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SUNDAY NIGHT
Disturbance leads to arrest
The Legislative and Ordinance and Zoning Planning and Development Committees discuss the medical services district proposal inside City Council chambers Monday night.
City Council subcommittees discuss medical district zoning By DAN DESROCHERS Correspondent WESTFIELD—The potential medical services district zoning is now one step closer to going back to the full City Council, after two committees wrapped up their second meeting on the ordinance change. The Legislative and Ordinance (L & O) and Zoning Planning and Development (ZPD) Committees of the City Council held their second joint meeting last night on the proposed medical services district zoning, which may soon be named hospital zoning. During this, and their last meeting, the initial draft proposal was gone over and suggestions were made on what to change within it. Now, L & O Chairman and Ward Two Councilor Ralph Figy will be taking the suggestions that have been gathered and will be drafting a new ordinance, which will come before the joint committee once again on Dec. 11. Among the items discussed during last night’s meeting was whether the determination of special permit regarding maximum building height in the proposed zone above 60 feet would be through the city’s Planning Board or City Council. For Figy, the duty, he believed, should be on the Planning Board. “I have a major concern about the City Council being the granting authority,” he said, adding that citizens may not be comfortable with this. In addition, he voiced concerns about it becoming political by being in City Council. At-Large Councilor and ZPD member Dan Allie said that the Holyoke City Council however, is the granting authority based on if the proposal exceeds height regulations. Fellow committee member and Ward Three Councilor
Andrew Surprise also mentioned the Springfield City Council is involved in the process in Springfield. In addition, Surprise said that he believed the Planning Board should not be deciding it because it is “something major” and can change a neighborhood. L & O member and Ward Six Councilor Bill Onyski disagreed however, saying that the Planning Board regularly deals with major issues. L & O member and Ward Four Councilor Mary O’Connell said that she agreed with Surprise. “I really feel strongly that the council should be the governing board on this, I just do,” she said. “It’s unique, not a run-of-the-mill zoning issue.” It was suggested that the City Council and Planning Board split the duty but City Planner Jay Vinskey, who was present at the meeting, said that the way it is written if the City Council has the special permitting authority, they must also be the site plan reviewers. The matter was decided to be discussed again later and the joint committee moved on to cover the section titled “Additional Regulations” within the draft. The first item under additional regulations referred to parking within 20 feet along street lines and the use of vegetation to lessen visual impact of buildings and vehicles on the neighborhood. It was argued by Onyski that the language was confusing, including possible interpretation that as long as shrubbery is planted parking can be allowed closer. “I definitely think we can write this number one better, it’s a 46-word sentence that’s very confusing,” Onyski said of the first item in “Additional Regulations.” The joint committee determined
that language would be altered in this item, including a suggestion by Surprise of incorporating zoning ordinance ideas from Fairfax County, Virginia, as well as parking not being allowed within 20 feet of any lot line. Also discussed was buffering of plants along property lines of the proposed zone that would abut residential areas, which was the second item under “Additional Regulations.” Surprise asked that the section be specific about shrub height in the section. “Talking to residents they are hoping that we ask the hospital to keep the trees on the back on Court Street,” he said. Also discussed under “Additional Regulations” were specifications about waste storage and removal. Figy suggested adding that hazardous or biohazardous materials should be disposed of by state and federal regulations. Meanwhile, Surprise requested that hours of waste removal be placed. “A lot of residents complaining about hours of waste removal, can we set some limits,” he asked. It was determined to set a limit from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. The fourth item in this section discussed was related to site plan approval that must be required for construction of new or expanded building footprints, which the draft had at “in excess of 5,000 square feet,” and the addition or modification of parking spaces, which the draft set at 25 spaces. Among the ideas discussed were changing the site plan approval to a special permit process, as well as lowering the thresholds of both in order to trigger the special permitting process if such a project was suggested See Zoning, Page 3
Southwick Police Chief internal candidates revealed By GREG FITZPATRICK Correspondent SOUTHWICK – During Monday night’s Select Board meeting, the board released the names of the four internal candidates who applied to be the next Southwick Police Chief. The four candidates are Lt. Kevin Bishop, Sgt. Kirk Sanders, Sgt. Det. Robert Landis, and Sgt. Rhett Bannish. The board also noted that they will be holding interviews for all four candidates at the Select Board meeting on December 11, beginning at 5:30 p.m. On Nov. 24, The Westfield News
reported that the Select Board announced that there were four officers in the Southwick Police Department who applied for the Chief position. Applications were available for over three weeks as the deadline came on Nov. 17. All four candidates are qualified for the position as applicants need to have 12 years of law enforcement experience and five years of supervisor experience. The current Chief, David Ricardi, took over as Chief of police in June 2013 and is set to retire in June 2018.
By DAN DESROCHERS Correspondent WESTFIELD–Police reported that a disturbance that involved between eight and nine people led to one arrest and two people transported to area hospitals Sunday night. According Westfield Police Capt. Michael McCabe, a disturbance occurred at the Country Mart on Union Street, with a call coming in shortly before 9:15 p.m. The incident reportedly involved eight to nine people who were involved in a possible fight. McCabe reported that during the incident, a stun gun was allegedly deployed by a person. In addition, two people were injured, with one being transported to Baystate Noble Hospital and the other being transported to Baystate Medical Center. Both were transported by Westfield Fire ambulance and personnel. Police arrested Ryan T. Barber, 20, of
Picture of Ryan T. Grant, 20, of Westfield, provided by Westfield Police. Westfield, in relation to the disturbance and charged him with assault and battery with a dangerous weapon and sell/possess electric stun gun. According to McCabe however, the incident is still under investigation.
Saturday night stabbing sends one to hospital By DAN DESROCHERS Correspondent WESTFIELD–Police are seeking information after one person was hospitalized following a stabbing Saturday night. According Westfield Police Capt. Michael McCabe, a victim was stabbed several times Saturday night on Maple Street. The incident was reported shortly before 11:45 p.m. The victim and another person, according to McCabe, had reportedly attempted to intervene in a fight that they had come across, and one of the parties in the fight allegedly stabbed the victim several times. According to police, the victim was able to get themselves to Baystate Noble Hospital and then was later transported to Baystate Medical Center in Springfield. A status on the victim was not immediately available. The incident is currently under investigation. McCabe said that anyone with information can contact the Westfield Police Department at (413)5625411, or Westfield Detective Sgt. Stephan Dickinson in the department’s Detective Bureau at (413)562-6400.
The Southwick Select Board votes in favor of choosing not to exercise their right of first refusal to purchase the Southwick Country Club. (Photo courtesy of Greg Fitzpatrick)
Select Board makes decision on Southwick Country Club By GREG FITZPATRICK Correspondent SOUTHWICK – The Select Board has made their decision on the town’s option of right of first refusal to purchase the Southwick Country Club. At Monday night’s Select Board meeting, the board voted in favor of deciding not to exercise that right. Bill Najam, the owner of the Southwick Country Club, was in attendance and called the decision a bittersweet moment for him. “I really loved being in the business,” said Najam. “It’s really a tough business.” Now that the decision from the town is official, Fiore Realty, the second party attempting to purchase the 110-acre property, expressed their thoughts. “This is a particular opportunity and a particular need for the town,” said Dick Fiore, Vice President of Fiore Realty, who also pointed out that he and his wife are avid members of the golf course. Moving forward, Fiore Realty will now be surveying the land as they got See Select Board, Page 3