City Council - Ordinance Committee

City of Chicopee City Council Ordinance Committee Members James Tillotson, Chair Fred Krampits, Vice Chair Derek Dobosz Gary Labrie Jerry Roy APPROVED 7-11-2023 MINUTES June 13, 2023 The following are the minutes of a public hearing held Tuesday, June 13, 2023 at 6:30 PM in the City Council Chambers, 4th Floor, City Hall, 274 Front Street, Chicopee, MA 01013. Members Present: Tillotson (zoom), Krampits, Dobosz, Labrie, Roy Member Absent: Also Present: Dan Garvey (Associate City Solicitor), Councilor Laflamme, Councilor Zygarowski, Councilor Pniak-Costello, Tim Reilly (Associate City Solicitor), Doug Ellis (City Engineer), John Bealieau (Assistant DPW Superintendent), Frank Boron (Building Commissioner) , Councilor López The meeting was called to order at 6:30 PM by the Vice Chair. In compliance with the open meeting laws the Vice Chair asked if anyone in the audience was recording the meeting. Hearing none the meeting continued. Some of the audio is inaudible. ITEM #1 Alvord Avenue South Side – From Broadway to a point 85 feet easterly thereof PARKING PROHIBITED HERE TO CORNER Councilor Labrie motion to close public input – Councilor Krampits 2nd the motion. Councilor Yes No Absent Abstained Out of Chair Tillotson X (zoom) Krampits X Dobosz X Labrie X 1  Roy x Motion passed. Engineering Recommendation The original proposed ordinance above for “No Parking Here to Corner” contained a distance of 85 feet, which was a minimal distance of 70 feet to allow for the passage of vehicles travelling in opposite directions, extended the extra 15 feet to the first driveway. The opening of Alvord Avenue was field measured at 26.0 feet, sufficient width for a vehicle to be parked and two moving vehicles to pass each other, as is the case for the remainder of the street. I suggest that the proposed ordinance be revised to a distance of 25 feet from Broadway, which is approximately the same distance the porch of 207 Broadway is from Broadway Amended version. Alvord Avenue South Side – From Broadway to a point 25 feet easterly thereof PARKING PROHIBITED HERE TO CORNER Councilor Roy motion to amend – Councilor Tillotson 2nd the motion. Councilor Yes No Absent Abstained Out of Chair Tillotson X (zoom) Krampits X Dobosz X Labrie X Roy x Motion passed. Councilor Dobosz motion to approve the amended order – Councilor Roy 2nd the motion. Councilor Yes No Absent Abstained Out of Chair Tillotson X (zoom) Krampits X Dobosz X Labrie X Roy x Motion passed. ITEM #2 Meetinghouse Road Odd side – from the intersection of Chicopee Street & Meetinghouse Road – all the way to the beginning of the driveway of Stefanik School – Directly across from the intersection of Elcon Drive & Meetinghouse Road. PARKING PROHIBITED 2 Councilor López stated it is just to ensure that we have No Parking on this side of the road. She stated that this is more informational because it does not need an ordinance change. Councilor Labrie motion to close public input – Councilor Roy 2nd the motion. Councilor Yes No Absent Abstained Out of Chair Tillotson X (zoom) Krampits X Dobosz X Labrie X Roy x Motion passed. Engineer Recommendations There is an existing ordinance for “No Parking Any Time” on the south (odd) side of Meetinghouse Road for its entire length and there are existing “No Parking” signs on that side of the road. The DPW will change the existing “No Parking” signs to “No Parking This Side of Ordinance Committee – Engineering Review Comments (Revised) June 13, 2023 Page #2 of 2 Street” signs to the south (odd) side of the road, while evaluating if additional signage should be added. Councilor Krampits stated that this is not an ordinance change. DPW will investigate and add additional signage. Councilor Roy motion to place on file – Councilor Labrie 2nd the motion. Councilor Yes No Absent Abstained Out of Chair Tillotson X (zoom) Krampits X Dobosz X Labrie X Roy x Motion passed. ITEM # 3 Meetinghouse Road Odd side – at the beginning of the intersection of Meadow & Meetinghouse Road – Ending at the driveway of Stefanik School across from the intersection of Elcon Drive & Meetinghouse Road. NO STOPPING OR STANDING Councilor Lopez stated that parents drop their children off at school and technically don’t leave their car. This causes severe backup on that street. The street is not wide enough so for that portion she is proposing an ordinance change. Engineering Recommendations “No Parking” still allows a vehicle to stop and unload passengers or goods. The vehicle cannot be left unattended. “No Standing” allows drop off / pick up of passengers, but no unloading of goods. “No Stopping” does not allow the unloading of passengers nor goods. The proposed ordinance wording above is adequate. However, to be consistent with recent ordinance wordings, perhaps the Ordinance should read as follows: MEETINGHOUSE ROAD ‐ South (Odd) Side – 3 From Meadow Street to a point 540 feet westerly thereof - NO STOPPING OR STANDING. The DPW will add “No Parking, No Standing, No Stopping” Signs along this section of Meetinghouse Road. Amended version Meetinghouse Road – South (Odd) side – From Meadow Street to a point 540 feet westerly thereof – No Stopping or Standing. Councilor Dobosz motion to close public input – Councilor Roy 2nd the motion. Councilor Yes No Absent Abstained Out of Chair Tillotson X (zoom) Krampits X Dobosz X Labrie X Roy x Motion passed. Councilor Roy motion to amend the order – Councilor Dobosz 2nd the motion. Councilor Yes No Absent Abstained Out of Chair Tillotson X (zoom) Krampits X Dobosz X Labrie X Roy x Motion passed. Councilor Labrie motion to approve the amended order – Councilor Roy 2nd the motion. Councilor Yes No Absent Abstained Out of Chair Tillotson X (zoom) Krampits X Dobosz X Labrie X Roy x Motion passed. ITEM #4 BE IT ORDERED THAT the Ordinance Committee review the current tag sale policy. Councilor Laflamme stated that he and the Building Commissioner have been working on this for about a year now. He stated that people are having the tag sales every weekend. Frank Boron stated we are having issues with numerous people throughout the city with tag sales and we are trying to control this a little better. He suggested permitting a tag sale without a fee. He stated it’s an ongoing situation. 4 Councilor Laflamme stated he wants to include the language, garage sales, tag sales and estate sales and place a time restriction on them. He stated that we need to bring this back, put something together and change the language. Councilor Roy stated what restrictions do you want to place on tag sales. Frank Boron stated three calendar days per year. Councilor Laflamme stated it has always been that way. Councilor López stated that three calendar days are a little restrictive. For some people it’s a way to make extra money and for others it’s a hobby. She stated you should give people three instances with one instance being a weekend. Councilor Laflamme stated that the Police cannot count the hours at a tag sale. Councilor López stated that if you do it for five hours that day or the whole weekend it still counts as one instance. We should allow folks to have it for an instance up to seventy-two hours. Councilor Labrie stated that the seventy-two hours should be clarified. He agrees with giving the people at least three times not three days to have a tag sale. He stated that he does not get many complaints. Councilor Dobosz stated that some people have them in the fall and spring, that would be enough for two or three weekends. Councilor Tillotson stated that there is an extra position coming up in the budget that deals with the Building Department and that person can enforce on Saturdays. An additional person in the budget this coming year, that person should be able to work on Saturday and check on repeated tag sales throughout the city. Councilor Labrie motion to close public input – Councilor Roy 2nd the motion. Councilor Yes No Absent Abstained Out of Chair Tillotson X (zoom) Krampits X Dobosz X Labrie X Roy x Motion passed. Councilor Labrie motion to place on file – Councilor Roy 2nd the motion. Councilor Yes No Absent Abstained Out of Chair Tillotson X (zoom) Krampits X Dobosz X Labrie X Roy x Motion passed. ITEM #5 Minutes of May 23, 2023 Councilor Labrie motion to approve the minutes – Councilor Roy motion to approve the motion. Councilor Yes No Absent Abstained Out of Chair Tillotson X (zoom) 5  Krampits X Dobosz X Labrie X Roy x Motion passed. Councilor Labrie motion to adjourn – Councilor Dobosz 2nd the motion. Meeting adjourned at 7:15 PM Councilor Yes No Absent Abstained Out of Chair Tillotson X (zoom) Krampits X Dobosz X Labrie X Roy x Motion passed. Meeting adjourned at 7:15 PM 6