Development and Governmental Relations Committee Meeting June 2, 2025
Posted May 28, 2025, 5:40 p.m.
City Council
Holyoke Massachusetts
Pursuant to the Massachusetts Open Meeting Law, G.L. c. 30A, §§ 18-25,
and Chapter 2 of the Acts of 2025,
notice is hereby given of a meeting of the committee on
Development and Governmental Relations (DGR)
Monday, June 2, 2025
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: Kocayne Givner
Remote access via www.zoom.us
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82546989565?pwd=isexBvwhSAkmyCUovwhvRpQtYGuYHp.1
Meeting ID: 825 4698 9565 Meeting Passcode: 001946 or by call in at 1 (646) 558-8656 with
the same Meeting ID and Passcode.
Live Spanish interpretation will be available on local access channel 15 using the television’s SAP option, through the live stream on the city website, as well as on the Zoom feed by clicking the interpretation option and choosing Spanish.
Agenda
Item 1: PUBLIC HEARING 1-21-25 Special Permit Application of Alan Fini for the creation of a Fini family cemetery at 2 Fini Road (179-00-003) per 9.3.
*Continued from 3-11-25, 4-8-25
Item 2: PUBLIC HEARING 5-6-25 Special permit application of Holyoke Retail, LCC at 1504 Northampton Street to construct a drive through facility as accessory to proposed retail bank per 7.1.6.5.
Item 3: 5-6-25 Givner- For earmarked funding, order that the Councilors review and approve attached updates to City Council chambers.
Item 4: 5-20-25 Devine- Ordered: That the Historical Commission be invited to the DGR Meeting on June 2nd to determine whether any demolition to be done in the future in the City Council chambers are not against historical norms.
Item 5: 2-4-25 Jourdain, Vacon – Ordered, that the City Clerk meet with the City Council to discuss the potential streamlining of poll locations in Wards 1, 2 and 5 as we have already done in Wards 3, 4, 6 and 7. All of these other Wards seem to function fine with one polling location and it would be a potential cost savings and less administrative burden to use the one location per ward method.
Item 6: 5-6-25 From Adam Mulcahy and Christina Guesk-Notification of Intent to sell under MGL
Item 7: 3-4-25 From Assistant Solicitor Jane Mantolesky, letter regarding St. Vincent Lots
Item 8: 5-6-25 GIVNER – An order to declare Parcel Holyoke Assessors Map 010, Block 01, Parcel 002, Cabot Street, Holyoke, MA as surplus property. The City has been approached by an abutter looking to purchase the property to secure the same and make it more visually appealing. The property is vacant land and currently assessed at $13,500.00.
Item 9: 5-6-25 MAGRATH-SMITH – An order to declare Parcel Holyoke Assessors Map 144, Block 00, Parcel 057, Easthampton Road, Holyoke, MA as surplus property. The City has been approached by an abutter looking to purchase the property to combine the lots and build a home on the same. The property is vacant land and currently assessed at $8,500.00.
Item 10: 3-1-22 I. RIVERA – Order that the council invite the DPW director of Chicopee to speak on their refuse pickup system that was developed several years ago and what the cost benefits are to their community.
*Tabled 8-5-24
Item 11: 6-4-24 I. RIVERA – Order that representatives of the Water Department come in to DGR and elaborate on processing fee attached to payment when using a credit/debit card when processing payment. Constituents have raised concerns on how much the are being charged on top of their water bill.
LAID ON THE TABLE
(Items taken up at previous meeting(s) and laid on the table. Discussion may or may not take place)
Item 12: 6-4-24 Bartley, Sullivan- The conservation commissioner be invited to attend a future DGR meeting to provide an update on the construction in and around Scott’s Tower. Please be prepared to address the issue of water run-off to the pond owned by the abutter at 5 and 15 Lindor Heights. Refer to DGR and Conservation Commission.
*Tabled 6-6-24, 9-30-24, 10-28-24, 12-10-24, 2-10-25, 3-11-25
Item 13: 9-5-23 JOURDAIN — City Council explore with the Mayor a residential redevelopment plan for city owned vacant parcels has homes built then sold. City funds coupled with any available grant funding will be used for seed funding with the proceeds of the sales used to build more homes. The long term play for the city is the generation of all of the property tax revenue from these home sales, the new availability of great new housing, the reduction in city owned buildable lots and the growth of population.
*Tabled 2-27-24, 8-5-24
Item 14: 12-5-23 MURPHY-ROMBOLETTI — An order to declare Parcel Holyoke Assessors Map 212, Block 00, Parcel 001, Easthampton Road, Holyoke, MA as surplus property and sell to the Massachusetts Department of Fish and Game with an address of 100 Cambridge Street, Suite 620, Boston, MA 02114 for $270,000.00.
*Tabled 12-18-23, 8-5-24
Item 15: 4-16-24 BARTLEY – OPED please provide status on 245 High Street. Building sits across High St from City Hall and the windows are boarded with plywood. Minutes from DGR meeting are attached as a communication. Refer to OPED, Mayor and Law Dept.
*Tabled 8-5-24
Item 16: 12-19-23 From Aaron Vega, Director of Office of Planning & Economic Development, communication regarding amendment to special tax assessment agreement with Jackson Canal, LLC.
*Tabled 8-5-24
Item 17: 11-21-23 From Office of Planning & Economic Development, Grant Completion Form for FY23 Urban Agenda Grant Program
*Tabled 8-5-24
Item 18: 12-6-22 BARTLEY, PUELLO – (copy) Ordered, The Mayor and community development dept fund the following project with either CDBG or ARPA funds: Replace the asphalt double-sidewalk located on the west side of S. Elm St. between Wolcott and Congress Streets and replace with a tree belt and install plantings.
*Tabled 8-5-24
ADMINISTRATIVELY LAID ON THE TABLE
(Per City Council Rule 9P, “Any order not acted on within 45 business days shall be deemed tabled.” Items within this section are laid on the table by virtue of being in the committee more than 45 days. Discussion of these items is unlikely, but any item may be removed from the table upon motion of the committee.)
Item 19: 6-4-24 I. RIVERA – Order that representatives of the Holyoke Public Schools and STCC (specifically Dean tech) come into DGR and elaborate on the “After Dark” programming that will be soon launching at the Dean Tech school site.
Item 20: 6-4-24 DEVINE – ORDERED that the Mayor consider appointing an Affordable Housing Commission using the guidelines in proposed HOUSE BILL 2747 (An Act granting a local option for a real estate transfer fee to fund affordable housing)
Item 21: 4-16-24 Communication from Councilor Bartley, 9-1-15 DGR meeting minutes excerpt
Item 22: 1-22-24 BARTLEY – Ordered, The DGR chair invite into committee the Governor’s representative for western Mass and Sen Markey’s representative for western Mass. to a future meeting.
Item 23: 11-21-23 BARTLEY, PUELLO – Ordered, The DGR committee meet with city officials responsible for managing our parking enforcement staff. The staff has been repeatedly threatened with physical violence and subject to beratement from the public and have privately paid for body cameras. Send a communication advising the council of policies and procedures to ensure employee safety in advance of the subcommittee meeting.
Item 24: 10-3-23 BARTLEY, MCGIVERIN, PUELLO, I. RIVERA – Ordered, The City Engineer and DPW develop and install safety measures for passenger cars, trucks and motorcycles in the vicinity of Holyoke’s canals as the current protective measures have recently and regularly been breached resulting in loss of life, property damage, and costs to HG&E. Refer to DPW, City Engineer, HG&E Manager & Commissioners, and Emergency Management Director to strategize improvements and the Mayor to finance these projects. Refer to DGR for discussion.
Item 25: 12-20-22 I. RIVERA – Order that the honorable city council invite representatives of Holyoke Community College, Westfield State University and the Five Colleges to discuss ways they could better support a path for Holyoke youth to gain equitable access within these schools.
Item 26: 8-6-24 From Assistant City Solicitor Jane Mantolesky- Communication regarding Heavy Commercial Vehicle Operation on Homestead Avenue, Holyoke, Massachusetts
Item 27: 8-6-24 BARTLEY – With the washout of the water/sewer line at S. Elm St. (behind Fitzpatrick Skating Rink), the impact on the neighborhood needs to be addressed by the City leaders in terms of the timeline for repairs, alternate means for walkers to navigate this area and overall appearance. This is a constituent request. Refer to DGR, Parks Dept.
Item 28: 8-6-24 BARTLEY, OCASIO – ordered that OPED provide an update to city council regarding putting the following W-3 and W-2 properties on the market – they’ve each been sitting dormant for well over one year without any progress or updates:
1. 432 Hillside Ave.
2. 146 Brown Ave. and environs.
3. Lots at St. Vicent St. and Ingleside Ave.
Please send a communication for the first city council meeting in September 2024. Refer to DGR for follow-up.
Item 29: 10-1-24 Bartley-The city of Holyoke work with OCR to allow the state access to city property to plant trees at the top of the 391 interchange. Receive and refer to DGR.
Item 30: 11-19-24 From Atty Tyler Ingraham, letter requesting enforcement of ordinances at 224 Westfield Rd
Item 31: 12-17-24 – Ocasio- Order that the City change the use of the lot at the corner of Adam and South Summer from being a 24hr parking to a Residential Parking from 5pm to 7am. Morgan School Staff Parking from 7am- 5pm.
Item 32: 1-21-25 From R Levesque Associates, agreement to waive 65 day time frame to open public hearing on special permit application for 37 Appleton Street – Proposed Motor Vehicle Repair Garage filed on November 19, 2024
Item 33: 3-4-25 From Assistant City Solicitor Jane Mantolesky- Notice of Sale – 285 Main
Item 34: 3-18-25 Givner-Per business owner request, order that a 10am-6pm loading zone, with signage, be created at 414 High St
Item 35: 3-18-25 Westfield City Councilor Dan Allie, Lithium Fire Poses Risk to CT Valley
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. Agenda subject to change up to two business days (48 hours) prior to posted meeting time.