See what your neighbors have to say
Our attorney should send a detailed letter to the Town of EL, including the Town’s attorney, citing the unfair treatment of the public Wednesday night. The CC came with their minds made up. Nothing was written down by any one of them.
Art Boehm has an excellent command of his profession. An environmentalist licensed in MA should understand what Art (licensed in CT) put so much time in preparing, and that too, should be put in writing to the CC, town attorney and town officials.
Don and Sheila Grobeis
I have concerns about the proposed warehouse that had not been adequately addressed.
Traffic
One conclusion of the warehouse developer’s traffic analysis is that the anticipated truck traffic will not interfere with normal commuter peak traffic flow. My experience with a specific UPS distribution facility is that their trucks head out en masse in the morning around 8:00 am and return in close order in an afternoon period that would match E.L. school dismissal flow.
The second traffic concern is their statement of no interference with scheduled bus traffic. They never addressed the Chestnut/Benton intersection in their study. I believe this was no accident, as there is a significant bus route that would be adversely effected by excessive truck traffic, particularly if I am right that truck traffic would be highest early in the morning when most folks go to work and later afternoon when they return home. That service carries staff personnel to the Benton Drive nursing home and Longmeadow JCC. These two medical facilities could face operational disruptions as a esult of difficulties in getting staff on site in a timely manner.
Stormwater
Flooding is a prime concern if the warehouse is completed. I feel the developers entire Stormwater Plan is based on smoke and mirrors. One inch of rain will release over 90,000 cubic feet of storm water from that site. The basins hold 70,000 cubic feet. Unless they drain rapidly the next inch is going to tumble into the brook, which already floods on the north side of Chestnut. If the water table rises after replenishment by Fall rains and heavy snow melt of Winter, the soil under Basin #3 may not be able to absorb any more water. Hence my concern over a serious flooding potential.
Art Boehm
Following are our concerns:
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Traffic - ALL and every surrounding road is a single lane, in East Longmeadow, Longmeadow, Enfield, Somers. Existing roads and intersections cannot support this. The roads will be destroyed from 100+ tractor trailer trucks traveling through on a daily basis.
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Safety - on the roads and on, in and under the property that’s the subject of this proposal
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Air pollution - asbestos and other toxins to be disturbed during demolition. Diminished air quality from fumes from 100+ tractor trailers traveling to/from, and idling at the proposed new facility.
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Noise - constant back up beepers, air brakes, engine idling and accelerations of 100+ tractor trailers
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Lights - warehouse, constant travel of 100’s of additional vehicles at all hours, every day
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Environment - Environmental issues resulting from impacts of disturbing existing ground pollutants
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Asbestos - Asbestos removal process and containment
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Impact on Services - An additional 100+ tractor trailers every day will have a significant, negative impact on municipal departments and services
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Inconsistent with neighborhood - Overall height of proposed new warehouse structure is grossly inconsistent for the area
Don and Sheila Grobeis
Takeaway information from the Metropolitan Area Planning Council (MAPC) report from February 2021
"While the traffic generated by e-commerce warehouse and distribution centers vary by size and type of product being delivered, most centers have 24-hour operations. The typical cycle of activity consists of the receipt of bulk deliveries from distribution centers late at night from tractor-trailers." (Page 26/65)
"The total volume of traffic to and from warehouse and distribution centers in Massachusetts is currently unknown". (Page 26/65)." Curious?
Amazon facilities in MA (page 31/65) as of February 2021 = 20 were in operation in MA, with (then) 14 more in the pipeline. Of the 20, if the one of most concern to us were to be added it would rank #3 in terms of largest amount of overall square footage. Compared to the 14 listed in the pipeline, if adding 'ours' it would rank in the top 3 (#3) as well in terms of largest amount of square footage.
"In general, the daily operations of distribution centers begin with the arrival of tractor trailers that bring packages in bulk from fulfillment centers throughout the night, usually starting after 11 p.m." (Page 36/65)
"Restriction Zones - - re a warehouse adjacent to a residential area = one of the report's suggestions: Restrict truck and van access during certain times of the day/or day of the week. Do not permit on or off site idling for all vehicles servicing the facility". (Page 54/65)
Traffic Impact Study for Proposed Warehouse Facility at 330 Chestnut Street
Prepared by McMahon Associates, Inc of Westfield, MA.
I have carefully read the traffic study for the proposed new warehouse prepared by McMahon Associates. This study is fundamentally flawed because it assumes that the Package Machinery building was currently occupied for distribution creating expected volumes of truck traffic, and the impact between that and the new one would be minor. The flaw is that the Package Machinery is not now and never was active as a distribution center, and the traffic level that they are assuming as current, which they are also assuming is working satisfactorily now, does not actually exist. Total BS and sophistry. I presume it must have been paid for by the developer, and, in my opinion, is not a fair and independent evaluation.
Ed Mazer