Planning Board has 90 days to make decision on Prospect Park

Date: 12/15/2008

By Courtney Llewellyn

Reminder Assistant Editor



EAST LONGMEADOW The Planning Board has 90 days from Dec. 10 to make a decision on the development of the proposed Prospect Park at the end of Baldwin Street.

The public hearing on the property was officially closed at the Planning Board's meeting last Tuesday. The hearing was initially opened in August.

Donald LoMascolo, owner of D & C Properties, originally submitted plans for development for the industrial zoned property to in January 2005 and resubmitted plans this summer. The current plans include four buildings -- two to be used primarily as office space -- and an area to store the trailers he uses as a part of his fire and water damage restoration business.

Abutters have been raising concerns with LoMascolo's plans since he resubmitted them -- everything from wetland protection to appropriate setbacks to proper usage in the zone. They voiced their final concerns at the Dec. 9 meeting.

Amy Hebert, a resident of Glendale Street, a private way, asked about the blockage of the end of her street to keep big trucks from using it as a through way. Robyn MacDonald, director of Planning, Zoning and Conservation for the town, said that since the private way abuts a public way, residents of Glendale Road would need police and fire department approvals to close off the end of the street.

Phil Abair, who has been a resident of 5th Street for 33 years, said the zone line for the area has changed since he first purchased his property. "The interpretation of the bylaw [regarding setbacks] has changed, too," he told the board.

The issue of where setbacks are measured from -- the property line or the zone line -- was raised at the Planning Board's Nov. 18 meeting.

"We need a clear understanding of where the measuring point is," Planning Board member Donald Anderson said. The board approved of bringing in Town Counsel James Donahue to review the issue again before a decision is made.

Gary Weiner with Ecotec Environmental Associates Inc., the organization working on the Prospect Park plans, said that if setbacks are based on zone lines, the buildings and parking lots on the plans would be moved to comply with setback regulations.

The Planning Board unanimously approved the closing of the public hearing when all who had wanted to share their opinions did. From this point forward, any meeting concerning the proposal will be open to the public, but not to public comment.