Board continues public hearing on Cumberland Farms proposal

Date: 3/7/2012

March 7, 2012

By Debbie Gardner

debbieg@thereminder.com

WEST SPRINGFIELD — A last-minute change prevented nearly 20 residents from officially registering their concerns about a proposed Park Street Cumberland Farms project during the Feb. 27 meeting of the Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBA).

Atty. Dennis Powers, representative for Cumberland Farms, explained to ZBA Chair Chet Zymorz that he had submitted a letter to West Springfield Planning Director Richard Werbiskis late that afternoon, withdrawing a variance request for signage at the company's proposed 4,242 square foot convenience store and 10 fueling station project at 143 Park Ave. and 47 Union St. He also requested a continuance until "a date in March" to address an unresolved legal issue regarding his client's special permit request.

The issue involved a proposed change to the landscaping along one of the buffer zones of the project, Lynn Hanzel, administrative secretary for the Planning Department, confirmed for Reminder Publications. Powers indicated at the meeting that Werbiskis had asked for clarification from the town solicitor Simon Brighenti Jr. on the issue as well as approval by several other town departments.

In deference to the number of residents in attendance, Zymorz opened the floor to public comment about the proposed Cumberland Farms project, despite the continuation of the public hearing to March 23. Zymorz urged those in attendance to return for that meeting to restate their positions at an official forum.

Carl Welker, the former owner of a Mobil gasoline located on Central Street, said that though a lot of people were against the Cumberland Farms project, he was in favor of it. He noted that, in today's business climate, there no longer seems a need for "small gas stations and repair shops" such as the Gulf station at that location, and that it would be "an asset to have a gas station [on the site] that was well-lit and pretty."

Pam Breglio noted that, as a former customer of his station, Welker's points were "well taken," however she still questioned what kind of corporate citizen the new Cumberland Farms might be. She noted the company's existing store at the rotary was trash-strewn and "not well maintained." Alerting the store's management did not improve the situation, she added.

"When we're proposing to give some business special consideration, we should check their track record," Breglio said. "Cumberland Farms is not being a good neighbor."

Diane Crowell, a resident of District 1, submitted to the ZBA a petition with "169 signatures of people opposed to the building of Cumberland Farms at the corner [of Park Avenue and Union Street]." She cited several reasons that the special permit should not be granted, including a 2001-2002 traffic study indicating the intersection was a "high crash area," the potential impact of higher convenience store prices on low-income residents in the area and the prevalence of other gas stations in the vicinity of the propose project.

"Within three miles of the corner, there are 10 gas stations and convenience stores," Crowell said. "This is not needed [at this location]."

She said she was not against Cumberland Farms as a company, but felt the type of operation they were proposing was "better suited to Riverdale Road."