Development and Governmental Relations Committee Meeting October 28, 2024

Posted October 24, 2024, 1:11 PM

City Council
Holyoke Massachusetts
Pursuant to the Massachusetts Open Meeting Law, G.L. c. 30A, §§ 18-25,
and Chapter 2 of the Acts of 2023,
notice is hereby given of a meeting of the committee on
Development and Governmental Relations (DGR)

Monday, October 28, 2024
6:30 PM
Meeting to take place at
Holyoke City Hall, 536 Dwight St
and can be accessed remotely on Zoom Meetings
Per order of the Chair: Kocayne Givner
Remote access via www.zoom.us
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81805702054?pwd=zaiHnbsn810HRzf0sO37XJW8mzbvad.1
Meeting ID: 818 0570 2054 Meeting Passcode: 078068 or by call in at 1 (646) 558-8656 with
the same Meeting ID and Passcode.

Live Spanish interpretation will be available on local access channel 15 using the television’s SAP option, through the live stream on the city website, as well as on the Zoom feed by clicking the interpretation option and choosing Spanish.

Agenda

Item 1: Minutes of September 30, 2024

Item 2: 9-4-24 Petition of Francisco Martir, Food Vendor License Application for 415 Main St.
*Tabled 9-30-24

Item 3: 8-6-24 J. RIVERA – An order to declare Holyoke Assessors Parcel 030-08-004, 285 Main Street, Holyoke, MA as surplus property and sell to abutter, Johnna Caizan-Torres with an address of 10215 Jamaica Avenue, Apartment 2L, Richmond Hill, NY 11418, for $15,000.00. This property is valued under $35,000.00 and therefore exempt from procurement requirements.
*Tabled 9-30-24

Item 4: PUBLIC HEARING 6-6-23 Special Permit Application of Salmar Realty LLC c/o Peter Martins for a special permit for a Proposed Coffee shop/Drive Thru Restaurant at South Street Plaza, A Portion of 209 South St.
*Continued from 7-12-23, 8-23-23, 9-25-23, 11-20-23, 12-18-23, 1-29-24, 2-27-24, 4-22-24, 6-6-24, 8-5-24, 9-30-24

Item 5: 6-4-24 Bartley, Sullivan- The conservation commissioner be invited to attend a future DGR meeting to provide an update on the construction in and around Scott’s Tower. Please be prepared to address the issue of water run-off to the pond owned by the abutter at 5 and 15 Lindor Heights. Refer to DGR and Conservation Commission.
*Tabled 6-6-24, 9-30-24

Item 6: 8-6-24 BARTLEY – DPW and the HFD Alarm Division come into city council to provide a status update on the X-walk improvement plan and Traffic signal improvement at Elmwood Towers on South St. I recently heard from an HPD Sgt. -who has been tremendously helpful in mitigating the problems -who advises the parts are in and work should soon commence. Refer to DGR and/or send a communication to the CC Admin. Asst. asap.

Item 7: 8-6-24 BARTLEY – DPW and the HFD Alarm Division come to the city council to provide a status update on the X-walk improvement plan at the main gate of Holyoke C.C. on Homestead Ave. Please also invite a representative from the College. (I’ll figure that part out with the CC President, DGR Chair and Admin. Asst.) I’ve lost count of the number of times I’ve filed an order relative to this. I can find emails going back to 2017 (at a minimum). Refer to DGR.

LAID ON THE TABLE
(Items taken up at previous meeting(s) and laid on the table. Discussion may or may not take place)

Item 8: 3-1-22 I. RIVERA – Order that the council invite the DPW director of Chicopee to speak on their refuse pickup system that was developed several years ago and what the cost benefits are to their community.
*Tabled 8-5-24

Item 9: 9-5-23 JOURDAIN — City Council explore with the Mayor a residential redevelopment plan for city owned vacant parcels has homes built then sold.  City funds coupled with any available grant funding will be used for seed funding with the proceeds of the sales used to build more homes.  The long term play for the city is the generation of all of the property tax revenue from these home sales, the new availability of great new housing, the reduction in city owned buildable lots and the growth of population.
*Tabled 2-27-24, 8-5-24

Item 10: 9-5-23 JOURDAIN — Law Dept and Mayor be invited to the City Council to discuss an update on the city’s use of the receivership program including current properties being targeted and others that are excellent prospects for required repairs.  I also would like to see if we can use this for larger scale problem rental properties with the right receiver as has been done in larger metropolitan cities.  I also would like to start an initiative as has been used in large urban settings where we have required landlord training programs when appropriate as well as a model like Kansas City Bad Apple Program for repeat offenders.  Law dept. and Mayor will be encouraged to look at what resources we need to go bold on problem properties and develop a plan with us.
*Tabled 1-29-24, 8-5-24

Item 11: 12-5-23 MURPHY-ROMBOLETTI — An order to declare Parcel Holyoke Assessors Map 212, Block 00, Parcel 001, Easthampton Road, Holyoke, MA as surplus property and sell to the Massachusetts Department of Fish and Game with an address of 100 Cambridge Street, Suite 620, Boston, MA 02114 for $270,000.00.
*Tabled 12-18-23, 8-5-24

Item 12: 8-1-23 VACON, BARTLEY, PUELLO – (copy) Ordered, that the City Council adopts a resolution seeking our State Delegation to support the reinstatement of no electronic tolls from Westfield to West Springfield to create an incentive for tractor trailer drivers to travel on the Mass Pike and to alleviate the increasingly heavy tractor trailer traffic on Homestead Avenue in Holyoke.
*Tabled 8-5-24

Item 13: 4-16-24 BARTLEY – OPED please provide status on 245 High Street. Building sits across High St from City Hall and the windows are boarded with plywood. Minutes from DGR meeting are attached as a communication. Refer to OPED, Mayor and Law Dept.
*Tabled 8-5-24

Item 14: 12-19-23 From Aaron Vega, Director of Office of Planning & Economic Development, communication regarding amendment to special tax assessment agreement with Jackson Canal, LLC.
*Tabled 8-5-24

Item 15: 11-21-23 From Office of Planning & Economic Development, Grant Completion Form for FY23 Urban Agenda Grant Program
*Tabled 8-5-24

Item 16: 12-6-22 BARTLEY, PUELLO – (copy) Ordered, The Mayor and community development dept fund the following project with either CDBG or ARPA funds: Replace the asphalt double-sidewalk located on the west side of S. Elm St. between Wolcott and Congress Streets and replace with a tree belt and install plantings.
*Tabled 8-5-24

Item 17: 5-3-22 MURPHY-ROMBOLETTI – Ordered, That the Committee on Development & Government Relations be provided a list of all special permits issued by the Council. Please include a 5 year look-back on how many permits have been issued, and a rough estimate of the total amount of staff time required to review and process these permits. Refer to the City Clerk, OPED, the Council’s Administrative Assistant and Law Department.
*Tabled 8-5-24

ADMINISTRATIVELY LAID ON THE TABLE
(Per City Council Rule 9P, “Any order not acted on within 45 days shall be deemed tabled.” Items within this section are laid on the table by virtue of being in the committee more than 45 days. Discussion of these items is unlikely, but any item may be removed from the table upon motion of the committee.)

Item 18: 6-4-24 I. RIVERA – Order that representatives of the Water Department come in to DGR and elaborate on processing fee attached to payment when using a credit/debit card when processing payment. Constituents have raised concerns on how much the are being charged on top of their water bill.

Item 19: 6-4-24 DEVINE – ORDERED: That the DGR Committee invite in Representative Duffy and Senator Velis to clarify if there is a difference between the Affordable Homes Act and the 2% real estate surcharge we voted on Tuesday 5/21. If this surcharge on real estate is contained in the Affordable Homes Act, then ordered that our vote taken on 5/21/2024 be rescinded.

Item 20: 6-4-24 DEVINE – ORDERED: that the City Council reconsider and then rescind their vote of May 21, 2024 on agenda item #25 filed buy Jourdain, Vacon, Devine, Sullivan, Bartley and Greaney re: pending HOUSE No. 2747, an ACT granting a local option for a real estate transfer fee to fund affordable housing.

Item 21: 6-4-24 I. RIVERA – Order that representatives of the Holyoke Public Schools and STCC (specifically Dean tech) come into DGR and elaborate on the “After Dark” programming that will be soon launching at the Dean Tech school site.

Item 22: 6-4-24 DEVINE – ORDERED that the Mayor consider appointing an Affordable Housing Commission using the guidelines in proposed HOUSE BILL 2747 (An Act granting a local option for a real estate transfer fee to fund affordable housing)

Item 23: 4-16-24 Communication from Councilor Bartley, 9-1-15 DGR meeting minutes excerpt

Item 24: 1-22-24 BARTLEY – Ordered, The DGR chair invite the state delegation to a future meeting.

Item 25: 1-22-24 BARTLEY – Ordered, The DGR chair invite into committee the Governor’s representative for western Mass and Sen Markey’s representative for western Mass. to a future meeting.

Item 26: 11-21-23 BARTLEY, PUELLO – Ordered, The DGR committee meet with city officials responsible for managing our parking enforcement staff. The staff has been repeatedly threatened with physical violence and subject to beratement from the public and have privately paid for body cameras. Send a communication advising the council of policies and procedures to ensure employee safety in advance of the subcommittee meeting.

Item 27: 10-17-23 PUELLO, MALDONADO VELEZ – (copy) Ordered, That the police department please provide a list, with events and dollar amounts that have received police details/paid overtime during the last 6 months. Private businesses popular with leadership, making profit should not have their OT details paid for by tax dollars when public community events have had to budget their own funds in the past.

Item 28: 10-3-23 BARTLEY, MCGIVERIN, PUELLO, I. RIVERA – Ordered, The City Engineer and DPW develop and install safety measures for passenger cars, trucks and motorcycles in the vicinity of Holyoke’s canals as the current protective measures have recently and regularly been breached resulting in loss of life, property damage, and costs to HG&E. Refer to DPW, City Engineer, HG&E Manager & Commissioners, and Emergency Management Director to strategize improvements and the Mayor to finance these projects. Refer to DGR for discussion.

Item 29: 8-1-23 From Mayor Joshua A. Garcia, Executive order regarding blighted and vacant buildings.

Item 30: 12-20-22 I. RIVERA – Order that the honorable city council invite representatives of Holyoke Community College, Westfield State University and the Five Colleges to discuss ways they could better support a path for Holyoke youth to gain equitable access within these schools.

Item 31: 12-20-22 BARTLEY, JOURDAIN – Ordered, The Law Dept., Building Commissioner and the city’s property group provide its annual update on the City’s Receivership program. Please send communication to the Clerk for the second city council meeting in January 2023. Refer to DGR Cte. for a review.

Item 32: 6-21-22 MALDONADO VELEZ, JOURDAIN – Ordered, a Resolution in Support of Eviction Sealing to Promote Housing Opportunity and Mobility (Attached).

Item 33: 5-17-22 MCGEE, BARTLEY – Order that the mayor consider establishing a Holyoke Urban Forest and Tree Committee.

Item 34: 4-5-22 MURPHY-ROMBOLETTI – Order that we invite our US Congressional and Senatorial Representatives to a DGR meeting.

Item 35: 4-5-22 BARTLEY, PUELLO – Ordered, The Mayor develop a schedule of projects/programming to the CC’s DGR committee to be funded via marijuana stabilization funds. If possible, please send said schedule on a quarterly or semi-annual basis in order to promote consistent and efficient project development. Copy to Mayor and City Auditor.

Item 36: 3-1-22 MURPHY-ROMBOLETTI – Ordered that the Development & Government Relations Committee invite the development team from Wayfinders to provide an update on the Library Commons project and other upcoming projects within the City.

Item 37: 8-6-24 From Assistant City Solicitor Jane Mantolesky- Communication regarding Heavy Commercial Vehicle Operation on Homestead Avenue, Holyoke, Massachusetts

Item 38: 8-6-24 BARTLEY – With the washout of the water/sewer line at S. Elm St. (behind Fitzpatrick Skating Rink), the impact on the neighborhood needs to be addressed by the City leaders in terms of the timeline for repairs, alternate means for walkers to navigate this area and overall appearance. This is a constituent request. Refer to DGR, Parks Dept.

Item 39: 8-6-24 BARTLEY, VACON, JOURDAIN, SULLIVAN, GREANEY-ordered that OPED please provide an update on the former K-Mart plaza. On the main door to the former retailer is contact information for what appears to be a new owner. Please reach out to them and circle back to city council. Per its web site: For other inquiries, please call Transformco at (847) 286-2500 and please see its website www.transformco.com. Refer to DGR for a follow up.

Item 40: 8-6-24 BARTLEY, SULLIVAN – The procurement office present any contract(s) relative to the Anniversary Hill// Scott’s Tower project by and between the City, Kestral Land Trust, the CPA Committee, etc. to the City Council via a communication by the first meeting in September. If possible, please email the documents to the City Council admin. assistant as early as possible.

Item 41: 8-6-24 BARTLEY, OCASIO – ordered that OPED provide an update to city council regarding putting the following W-3 and W-2 properties on the market – they’ve each been sitting dormant for well over one year without any progress or updates:
1. 432 Hillside Ave.
2. 146 Brown Ave. and environs.
3. Lots at St. Vicent St. and Ingleside Ave.
Please send a communication for the first city council meeting in September 2024.  Refer to DGR for follow-up.

Administrative Assistant: Jeffery Anderson-Burgos
The listing of matters are those reasonably anticipated by the chair which may be discussed at the meeting. Not all items listed may in fact be discussed and other items may also be brought up for discussion to the extent permitted by law. Agenda subject to change up to two business days (48 hours) prior to posted meeting time.