Planning Board

Chicopee Planning Board Voting Record and Minutes The Planning Board of the City of Chicopee public hearing for Thursday, August 7, 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 7:00 PM. Planning Board Attendance Member Present Absent Excused Michael Sarnelli, Chair X Cynthia Labrie, Vice Chair X Eric Oulette, Clerk X Tom Reniewicz X Rajesh Sanghvi X John Paquette Jr. X Andrew Desrochers 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 ITEM 1: Zone Change from Commercial A to Residential C for the entirety of 8.3 +/- acres of property. Location: 326 Chicopee St., Chicopee, MA. Applicant: Jones Ferry Development, LLC. c/o Erik Szyluk and Gregory Szyluk, P.O. Box 370273, West Hartford, CT 06137 Notes: The Applicant’s representative, Robert Levesque, presented the proposal to the Board. The proposal is to change the entire 8.3-acre property to Residential C to develop the property as residential. The change would be contiguous to an existing Residential C zone that is currently a spot zone. Therefore, it would eliminate a spot zone. Several residents spoke on the issue and were curious about the number of living units that would be allowed. Mr. Levesque explained the definitive number of units was not known since the subdivision plans had not been completed because the zone change must be obtained first. The Board voted to recommend approval as the new development would work toward alleviating the housing shortage. Motion to recommend approval was made by Cynthia Labrie and seconded by John Paquette Jr. Vote was 5-0 to recommend approval. Member Approve Deny Table Abstain Michael Sarnelli X Cynthia Labrie X Tom Reniewicz X John Paquette Jr. X Andrew Desrochers X ITEM 2: Preliminary Site Plan to renovate existing building into mixed-use space and construct a new mixed-use building on the property with associated parking and other site improvements. Location: 185 Grove St. and 22 Grove Ave., Chicopee, MA. Applicant: RT Commercials, LLC, 185 Grove St. Chicopee, MA 01020. Notes: The Applicant and his representative Jeff Squire from the Berkshire Design Group were in attendance. Mr. Squire presented the project to the Board. Staff explained that the Applicant had not decided on a final use and design for the project. Staff recommended that the Board table the plans to September 4, 2025 and explained SPRAC review could not be sufficiently completed without a decision on the property use as the use affects the parking requirements. Mr. Squire indicated that he and the Applicant should be ready to present again on September 4, 2025 with more solidified decisions on the plans. Motion to table to September 4, 2025 was made by Thomas Reniewicz and seconded by Cynthia Labrie. Vote was 5-0 to table to September 4, 2025. Member Approve Deny Table Abstain Michael Sarnelli X Cynthia Labrie X Tom Reniewicz X John Paquette Jr. X Andrew Desrochers X ITEM 3a: Waiver of Preliminary Site Plan Request to construct a 50,358 SF addition to the existing 87,700 SF building and associated site improvements. Location 880 Burnett Rd., Chicopee, MA. Applicant: Matignetti Beverage, LLC., 500 John Hancock Rd., Taunton, MA 02780. Notes: The Applicant and their Project Engineer were in attendance to present the plans to the Board. On the advice of the Planning Staff the Applicant requested a Waiver of the Preliminary Plan submittal since the plan is an addition to an existing building. The Engineer presented the site plans and reviewed the SPRC comments with the Board. Abutters in attendance commented that the business had historically been a good neighbor and they always take good care of the property. Ward 6 Councilor attended the meeting via zoom as he had some questions about the project. The Board approved the requested Waiver and the Plans as Definitive Plans and considered the SPRAC Comments as Conditions of Approval. Note: Andrew Desrochers abstained from the vote since he had a past connection to the Business as a liquor buyer. Motion to approve the Waiver was made by Cynthia Labrie and seconded by John Paquette Jr. Vote was 4 in favor with 1 abstention. Member Approve Deny Table Abstain Michael Sarnelli X Cynthia Labrie X Tom Reniewicz X John Paquette Jr. X Andrew Desrochers X ITEM 3b: Preliminary / Definitive Site Plan to construct a 50,358 SF addition to the existing 87,700 SF building and associated site improvements. Location 880 Burnett Rd., Chicopee, MA. Applicant: Matignetti Beverage, LLC., 500 John Hancock Rd., Taunton, MA 02780. Notes: The Applicant and their Project Engineer were in attendance to present the plans to the Board. On the advice of the Planning Staff the Applicant requested a Waiver of the Preliminary Plan submittal since the plan is an addition to an existing building. The Engineer presented the site plans and reviewed the SPRAC comments with the Board. Abutters in attendance commented that the business had historically been a good neighbor and they always take good care of the property. Ward 6 Councilor attended the meeting via zoom as he had some questions about the project. The Board approved the requested Waiver and the Plans as Definitive Plans and considered the SPRAC Comments as Conditions of Approval. Note: Andrew Desrochers abstained from the vote since he had a past connection to the Business as a liquor buyer. Motion to approve the plans as Definitive Site Plans with Conditions was made by John Paquette Jr. and seconded by Cynthia Labrie. Vote was 4 in favor with 1 abstention. Member Approve Deny Table Abstain Michael Sarnelli X Cynthia Labrie X Tom Reniewicz X John Paquette Jr. X Andrew Desrochers X ITEM 4: ANR – Wildermere St. – Jessica Picard Notes: Staff explained the ANR. Motion to approve was made by Andrew Desrochers and seconded by Cynthia Labrie. Vote was 5-0 to approve. Member Approve Deny Table Abstain Michael Sarnelli X Cynthia Labrie X Tom Reniewicz X John Paquette Jr. X Andrew Desrochers X ITEM 5: Minutes from July 3, 2025 Notes: Michael Sarnelli, Thomas Reniewicz, and John Paquette Jr. abstained as they were not in attendance at the July 3, 2025 meeting. Motion to approve was made by Andrew Desrochers and seconded by John Paquette Jr. Vote was 2 in favor with 3 abstentions. Member Approve Deny Table Abstain Michael Sarnelli X Cynthia Labrie X Tom Reniewicz X John Paquette Jr. X Andrew Desrochers X ITEM 6: New Business/Discussion Notes: Staff introduced the new Associate Planner Anna Brittan as she was in attendance. Staff reminded the Board that the tabled item on this agenda would be on the September 4, 2025 meeting agenda along with a Waiver of Frontage. ITEM 7: Adjournment next meeting is scheduled for September 4, 2025 Motion to adjourn was made by Cynthia Labrie and seconded by Andrew Desrochers. Vote was 5-0 to adjourn. Member Approve Deny Table Abstain Michael Sarnelli X Cynthia Labrie X Tom Reniewicz X John Paquette Jr. X Andrew Desrochers X Meeting adjourned at 8:01 PM.