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Date: 1/16/2024
BELCHERTOWN — Residents gathered online and in-person at the Planning Board meeting on Jan. 9 to hear updates on the highly anticipated Carriage Grove project.
Planning Board Chair Dan Beaudette said that the applicant sent a letter on Jan. 9 requesting a continuation of the public hearing until the board’s next meeting on Tuesday, Jan. 23.
Steven D’Ambrosio is a civil engineer from GZA Environmental Inc. and discussed why the developers need more time.
He said, “We still have some outstanding items that we are still looking to absolve. Since our last meeting we have submitted a formal submission to the water district. We provided sanitary demand load calculations to Steve Williams. It is my understanding that he will send those to the DPW for review.”
The developers were scheduled to meet with the water district on Jan. 16 and are also working with a peer reviewer on the proposed project.
Other issues that were brought up during the first presentation on Nov. 28 meeting included the need a formal waiver for the parking requirement, a copy of the easement plan, the number of dumpsters that would be on the site, snow storage, the amount of affordable housing and easier access to townhouse buildings two and three.
D’Ambrosio said all those items are being worked on for the next meeting.
The redevelopment of the Belchertown State School, dubbed the Carriage Grove project by MassDevelopment, is intended to bring new mixed-use developments to the former site of the infamous institution for the disabled.
Brisa Development LLC first presented its proposed site plan for the Belchertown State School property at a public hearing on Nov. 28.
Brisa Development LLC representative Hammad Graham was present along with representatives from Paul A. Castrucci Architects and GZA Environmental Inc.
Phase 1 “A” would focus on creating a 108 unit, multi-family apartment complex and Phase 1 “B” would focus on the reuse of two existing administration buildings into a museum and café/food market.
Although there would be affordable housing, the complex would also include duplexes and other style homes.
Right now, the percentage of affordable housing is still not available as the board is waiting for the applicant to provide the number.
Beaudette added, “It has to be a minimum of 10% in order to meet the bylaw.”
Currently the percentage of affordable housing in Belchertown is approximately 6%.
“The state expects us to have enough affordable housing. When we go to make grant applications for other things in town, that gets counted against us or we can’t get bonus points for it. Having our housing inline puts the town in a better perspective for competing for all types of grants funds from the town,” Beaudette said.
Many residents have taken to social media to complain that a project of this magnitude should be discussed at Town Meeting.
Petitions were being handed out at Stop and Shop regarding the new construction at the state school grounds.
The petition listed several aspects opponents believe this project will affect including the size of enrollment in Belchertown schools, the Police and Fire departments, water supply, the road system, taxes, home values and quality of life.
Beaudette said the board does not have any information on those concerns yet, but that each town department involved will offer their feedback before the final site plan is approved.
Planning Board member Justin Rosienski added, “We usually just get a blessing from the town departments saying that they will be able to handle it or that they reviewed their safety plan or fire plan. We don’t go into the whole plan they just say, ‘Yes’,” he added.
The first presentation also said that there would be an increase in vehicle traffic of approximately 1,200 more trips in Belchertown and at Carriage Grove.
D’Ambrosio cleared up any confusion and said that that number accounts for the number of trips and not cars.
He said, “One thing I want to clarify is that is not number of vehicles, it is the number of vehicle trips. For instance, if you leave to bring your child to school and come back that is two trips and when you pick them up that is another two trips so you got four trips but only one vehicle.”
The Planning Board agreed to continue the public hearing on Jan. 23 because of the progress the developers have shown with the project.
“Continuations will be allowed when an applicant shows substantial progress towards the application. I think substantial progress has been shown here. We have a lot of correspondents and activity that’s been evidence going back and forth between engineers and the town,” Beaudette said.