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Date: 1/5/2023
EAST LONGMEADOW – East Longmeadow Town Manager Mary McNally sat down with Reminder Publishing to discuss what lies ahead for the town in 2023.
Central town district
East Longmeadow’s Planning Department is gathering more information and feedback on the creation of a potential central town district.
As the area around the rotary currently stands, “It’s all an industrial district down Maple Street, and it’s no longer used that way,” McNally said. A central town district could adjust the zoning to match usage and she said that the center of town makes sense as an area to develop the economy.
Developing the economy could include the redevelopment of what McNally termed “decrepit buildings,” such as 70 Maple St., which the town has been in negotiations to acquire. Despite being a Brownfield site – property which may contain hazardous substances, pollutants or contaminants – McNally said it could be used for town purposes or sold for private redevelopment.
“Everything that pertains to zoning has to go through the Planning Board,” she said. Acknowledging that, “There’s concerns about density,” she assured that there will be a public hearing to get input from residents.
Meanwhile, a fixture of the rotary may soon be leaving Center Square. The Town Hall may be moving to 382 North Main St., an office building across from Heritage Park. In December 2022, the Town Council authorized an offer of $5.9 million for the building, to be paid for through a mixture of borrowing and free cash.
If the sale is successful, the town offices would gradually move to the new building with the current Town Hall used for overflow office space.
Green Community
“We want to become a Green Community,” McNally said, referring to a state designation that would give the town access to grant funding to encourage clean energy and reduce energy costs over time, while incorporating environmental solutions into the local economy.
“We’ve already submitted three out of five [criteria],” McNally said. The town is working with the Pioneer Valley Planning Commission to create an energy production plan and an energy audit has been completed. “It’s an awful lot of information to gather,” McNally said, and the work will continue over the coming months.
Other topics
The Planning Board will continue its consideration of a proposed warehouse at 330 Chestnut St. in February. McNally said a traffic study for the project is pending. At the same time, The Fields at Chestnut, a condominium complex near the site, has filed a lawsuit asking a Land Court judge to rule that the zoning bylaws are illegal. Both the town and the developer are fighting the suit.
The redesign of Heritage Park, which had gained traction in recent months, “may have to slow down,” McNally said. While athletic fields and passive recreation are still needed, funding for the East Longmeadow High School building project, a vote on which is expected in the fall, will take precedence this year, the town manager explained.
“Trying to increase community engagement is always on my mind,” McNally shared. She urged residents to “speak up” and “let us know what they think.” She said, “The town is fortunate because they have a lot of people working on their behalf.” McNally praised the town employees and department heads for their “dedication, competence and hard work.”