Ordinance Committee Meeting February 11, 2020

Agenda:

Item 1: Previous Meeting Minutes

Item 2: McGee: Order: that the ordinance committee amend ordinance 2-467, related to the Community Preservation Committee, by removing the position requirement of city council member to the CPC.

Item 3: Murphy 10/2/19: Ordered that the City create an ordinance which would ban the usage of thin-film single-use plastic bags that are being used by retail establishments. Such ban to take place within 180 days of the passage of the ordinance

Item 4: Lisi 2/6/18: Order: that the City Council adopt an ordinance that phases out and prohibits the use of plastic bags in the city (plastics bags are one of the greatest contributors to the trash and debris problems we have throughout the city and many neighboring city’s have passed language that we can emulate).

Item 5: Ordered: The City Council adopt MGL c. 59, Sec. 5, more specifically section fifty-sixth, which states, “Upon the acceptance of this section by a city or town, the board of assessors may grant, real and personal property tax abatement up to 100 per cent of the total tax assessed to members of the Massachusetts National Guard and to reservists on active duty in foreign countries for the fiscal year they performed such service subject to eligibility criteria to be established by the board of assessors. The authority to grant abatements under this section shall expire after 2 years of acceptance unless extended by a vote of the city or town.”

Item 5: McGee 8/7/18: Ordered that the city council meet with the department of public works superintendent to discuss the possibility of providing Refuse Disposal Permits free of charge to renters just as it is to residential homeowners. Also, the policy deactivating a permit card when a landlord has failed to pay the sewer use charge should be discussed.

Item 6: Murphy 2/4/20: Order: that in support of the South Holyoke Homes project, designed to revitalize housing in the vicinity of Carlos Vega Park in South Holyoke, the city council approve a home rule petition to exempt the Holyoke Housing Authority’s development project from MGL Ch 149, while continuing to be subject to all prevailing wage laws.

Item 7: Murphy 12/17/19: Order: that in support of a $6.566 million MassWorks grant for infrastructure improvements that will serve an affordable homeownership project in the vicinity of Carlos Vega Park in South Holyoke, order that:

South East Street from Adams Street to Sargeant Street be designated a pedestrian way with a northerly bicycle lane. (Schedule VI)
A southerly bicycle lane be added on the west side of Clemente Street from Hamilton Street to Adams Street. (Schedule XI)
A northerly bicycle lane be added on the east side of South East Street from Sargent Street to Hamilton Street. (Schedule XI)
A bicycle lane be added on both sides of South Bridge Street from Sargeant Street to Hamilton Street. (Schedule XI)
South East Street from Sargeant Street to Hamilton Street be designated one-way in a northerly direction. (Schedule III)
Clemente Street from Adams Street to Sargeant Street be designated two-way. (Remove a portion of Clemente St from Schedule III)