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, 2024, 6:30 PM in City Hall Annex, Fourth Floor, Chambers Conference Room, 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 Anthony Gallant, Chair X Regular Carissa Lisee, Vice Chair X Regular Katherine Baldiga, Clerk X Regular Gary Stamborski X Regular Julia Sudol X Assoc. Carlos Felix X Assoc. Thomas Tetreault X Assoc. Theresa Devlin X Planning Department Staff Attendance Title Name Present Absent Excused Director Lee Pouliot Development Manager James Dawson X Assistant Planner Patrick Collins X Associate Planner Nick Kiser NOTE: Associate Members Carlos Felix and Thomas Tetreault voted in place of Regular Members Carissa Lisee and Julia Sudol who were excused from the meeting. Item 1: Variance from Chapter 275-40C (8)(b) Pavement setback from a street lot line from 8’ to 0’ to create additional parking spaces. Location: 400 East Main St. Applicant: Albert Lafleur, 400 East Main St., Chicopee, MA 01020 Notes: The Applicant attended the meeting via Zoom. He presented his petition to the Board and explained that he needed the 0’ setback in order to accommodate additional parking spaces and allow for adequate vehicular circulation on the property. Staff noted the project had been before the SPRAC and it was determined that the Variance for pavement setbacks from a street lot line were required in order for the Applicant to pursue his project. Staff also noted the Applicant would be responsible to add trees to the property per the landscape requirements. Motion to approve was made by Anthony Gallant and seconded by Carlos Felix. Vote was 5-0 to approve. Member Voting members Approve Deny Table Abstain Regular Anthony Gallant, Chair X Regular Katherine Baldiga, Clerk X Regular Gary Stamborski X Assoc. Carlos Felix X Assoc. Thomas Tetreault X 1 Item 2: Variance from Chapter 275-40 C (6); 275-40 C (8) (b) and 275-67 K (9) (b) to allow for the following: Parking stall dimensions of 9’ x 18’ to 9’ x 16’ for five (5) compact car parking spaces. Pavement setback from a street lot line from 8’ to 3’ and three-bedroom dwelling units in a multi-family development from “not more than 10% of the units” to “24% of the dwelling units.” Location: 10 Southwick St. Chicopee, MA Applicant: Valley Opportunity Council, Inc. 35 Mount Carmel Ave. Chicopee, MA 01013 Notes: Staff presented a letter from the Applicant who requested to withdraw their application as they had attained permits from the Building Department and had begun minor interior work, thus exercising the Variance extension that was granted in September 2023. The Board voted to accept the withdrawal. Motion to accept the Applicant’s withdrawal request was made by Anthony Gallant and seconded by Katherine Baldiga. Vote was 5-0 to accept the withdrawal. Member Voting members Approve Deny Table Abstain Regular Anthony Gallant, Chair X Regular Katherine Baldiga, Clerk X Regular Gary Stamborski X Assoc. Carlos Felix X Assoc. Thomas Tetreault X Item 3: Variance from Chapter 275-54 Frontage from 100’ to 99.2’ to allow a three-family house to remain on a reduced frontage lot and allow residential development on legal sized adjacent lots. Location: 19 Beaumont Ave., Applicant: David Labrie, 187 Nelson St., Chicopee, MA 01013 Notes: The Applicant presented his petition to the Board and provided a brief history of the property. He explained the property was to be divided into three lots. One lot for the existing three-family house and two new legal sized single-family building lots in a Residential C zone. Once the two single-family lots were subtracted from the total frontage only 99.2’ of frontage remains for the three-family structure. The Board discussed the petition and voted to approve the Variance. Motion to approve was made by Anthony Gallant and seconded by Katherine Baldiga. Vote was 5-0 to approve. Member Voting members Approve Deny Table Abstain Regular Anthony Gallant, Chair X Regular Katherine Baldiga, Clerk X Regular Gary Stamborski X Assoc. Carlos Felix X Assoc. Thomas Tetreault X Item 4: Variance from Chapter 275-40 C 15 Parking space setback from a building wall from 8’ to 5’ to allow parking spaces to remain after the reconstruction of existing parking lot. Section 275-40 C 8 (a) Pavement setback from land zoned for residential use from 10’ to 1.59’ to allow for the replacement of existing pavement. Section 275-58 D 3 accessory rear yard setback from 15’ to 6’ for pad for existing above ground fuel tank and 15’ to 4.23’ for existing shed. Section 275-58 D 3 accessory side yard setback from 10’ to 3.63’ for existing shed. Location: Chicopee Fire Dept. # 5 at 580 Chicopee St. Applicant: Chicopee Fire Dept. c/o Chief Daniel Stamborski, 80 Church St., Chicopee, MA 01020 Notes: *Regular Board Member Gary Stamborski abstained from the vote since his brother is the Fire Chief. City Engineer Doug Ellis presented the petition on behalf of the Chicopee Fire Department. Mr. Ellis explained that due to the nature of the project, which included full-depth reconstruction of the parking lot, required setbacks had to be met or Variances would be necessary. Since there was not adequate space to 2 accommodate the required setbacks and allow the parking lot to function properly the Applicant chose to apply for the Variances. Staff noted that the new parking lot would be designed and constructed with the same setbacks that existed prior to demolition. The Board voted to approve the Variances requested. Motion to approve was made by Anthony Gallant and seconded by Carlos Felix. Vote was 4 in favor, 0 opposed, and 1 abstention*. Member Voting members Approve Deny Table Abstain Regular Anthony Gallant, Chair X Regular Katherine Baldiga, Clerk X Regular Gary Stamborski X Assoc. Carlos Felix X Assoc. Thomas Tetreault X Item 5: Minutes from February 14, 2024 Motion to approve was made by Anthony Gallant and seconded by Katherine Baldiga. Vote was 5-0 to approve. Member Voting members Approve Deny Table Abstain Regular Anthony Gallant, Chair X Regular Katherine Baldiga, Clerk X Regular Gary Stamborski X Assoc. Carlos Felix X Assoc. Thomas Tetreault X Item 6: Discussion - Old/New Business Notes: Staff reported there was one Variance Application for the April 10, 2024 agenda. Item 7: Adjournment - next scheduled meeting is April 10, 2024 Motion to adjourn was made by Anthony Gallant and seconded by Katherine Baldiga. Vote was 5-0 to approve. Member Voting members Approve Deny Table Abstain Regular Anthony Gallant, Chair X Regular Katherine Baldiga, Clerk X Regular Gary Stamborski X Assoc. Carlos Felix X Assoc. Thomas Tetreault X Meeting adjourned at 6:44 PM. 3