AGAWAM – The City Council passed the first reading of an amendment outlawing new multi-family dwellings in Business A zones at its meeting on March 20.

Mayor William Sapelli and Town Solicitor Stephen Buoniconti presented the council with their opinion that having multi-family housing built on Business A districts would not be the best use of the districts.

Buoniconti said, “In Business A you can do anything,” and called the present use of the district “a hodgepodge of zoning in the town.”

While single-family homes could still be constructed in Business A, a multi-family unit would not be allowed under the new rules. Commercial development would be encouraged, he added.

Agawam residents Susan Grossberg and Corrine Wingard both spoke in opposition to the change. Having businesses within walking distance of multi-family units helps create “walkable communities for elders,” Grossberg argued.

Wingard contended the town needs more housing and requested the council to table the discussion for more research. She asked just how many parcels would be affected by the rule change, but did not receive an answer.

The zoning amendment will have to be passed by another council vote at a future meeting before it can go into effect.

The council also approved a donation of $2,000 from the Agawam Police Special Division to the Whiting Street and Thomas Pyne Fund. The chair of the fund group, Marie Izzo, explained to the council the fund was set up in 1875 with a bequest of $4,000 from Agawam resident Whiting Street. The original idea, she explained, was to have a fund to help residents deemed “the worthy poor who are not at alms houses.”

In 1894 a sum of $2,000 was donated by the widow of Thomas Pyne for the same purpose.

In 1992, the two funds were combined. A commission is named by the mayor and the council to administer the funds to residents who are having issues that they do not have the funds to address.

Izzo said the funds can only use the interest generated by the principal, and while the commission has helped people, “No one knows about us. That’s why I’m here.”

She said there is currently $10,300 that can be used to help people.

She noted Agawam businesses have a history of adding their assistance to the fund recipients as well as town officials and organizations such as the Lions Club.

There is an application process and applications are available in the town’s treasurer’s office.

Thankful for the new donation, Izzo said, “The more money we have, the more we can help people.”

The council also approved a donation of $4,327 from the family of the late firefighter Richard Fearn, which will be used to purchase firefighting equipment. Sapelli noted Fearn was the town’s first firefighter-mechanic who serviced and repaired the fire trucks. He served from 1969 to 1994.

The mayor added a plaque honoring Fearn will be installed at Fire Station 2.

His widow Betty said, “We of proud of this opportunity and I know Dick would be proud even though this is unexpected. He thought so much of the fire service.”

The council also approved the use of $86,000 from the Agawam Golf Course’s retained earnings account to fund golf course operations. The money is from income generated at the golf course in previous seasons.