Longmeadow Shops zone change article to be put to town-wide vote

Date: 11/7/2014

LONGMEADOW – A proposed zone change at the Longmeadow Shops from residential to business that would allow for an expansion on the property will be put to a  vote at the Special Town Meeting on Nov. 18.

At its Oct. 19 meeting, the Planning Board voted unanimously to add the article regarding the zone change to the Special Town Meeting warrant, which requires a two-thirds vote by residents in favor to be approved. 

“Essentially, the owners of the Longmeadow Shops want to construct another building on the site,” Planning Board Chair Bruce Colton said. “If the land is rezoned, the Planning Board will be holding a site and design review hearing on their proposed project.”

Previously, representatives from the Longmeadow Shops presented its initial plans to the board on Aug. 6, which were about 100 parking spaces short of what is required under the zoning bylaw.

On Sept. 10, the project was 75 parking spaces short and since then the designs have been changed to increase parking.

The proposed project is now about four spaces short of the requirement; however the Zoning Board of Appeals approved a waiver for those spaces, Matthew Wittmer, principal architect for Phase Zero Design, said.

“What they want to do is erect a building that would house a new CVS, which would include a drive thru prescription window; a clothing store, I believe J. Crew, and possibly a new store in the building,” Colton said.

The new building would be detached from the existing shopping center and a new tenant would likely move into the existing CVS location, he added.

Wittmer said a parcel of land owned by Grove Property Fund, which also owns the Longmeadow Shops, would be the location of the building’s construction.

A total of 21,096 square feet of retail space would be constructed on the parcel located between the existing shops and the First Church of Christ Scientist, he explained.

“The majority of parking is in areas where it doesn’t necessarily serve the major tenants that drive a lot of business,” Wittmer added. “We see that from Max Burger and Bertucci’s. We also see that from CVS.”

The Longmeadow Shops recently added 139 parking spaces to its designs, he said. Sixty-three parking spaces would be located in front of the new drive thru CVS and 34 spaces would be placed near Max Burger and Bertucci’s.

“The ability to create this development here has allowed for some domino effects to occur allowing us to some restriping, allowing us to do a little bit of shifting in some entries that took care of some dead space,” Wittmer explained.

Parking on the west end of the site near the soccer field would still be available and the Longmeadow Farmers Market, which takes place Thursdays from June 12 to Oct. 30, would likely continue as well, he added.

There are about 39 abutters to the shops within 300 feet of the property, Wittmer noted. Parties of interested were sent letters of notification on Oct. 9.

Prior to the vote, the board hosted a public hearing in which residents voiced both praise and concerns regarding the expansion.

“The plan is in keeping with the town’s long range master plan to identify opportunities to increase tax revenues for the town, [which] is nearly built out,” David Appleman, a resident of 226 Converse St., said.

Donald Lepow of 925 Williams St. said accidents occur near the shops almost on a daily basis and that extra traffic would likely be created because of the expansion.

“I think the whole thing doesn’t make a lot of sense,” he added. “We live in a residential area. We have nice homes over there and I don’t see the point in disrupting our way of life.”

Colton said if the article is passed at the Special Town Meeting the site and design review would include a look at the traffic in the area.