WESTFIELD—City residents received a glimpse into the proposal for a possible medical services district last night, as the public was invited to Baystate Noble Hospital to hear from developers about the potential zoning change.
The potential zoning change would create a hospital district in the city, around the area where Baystate Noble Hospital already owns a majority of the land. According to those on hand representing the zoning change, the potential zone could provide a more efficient way for development to occur, including sending reviews of plans to the city’s planning board, as opposed to the zoning board of appeals that it typically goes to now.
Rob Levesque discusses the potentially new medical services district, which is outlined in yellow on the screen.
“In this particular case, Noble is a preexisting nonconforming use,” Rob Levesque of R. Levesque Associates said regarding the hospital’s current zoning designation.
Levesque was speaking on behalf of the development of the zoning.
“It was basically created before the zoning. There’s no legislation specifically for a hospital—we want to create that,” he said.
According to Levesque, in order for development to happen at the hospital, which could include a canopy for an entrance that he offered as an example, then they currently must seek a variance through zoning board of appeals—which he noted was difficult to obtain—or a special permit.
“Its based on soil, shape or topography,” Levesque said of variances. “If we can’t show a hardship based on those areas we can’t get a variance.”
In order to alleviate the issue, Levesque said that the potentially new zoning district would provide the hospital with by-right uses and a process that could help guide further development. This could include the canopy, as well as an expansion of the emergency department and parking expansion, which were both suggested as possible developments for the future.
“Our goal would be to have an ordinance in place, a sort of roadmap for the hospital,” he said.
According to the draft proposal, which Levesque said included working with the city’s law department and city councilors, the permitted uses within the zone would include a hospital, medical or dental offices, clinics, nursing homes and rehabilitation services, social services and parking facilities along with “accessory uses customarily incidental to a permitted use.”
In addition to the permitted uses, there would be regulations in place within the ordinance related to developments. These include a setback of 20 feet from lot lines for buildings up to two stories, as well as no building height beyond 60 feet without a special permit from planning board. Also, site plan approval is required for any “new or expanded building footprint in excess of 5,000 square feet or for the addition or alteration of 25 or more parking spaces.”
These items and others, according to Levesque, could be changed and are subject to suggestions from residents during public hearings on the proposal.
Residents on hand though, were concerned with what the potentially new zoning could bring to the area.
Residents spoke up during the session about the possibility of two additions in particular—a parking garage and a methadone clinic.
Regarding the potential for a methadone clinic, one resident voiced concern that a facility could be built for that use without neighborhood input and a special permit could be had without a public hearing.
However, representatives from the hospital stressed that they would not be seeking to put in such a facility. Instead, according to Ronald Bryant, President of Baystate Noble, the focus for expansion is based on what is currently offered at the hospital.
“The goal is to enhance the specialty services we provide on site now,” Bryant said.
“By leveraging the resources we have with Baystate Health we can enhance the resources,” he said.
According to Bryant, these services include cardiopulmonary services, acute patient rehabilitation, surgical inpatient services, gastroenterology and radiology among others.
In addition, Joe Mitchell, city advancement officer, said that addiction treatment requires strict regulation.
“Addiction medicine is highly regulated. There are a number of facilities in Westfield that are doing addiction medicine with methadone and suboxone and you don’t even know they’re there,” Mitchell said.
Suboxone is a type of medication that helps with the treatment of opioid addiction.
Regarding parking, the suggestion has been made that surface parking would be added on Court Street following the acquisition of land. In addition, earlier in the meeting Levesque said that both parking garages and methadone clinics could be struck out of the ordinance so as to not allow them.
Another concern from residents is that the current process may provide additional steps the hospital must clear for development, which could provide benefit to residents who live nearby. If the process is changed, then there may be less steps and oversight.
“I want a thoughtful and inclusive process,” Tim Matthews, Westfield resident, said. “The hospital has been able to expand—three major expansions all under the current process. You don’t need to change the process.”
With the current steps in place though, Matthews said that he understands it requires additional work on the hospital side.
Following the meeting, Ward Three City Councilor Andrew Surprise, who is the Ward Councilor of the area that the hospital is in, provided an email regarding the meeting and the proposal:
“I thank the hospital administration and the architects, for answering my request to host a Community Meeting with residents that live in the neighborhoods surrounding the hospital. We want Baystate Noble in our community, and we want them to succeed in a competitive and growing market for healthcare. I had asked that this meeting be held prior to any movement on Baystate Noble’s expansion, and now with the introduction of the proposed Medical Zoning District. I have been concerned with the transparency of the process, especially in relation to the rush to get this zone created, when the Hospital itself has advised there is no need to rush, as any major additions which would be affected by the zone change, are still 4 to 5 years from construction.
I was encouraged to hear that Baystate Noble is willing to remove any language that would allow a parking garage or methadone clinic within the district. I will advocate that these uses, as well as a needle exchange site, be specifically precluded from the zone in the language of the zone ordinance. I believe the neighborhood which Baystate Noble occupies is not the proper location for such facilities, as it is in the middle of a residential neighborhood, unlike Providence Hospital in Holyoke, which is set away from neighborhoods. My other major concern would be any potential increased traffic at intersection of Court St, High St, and Mill St, due to expanded emergency room facilities.
The proposed zoning addition will next be seen by the Westfield Planning Board who will be holding a public hearing on it on Tuesday, Sept. 19, with their meeting starting at 7 p.m. The city council will also hold a public hearing on the proposal on Thursday, Sept. 21, with their meeting also starting at 7 p.m.
If residents would like to provide comments or questions but are unable to attend either meetings, they can email Ward Two City Councilor Ralph Figy at [email protected] or Surprise at [email protected] or 413-570-0899.
