Use this search box to find articles that have run in our newspapers over the last several years.
Date: 11/11/2020
WEST SPRINGFIELD – In a unanimous decision during their Nov. 4 meeting, the West Springfield Planning Board decided to send a negative recommendation to the City Council with regards to flexibility for home-based businesses.
The updated zoning ordinance, which was sponsored by Mayor William Reichelt and Councilor Sean Powers, would add more flexibility for home-based businesses to operate lawfully under the terms of the city’s zoning ordinance.
According to the cover letter sent by the mayor, West Springfield’s current provisions of the zoning ordinance related to home-based businesses “are extremely outdated,” and created during a time that predates technological advancements, like the internet.
The mayor believes that flexibility for home-based businesses should be allowed during this pandemic so the city can get back on track economically.
“These amendments are intended to provide individuals with the ability to lawfully conduct a business from their home, while ensuring that the effects on neighboring properties are minimized to the extent possible,” the mayor’s letter stated.
The other issue addressed by the letter is the parking of commercial vehicles at residential properties, and what types of vehicles should, and shouldn’t be allowed in driveways and other residential areas. This problem in particular was heavily discussed and debated during the meeting.
“My concern is a 16-foot-long trailer is awfully big to be at somebody’s property,” said Planning Board member Sue LaFlamme. “You could have a landscaper with his trailer … For me, I wouldn’t want that next to me, and I think that would change the dynamic of a neighborhood or a street.”
The proposed ordinance would allow for the parking of passenger cars, station wagons, standard-sized vans, trailers up to 16 feet long, and pickup trucks up to one-ton capacity. Anything other than this list is prohibited.
Technically, the city of West Springfield only allows recreational and non-commercial vehicles of large size such as RVs, trailers and boats to be beyond the front of the house.
“The way this is saying is, ‘my neighbor can have his plumber trailer in the driveway, but I can’t have my camper trailer in the driveway,’ so I’m definitely opposed to that,” said Frank Palange, planning board chair.
Palange thinks that it will also be difficult to determine what the city considers to be a “standard-sized van” in this situation, as people’s definitions may vary based on preference and size.
“The internet has nothing to do with a trailer in somebody’s driveway, or a van,” Palange said. “Again, don’t misunderstand me, I’m 100 percent for helping and trying to make this go forward. I fought it for years … people in the heating and air conditioning business that are on call 24 hours a day, how can we tell them they can’t drive the van home?”
The majority of the members felt that an amendment such as this one was largely overdue, and could benefit the city, but there’s certain terminology that needs to be addressed, especially with regards to what types of vehicles are allowed on residential property.
Another member, Jayson Lacasse, found very little issue with the terminology surrounding vans and other commercial vehicles.
“I don’t think we should be telling people what they can park in their driveway,” said Lacasse. “I do think there needs to be a limitation … I don’t think Ford makes a truck that I’m worried about. The 50-foot long trucks, I don’t think that belongs in the neighborhood. I don’t think dump trucks do either.”
There was also a lengthy argument about noise, and whether or not the city should monitor how disruptive a motorcycle, pickup truck, or other vehicle could be for the community.
“I think noise, you can hear it from your property, and that could be a problem if you’re waking people up,” Lacasse said. “That to me has a bigger argument than a van or a box truck that is lettered, and parked in someone’s driveway.”
Ryan McLane, who’s also a member of the planning board, emphasized regulation as a major discussion for the future.
“I really think the answer, as much as I hate to do this, is to very specifically regulate each type of business that we’re going to allow one at a time in the home,” said McLane.
According to McLane, something like this should be no problem since state licenses are required for most businesses like doctors, lawyers, physicians and accountants. Categorization and awareness of property tax values in a community where a home-based business is run should all be taken into account, according to McLane.
Since most members agreed that the language was vague, Palange recommended that the city council watch the Nov. 4 meeting, and listen to the conversations.
“We can go all night with this,” said Palange. “I just don’t think there was enough thought put into this proposal. I think it’s way too broad, and it goes way too far.”