Update 8/18/17 – The Deerfield Planning Board voted unanimously on Monday to recommend the self-storage project proposed by Ideal Movers and Storage. Revised plans from the project engineer to address water-drainage issues were discussed during the meeting. Changes include using larger stone in the driveway than initially proposed to minimize runoff, according to the source.

August 18, 2017

3 Min Read
Ideal Movers and Storage Seeks Approval to Open Second Location in Deerfield, MA

Update 8/18/17 – The Deerfield Planning Board voted unanimously on Monday to recommend the self-storage project proposed by Ideal Movers and Storage. Revised plans from the project engineer to address water-drainage issues were discussed during the meeting. Changes include using larger stone in the driveway than initially proposed to minimize runoff, according to the source.

“That’s what we were talking about last time; it’s going to let a lot more water through,” engineering consultant Sara Campbell told the board. Campbell, who was hired to review the site plans, indicated the proposed stone is about a quarter-inch in size and won’t pack together. The buildings will be constructed on sand and gravel, which will also help to decrease runoff. “Anything that’s brought in is going to be more pervious than what’s already there,” she said.

The primary building marked for demolition was built in 1921, the source reported. Its value was assessed at $170,400, though the entire Greenfield Road property is valued at $311,400.

7/25/17 – Ideal Movers and Storage, which operates a self-storage facility in Hadley, Mass., is seeking approval to open a second site in Deerfield, Mass. The plans were recently presented to the planning board by Henry Cropsey, the attorney representing storage owner Brent Banas, during a public hearing, according to the source.

If the project is approved, an existing structure on the 3-acre property at 247 Greenfield Road would be removed, as would a replica of a lighthouse near the road. In their place would be built four large buildings containing 300 storage units. The facility will also include a two-story, 2,400-square-foot office. The project will be similar in design to the 600-unit Hadley location, which opened in 1998.

Following the presentation, the planning board requested the project undergo a peer review due to its complexities. The development must also meet town requirements for storm-water drainage and lighting regulations. An engineer on the project said it does, the source reported.

While a few attendees inquired about wetlands on the property, planning-board members asked Cropsey why Banas chose that particular site. Although the parcel is zoned commercial, some residents might have concerns about U.S. Routes 5 and 10 becoming a non-country road, said board member John Waite. “That lighthouse building has been there for a long time, so we’re probably going to get some questions about that.”

Cropsey noted the area has a cluster of commercial uses along the highway. “Yes, this has been taken into consideration. Part of the reason it’s being proposed for this location is because it fits into the neighborhood,” he said.

If approved, the development could break ground this fall. “It’s a fairly complicated project, and we don’t want to be in the middle of it when winter hits,” Cropsey said.

The existing structure was built in 1921 and was most recently assessed at $170,400. The property in its entirety is valued at $311,400, the source reported.

A Conservation Commission meeting is scheduled for July 27. The public hearing will be continued on Aug. 7.

Ideal Movers and Storage is family-owned and -operated. The company was formed in 1993 with a pickup truck, a trailer and a single ad in the “Daily Hampshire Gazette,” according to its website. The storage facility at 10 Mill Valley Road in Hadley was built in 1998.

 

Sources:

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