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This ad ran - 02/12/2008
HADLEY - A state environmental board says a project to erect a Lowe's store in Hadley can go forward if it complies with traffic and environmental conditions.
The Jan. 30 decision by the Massachusetts Environmental Protection Act office, made public Monday, indicated that the developer, Colden, N.Y.-based Paradigm Development, must comply with several contingencies.
"I'm not aware of the board's decision," Ron Bronstein of Paradigm Development said Monday. He said he didn't want to comment yet.
According to MEPA, in order to build the 140,000-square-foot store, which will include a bank or restaurant nearby, developers must foot the bill for design plans if a road-widening project along Route 9 ever materializes.
They must also donate the land needed to widen the road. Several other contingencies include giving the Pioneer Valley Transit Authority $50,000 to provide bus service to the site and installing an on-site transportation coordinator, whose task would be to reduce auto trips to the retail site.
Planning Board officials recently approved a grandfather clause allowing the Lowe's project to move forward without having to comply with a bylaw passed in May 2006 allowing for a maximum 75,000-square-foot retail footprint.
Planning Board member Bill Dwyer said Lowe's representatives must also get approval for their amended plans before the company can break ground.
"Proponents will put together a revised plan incorporating the changes required by all the groups they went to," Dwyer said. "At that point, we will take a look at it. If there are only minor changes, we will handle it administratively without the need to hold another public hearing."
Dwyer said the town has no authority to force Lowe's to do anything to Route 9.
"But if (the Massachusetts Highway Department) decided to get something built, Lowe's, as part of their mitigation effort, would pay for the design," Dwyer said. "It's an integral part of this process. It's in the files - so when the time comes - Lowe's will be there to pay for it."
The environmental impact report was denied by the MEPA office in 2006 due to wetland issues. Ian A. Bowles, wrote in the Jan. 30 MEPA decision that wetlands issues are still a shortcoming in the developer's revised environmental impact plan.
The environmental issues must be dealt with before state permits are issued.
The Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection has requested additional information from the company. Lowe's must submit additional information about stormwater management design and analysis of environmental resource areas to the Department of Environmental Protection.
The company must also apply for a pollution discharge permit.
And the Hadley Conservation Commission has raised concerns about an adjacent farm parcel.
