GREENFIELD — The Economic Development Committee followed in the Planning Board’s footsteps on Tuesday, issuing a unanimous positive recommendation on the proposal to rezone certain parcels on the French King Highway.

“The deliberation we do today is critical,” At-Large Councilor Philip Elmer said before councilors voted to send a favorable recommendation to the full City Council. “We have it in our hands to put this over the top.”

The proposal, which was the subject of a joint public hearing by the Economic Development Committee and Planning Board in May, involves rezoning six parcels over 40.98 acres on the French King Highway from General Commercial, which provides for mixed retail, to Planned Industry, which is meant for manufacturing and industrial development.

A different version of the proposal was originally initiated last year by Mayor Roxann Wedegartner, who suggested a zoning change for 48 acres, or 11 parcels, from General Commercial to Planned Industry. The 11 parcels this zone encompasses include the land owned by Ceruzzi Properties where a 135,000-square-foot big box store was long proposed. That land is still under lease by Stop & Shop.

That rezoning proposal, however, was ultimately voted down by City Council, with several councilors citing concerns about a need for housing. It failed a second time following a motion to reconsider. Three councilors supported the rezoning proposal at the December 2022 meeting and seven voted in support in January.

“I know it’s scaled back,” Precinct 9 Councilor Derek Helie said of the revised rezoning proposal. “I still think the benefits of doing this with the scaled-back version outweigh the consequences. Industrial land in Franklin County is hard to find.”

Helie was echoing comments made earlier in the meeting by Elmer, who said the proposal would be a step toward increasing the tax base and “replenishing the coffers” following City Council’s cuts to the fiscal year 2024 budget. Helie noted that Greenfield has already lost businesses to neighboring communities, such as Deerfield, for its lack of industrial land. More recently, he said, NE-XT Technologies acquired a facility in Connecticut.

“It’s a shame … this couldn’t have happened quicker,” he said. “All I see is an opportunity to help our school and fund other departments in our city adequately.”

There was some discussion, initiated by Precinct 8 Councilor Doug Mayo, over whether this zoning change would amount to a loss of land for housing.

“This city doesn’t build housing,” responded the mayor’s Chief of Staff Dani Letourneau. “The city was approached by — and knows of — several industrial businesses that want to expand on that land. We do care about housing [but] no one has approached the city to build housing on that location.”

Elmer also explained that any existing businesses or houses on that land would be grandfathered in and that conversations are ongoing with respect to the Nolumbeka Project’s request to guarantee the protection of White Ash Swamp, a Native American burial ground.

Ultimately, all four members of the Economic Development Committee — Elmer, Mayo, Helie and Precinct 6 Councilor Sheila Gilmour — voted to forward a positive recommendation to the full council, which is expected to consider the proposal at its meeting on June 21.

“That was a nice example of taking feedback … and re-submitting,” Letourneau said. “Thank you guys, and thank you to the Planning Board, too.”

Reporter Mary Byrne can be reached at mbyrne@recorder.com or 413-930-4429. Twitter: @MaryEByrne.

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