Mary O’Connell
WESTFIELD – Ward 4 Councilor Mary O’Connell brought the proposed zoning amendment, Abutter Notification forward to the City Council for a vote on Thursday, after it had been reviewed by the Legislative & Ordinance Committee. O’Connell said after the discussion, she planned to amend the ordinance to put back in a signage requirement for zoning changes, which had been voted down 2-1 in L&O, with hers as the dissenting vote.
Earlier in the meeting, during public participation, several residents had spoken up in favor of the ordinance and the signage requirement. In her remarks, Kristen Mello of Union Street said the signage was a good idea to protect residents who are not property owners, and may not have been notified.
Connie Adams of Yellow Stonehouse Farm also spoke in support of the signs, adding that she would pay for the first 25 signs for the city.
At-large Councilor Dan Allie responded to O’Connell’s remarks by proposing an amendment to include Section B, and put the signage requirement of zoning changes on the property in question back in.
Ward 6 Councilor William Onyski said he was one of the L&O members who voted against signage, because he thought it would be redundant, and could lead to questions of where to put the sign on the property, and who is liable. Ward 2 Council Ralph J. Figy, who chairs L&O, was not present at Thursday’s meeting.
“It’s 99% good. The sign is not a deal breaker,” Onyski said about the ordinance.
John J. Beltrandi III
At-large Councilor John J. Beltrandi, III asked a lot of questions as to what size the sign was going to be, and size of lettering. He said if it is going to be a requirement, it had to be spelled out.
At-large Councilor Stephen Dondley agreed. “We’re creating a new law here, it should be codified,” Dondley said.
O’Connell said that city planner Jay Vinskey came to the meeting with a specific mockup of the sign. She said the Planning Department would be creating the sign, and in charge of placement on the property.
At-large Councilor Dave Flaherty suggested adding to the amendment that the signage would be provided by the Planning Department.
“If the city planner is posting all the signs, that will address the consistency,” said At-large Councilor Matthew VanHeynigen.
“This is after two public hearings and five months of flat out work,” Allie said about the ordinance.
O’Connell then asked for a first reading on the motion.
Dondley made a motion for an amendment to have Vinskey make a written recommendation in the ordinance for sign placement and size. The first reading as amended of the ordinance passed, and will go to a second reading on its way to becoming law.
