WESTFIELD – On a vote of 10 to 1 with one abstention, the City Council voted on Jan. 4 to approve a special permit, site plan and stormwater permit for J. L. Raymaakers & Sons for a contractor’s yard and administrative offices on four acres on the corner of Falcon Drive and Progress Avenue in the water resource district.
At an earlier public hearing on the proposal, Rob Levesque of R. Levesque Assoc., speaking for John Raymaakers, described the project as consisting of an office component and service facility. He said Raymaakers runs a number of large excavation-type equipment currently located on East Mountain Road and has a significant administrative operation out of Lockhouse Road, both of which will be housed at the new location.
Zoning, Planning and Development chair Ralph Figy said at Thursday’s meeting that after due consideration, the committee voted 2 to 1 to recommend approval of the permits. He said the committee found that the location was appropriate for the business, that it would not adversely affect the neighborhood, conformed to all regulations, and would not interfere with the water resource district or negatively impact water quality.
