Ordinance Committee Meeting May 11, 2022
6:30 pm City Hall Holyoke
536 Dwight St, Holyoke 01040
City Council
Holyoke Massachusetts
Pursuant to the Massachusetts Open Meeting Law, G.L. c. 30A, §§ 18-25,
and Section 20 of Chapter 20 of the Acts of 2021,
notice is hereby given of a meeting of the committee on
Ordinance
Wednesday, May 11, 2022
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: Linda Vacon
Remote access via www.zoom.us
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82234725402?pwd=dzdDMmhEWU05K1pUMWZSVDFQaFJsZz09
Meeting ID: 822 3472 5402 Meeting Passcode: 856150 or by call in at 1 (646) 558-8656 with the same Meeting ID and Passcode.
Agenda
Item 1: 2-18-20 TALLMAN — Ordered That Ordinance Section 12-4 Flags of the City of Holyoke be amended to include the new regulations for flying the POW flag.
*Tabled 6-29-21
Item 2: 9-7-21 MURPHY — Ordered that the city council work with the mayor to establish an ordinance which will set the guidelines for flag raising events in the city.
*Tabled 9-14-21
Item 3: 1-18-22 MALDONADO VELEZ — Ordered, that we ban single use plastic bags, straws, and/or food containers.
Item 4: 6-15-21 MCGEE — Order that City Ordinance Chapter 2, Article II, Division 5, Sections 2-152, 2-156, and 2-158 be updated as necessary based on any new proposed structuring of the City’s law department.
Item 5: 6-15-21 MCGEE — Order that the City Solicitor research how other law departments are set up in Western Massachusetts. How many lawyers does each law department employ, are they full or part-time, do they hire outside counsel or handle all legal matters in their law department?
Item 6: 1-18-22 MALDONADO VELEZ — Order that we look into creating an ordinance around trash pick up that is similar to when it snows, where residents, business owners, and the city are responsible for the trash on their property.
Item 7: 3-15-22 VACON, PUELLO — Ordered, create an ordinance that drivers operating/altering vehicles, causing repeated backfiring (sounding like gunfire/fireworks), disturbing the peace, will be ticketed for a moving vehicle violation.
Item 8: 11-16-21 BARTLEY — Ordered, That a policy be implemented as to if and when any city vehicle, including police cars, may be rented for non-city related business.
Item 9: 2-15-22 JOURDAIN — Ordered, That the City Council adopt an ordinance that requires all department heads and employees to electronically track (i.e. Munis or other such system as determined by the Personnel Department) all time off accrued and used on a monthly basis. They are also required to report all time off requests, approvals, denials and usage tracking centrally to the Personnel department on a monthly basis. The personnel department shall ensure compliance with city time off policies. Any employee or department head who knowingly provides false information on the reporting of time shall be subject to discipline up to and including termination. They shall also be subject to restitution and/or other civil fine as may be established by ordinance.
Item 10: 2-1-22 BARTLEY — Ordered, That until residents are offered an opportunity to meet IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD with public officials and public board members, who are making decisions with little to zero neighborhood input, the City shall not spend any funds or incur any costs for any new buildings including any school.
*Tabled 2-22-22
Item 11: 9-7-21 MURPHY — Ordered that the ordinance committee meet regarding the application process and permitting process in Holyoke as it might compare with neighboring communities. The purpose of this order is to determine whether Holyoke is making it more difficult to attract new development projects both in terms of time and expense required that other cities in the area.
Item 12: 4-19-22 BARTLEY — Ordered (Re-file from 2014) The city council and DPW amend any ordinances to allow for road improvements at Whiting Farms Rd. to allow for a dedicated Left-hand turn into K-Mart Plaza and to allow for motorists to also travel towards the Mall in a dedicated lane.
Item 13: 4-19-22 ANDERSON-BURGOS — Ordered that we consider “do not block the box” pavement markings at the intersection of West Franklin and Linden. This would have two benefits, not blocking cross traffic when backed up from the light and the markings would be an extra indicator of caution to traffic coming down the Linden hill.
Item 14: 4-5-22 GIVNER — Ordered, With community support: Create single lane out of two laned one way roads in ward 4 to include:
-Beach between Hampshire and Hampden Streets
-Linden between Hamden and Sargeant Streets
-Hampden between Lincoln and Pearl Streets
-Dwight between Nonotuck and Linden Streets
If we are serious about wanting safer streets for our residents we must create deterrents to speeding. By eliminating these lanes and turning them into marked turning lanes, added parking, and additional bike lanes, we will discourage speeding while creating traffic safety through clarity, and additional parking. This would also encourage biking and make our neighborhood streets safer for all who use them.
Item 15: 3-15-22 PUELLO — Ordered, That the DPW install a “No Parking” sign within the appropriate required feet from the intersection of Elm and Sargeant adjacent to 140 Sargeant. As recommended by the city engineer, this will inform residents of the feet, parking to intersection requirement and will reduce the hazard posed by the existing blind spot.
Item 16: 2-15-22 MCGEE — Ordered, That a “no trucks or tractor trailers local traffic allowed sign” at the bottom of Michelle Lane…Currently, the sign says “No Exit.”
*Tabled 3-8-22
Item 17: 5-3-22 MCGEE — Ordered, Discussion on Michelle Lane that the city/DPW post truck restriction signs at the front of Michelle Lane.
Item 18: 2-1-22 RIVERA_J, RIVERA_I — Order that the City of Holyoke establish a three way stop sign at the corner of Mosher and Center Streets.
*Tabled 3-8-22
Item 19: 8-3-21 LISI – Review and amend section 6.4 of the zoning ordinance to be in compliance with Consent Judgment and Permanent Injunction ordered by Honorable Mark G. Mastroiani dated April 12, 2019 and any other updates to streamline the ordinance.
*Public hearing closed 4-26-22
Item 20: 4-5-22 RIVERA_J — Ordered, that That a handicap sign be placed in front of 60 Northeast St. for Mariano Gomez, Placard # PLH108.
Item 21: 4-19-22 BARTLEY — Ordered, that two entries for handicap spaces on Brown Ave be deleted. One is on the westerly side at a point 282 feet southerly of Laurel St. The other is on the East side at a point 80 feet northerly of Willow St. The Engineer noted that these two spots do not have any signs posted and are likely legacy entries in the ordinance table.
Item 22: 4-5-22 GIVNER — Ordered, That a handicap sign be placed at 204 Oak St. for Josephine Rivera, Placard #P59864114.
Item 23: 11-16-21 BARTLEY — Ordered, That a handicap sign be placed in front of 107 Brown Ave for Elizabeth Delgado.
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. Also one or two items may require the committee to enter into executive session at this meeting. Agenda subject to change up to two business days (48 hours) prior to posted meeting time.