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 April 14, 2021, 6:30 PM in person and via Zoom, Department of Planning & Development and Conservation, City Hall Annex, Fourth Floor, 274 Front Street, Chicopee, MA 01013. Meeting was brought to order by Anthony gallant at 6:35 PM. Board of Appeals attendance: Member Name Present Absent Excused Regular Anthony Gallant, Chair X Regular Carissa Lisee, Vice Chair X Regular Katherine Baldiga, Clerk X Regular Gary Stamborski X Regular Christina Loy X Assoc. Matthew Bieda X Planning Department Staff Attendance Title Name Present Absent Excused Director Lee Pouliot X Assistant Planner Patrick McKenna X Development Manager James Dawson X Associate Planner Nathan Moreau X NOTE: Due to COVID-19, meeting was held via video conference (Zoom). Pursuant to Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 131, Section 40 the Chicopee Zoning Board of Appeals calls to order this public hearing today, April 14, 2021 at 6:30 pm. Board Members are meeting in person and through video conference utilizing Zoom. In order to ensure and satisfy CDC social distancing guidelines during the COVID-19 Pandemic and pursuant to Governor Baker’s March 23, 2020 Order as amended, the Chicopee Planning Board is conducting public hearings utilizing remote collaboration technology in accordance with Governor Baker’s March 12, 2020 Order Suspending Certain Provisions of the Open Meeting Law, M.G.L. Chapter 30A, Section 18. Copies of application materials for items on the Board’s agenda may be requested by phone: 413-594-1517 or by emailing Jim Dawson at jdawson@chicopeema.gov Tonight’s public hearings will be available for viewing via the Spectrum Community Access Channel 191 or the Chicopee TV website at www.facebook.com/ChicopeeTV or https://vimeo.com/chicopeetv Public comment will be received during two timeframes. The first public comment period took place prior to the April 14, 2021 public hearings. The second public comment period occurred following the April 14, 2021 public hearings through April 22, 2021. 1 Public comments were submitted in writing to the Chicopee Planning Board, 4th floor City Hall Annex, 274 Front Street Chicopee, MA 01013. By email to Jim Dawson at jdawson@chicopeema.gov or by calling 413-594-1517. Note: The Board voted to proceed with the elections at the end of the hearing as to not delay any Applicants. Motion to take the elections out of order was made by Anthony Gallant and seconded by Gary Stamborski. Vote was 4-0 to take the elections out of order.. Member Voting members Approve Deny Table Abstain Regular Anthony Gallant, Chair X Regular Katherine Baldiga, Clerk X Regular Gary Stamborski X Regular Christina Loy X Item 1a: Board Elections Chairperson Notes: Christina Loy motioned to keep the elected positions unchanged through April 2022. The current elected positions present accepted the nominations. Motion to keep the elected positions unchanged was made by Christina Loy and seconded by Anthony Gallant. Vote was 4-0 to keep the elected positions of the Board unchanged through April 2022. Member Voting members Approve Deny Table Abstain Regular Anthony Gallant, Chair X Regular Katherine Baldiga, Clerk X Regular Gary Stamborski X Regular Christina Loy X Item 1b: Board Elections Vice Chairperson Notes: See Item 1a above. Item 1c: Board Elections Clerk Notes: See Item 1a above. 2 Item 2: (New) VARIANCE from Chapter 275-52 area from 10,000 SF to 9,061 SF and depth from 100’ to 90.65’ +/- to create a single-family building lot. Location: Empire St. Assessor Map 443, Parcels 4 and 5. Applicant: Kathleen M. Anderson, 150 Stebbins St., Chicopee, MA 01020 Notes: The Applicants were in attendance in person. They explained their petition noting they would either like to build on the lot or sell it as a building lot. Staff explained that if granted the Variance was valid for one year from the date of approval and construction would have to commence on the lot within that year otherwise the variance would expire and would have to be applied for again. Staff noted there was one inquiry on the petition and that Abutter requested and was sent Zoom login credentials. No written comments were submitted. Due to Covid-19 meeting regulations, the Board voted to table the hearing on this item to April 22, 2021 to allow an adequate public comment period. Motion to table to April 22, 2021 was made by Anthony Gallant and seconded by Christina Loy. Vote was 4-0 to table to April 22, 2021 Member Voting members Approve Deny Table Abstain Regular Anthony Gallant, Chair X Regular Katherine Baldiga, Clerk X Regular Gary Stamborski X Regular Christina Loy X Item 3: (New) VARIANCE from Chapter 275-52 front setback from 25’ to 8’ to allow for the construction of an addition to a single-family house. Location: 38 Pleasantview Ave., Chicopee, MA 01020 Applicant: Steven Yahn, same address. Notes: Edward Chapdelaine of Durkee, White, Towne and Chapdelaine represented the Applicant; both were in attendance via Zoom. Mr. Chapdelaine noted that all the houses on the Applicant’s side of the street were setback closer than the now required 25’. The Board noted setback for the proposed addition was farther back from the front lot line than the existing house and it did not appear that the additionwould obstruct any sight lines when exiting driveways. Staff reported no public comments on the petition. Due to Covid-19 meeting regulations, the Board voted to table the hearing on this item to April 22, 2021 to allow an adequate public comment period. Motion to table to April 22, 2021 was made by Anthony Gallant and seconded by Katherine Baldiga. Vote was 4-0 to table to April 22, 2021. Member Voting members Approve Deny Table Abstain Regular Anthony Gallant, Chair X Regular Katherine Baldiga, Clerk X Regular Gary Stamborski X Regular Christina Loy X 3 Item 4: (New) VARIANCE from Chapter 275-40 (C) (8) (b) to allow a pavement setback from a street lot line from 8’ to 0’. Location: 675 Fuller Rd. Applicant: David LaVenture, 428 East St., Chicopee, MA 01013 Notes: Jessica Allan of R. Levesque Associates represented the Applicant; both of which were in attendance via Zoom. Ms. Allan explained the petition, stating the Applicant was converting more of the building to retail space and that triggered a requirement for additional parking. The required number of parking spaces could not be met; that coupled by a property taking related to the Fuller Road reconstruction project reduced the Applicant’s possible parking area even further. The proposal is to allow the pavement for the proposed parking area to be setback 0’ from the street lot line instead of the required 8’. Staff noted it had contacted the City Engineer and he stated he did not have any objections to the proposal as long as it did not interfere with the Fuller Road project. It was Staff’s opinion that the proposed 0’ setback would not pose a problem at this location due to the industrial nature of the area. Staff also noted it did not receive any public comments on the petition. Due to Covid-19 meeting regulations, the Board voted to table the hearing on this item to April 22, 2021 to allow an adequate public comment period. Motion to table to April 22, 2021 was made by Anthony Gallant and seconded by Katherine Baldiga. Vote was 4-0 to table to April 22, 2021. Member Voting members Approve Deny Table Abstain Regular Anthony Gallant, Chair X Regular Katherine Baldiga, Clerk X Regular Gary Stamborski X Regular Christina Loy X Item 5: Minutes from February 10 and 18, 2021 Motion to approve was made by Anthony Gallant and seconded by Christina Loy. Vote was 4-0 to approve. Member Voting members Approve Deny Table Abstain Regular Anthony Gallant, Chair X Regular Katherine Baldiga, Clerk X Regular Gary Stamborski X Regular Christina Loy X Item 6: Discussion – Old/New Business Notes: Discussion on the new sports facility and increased advertising costs for the Board due to Covid-19 meeting notifications. Item 7: Adjournment – Next Meeting April 22, 2021 Motion to adjourn was made by Anthony Gallant and seconded by Katherine Baldiga. Vote was 4-0 to adjourn. Member Voting members Approve Deny Table Abstain Regular Anthony Gallant, Chair X Regular Katherine Baldiga, Clerk X Regular Gary Stamborski X Regular Christina Loy X Meeting adjourned at 6:59 PM. 4