City Council - Ordinance Committee

City of Chicopee City Council Ordinance Committee Members Fred Krampits, Chair Shane Brooks, Vice Chair APPROVED 3-21-2024 Abigail Arriaga Gary Labrie Jerry Roy MINUTES February 1, 2024 The following are the minutes of a public hearing held Thursday, February 1, 2024 at 6:30 PM in the Auditorium, 3rd Floor, City Hall, 274 Front Street, Chicopee, MA 01013 and via zoom. Members Present: Krampits, Arriaga, Labrie, Roy Member Absent: Brooks Also Present: Timothy Reilly (Associate City Solicitor), Doug Ellis (City Engineer), Frank Boron (Building Commissioner), Lisa Sanders (Health Director), John Beaulieu (Assistant DPW Superintendent) The meeting was called to order at 6:30 PM 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. Item #1 CAREW STREET - East (odd) side – From East Main Street to a point 980 feet southerly thereof - NO PARKING, STOPPING OR STANDING Councilor Krampits stated that he filed this order because of parking issues around the Food Bank. Public Input Brenda Terault, 34 Carew Street, stated that trucks line up on East Main Street which is a safety concern. She is concerned about who will enforce these parking regulations. Julie L’Heureux, 58 Carew Street, stated children are at risk. Andrew Moorehouse, Food Bank Executive Director, stated that he supports these proposed ordinances. He further stated that the Food Bank has signs and gates to deter truck drivers from idling on the streets surrounding the property. 1 Motion made by Councilor Labrie and second by Councilor Krampits to close public input. Roll Call Councilor Yes No Absent Abstaine Out of d Chair Krampits x Brooks x Arriaga x Labrie x Roy x Motion passed. Motion made by Councilor Labrie and second by Councilor Krampits to approve. Roll Call Councilor Yes No Absent Abstaine Out of d Chair Krampits x Brooks x Arriaga x Labrie x Roy x Motion passed. Item #2 CAREW STREET - West (Even) side – From East Main Street to a point 630 feet southerly thereof- NO TRUCK IDLING Councilor Krampits asked if there anyone wishing to speak on this matter from the public in the room or on zoom. Hearing none. Motion made by Councilor Roy and second by Councilor Krampits to close public input. Roll Call Councilor Yes No Absent Abstaine Out of d Chair Krampits x Brooks x Arriaga x Labrie x Roy x Motion passed. 2 Motion made by Councilor Roy and second by Councilor Krampits to approve. Roll Call Councilor Yes No Absent Abstaine Out of d Chair Krampits x Brooks x Arriaga x Labrie x Roy x Motion passed. Item #3 EAST MAIN STREET - Both Sides – From Carew Street to the American Legion Memorial Bridge- NO PARKING, STOPPING OR STANDING Public Input Julie L’Heureux, 58 Carew Street, stated that the neighborhood will call the Police Department once the signs go up to enforce. This is a safety issue. Motion made by Councilor Roy and second by Councilor Krampits to close public input. Roll Call Councilor Yes No Absent Abstaine Out of d Chair Krampits x Brooks x Arriaga x Labrie x Roy x Motion passed. Motion made by Councilor Roy and second by Councilor Krampits to approve. Roll Call Councilor Yes No Absent Abstaine Out of d Chair Krampits x Brooks x Arriaga x Labrie x Roy x Motion passed. 3 Item #4 WESTOVER ROAD - Both sides – From westerly entrance of the Western Massachusetts Post 9-11 & Service Dog Memorial Park parking lot to a point 4,650 feet easterly thereof at the easterly end of Westover Road - TRUCK PARKING PROHIBITED Councilor Arriaga stated that this is a safety issue for Westover Air Reserve Base. Trucks block and it is a safety issue for the base. John Beaulieu stated that this has been worked on in conjunction with the Wing Commander at Westover Air Reserve Base. Motion made by Councilor Labrie and second by Councilor Krampits to close public input. Roll Call Councilor Yes No Absent Abstaine Out of d Chair Krampits x Brooks x Arriaga x Labrie x Roy x Motion passed. Motion made by Councilor Roy and second by Councilor Krampits to approve. Roll Call Councilor Yes No Absent Abstaine Out of d Chair Krampits x Brooks x Arriaga x Labrie x Roy x Motion passed. Item #5 BE IT ORDERED THAT the Law Dept., the Building Dept., and Board of Health provide input to the Ordinance Committee to establish a new ordinance involving vehicle size on private property. Refer to the Ordinance Committee for public hearing. Frank Boron, Building Commissioner, stated that his department receives numerous large vehicle complaints. Public Input 4 Bill Courchesne stated that there is an ordinance about tractor trailers. It talks about length of vehicles and weight and duration of time allowed. Mary Beth Pniak-Costello, 66 Voss Avenue, this is regarding a very large truck. The existing ordinance mentioned addresses some vehicles but not all vehicles. She is requesting an ordinance amendment that would address large vehicles. Lisa Sanders, Health Director, asked why the existing ordinance cannot be enforced. She does not understand what the city is trying to tweak. Motion made by Councilor Roy and second by Councilor Krampits to close to public input. Roll Call Councilor Yes No Absent Abstaine Out of d Chair Krampits x Brooks x Arriaga x Labrie x Roy x Motion passed. Councilor Krampits asked the Building Commissioner if the existing ordinance suffices for him to enforce or does it need to be tweaked. Frank Boron replied that the ordinance could be changed in some ways because there are large vehicles being parked in residential neighborhoods. He receives calls of trucks running for a long time because they need to warm up. This creates a noise and smell nuisance. Perhaps language could be added to address the axles on a vehicle. Councilor Labrie stated that Chapter 260-28 looks specific as to the vehicle size but if the Building Commissioner wants the ordinance amended to something more specific than it should be looked at. Committee recommended that this item be postponed to allow Councilor Pniak-Costello to work with the Building Commissioner and Health Director on language to amend the ordinance. Attorney Riley stated that if a list of vehicles to be restricted is provided then the ordinance could be amended to include those vehicles. Motion made by Councilor Labrie and second by Councilor Krampits to postpone to the call of the chair. Roll Call Councilor Yes No Absent Abstaine Out of d Chair Krampits x 5  Brooks x Arriaga x Labrie x Roy x Motion passed. Item #6 Chapter 275-66 Burnett Road 275-66 add to B In addition to the special permit submission requirements of Chicopee City Code § 275-9, all special permit applications shall be accompanied by a traffic study or Transportation Impact Assessment or any other such report whose official name may be changed by the Massachusetts Department of Transportation. For referral to the Planning Board, Zoning Committee and Ordinance Committee Public Input Willliam Courchesne stated this proposed ordinance clarifies the name of traffic studies. Motion made by Councilor Roy and second by Councilor Krampits to close public input. Roll Call Councilor Yes No Absent Abstaine Out of d Chair Krampits x Brooks x Arriaga x Labrie x Roy x Motion passed. Motion made by Councilor Arriaga and second by Councilor Krampits to approve. Roll Call Councilor Yes No Absent Abstaine Out of d Chair Krampits x Brooks x Arriaga x Labrie x Roy x Motion passed. Item #7 Chapter 275-51 Motor Vehicle Repair and Storage Delete from Chapter 275-51 D the following language 6 “or inoperable or not currently registered or with a current state inspection sticker” Public Input William Courchesne stated that this conflicts with another ordinance and this proposal just cleans it up. Motion made by Councilor Roy and second by Councilor Krampits to close public input. Roll Call Councilor Yes No Absent Abstaine Out of d Chair Krampits x Brooks x Arriaga x Labrie x Roy x Motion passed. Motion made by Councilor Arriaga and second by Councilor Krampits to approve. Roll Call Councilor Yes No Absent Abstaine Out of d Chair Krampits x Brooks x Arriaga x Labrie x Roy x Motion passed. Item #8 Delete 275-50 B (F) F. Duration of placement. Temporary signs may be placed 60 days prior to an event or promotion and must be removed within seven days following an event or promotion. For referral to the Planning Board, Zoning Committee, and Ordinance Committee Public Input William Courchesne stated that this section of the code book is in violation of federal law. Motion made by Councilor Roy and second by Councilor Krampits to close public input. Roll Call Councilor Yes No Absent Abstaine Out of d Chair 7  Krampits x Brooks x Arriaga x Labrie x Roy x Motion passed. Councilor Labrie likes the existing ordinance. He does not want to have folks putting up their political signs in January for an election in November. Attorney Reilly stated that he will research this matter. Motion made by Councilor Roy and second by Councilor Krampits to postpone to the call of the chair. Roll Call Councilor Yes No Absent Abstaine Out of d Chair Krampits x Brooks x Arriaga x Labrie x Roy x Motion passed. Item #9 Chapter 7 Ordinance Revision Management Information Systems – Chicopee T.V. (Group 3) Add: Part Time Announcer $25.00 Said ordinance to be effective upon passage Andrew Vernon stated that the position is within Chicopee TV. This position will be used primarily for sporting events. Councilor Krampits asked if there anyone wishing to speak on this matter from the public in the room or on zoom. Hearing none. Motion made by Councilor Roy and second by Councilor Krampits to close public input. Roll Call Councilor Yes No Absent Abstaine Out of d Chair Krampits x Brooks x Arriaga x 8  Labrie x Roy x Motion passed. Motion made by Councilor Roy and second by Councilor Krampits to approve. Roll Call Councilor Yes No Absent Abstaine Out of d Chair Krampits x Brooks x Arriaga x Labrie x Roy x Motion passed. Item #10 Minutes – October 10, 2023 Motion made by Councilor Arriaga and second by Councilor Krampits to approve. Roll Call Councilor Yes No Absent Abstaine Out of d Chair Krampits x Brooks x Arriaga x Labrie x Roy x Motion passed. Item #11 Adjournment Motion made by Councilor Roy and second by Councilor Krampits to adjourn at 7:08 PM. Roll Call Councilor Yes No Absent Abstaine Out of d Chair Krampits x Brooks x Arriaga x Labrie x Roy x Motion passed. 9