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Date: 4/27/2021
WEST SPRINGFIELD – The West Springfield Planning Board had four public hearings April 21.
The first and second hearing was for a special permit and site plan review by James E. Balise in West Springfield for off-street parking and loading standards, to allow a waiver of the requirement that all parking be located to the side and rear of the principal structure. This application is filed in association with a proposed 17,900 square foot new car dealership at the property located at 635 Riverdale St. and for the construction of a 17,900 square foot new car dealership with site improvements in the same location, creating a new Kia development.
“The plan is to move the existing Kia facility into a new development. We are utilizing old sites for this project due to some compensatory storage issues so there is going to be work completed on both sides. The goal is to have the existing Kia building move over to the new facility first then once that happens a new smaller development will occur,” Jon Allard from Fuss & O’Neil said.
Phase one will include the initial moving over of the old Kia facility, drainage design and reallocating of curb cuts along Riverdale Street. Currently, there are four driveways between two parcels along Riverdale. Allard mentioned a part of the plan would be to take one away and realign them so they are perpendicular to Riverdale Street.
They are still in discussion about what the older Kia facility site plan would be in the future.
The committee moved to allow these motions to be made.
The third and fourth hearings also coincided with zoning ordinance.
The third hearing was for one of the mayor’s proposals as part of his legislative plan for 2021. This is specifically targeting removal of the red tape and barriers to opening a business and expanding businesses in town.
“Right now, any change of use of an existing commercial building requires site plan review even if its as simple as going from a professional office to a medical office where the parking requirements are the same. This is to change that so if you are just reoccupying an existing building and you have enough parking to meet the requirements, it won’t have to go through site plan review, committee board, or administrative review. What happens in these circumstances now is that paperwork gets pushed around and it ends up being a waste of time essentially,” assistant planner Allyson Manuel said.
What it would not cover is any new construction, so if a business owner had an existing building and wanted to add square feet to it or build more parking spaces, it would have to go though site plan review.
The committee moved to allow these motions to be made.
The last hearing in correlation to zoning ordinance was a proposal for larger free-standing signs in planned unit development, specifically intended to get more flexibility in the Riverdale shopping centers.
Currently, the maximum size for free-standing signs is 75 sq ft. That would remain, but with the proposal an applicant would be able to receive a special permit to exceed the maximum height, foundation size, and square feet.
“They would be giving businesses or lots that have multiple businesses the ability to have one free-standing sign per primary entrance. If they only have one business on the lot, they can only have one sign,” Manuel said.
The committee moved unfavorably towards the amendment until it is further clarified.
The Planning Board meets every first and third Wednesday of the month. The next meeting is set to take place May 5 at 6 p.m.