Development and Governmental Relations Committee Meeting October 6, 2025

*Published September 20, 2025, 2:43 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, October 6, 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/86721496200?pwd=5EkJZAgKcWajV9MTZAImbVkH1YCdTK.1
Meeting ID: 867 2149 6200 Meeting Passcode: 777433 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: 9-17-25 Petition from Francisco Grabiel Velez Vega of 214 Elm St. for a Street Vendor License

Item 2: 8-5-25 Special permit application for home occupation of Kristin Fontaine for a cottage kitchen to bake bread at 1 Meadow Street (081-00-012) per sec 4.8.2.
*Public hearing closed 9-9-25
*Conditions added: That the hours of operation would be Saturday 12 p.m. – 5 p.m.
That the applicant will provide their business certificate and their permit from the Board of health.
*Referred back 9-17-25

Item 3: 9-17-25 GIVNER: An order to declare 569 South Bridge Street, Holyoke, MA (Holyoke Assessors Map 029, Block 08, Parcel 006) as surplus property. The City has been approached by an interested buyer looking to purchase the property. The property is vacant land and currently assessed at $38,700.00.

Item 4: 9-17-25 GIVNER: An order to declare Holyoke Assessors Map 029, Block 08, Parcel 007, South Bridge Street, Holyoke, MA as surplus property. The City has been approached by an interested buyer looking to purchase the property. The property is vacant land and currently assessed at $22,800.00.

Item 5: 6-17-25 Jourdain, Vacon- Ordered, that the following Resolution of the City Council be adopted and a copy be transmitted to the Department of Homeland Security and our federal delegation and the White House.  It shall also be used by all departments of the city with their applications for federal funds and grants when necessary.
1. Holyoke is not a sanctuary city.
2. Mayor Joshua Garcia has publicly declared that Holyoke is not a sanctuary city.
3. The City Council hereby declares Holyoke is not a sanctuary city.
4. Holyoke adopted Ordinance 2-68 “No elected official, department head or other city employee shall issue any order that shall knowingly violate any law or regulation of the federal, state or local government or the Constitution of the United States, the Constitution of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts or the Charter of the City of Holyoke, or any lawful order of a court of competent jurisdiction. No such order given shall be valid or shall be enforced by the City of Holyoke or its departments.”
5. To the extent, Holyoke has been deemed a sanctuary city by the federal government for failing to comply with any federal law or regulation, the Department of Homeland Security should notify the Holyoke City Council and Mayor of its specific violation and what steps are needed to remedy.
6. The City of Holyoke and all of its employees and agents hereby agree to fully comply with all federal laws and regulations. To the extent the city, its employees or agents have or are violating any federal law or regulation, they shall immediately cease and fully comply.
7. The City of Holyoke requests removal from any identification of our city as a sanctuary city by any federal department or agency.
*Tabled 9-9-25
*Please note the committee may make a motion to allow the public to speak on this item.

LAID ON THE TABLE
(Items taken up at previous meeting(s) and laid on the table. Discussion may or may not take place)

Item 6: 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, 6-2-25, 8-4-25, 9-9-25, Continued to 11-17-25

Item 7: 3-4-25 Givner- In an effort to promote efficiency while upholding quality of life standards, Order that the City Council invite department heads involved with permitting in to review special permit processes. Incomplete applications regularly come before DGR. The current process is incredibly inefficient wasting 8-10 hours, per applicant, in efforts from the Clerk’s office, the Planning department, the Planning Board, building department, as well as City council and subcommittees. Our permitting Ordinance should be reviewed and updated if needed.
*Tabled 8-4-25

Item 8: 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.
*Tabled 6-2-25

Item 9: 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 10: 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 11: 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 12: 11-21-23 From Office of Planning & Economic Development, Grant Completion Form for FY23 Urban Agenda Grant Program
*Tabled 8-5-24

Item 13: 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

Item 14: 8-2-22 From Aaron Vega, Director of Office of Planning & Economic Development, communication regarding Economic Development Incentive & Housing Development Incentive Report
*Tabled 8-5-24

Item 15: 5-3-22 MURPHY-ROMBOLETTI – Ordered, That the Committee on Development & Government Relations be provided a list of all special permits issued by the Council. Please include a 5 year look-back on how many permits have been issued, and a rough estimate of the total amount of staff time required to review and process these permits. Refer to the City Clerk, OPED, the Council’s Administrative Assistant and Law Department.
*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 16: 6-17-25 Intermunicipal Agreement for Regional Animal control Services

Item 17: 6-3-25 Rivera, I- Order that the Board of Health Commission along with the director come in and elaborate as to how the cap on issuing new tobacco licenses and ban on social consumption align with the city’s economic master plan.

Item 18: 3-18-25 Givner-Per business owner request, order that a 10am-6pm loading zone, with signage, be created at 414 High St

Item 19: 3-4-25 From Assistant City Solicitor Jane Mantolesky- Notice of Sale – 285 Main

Item 20: 11-19-24 From Atty Tyler Ingraham, letter requesting enforcement of ordinances at 224 Westfield Rd

Item 21: 10-1-24 Bartley-The city of Holyoke work with DCR to allow the state access to city property to plant trees at the top of the 391 interchange. Receive and refer to DGR.

Item 22: 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 23: 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 24: 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 25: 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 26: 4-16-24 Communication from Councilor Bartley, 9-1-15 DGR meeting minutes excerpt

Item 27: 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 28: 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 29: 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 30: 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.

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.