The Chicopee City Council voted unanimously Tuesday to approve a new Tesla dealership in the city.
The development on Burnet Road will be limited to 310 parking spaces, 37,000 square feet and 20 service bays, and the charging stations will be off-network to reduce traffic. The original proposal from Tesla was protested by residents concerned about increased traffic in the area.
City officials said Tesla has been very accommodating to the city throughout the process.
“They came to us with a proposal, they listened to the residents and the city council, and then they came back to us with a proposal that was at least 40% smaller, if not half as small,” said Ward 6 councilor Derek Dobosz at Tuesday’s meeting. “So I want to thank the applicant for being willing to work with us.”
Dobosz went on to call the vote a win-win for both sides. He said Tesla will help the city’s taxpayers, while getting the most reasonable-sized development for the community.