DEERFIELD — Two special permit approvals from the Zoning Board of Appeals are allowing for one business to move to Deerfield and another to expand with a second location.
Northeast Tree Care Inc. moving to Deerfield
Northeast Tree Care, currently located at 31 Garage Road in Sunderland, earned a special permit to relocate to the 18-acre property at 198 Mill Village Road in Deerfield. According to the business’ website, the landscape construction company’s mission has blossomed into arboriculture as well, or the study and practice of plant, shrub and tree care.
According to Deerfield Planning and Economic Development Coordinator Alexandria Galloway, GOGRIZ LLC owns the property. Perennial plant producer Pioneer Gardens previously ran its business there, growing plants in the 114,000-square-foot greenhouse until GOGRIZ LLC leased the property to Sun Mass Inc., a medicinal cannabis company.
Northeast Tree Care plans to tear down the greenhouse and add a “modest addition” to the office space, according to the special permit application. Two homes remain on the property, one from 1875 and the other from 1963. Owner Josh Kicza told the ZBA on Aug. 21 that he plans to leave the homes as they are.
The permit application also states that the company will tend the farmland on the property that falls under the Agricultural Preservation Restriction Program.
The board initially considered a stipulation requiring that no structures on the property stand within 30 feet of the front property line or within 10 feet from the rear and sides. This stipulation would likely apply to stacks of logs that Kicza expects will be on the property, rising to about 15 feet at the highest.
ZBA member Mark Brennan expressed concern about enforcing conditions on semi-permanent structures like a log stack. After further deliberation, the board decided to strike the stipulations for the rear and sides, but included the condition for the front of the property in the special permit.
“I think that this is going to be a great use of the space,” Brennan said.
Fellow board member Gaby Richard-Harrington agreed, adding that she believes Northeast Tree Care will help restore the wetlands.
“It sounds like they’re going to enhance that property significantly,” she said.
The six employees running Northeast Tree Care at their current Sunderland location will continue their work in Deerfield. Kicza said the company will emulate his current location’s hours: 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, with occasional Saturday hours.
Zbylut Motor Works Inc. expanding to Deerfield
The ZBA also approved Luke Zbylut’s special permit for a new location at 253 Greenfield Road in Deerfield. Zbylut, of Amherst, owns Zbylut Motor Works Inc., a vehicle repair shop at 398 Northampton Road in Amherst.
According to Galloway, Aromatic Fillers LLC previously manufactured and sold candles, reeds, soaps and sanitizers at the 3.7-acre property.
Zbylut plans to preserve the exterior of the property and only alter the 3-by-10-foot sign. Next month, he will speak to the Planning Board for a permit to also sell vehicles and automotive parts at the property.
Abutter Ron Wisnieski inquired about fluids leaking from vehicles at the repair shop.
“That runs off to others’ properties, which affects everybody,” Wisnieski said.
In response, Zbylut said all the equipment and vehicles will remain inside the garage.
“We’re extremely tidy and organized. … We’re super clean,” Zbylut said.
The repair shop plans to be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily, with eight employees.
Renewable energy conditions
The ZBA discussed a condition regarding renewable energy on the two special permits. The condition reads, “The applicant shall use reasonable efforts to incorporate green design standards and to utilize renewable energy sources in its development and subsequent use of the locus.”
The board agreed to remove the requirement from the conditions on Kicza’s permit, but included it in Zbylut’s conditions, with members David Sharp, Gaby Richard-Harrington and Chair David Potter voting against the amendment to remove the condition, and members Mark Brennan and Tia Christiansen voting for the amendment.
Brennan initially proposed the amendment. He argued that the town lacks a bylaw to enforce the condition, expressing a concern with consistency.
“It’s just a little shaky to me. It seems like it’s trying to add informational bylaws when the town has not given us the power to do so,” Brennan said.
Instead of the ZBA including the condition on special permits, Brennan argued that the Planning Board should draft a bylaw recommendation with the renewable energy concerns for the town to vote on before it becomes a zoning bylaw.
When deliberating whether to remove the requirement from Zbylut’s permit, Sharp said, “I’m just not sure why we are so opposed to, again, what I think is aspirational, encouraging language.” He added,” I haven’t heard [Zbylut] object to this.”
Potter added, “There is something about it that seems extraneous to this proposal.” Although the ZBA agreed to include the condition as is, Potter proposed discussing the stipulation at a future meeting.
Yankee Candle installing new sign
Lastly, the ZBA unanimously approved a new permanent sign at Yankee Candle at 25 Greenfield Road. According to Property and Guest Services Manager Ben Ware, the 7-by-14-foot aluminum sign will replace two temporary banners hanging from the northeast corner of the property.
The special permit request stated the sign will be installed no later than Oct. 31.