Zoning Board of Appeals

Zoning Board of Appeals Voting Record and Minutes The Zoning Board of Appeals of the City of Chicopee public hearing for Wednesday March 13, 2018, 6:30 PM in City Hall Annex, Fourth Floor, City Council Chambers, 274 Front Street, Chicopee, MA 01013. Meeting was brought to order by Anthony Gallant at 6:30 PM. Board of Appeals attendance: Member Name Present Absent Excused Regular Roland Archambault Chair X Regular Anthony Gallant, Vice Chair X Regular Carissa Lisee, Clerk X Regular Gary Stamborski X Regular Christina Loy X Assoc. Katherine Baldiga X Assoc. Matthew Bieda X Planning Staff attendance: Title Name Present Excused Planning Director Lee Pouliot X Assistant Planner Patrick McKenna X Development Manager Jim Dawson X *Note – Associate Member Katherine Baldiga voted in place of Roland Archambault who resigned from the Board. Item 1: Variance from Chapter 275-40 C (16) to allow the length of a dead parking lot aisle from 150’ to 201’. Location: Existing apartments at 735 James St. Applicant: DSL Property Services, LLC, c/o Donald Lydon, P.O. Box 541, Belchertown, MA 01007 Notes: Mark Reed of Heritage Surveys gave a brief overview of the project and presented the petition to the Board. He noted that the Applicant had removed the existing parking lot and was stopped by the City as he was unaware that a SPRAC Review was required to reconstruct the parking lot. The Applicant met with Planning Staff with a draft plan and was advised that a Variance was required for the length of the dead ended parking lot. One Abutter who was opposed to the project asked several questions that were either addressed by the Applicant or the Board. It was the Board’s opinion that the project involved replacing an existing parking lot and the reconstructed lot would meet setback requirements and be an improvement over the existing lot. Motion to approve was made by Anthony Gallant and seconded by Christina Loy. Vote was 5-0 to approve. Member Voting members Approve Deny Table Abstain Regular Anthony Gallant, Vice Chair X Regular Carissa Lisee, Clerk X Regular Gary Stamborski X Regular Christina Loy X Assoc. Katherine Baldiga X 1 Item 2: Variance from Chapter 275-62 setback requirement from 25’ to 6’ for the purpose of installing a fiber optic shed. Location: Baskin Dr. Assessor Map 209, Parcel 1. Applicant: Chicopee Electric Light, 725 Front St. P.O. Box 405, Chicopee, MA 01021 Notes: Dan Maciolek of Chicopee Electric Light presented the petition. Staff noted the location of wetlands and associated buffer zones nearby as well as the long narrow configuration of the property. Staff also noted that it was their opinion that the shape of the lot and the wetland and associated buffer zone was a legitimate hardship for the Board to consider. The Board agreed with the Staff’s opinion and voted to grant the Variance. Motion to approve was made by Gary Stamborski and seconded by Katherine Baldiga. Vote was 5-0 to approve the Variance. Member Voting members Approve Deny Table Abstain Regular Anthony Gallant, Vice Chair X Regular Carissa Lisee, Clerk X Regular Gary Stamborski X Regular Christina Loy X Assoc. Katherine Baldiga X Item 3: Variance from Chapter 275-58 for height of a structure from 40’ to 58’ to construct an air supported multi-sports complex. Location: Main St. Assessor Map 174, Parcel 18. Applicant; Chicopee Sports center, Inc., 49 Fairfield Ave. Apt. 2, Chicopee, MA 01013 Notes: The BETA Group, Inc., representing the Applicant, presented the project to the Board. They also explained the Applicant’s desire to construct an air supported building and reasons for such a desire. A direct Abutter to the project was opposed to the project. The Board questioned the need for the Variance and if a building with a traditional method of construction would be able to accommodate the needs of the Applicant and not require a Variance. BETA provided a report to the Board Members at the meeting explaining soils and other site constraints that in their opinion constituted a hardship and supported their rationale for the air supported type of building. The Board expressed an interest in reading the report thoroughly before making a decision and ultimately voted to table the decision to April 10, 2019 to allow the Applicant time to provide copies of the report for their review. Motion to table was made by Anthony Gallant and seconded by Christina Loy. Vote was 5-0 to table to April 10, 2019 Member Voting members Approve Deny Table Abstain Regular Anthony Gallant, Vice Chair X Regular Carissa Lisee, Clerk X Regular Gary Stamborski X Regular Christina Loy X Assoc. Katherine Baldiga X *Note – After Item 3 the Board went into Executive Session (Item 6) and returned to Item 4, 5 and 7 after the Executive Session. 2 Item 6: Executive Session- to discuss the Appeal by Tergan Nominee Trust, Re: Tremont Street Variances with Law Department Staff. Notes: The Board made a motion and voted to go into Closed Executive Session at 7:46 PM. The Board made a motion and voted to end the Closed Executive Session at 7:54 PM. Motion to enter into Executive Session was made by Anthony Gallant and seconded by Christina Loy. Vote was 5-0 to enter into Executive Session. Member Voting members Approve Deny Table Abstain Regular Anthony Gallant, Vice Chair X Regular Carissa Lisee, Clerk X Regular Gary Stamborski X Regular Christina Loy X Assoc. Katherine Baldiga X Motion to close the Executive Session was made by Christina Loy and seconded by Katherine Baldiga. Vote was 5-0 to close the Executive Session. Member Voting members Approve Deny Table Abstain Regular Anthony Gallant, Vice Chair X Regular Carissa Lisee, Clerk X Regular Gary Stamborski X Regular Christina Loy X Assoc. Katherine Baldiga X Item 4: Minutes from February 13, 2019 Motion to approve was made by Christina Loy and seconded by Katherine Baldiga. Vote was 5-0 to approve. Member Voting members Approve Deny Table Abstain Regular Anthony Gallant, Vice Chair X Regular Carissa Lisee, Clerk X Regular Gary Stamborski X Regular Christina Loy X Assoc. Katherine Baldiga X Item 5: Discussion Old/New Business Notes: Staff read a letter from Chairman Roland Archambault who is resigning due to medical reasons. Item 7: Adjournment – Next Meeting April 10, 2019 Motion to adjourn was made by Anthony Gallant and seconded by Christina Loy. Vote was 5-0 to adjourn. Member Voting members Approve Deny Table Abstain Regular Anthony Gallant, Vice Chair X Regular Carissa Lisee, Clerk X Regular Gary Stamborski X Regular Christina Loy X Assoc. Katherine Baldiga X Meeting adjourned at 7:56 PM. 3