SOUTH HADLEY — In an effort to address the fears some residents have about a potential rezoning plan along the Route 202/33 corridor, the Planning Board said last week that it would pass an overlay zone of design standards to keep the area visually consistent and to preserve quality of life.
“We want it to be South Hadley,” Anne Capra, director of planning and conservation for the town, said at the board’s Sept. 8 public hearing about the rezoning plan. “We’ve heard a lot of comments about people concerned that these zoning amendments will look like other places, maybe down the road in Chicopee or up the road in Hadley. What we brought before you tonight is not that.”
The Route 202/33 rezoning proposal consolidates six different zones along the Willimansett Street and Granby Road into two new designations. The residential core zone in center of the “L” shaped corridor will allow housing of all types, from single-family homes to “cottage cluster” communities. The two residential mixed-use zones that bookend the core would permit both residential and commercial developments.
“Lets give them a reason to stop in South Hadley”
Rob Watchilla, Planning Board member
The proposal comes as South Hadley faces a budget deficit partially driven by the lack of development in town. Revenue from new growth in fiscal year 2026 is estimated to barely reached $150,000. The Select Board unanimously voted to support the proposed zoning changed during its Sept. 2 meeting.
The public hearing started with an updated version of the zoning proposal, which included changes recommended at a July listening session. For instance, residential mixed-use buildings in the bookending sections of the corridor can only be three stories instead of four originally proposed, though affordable housing developments may add a fourth story to meet financing requirements.
The Planning Board also promised to pass a Route 202/33 design guideline overlay district to create a cohesive look along the corridor. Capra said the overlay district would establish a set of architectural and environmental requirements and suggestions for developers. The goal, she said, is to create a walkable and bikeable environmentally friendly community.
“If you want to do any development in these districts, your project has to comply with the design review zoning,” Capra said.
Roads are already busy
As with previous meetings, traffic changes were a top concern for residents. Residents like Martha Terry and Linda Sacks were pointed out that increases in traffic would go against the goals of encouraging a pedestrian- and bike-friendly environment.
“The only time that road is quite is on Christmas morning,” resident Bernie Dziadek said.
However, Capra said that the corridor needs more traffic to qualify for additional stoplights to break up the flow of cars. More cars must consistently travel on the road in both directions to meet the Massachusetts Department of Transportation’s regulations for new stoplights.
“Currently it seems that traffic is really about rush hour. Those seem to be the peak hours,” Capra said.
Planning Board member Robert Sklarz said that most of the traffic on routes 202 and 33 are people coming and going from neighboring towns that continue to develop. Traffic, he said, will likely increase even if the zoning regulations fail at Town Meeting.
“Lets give them a reason to stop in South Hadley,” Planning Board member Rob Watchilla said. “To stay here, to do stuff in South Hadley, and also try to provide housing to residents who want to live here because they are having trouble finding housing at the moment.”
Keeping a consistant character
Residents also worried that the design and size of buildings permitted in the corridor would lack cohesion by bringing new types of development into single-family neighborhoods.
“If my neighbor were to sell their house and that house would be changed into a three-story building, no one is going to want to buy my house,” Christine Piquet said. “I will probably lose property value when that happens.”
Piquet and several other residents live within the proposed “residential core expanded” area. Many of the homeowners were caught off guard to find that their parcels were added to the proposal within the last month. Most parcels in this area are zoned for Residential A-1, but do not conform to the zone’s regulations.
“The reason we added the residential core expanded was to eliminate those non-conformities,” Capra said. “It was to allow those parcels to become dimensionally conforming so that you can make improvements to your house without asking the Planning Board for a special permit, which is going to cost you between $3,000 and $8,000.”
The board also explained that the overlay district prevents disjointed aesthetics. Vice Chair Nate Therien adds that evidence of taller buildings bringing down residential property value is not robust.
“Zoning creates opportunity for development. It doesn’t compel development,” Therien said. “Things happen very slowly. Look how long it’s taken to get some action in the old Big Y (location). Folks approved new zoning for that area before the pandemic. Only now are we beginning to see the beginnings of clearing of ground.”
The Planning Board will evaluate comments and make final changes before Town Meeting votes on the proposal in November.