Everett City Council
Monday March 11, 2024
Clickable Transcript Printable Transcript Agenda
The order of items in transcripts appear in the chronological order in which they were taken up. Some Agenda items may have been skipped.
Item 1.
The city council considered an ordinance proposed by Councilor Robert Van Campen to reduce the required advertisement lead time for a city council public hearing from 30 days to 14 days before the hearing date. During the public discussion, Councilor Van Campen invited comments both in favor and against the proposal. Resident Paula Sterite spoke in opposition, expressing concerns about the reduced advertisement period's impact on community awareness, especially for renters, suggesting the city find alternative ways to notify the public about planning and zoning board changes. No other comments were made, and following the discussion, the motion to refer the ordinance to the Committee on Legal and Legislative Affairs was passed unanimously.
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PUBLIC PARTICIPATION
The public hearing involved residents of Everett expressing concerns and suggestions on a variety of topics. Jocelyn Solis requested additional time for translation services for non-English speaking community members. Myra Gutierrez introduced herself as a student participating in the hearing. Juan Ramos advocated for a moratorium on certain residential developments and improvements to city zoning and housing stability. Similarly, Peggy Serino criticized the allocation of funds by the city's administration, questioning their use and the safety of proposed renovations to a local high school. Thalia Patino supported a proposal for using solar reflective paint to mitigate heat effects in community spaces, citing her climate advocacy. Lilian Algore and others discussed the need for better veteran services facilities, support for environmental initiatives, and a halt to dense residential development due to infrastructure concerns. David Fortin and others raised issues regarding veteran services, zoning laws, and the city's financial decisions, including funding allocations and the handling of municipal development. Residents also voiced concerns about the city's negotiation with the Encore property, its impact on local employment, and the overarching issue of how the city manages taxes and development for the long-term benefit of its inhabitants. Lastly, Joseph Pedrotti criticized a new sticker program for commercial vehicles, highlighting it as an unfair tax burden on local business owners. The session concluded with a motion to close public participation.
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Item 15.
The Everett City Council discussed an initiative led by Councilors Wayne Matewsky and Holly Garcia, involving National Grid and upgrades to the electrical service at Glendale Towers to accommodate air conditioners up to 12,000 BTUs for residents. Matewsky highlighted the collaborative efforts between National Grid, city engineers, and the Everett Housing Authority that have led to this project moving forward, with an emphasis on improving residents' comfort during hot weather. The council acknowledged the importance of this upgrade due to the health and comfort concerns of the Glendale Towers' residents, who have suffered in the excessive heat of their apartments. The project's financial responsibilities fall on the Everett Housing Authority, while National Grid is tasked with facilitating the necessary upgrades from the street to the property. The council voiced no questions for the National Grid representatives present, expressing gratitude instead for the progress and decided to send a thank you letter to National Grid for their involvement in the project. Additionally, Councilor Alcy Jabouin was recognized for her early involvement and added to the initiative, further highlighting the communal effort towards addressing this long-standing issue.
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Item 14.
The council discussed Item number 14, a petition by National Grid to install approximately 75 feet of 2–4-inch conduit from 161 underground to a customer-owned manhole, number 170 at 32nd Street. Initially, in the last meeting, the petition had passed but was on the failing side. Councilor Robert Van Campen, acting as president, mentioned receiving a letter for reconsideration in time, leading to the motion for reconsideration. After the motion to reconsider was made and seconded, the council granted the petition following the reconsideration.
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Item 3.
The Everett City Council discussed a comprehensive rezoning process to modernize and streamline the city's zoning code, initiated by urban planning consultant Nels Nelson and his team, including collaboration from Stantec and town council city council for land use Jonathan Silverstein. The goal is to align the zoning with Everett's vision for a walkable, transit-oriented, and sustainable community by eliminating outdated elements (e.g., references to horse-drawn carriages) and reducing reliance on variances for development. The process started with a code audit in 2023 and aims for public review in fall with adoption targeted for winter. Proposed changes include distinguishing between different business and residential districts, incorporating design regulations to ensure new developments are aesthetically fitting, and revisiting parking and Transportation Demand Management (TDM) strategies without making significant changes to them. Council members expressed concerns and queries regarding the incorporation of community input, impact on local neighborhoods, and maintaining control over development. The plan also envisages simplifying the approval process by enabling more developments to proceed by right or with a special permit rather than requiring a variance, aligning zoning more closely with the city’s master plans and neighborhood characteristics.
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Item 8.
During a council meeting, Councilor Robert Van Campen proposed accepting a $400,000 grant from the Department of Housing and Community Office of Housing and Livable Communities to fund a first-time home buyer down payment assistance program, specifically designed for Everett residents and city employees. Zerina Gace, the affordable housing coordinator for Everett, outlined the details of the program, stating that $300,000 of the funds would be allocated towards first-time homebuyers who are residents with income eligibility requirements, and $100,000 reserved for city employees, including those from the school department, firefighters, and police who are first-time buyers intending to purchase homes in Everett. Eligible applicants can receive up to $20,000 in forgivable loans if they meet certain conditions, including attending a home buying counseling workshop and residing in the property for at least five years, after which the loan converts to a grant. The program will operate on a first-come, first-serve basis and aims to support 20 families. Questions were raised regarding the specifics of the program, including eligibility for city employees, conditions for repayment, and how the program would address a potential excess of applicants. Multifamily purchases were discussed, emphasizing that rental units must adhere to income restrictions. The initiative received unanimous approval, highlighting its potential impact on community development and economic growth in Everett.
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Items 2. & 22.
In a public hearing, a motion was introduced and seconded to collectively address items 2 and 22. Item 2, presented by Councilor Robert Van Campen, involves accepting a $5,240 check from the Everett Citizens Foundation to establish a fund for the Everett Recreation Center. This fund will be managed by the recreation center staff for appropriate expenditures. Item 22, introduced by Councilors Stephanie Martins and Peter Pietrantonio, suggests the recreation center cover transportation costs for the basketball team. Councilor Pietrantonio highlighted the need for safe transport to games, possibly funded by the grant or the recreation department's budget. The discussion moved towards the mechanics of managing the grant money, with Everett Finance Department's Eric Demas clarifying it would be set up as a private grant account, not a petty cash, to ensure proper use without commingling with other funds. A motion was made to defer item 22 to the recreation director for further consideration.
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Item 9.
The motion to suspend the rules and take out item number 9 from the calendar was unanimously passed. Item number 9, introduced by Council President Robert Van Campen, involves a proposal to allocate $7,552,930 from the budgetary fund balance free cash into various funds, including the General Stabilization Fund, Other Post-Employment Benefits Liability Trust Funds, and the Capital Improvement Stabilization Fund, with specific amounts designated for each. A motion was made by Smith to refer the item to the Ways and Means committee for its scheduled meeting on May, which was supported and passed without opposition.
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Items 5., 6., & 7.
A motion was made and seconded to collectively consider items 5, 6, and 7, all involving donations, during a public hearing. Item 5 pertained to the acceptance and expenditure of donations from Malden Transportation and Daigle Electrical Construction Corp, each contributing $1,000 towards the 2024 summer jobs program. Item 6 involved accepting and expending donations totaling $195 from city of Everett employees for the fire victim’s fund collected during February. Item 7 sought approval to accept a donation from Home Depot of various materials, valued at approximately $3,500, to assist Everett High School carpentry students in constructing a storage unit at Glendale Park. An amendment to item 7 was proposed and passed to add "as President" after Robert Van Campen’s name in the order, with the motion receiving unanimous approval.
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Item 4.
The section discusses the process of approving the appointment of Ashmael Brun as an associate member of the zoning board of appeals for a three-year term ending March 1, 2027. The motion, proposed by Councilor Robert Van Campen, was to refer the appointment (item number four) to the committee on legislative affairs and elections. Following a vote, those in favor agreed, leading to the motion being carried out without opposition, indicating unanimous support for the motion to proceed through the legislative process.
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Item 10.
Item number 10, introduced by Councilor Stephanie Smith, involved a resolution for a National Grid Electric representative to attend the upcoming February meeting to discuss issues related to street lighting. The committee initially recommended referring the matter back to the sponsor for further review. Smith reported that she was planning to meet with Mr. Lattanzi and Mr. Connors to explore a pilot project aimed at increasing street light wattage, with the objective of assessing the implications on brightness and cost. She committed to updating the council following the pilot's development. The motion to accept the committee's recommendation and refer the item back to the sponsor was made, seconded, and passed by the council members.
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Item 11. & 12.
In this portion of the public hearing, a motion was made and seconded to collectively consider items 11 and 12, which were petitions offered by Robert Van Campen, President of Emporium Auto Body Shop Inc at 367 3rd Street. Item 11 sought a new mechanical repair license, and item 12 aimed for a new class 2 motor vehicle dealer license for the same location. The committee had recommended favorable action on both items earlier that evening. Following a motion for acceptance of the committee's report and to take favorable action on these items, the discussion was opened, culminating in a unanimous vote of 9 ayes to 0 nays, thus granting the requests.
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Item 13.
Item number 13 involves a resolution introduced by Councilor Stephanie Martins requesting the attendance of the appropriate representative at the next meeting. The purpose is to discuss the comprehensive final environmental impact report for the Encore Boston Harbor submitted by Wynn. This report covers the design, funding, and construction of the Mystic River Bridge and how it will affect Everett. A motion was made and seconded to defer this item to the next meeting, which was agreed upon without opposition.
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Item 16.
A resolution, introduced by Councilor Katy Rogers and backed by the entire city council, was read to declare April as Earth Month in Everett. The resolution emphasizes raising awareness about environmental issues such as air quality and access to riverfront property. Councilor Rogers highlighted the importance of extending environmental celebrations beyond the annual Earth Day cleanup event scheduled for April 20, arguing that celebrating and recognizing outdoor spaces should be integrated into daily life, especially throughout April. The motion for the resolution was favorably seconded and referred to the administration, with all present members voting in favor, thereby supporting the initiative to officially recognize April as Earth Month going forward.
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Item 17.
The discussion on item number 17, led by Councilor Pietrantonio, involved a resolution to invite the veterans' director to the city council meeting scheduled for March 25th to review the policies and procedures of the veteran’s office. Pietrantonio emphasized the importance of taking care of veterans and suggested the possibility of relocating the director's office to the first floor for better accessibility. Following the proposal, a motion was made to include this agenda in the March 25th meeting and to extend an invitation to Mr. Coleman, the director, with unanimous approval from the council members present.
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Item 18.
The council discussed a resolution proposed by Councilor Guerline Alcy Jabouin to apply solar reflective paint on public courts, parks, and school playgrounds in Everett as a heat mitigation strategy by summer 2024. Jabouin argued that such an initiative would alleviate heat island effects, especially benefiting the youth and pointed to similar successful implementations in other cities like Los Angeles. Additionally, she noted the opportunity to collaborate with artists for creating colorful murals. The council agreed to add Councilor Katy Rogers as a co-sponsor to the resolution and referred the proposal to the Department of Public Works for a response by mid-April, upon which the motion was unanimously approved.
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Item 19.
Councilor Guerline Alcy Jabouin presented a resolution requesting the administration to provide programs for disabled children during school breaks and summer vacation, prompted by concerns from a parent about the lack of available activities. The proposal, identified as item number 19, aims to ensure inclusivity in city programs for all children. After a motion, the referral of this resolution to the administration was seconded, with a request for a response by the end of April. The motion was approved unanimously.
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Item 20.
Councilors Guerline Alcy Jabouin and Peter Pietrantonio proposed a resolution to impose a moratorium on new residential developments consisting of four units or more, citing concerns over affordability, congestion, and the need for the city to assess its growth strategy. Despite acknowledging legal challenges and not seeking to halt all construction, the motion aimed to slow development pace was referred to the committee on legislative affairs and elections for further deliberation. Additionally, Jabouin suggested a requirement for owners of such developments to reside in one of the units, a point to be explored during committee discussions. The motion was unanimously passed to involve the committee and the city solicitor in evaluating the proposal.
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Item 21.
Councilor Wayne Matewsky submitted a resolution for the traffic commission to consider allocating special parking passes for Victoria Street residents to use a municipal lot on their street. Matewsky highlighted that the issue arose after residents, who had previously used the lot without penalty, began receiving tickets. He drew parallels with parking difficulties exacerbated by new constructions, like the Beauty Academy on Chelsea Street, which adds 30 units without providing parking spaces. Matewsky emphasized the general scarcity of driveways in the area, with only two out of six houses on Victoria Street having them, likening it to his own experience on Bailey Street where parking was also limited. Matewsky proposed allowing residents to park in the municipal lot, at least on weekends, to alleviate some of these issues. Following his explanation, a motion to refer the matter to the traffic commission and Sergeant Gaff was made, seconded, and unanimously approved.
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