EASTHAMPTON — An applicant proposing a 14-unit condominium complex called Whispering Pines on Loudville Road is seeking a special permit from the Planning Board, though the proposal was met with pushback from some residents in the area at a Dec. 16 meeting.
The proposed project at 283 Loudville Road calls for construction of three duplexes of two units each — one duplex consisting of two-bedroom units and two duplexes consisting of two- and three-bedroom units.
The other eight homes will be single units — six two-bedrooms and two, three bedrooms. The condos are estimated to cost approximately $650,000 to $700,000, according to Kelley & Katzer Real Estate of West Springfield.
“We’ve had great success with our first two (developments),” developer Joe Kelley said at the Dec. 16 Planning Board meeting. “Coming in, we’ve seen a big demand of people moving back to Easthampton that grew up here and a need for condo housing, one-floor living.”
The Planning Board moved discussion of the project to its Feb. 3 meeting.
Kelley said at the meeting that he has taken part in other developments in Easthampton. One is a 15-unit development on Nichols Way, or Pineview Estates, located at 282 Loudville Road directly across from the proposed development at 283 Loudville Road. That project received permit approval in February 2024 and the area is located in an R-35 zoning district.
There was discussion too about another development on Loudville Road known as Steplar Crossing, an 18-unit development. That project received permit approval in November 2020.
At the meeting, Kelley was joined by John Furman, office manager for Vanasse Hangen Brustlin (VHB) of Springfield, the consulting and design firm hired for the project, who presented the designs.
The 14 housing units would be built on a 750-foot road ending in a cul-de-sac.
Furman showed the portion of land that is being purchased by Kelley, which amounts to approximately 12 acres. Of that land, there is a portion of wetlands that requires a 100-foot buffer from development, per state law. VHB had a professional delineate the wetland area and determined the development would not infringe on the buffer, and Furman said the Conservation Commission approved of that.
“We’re developing this parcel outside of any resource areas of the wetlands that are on site,” Furman said. “A maximum natural woodland buffer is being maintained along the back.”
Additionally, he said there are 7.6 acres of existing tree coverage on the site, and roughly 6.7 acres, meaning about 15% of the trees, will be removed. The water supply will be connected to the city-owned, 16-inch diameter pipe, and Furman said they do not expect to have any water pressure issues with this development.
VHB Traffic Designer Molly Pause shared findings from a traffic assessment at the meeting. A four-way intersection with two stop signs would be created, with one sign on the new road and the other on Nichols Way. There would be no signs on Loudville Road.
Pause said the traffic impact would be minimal with at most, six vehicles leaving at “peak hours” such as when people go to work.
“Based on this development being very low volume, like I said again, six peak-hour trips, the roadway itself under existing conditions with this development in place is a very negligible impact,” Pause said. “It’s one vehicle added to the mainline every 10 minutes, so we’re not expecting a concern.”
While showing stormwater management plans that will use an infiltration basin to be constructed, Furman said a key factor of the system is it will actually minimize the amount of water currently leaving the site. The system plans still need to be reviewed by the city engineer.
“The overall arching design aspect of (a) stormwater management system is not to increase the amount of stormwater leaving the site … we have achieved that with this design and we’ve exceeded it,” Furman said.
According to staff members from the Planning Department, there were previous issues with conservation compliance at Pineview Estates. Planning Board Vice Chair James Zarvis said the latest application is more thorough.
“It’s obvious, you’ve been before us before, the difference from some of the earlier presentations and how thorough and comprehensive this was to answer a lot of the questions,” Zarvis said.
Public input
Furman said a public outreach session was held on Nov. 3 with all abutters invited, though only one showed up. However, one abutter that attended the Planning Board meeting online said they were only given six hours notice before the meeting.
Several residents of the area voiced opposition, mainly concerned about impacts from another housing development on Loudville Road and Easthampton as a whole. One Loudville Road resident said the city needs to balance what was best for the community and a capitalist housing development.
Concern was also shown for impacts on wildlife and traffic, and a lack of public outreach to abutters.
Upon hearing about the development, one Loudville resident went knocking on neighbors doors. At the meeting, she read multiple messages from abutters, one claiming that their property abutting the Pineview Estates was damaged from an excavator during construction.
One resident, John Walber, who lives in one of the Pineview Estates, said it is a “beautiful” development and he fully supports the developers. He said the developers did a great job with the conservation land there and he has video evidence of many animals in the area.