City Council - Ordinance Committee

City of Chicopee City Council Ordinance Committee Members James Tillotson, Chair Fred Krampits, Vice Chair Frank Laflamme Gary Labrie Jerry Roy APPROVED 5-14-19 MINUTES April 9, 2019 The following are the minutes of a public hearing held Tuesday, April 9, 2019, at 6:30 PM in the City Council Chambers, Fourth Floor, City Hall Annex, 274 Front Street, Chicopee, MA 01013. Members Present: Tillotson, Roy, Laflamme, Labrie Not Present: Krampits Also Present: Dan Garvey (Associate City Solicitor), Councilor Balakier, Councilor Dobosz, Councilor Zygarowski, Elizabette Botelho (DPW Superintendent), Councilor Courchesne, Lieutenant Holly Davis (Police Department) The meeting was called to order at 6:30 PM. In compliance with the open meeting laws the Chairman asked if anyone in the audience was recording the meeting. Hearing none the meeting continued. ITEM #1 260-17.1(A) PERMIT PARKING Upon the following streets or parts thereof, parking is hereby designated as “residents only”. Parking shall be permitted on the following designated streets by only those vehicles displaying a valid resident parking permit issued by the Chicopee City Clerk as detailed below. Signs shall be placed on the following streets to designate the restricted permit parking area(s). The street(s) included in this Section, in their entirety, are as follows: 260-17.1(B) PURPOSE The purpose of the City’s Resident Permit Parking regulation is to provide adequate parking for those residents who reside in those dwellings adjacent to the above designated streets which the City has determined to require permit parking regulations to ensure safe and convenient residential parking. 260-17.1(C) ELIGIBILITY (i) You must be a City of Chicopee resident. (ii) All outstanding parking tickets must be paid prior to receiving a resident permit placard. (iii) You must reside in a dwelling on a street designated “residents only” and operate a motor vehicle which is registered with the Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles (RMV) in the applicant’s name at an address on a street designated above. Said registration shall be provided at the time of application. An exception shall be made for residents in the military and any vehicle displaying a valid handicapped placard. 260-17.1(D) APPLICATION PROCESS 1  (i) Resident Permit Placards shall expire on January 31 and can be renewed commencing in the preceding November. (ii) Resident Parking Permits may be obtained in the Office of the City Clerk. You must submit a complete Resident Permit Application, a copy of your vehicle registration as required above and a twenty five 00/100 dollar ($25.00) application fee. 260-17.1(E) ENFORCEMENT AND VIOLATIONS The provisions of this Section shall be enforced by the City of Chicopee Police Department. Any person who violates this section shall be subject to a fine of not more than two hundred 00/100 dollars ($200.00) for each offense. Councilor Tillotson stated that the City Clerk could not make it tonight. He stated that he is not in favor of this. Councilor Tillotson stated that what this really means so you will understand what we are talking about; this will only happen if the residents of the street request it. He stated that at least eighty or ninety percent of the people would want it before we even entertain it. He stated tonight is just the start if we even want to get into this or not. He stated there isn’t any given street in mind at this point. Public Input Jennifer Welsh 87 Call Street stated that recently there was a “No Parking” sign put up on both sides of our end of Call Street which is just before Nash Field and it intersects with Skeele Street. She stated that unfortunately having both sides eliminated for parking has made it difficult for out tenants, visitors and contractors. Juan Deleon 85-87 Call Street stated that we solved the problem with “No Parking” signs which is great and we eliminated having the street crowded. He stated that it created another problem which is that we can’t park on our very own street. He stated he has two units with four adults which all have cars. We have room for three cars and the fourth car goes on the grass. Barbara and Terry Welsh 204 Skeele Street stated that prior to the signs going up, every summer and fall when there would be sporting events the families would come and park all along Call Street and Skeele Street. She stated that they would block the driveway and make it difficult for an emergency vehicle to come down. She stated that her husband had a stroke and she was concerned in an emergency situation. She stated that we just want to be able to have access to the park. She stated that it’s not fair that we pay taxes and live in the houses that are on the street and we can’t even park there in fear of being ticketed. She stated in the winter it is terrible, they park on both sides and ignore the signs. She stated that she would like to see permit parking. Councilor Courchesne stated that if you look at Call Street there isn’t anywhere you can park legally. He stated that you can’t park twenty feet from a corner or five feet from a driveway that leaves no space for a car in between. He stated that there is no enforcement. He stated that people couldn’t get in and out of their driveways because of people illegally parking so we went with the “No Parking” signs. He stated that we solved one problem and created another one which has led us to the permit parking. He stated it would give the residents a chance to park on their street without getting ticketed. Councilor Tillotson stated that if they are not parking five feet from the driveway the residents should call the Police. Councilor Courchesne stated that we all know enforcement is difficult at best. He stated that they are still ticketing. He stated that this is a unique situation, a dead end street and the park is really the catalyst of this whole problem. Councilor Tillotson stated that if they had friends and relatives visit they couldn’t park there and it becomes a catch twenty two. Councilor Courchesne stated there will be limited parking permits to a few residents who live on the street. Councilor Laflamme stated he is glad to see there is no parking and he thinks that is the best route. He stated if you’re having permitted parking on both sides you are not solving the problem because cars are going to narrow it no matter what. He stated that we are going to get ourselves into some tough situations with the Police Department, with all dead-end streets. He suggested maybe no parking on one side. He stated that he is not in favor of this until more homework is done on it. He stated maybe there’s a way of doing fifteen minute parking. Lieutenant Holly Davis stated that the Police Department is not in favor of this. She stated it opens up Pandora’s Box because other areas in the city will want similar parking. Permanent parking changes the dynamics of a right-of-way. She stated that when you turn it into a parking spot for individuals it becomes a problem trying to enforce it. She stated from a law enforcement perspective permitted parking would cause some issues. Elizabette Botelho stated she could understand emergency vehicles not being able to access that street. She stated that the city really hasn’t had the time to research the permitting process. She stated when she lived in Boston permitted parking was based on neighborhood not on each street. She stated that maybe we need to still try no parking on one side. She stated that we did increase the parking at Nash Park so hopefully people will utilize the parking lot. 2 Councilor Courchesne stated that some of the people don’t utilize the parking lot because there are using the wading pool which is three feet from the curb. Councilor Courchesne stated that people have called the police but that doesn’t help them when they are trying to get out of their driveways and they have to wait for them to respond. Councilor Laflamme stated could you have one side no parking. Councilor Courchesne stated he would like time sensitive parking on one side. Committee vote 4 – 0 unfavorable ITEM #2 SERGEANT AVENUE – Entire length on the odd side – PARKING PROHIBITED Councilor Tillotson asked Elizabette Botelho if she agrees with the odd side and she replied yes. Councilor Laflamme motion to approve – Councilor Tillotson 2nd the motion – motion passed Committee vote 4 – 0 favorable ITEM #3 6 BUSH AVENUE – HANDICAP PARKING Councilor Tillotson stated that this has been approved by the Handicap Commission. Elizabette Botelho stated that the block has a driveway and the side Bush Ave is on is paved up to the building. She stated the only way you can get through the street with parking on both sides is because they park all the way up to the building. She stated if the Landlord wants to designate one of his parking spaces in that driveway, he could do that for his tenants. Committee vote 4 – 0 unfavorable  Councilor Tillotson motion to take item #4 and # 5 out of order – Councilor Laflamme 2nd the motion – motion passed ITEM #4 SLATE ROAD – Northwest side – from the intersection of Sheridan Street for a distance of 100 feet – PARKIN PROHIBITED Councilor Zygarowski stated he would like both #’s 4 & 5 reduced by twenty five feet. Councilor Laflamme stated he went out and measured it today. He asked if we could go to electric pole #1 it’s about thirty feet. The committee voted to amend the proposed ordinance to read for a distance of forty feet on the recommendation of Councilor Laflamme. Committee vote 4 – 0 favorable ITEM #5 SLATE ROAD – Southwest side – from the intersection of Sheridan Street for a distance of 100 feet PARKING PROHIBITED Councilor Laflamme stated that thirty feet is two and one half cars. He stated we should do forty feet. Councilor Zygarowski stated that he has received complaints from residents that people are parking on the corner on Slate Road and not Sheridan Street. He stated that it’s a safety issue and he agrees with forty feet. 3 The committee voted to amend the proposed ordinance to read for a distance of forty feet on the recommendation of Councilor Laflamme. Committee vote 4 – 0 favorable ITEM #6 Councilor Laflamme motion to accept the minutes of March 12, 2019 – Councilor Roy 2nd the motion – motion passed Meeting adjourned 7:16 PM 4