WESTFIELD – A planned athletics center construction project has been given the go-ahead to proceed by the Westfield Conservation Commission.
In a unanimous 6-0 decision, the commission concluded that the boundaries of the site were properly delineated and that none of the work for the Roots Athletic Center on Root Road was subject to the Wetlands Protection Act.
According to Bryan Balicki, P.E. of Sage Engineering, who presented the commission with layouts and maps of the facility’s plans on behalf of Roots Athletic Center, Inc., the planned facility – which would include three indoor soccer fields, two fullsize outdoor turf playing fields and 150 parking spaces, all totalling 87,000 square feet – would be constructed on land outside of the jurisdiction of the commission.
“The wetlands we’re asking for approval on tonight are the riverfront of Spectacle Brook, which ties into Brickyard Brook,” said Balicki. “As part of that, there’s bordering vegatative wetland and then a drainage ditch along railroad tracks.”
“The site in question is currently a vacant lot at the corner of Summit Lock (Road) and Root Road,” said Balicki, adding that it was part of a trust that was on 90 acres of land.
According to Conservation Coordinator Karen Leigh on the application presented to the commission, the property is owned by Frank DeMarinis of 199 Service Star Industrial Way.
According to Balicki, the lot was found to have land recognized by the Natural Heritage & Endangered Species Program (NHESP) on it in 2007 and that the owner was able to get several frontage lots and a 12.6 acre lot in the corner of the property.
“The rest of the land is forever protected as habitat,” said Balicki.
The proposed site is located just south the Root Gymnastics and Learning Centers and an Utz Potato Chips distribution center.
“As part of the Natural Heritage process in 2007, all the resource areas on the property were delineated and they went through the NHESP process and got a permit to develop these parcels,” Balicki said. “All of this would be constructed outside of the buffer zone and the riverfront area.”
Balicki added that his firm had worked with three environmental consultants who presented their own delineations for the site, with Sage Engineering choosing the “most conservative” of the three proposals to present to the commission, which was subsequently approved by Commission Chair Dr. David A. Doe, Vice Chair Henry Banish and Commissioners George W. Martin, James R. Murphy, Jr., Thomas E. Sharp, James Phillips and Jason Bean.
According to Westfield Principal Planner Jay Vinskey, Roots Athletic Center, Inc. will appear before the city’s Planning Board Tuesday.
“They’ll be seeking approval for a special permit, site plan approval and a stormwater permit,” said Vinskey Friday.
If granted approval for all necessary permits, construction will be able to begin, assuming no one appeals the decision.
As to his guess on what the outcome of Tuesday’s Planning Board meeting will be, Vinskey believes it will move forward.
“I could see it get approval with some conditions,” he said. “It’s an industrial zoned area, but it’s a pretty light use for an industrial zone.”
City Council President Brent Bean pledged his backing of the project Friday and shares Vinskey’s optimism that the project will get full approval.
“It seems like a pretty passive use for the city’s Industrial A (zone), so I am in full support of the project,” said Bean. “There was overwhelming support for the zoning language to be placed in Industrial A by the Council and Planning Board, so I’m not anticipating any issues that’ll prevent it from happening.”
“With indoor facilities like this, (Frank DeMarinis) has done a great job with Roots Gymnastics and the Aquatic Center,” added Bean. “This is one of the final pieces to his puzzle and this city needs this kind of facility, in my opinion.”
