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The former construction company property has been for a sale for some years.

Burke's Construction Eyed for Marijuana Retail, Cultivation

By Jack GuerinoiBerkshires Staff
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The ZBA votes to support the location of a cannabis production facility at the former Burke's Construction. 
ADAMS, Mass. — The Zoning Board of Appeals granted Ian Purkayastha a variance to operate a  cannabis cultivation facility and retail dispensary at the former Burke's Construction.
 
The variance was so the facility could operate in the Adams Industrial Park zoned area.
 
"In this case, the beautiful parcel of property has been for sale for quite some time, and it has fallen into a situation where it has limited use being in the industrial park," Chairman Brian Tenczar said. "In this case, it has held back the owner to go forward with any different prospects for the property." 
 
Burke's Construction, at 6 Renfrew St., is zoned IP, or Industrial Park. Purkayastha, who has partnered with property owner John Burke, said they would like to use the property for industrial use.
 
"As every other neighboring business is already designated industrial, we think the proposed use is consistent with the intended use and is consistent with the manufacturing history of the site," he said. "We also believe that the business will provide substantial economic good for the town of Adams."
 
He added that it will also bring new jobs and new tax revenue to Adams
 
Burke agreed and said he was not sure why his property was ever included in the rezoning in the 1990s. He said the former shipping depot was built in the late 19th century and since then has been in consistent industrial use.
 
Attorney Dennis Eagan representing SMP Holdings, a neighboring business in the industrial park, said the project did not meet the necessary hardship needed to call for a variance according to state laws and local zoning bylaws.
 
"It fails the test, and there has been no evidence to support the assertion," Egan said. "There is no assertion made by the applicant that anything having to do with the shape, topography, or soil conditions creates a hardship. The argument essentially is they want to be able to conduct a business in a zoning district where it is not allowed."
 
Attorney Joseph Colonna, representing the applicant, said the property has been historically industrial. He reaffirmed that the property is mostly separated from the industrial park and was only recently zoned IP. The rail line runs between the property and the park.
 
As for hardship, he noted Burke has been trying to sell or find a new use of the property for some years now.  
 
"He also has been marketing it for several years without success," he said. "The hardship for him is trying to maintain that property at a very high level and continue to pay all of the services and taxes along with it and not have a use."  
 
Burke said the property has been on the market for about five years and the most recent asking price was $990,000. He said he invested $1.3 million into the property.
 
Town Administrator Jay Green said he has been working with Burke for some time now on finding a use for the property. He said it was offered to the town, which had no use for it. It was also offered to the Berkshire Scenic Railway Museum, which could not make the purchase.
 
He said the proposed use seemed to be a good fit for Burke and the town of Adams.
 
"It is a beautiful parcel in a difficult location ... I can tell you that John has had a hard time, and he has done his due diligence to put it on the market," Green said. "We were quite pleased when he came forward with this ... we are grateful for it."
 
The board agreed that there was no doubt the site has consistently been used industrially.
 
"The history is that it is an industrial site," board member Glen Diehl said.
 
Board member Nat Karnes agreed that the parcel was largely disconnected from the industrial park and was actually separated by train tracks.
 
"This parcel is a little bit different," Karnes said. "It is kind of a squirrely parcel, and I think that ... it is a little bit of an odd duck compared to the other parcels in the zoning district."
 
The board also could not come up with any substantial or negative impacts the business could have in the immediate area.
 
There was some discussion on odor mitigation and parking but the board noted these inquiries were really under the Planning Board's purview.
 
Purkayastha did say the retail operation would take place in the historic building while cultivation would take place in the larger industrial building on the back end of the property. He said there would be an advanced filtration system.
 
The meeting was about two hours long and the only other piece of business the board had on its agenda was a special permit request.
 
The Zoning Board of Appeals awarded Jessie and Justin Kratz a special permit to operate a custom order bakery out of their residential kitchen on Upper Linden Street.
 
There was some concern from one neighbor about increased traffic on the narrow dead-end street, however, the majority of neighbors called in support of the small business noting that they enjoyed the pleasant smells coming from the kitchen.

Tags: ZBA,   cannabis,   marijuana,   

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Hoosac Valley High School is Moving and Shaking

There have been some major shifts within the Hoosac Valley Regional School District recently, all of which have focused on enhancing the student experience to make it a place where ALL students can find their path.
 
In 2023, Hoosac Valley High School was designated an Innovation Pathway School by the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) and has since restructured the Program of Studies, utilized creative scheduling, and expanded internship opportunities. Part of this transformation includes participating in a "Portrait of a Graduate" cohort alongside four other Berkshire County schools to determine a collective vision for student success, in partnership with the BARR Foundation.
 
The Innovation Pathways at HVHS are designed to give students coursework and experience in a specific high-demand industry, such as technology, engineering, healthcare, or life sciences. Currently, Biomedical Science & Healthcare and Environmental Studies have received official state IP designation. In addition to the IP designated pathways, HVHS offers programs in Engineering & Technology, Business & Entrepreneurship, Arts & Entertainment, Education, and Sports Medicine. The result is that students have an opportunity for a transformative experience – enabling them to build essential skills, gain awareness of future career opportunities, and make informed choices about post-secondary education in promising fields.
 
Principal Colleen Byrd notes, "What makes our program special is that entry into the Pathway of your choice allows a student to access Advanced Placement and dual enrollment college courses, as well as internships in the community to set them up for success after high school."
 
The Portrait of a Graduate initiative consists of a team of Hoosac educators and students who exemplify the essential skills, practices, and beliefs that define learning experiences across the district. They work to outline the competencies, values, skills, and knowledge that define our vision for student success – keeping in mind that not every student's pathway will look the same. The District's goal is to ensure that all students graduate as responsible people, prepared individuals, lifelong learners, global citizens, critical thinkers, and thoughtful communicators.
 
Another recent change district-wide in grades K-12 is the "Crew" culture. Teachers and students now have time each day to create positive connections and build authentic relationships with one another. Through Responsive Classroom at the elementary school and Crew at the middle and high schools, students and staff gather for 30 minutes each day to engage in meaningful experiences rooted in mutual and shared interests. 
The Crew block is a prioritized structure that allows staff to support all students socially, emotionally, and academically – anchoring them and promoting the Portrait of a Graduate competencies. Crew takes many forms at the high school, such as gardening, bird watching, yoga, and sports talk with visits to college games.
 
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