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Neighbor opposes kennel special permit at 17 Jeanette Drive; council refers application to zoning and health
Summary
A neighbor told the Chicopee City Council she opposes a proposed kennel special permit at 17 Jeanette Drive, citing noise, odor and traffic; the council referred the application to zoning, planning, building, engineering and health for public hearing.
CHICOPEE — A proposed kennel at 17 Jeanette Drive drew a sustained public objection at the City Council meeting on March 18 and the council sent the application to multiple departments for a formal public hearing.
Tracy Deck, who said she lives at 5 Jeanette Drive and is the immediate neighbor to 17 Jeanette Drive, told the council the property already has an “excessive amount of dogs” and an exotic bird that “squawks very loudly.” Deck said she has lived on Jeanette Drive for 18 years and called the street a “very quiet residential street” where a kennel would harm neighborhood quality of life and property values, increase traffic and disrupt children playing and people walking.
“I already have to deal with a great deal of dog barking from the excessive amount of dogs that already reside at the property,” Deck said during public input, and she told the council she planned to draft a petition of other residents opposing the kennel license.
Councilor Balakir moved to receive the new special permit application and refer it to zoning, planning, the building and engineering departments and the health department for a public hearing; the motion passed on roll call. The council clerk said dates for the public hearing will be set and published.
Why it matters: A special permit for a kennel would change land use on a small residential parcel, raising potential public‑health, noise and traffic issues that are within the city’s land‑use and licensing authority. The council’s referral begins the formal departmental and public review required under the municipal zoning ordinance.
Provenance: public input from Tracy Deck appears in the transcript during the public input section (excerpt: “I oppose this request for a kennel license at this location…”) and the item (listed as item 35 on the agenda) was brought up and referred to departments later in the meeting (excerpt: “Motion made to receive new special permit application and refer to zoning, planning, building, engineering, and health department for a public hearing.”).
