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, May 14, 2025, 6:30 PM at the RiverMills Senior Center, Classroom 30, 5 West Main St., Chicopee, MA 01020 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. Theresa Devlin 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: Since all five Regular Members were present, Associate Members Carlos Felix and Theresa Devlin were not required to vote. Note: The Board voted to take Items 1a – 1c out of order and act on them after Item 2 was heard. Motion to take items 1a – 1c out of order was made by Anthony Gallant and seconded by Carissa Lisee. Vote was 5-0 to approve. Member Voting members Approve Deny Table Abstain Regular Anthony Gallant X Regular Carissa Lisee X Regular Katherine Baldiga X Regular Gary Stamborski X Regular Julia Sudol X Assoc. Carlos Felix Assoc. Theresa Devlin Item 1a: Board Elections – Chair – All Regular Members are eligible for all positions Notes: The Board voted to keep all elected positions of the same. Motion to keep all elected members the same was made by Anthony Gallant and seconded by Gary Stamborski. Vote was 5-0 to approve. 1  Member Voting members Approve Deny Table Abstain Regular Anthony Gallant X Regular Carissa Lisee X Regular Katherine Baldiga X Regular Gary Stamborski X Regular Julia Sudol X Assoc. Carlos Felix Assoc. Theresa Devlin Item 1b: Board Elections – Vice Chair – All Regular Members are eligible for all positions Notes: See Item 1a above for explanation and vote. Item 1c: Board Elections – Clerk – All Regular Members are eligible for all positions Notes: See Item 1a above for explanation and vote. Item 2: VARIANCE from Chapter 275-53 to create a new single-family building lot at 0 Chicopee St. (Assessor Map 276, Parcel 12) and leave existing house at 6-8 Shaw Park Ave. on a reduced size lot. New lot area from 7,500 SF to 7,470 SF and depth from 100’ to 82.36’ +/-. Existing house lot area from 10,000 SF to 8,100 SF, frontage from 100’ to 90’, and depth from 100’ to 90’. Location: 0 Chicopee St. and 6-8 Shaw Park Ave., Chicopee, MA. Applicant: Donald Giguere, 22 Quebec St., Chicopee, MA 01020. Notes: The Applicant presented the petition to the Board. He explained he was before the Board twice in 2004. Once asking for the same lot dimension requests but for a two-family house on the vacant lot (0 Chicopee St.) and the second time for a single-family house on the vacant lot (0 Chicopee St.). Both times the Variance request was denied. Since at least two years had elapsed since the Applicant requested the Variance for a single-family house on the vacant lot (0 Chicopee St.) and leaving the existing two-family at 6-8 Shaw Park Avenue on a reduced size lot was denied, he can request the Variance again. The Applicant explained he was working with his niece to develop the 0 Chicopee Street lot as a single-family house for her and her children. He explained the lot already had a curb cut onto Chicopee Street but his intent was to create a loop driveway with a possible second curb cut onto Shaw Park Avenue. Staff noted that a curb cut onto Shae Park Avenue was highly unlikely due to its proximity to the intersection with Chicopee Street. The Applicant noted there were several properties in the neighborhood that were smaller than his request. Anthony Gallant explained that it if those lots pre-existed zoning then they were legally non-conforming or “grandfathered”. The Abutters that were present were opposed to the Variance and were concerned about congestion, traffic, parking, building setbacks, and adding an additional house at that location since there has been a history of several crashes at the intersection of Chicopee Street and Shaw Park Avenue. Staff explained that two parking spaces per living unit were required to meet zoning. Carissa Lisee was concerned about creating two nonconforming lots when the existing property as it exists conforms to zoning. Julia Sudol echoed the concerns of the Abutters. The Board was concerned about setting a precedent of allowing smaller lots in the neighborhood. The Board also determined that there was no legitimate hardship to warrant the granting of the Variance and voted to deny the request. Motion to approve for the sake of discussion was made by Carissa Lisee and seconded by Katherine Baldiga. Vote was 5-0 to deny. 2  Member Voting members Approve Deny Table Abstain 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 Assoc. Theresa Devlin Item 3: Minutes from April 9, 2025 Motion to approve was made by Anthony Gallant and seconded by Carissa Lisee .Vote was 5-0 to approve. Member Voting members Approve Deny Table Abstain 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 Assoc. Theresa Devlin Item 4: Discussion - Old/New Business Notes: • Anthony Gallant inquired about application fees – Staff explained no increases were needed at this time. • There was a problem with mail delivery of the packets for this meeting – Board Members did receive their electronic copies. • Staff noted there were applications for a June 11, 2025 agenda. Item 5: Adjournment - next scheduled meeting is June 11, 2025 Motion to adjourn was made by Carissa Lisee and seconded by Anthony Gallant. Vote was 5-0 to adjourn. Member Voting members Approve Deny Table Abstain 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 Assoc. Theresa Devlin Meeting adjourned at 7:12 PM. 3