North Adams Planners Approve Repair Shop, Temescal Parking Changes

By Tammy DanielsiBerkshires Staff
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NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — The Planning Board approved a mechanic shop and changes to a parking plan during its brief meeting on Monday night. 
 
James S. Lebovitz plans to operate an automobile undercoating business and "under car" repairs at 456 Ashland St., most recently occupied by Kycro Plastics LLC. The property is owned by Michael Deep.
 
"It's all your basic automotive service needs," he told the planners. "And 60 percent of it is undercoating, and the 40 percent of it is under car with custom exhaust, brake, suspension, maintenance. ...
 
"It's going to be a very good neighborhood shop and ... I'm going to be doing stuff that nobody's ever done before with the undercoat."
 
The shop will operate as EJ's Undercoating and Undercar LLC. Lebovitz anticipates undercoating about five cars per day while performing routine maintenance. In his application, he wrote that the undercoating contains no oils that contaminate the ground. Improvements to the property will include removing a back stair and rails in the interior, painting, and adding lifts, air lines and a compressor.
 
Landscaping with a garden will be added to the side of the building and security cameras installed. No other outside improvements are immediately planned but he hopes to pave the gravel driveway and parking in a few years. 
 
The shop will operate weekdays from 8 to 5 and Saturday's from 8 to noon. Lebovitz also plans to work with McCann Technical School to offer credit work for students.
 
The planners only questions were about the placement of the roll-off container, which Lebovitz affirmed would not be by the street and that he would screen if they wished. 
 
The board also approved a change in parking plan for Temescal Wellness, which is building a cannabis grow facility in the former Crane Stationery building in Hardman Industrial Park. 
 
Attorney Joshua Lee Smith of Bowditch and Dewey LP, representing Temescal, said a review of the parking situation prompted the request for changes from the plan approved in 2021. 
 
"They've been coming along very well with respect to making those renovations. At the time, Temescal had proposed to not change anything with respect to the footprint of the building, and that remains current in connection with this application," he said. "However, they did take a deeper dive review of the parking lot and they made the decision that ... they wanted to take this opportunity while they were making the improvements to the interior of the building to make some modifications to the parking."
 
Temescal proposes to take out one line of parking spots, bringing the total from 179 down to 101. Smith noted that number is still far above the number of 81 spaces required for employee usage. It will, however, offer a wider lane for trucks to turn and maneuver. 
 
When asked about stormwater runoff, Smith said a civil engineer had surveyed the property and found the existing system adequate. 
 
The board also approved two Form As, one to separate an "orphan piece" of land owned by Edward Davin of 1268 and 1270 Massachusetts Avenue so to convey it to Blackinton Backwoods LLC and the other to subdivide a previous compilation of lots at 350, 360 and 362 State Road to be able to sell off the non-conforming existing structures on the lot.
 

Tags: new business,   Planning Board,   

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Clarksburg Sees Race for Select Board Seat

CLARKSBURG, Mass. — The town will see a three-way race for a seat on the Select Board in May. 
 
Colton Andrews, Seth Alexander and Bryana Malloy returned papers by Wednesday's deadline to run for the three-year term vacated by Jeffrey Levanos. 
 
Andrews ran unsuccessfully for School Committee and is former chairman of the North Adams Housing Authority, on which he was a union representative. He is also president of the Pioneer Valley Building Trades Council.
 
Malloy and Alexander are both newcomers to campaigning. Malloy is manager of industrial relations for the Berkshire Workforce Board and Alexander is a resident of Gates Avenue. 
 
Alexander also returned papers for several other offices, including School Committee, moderator, library trustee and the five-year seat on the Planning Board. He took out papers for War Memorial trustee and tree warden but did not return them and withdrew a run for Board of Health. 
 
He will face off in the three-year School Committee seat against incumbent Cynthia Brule, who is running for her third term, and fellow newcomer Bonnie Cunningham for library trustee. 
 
Incumbent Ronald Boucher took out papers for a one-year term as moderator but did not return them. He was appointed by affirmation in 2021 when no won ran and accepted the post again last year as a write-in.
 
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