure by aligning with the zoning code’s definition of “hospital”. The change will support the provision of essential health and recovery services for the community. Applicant: John Murphy, 16 Bay Rd., Hamilton, MA 01982. Notes: The Applicant presented the proposed Zone Change request to the Board. He explained the vision for the vacant nursing home facilities becoming rehabilitation centers to treat drug and alcohol dependent individuals in need of help. He answered the Board’s questions about it. He stated that his business operates nine other similar facilities across Massachusetts. With the exception of one resident, all in attendance were in opposition to the proposal as they felt the proposed use was not appropriate for the neighborhood for various reasons. The Board reminded the crowd that the purpose of the hearing was strictly for the Zone Change of the properties and any future plans if required would be dealt with at a later date as a site plan submittal. Staff noted the Planning Board is only a recommending body to the City Council and that the City Council was the granting authority of the Zone Change. Staff also noted the Applicant must also obtain a Special Permit from the City Council. The Board voted to recommend approval of the Zone Change to the City Council as it would not constitute a spot zone and the change would conform to the surrounding zoning district of Residential B. Motion to recommend denial to the City Council for the sake of discussion was made by Thomas Reniewicz and seconded by John Paquette, Jr. Vote was 3 to recommend approval and 1 to deny. Member Approve Deny Table Abstain Michael Sarnelli X Tom Reniewicz X John Paquette Jr. X Andrew Desrochers X ITEM 2: Zone Change from Business A to Residential B for .99 +/- acres located at 546 Chicopee St., Chicopee, MA. to allow for the most appropriate use of the existing structure by aligning with the zoning code’s definition of “hospital”. The change will support the provision of essential health and recovery services for the community. Applicant: John Murphy, 16 Bay Rd., Hamilton, MA 01982. Notes: The Applicant presented the proposed Zone Change request to the Board. He explained the vision for the vacant nursing home facilities becoming rehabilitation centers to treat drug and alcohol dependent individuals in need of help. He answered the Board’s questions about it. He stated that his business operates nine other similar facilities across Massachusetts. With the exception of one resident, all in attendance were in opposition to the proposal as they felt the proposed use was not appropriate for the neighborhood for various reasons. The Board reminded the crowd that the purpose of the hearing was strictly for the Zone Change of the properties and any future plans if required would be dealt with at a later date as a site plan submittal. Staff noted the Planning Board is only a recommending body to the City Council and that the City Council was the granting authority of the Zone Change. Staff also noted the Applicant must also obtain a Special Permit from the City Council. The Board voted to recommend approval of the Zone Change to the City Council as it would not constitute a spot zone and the change would conform to the surrounding zoning district of Residential B. Motion to recommend denial to the City Council for the sake of discussion was made by Thomas Reniewicz and seconded by John Paquette, Jr. Vote was 3 to recommend approval and 1 to deny. Member Approve Deny Table Abstain Michael Sarnelli X Tom Reniewicz X John Paquette Jr. X Andrew Desrochers X ITEM 3: Zone Change from Business A to Residential B for .28 +/- acres located on Chicopee St., Chicopee, MA Assessor Map 500, Parcel 51 to allow for the most appropriate use of the existing structure by aligning with the zoning code’s definition of “hospital”. The change will support the provision of essential health and recovery services for the community. Applicant: John Murphy, 16 Bay Rd., Hamilton, MA 01982. Notes: The Applicant presented the proposed Zone Change request to the Board. He explained the vision for the vacant nursing home facilities becoming rehabilitation centers to treat drug and alcohol dependent individuals in need of help. He answered the Board’s questions about it. He stated that his business operates nine other similar facilities across Massachusetts. With the exception of one resident, all in attendance were in opposition to the proposal as they felt the proposed use was not appropriate for the neighborhood for various reasons. The Board reminded the crowd that the purpose of the hearing was strictly for the Zone Change of the properties and any future plans if required would be dealt with at a later date as a site plan submittal. Staff noted the Planning Board is only a recommending body to the City Council and that the City Council was the granting authority of the Zone Change. Staff also noted the Applicant must also obtain a Special Permit from the City Council. The Board voted to recommend approval of the Zone Change to the City Council as it would not constitute a spot zone and the change would conform to the surrounding zoning district of Residential B. Motion to recommend denial to the City Council for the sake of discussion was made by Thomas Reniewicz and seconded by John Paquette, Jr. Vote was 3 to recommend approval and 1 to deny. Member Approve Deny Table Abstain Michael Sarnelli X Tom Reniewicz X John Paquette Jr. X Andrew Desrochers X ITEM 4: Zone Change from Residential A to Residential B for 22,034 SF at 100 Beaumont Ave., Chicopee, MA to create two new single-family building lots and retain the existing house on a separate lot. Applicant: Andrew Crane, 44 Sandtrap Way, Chicopee, MA 01020. Notes: The Applicant presented the petition to the Board and noted a similar change occurred at the opposite end of Beaumont Avenue in 2023. The Board was concerned about the creation of three lots when there was space for two legal sized lots with the current zoning of Residential A. The Board was also concerned about overcrowding and creating one lot (closest to the flood control dike) that would require Waivers of Frontage, Variances and Conservation Commission approval. Motion to recommend denial to the City Council for the sake of discussion was made by John Paquette Jr. and seconded by Thomas Reniewicz. Vote was 3 to recommend denial and one to recommend approval. Member Approve Deny Table Abstain Michael Sarnelli X Tom Reniewicz X John Paquette Jr. X Andrew Desrochers X ITEM 5: (Tabled from May 1, 2025) Site Plan with Waivers for the construction of a new high bay freezer building and associated stormwater management and site improvements. Location: Pioneer Valley Refrigerated Warehouse, 149 Plainfield St., Chicopee, MA 01013. Applicant: Pioneer Valley Refrigerated Warehouse, Inc. Same address. Notes: The Applicant’s representative presented the Site Plans to the Board. The petition was tabled on May 1, 2025 to allow the Applicant to obtain necessary approvals from the Conservation Commission prior to the Board’s approval. The Board approved the requested Waiver of Preliminary Site Plan submission as the site is currently developed. Waivers for the required number of trees were not required as the plans met the required minimum quantity of trees per Planning Staff. The Applicant had reviewed the SPRAC comments with the Board at the May 1, 2025 hearing. The Board accepted the SPRAC comments as Conditions of Approval and approved the plans as Definitive Site Plans. Motion to approve the Waiver of Site plan Regulations for Preliminary Site Plan submission and approve the plans as Definitive Site Plans was made by Andrew Desrochers and seconded by John Paquette Jr. Vote was 4-0 to approve the Waiver of Site plan Regulations for Preliminary Site Plan submission and approve the plans as Definitive Site Plans Waiver and Site Plans. Member Approve Deny Table Abstain Michael Sarnelli X Tom Reniewicz X John Paquette Jr. X Andrew Desrochers X ITEM 6: Waiver of Frontage from Chapter 275-52 Frontage from 100’ to 75’ to subdivide the property and create a new reduced sized single-family building lot and leave the existing house on a reduced sized lot. Location: 34 Wildermere St., Chicopee, MA Applicant: Jessica Picard, 32 Wildermere St., Chicopee, MA 01020. Notes: The Applicant explained her petition to the Board. The Board is tasked with determining if safe and adequate access can be provided to a lot at the location it is proposed as well as if it is in the interest of the neighborhood residents. The Board determined that approximately half of the lots in the “neighborhood” are of similar size as those being requested and it was their opinion that there is safe and adequate access to each of the proposed lots. There was no opposition from Abutters. The Board voted to approve the Waiver. Motion to approve was made by Thomas Reniewicz and seconded by Andrew Desrochers. Vote was 4-0 to approve. Member Approve Deny Table Abstain Michael Sarnelli X Tom Reniewicz X John Paquette Jr. X Andrew Desrochers X ITEM 7a: ANRs – 76 Joy Street – Hassan Saleh and Edward Alzuhairi Notes: Staff explained the ANR to the Board noting that the required Waivers and Variances had been granted. Motion to approve the ANR was made by Thomas Reniewicz and seconded by Andrew Desrochers. Vote was 4-0 to approve. Member Approve Deny Table Abstain Michael Sarnelli X Tom Reniewicz X John Paquette Jr. X Andrew Desrochers X ITEM 7b: ANRs – James St – W. Mass Land Acquisition, LLC. Notes: Staff Explained the ANR to the Board. Motion to approve was made by Thomas Reniewicz and seconded by Andrew Desrochers. Vote was 4-0 to approve. Member Approve Deny Table Abstain Michael Sarnelli X Tom Reniewicz X John Paquette Jr. X Andrew Desrochers X ITEM 8: Minutes from May 1, 2025 Motion to approve was made by Thomas Reniewicz and seconded by Andrew Desrochers. Vote was 4-0 to approve. Member Approve Deny Table Abstain Michael Sarnelli X Tom Reniewicz X John Paquette Jr. X Andrew Desrochers X ITEM 9: New Business/Discussion Notes: The Board endorsed Chicopee’s updated Open Space and Recreation Plan (OSRP) which will be valid for the next ten years. ITEM 10: Adjournment next meeting is scheduled for July 3, 2025. Motion to adjourn was made by John Paquette Jr. and seconded by Andrew Desrochers. Vote was 4-0 to adjourn. Member Approve Deny Table Abstain Michael Sarnelli X Tom Reniewicz X John Paquette Jr. X Andrew Desrochers X Meeting adjourned at 8:34 PM.