WESTFIELD–Roots Athletic Center is still creating controversy and drawing criticism from planning board and residents alike.
Roots Athletic Center on Root Rd. in Westfield, a sporting complex that is still currently under construction but is being utilized, has been under scrutiny for the past several months after the initial site plans for the project appeared to have not been followed. The site has been constructed under a special permit and that permit did not include outdoor lighting or artificial turf over the Barnes Aquifer, among other oversights.
Neighbors have complained about the center for several months, citing lighting, noise, traffic and safety among their concerns. These concerns have created not only anger and frustration in residents, but also surprisingly large crowds to appear at planning board meetings, including last night’s meeting which had standing room only space left in city council chambers.
The audience at the planning board Tuesday night, which had people standing due to lack of seating.
In order to see what neighbors were complaining about, and to see if Roots has been following what was set forth in their plans, the planning board members went out to the neighborhood and investigated the complaints.
The board found several issues, including light pollution, possible water contamination and safety concerns.
“People let us into the house adjacent to the right [of the complex] and it was obvious the lights permeated around the blinds. You opened the blinds and the room was pretty well-lit,” Carl Vincent, board member said.
Vincent added that there were several houses in the neighborhood that had obvious light pollution, and in some backyards the light was strong enough to read fine print on a coupon.
“You just keep doing things and we can’t allow it,” Philip McEwan, planning board chairperson, said. “It’s basically a construction zone.”
McEwan said that he had seen several pieces of construction equipment near where games were being played, and restrooms were portable toilets and not flush facilities.
Roots lights from the McCarthy home vantage point, Oct. 21, unknown time.
Other planning board members agreed with McEwan, with several calling for the business at the site to be suspended until all deficiencies are taken care of.
“We want to see success in this but you can’t put business first, it’s a disgrace,” planning board member Cheryl Crowe said. “I agree with my colleagues–shut it down and fix this.”
Meanwhile, others called for the special permit to be taken away altogether.
“I say we rescind the whole special permit because you haven’t been fair to us or to the city,” Jane Magarian, planning board member, said.
The board also questioned the use of crumb rubber underneath the artificial turf, which several cited as concerning since it could leach into the Barnes Aquifer underneath the complex.
“Did you think this was going to be a concern that this was over the aquifer in the beginning,” McEwan asked Bryan Balicki, engineer for the project.
Balicki, along with attorney Michael Ryan–both of which represented Roots Athletic Center–attempted to answer the many questions asked by the board, but were given little time to respond.
Balicki attempted to explain that one measure taken to protect construction equipment was to put fencing around it. In regards to the possible contamination of groundwater from the crumb rubber, Balicki said that they would be installing a monitoring well to test groundwater at least annually.
Regarding the lights, Balicki said that they would attempt to raise the fence to a higher level and plant fast-growing plants to protect residents from the light pollution.
The residents in the audience were largely satisfied with the responses and lines of questioning provided by the board, but not everyone there was satisfied.
Kari DeMarinis, the wife of the owner of Roots Athletic Center, came to the podium to address the board and was intense and visibly tense.
“I’m disgusted with the conduct of the board,” DeMarinis said loudly. “Everything we’ve done is to provide the best programs and the best facilities. We’ve built other facilities and worked with the planning board. You should look at the positive impact we make.”
Susan Hoye, a resident of Westfield and an employee for Roots, said that the actions by the board could be construed as disparaging to the owner and harmful in some ways.
Ward 1 councilor Mary Ann Babinski addresses the planning board Tuesday night.
“I felt like you hurt their reputation,” she said. “I think you have to be careful about what you say.”
Ward 1 councilor Mary Ann Babinski–who spoke several times at the meeting–disagreed with Hoye.
“The original proposal was agreed on to have no lights,” Babinski said. “This board or anyone else didn’t damage his reputation, he did so by not following the agreement.”
Regardless of what happens with the athletic center, the recent issues have caused neighbors to want to leave no matter the result.
Michael and Stephanie McCarthy, a family who lives next door to the complex said that they are leaning toward leaving no matter the outcome. However, the complex has even caused issues with this plan.
“This could influence us to move, but we will be losing value on the house now because of Roots,” Michael said.
The planning board decided to continue the hearing on Dec. 6, where they suggested Roots representatives come with plans to address the concerns.
