Ordinance Committee / Planning Board Joint Meeting April 25, 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
with hearings held jointly with the Planning Board

Tuesday, April 25, 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/83177436694?pwd=OEsrK2JFYWZ5SWVIdHlOQlUvQko4dz09
Meeting ID: 831 7743 6694 Meeting Passcode: 289877 or by call in at 1 (646) 558-8656 with the same Meeting ID and Passcode.

Agenda

Item 1: PUBLIC HEARING 10-4-22 Special permit application for Small Wonders LLC at 109 Lyman St (023-01-014) for a marijuana manufacturing establishment.
(continued from 12-13-22, 1-24-23, 2-28-23)

Item 2: PUBLIC HEARING 10-18-22 MALDONADO VELEZ, GIVNER — Ordered, that the City Council add a section for Battery Storage Facilities to the Zoning Ordinance (Section TBD) to reflect technology advancements and future need for such installations; new facilities will be reviewed through Section 10.0, Major Site Plan Review.
(joint hearing with the Planning Board, continued from 12-13-22, 1-24-23)

Item 3: PUBLIC HEARING 3-7-23 MCGEE — Ordered, that the Zoning Ordinance be amended to add a section for Short Term Rentals, in addition to amending Section 2 DEFINITIONS, and any other sections that may apply to this use.
(joint hearing with the Planning Board)

Item 4: PUBLIC HEARING 3-7-23 MCGEE — Ordered, that the Zoning Ordinance, Section 6.4.2 Exemptions, be amended to add a letter,
(k) Banners or signs associated with a civic or municipal program may be allowed in all districts. Community or commercial sponsorship may be displayed on said banner or sign provided that the banner or sign itself is not be greater than six (6.0) square feet. These installations must be approved by the City and by the Department of Public Works as applicable.
(joint hearing with the Planning Board)

Item 5: PUBLIC HEARING 3-7-23 MCGEE — Ordered, that the Zoning Ordinance be amended to add a Section for Tiny Houses, in addition to amending Section 2 DEFINITIONS, and any other Sections that may apply to this use.
(joint hearing with the Planning Board)

Item 6: PUBLIC HEARING 3-7-23 MCGEE — Ordered, that the Zoning Ordinance, Section 7.8 WIRELESS TELECOMMUNICATION FACILITIES AND ANTENNAS, be amended to include Small Wireless Facilities.
(joint hearing with the Planning Board)

Item 7: 4-5-22 GIVNER — Ordered, With community support: That the city post a snow parking restriction on its website at least twelve hours before towing begins. In other words, towing will not begin until the restriction has been up on the website at least twelve hours.
*Tabled 3-28-23

Item 8: 12-6-22 VACON — add to the “no parking” signs on Cherry Street, “vehicles will be towed at owner’s expense”

Item 9: 10-4-22 GIVNER — Ordered, that the “no parking” sign be removed on one side of the curve at O’Connor Ave bend to add parking while keeping the corner safe and passable for service and emergency vehicles.
*Tabled 2-28-23, 3-28-23

Item 10: 3-21-23 JOURDAIN — That Division 2 of our Ordinances be amended to require the Mayor and Personnel Dept. create and implement a job evaluation system for city employees so that all employees receive goals, standards of performance and a thoughtful annual evaluation against those standards.  Ordinance 2-312 currently requires the Personnel Administrator to maintain the job evaluation system.  Problem is no such system actually exists to be maintained.  The new ordinance should be designed to require the existence of the system but management will be allowed the flexibility to draft it according to their needs and professional opinion.  It is unacceptable that for too long such a system that is so necessary for all workplaces our size still does not exist in our city government.  Absent the City Council requiring such a system it is almost certain that no such system will come into existence independent of us or it would have by now.  There is no current objective measurement of employee performance that rewards high quality employees and holds poor quality employees accountable.  Management in this city needs to take action as soon as possible.

Item 11: 10-4-22 MURPHY-ROMBOLETTI — Ordered that the City examine and study the Schedule A increases that were recommended by the salary study completed in 2014, so that we can implement salary adjustments that are competitive and more aligned with neighboring municipalities in order to retract and retain City employees.

Item 12: 2-21-23 JOURDAIN — Ordered, that Ordinance 2-61 be amended as follows:
Amend Section B. Each member of the city council shall be furnished, by the city solicitor’s office, a copy of every collective bargaining agreement clearly outlining all changes made to the agreement showing the prior language and the new proposed language, a minimum of ten days prior to the cost items of said agreement being submitted to the city council for approval.
Add Section C.  That the City Auditor provide the City Council an accurate financial impact analysis of any such proposed agreement submitted to the city council for approval explaining the full cost of the proposed agreement and attesting to the city council if such agreement is projected to be affordable in all fiscal years impacted by the new agreement.

Item 13: 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.

Item 14: 4-4-23 PUELLO — That Sec. 86-321. – Schedule I: Parking remove both of these entries. Reviewed with city Engineer. To ordinance.
– South Summer St/ Westerly/ A point 78 feet north of Adams St/ A point 18 feet further North/ No parking
– South Summer St/ Westerly/ A point 96 feet northerly of Adams St/ A point 42 feet further northerly/ Handicapped Parking Only

Item 15: 3-21-23 PUELLO — That the following entry be added to the City Ordinances Sec. 86-325. – Schedule IV: Stop streets, this will be directed to the Ordinance Committee to be heard.
Street Stopped/ Vernon St
Direction of Travel/ Southerly
Intersection/ Main St

Item 16: 3-21-23 PUELLO — Ordered, That a handicap sign be placed in front of 400 Maple St. for Elliot Sierra, Placard #2290051.

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.