SPRINGFIELD — A proposed car junkyard at the former Roy’s Towing storage yard on lower Liberty Street drew a mix of support and opposition Monday night, with some concerns raised about traffic congestion and noise.
The company, Pick-n-Pull, is proposing to store up to 700 cars at any one time at the 7.8 acre property, to be stripped and sold for car parts and then crushed on site, and later transported off-site. The property is located at 255 Liberty St. and an adjacent lot between Cass and Franklin streets.
The City Council conducted a public hearing on the special permit on Monday, by remote, and continued the hearing to allow additional comments under COVID-19 guidelines. A final vote could occur at the next council meeting, scheduled April 5.
The company’s lawyer, Raipher Pellegrino of Springfield, said the business will be a good and will provide 30 jobs to the community, and will be environmentally sound. The site is zoned for industrial use.
“I think it’s a perfect site,” Pellegrino said.
While the company is applying technically for a special permit for a “junkyard,” it will look like a parking lot with lined up cars, Pellegrino said. The site has been used most recently as a tractor tractor driving school, and has not had a junkyard use in recent years, company and city officials said.
“We all understand that has a negative connotation, but what you are really talking about here is an environmental company that actually assists the community in many ways,” Pellegrino said.
Crushed cars will not be stacked higher than eight feet, and cars will be regularly moved on and off the property, he said. The property will be surrounded by an 8-foot-high opaque fence, and its location is virtually “hidden” from sight, Pellegrino said.
The business model involves the company draining all fluids by vacuum, removing and selling some of the parts, and allowing customers to remove some of the parts.
The Planning Department, in its submitted review of the proposal, said it recommends the council reject the special permit.
While stating it was not disparaging the company or business model, the staff report said it “just does not believe that a junk yard is an appropriate use this close to downtown and located within the larger Metro Center area.”
There are efforts to expand use the adjacent east-west rail line, and to draw more commercial and market rate housing in the area, and having a large “junk yard right along the rail line will ultimately diminish this central gateway into Springfield,” the planning staff said.
The Lower Liberty Heights Citizens Council voted to support the plans, with its president, Gladys Rivera, saying the plans and a view of other Pick-n-Pull businesses in the country, showed it “was completely different from traditional junkyards.”
She said the community needs the 30 jobs, and is pleased the company has agreed to provide educational programs n the neighborhood for children in Grades K-12,. in collaboration with the city. She also praised their safety and operations plans.
Some neighbors, however, raised concerns.
Rod R. Sitterly, of Sitterly Company, submitted a letter of opposition, read at the meeting, that he was concerned about further traffic and congestion in that area, and the potential harm to residents and businesses.
“I envision hundreds of cars coming in for salvage and going out as junk,” Sitterly said.
Rev. Maria Santos, identified in a recorded telephone message as pastor of Pentecostal Bethel Church on nearby Cass Street, said she was opposed to the business being in a community that is improving and is “a nice place for people to live.”
Pellegrino said that customers will drive into the business from Liberty Street, and cars will be towed in and out of the lot from Chestnut Street.
Pick-n-Pull has 51 business locations in the United States and Canada including two businesses in Rhode Island, he said. The businesses have very positive reviews, he said, sharing some letters from other communities.
Pellegrino also asked the council to consider allowing the company to be open either 6 a.m. to 6 p.m., or 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Councilor Victor Davila said he does have concerns about noise and traffic, and said he would plan to propose an additional restriction, if approved, of a council review of the operations in one year.
Pellegrino said the company is open to that and other conditions, but said the location of the crushing equipment is far enough from any home to cause a noise nusiance. He said he would not expect anything more than “muffled noise.”
"car" - Google News
March 31, 2021 at 04:03AM
https://ift.tt/2PIDy1U
Proposed car junkyard at former Roy’s Towing lot in Springfield draws support, opposition - MassLive.com
"car" - Google News
https://ift.tt/2SUDZWE
https://ift.tt/3aT1Mvb
Bagikan Berita Ini
0 Response to "Proposed car junkyard at former Roy’s Towing lot in Springfield draws support, opposition - MassLive.com"
Post a Comment