WESTFIELD – At a second appearance before the Planning Board, Chris Karney of R. Levesque Assoc. brought an amended plan for a residential condominium development at 79 Notre Dame Street. Karney said that due to concerns expressed by the board at the public hearing on June 16 about the overall density of the plan, owner Joseph Sampson of J.S. Sampson Development decided to remove a proposed single-family unit from the eastern border of the property, which Karney called “a difficult decision.”
Chris Karney of R. Levesque Associates. (Photo by Amy Porter)
The new plan for the property, which also borders Vernon and Greenwood Streets and is zoned Residential C, is to keep the single family home that currently stands and build three duplex condos, 28’ by 38’, for a total of six new units. The single condominium unit formerly proposed was removed from the plan, along with three parking spaces. New curb cut entrances on Vernon and Greenwood Streets to on-site parking are also in the plan.
Other changes that were made from the first meeting included a sidewalk extension on Notre Dame St. into the property, changes to the lighting to cut down on light spreading to neighbors, moving of exterior stairs to the sides of the buildings, and a plan to truck snow piles off site. Karney said the Engineering Department had approved the plan.
Planning board member Robert Goyette thanked Karney for listening to the concerns of the board, saying the new plan was “much better.” At the first meeting, several members expressed concern with overcrowding, including Goyette, who said, “You’re putting too much in there.”
Planning Board chair William Carellas then opened Tuesday’s hearing to public participation, but no one was present to speak for or against the plan. Vinskey said he had received a letter from one abutter, L. C. Grimsley at 17 Greenwood, who had also attended the first public hearing in June. Among other items that had already been addressed in the amended plan, Grimsley asked whether the Arbor vitae which border her property would be covered in two or three years if the roots were damaged by the construction.
Karney said the owner would be willing to work with the neighbor if that were to happen.
Carellas asked whether the Planning Board wished to put any special conditions on the site plan. Member Jane Magarian asked if they could put the condition that the Arbor vitae be replaced if they die.
City Planner Jay Vinskey said they could put as a condition an evergreen screen, which would cover plantings on the border between the two properties. Vinskey also pointed out that although the new plan added a sidewalk extension onto the property from Notre Dame St., there was no interconnected walkway to the parking lot from the buildings. He said it would create a dedicated pedestrian route on the property, instead of people squeezing between cars, to which Karney agreed.
The site plan adding the conditions of the evergreen screen and pedestrian walkway passed unanimously, along with a stormwater permit.
