WEST SPRINGFIELD — Marijuana is back on the agenda for Mayor William Reichelt and the Town Council.

In his 2022 legislative package proposed to the Town Council on April 4, the mayor is proposing to remove West Springfield’s local ban on marijuana retailers, and to expand the areas of town where marijuana establishments of all kinds would be allowed to open.

Currently, only medical dispensaries are allowed in West Springfield, Reichelt said in his proposal. He is asking the town to allow marijuana cultivators, manufacturers, retailers, testing and research labs, and transportation companies. These would be allowed in business zones and would require a special permit from the Planning Board.

The council has rejected Reichelt’s push, in previous years, to allow more marijuana businesses in town, but he said after last week’s council meeting that he thinks the topic merits another look, as experience in other Western Massachusetts cities has now shown that marijuana businesses do not have a negative effect on their host communities. Councilor Sean Powers and the two newly elected councilors, Michael LaFlamme and Jaime Smith, have signed on as co-sponsors of Reichelt’s proposals.

Reichelt provided an overview of several legislative priorities for 2022 during the Town Council meeting on April 4.

The first of the 10 items included in the legislative package is establishing a municipal light plant. This town-owned utility company would own the fiber-optic lines and bill customers for the proposed extension of Whip City Fiber, the broadband internet service run by Westfield Gas & Electric, to West Springfield.

Reichelt said the council voted for this last session, but it needs approval again. It “will allow for the town to have fiber and bill for that fiber that’s being built out right now.” He continued, “This would also allow us to put a ballot question on for November, that the community would vote on as well.”

Next, he discussed special legislation which will authorize seven additional all-alcohol licenses in town. Reichelt explained that five of the licenses would be restricted to the downtown-Merrick-Memorial area, and the other two would be for the Route 20-Kings Highway business district. The licenses would be voted on by the council before making their way up to Boston, for approval by the legislature.

The third item in the package is the acceptance of a local option state law that would establish a special injury leave indemnity fund. Reichelt said this will create a special account for the town to put money in to pay for police and firefighters when they’re injured.

The remaining seven items are zoning ordinance amendments. Reichelt explained that work on the wireless communication facilities was started last year by Councilor Michael Eger.

“We’ve kind of cleaned it up for small cell facilities that you see on the telephone poles. These aren’t the big ones we see on the water towers, but the ones that are just on the utility poles,” said Reichelt.

The second amendment would reduce setback distances to allow accessory structures, such as sheds, to be built closer to homes and property lines.

Another proposal is to allow gas stations to install electronic price signs on pumps.

“The last time we did it, we left out gas station pump toppers,” which would display gas prices digitally, Reichelt explained.

He is also proposing allowing owners of corner lots to treat just one side as a front yard, allowing them to fence in their back or side yards like other properties can.

“This will allow you to pick one of your sides to be your ‘front yard’ and the rest will allow you to put a fence in, depending on what the ordinance says from there,” he added.

Reichelt said his proposed impervious surface coverage amendment would prevent someone from paving an entire residential property and pushing all that stormwater onto a neighbor’s property, which has been an issue in town, or back on the street.

Lastly, he discussed home based business which is something the town has been working on for some time. Reichelt explained that this started last year with Councilor Sean Powers and they have decided to bring it back. “We saw a lot of change throughout 2020 with people working from home so we want to modernize, or [have] an ordinance to make more of those uses acceptable.”

Town Council President Edward Sullivan provided a first reading and formal referral of the 10 items in the legislative package to their appropriate committees.

Appointments

The council unanimously approved the appointment of Kenneth Ritucci to the Building and Other Facilities Planning and Construction Committee, to a term expiring Dec. 31, 2023.

Councilors also unanimously approved the appointment of Donald DellaGuistina to the License Commission, to a term expiring Dec. 31, 2024.
The next Town Council meeting is set to take place on April 19.

Michael Ballway of Reminder Publishing contributed to this report.