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Date: 3/17/2022
CHICOPEE – Debates surrounding city-owned parcels in Burnett Road and a Westover Metropolitan Development Corporation-owned (WMDC) parcel in the Slate Conservation area took center stage throughout 2021. While a Dec. 21, 2021 vote did not place the Burnett Road land under conservation, Ward 6 City Councilor Derek Dobosz continues to advocate for the protections of both parcels.
Back in December of 221, Dobosz advocated for the Burnett Road land to be conserved under Article 97 protections after enduring lengthy debates against fellow councilors and the city. The item reached a 7-6 vote with the City Council, but ultimately did not pass due to not receiving a nine-vote majority. During that meeting, Dobosz stressed that the land should either be placed in conservation or utilized to garner carbon credits for the city.
“The city would get virtually nothing for this land. If this passed, at least we could get something for this land,” said Dobosz. The Ward 6 councilor and the mayor met shortly after the meeting, but both remained opposed on the issue.
Mayor John Vieau claims that the Burnett Road parcels are not in consideration for future business developments. During a Nov. 22, 2021 City Council meeting, Vieau and Planning Director Lee Pouliot stressed the land is still considered a potential asset for the city, as it could potentially be utilized for a swap. Utilizing the parcel in a potential swap with the state would give the city better negotiating power to address potential needs, according to Pouliot.
“We can’t know in 20 years from now what the infrastructural needs of the city might be or how having this property in our back pocket for negotiations with the commonwealth is useful for us,” said Pouliot during the Nov. 22 meeting.
In regard to the WMDC-owned land on Slate Road, Vieau stressed that WMDC is a strong ally of the city’s economic development. He also advocated on behalf of the corporation after leaked emails in October revealed preliminary business discussions that led to WMDC being “needlessly villainized.”
“It bothers me someone will go out of their way and blatantly disrespect heads of departments…Amazon has never called me,” said Vieau in an interview with Reminder Publishing in October 2021.
In the aftermath of last year, Dobosz said he does not expect development on the city-owned Burnett Road parcels but remains concerned about the area. “I don’t think there’s going to be development now, but I am worried that the city would support development in the future,” Dobosz told Reminder Publishing.
Dobosz shared that he is refiling a moratorium that requires any developer interested in the Burnett Road land to acquire a special permit from the City Council and conduct a detailed traffic study. The item officially refiled during the Planning Board’s March 3 meeting.
“I believe that city-owned land should be placed in permanent conversation, because most people already consider it a part of the state park,” said Dobosz.
With both the Burnett Road and Slate Road issues, Dobosz is also stressing supporters remain proactive in addressing state senate and representative candidates ahead of the 2022 election.
“We really haven’t seen any help from any of the state representatives or state senators…I am really looking for support from representatives and senators that need to get involved here. We’re asking for basic transparency here,” said Dobosz, who said that WMDC’s role as a state agency highlights the need for state legislative support.
Dobosz continued, “I encourage my supporters to press state candidates…we could be a significant group of voters. We have a lot of negotiating power, and I think these state representative and senate candidates need to acknowledge that and they should be supporting us.”
The councilor said he’s shifting his focus on Slate Road after placing the Burnett Road moratorium, including advocating for re-appointments of the three Chicopee-selections for WMDC’s Board of Directors whose terms expired.
“You can’t just not reappoint somebody. [The mayor] cannot ignore the City Council and I will challenge his administration on that,” said Dobosz.