Ordinance Committee Meeting September 12, 2023

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
Ordinance

Tuesday, September 12, 2023
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/84801496082?pwd=VjN2TUNLTDVkWjdyS3FWNHpmbitTQT09
Meeting ID: 848 0149 6082 Meeting Passcode: 404540 or by call in at 1 (646) 558-8656 with the same Meeting ID and Passcode.

Agenda

Item 1: 6-20-23 Petition of Amie Matos, street vendor application, 363 Main St
*Amended to 497 High St, Tabled 6-27-23, 8-23-23

Item 2: PUBLIC HEARING 8-1-23 Special Permit Application Euphorium LLC at 15 Main St (033-06-022) for an adult-use cannabis retail, tier 1 cultivation, and manufacturing (non-chemical extraction) establishment.

Item 3: 3-21-23 JOURDAIN — Ordered, The City of Holyoke develop a personnel policy for the handling of administrative leave and codifying the rules into Ordinance as recommended by the Personnel Dept including but not limited to when employees should or should not be placed on paid leave or unpaid leave. The current process appears lacking objective standards. Taxpayers should also be protected to ensure people who should not be out on paid administrative leave are placed on unpaid administrative leave.
*Tabled 5-23-23, 6-27-23

Item 4: 2-7-23 JOURDAIN, VACON — Ordered, that Ordinance 2-421 be amended to include all public hearings so that the public has an opportunity to truly participate in their government and to advance transparency.
*Tabled 4-25-23, 6-27-23, 8-22-23

Item 5: 5-16-23 MURPHY-ROMBOLETTI — Ordered, that the City Council amend Ordinance 2-336(a) and (b) to reflect a streamlined process for disposition of tax title properties and other properties not needed by the City for municipal purposes and to add a new section for the creation of an Abutter Lots Sale Program.
*Tabled 6-27-23, 8-22-23

Item 6: 2-21-23 PUELLO — Ordered, in accordance with the city charter, create ordinance language that confirms, when a resident is elected as a ward councilor and subsequently moves to another ward during the term, the ward city council seat is vacated.
*Tabled 5-23-23, 6-27-23, 8-22-23

Item 7: 4-18-23 JOURDAIN, MCGEE — ORDERED:
To amend section 2-156.1 to return the approval the assistant city solicitor for the city council by the President of the city council to the language:
(1) City council. An assistant city solicitor shall attend all regular and special city council meetings and subcommittee meetings as necessary. The assistant shall work with the city council regarding legal questions posed to the law department by the council or by individual council members. The appointment of the assistant city solicitor for the city council shall also be approved by the president of the city council.
To further amend to return this language to section 2-153 of our ordinance:
In special cases the mayor, or city council through a majority vote, may authorize or require the department to secure the advice or services of such additional counselors as they may deem best. No money shall be paid by the for legal services, except as expressly authorized by this chapter. The mayor shall fund any authorization approved by the city council under this section.
*First half of order adopted, tabled 5-23-23, 6-27-23, 8-22-23

Item 8: 6-20-23 Zone change application from DR to BC for Jose Almonte at 549-551 South Bridge St (029-08-002) to rebuild convenience store following a recent fire.
*Public Hearing closed 8-22-23

Item 9: 9-5-23 JOURDAIN, PUELLO — City Council review the law for the enforcement of rights of reverter and extensions of reverter.

Item 10: 9-5-23 JOURDAIN, PUELLO — Law Dept provide the City Council an inventory of all outstanding rights of reverter with parcel id numbers, address, what the current reverter expiration date is if it has one, provide a summary of the condition that the reverter is based on (i.e. change of use (such as if no longer used as a golf course) or if no development by X date).

Item 11: 9-5-23 JOURDAIN, MCGIVERIN, MCGEE — Ordered, that the Ordinance Committee invite in the Mayor and DPW superintendent to review Chapter 74 of our ordinances on Solid Waste and how this reconciles with the proposed roll-out of a new residential trash pickup program in light of our already existing laws in this area.  It is requested that they review their proposal with us so we and citizens can understand it better.

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.