Plans by R. Levesque Associates for Pioneer Valley Railroad’s 156,000-square-foot warehouse on Ampad Road in Westfield.
Reminder Publishing submitted photo
WESTFIELD — The Planning Board unanimously approved a special permit to the Pioneer Valley Railroad for a 156,000-square-foot warehouse and spur on Ampad Road at its meeting on Jan. 21.
The warehouse will sit on a currently undeveloped 13.3-acre lot zoned Industrial A owned by the railroad. According to the project description, there is a bordering vegetated wetland on the southern portion that will remain untouched and a portion of the former New Haven and Northampton Canal that runs along the eastern property line. The property is bound to the north by Ampad Road, to the east by the railroad, to the south by a cleared field, and to the west by residential dwellings on Root Road. The surrounding land consists of industrial and residential uses.
The warehouse will be for railroad use with 15 docks on the southern side of the building and a railroad spur entering inside the warehouse for loading and unloading product.
Rob Levesque of R. Levesque Associates, representing the railroad, said at an earlier public hearing before the Planning Board in November that several adjacent property owners expressed concerns about visibility and noise. He said since that meeting, they secured an order of conditions by the Conservation Commission and enhanced the landscaping on the west side of the warehouse where most residents live.
Levesque said most of the trucking activity will be on the east side and south side of the building. The wetland area to the south of the impervious surfaces will be protected, as will a vernal pool to the south.
Another enhancement proposed since the first meeting was a 14-foot high sound barrier wall along the western side of the perimeter, to place on top of a retaining wall, which Levesque said will provide a significant buffer to abutters. “It will not only mitigate and reduce sound penetration into the residential lots; but along with the retaining wall, will provide a pretty significant amount of protection.” Levesque said there is also a significant landscape buffer on the other side of the property line.
“This is not a cheap item,” Levesque said about the proposed 14-foot sound barrier wall, which he said would total 20 feet when added to the retaining wall. “We feel this goes a long way in trying to address the proximity of the site to neighbors.”
He said they are considering a taupe or earth tone color for the wall which will be hidden behind the trees in the back yards. He said at most people will be seeing the top of the building, and most of the sound will be at a lower elevation.
“I think it’s a good solution,” said John Bowen, during the discussion.
Richard Salois asked about traffic on the site. Levesque said cars will be entering and parking to the north of the building by the Ampad Road entrance, and trucks will drive down the east side to the bays. A 20 foot loop road will go around the building on the west side next to the wall for emergency vehicles and fire access.
Opening the discussion to the public, Michael Lannon of Root Road, one of the abutters who expressed his concerns at the November hearing, said he appreciated the addition of the sound barrier wall. “It’s a good effort. Most of the business is going to be done at the bottom [south end] of the building. The wall should be wrapped around,” he said, adding, “We’re used to the trains, more or less, but for trucks driving in and out, will this be a 24-hour operation?”
Levesque said they did carry the wall down the west side and around the first corner, and it could be carried farther within reason, as it is costly. “I do believe this will prevent most of the sound,” he said.
Lannon said he would like to see it go to the second corner of the property, another 150 feet.
Levesque said it was not an unreasonable request, and the Planning Board could extend it. “In the end, if it doesn’t help the neighbors, it’s not worth putting it in.”
Levesque also said he wasn’t sure about the hours of operation, but he believed the railroad would like the flexibility of 24/7. He said Pioneer Valley Railroad is currently operating out of Lockhouse Road and another location, and the idea is to consolidate operations at this location, to be able to control product coming in by rail, out by vehicle.
After a request by abutter Lisa Lannon for a peer review on the design, Levesque said they have put hundreds of hours into the design already. He said peer reviews are not about concept or layout, but whether the project has met performance standards.
“Different animals. While we respect the request — we understand it’s in your backyard and don’t want to see it there — we stand by our plans and design, and respectfully request to move forward.”
The Planning Board approved the special permit, adding the 150 feet of the proposed sound barrier wall to the conditions.
