HADLEY — The town Planning Board has not finished with In the Green Gardens, a Route 9 landscape design business whose owner, Steve Vaiano, appeared at two November meetings regarding a special permit application.
At the Nov. 7 meeting, Vaiano had requested a site plan revision for the property at 243 Russell St., seeking permission to add concrete based bulk material bins across the back side of the property lot. A review of the property and its condition resulted in warnings from the board for the site to be cleared of debris to allow for proper inspection and to ascertain if drainage issues existed, as offered in complaints from two abutting neighbors to the property.
The site was formerly occupied by Hastie Fence Company until Vaiano and his business took over as renters on the property in February 2021.
Paul Zahradnik, owner of Hadley Park Plaza at 245 Russell St. and Lisa Sanderson, who abuts Vaiano’s property to the west, both outlined concerns to the Planning Board that the current conditions still posed a detriment to their properties and businesses.
By the Nov. 21 meeting, Vaiano had demonstrated to the board’s satisfaction that the property had been sufficiently cleared of debris however, concerns involving drainage and a fence in disrepair were discussed at the prompting of both Zahradnik and Sanderson, who told the board that their property lines and an adjacent catch basin were still exposed to potential construction run off from the landscape design business.
Vaiano also informed the board that he was going to be replacing collapsed panels to the fenced area that his neighbors had also expressed concern about.
At that time, Planning Board Chair James Maksimoski suggested Vaiano arrange for a drainage and grade study or review of the property. Planning Board Clerk William Dwyer suggested the discussions be continued and the information also be reviewed by the Conservation Commission.
At the Jan. 2 meeting, Vaiano informed the board that he had been unable so far to secure the services of an engineering contractor to conduct a drainage study to determine the environmental impacts on neighbors who border his property and the nearby wetlands.
Maksimoski encouraged Vaiano to keep looking for engineering services in the meantime.
“If they [the contractor] have questions on what exactly we’re [the Planning Board] looking for, Mr. Dwyer or maybe myself, you could have them contact one of us so maybe it would be a bit more clear that they’re really not getting involved in an issue between property owners,” he said.
Planning Board member Joseph Zgrodnik asked to confirm that Vaiano’s enterprise was in fact an allowable business at its location and within the town to which Maksimoski affirmed that it was.
Zahradnik expressed concerns to the board that Vaiano’s property housed trucks containing various chemicals for treating driveways as well as pesticides and herbicides used in landscaping.
“I don’t want those going under my property,” Zahradnik said. “And I’m sure Lisa [Sanderson] doesn’t want them going under hers either.”
Dwyer advised Vaiano that his special permit request to allow for earth removal was not necessary as long it did not create issues or change drainage patterns to negatively impact abutting property.
“You don’t need a special permit to move the dirt around,” Dwyer said. “But you cannot cause a problem for your neighbors by moving it.”
Dwyer also told Vaiano that he still had the opportunity to enlist the assistance of professionals, something he said should have been done when Vaiano first rented the property over a year prior.
“We’re requesting this in good faith,” Zgrodnik said. “We’re not trying to put you through the ringer.”
The public hearing was again continued until Feb. 6 to allow for input and discussion with the Conservation Commission.
