Planning Board Clears WGI's Hudson Drive Expansion
Southwick Planning Board accepts mezzanine ruling, keeps WGI expansion under major-review threshold.
Planning Board · Meeting of September 8, 2026
Southwick Planning Board accepts mezzanine ruling, keeps WGI expansion under major-review threshold. Chair Jessica Thornton's board voted to accept a building inspector's determination that mezzanine space doesn't count toward gross floor area, bringing WGI Inc.'s planned 59,335-square-foot Hudson Drive re-manufacturing building under the 60,000-square-foot trigger for major development review. Founder Fred Filios told the board, "if you don't know how we operate by now, you haven't been paying attention," citing WGI's 25 years in town.
The board also heard a continued hearing on Pioneer Valley Trading Company's proposed cannabis cultivation facility on Granville Road, where resident Crystal Mesa said, "one big issue we all have up there, I think, is water," and continued that hearing to September 22. Separately, the board endorsed site plans for a 269 College Highway accessory dwelling unit and a 6 South Loomis Street lot plan, approved minutes, and moved into executive session over a disclosed Verizon Wireless cell tower contract on North Long Yard Road.
In the full story:
- Who Was There
- Organizations And Documents Referenced
- The complete report — 2,838 words
Source: the Planning Board meeting of September 8, 2026, reported from the official video recording and transcript.
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