All rise for the pledge of >> allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the stands nationy for all. Welcome everyone. Uh, Mr. Clerk, could
you please call the role of the members? >> Council Taylor >> here. >> Council Rupo >> here. >> Council Jimenez River >> present. >> Councilor Hines >> present. >> Council Tenari Garcia >> present. >> Council Tesh >> here. >> Council Kelly Garcia >> present.
>> Council Santigette >> present. >> Council De Jesus >> present. >> Councelor Brown >> here. >> And councelor Robinson >> here. All 11 members present. You have a quorum Mr. President. >> Thank you, Mr. Clerk. Um, I'd just like to remind everybody uh for public uh for public speaking and also for the public
hearings, we are having two of those tonight. You need to sign up uh up here. There are different sheets. It says inclusionary zoning on top of one of them. It says um something something Prattville for the second one, which is the other public hearing. And then the one that doesn't say anything is our regular public comment. So, please sign up. Um we'll make sure that everybody is
s is who is speaking is signed up. Um and then one other quick announcement for interpretation. Uh okay. All right. I think that is everything. Um with that we are going to first uh move to memoriams. So uh celebrating any folks who have recently
passed away. Any memoriams? We have one that's written down for Allison Shepard which we will read in a second but I just want to um name any other folks. Um oh yes um uh sorry let me just uh does anybody
have the name? I can make sure to uh Dr. Abeda's father uh recently uh passed away in the last couple of days. Let me just quickly if I can. Apologies. >> All right, here we go. Um, Eliso, um,
uh, who many refer to as Max, um, passed away on Friday, June 19th, um, after a long battle with cancer. So, our thoughts are with Dr. Abda during this very difficult time. Um, thank you. Uh, any other folks? Uh, Councelor Taylor. Yeah, I just want to I just want to give
my most heartfelt and sincere condolences to uh our superintendent for the loss of her father. I don't know how many of you guys knew um Dr. Abeda's uh father. I got to know him a little bit and um he was just he was a wonderful
wonderful man and uh he would come to visit us at our Rotary Club meetings sometimes and uh uh he he he led quite a life and I'm I'm I'm I'm [snorts] really it's a real loss. We didn't get to we didn't get to have him uh here for very
long. Um, but I'm glad I got to know him because he was a he was a first rate guy and um I think we're all um we're all at a loss I think for for his passing. So, um condolences to our
superintendent uh and her family. Thank you. >> Thank you, councelor uh councelor Brown. Yeah, I just like to echo that and I just say, you know, Max um who fondly known as um superintendent um dad was a not only a great person, he was a
veteran. He served our country. Um he was a fixture at some of the celebrations that we had here at the schools, he was always at the veteran service. Um obvious we asked for him this past year and he was dealing with his cancer, his sickness. But I just
want you to know that if you want to support the superintendent, the service will be tomorrow at Welch's funeral home. And the service will take place um tomorrow, which is the 23rd. Um Welch's funeral home from 4 to 6. If you'd like
to go by and say hello to her, please feel free. Thank you, Mr. President. >> Thank you, counselor. Uh councelor Garcia. >> Um good evening. My prayers go out to to our superintendent, but I also want to um give her my love and and support and
thank her for continuing to work hard for our schools despite all her hardship and and dealing and battling with with something like losing her father while we were going through so many issues in our school system. So, I want to thank
her. My prayers are with her and um the community backs her up in in whatever she needs in these you know emotional and hard times. >> Thank you councelor Garcia. >> I echo the sentiments of my colleagues
here. We love you, we support you and may uh Max rest in power. May we continue his legacy as an educator, as a veteran and prayers to the Oeda family. All right. Um, seeing Oh, councelor
Robinson, go ahead. >> Yeah, I just want to say uh my prayers are with Elme who's done a super job here for this community, but also her got to know her father pretty well and he was a sp a speaker in the past for
the city on Memorial Day. I just want to say thank you. >> Thank you, Councelor Hines. I mean, I I'd like to, you know, extend my sincerest condolences as well. Um, I I
have never I've never lost a parent, so I I can't imagine what it is that she's experiencing right now. And, you know, I just want to say, you know, she's definitely in my thoughts and in my prayers, and, you know, and my condolences to her and her family for sure. >> Thank you, counselor. I echo my
colleague sentiments. Um, all right. Uh I will now have uh the clerk read the resolution in support of uh our other uh memoriam and then we will have a moment of silence. You have a resolution introduced by the council president and all members and
memoriam for Allison Shepard. Whereas Allison Shepard was a dedicated and valued member of the Chelsea Historical Commission for many years serving the residents of Chelsea with distinction professionalism and an unwavering commitment to preserving the city's rich history. And whereas Ellison brought a deep passion for historical
preservation, architecture, and community stewardship to her work, consistently advocating for thoughtful decision-making that considered the long-term impact of design and development on the aesthetics of Chelsea's neighborhoods. And whereas through her leadership and tireless advocacy, Allison played a pivotal role
in preserving historic granite pavestones along Winny Street, ensuring that an irreplaceable piece of Chelsea's heritage would remain intact for future generations. And whereas beyond her service to the city of Chelsea, Allison was an accomplished architect whose creativity, dedication, and expertise
earn the admiration and respect of colleagues throughout greater Boston. And whereas, although she passed away in March, her contributions to the city of Chelsea and dedication to the preservation of its history will not be forgotten. Now therefore be a result that the Chelsea City Council hereby honors and remembers Ellison Shepard for
her extraordinary service to the city of Chelsea, steadfast commitment to historic preservation and lasting impact on the community and extends its deepest condolences to her family, friends, colleagues, and all those whose lives were enriched by her dedication, friendship, and example.
>> All right. Um any council round a motion to adopt the resolution of the suspension? I can speak very quickly. Sure, please go ahead. >> Thank you, Mr. President. Um, as the resolution states, she was very dedicated to our city. Former colleague um working with her on some of the
initiatives she took um to heart, really took to heart dedicated um she lived down on Pinrook Street um down by a Beacon and she was already active in preserving our history and and in our city of Chelsea, also the bricks down there around Winter Sim Street. She was
very active, a quiet woman, a smart woman, but a very um engaging woman in our community. And when we had the um moment of silence silence last week, I was wondering why we didn't have this, but thank you for bringing this out tonight. Thank you.
>> Thank you, counselor. With that, we will rise for a moment of silence. Thank you. All right, with that we will move on to our two celebratory resolutions. First up, we have the Metro Credit Union celebrating their 100th anniversary. Whereas Metro Credit Union,
headquartered in Chelsea, Massachusetts, was founded in 1926 and is proudly celebrating its 100th year anniversary in 2026, marking a century of service, growth, and commitment to the communities it serves. And whereas for 100 years, Metro Credit Union has remained deeply rooted in its mission of
supporting individuals, families, and communities across Massachusetts through access to financial service, education, and opportunity. And whereas Metro Credit Union has grown from serving a single community to supporting more than 200,000 members while maintaining its founding philosophy of people helping
people and a strong commitment to community impact and financial empowerment. And whereas Metro Credit Union is a Huntos Evans designated credit union recognized for its commitment to serving and empowering Hispanic and immigrant communities through inclusive and accessible financial services. And whereas
throughout its century of service, Metro Credit Union has demonstrated leadership in advancing access, inclusion, and innovation, continuing to evolve to meet the changing needs of its members while remaining grounded in trust and community values. And whereas Metro Credit Union Centennial Celebration
honors not only its history, but also the members, employees, and partners who have shaped its legacy and strengthened communities across the Commonwealth. and as the organization looks ahead to its next century remains committed to innovation, growth, and continued service, building upon a strong foundation to create a lasting impact
for future generations. Now, therefore, it be a result that the Chelsea City Council hereby congratulates Metro Credit Union on the celebration of its 100th anniversary, recognizes his enduring contributions to the city of Chelsea and communities throughout Massachusetts, and extends its best wishes for continued success in the
years ahead. >> Is there a motion, Council Brown? >> Thank you, Mr. President adopt the motion resolution under suspension. It's okay. Quickly speak on it, >> please. >> Thank you, Mr. President. Uh, cheers to the 100 years of service and congratulations to Metro Credit Union.
Um, I moved here in I don't know 39 years ago and lived up on 11 Murray Street. And my mom's asked me if I knew where credit union, Metro Credit, I said no. It was directly right around the corner on I believe it was 260 Riviera
Beach Parkway. Um since then I still have the card in my pocket. Um I carry the Metro Credit Union card here somewhere in my pocket. Um but it goes to just say you know to Mr. Cashman and his workers um on
Broadway on 260 Riviera Beach Parkway. We see him at all the events. They support our community. They work with our nonprofit organizations. They help out. You call them. They help out. They sponsor things with the Boys and Girls
Club. Their memberships are great. Um, they offer great rates. And it's a for nonprofit. Uh, you know, I read some of the history of that credit union. It's for nonprofit. It was actually built with $2,000, which are about 35 folks. and their intentions was just to help
people so they wouldn't go in debt, not to make money off them. So I want to say kudos to them. Thank them for their philosophy and it's in there. I said we do and have not lost sight of the people here. A lot of folks have problems with
credit and things and they when you go in there they make sure they have someone you can communicate with, someone you can speak to and someone will listen to you. So, I want to congratulate them for their 100redy year anniversary. Um, we all in Chelsea have
benefited from that institution and wish them many more years of success. Thank you, Mr. President. >> Thank you, councelor. Um, councelor Taylor, >> I'll be brief. Um, I just want to congratulate Metro um, Credit Union on
their 100th anniversary. Um, I think that they've been an outstanding partner for the city and uh, I think that uh uh we need to acknowledge that. I I'm happy for this uh for this resolution and I look forward to working with Metro
Credit in the uh in the future. Thank you very much for all the work that Metro's done. Thank you. >> All right. Um Council Robinson, >> thank you. [clears throat] Like to congratulate uh Metro Credit. I go back
a lot of years with Robert's father. went to school with Robert and just a quick story, I invited him to the Duel project for a visit and he was so impressed with the project
that Duel the Cochran Group was doing a project down in Milton and he jumped on board for the project in Milton. He's looking forward to getting involved with the Prattville project and I just wanted to share that with this community. What
an important role that they're willing to take on to help our community. >> Thank you, councelor. Um, with that seeing no objections, uh, motion is approved. There is nobody here to receive the certificate, so we will make sure that it gets to them uh, later on. Thank you to the council and thank you
to Metro for continuing to do business in our city and being headquartered here. Um we move on now to our final uh celebratory resolution for Mr. John Dri on his retirement. >> John, would you like to step up?
[applause] [applause] >> [applause] >> Resolution [applause] introduced by the council president and all members. Whereas John Dri, a dedicated public servant who devoted 32 years of his career to the city of Chelsea, began his service in the
housing and community development department where he developed a deep commitment to the residents and neighbors he served. And whereas John built his expertise and institutional knowledge over three decades of service, growing with the organization and taking on increasingly responsibility throughout his tenure. And whereas
John's management of several boards and commissions and attention to detail ensured new development always reflected the needs, goals, and values of the community. And whereas John is set to conclude his distinguished career as the director of permitting and land use planning, a role in which he guided the
city through critical decisions shaping Chelsea's built environment and future growth. And whereas over the course of 32 years, John has demonstrated an unwavering dedication to the mission of public service, earning the respect of colleagues, community members, and city leadership alike. And whereas John's
contributions to the city of Chelsea spanned multiple departments, administrations, and generations of residents, guiding Chelsea from receiverhip to stability and prosperity and leaving a lasting imprint on the community he served with distinction. And whereas John's impact reaches far beyond his 32 years in Chelsea, as his
mentorship has influenced communities across Massachusetts and has positioned Chelsea well for the future. Now therefore be a result that the Chelsea City Council hereby congratulates and honors John Dri for his 32 years of exemplary service to the city of Chelsea, expresses his deepest gratitude
for his commitment to this community and wishes him all the best as he begins his richlyd deserved retirement. >> Council Brown >> make a motion to adopt the resolution under suspension. Is there no objection? >> Like to speak on it? >> Sure. >> Go ahead.
>> Um John, thank you. congratulate you on your long tenure here, your great work, your um dedicated leadership. Um but I tried to catch you last week to get some information about this exclusionary stuff and you left me hanging, but I
won't hold you for that. Um but no, seriously, you've been a solid rock here. Um, anytime I've had a issue with any projects or just trying to get an understanding as I was last week, um, I always felt conf um, confident that when
I went to you that you would clearly speak to me and thoroughly explain to me what and why the department that you were running and involved in, why you were doing these things and how they would benefit the city of Chelsea. I always had two questions. How do we benefit from this? And what's the worst
thing could happen out of this? and you've always been very upfront with me. Um when I seen you in Boston, I would take your time and you know you would still share the thoughts about Chelsea. So I think um that you have done an
excellent job, my opinion that you've done an excellent job. You have put Chelsea back where we are today with the work of former, you know, um workers here, J Ash, Ned, Keith. It was just a dynamite team and you know I wish you
well as you move forward uh but thank you for all your knowledge that you shared with me and I appreciate your thoughts what you did for the city of Chelsea. Thank you. >> I have councelor de Jesus Santesh. >> Thank you Mr. President John. I just want to thank you for everything that
you've done for our community. um for everything that you've done in this building, but also I don't know if you remember, but before my career as a city counselor um when I was maybe 19, 20
years old, you um you joined LAiva for a workshop that Glattis used to do and um this was I'm 35 now, so I was about 20 years old. This was back when this wasn't sort of like in conversation back
when people weren't so, you know, emphasized on filling up boards and commissions. You were doing that work by going into nonprofits and talking to folks like myself at such a young age and talking to them about how government works and why it's so important for you to take up these seats in your boards
and commissions. And I remember that being my first encounter with you. And I thought to myself, wow, that's huge. About four years later, I ended up um getting a call from Tom Embersino to be on the affordable housing trust. And that was the beginning of my love for
politics, even though it was uh a little longer before I got into this seat. But um I just want to thank you because those things, those small little details make such a huge impact in our community and fill up these rooms with people who are truly engaged in understanding of
government and how government works and how they can be part of it. So, thank you for the little things. Thank you for the big things. Thank you for everything that you have done for our community. I'm forever grateful for the impact you had on me. >> Councelor Snegate.
>> Hi, John. I'm going to miss our conversations about history and preservation. And I have to uh say that John was the first [laughter] municipal employee that I confessed to
when we talked about preserving the garden cemetery and I came clean and let him know that we used to sled in there and he handled the news with a plum and we've been friends ever since. [laughter] So, thank you for everything,
John. Um, I wish you so well for your time. I I can't imagine you not working to be quite honest. So, I would imagine we will see you and you are welcome in the city that you put so much heart and
soul into. So, congratulations, Councelor Tesh. And then I have councelor Taylor and Robinson. >> John, um, I always call you Mr. as a priest. But I think now I can I can say John [laughter] um for 32 years you have devoted your
life of service to this city. Um and I'm sure that every time you walk around the city and and and you see around you, you know yourself that you have had an impact and you know building and zoning and how much you've guided this city goes a long way. And I just want you to
know again keep thinking to yourself when you walk around these streets know that you have impacted all of our lives. I've only called Chelsea my home for about 12 years and you've worked more for the city than I've lived here. And I want you to know that you made this place feel cozy and that is the reason
why I will call Chelsea my home for many more years to come. So, thank you so much, >> Councelor Taylor. John, so I got to know you when I was a member of the planning board, and I can tell you,
you know, everything that I've that I've learned about uh about housing and uh zoning and everything else first started with you. And so I I really appreciate it. Um, I don't think there's too many
people that uh have have kind of been on the on the inside to watch you work a little bit trying to navigate kind of uh pretty complicated issues um like we did with the uh the the the Prattfull project which we're going to
talk about in a few minutes. But I got to tell you um I really want to thank you for everything that you've done. You you you've done more than you know. And
um I think that your impact on all the people that served on the boards uh both the zoning and the planning board and uh also what we've been able to achieve um from receiverhip to now is is largely
due to your leadership and and and getting getting things done that the city managers and you've kind of had a broad spectrum of city managers to work under, But um I always appreciated your your your honesty. I think honesty is
one of the is probably the most important thing in public service. If you don't have honesty, you might as well hang it up. And and and I appreciate that. And your professionalism and always trying to go by the rules. That that is so important.
So thank you for everything you've done, especially for me and my wife. You know, we we really enjoyed you. So, thank you so much for everything you've done, >> Councelor Robinson. And then councelor Raupra,
>> I'd just like to say, John, thank you. He was always a professional. You served the city well. And who am I going to interrupt at lunchtime when I need the answers? But I But one thing I want to say, there's not a street in Chelsea that
this man has not walked. He knows every street inside out. And John, thanks for being a professional that you are. >> Thank you, >> Council Rook. >> Uh, I've known John for a while since I
started being a city councelor and when I needed I didn't know anything about planning or anything like that. So anytime I needed to know something, I would go to John and I would learn from him. And it would be very good to teach me so I could understand and do my job a
little better because if you know, you could at least try more and get something even more done if you understand what you're trying to achieve. And John's always been that way. And he's been a great asset to our city. And John, enjoy your retirement and forget about everything else. Life
is short. Enjoy it all while we're still here. Councelor Garcia >> Rico Bro, you took the words right out of my mouth. [laughter] I want to um echo the sentiments of my um colleagues, but I also want to say
really truly enjoy your retirement. You have worked your butt off here. We appreciate everything that you've done for the city, but you deserve to be on a beach and relax and really, really enjoy retirement. Uh my mother is retired and
it took her about 12 years to finally be relaxed and not work so hard even after her retirement. So word of advice, retire immediately. [laughter] [gasps] All right. But thank you. Thank you so much for all the work, the hard
work, the countless hours that you've dedicated to this city. Every building, every street will have your name. So thank you. >> Councelor Kelly Garcia. In closing, happy retirement, John. [applause]
[applause] [applause] So, we have a certificate for you. But before we do that, I just want to quickly say 32 years is not an easy achievement, especially as councelor Taylor mentioned the challenges of many city managers over the years. So because
of these contributions, we would also like to award John with a key to the city of Chelsea. [applause] [applause] >> [applause] >> We are now going to recess for a few minutes. Let's say five minutes. Uh so that we can take some pictures and then
continue with the meeting. All right, calling the meeting back to order. Um, before we get started, just want to really quickly say if you are here to speak on inclusionary zoning, it is the first sheet on the left that you have to sign up to speak. Um, so please
make sure that you write your name uh so that then when we pull the list uh we will call your name in the order that it's on the sheet. Uh so now we are going to move to the first of our two public hearings for tonight. Um the
first is the proposed zoning amendment on the Fitzpatrick Prattville Smart Growth Overlay District. Mr. clerk. Uh oh, I believe we are just going to uh open the public hearing and so that we uh you know get to hear from John one
last time. First on our list is Mr. John Depri. >> Thank you. Uh my name is John Derri. I'm the director of permitting and land use planning at least for the next eight days. Um so I'm here uh as a author of the zoning and I'm also in support of the
40R. Uh I just want to give a little background that 40R is a is meant to a smart growth district that is meant to encourage development or dense residential mixeduse development and um allow all uses by limited plan review.
Uh Chelsea has a history of experience with 40 odd smart growth districts. We have two. We have the Garish A smart uh district and we have the Central Avenue smart growth district. Um John, while you're getting your papers, I'm just going to quickly mention to folks it is a threem minute limit per speaker.
>> Okay. Um the uh the Fitzpatrick Smart Growth District is bounded by Feno Street, Garfield Avenue, Revier Beach Parkway, and Chelsea River border. It's approximately 23 acres in sight. uh it's designated as an overlay district which means that the uh developer a developer
can opt to develop a property either through the underlying R1 zoning or through the smart growth zoning and when I wrote the ordinance I used the central a smart growth district as a base uh permitted uses and these are mandated
by state law uh by right are multifamily residential parking accessory multif family residential customarily incidental accessory uses and mixeduse development. Uh there is are mand mandated state required affordability for all
residential development with greater than 10 units. 20% must be affordable. There's also cost and eligibility requirements. All rental units have to include monthly rent utilities and parking and it cannot exceed 30% of the maximum in uh maximum monthly income.
And similar for ownership units, uh 10% of the three-bedroom rooms must be affordable and they must be affordable for not less than 30-year terms of affordability. If there are any questions that uh any point, I'm here I'll be available to
answer them. Thank you. >> Thank you so much. >> All right, we now move on to Paul Nikki and then I have Sean Mcrenolds and Jen Hassel. >> Good evening, council. Paul Nikki, executive director of the Chelsea Housing Authority, lifelong Chelsea
resident, and just want to say it's a pleasure to be up here. Appreciate what each and every single one of you um are doing. You're taking on some tough uh matters here, making sure that uh the public is a part of the process and then making some tough decisions. So, uh it
doesn't go unnoticed by uh by me as as someone that sat up here for 16 years. So, I do appreciate uh each and every single one of you and your hard work. I also want to recognize the great work of of John D priest. Uh again sat up here when I was first elected in '92. So for
all these years over 32 years uh John starting with the urban renewal down there with the hotels and the FBI building uh all the way up to Prattville and Fitz. It has been an an honor and a privilege and uh you truly are the best of the best in what you do. You do it
right. You do it by the book and you should be proud uh of everything you've accomplished here. So, thank you for all of your work here and of course Will and the staff. Um, and just to dump into because I did have a chance to speak over a month ago is uh we're looking at
the Prattful and Fitzpatrick development. It is 198 units, two uh uh and threebedroom families. We're looking at the fact that the Fitzpatrick the uh the Woodies uh were built in 1949, okay, as temporary housing and they've
had one upgrade of kitchens in 1986, over 40 years ago. We have the brickies that were built in 1951. They've had no upgrades. So, when you look at modern amenities, when you look at uh uh units that have appropriate size for our growing families here in the city of
Chelsea, it's just not appropriate, not fair. We have an opportunity now with this administration up Governor Haley and Lieutenant Governor Driscoll and under the leadership of uh city manager Maltes and of course each and every single one of you. This is a great opportunity that we can take these 12.8
acres and we can rebuild this whole area that floods and has inappropriate roads and traffic patterns >> and it and it basically just has an area that is not conducive to 2026. this has an opportunity to transform that whole
neighborhood. We could look at and others will talk about it in a little bit uh of some of the significant upgrades and help and the benefits that's going to happen here in the city of Chelsea. Uh but most importantly, it's the 198 families. That's the over
200 youth that live there. That is who this is going to benefit the most. That's why the the housing staff and we have director of development Matt Frank up here are are are so dug in on getting this done uh for those 198 families. So we uh again appreciate everyone's hard
work. I respectfully uh ask for your support and approval on this and uh this will be the first of many times we'll be up through this process uh seeking your approval and input. So thank you all very much. >> Thank you. Uh Sean Mcrenolds.
>> Good evening. Sean Mcrenolds with the president of JJC Company. Uh just wanted to thank you guys for having us again back here tonight. Um I just wanted to um piggyback off of Paul's comments and really say, you know, this is about the
198 units, but more importantly, it's about the residents. And what we're trying to accomplish is uh utilizing the same state tools that we did over on Central A, which is a smart growth district, which in includes mixed
income. So there's a range of incomes going in. So it's not only for the 198 units, but we're looking to add new units of housing and new mixes of incomes. And we think that is the smart way to do it. And I think we've uh you
know, we're proud of what we did over at Duo, but we you know, the job's not done and we got to continue to plow ahead and work with the wonderful partners that we have here in the city of Chelsea and with you guys uh steering this wonderful project. And also I I want to uh uh
reach out to John and say thank you again for putting together this uh you know, smart growth district. uh you know it it it was made it a lot easier working with the state when you know he did all the heavy lifting. So you know uh Chelsea's
uh you know his retirement is going to be a big loss for uh the city of Chelsea but you know I'm sure you're going to no matter what come back. So I wanted to say thank you again. And you know, for us, it's I wanted to just highlight it's not only about the 198 families, but
it's the new residents coming in, but also about the new opportunities. And, you know, with this Spark growth, we have, you know, 12 plus acres where we can really create more of a neighborhood and more openness and new infrastructure and address some of the issues that are
surrounding that area. and you know getting a 40R designation for us it's it's important because it elevates the profile of the project with the state and this project is going to need state assistance and it really is going to need significant infrastructure
investment and I think by having this smart growth >> okay smart growth district this will be an important step but it's one of many steps that we're going to have to make the project come to fruition it's just it's development it's long slog, but we
love working with the city of Chelsea and uh with the CHA and with the residents and so we look forward to continue working with you guys tonight. So, thank you. >> Thank you. And last, we have Jen Hassel. Hassel.
>> Um good evening everybody. Um I'm here as a resident of the community. Um and my address is 131 Orange Street. I just want to come up and um support the project um that is being proposed in Prattville. I think that it's an
opportunity to beautify our city um and to give residents in our community a dignified space to live in, someplace they can proudly call home. So, I just uh once again want to say thank you for the opportunity to speak and keep it short and brief. I really do support
this project. um most of the residents in in my neighborhood do even though we're not on the same side of the parkway. Um we drive by there often to get home to get off at the Carter Street exit. And so we look forward to that area being beautified and having
something beautiful to look at as we drive home and get off at the Carter Street exit. Thank you very much. >> Thank you. Um just want to I think for the interpreters there's a little bit of feedback that we're hearing up here. I don't know if it's your headsets, uh, something, but there's a little bit of
feedback that's coming through. Just wanted to flag that for you so that you know, um, I think it's from the interpreter system. All right. Now, we are going to move to the item uh to the zoning ordinance. Um,
so, Mr. Clerk, go ahead. >> Provos zoning amendment introduced by the council president. Whereas it is the expressed purpose of municipal zoning to promote the health, safety, and general welfare of the inhabitants of the city of Chelsea. And whereas the Chelsea Housing Authority is working to redevelop the Fitzpatrick Pratville
housing projects to provide modern living units for his residents. And whereas a private sector partner has been selected to assist the housing authority in their efforts to redevelop the site and a proposal to replace the existing housing conditions with modern, affordable, and market rate housing is
in the process of development. And whereas a 40R smart growth overlay district will unlock a one-time payment from the state along with an incentive payment of $3,000 per unit built within the district, resulting in significant new funding for the project. And whereas a 40R smart growth overlay district will
allow for the creation of more affordable housing and will grow the city's housing stock in a strategic and responsible way. And whereas pursuant to Mass General Law Chapter 48, the petition was forwarded to the Chelsea Planning Board for a public hearing which was held on Tuesday, March 24th, 2026. Now therefore, be it ordered that
the zoning ordinance of the city of Chelsea be amended to include a new section 34-189 Fitzpatrick Bradfield Smart Growth Overlay District which is attached. >> Thank you, Mr. Clerk. Um I'm not hearing the feedback anymore, so it might have been uh Mr. Manager. It might be the the
mic when they speak into the mic was so we'll see. We'll see if it comes back. Um yeah. All right. Uh I now need a motion on the order before us. I'll make a motion to >> Robinson adopt the order on a roll call vote. >> All right. So, we have a motion to adopt under a roll call vote. Is there any
discussion on the uh zoning amendment? Uh, Councelor Taylor. >> Yeah. I just want to [clears throat] make sure that uh everybody understands this is this is a really important
um step in the process of uh getting this uh project built and so we can do away with those prison block you know style apartments uh down in Prattville
and get some decent housing. built for these people. And you know, I got to say that I look forward to working with the housing authority in the future where we can really get some deeply affordable
units built in the future as well without any type of inclusionary zoning and get that deep affordability that that that this project brings. This is the way to do it. This is the way to fund it. It's not just the end result
that everybody's, you know, wants to have more affordable housing. It's the mechanisms that we use to build it so that we don't put oursel in the poor house in the process. So, we got to be smart about how we do things. This is
the smart way. And I uh I want to just uh uh acknowledge our our our friends at the Corkran Companies uh who are who have been our our very valuable partners in in bringing this um uh to the floor and and and and let's
get this done and uh and uh really do something nice for the city, not just for Prattville, but for the entire city. Thank you, >> councelor Deesus. >> Thank you, Mr. President. Um I just want to say thank you to the Chelsea Housing Authority and our friends from Korin. I
was just talking to Sean. Um for me, the the vision has always been even while we were working on duo, the youth, right? and and Paul, you just mentioned 200 youth. That's huge. We have to make sure that the projects and the infrastructure, the way we fund it, it's
all got to line up. But at the end of the day, I don't I don't want to see these projects be the home of these youth in the future. I want these youth to to feel pride in where they live and to push forward to buying their home and continuing to live in luxury apartments
because they have the means to do it. because they were able to get the the experience of working with unions or going into different um trade opportunities, going off to college, having an opportunity to think back at
their childhood memories, sleepovers as Sean and I were just talking about. But this is life-changing and it's more than just a space. This truly nurtures where a youth is heading in the future. where they sleep at night impacts where they will be in
the future and how far they're going to push the limit to reach their goals. And so I'm excited for this project. I'm excited to see how we incorporate our community and continue to do more of these projects in our community because this is truly the way to go.
>> Councelor Garcia, >> good evening everyone. I am equally excited about this program or this project. Um, and anything that has to do with growing our community and giving back to our
youth, I'm I'm game. I'm all on I'm all in board. But how beautiful would it be for those youth to be building that project to the youth that are part of the
apprenticeship program at La Gloativa to be building that project and so while I I know that many of our members are in agreement with this project I'm concerned that we haven't made an agreement with our union members with
our trades. There are a few members here. We have over 200 resident laborers in our city of Chelsea. And how beautiful would it be for 20 years from now those youth all grown up walking through
the city and sharing with their children. I built that. That is what I want to see in this city. I want a commitment from the Corkin Group for unions. I I want to see that we are hiring responsible contractors in this
city. And so that is my only plea. I know many of us will agree with that as well. I won't speak for anyone, right? Um but I want us to to be mindful of who we hire as well to do the job. Thank you,
>> Councelor Hines. And then councelor Tes. >> I want to say I definitely agree with councelor Garcia. Um and and I have to note that um you know initially like I was worried about about this project um but the proof is in the pudding and what
it is that you guys have been able to accomplish with um the project on central um and to the underutilized acres of land over there that will now be restructured and used purposefully
and and create a dignified living space not only for the residents who live there now uh but for residents to come and for the greater community in the area. Um I think Chelsea deserves nice things and you know and I think the
residents who've lived there who haven't seen any renovations to where it is that they live now since Paul I think you said the 1950s when this thing was like first built. Um, you know, we are in 2026 now, and I can't imagine the the
the uh all the amenities that exist now that are lacking in this space. Um, and you know, I'm hopeful that, you know, th this project will not only dignify this
space for the residents who live there, but the residents to come and continue to increase the tax revenue that we've been having continuous conversations about. But, um, yeah, you know, thank you for the work that is that you guys have been doing in this regard.
>> And thank you, John, as well. >> Thank you, councelor Tes, and then councelor Garcia. Um I appreciate the team for putting this project together and um you know seeing how do became a reality from what it used to be. I can you know now feel
in touch what this future project will also look like. Um I think uh Chelsea is at a point where we need to see change and I think this is the the prime example of what can be done again with what we have the space with what we have and and and again with uh what Kelly
said to also build it with our with our own hands. Um I mean Mr. Noiki is a a lifelong resident of Chelsea and so him being the leader of this project you know says a lot about Chelsea. Um and so I think we would definitely appreciate
seeing some Chelsea Hens and and some you know responsible contractors um working on this project um you know to ensure that um again some of that um you know construction um also helps build families not just
the structures themselves. Thank you >> councelor Garcia. Um I I am so sorry. I [laughter] I want to thank you guys for being here. Uh I also want to mention that all this
takes time, right? Do a project took about eight years of permitting if I'm not mistaken, right? And to see this so rapidly happening is something beautiful. Um for you guys it it doesn't seem that way. I could imagine, right? But um I also want to um remind the
folks that uh full disclosure uh I am Glattis Vegas niece, right? But I do remember that I I would go to meetings and collect signatures and make sure that our residents would be in this project, this
dual project um all led by Glattis Vega. So, I want to um thank you for for your hard work and and uh making sure that our residents and our community members, our most vulnerable community members were included in this duo project. Uh
and I I see this happening again and it's heartwrenching for me to see uh the videos that you guys posted. So, I want to thank you for that, too, for bringing our residents from Prattville to the dual projects and visiting the project and seeing their
excitement, seeing what their future holds for them and where they're going to be living. I am super super excited to see our youth thrive in a beautiful community because I also have a ton of friends who live there who have lived there all their lives who I grew up with
and they have the same tiles and the same cabinets and there is no upgrade and they deserve an upgrade in life and their lifestyle and our children deserve that and I I want to thank you guys for
accelerating this process and making this up and and and including our our residents because they deserve it. So, thank you. >> Thank you, councelor. Any others? Councelor Brown. >> Thank you, Mr. President. Again,
[clears throat] I just want to echo what some of my colleagues has said. You know, the project is moving along. It's been a lot of work. It's been a lot of tedious hours and times, but we're getting there. Um and we um heard the sentiments of some of my counselors and
I support them and we cannot forget that because this project is so special and it's going to be so dynamic for our community that we as elected officials we know that we are hardworking men and women u union community. We want you
folks to have conversation. We ask you folks to have conversation with the union. Um I know that you know um 10 years from now as was said that we want to look back and sit you know we had people help with that and when people
help with something they built it it gets built the way you want it to be built and it lasts the way you want it to last. So I encourage you to continue to have that dialogue. We got a ways to go but we have to have that dialogue with our city manager and with our body
members here. We have people um in the unions. We have local union members. We have youth um apprenticeships and stuff and we realize that everything's changed, you know, rates, interest, money, labor, but you know, we have some labor that can help you with that also.
So, we thank you for that consideration and we'll be watching that. Thank you. >> Thank you, counselor. All right. Seeing no others, we will now move on to a roll call vote. Ro vote requested. Yes. Vote to approve. Council Taylor. >> Yes.
>> Yes. Council Rupo. >> Yes. >> Yes. Council Jimenez River. >> Yes. >> Yes. Council Hines. >> Yes. >> Yes. Councilor Tinari Garcia. >> Yes. >> Yes. Council Tesh. >> Yes. >> Yes. Councilor Kelly Garcia. >> Yes. >> Yes. Councilor Sandigette. >> Yes. >> Yes. Council De Jesus. >> Yes. >> Yes. Councelor Brown. >> Yes.
>> And council Robinson. >> Yes. >> With 11 members in favor. Zero opposed and zero absent. Zoning amendment approved. >> [applause] >> Thank you everyone. Um all right, with that we will move on to our second public hearing um on the zoning uh
ordinance uh to the uh inclusionary housing uh zoning ordinance. Um all right. All right. Thank you everyone. All right. So, um I have up here the
list of people who have signed up. Um so a couple a couple of uh just quick uh notes on this. Uh same as the last one, we will have three minute limit. At one minute I will give a warning. Don't feel like you need to finish. Then you have a whole minute left. So finish uh what
you're what you're saying. Also, please address the council, not the audience. Similarly, counselors, please don't speak at the audience. Um, I will have to alternate for and against uh for speakers. Uh, the council cannot respond
to public comment. And also, please uh reminder to stay on topic uh for the public hearing. We have public comment right after, which is any other topic, but for this public hearing, please keep it to the um to the topic at hand. Um, thank you all so much. And with that, we
will open the public hearing for the inclusionary housing zoning ordinance. And first on my list, I have Sandy Maynard. >> Yes. And then I have Glattis Vega, Mark Robinson, Lordes Alvarez. >> Yeah, you can uh turn on the mic first.
It's the button on the right. There you go. >> Hi, my name is Sandy Maynard. I live at 52 Chester A and um I would like to see more uh deeper affordability with what's been proposed by the planning board. I
believe in larger projects it is quite reasonable to have at least um a small percentage of the units at 30% and some of the units at 50% instead of 60%. I also believe that um it's important to
have the inloo payment greater than $200,000. Um a working group has proposed $275,000. Um $290,000 would be the mean for the greater Boston area. It it ranges anywhere from 200,000
to 380,000. So I would like a greater inlue payment and more deeper affordability but definitely having it start at 10 units. Thank you so much. >> Thank you Sandy. >> Good evening. My name is Claris Vega and
I am here to talk about sort of like the the importance of all the city council members understanding that LA collaborative and our membership was never saying that we were against the changes. We know very well that the formula doesn't work and it needs to be
reviewed. We have been against how quick the process happened. We want to make sure that the people that live in the city um remain the city. I want to make sure that we create some type of housing plan that includes affordability, that includes anti-displacement, that I
includes home ownership. We need to do something much larger than one we have and it needs to be a process where city council members don't talk down to them to our community members because they don't understand the process. Our community members are not stupid. It's
just that if you put a process together that is so quick and we don't they don't understand all the 80% and the 30% and all that stuff it requires time. It requires you know a an educational process and I urge you that as I know
very well that you all will be voting in favor of the changes that we really after this you guys sit down and let's create I have no I didn't even waste the time inviting community members. I told our promises don't even bother because
in the three or four last meetings you you all been disrespected. I want to make sure that what we what we commit to is basically a process where community members are part rather than talked down to. I want to make sure that our
community members feel that they had an input in something that immediately will will be beneficial for them or would be something that they're part of it. So I urge you to commit to you will be voting yes on this but I will urge you to
commit and making sure that the the voices of the community continue to be heard in a real process not in a rush process and also that you know we we take six months six months to create something that is viable that is the
voices of the people I don't have a problem understanding that we need tax revenue of course we we do need this and you know the inclusionary seconds. >> Sure. The inclusionary zoning is one part of the many issues that we're facing our community members, but we
need to be better at making sure that there's a process in place where members of the community have real input. And that's all I have to say. Much graci and central avenue project can do it and everything that's happening at Fitzgerald. Very happy. And I just urge you every member, every time you go to
the state house, which I hardly see you guys, please advocate for monies for Chelsea. That's all I do. If I'm talking about immigration and I see Juana Matias, I'm always wanna, you know, the the Fitzgerald project. So, let's continue to advocate for real funding for our city. Thank you, [applause]
>> Mark. Um, and sorry, Mark. Uh, can I just get your address real quick for that? >> Sure. Mark Robinson, 250 Beacon Street, Boston. I am uh the developer along with my partner Mark White of One North in in Chelsea down on Herd Street. And um
there's a need for affordable housing across the state. There's a need of housing. It's all about supply. We're just not building enough. And it reminds me back in you know John Driest our first development was when he started here in 1991 or two when he was here and
uh we did our first development. But in housing in 2011 the city was desperate for housing and we controlled and got control of seven acres down on Herd Street. And then everybody remembers, obviously, councelor uh Brown and Robinson remember that how bad that
place was. It was flooded out. It was all junkyards and it was warehousing. There were no jobs. It was paying less than $100,000 in in income taxes. I mean, I'm sorry, property taxes. And there was no housing. And we came in and we came in with an idea of building more
housing. and we went out to 31 equity investors across the country, region, and locally. We got turned down by 30. A local developer, Redgate, because one of the partners was from Chelsea, joined us. Then we went out to try to get
funding from banks. We got turned down by 20 out of 21 banks. Mostly because it was Chelsea, mostly because we hadn't wasn't building. They didn't want to take the risk. But we worked with uh uh the administration that that came up with pragmatic ideas of how to get this
done. We built 452 units of housing. We pay over $1.6 million in taxes. It's probably over 10 years we paid $13 million in taxes. We created jobs and we became the envy of the area. River called us. Ever called us. What are you
guys doing? Why come build here? Why aren't you building over here? Um we were the envy. What happened was and uh shortly thereafter uh Cambridge and Someville were put very restrictive IDPs up. Boston put up the most one of the most restrictive. They were told by
their own consultant not >> one minute one minute left >> not to do that. You current development they went ahead anyways. Boston, Chelsea, Somerville and Cambridge have led B Massachusetts to the lowest amount of housing in the country for major
cities. So all I'm saying is that we've now envy Everett and Rever on what they're doing. We need to look back to where we were in 2011 and say we need to make a change. And I think this is a good way to get it
started. Thank you for your time. >> Thank you. >> Um next we have Lures. Then we have Anna Pereira, Marian Ramos, Monica. >> Hi, good evening everyone. I'm Lures Alvarez. They live at 180 central a I'm
asking this council to delay tonight's vote and reassess. This proposal has still several issues including the west Chelsea carveout and the low payment in the low um inlu payment fee. Your proposal was shaped by people who have an economic interest in the outcome and
these are the big developments that live outside Chelsea. That is not a very tough process. It only makes you look like you are doing the dirty work for those who wants to gentrify Chelsea. I can also not stress enough another deeply problematic issue and is that we
can come up with all this chaotic process with a lot of misinformation and information that has been hiding to all the residents and also to you. Uh the working group asked twice for a feasibility study on a joint letter that
I got to sign and we were told that it was no feasibility study. Um and it was no feasibility contract and even until last meeting I was questioned even after sending a copy of the contract. Tonight you all have received in your email a
copy of a foyer of the request that I put with the MHP. Um, and it can you you can see and I can also forward to everyone that this administration including the city manager has been in conversation since March about this
feasibility study and a feasibility study was signed and it was under contract. It was until last week that we lost that opportunity because of all the information that was hiding including before the planning board taking a vote.
So you all received the notifications and I can't believe as myself as a president as an individual have informed you more and educate you more than this administration. So this is deeply problematic and you are now going on a
beat for the all-American city vote about trust and we cannot even put a professional process for this. This is outrageous. So again, this could have been a very smooth and professional process, but it
turned as a circus and it was because the way that it was handled and that's why you have now a proposal that it has no community trust and also it has no public endorsement for any of the organizations that were part of the working group.
Um, so again, if you want this this big win and if you are such in a rush for this big win, I will encourage you to reassess and bring back the trust that it took years. And as someone that works
in this city for several years and I dedicated so much time in this city, I can say how hard I work to build the trust with all these organizations with you and this administration has just blown this away. So the trust can never be taken for granted and this is what
this council is doing and this is what this administration is doing and there is no way that the tradeoff is displacing the community. So there is time and there is time to reassess and you need to be accountable for that at this administration because we have the right to stay here.
>> Thank you [applause] >> Anna and then um Anna Marianne Monica and then Jen Hassel Hassel. Give me one sec. Hello, my name is Anna Para
and I live in Chelsea for almost 26 years. Thank you for the opportunity to give my testimony. I know the city is look for the opportunity to make housing accessible
but it's very important to remember the solution is no only building buildings at the top of another buildings. The reality is mostly the apartment they offered the one they
say they're gonna use it at 30% is thinker about people who's living in Chelsea ex for example my family we fight we make $125,000 per year and even with that money sometime we struggle or sell but because
supposed to be we know so [sighs] we could have the opportunity to do a lot of stuff but it's take a lot of years to make a or house thinking about Chelsea's old house but it's so
sad to see when they make it to two two meetings in the senior center there was a lot of student for high school they was coming exciting to explain for a reason sometime the parents they don't have the opportunity to dreaming about
to buy a house and now with this project it's sad as well because remember I told you I have a five kids neither my kid they can dreaming to be stay in Chelsea because with the price they say you has to be affordable to make $250,000
how the city they expect for $200,000 what they ask now before that was 400 now they want to be lower to 200 and for all of the building they plan to build that's only going to be 10% for the
housing for the people that can't affordable. So I'm hoping when they take the decision if that decision that was taken so quick I don't want in the future you think it change you sell to you decide like oh that was a lot of pressure so thinking
about as you a resident of Chelsea I'm feeling proud for the future thank you >> all right um so Maryanne has left I am told um so next we have Monica Jen Hassel, Caroline Ellen Bird.
>> Dear city councilors, tonight I want to share that inclusionary zoning is something many people care about, even if they do not fully understand all the details. The cost of housing affects many people, especially families here in Chelsea. I want to thank the counselors
who have taken the time to do their research, listen to residents, and learn more about this issue. I want to be open about my role as a staff member at Greenroots. We are part we were part of the working group with other organizations, community leaders and
developers to talk about a better proposal before we knew about the feasibility study. Many people felt the process was moving too fast and the group did not reach an agreement that everyone supported. I also want to acknowledge that the city the Chelsea
way can be improved. I hope the city manager and councilors continue working towards a process that brings people together. Chelsea is stronger when we work together. If the council is ready to vote tonight, I ask you to support the working group's proposal or the
latest proposal in front of you because it includes the deepest level of affordability. If you are not ready for a vote, please wait until after the summer and give the community more time to be part of a process. Lastly, inclusionary zoning should not have
different rules for different neighborhoods. Right now, West Chelsea is exempt until a developer builds a 100 units. The income limits being discussed are also too high in the Chelsea West.
This could create housing that many families still cannot afford. For example, rents of 2,900 for a two-bedroom apartment at 80% AMI are out of reach for many residents. Zoning has a history of separating communities and
limiting opportunities for some people. Inclusionary zoning should help bring people together by creating one clear policy for all of Chelsea. If we want a stronger and more welcoming city, affordable housing should not depend on what neighborhood a family lives.
So, and because I have a little bit more time, I just want to add that I hope that you guys can also look into the interpretation stat stats. Uh, it's very like you can't really understand well and I think it's a disservice to the monilingual Spanish people that are here
uh trying to listen and you can't really hear well. Thank you. [applause] Go ahead. >> Hi everyone. My name is Jen Hassel and I live at 131 Orange Street. Um I'm just asking that everyone put some good
thought into this um and into the vote this evening. I'm hoping that there is a decision made. I understand um that we're not going to make everybody happy and I can respect that. Um, I've lived in the city for 54 years. I was blessed
to be able to buy a home um, 17 years ago. Um, but my daughter got caught up in this, my oldest daughter. So, when it was time for her to move out into the real world, she couldn't stay in Chelsea. She had to move outside of Chelsea. So, I get it. I understand and
I sympathize. But at the end of the day, I also recognize all the building that's going on in our sister cities in Everett, in River, and they're blooming. And there's no reason why we can't be part of that process. We deserve it.
We've earned it. And I think it's time for us to now figure out a way to move forward with this. And I understand, like I said, we're not going to make everybody happy. But as a homeowner in the community, um, and speaking on behalf of some of the homeowners in the community, we need to find a way to meet
halfway. We understand it's not going to make everybody happy, but we need to make a decision because the communities around us are flourishing and and we're at somewhat of a standstill. Thank you very much for your time. [applause]
>> Thank you. Uh, we have Caroline, then Ray Bell, then Christian LA. >> Good evening. >> Sorry, before you start, um, if anybody else would like to speak, please make sure to sign up. Um, do we have another sheet? We don't. Um, this is the regular
one. Okay, I'll I'll just put this over there in case anybody wants to sign up that hasn't. >> Good evening. Uh, my name is Caroline Ellenberg. I live at 107 Shortlift Street here in Chelsea. Um I'm the director of Kon Data and Raisades Community Land Trust. Um since the last
meeting we've been trying to gather members, talk to members and the leadership and I just want to say that there continues there is a concern a really real concern about the process right um inclusionary zoning was created with the community uh with a lot of
community support and taking out affordability and decreasing the number of units without consulting the community members feels like a kick in the gut right um I want going to echo um what Glattis Vega was saying earlier
about the importance of taking time to listen to and process right it's hard stuff this um so calling the policy a failure and writing it off instead of engaging at the get-go I think was a real a loss because it's
more nuanced than that right we know things need to change things need to be reviewed but calling it a failure as the base of assumption isn't the right starting place. Um and also having conversations with the developers but not other stakeholders who are equally
invested um just gives it tips things before the conversation starts. Um how do you make changes right you gather data and you listen to values. Um you need data to guide decision making. A feasibility study or more time with the working group helps data helps us
understand what may be possible and what may not be. Right? Then what do you do with that data? data doesn't design a policy right but people design policies uh so you need to go to the community understand the priorities and the trade-offs engage stakeholders for
thinking creatively the working group we were you know was an effort to do that uh but as has been mentioned it was rushed um and there wasn't time I nonetheless of the three proposals or the three amendments on the table tonight if it's going to be a vote uh
urge you to vote for the one that has the deepest affordability and that was the product of the most time, the most ability to process as you know what the options are. Um >> 45 seconds. >> So yeah, so if these votes go through,
there will be fewer units and less affordability as a result of inclusionary zoning. Um so I urge the you all and the city as a whole to really prioritize and elevate affordable housing in other realms, right? use the strategic housing plan,
the fair housing plan, follow through on these ways to make sure there is affordability um and moving forward to just an urge to engage stakeholder holders early. Thank you very much. Go ahead. >> Hi, my name is uh Raymond Bell,
54 years in the city of Chelsea. I grew up right over there about 150 yards across the street in Popler Street. I live up on Madison A now. Frank Henry once called it the Riviera of Chelsea when I first bought that house. But um I
don't want to be repeaty repeat here from the first time I was up here a few weeks ago. But like Jennifer said, and I think anybody was here a few weeks ago, I have a 29year-old that's stuck at home and he struggles because he can't get
out there. So, and I got a 23 year old that is stuck down in North Carolina because the rent's half of of she'd like to be up here, but she's down there doing what she does and and because the rent is market rate. So,
We're at a point here where we're talking about a macro problem. It's a nationwide problem. You all know it. Maybe you can't tell the stakeholders or we say stakeholders. I'm a stakeholder. But I'm I'm for this inclusionary zoning. I live here. I know if funds dry
up for the city, the first thing they go after is the 35% tax exemption. Also, there'll be other cuts. Public service, um, education, which my kids don't go to school anymore, but I understand it. and I have people that work there. So,
the issue is not a micro Chelsea problem, but yet it's being laid at your feet by saying don't vote or let's give it time. Um, from what I understand of this, I thought this was already set and
sent but the out of committee, but it didn't get there. So, I have some concerns about the process myself. I think somebody else was able to get, let's just say, a platform that I wasn't allowed as a tax owner. So,
I'm trying to do my readers digest version here, the small version. But if we can't be isolations and separatist, >> one minute left. >> No, no, no. We have to look at the larger scale. We need revenue because we're not open for business like other
cities. But again, one thing that's good about Chelsea is we're not open for business the way those other cities are open for business. But we cannot just be for some inclusionary zoning when it's good for us, but not when it's not. And I don't know any developer that's going
to put throw in or back it or or you know, back a project that with unworkable numbers. I agree. I don't agree with affordability what the rates they are. I agree with that. Um I don't make a lot of money. Uh, I work in a
union. I'm I'm the head of a union, but I have people that travel outside 45 minutes from Boston because they can't afford it. But you're making a decision for the whole city now. It's not just a certain group or the, you know, the loudest group or you have to do what's
best for the whole city on whole >> time. >> And I think kicking the can down the road is not the answer. And voting president is not the answer. You're for or against, it's time to it's time to suit up. This is what you run for these spots for. I'm asking you to vote this up.
[applause] >> Hello. Uh my name is Christrista Manuel Laa. I live at 74 Springville Avenue and um I'm co- secretary of the uh Chelsea Community Land Trust Communas. I also work as a case manager for uh
many uh Chelsea residents. Um so I pretty I spoke briefly with my council member uh and I know he's not in favor of inclusionary zoning. Uh we so we do have very different perspectives on it. How however I do believe that there's uh
a vote to be in order. So um a decision has to be made and um I didn't really get a direct answer on how he's planning on voting on the initial proposal made by the city manager Fidel. Um, only because you uh, all I got to say is only because people call something affordable
housing doesn't actually mean it's affordable housing. It's kind of just like a label. So, I guess we could actually, you know, agree on that. Um, but yeah, um, math has always been my strongest suit and, um, you know,
from long division, trig, I've done lots of it. Um, and the math, there's not really math for me. um with the initial proposal I've been um I've been present in a lot of these inclus inclusionary zoning meetings. I do feel like there's
an urge and rush to change the inclusionary uh zoning and if a decision has to be made. Um I actually uh attended a workshop uh over at Green Roots for um that was presented by um
the president Roberto um and it was involving different uh proposals. the the current proposal showing the proposal one, proposal two and the working group proposal. Um so based on the so based on the state housing data,
roughly half of Chelsea resident households are below 60% AMI and about 60% of Chelsea households are below uh 80% AMI. So roughly half of Chelsea households are below 60%. Uh so one minute >> the the working group um from my
understanding will still be allowed to um the developer will still allow the developers to build and will be a form of harm reduction to uh kind of the the inclusionary change uh inclusionary zoning change. So, um, so 47% of Chelsea
households earn below the 50% AMI, but um, yeah, I do feel like that's probably if a decision has to be made like, you know, tonight that I would be in favor of the working group proposal. Um, because yeah, but if it doesn't, then
you know, I do my initial stance is for more time to do the study. So, thank you for your time. >> Thank you. Um, [applause] we have one last uh speaker, Regina Taylor. Regina.
Yeah. And that is our last speaker for the public hearing. >> Good evening folks. How are you all? um just here as a resident and also as the uh chair of the planning board and I wanted to say that there's been multiple
meetings on the inclusionary zoning. There's been several proposals. There's been um multiple layouts of different plans. They've changed several times. Sorry, I will try to do a little better
on that. Yep. Uh forgive me. Um, I just had wanted to say that there were multiple meetings held that were public meetings held on inclusionary zoning, several by the planning board alone. I know there were multiple meetings held by various different stakeholders in the community. So, I feel like it's very
disingenuous for people to say that they were not included in this process when major players in the community who are deeply invested in affordable housing were included in this process. Um, in addition to that, the uh proposals for
inclusionary zoning have changed multiple times and that's part of what is happening right now to get to a place where people feel like we have reached a workable policy that makes the city move forward in terms of of of financial
stability and also gets some more housing. But the public domain for contractors to provide most of our affordable housing is limited, especially right now. And one of the things that we are working on is to put
in a time frame of limiting our current policy to a two-year plan so that we as a city can really think about being able to evolve very quickly if the numbers don't work and continue to be able to change that and make it a working
document instead of what it was, which was something that hadn't changed for close to a decade, seven years. And so that's just couple of quick notes on that. I think it's important that we look at this. I think it's important that we're working on inclusionary
zoning. I do think that people are really invested in trying to make this work. >> And um thank you. >> Thank you everyone. Um with that we are now going to close the public hearing and we will move on to the order itself. Mr. Click
>> proposed zoning amendment before you. Whereas the city seeks to advance economic development opportunities in Chelsea. And whereas the city seeks to increase housing and unlock new growth in Chelsea. And whereas the Chelsea city council finds that a proposed amendment to chapter 341 156 of the zoning
ordinances of the city of Chelsea advances an amendment. Mr. >> Hines, I' I'd like to make a motion to wave the rest of the reading and to amend the order by replacing the table on page three. of the order with the >> That's right. Let's motion to wave the
rest of the reading first. Any objection to waving the rest of the reading? >> Okay. Seeing none, you may continue with the motion. >> Okay. To amend the order by replacing the table on page three of the order with the table communication. >> Um hang hang on. Councelor H is making
the motion then we'll I'll go to you. >> Point of order. >> Yeah. Oh. Um can can we finish the sentence and then we'll have the point of order. Th this is in regard to to to I just if if we're going to wave the rest of the reading. >> Okay.
>> Uh I just want there to be um a brief this is this is a lot in here. >> Okay. And I think people need to understand >> sure >> what's in here. So I don't I don't object to waving the reading but I want
the kind of uh bullet points to be to be >> so counselors will have so I I guess the question is what are you asking for any part of the rest the remainder to be read because every every council will have the opportunity to speak at which point you can explain it in your own
words if you would like. I I I don't want to >> I would I if that's the case, then I would ask for a little leeway in the time that each counselor has in addressing this. >> Yep. I we have four minutes, which is long time for folks. And that's that's
the rule. Yep. That that is >> then I object to waving the rest of the >> All right. Then we will read the remainder of the um >> the order >> the order and then we will go to Council Hence. Whereas the Chelsea City Council finds that a proposed amendment to chapter 34-156 of the zoning ordinances of the
city of Chelsea advances an amendment that is a legitimate aspect of public interest, promotes economic development and housing production to support the growing needs of the city's budget and encourages the most appropriate use of land throughout the city of Chelsea. And whereas pursuant to master general law
chapter 48, a petition was forwarded to the Chelsea planning board for a public hearing which was held on Tuesday, May 19th, 2026. Now therefore, be it ordained that the following petition for the adoption of amendments to chapter 34, article 7, section 34-156, inclusionary housing of the zoning
ordinances of the city of Chelsea, be adopted. >> Councelor Hines, >> I'd like to make a motion to amend the order by replacing the table on page three of the order with the table on last week's communication from the
council president. If I could speak on um >> Yes, you may. Um, I I wasn't even going to say what I'm going to say now, but um I feel like this entire conversation on inclusionary zoning just hasn't been a
fair one. Um, I I feel like this conversation I feel like before this conversation could get underway, there was already a lack of trust that existed um that permeated throughout this conversation and and disregards a lot of
the homework that has been done to understand this policy and to get this policy and this proposal into a place that I said last week balances both the community integrity and doesn't expedite the gentrification process. does and I
am also someone who's caught up in that middle group of people who are being displaced um in regards to like income thresholds and who makes what. Um and I think that uh the 60% AMI that was proposed originally
captures like the median income of the city. Um but but I'm I'm I'm going on a bit of a tangent. I I feel like a lot of homework was done, a lot of research, a lot of conversations, a lot of comparisons to to see what other comm
community communities are doing. Um, and one thing that has to be mentioned is that I know it's been been brought up here that this is a regional issue. There are a lot of communities that are not developing at all and Chelsea has unfortunately been taking on a lot of
the burdens of the region. and the fact that we're having this conversation right now about inclusionary zoning and have moved away from the original proposal policy that has came to us which was uh 100 or 50 without
inclusionary zoning and have gotten to a place that we are now I feel like is us working to do just that and continue to prioritize the city, prioritize the community, prioritize residents. Um, I've had many of conversations. I've had
arguments with counselors about the difference between city and community and how the the city or the governing body doesn't always encompass the community or the or make decisions on behalf of the community. And I've entered all of these conversations fighting for this community. Born and
raised here. Born and raised here. Um, and I think that we've got something here. Some may disagree and if that's the case, you know, that's fine. Everybody's entitled to their own opinion. Um, but I think we've worked
really hard to get here. Um, I mentioned last week I wasn't a fan of the process. Um, despite that, again, we put the train back on the tracks and and we got this policy in a pretty
fine-tuned position to go forward and still create something that will actually get the development that we're looking to get accomplished. We all know this policy needs to change. We all are in agreeance that this policy needs to change.
>> One minute, council. Dang, I didn't realize that I was talking for that long. [laughter] But but we all are looking for something to get done. >> We all are looking for something to get done out through this policy. This policy does not have the capacity to
solve all of Chelsea's all of the regions's issues, but it does have the capability to bridge a gap between our lower income community and those who are making
on the on the upper end. And I think this is the middle ground that we're looking for that can again prioritize the people, prioritize current residents, and continue to generate housing because we need housing.
>> Thank you, councelor. I just want to clarify, you mentioned the table. The table does not include the payment in Lu um portion. Is that also part of the motion to amend? >> Yes. Um, I'd like to include the payment in L from the communication from last week as well, which is a payment in L of
$275 um,,000. >> Just making sure that the clerk um, notes that. Okay. So, just to for folks to to know, so we are now councelor Hines spoke on the amendment. We will now have the full council can speak on the amendment. Then we will vote on the
amendment. Then we will return to the main motion where counselors will be able to speak once again whatever regardless of whether it passed or not. Um so I will now pass it to councelor Taylor uh who can speak and then I will take others as um a point of
>> quick point of order. >> Sure. Go ahead councelor. >> How many amendments do we have on the table currently? >> We currently have one amendment on the table which is the working groups amendment. Um, councelor Robinson had um had introduced an amendment um the
meeting prior to us sending this to the planning board. So, at that point, it was an amendment. However, the planning board included that amendment as part of the language that they sent to us. Therefore, it is no longer an amendment. It is part of that. It's part of the language that was sent to us from
planning board. >> Gotcha. So, what we're currently voting on includes the exemption of mixed of West Chelsea. >> So, Councelor Hines's motion takes what was sent to sent to us from the planning
board and it replaces the table on page three. >> Yeah. >> With the table in the communication from last week. And then it takes the number on page four that says 200,000 and it replaces that with 275,000.
>> Gotcha. So any other changes to that to to this would have to be made as a separate amendment which the council can do. Any councelor can propose additional amendments to this. Um >> Okay. Yes. >> And so so sorry team just want to make sure that we know what we're voting on
and the community knows. >> Absolutely. >> The current amendment as it stands does not include the exemption of Westside Chelsea. >> The the current amendment. So So we are voting on a zoning amendment. That is a main order, right? That main motion
includes the it has the West Chelsea piece in the in the language, right? And we are now going to discuss and then vote on Councelor Hines's amendment, which does not change that. So, it would still have it in there. >> Got it. >> Yes. Yes. Um, sorry to speak out of
turn. Is it possible for our clerk to read the the um the table before we continue >> so that everybody knows what it is? Yeah, >> just so that everybody can know what we're talking about. >> Yeah, that's fine. Um, yeah. Yeah.
>> So, the current table as currently written is as follows. For project sizes of 10 to 19, one affordable unit at 80% AMI. For projects of 20 to 29, two units, one at 80% AMI and one at 60%.
For projects 30 to 39, three affordable units, two at 80% and one at 60%. For projects of 40 to 49, you have four affordable units, two at 80 and two at 60%. And for projects of 50 or more, uh
10% of dwelling units are required affordable, 5% at 80 AMI, and 5% at 60 AMI. The amendment before you will alter the table to read as follows. For total units of 0 to nine, zero inclusionary
zone units required. For units 10 to 14, one inclusionary unit at 80% AMI for projects of 15 to 24, two inclusionary units, one at 80 AMI and one at 50. For units of 25 to 34, requires two units at
80% AMI and one at 50%. for projects of 35 to 44, it requires two at 80% AMI and two at 50% AMI or one at 30%. For projects of 40 to 5 to 49 requires three
units at 80% AMI, two at 50 or two at 50% AMI or one at 30%. And finally, all projects of 50 or more, 10% of all units are required inclusionary, rotating 50% and 80%. Or 5% of units at 30% AMI.
>> Mr. President, >> councelor, >> point of order. >> Point of order. Yeah, go ahead. We are replacing a proposal that it's being that that is being recommended by the planning board
with the working group proposal that was not part of the planning board. Correct. >> That is the that is the amendment that is being proposed. Correct. >> And the planning board had a chance to look at this proposal from the working group. >> The planning board did not look at these
exact numbers. No, >> the planning board the planning board reviewed >> ultimately what was set what what what they voted out of the planning board. >> I'm just a bit concerned that we would vote we would take a vote on a proposal
that was not recommended by the planning board. >> So um just to clarify the process here, >> not this >> um the planning board. So the the the council has the ultimate vote on this, right? planning board considers what is sent to them and they recommend one way
or the other but the council is not held to that. The council can make any motion to amend um the order and if there is a substantial change um from what came out of planning then there is the possibility that it could it would need to be sent back to the planning board
for another review. However, um after you know this this the city manager and the city solicitor have reviewed this proposal versus what came out of planning and they have they have said that they they don't believe that this is a substantial change from that. Um that is actually the reason why the
proposal that was sent. So the council sent something to the planning board and then there was an updated communication from the city manager to the planning board which introduced the table that was ultimately sent out. So that um that was done in order to ensure that there
would be compliance if any further amendments were made um at the time that it came to the council. Um does that answer your question? Great. I now um is there is it about the order or sorry
>> hang on counselor please. You are allowed to ask questions about the ex counselor. Counselor, I'm trying to explain to you the process because councelor Taylor is waiting to speak. Okay. If you have a
question about procedure, you may speak now by asking a point of order. If you if you have a question about the substance of the item, I have to recognize councelor Taylor because he has been waiting for a long time. Is your question about process or substance? >> Yes, I want to ask about the procedure. >> Okay, go ahead. Also, please turn on
your mic. Thank you. >> Thank you. So, if we vote on this procedure, what happens? We voting on his or we're voting on what was recommended. >> If we we are currently discussing the amendment that is being proposed.
>> Understand that. >> So if we vote yes on that, the amendment would pass and then we would >> added on to this. >> Correct. >> Okay. That's what I want everybody to understand. Yes. That we're voting on something. If we voted, it goes on to the original one that's here. >> Correct. Thank you. All right. Thank
you, councelor. Uh please turn off your mic. Councelor Taylor, sorry to keep you waiting. >> So, there's several things that I want to say. First of all, I agree with many of the people that spoke tonight about this
process being a complete and utter embarrassment. All right. First of all, this city council had a subcommittee. We voted
to send a compromised proposal to the planning board. But guess what? That proposal never got to the planning board. Instead, the city manager took it upon himself, which was outside the scope of
his powers. and all of a sudden presented something else to the planning board. Then the planning board, you know, God bless them,
they vote something out, a recommendation uh based on what they heard. But guess what? Now that's being amended. Now, the quote unquote working group is
now who we're negotiating with. I'd like to know who put them in charge. Why are we negotiating with them? Why are their voices getting put into the front of the line? When did we ever have a working group of homeowners?
When did we have a working group of anybody else? Why are these people more important than any other people? I would ask why did the council president in cahoots with the city manager and this >> council please stop referring to
individual counselors. >> Thank you. >> That is not against the rules. So, I would like to know why why this working group all of a sudden gets to decide on what the proposal is and that
the city council president comes in with the with the city manager and now now we have to vote on this. This process is a disgrace. we might as well go back to receiverhip because receiverhip this is the way
things were done in back rooms and that's exactly what this is. This is not transparency. This is a lack of transparency. This is the epitome of a backroom deal. And the voters in Chelsea better wake up
and understand what is going on in your city. You better be careful about who you vote for. We are all every single one of us committed to affordable housing. Every single one of us.
>> But this was a disgrace. I got to say I have never been more disappointed in my whole public life than to what happened here. So I would ask that we vote against this
amendment purely on the basis of the way it was in the way in which it was derived completely undemocratic. And I want to know why the members of the working group, many of whom are here
tonight, why their voices matter more than everybody else's. I want to know that. Give me an answer. >> Please, please, guys, please. No speaking to the council. >> That's called a rhetorical question. >> Counselor, please.
>> So, I'm urging >> You have 5 seconds left. >> I'm urging all of the counselors vote against this amendment. This was not derived in a in a honest manner. >> Thank you, councelor.
Um, who would like to speak next? >> Councelor Cooper, go ahead. >> I don't really I don't really speak much about affordable housing amendments and all that other stuff because it really most of the people outside don't even
understand what these things mean. 90% of the people you tell them what's chapter 40 all these laws unless you explain them I'm a counsel and if I don't ask I don't know what they are but that doesn't matter to me regardless of what it is this amendment really doesn't change much what it does
it changes very little so but to me the most important thing this city needs we're arguing over something that the city already has what we need is jobs we need development of businesses. This is what this city needs. It needs
development of businesses. It needs input to bring jobs. We're in a like we are. We're a city of working people. We're not a rich city. So, if you don't bring jobs to our city, you think you can live affordable housing
and amendments and all, good for you. But what does it do? It really doesn't help the people here to stay here. They're going to get gentrified even faster. they're going to leave because the rate of the money that you have to put in these apartment buildings, it's not affordable. I've been saying that
for a long time. What is affordable? What I I want to see I'm I vote for I don't care. Whatever they want to do, they can do for me. What's important is TO HAVE JOBS. JOBS. THE CREATION of jobs in our city. Development of businesses.
This is what I really want to do. As far as this, hey, it doesn't affect me one way or the other. If you can, if you got the money, you live here. If you ain't got the money, you're not going to live here. So, it doesn't make a difference. You're fighting for something that doesn't make any difference because
exclusionary zoning. What it does a lot of TIME IS IT GENTRIFIES EVEN FASTER BECAUSE PEOPLE CAN'T AFFORD IT. SO, I see people come up here, we're being pushed out. We're being pushed out. Yeah. What does that mean? Everybody's being PUSHED OUT. YOU CAN'T SURVIVE.
IT'S VERY HARD TO SURVIVE. SO, what are you fighting for? I don't get it. So, if you want to do something, BECOME WHERE YOU LIVE IN A CITY WHERE YOU DON'T PAY RENT AT ALL. THAT'S THE BEST WAY. Have a place where you say, "Okay, WE COME IN, WE CAN'T afford it. Can you please take
us in?" It's the same THING FOR ME. IF I CAN'T PAY MY LIGHT BILL, THEY'RE GOING TO SHUT ME OFF. SO, WHAT WHAT ARE YOU FIGHTING FOR? WHAT IS THIS GOING TO DO FOR THE AVERAGE INDIVIDUAL? YOU YOU EXPLAIN TO ME WHAT THAT'S GOING TO DO FOR THE rest of us. The only thing
it's going to do if YOU DON'T VOTE ON something like this, they don't build. YOU GET NO TAXES. THE CITY WON'T GIVE YOU WHAT YOU NEED. SO WHAT IS THE POINT of fighting over what? What are we fighting over? That's the thing that I DON'T UNDERSTAND HERE. I'LL VOTE FOR THIS STUFF. IT DOESN'T MATTER TO ME. IT
DOESN'T CHANGE. IT AIN'T GOING TO HELP ME. IT AIN'T GOING TO HELP 90% of the people that are out there. So doesn't matter to me. I ain't got much more to say. Thank you. >> Thank you, counselor. Um, councelor Garcia and then councelor Tesh.
>> Good evening, everyone. I know that this has been one of the toughest um situations that we that I as a city councelor had to um live and and I I want to disagree with my colleague
um when when he talks about back rooms, back rooms with residents and and listening to the residents who live in Chelsea, it's not back rooms. It's informative. It's hearing them out and and making sure that we hear everyone.
And I appreciate everyone who has um put groups together to inform us of what they think about it. Uh I also think that, you know, the last change was in 2019 and it needs to be amended. I also want to let the the community know that
there are no rules that limit how often we we can amend this. We could amend it if it if the numbers don't add up. We could make changes to it. Of course, it takes a process, but um nothing is set in stone
and if it doesn't work, we can change it. Um and you know, I Again, I want to I want to thank the residents for for coming together. I also agree with with some things do need to change and we
need to grow as a city. Uh I would hate to see our our most vulnerable be displaced and but but we we do need change. We we need change and and I appreciate the input of
many residents and we take that into consideration. Well, I I can speak for myself. I take that into consideration. I want to again thank every single resident that reached out to me, every single organization that reached out to me and
and I was born and raised here. I would love to see more beautiful things come to the city. I think we deserve it. I think that Chelsea deserves nice and beautiful things. Uh not at the cost of displacement of course, but we need to
take into consideration everyone. And um this this has been a hard hard task and I think that everyone here has done their due diligence and it it's hard it's a hard thing to to come by. So I want to again um if if by
any means I have or any any resident have felt disrespected by something that I have said, I apologize. I I think that we have been trying our best to to solve this. So
that's it. >> Thank you. I have councelor Tesh and then councelor Kelly Garcia. >> I would say I give my respects to the city manager for bringing this u battle up front to us. Um, I don't think any other city manager had touched it before
because they knew um the the the chaos that comes with talking about housing because it's it's such a touchy subject. Um, and and it impacts everybody. Um, and to be honest, the more I thought about it, because this is the only thing I've been thinking about for the last couple of months, and the more I thought
about it, there was no perfect way through which we could arrive at a proposal. Um, this was the first time this is being edited. None of this was expected to begin with. Um, nonetheless, we've done our best to make sure that we
come up with the best proposal we can. Um, I am a little bit confused that how many times this has been changed because the this is so much more different than the last proposal that the council sent to the planning board. Um, nonetheless, I will voice my opinion and that I would
not support the amendment. Um I would keep the planning board primarily because um they that that is their job. The planning board is there to recommend um what the council should do and to be honest because it is such a big decision. I do not want to take it upon
myself to be to go against what the planning board said um and would rather um share the glory or the blame if this ends up being something good or something bad. Um and then at that point it you know people will not say Manuel
made this choice on that one evening but rather it will be a community shared effort. Thank you >> Garcia. [clears throat] >> All righty. Let's do let's try this in four minutes. Um I am in complete
agreement that this process was the messiest. However, I will be uh supporting this amendment because it does include more affordable units. However, I am in disagreement with the exemption of West
Chelsea mixeduse overlay because every city and every district should be treated the same. Every single district should include affordable units. And so I will be proposing an amendment to
strike that language out of this lang of this proposal. >> Did you miss that? >> Apologies. Uh sorry I councelor Hines had a question. I just wanted to make sure. Oh, did you have a question? >> Okay, you're just on.
>> Okay. Yeah, great. Sorry. Apologies. Um >> I'm sorry. >> I'd like to repeat. >> Yeah. >> Oh, sorry. All good. All good. I'll catch you up to speed. >> Apologies. >> It's been messy. >> Um, I am in support of Mr. H Councelor
Hines's amendment because it definitely includes way more affordable units than the planning board amendment. I am now proposing another amendment and I don't know if it's the right time, but I'm in disagreement that we're we are exempting the West Chelsea mixeduse overlay.
>> So, that would be out of order for this because it is a separate portion. So, we would need to >> finish the conversation about councelor Hines's amendment. After that, we would be able to have your motion separately. >> Wonderful. >> Yep. >> Um,
>> could I could I see clarity? Is that out of order or what? >> Uh, you can ask a Yeah, you can ask a question about process and Sure. >> If I wanted to ask the city manager a question. >> Um, is that out of order? >> Would have
through the chair. So, since you have already spoken, I don't believe you can speak again on this unless another counselor gives you your time, their time. Um, councelor Sagate. >> Yes, I yield my time to councelor Hines. >> So, I believe that gives councelor Hines
four minutes. Um, you can now, um, ask the city manager a question. I just would like to seek some clarity because there's a lot of concern on the the 100 exclusion for the um West Chelsea um as
it pertains to inclusionary zoning and being that this is the topic of the conversation, I feel like no better time would be >> to ask right now. Could you could you clarify that a little bit? >> Absolutely. Absolutely. And it is something that that has come up uh uh in many of these conversations, right? Uh
uh Councelor Robinson introduced an amendment um uh early on in the process to to uh uh um have have inclusionary zoning uh law be the ordinance have a a different
applicability to to one district. I will say that that is not uncommon. It is something that that is done in uh uh in other places and other cities where where uh in fact we do it when we separate our city into districts, right?
R1 has h has has different density than R2, right? Uh uh BR1 has allows for for higher building heights than than our R our two or R3, right? So, so, so the the the approach on its own is uh is not
it's not something that that that we don't do in the city and inclusionary zoning uh uh there are uh communities that that do this that essentially what they create is is is they create submarkets, right? That that different
neighborhoods uh because of of whatever uh uh the the policym body deems it uh uh are different. Uh uh however wi with regards to to the counselor's uh uh really specific uh uh um request an
amendment. One of the of of of the questions that I hear all the time is that this is going to lead to developers building uh uh a lot of projects under 100 in order to bypass the rule. Right. uh uh and and I wanted to we have done a
lot of research into this this uh uh topic. We have looked at a lot of the of of the lots that are in in in what is now uh uh uh West Chelsea and and the uh vast majority of West Chelsea are very
very big properties, right? That and very big lots. Um, I will point uh to to the the the inclusionary zoning ordinance that is before to you and was referred out of uh uh out by the the
planning board uh uh section E6 E6. Uh this is a clause that existed uh uh in in the first goound, right, of the ordinance. It has been in the ordinance since 2017. We and it it is something
that John the priest uh has enforced quite uh uh drastically right which is which is that uh the this section calls for nonavvoidance by facing or segmentation and essentially what it says is is that a developer cannot play
games when when it comes to inclusionary zoning. They they cannot subdivide right they they cannot do small projects in in in a row. uh a and and this section has has has a lot of uh uh a lot of uh
catching loopholes, if you will. So, so the um uh what it says basically is that the zoning board of appeals or planning board shall not approve any application for new construction uh or substantial improvement to a structure where the development or redevelopment results in
12 10 or more dwelling units. uh if the land or parcels of land were held in common honor ownership and were subdivided or otherwise modified within the previous five years to avoid compliance without complying this section. Right. So
>> manager can I just I just ask you to I and it's almost four minutes so I just want to make sure that Yep. You can you can wrap up. What I'm saying is is is that I I have heard the concern that that the that councelor Robinson's uh uh original amendment is going to lead to
developers having uh uh an easier time bypassing the rule and I will assure the counselor that that is not going to happen. It cannot happen by ordinance. It cannot happen. >> Thank you. So I I shouldn't have allowed this question because it is about a separate amendment. We I allowed it
because he had started talking. Um, I'm going to put a pin on that. We can talk about that after we deal with councelor Hines's amendment and we can have a whole conversation about West Chelsea if the council would like to do so. Um, with that said, any other counselors who have not spoken who would like to speak
on councelor Hines's amendment? That was all your time. Um, so sorry, Mr. Clerk. I just just a quick question. um that was all his time on a different topic.
Can we attribute those four minutes to the next amendment so that he cannot speak at that at that point and then take counselor Sanagates at this point? I just I don't know. I I just given that this was not about >> as chairperson. It's your prerogative. Would the council would the council be okay with that? With councelor Hines
speaking on the taking councelor Sagate's four minutes now and then not having four minutes when we speak about councelor Garcia's amendment. >> So >> councelor Taylor. Yes. >> So I have I have I have no I have no
objection. I think that the counselor should be able to speak longer than four minutes. So I'm just following the rules. It's your Well, no, but it's your prerogative as chair to allow people extra time. So, I would not object if you gave uh councelor Hines a few more
minutes to speak on it regardless of councelor Sanagates giving minutes or not. He shouldn't have to give up minutes on something else that hasn't come up yet. >> If the council would like to wave the rules, that is the council's proposal. I cannot do that on my own. So, >> I'd like to I'd like to motion to wave
the rules on communicating on this topic. >> All right. Um >> I I would object to that. Um we we have to arrive at a decision and I think four minutes are >> all right >> are enough. >> So do we have we have an objection to um
hang on hang. We have an objection to extending debate time for counselors. Um the question that I asked was whether councelor Hines could have le uh councelor Sanagate's actual four minutes for this and not not have his four minutes for the next amendment. Is there would you like that or no?
>> That's the case. Point of order. >> Hang on. Let me I have a I have councelor Garcia with a question. A point of order and then you I just want to I just want to understand. Councelor Hines, do you want the extra four minutes or no? >> I do, but if it disallows me to speak on the next topic,
>> then you don't. Okay, then never mind. With that question withdrawn, is there still a question about point of order? >> No, I I was just going to make a motion for >> Hang on. Hang on. I still have a point of order over here. >> So, I have a point of order. I'd like an answer from the clerk that the chair the
chair does indeed have the the latitude to give somebody extra extra time. Is that correct? >> The debate would be whether or not that should be allowed on an individual basis or it should be allowed for the duration of the debate. Allowing one counselor extra time while not allowing others
would come across as preferential and I would recommend against it. But if the council decides to request extra time for each council to speak on this order, I would recommend setting a cap on that because we could be looking at seven minutes, 10 minutes, 20 minutes. And
>> council decides, not chair >> and the council would decide. And for the record, one counselor made a motion to suspend the time limit or to change the time limit. Council Aesh has objected and we don't even have on the floor an actual proposal for what the
additional time would be. the council would like to change the rules, we can do so um at a different time. Um but as of right now, that's the rules and there is an objection, so we cannot I I'm okay with it. I I did not object. Um
>> I think it's time to vote. >> Councelor Garcia, um go ahead. U make the motion. >> Yeah, I'd like to make a motion to um to conduct a roll call. >> So motion to close debate. Um so there there's a motion. I need a second.
or second. Say it again. Um, so any objections to moving to a vote? We if there if there's an objection, we will just have a vote on whether to vote on it or not. That's all. All right.
Seeing no objections to moving to a roll call vote, we will now take a vote on councelor Hines's amendment um to update the table on the proposal with the um proposal and the communication from last week as well as change the payment in Lu fee from $200,000 in the proposal to
$275,000. Um and then we will return for the final conversation. Um uh this is a amendment so it requires a simple majority. The final vote for whatever this gets amended to be will
require eight votes for adoption. Is that clear? >> Okay. >> Point of clarity. So six for this, eight for adoption. >> Amendment requires six votes. Final passage requires eight. >> Yes. So the motion on the floor is an amendment introduced by councelor Hines
replacing the table in section C3A with the new table as proposed and changing the payment in LO from 200,000 to 275,000 in section F-2. Yes. Vote to approve the amendment. Council Taylor, >> this is not what the planning board
sent, so I'm voting no. >> Council Taylor votes no. Council Rupo, >> yes. >> Council Rupo, yes. Council Hermenz River. >> Yes. >> Yes. Councelor Hines, >> I just want to know we have permission to make amendments on the floor. >> Yes.
>> Council Hines votes yes. Council Tenary Garcia. >> Yes. >> Yes. Council Tesh. >> No. >> No. Council Kelly Garcia. >> Yes. Excuse [clears throat] me. >> Yes. >> Yes. Council Sandigette. >> Yes.
>> Yes. Council De Jesus. >> I'm sorry. Can you repeat? This is on the amendment. >> Councelor Hines amendment. Yes. >> No. >> No. Council, the votes no. Council Brown, >> no. >> No.
>> And council Robinson? >> No. >> No. Roll call vote is six members in favor, five opposed. Simple majority acquired for amendment. Amendment adopted. >> Okay. So now we have adopted that amendment. And now we are back to the
main conversation. I will now recognize councelor Garcia because you had an amendment that you wanted to make. So I will recognize you. >> Thank you. I'd like to give me a moment. >> All right. I am proposing that we remove the exemption of the West Chelsea
mixeduse overlay district and apply our inclusionary zoning requirements consist consistently across the city. >> All right. So now we have the motion to amend. Would you like to speak on it as the maker of the motion? >> Well, here's the thing. Here's my
thought. City manager. I totally I can see the the concern of developers building under 100. But when I look at Assembly Square and I
have to leave the city of Chelsea to enjoy a plaza, I want that in our city, but I also want our families to be included in that change. And I want families to live in those apartments.
And by providing this exemption, it automatically pushes our families out. And so again, we are able to amend this and take a look at this if it's not working down the line. But as of now, I
firmly stand on the fact that our families deserve to be in that area and that we shouldn't provide this exemption. And that is my my comment.
>> Okay. Um, uh, Council Robinson, >> the amendment aims to address the stadium in Everett that will be built over the next few years. To get to the stadium, commuters will travel from Market Basket using commuter rail,
Silverline, bus line. I feel if we don't have anything in place, we will stand to lose millions and millions of dollars by development not taking place in Chelsea. We will lose out on restaurant taxes,
meal taxes, excise tax, revenue from parking passes, additional new growth, revenue from residential and commercial development. All these things our whole our whole community will benefit. I've heard from the taxpaying residents who
have called me directly to thank me for proposing this amendment that they believe will bring their taxes down or at the very least ensure they do not rise and protect the services that we rely on.
Successful development is never just about buildings. It's about infrastructure, community impact, economic sustainability, and long-term vision. The strongest projects happen when municipalities, developers, and stakeholders work
collaboratively towards shared goals that benefit both today's residents and future generations. That's why I propose the amendment. And it's up to you whether you feel that that's enough for us to survive as a
community. vote your conscience. >> Councelor Deesus and then let me know if you want to. >> Thank you, Mr. President. Um boy, tonight took a turn. I'm usually on the opposite side. Um I was coming in today
to um to vote in favor of the least harmful amendment to our community. I received numerous phone calls and emails and um uh requests from constituents and
community members from across the city that were asking me to um if you know push come to shove, if there is no other uh opportunity to make possible the feasibility study to make
possible the time that the community wanted um to at least then go for the amendment that the working group alongside our community members were proposing. I think it's important that we and I echo my sister councilwoman's
um sentiments that we see our local leaders um and nonprofits as vehicles for those who are often not accessible through an email, not accessible throughout the day because they're
working multiple jobs. We need to make sure that the way that we are communicating and integrating our community into a process that's so important is equitable and and that means working with those who have boots on the ground.
Um, however, I agree also with my fellow counselor Todd Taylor. I think that we have boards and commissions that should be able to um individually address
the questions concerns um regarding each project that comes to the community and that means separating these two projects from each other. I am ready to move forward and I spoke with our city manager. I am ready to move forward with what our community is
asking, which is for us to at least support an amendment that has an a higher number of affordable units with the commitment of us being able to build that safety net along the way and monitor this policy so that we can make
the changes necessary as time is needed, right? As it's needed. However, I don't think that West Chelsea should be accepted. I do think West Chelsea is a conversation of its own. I've had conversations um with some of my colleagues. I don't think it's a similar
conversation to what we're talking about right now with inclusionary zoning. My biggest concerns from the beginning with inclusionary zoning has been the impact of displacement. West Chelsea is in a different area where we can have other conversations similar to what my other
colleague here is mentioning which is how do we make sure that we are not developing a neighborhood that is only for certain few in the community but a neighborhood that includes the beautiful diversity of the rest of our community.
>> One minute. So, with that being said, I am uh going to be moving forward with a yes in the amendment that my colleague uh sister councelor uh Kelly Garcia is introducing in hopes that we can trust our boards and commissions to then
handle the conversation regarding West Chelsea and then us here also continue the conversation with West Chelsea later on. Councelor Taylor and then councelor Copra and then councelor Hines.
This is a very dangerous amendment. This is the only reason to vote for the inclusionary zoning. Not one person's going to be displaced by this. Nobody lives there. This is a commercial
area. I am I I'm really frustrated because because people don't understand what's going on here. If you mess with this,
you are going to deprive this city of the necessary revenue that we need in order to survive. This is this is a reckless amendment. We need that money, that cutout.
And councelor Robinson's absolutely right. It has to dovetail with the building of the stadium. We have to get people to come. Guess what? We can't have nice things in this city. How many restaurants have closed? How
many will close in the future? How many businesses have almost gone out of business on on Broadway? Who's paying the bills? I'd like to know. Everybody wants more, more more more goodies. Nobody wants to pay. Well, guess what? We have to pay.
This is the way that we pay. Passing this reckless amendment I is taking a incredibly huge gamble with the future of our schools, our public safety and the very residents
that are purportedly being tried to be, you know, supporting the West Chelsea peace. has to remain as is. And we have to give some respect to the planning board.
You can't just come in, oh, we don't like what they said. Okay, well, we're going to do this. That was that was what was done under prior to receiverhip. I do not want to see this city go backwards. And that's exactly what's happening with this this whole
fiasco. And people need to be more responsible. So-called community leaders need to be responsible. And it's not just responsible to a few. It's responsible to the whole. We got to have enough to to think about Chelsea as
a whole. As a whole community, not just a certain segment of the population. Yes, a certain segment of the population needs help. We're going to help them. We're all committed to help them, but we're not committed to to jeopardizing
the financial stability of this city in order to to to feel good about doing something. Be smart, guys. We need this. Do not vote for this amendment. Vote it down. All right. I have councelor Rubber on
the councelor Hines. Uh, >> I could talk eloquently and explain all kinds of stuff to you, but I'm going to tell you the easy way. You don't build, you die. You die, everybody moves. When you don't build,
for years I've been up here, and I always wanted to do things. And they always say to me, "Well, we can't do it. We ain't got no money. That is the number one thing I always heard from these counselors, the counselors before them and all the other counselors through the years that I've been here.
So, if you don't generate money, where's it going to come from? YOU'RE GOING TO SEND YOUR KIDS TO SCHOOL, BUT THE PARENTS can't be here. So, who do you send them to school? It doesn't make any sense from all the time you have to do is you have to grow. If you don't grow,
you die. That's all it is. And the burden will be on home homeowners will be on renters and you can't afford not to grow because if you don't grow you're going to die. THAT'S IT. THERE'S NO EXCUSE. EVERYBODY CAN TELL YOU, "OH,
everybody needs housing." Yes, it's a human right to have housing. Everybody needs housing. But what AT WHAT EXPENSE? WHAT GOOD IS HAVING HOUSING when you can't live in it? You know, so leave it alone where it is. What that is over there. If people want to come and
develop our city is only 1.8 square miles. How much can you develop? Where are you going TO GO? WHAT WHAT can you actually do? The the amendment that's for I don't agree with it because leave the other leave that section alone. THAT'S IN THE FUTURE. IT'S GOT NOTHING
TO DO WITH US RIGHT NOW. RIGHT NOW I WORRY about how to make your city GROW AND HAVE MONEY so you can stay here. I'VE BEEN HERE 50 YEARS. I'VE SEEN EVERYTHING IN this city. I SEEN POOR. I'VE seen ridge. I've seen it all. SO,
YOU CAN'T STOP THE WHEELS from turning. You can never stop the wheels from turning. What you can do is you can advocate. YOU CAN SAY, "OKAY, WE WANT THIS." BUT THAT AIN'T GOING TO STOP ANYTHING BECAUSE THE WORLD goes around and you can't stop it. The only thing we
can do is we can try to prevent bad things, but we can also try to create good things. So, WHAT IS GOOD AND WHAT IS BAD? IT'S UP TO US TO determine what is good and what is bad. My honest opinion has my own opinion. I don't know about any other counselor. MY OPINION IS
SIMPLE. YOU GROW. IF YOU GOT NO MONEY COMING IN, HOW ARE YOU GOING TO PAY FOR EVERYTHING YOU HAVE? You can't. And and when you can't pay for what you have, YOU HAVE A CITY THAT DIES. I'VE SEEN cities die. I'VE SEEN THIS CITY DIE. IT
DIED when it wasn't pro when it had problems and they came back. Do you WANT TO BRING IT BACK to where it used to be where it just dies? No. And you say, "Well, IT WILL DISPLACE PEOPLE." YES. EVERYBODY GETS DISPLACED. Like I said earlier, IF YOU CAN'T PAY, YOU AIN'T
GOING TO STAY. THAT IS THE WAY IT IS. IF YOU CAN'T PAY YOUR CAR INSURANCE, you can't drive. AND IT'S THE SAME THING. You can only help a small percentage. That's what we're trying to do. We're trying to help a small percentage. YOU'RE NOT GOING TO HELP THE MASS. THAT IS THE ISSUE. THE MASS IS NOT GOING TO
BENEFIT JUST A FEW. >> One minute, counselor. >> So what are we what are we doing? What do we want to do? Do we WANT TO KILL IT or do we want it to grow? That is the issue we have right in front of us. And I am now willing to make IT DIE BECAUSE
I'VE SEEN IT ALREADY AND I DON'T WANT IT TO DIE. I want it to grow. I want my grandchildren to be able to live here, to go to school here, to be able to enjoy this beautiful city, regardless who lives here. I've seen all different races live in this city. At one time, it
was one kind and and it's going to evolve all over again. It's never going to stop. Like I said before, you can't stop the wheel from turning. So, I'm against changing that. I rather leave it alone and wait 10 years down the road to see how it is. >> Thank you.
>> Thank you, councelor. I have councelor Hines, councelor Tener Garcia, and councelor Tesh. >> There's so much being discussed at the same time that it's kind of hard to to reel it in. Um, but we we'll give it a go. Um, I got to say I am not trying to
remove any power from any of the boards. I believe in the power of the boards. Um, and I trust the process. This proposal has changed so many times. However, I think the goal of this proposal in its entirety was for us as a
community to get the most bang for our buck. And I think that the last vote that just happened regarding the amendment was regarding the process and not something that would give us the most bang for our buck. The conversation that has been happening regarding this
policy hasn't included any suggestions on what it is that we should trade or what it is that we should change or what it it's just been, hey, this is good. Okay, cool. And I think that what the what limits us here in these
rules is to actually be able to dive deep into what these numbers mean. And I think that we got it with this one. Now, to the uh 100 100 unit amendment or the 100 unit threshold in the Welsh Chelsea
area, I I don't want to say I hate to say it, but but I I agree with Councelor Taylor. Um, nobody lives over there currently. Um, and and my understanding from what the city manager just said and
what this non-avoidance phasing is was essentially what my fear was and what happened with the original inclusionary zoning policy where people kept nickel and diamond and gaming the policy and doing nine units here, nine units there and and you end up with 125 market rate
units before you even know what's going on. And my concern when when this uh exclusion was first proposed is that we'll get 99 just all over the place left and right. And I'm not a fan of that. However, if and my understanding
and if you know I could ask a question again. I don't know. But my understanding is that for example where Market Basket is right now, if Market Basket were to develop up and they built 99 units, quote unquote, there would be
no IZ for that development. However, in that same lot, if another development was to get created, then all of those units will be subject to inclusionary zoning. Right? So, so there's nobody that lives
there now. And if development were to get over there, there is no segmented, there is no phasing, there is no running away from inclusionary zoning as what came back from from the planning board. They would all be subject to the same
policy. And true to my belief, any development that comes here needs to have some skin in the game in this community. I don't think anybody should come here and be able to nickel and dime us. But I also agree that this would unlock a great deal of revenue and move
us away from the concerning place that we are right now financially. And I'm going leave it at that. Councelor Garcia, >> this one's a tough one for me because um I do see so much potential in that area
and I do want what uh Somerville has and I feel and and I want to echo um what councelor Hines have has just mentioned, but I also want uh to think of our high school students.
Um, imagine them walking down after school and being able to say, "I want that and I'm I'm going to work hard for that and I want them to experience that because, you know, we we do that every
day. We we we dream and it's good to dream and it's good to grow um consciously, right? We we are trying to make the best decision for our residents and we we hear everyone." But I also um I am envious of a couple
cities and I go to assembly all the time and I see our residents in assembly. Why can't I see them in Chelsea? And and yes, uh we we are working class, but we we are
we we deserve to dream and we deserve nice things and having that huge soccer stadium coming to Everett. Literally, we are going to be able to see it from this location and not to
dream about something better for our community is insane to me. So, I I really think that um I'm I'm going to vote no on this amendment because I I truly am a dreamer and I'm a dreamer for our children and I want them to see
better. And that's it. That's my >> I have councelor Tes Councelor Tesos. Did you have a question? Sure. >> Can I just I just ask because I think I think we may be confused. So, the amendment is not objecting West Chelsea.
The amendment that Kelly is proposing is requesting that these two projects separate and move forward together with its own separate conversations. >> That's not what you said >> today. >> What was that? today or
>> today what she is proposing is that when we vote today that we are not talking about whether we like or don't like West Chelsea because I I I feel like there's a lot of comments or or feedback on like West Chelsea's good is this is not the amendment Kelly's proposing is not
suggesting that West Chelsea is bad for Chelsea it's suggesting that it should be its conversation of its own as we vote tonight on inclusionary zone >> right so so to to answer your question Um it is the will of the council to split it off or not. Right. The council can decide that debate a debate right
now. >> So the amendment would be to remove the portions of West Chelsea from the proposal that was sent from the planning board which would then mean that we are not voting on West Chelsea. >> It's separate. >> It wouldn't be separate. It would just
would cease to be a thing as part of inclusionary zoning. So if we wanted to have something like what councelor Robinson is proposing, it would need to be subject to an entirely new process. >> Um point of clarity, can I ask the clerk regarding
>> Right. Mr. >> Uh my understanding is the proposal is to take the language out and then have a conversation about it at a later time. The motion before you doesn't allow that because the council can't dictate what
future conversations happen on zoning. All you have before you is to decide whether the language as it stands is amended or removed. The council can't dictate whether the city continues a conversation on West Chelsea and inclusionary zoning.
>> Does this prevent us from bringing West Chelsea back into the conversation? >> No. The council can choose to do it at a future time, but tonight you don't have the right. You don't have that option. >> The amendment is to either remove the section. Well, the amendment is to remove the section,
>> but to further to further clarify, Mr. Clerk, the it's not like we can just kind of take it out and hold it, right? It would have to be introduced separately as a new item. >> A member of council could introduce it at a later time or the city could introduce it. >> And because it is a zoning ordinance, it
would need to go >> back to planning, right? So, so, so we can't just take it out, you know, and then just have a separate conversation here. It would have to be introduced separately, right? So, so the the amendment that is being asked for by councelor Garcia is only to delete those parts from this proposal and what
happens after happens after it is outside of this process that we are voting on now. Okay. >> I now want to go to councelor Tesh who has been waiting and then I have councelor Brown. I will be voting no on the amendment. Um, primarily because we have to look at this proposal as a as a complete
proposal as a whole. The the I don't believe these are two separate issues. Um, primarily because the only reason we are tackling the issue of of uh affordability right now of inclusionary zoning is primarily because of a revenue
problem. So, we are looking to balance our budget to make sure that we have enough to provide for all the services that we've been given every single year um to the constituents of Chelsea. You know, part of the reason why I've been hired is because I've been able to connect people with with services that
the city provides. Um and so again you you you cannot forget that this is a money problem and at this moment there's nobody living in that area and we can capitalize on that and I think this is our opportunity to do so while we also
keep some of the inclusionary zoning guard rails um across the city where people actually live at this very moment. Um so for that very reason I'll say no to the amendment. >> Councelor Brown. >> Thank you Mr. President, thank you. I I
I actually wasn't going to say anything because I thought I'll be honest with you, I thought a lot of this stuff was out of order. Um the city manager actually came to us and, you know, pretty um thoughtful about what we were dealing with and we were dealing with a
housing development problem, not developing housing, not looking at land mass and so on and so on. Um, obviously as my f fellow council just stated that when you start thinking about this, we're thinking about our tax base. We're thinking about protecting the funding.
We tech we talked all about this at the at the budget hearing, essential services. We said we we we we gave the people everything they needed and asked for, but we said that we at the council, we said that if we did not do something
that we wasn't going to have the opportunity to offer people homes. we wasn't going to have the opportunity to keep people in jobs services available and you know just to protect the funding that we have we comes down to what my
fellow council just said money and you know um it's a little dis discouraging because now we are gutting everything that's been proposed before us tonight and then we're going to ask for a vote I
mean no one can dispute that Chelsea has not done its share of good work for the people, for the city, and to this date. Now, we realize that we got to make some drastic um cuts or some dra drastic
changes. These are the requirements we're talking about. The amendments um that you're trying to take out, those are future generations of wealth for Chelsea. It's not what we like or it's not what we don't see today or what we
hope to have tomorrow. It's generation wealth for us to continue to balance and do the things that we want to do to keep the affordable housing. Even this amendment, if you look look into it, it gives us the opportunity to continue to
work with affordable housing and the trust and also gives us the requirements that we like to have the protection for the tenants to make sure they get affordable housing. Now, if we start taking these things out on the fly
tonight and folks have came up here and and discussed our hearing on what we proposed, it's going to be totally different and it's going to be a bad story that we didn't do anything that we asked people to have a a hearing on. So,
um, I hope we can just go back to the original motion, the original document, come to a decision to be frank, and know that not everything's going to be perfect, but it's in the spirit of what
Chelsea needs right now. We need opportunity for housing. We need to sustain our services or we're going to be Thank you, Mr. President. Or we're going to be doing what other communities try to do. we're going to put the the tax base back on the residents of
Chelsea and people will lose their homes and then we'll really have displacement. So, I hope we can get back to the the base of what we came here to do tonight, the the spirit of what the city manager um have given. We had these um things on
Friday and we could have at least had the courtesy to to discuss them prior to this here. It's his it's 10 o'clock almost 10 o'clock at night. Thank you, Mr. President. >> Thank you, counselor. Um, with that uh we will move on to a vote on councelor
Garcia's amendment. Councelor, >> can I remove the amendment? >> You may withdraw your amendment. So, we are withdrawing councelor Garcia is withdrawing her amendment. Um, okay. So, we are now back to the main uh
motion as amended. Um any So now seeing no amendments on the floor, we can now open discussion on the main amendment. Everybody will have your four minutes if you would like. >> I'd like to bring a motion to vote on this. >> All right. Councelor Hines is making a motion uh to vote on it. Councelor
Taylor, >> councilors, we have to we make decisions by majority. We I don't you know councelor Taylor, >> I'd like I'd like to speak on it. >> Yep. We can. So, councelor Hines has made a motion to to take the vote. Uh, we will now open discussion on the motion. Councelor H. Uh, councelor
Taylor, sorry. >> Speaking on the motion or what we're about to do. >> So, we are now discussing the main motion as amended and we will So, this is the final discussion. We each have four minutes and we will then take a
vote based on councelor Hines's motion. Councelor Taylor, you have four minutes. Okay. So, I am fairly skeptical about this proposal.
I'm not sure whether this is enough uh in order to bring enough development to Chelsea to make it worth it. That being said, we are a collaborative body.
I think with the West Chelsea peace that at least we're going to get something to get us out of the hole that we're in. I do not think the generation of affordable housing
should be dependent on inclusionary zoning. Inclusionary zoning is the worst tool we have to generate affordable housing. I am more than open. I've said it time and time again, but apparently, you know, a conversation requires listening on both sides.
And for people that felt disrespected, if some counselors they thought they were being talked down to, well, there was a lot of public speaking that was disrespectful to counselors and even threatening.
So, I thought long and hard about what was going to come and happen tonight. This is was my best guess to what happened and I am very tempted to vote against
this because of the horrible process that took place of people not wanting to allow others in the conversation but wanting to and not
staying in their lane but trying to monopolize the conversation, disregarding the financial needs of this city, clinging to their ideologies.
But I got to say many times I've put a put aside my own ideologies to do what is a consensus in this city. And so I'm very skeptical of of of how it's
going to work out, but I will vote in favor of the motion and we'll see what happens. But I would I would suggest that this be the opening Salvo in a larger conversation
about how we're going to generate the the needed affordable housing. >> One minute. >> And I have said time and time again, we need to work closer with the Chelsea Housing Authority because they have a Chelsea preference. You want to talk
about people Chelsea people not being displaced, this is the way to do it. Work with the housing authority. They can have the deeply affordable stuff. Don't wreck our revenue by clinging to this new
line. We can't give this up because because we'll lose somehow. No, you're not going to lose. Our families that need it are going to win when we have enough money to help take care of them. We've already given
the finger to the feds, right? We sued him several times. Guess what? We don't have enough revenue. This is how we're going to get it.
Don't bite every hand that feeds you. >> Thank you. >> Thank you, councelor. I have counselors, Tesh, and Brown. >> Okay. We've been going around and around and around and we tired of going around and around and around.
When are we going to stop going around to go nowhere? Why are we going? Either vote yes or vote no. That is the bottom line. Why you going around in circles? This is going to do this. This is going to do that. Whatever's going to happen is going to happen and that's the end of
it. Yeah. As far as everything goes in our city, right? We need revenue. If you don't have revenue, that's like you go to work. If you don't get paid, YOU'RE GOING TO GET KICKED OUT. IT'S THE same system where we're at.
But I don't understand one thing. Why are we fighting? Why are we debating? This is in front of us. IT'S BEEN IN FRONT OF US ALL this time. EITHER VOTE YES OR VOTE NO. THAT IS THE BOTTOM LINE. So I I got nothing more to say. To me,
this is fine. I'll vote yes. I got no nothing against it or reservation for this and reservation for that. Worry about now. Don't worry down the road. Down the road. Who knows who's here? Whatever it is, when the road comes,
we'll go to it. But right now, no more talking, no more this, no more that. Just vote yes or no. >> Thank you, councelor. Councelor Tesh, >> I'll be voting yes on the proposal um primarily because it it is um a
negotiation. It is a proposal that shares the views of multiple sectors of our city and it also secures a financial stability for our city and that's why I feel safe um you know with with the option that we have in front of us. Um I
think uh everybody knows when the the first proposal came in which was to get rid of inclusionary zoning entirely I was the first one to speak up and say what a bad proposal that was. And I think looking at where we were and where we are now, we are at a much better
position to not only protect the residents and the constituents that elected us, but at the same time to protect the stability of our city to make sure that again we continue to provide the services. Um I I think I'll sleep like a baby tonight if we can achieve that. Um, but you know, I I I
think it was a tough decision and I want people to remember that no counselor just sat around. Everybody was doing their homework. Everybody was asking their questions and everybody was executing the job that they were elected to do. Um, and so when whatever the vote
comes out today, I as a community, I want you to trust that again you elected this council and that we'll do the best we can to make sure that we arrive at the best choice possible. Councelor Brown and then councelor Hines. >> Thank you.
>> Thank you, Mr. President. Again, um we come and we talk about the inclusionary zoning. Let's be frank. It's not going to fix all the housing problems that we have here, but it will this this here document that we have. Thank you, Mr.
city manager for your work and meeting with the groups and us as individual councils and getting our thoughts. But this year gives us what we need is an opportunity to start comm uh competing
with surrounding communities. Now we're going to have a little more flexibility that we can offer to have folks to come in that want to do the size of developments that we have here in the scope. We all agree on this the
developments, the projects, the areas, the locations, but it also down the road gives us opportunity to have other stuff. And as one of my female counselors said, one day maybe our
children can live over at West Chelsea because we have the beautifification such as the assembly role and we have that type of area over there. That's a possibility. This is the flexibility that we have here. So, thank you for your hard work. Thank you for the
dedication to your city. And I know whether anyone else know I know you love Chelsea. Since you've been on this job, you have proven that you are 100% for Chelsea. And I know that when you go out and you talk to folks, your heart, your
honesty, and your trust is in it. And I know you trust us also. So, thank you for your your your work. >> Thank you, councelor. Councelor Hines, >> I I want to say I'm sorry you distracted me a little bit.
>> [laughter] >> I want to say what we achieved here is is the baby step, right? The original proposal that came through opened up the gates and I think what has been promised in the opening up the gates was that we
can we can review it in two years and we can we can change it and now we baby stepped in that direction and if this doesn't work we can review it in two years and we can change it again. And
what my what my goal or what my aim was for the majority of this conversation is trying to create space for the middle income earner who is not being thought about in any of these rooms. Who is your your police officer, your firefighter, your
paired professional in the schools who makes just too much to qualify for the quote unquote affordable housing that exists here and doesn't make enough to live in the market rate units. And I think that this is workable. I think
that, you know, I think that we landed in a pretty good spot. Um I I also think um even in the consideration of of the West Chelsea, like I there's a a constant conversation or a constant theme that we've been having
for several months about the financial state of this city. And yes, these are regional issues. Yes, housing is a regional crisis. Yes, other communities need to join in this conversation and
open up to development as well. It cannot just be us here. Um, and I think that in order to to balance what we're talking about with this inclusionary zoning policy, we do have to open up a bit and allow others to come and and
live in our beautiful city as well. Um, and I I'll be voting yes for this. >> Thank you, councelor. I have councelor Robinson and then councelor Deesz. >> Just I'll be I'll be brief. If we don't
build, we won't have any revenue. We need to take a look at some of our senior folks who own property here who might want to be eventually selling
their homes and might want to stay in Chelsea. They might have an opportunity to go to West Chelsea. So that means if they go to West Chelsea, their house becomes goes on the market and other people in Chelsea will have opportunity
to purchase those houses. But if we're going to be stagnant, are we going to be the council to bring the city down? So, it's important that we we take a hard look at doing development, looking out for everybody like we always have
and doing the best that we can by the people who live here and by the people who are paying the bills, the taxpayers. >> Councelor Desus. >> Thank you, Mr. President. I will also be brief. I just want to speak on this um
current amendment that we have finally landed on. I will be proceeding with a yes vote, but I want to be clear with my colleagues that um this is not an easy vote yet. Even with everything that we are sharing, I will
not be sleeping like a baby today. Um, I also don't think our police officers or firefighters will have an opportunity to live in West Chelsea if we're talking about 80% AMI or higher. Um, I don't think our seniors
have a chance. And so, I just want to make sure that that as we move forward that we're not just thinking about things as displacement. Yes. The the initial conversation we were having was displacement. inclusionary zoning was not doing what it was meant to do. But
my main focus and what came up a lot was displacement. West Chelsea is not displacement. West Chelsea is segregation and making sure that we are still making these pockets in our community reflect
the rich diversity of longtime home longtime residents and new residents. It's not about keeping everyone who lives in Chelsea and Chelsea. I agree. Shoot. If my kids don't want to live in Chelsea, I'm not forcing them to stay in Chelsea. They might want to go off to a whole different state. But the idea that
we have pockets in the community that are segregated to only those few who make enough money is not okay with me. And so moving forward as we continue to improve our process and protocols of making these decisions of including our
community, I want us to broaden the the the the protections to not just be about anti-displacement, but also what's our vision for what our community is going to look like in the future. Are we gonna create more segregated um areas in
Chelsea where we don't see um the different cultures and diversities that we see everywhere else? And listen, I'm speaking as someone who just became a homeowner. I was a renter up until last year. I think we only have one left tenant on this body and everyone else is
a homeowner which is a privilege in a community like Chelsea. And I am speaking from experience of someone who thanks to my fiance and I hustling two or three jobs, we were able to make it as renters in this community. It's not easy out there for the working poor
because it's not even the working class. It's a working poor. Those are the teachers. Those are the firefighters. Those are are our folks in the professional fields that went off to college and made a profession of themselves. It is tough. And so I want to make sure that even if the
conversation is not about displacement, that we think about all of the other risks that exist in our community, preventing those who have worked so hard to make Chelsea look what it looks like today. How are we >> representing them when we make these
decisions? I'm all for having the beautiful amenities that other communities have. I'm all for the hustle. um on that, you know, hustle uh bust ride with you, city manager, but let's expand the hustle to to explore other avenues of of of revenue as as we
have talked about in my district different, you know, getting getting creative, but let's also think about what what we're doing in terms of the new development and who is living there and how can we make sure everyone has a piece of the pie.
>> Councelor Sanagate. I I've been quiet because this topic has been really emotional for me. Um so I just wanted to start by thanking the working group. Um that was a lot of
work, a lot of strife. Um so thank you. It was comprised of um a lot of heavy hitters in our city. I think that it was well balanced and although the timetable may have been a
little bit rushed, I still think that you did excellent work and that you were so skilled at what you did that you would have come up with the same thing even if you had more time because that's how good you are at your jobs. So, I
just wanted to thank you for that. and together with Councelor Robinson's amendment um for West Chelsea with the exemption, I feel like we've put together um a balanced
proposal that uh I endorse and it includes the things that I wanted for my city, which was new growth and the chance for people to have a dream to live in a place um that includes space
for the deeply affordable. So, I couldn't we couldn't have done this without all of you who put this time into it. So, thank you. Um I don't think my stomach ache that started April 1st is going to go away yet, but uh it's
closer to being resolved. So, thank you to all of you. >> Anybody else who has not spoken would like to do so at this time? Seeing none, we will now move to the uh roll call vote on the amendment. Where's Councelor Coopra? All right. >> Roll call vote requested.
>> There we he sounds good. Um we are now moving to a roll call vote on the zoning amendment as amended. Um, did did councelor for Cooper indicate
that he is returning? >> Okay, sure. We'll take a Sorry. Yeah. No, that's fine. I just wasn't sure if Nobody says we will just wait here. All right. Um, all right. We are
now moving to a roll call vote on the uh zoning amendment. Uh, Mr. Clerk, >> counselor, please return to your seat. >> Moving to a roll call. >> Roll call vote requested. Yes. Vote to adopt zoning amendment as previously
amended. Council Taylor, >> I guess. Yes. >> Begrudging? Yes. Councelor Rupo. >> Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. >> Yes. Councelor Jimenez River. >> Yes. >> Yes. Councelor Hines. >> Yes. >> Yes. Councilor Tenari Garcia. >> Yes. >> Councelor Tesh. >> Yes.
>> Yes. Councelor Kelly Garcia. >> Yes. >> Yes. Councilor Santigette. >> Yes. >> Yes. Council De Jesus. >> Yes. >> Yes. Councelor Brown. >> Yes. >> Yes. And councelor Robinson. >> Yes. >> Yes. 11 members in favor. Zero opposed. Zero absent. Voting amen. [applause] >> Thank you everyone. Um, we are now
moving to public speaking. Um, >> nope. We had public hearings. We are now moving to public speaking. Um, >> yeah. Uh, I will wait for folks to exit. Um, we are not going to recess because we have a long meeting ahead of us. So,
please counselor stay in your seats. Um, yep. Um, all right. Um, I do not have a list of anybody who is speaking for public speaking. So, I am going to close public speaking. Seeing that nobody uh has signed up, we
are now moving to approval of the minutes. We have the minutes of the June 8th, 2026 regular meeting. >> I make a motion to approve the meeting minutes. >> Um, we have a motion from councelor Garcia to approve the minutes for the regular meeting of June 8th. Seeing no objections, uh, motion carries.
Mr. Clerk, moving on to communications from the city manager. just like to remind the council that we do have a number of things and we want to make sure that they get a thorough look. Waving readings is okay, but I don't want us to wave. >> First communication received from the
city manager responding to council order 2638. Dear counselors, I am writing in response to council order 2638 requesting an accounting of the last three funding cycles of community preservation funds. Attached to this letter, you will find a report with this information. We will be happy to address any follow-up questions from the
council. Thank you for your support. >> Is there a motion? >> Move to accept the communication of the city manager if there are no objections. >> All right. Uh seeing no objections. So moved. Next, communication received from the city manager regarding FY26 MVP grant
program, Chelsea Green Zoning Project. Dear councilors, I am writing to provide an update on the work currently underway with our green zoning project. This work is grant funded through the state's municipal vulnerability preparedness program. This grandfunded initiative is focused on developing recommendations for future zoning and ordinance updates
that will strengthen Chelsea's resilience to climate change, improve storm water. >> Mr. President asked to wave the west of the read and accept and file the communication under unanimous consent. >> See no objections. So moved. Um you can speak on it.
>> Chelsea Green zoning project. >> This is the communications. >> All right. Seeing no objections, we move to >> that is okay. >> CM96 right here. Next communication received from the city manager requesting approval of union contract with steel workers local 9427.
Dear councilors pursuant to section 4-3 of the charter. I am writing to request city council approval for the cost items. >> Mr. President, I I move to wave the rest of the reading and accept the communications. I would just like to point out that u this uh this contract
just increases the 3% annually as uh seems to be the usual practice. >> All right. Thank you counselor. Seeing no objections, so moved, we now move to the order itself to approve the contract. The order introduced by council de Jesus is ordered that pursuant to section 4-3L with the
Chelsea city charter. The Chelsea city council approves the cost item set forth and the collective bargaining agreement negotiated with United Steel Workers Local 9427 covering city management level employees memorialized in the memorandum of agreement for the period July 1st 2026
through June 30th 2029 dated June 11th 2026. Is there a motion on the on the uh order? >> Move for a roll call vote. Motion is for a roll call vote on the adoption. Roll call vote requested. Reminder, there were no actual cost items
included. They were already built into the FY27 budget. >> Roll call vote requested. Yes. Vote to adopt. >> Council Taylor. >> Yes. >> Yes. Councelor Recupra. >> Yes. >> Yes. Council Jimenez River. Yes. >> Yes. Councilor Hines. >> Yes.
>> Yes. Council Tari Garcia. >> Yes. >> Yes. Council Tesh. >> Yes. >> Yes. Councilor Kelly Garcia. >> Yes. >> Yes. Councelor Santig. >> Yes. >> Councelor De Jesus. >> Yes. >> Yes. Councelor Brown. >> Yes. >> Yes. And councelor Robinson. >> Yes. >> All 11 members in favor. Order approved.
>> Thank you, Mr. Clerk. >> Moving on to communications and petitions to the council. This one from the assistant parking clerk. The item before you is a request from the assistant parking clerk to amend an item that council previously approved at the May 5th from the May 5th meeting of
traffic and parking. The handicap sign address for 309 Spruce Street was incorrectly listed. 309 Spruce Street is the correct address. It requires council approval. >> Is there a motion to adopt? Uh >> move to adopt under suspension. There are no objections. Right.
>> Seeing no objections. Uh so moved. >> Moving on to committee reports. First committee report is from council de Jesus from the meeting of the subcommittee on ways and means held June 16th. >> Councelor De Jesus um >> accept and file. There are no objections.
>> Right. Motion to accept and file under committee reports. Seeing no objections. So moved. >> Mr. President, for the following items, are there ways that we can combine them? >> Mr. Clerk, is there a way to combine the
votes on all of the items? Um, that is the question. If they can, if you want to vote on them separately, you can. But if you want to combine, my recommendation would be to combine F-26, F-27, and then combine F28, 29, and 30 as
revolving funds, and then 31 and 36 separate or vote on them individually. >> So, >> I would love to proceed with combining in that order. >> Motion is made to combine items 26 and 27.
That will be separate. Councelor Rook. Um so the first motion is to accept um items 26 and 27. We will now go to a roll call vote on those two. The orders are as follows. First order
introduced by council de Jesus transferring from salary reserve to following accounts. Treasurer regular salary 8970. Treasurer overtime 2220. Permitting and land use planning regular salary in the amount of $10,000.
Emergency management overtime 45,000. Veteran services regular salary in the amount of $1,171. Retirement contributo in the amount of 3513 and snow removal overtime in the amount of $129,126. The other order also introduced by
council de Jesus authorizes appropriation from free cash to snow removal overtime in the amount of 29,217 from sewer retained earnings to sewer enterprise regular salary in the amount of $13,400 and from water enterprise retained
earnings to the water enterprise regular salary also in the amount of $13,400. Roll call vote requested. Yes. Vote to adopt. Council Taylor. >> Yes. >> Yes. Yes. Council Raupro. >> Yes. >> Council Hermenz Rivera. >> Yes. >> Yes. Council Hines.
>> Yes. >> Council Tenary Garcia. >> Yes. >> Council Tesh. >> Yes. >> Council Kelly Garcia. >> Yes. >> Council Santigette. >> Yes. >> Council De Jesus. >> Yes. >> Council Brown is absent. And Council Robinson. >> Yes. >> 10 members voting in favor, zero
opposed, one absent. Orders have been adopted. So next up we have um as as recommended by the clerk items 28, 29, and 30. >> The items before you. First order introduced by council de Jesus changing the name of the Chelsea community
schools revolving fund to the Chelsea recreation revolving fund. Second order authorizes revolving funds for Chelsea recreation, elder affairs, emergency management hazardous material, vacant unsafe buildings and nuisance properties, tax title forclosure
properties, and Chelsea public library revolving fund. And the final order authorizes the school department's non-resident school tuition revolving fund. All require yearly approval from council. >> Moving to a roll call vote on adopting these three. See no objections.
>> So moved. >> Roll call vote requested. Yes. Vote to adopt. Council Taylor, >> yes. >> Yes. Council Raupuro, >> yes. >> Councilor Jimenez Rivera, >> yes. >> Councilor Hines, >> yes. >> Council Tenary Garcia, >> yes. >> Council Tesh, >> yes. >> Council Kelly Garcia, >> yes. >> Council Santigette,
>> yes. >> Council De Jesus, >> yes. >> Council Brown is absent. And council Robinson, >> yes. >> 10 members in favor, zero opposed, one absent. Orders have been adopted. Next item before you, order introduced by councelor de Jesus authorizing the FY27
PEG access budget 20 267,975 for Chelsea Cable, $85,000 for Chelsea public schools and $130,000 for the city of Chelsea. >> Is there a motion to adopt? >> Motion to adopt on roll call vote.
>> Right. Seeing y >> roll call vote requested. Yes. Vote to adopt. Council Taylor, >> yes. Council Cooper, >> yes. >> Council Jimenez River, >> yes. >> Councilor Hines, >> yes. >> Councilor Tari Garcia, >> yes. >> Council Tesh, >> yes.
>> Councilor Kelly Garcia, >> yes. >> Council Santigette, >> yes. >> Council De Jesus, >> yes. >> Councelor Brown, absent. And councelor Robinson, >> yes. >> 10 in favor, zero opposed, one absent. Order has been adopted. Final item from Ways and Means order
introduced by council de Jesus adopting the FY27 community preservation budget as follows. 10% of estimated revenue for open space. 10% of estimated revenue for historic resources. 10% of revenue for community housing, all of which amount
to $128,58 each. 65% of estimated revenue to the budget reserve in the amount of $835,300. and 5% of revenue or $64,253 to CPC administrative expense. Council
>> motion to adopt under roll call vote. >> Roco vote requested. Yes. Vote to adopt. Council Taylor. >> Yes. >> Council Rupo. >> Yes. >> Council Jimenez Rivera. >> Yes. >> Council Hines. >> Yes. >> Council Tenary Garcia. >> Yes. >> Council Tesh.
>> Yes. >> Council Kelly Garcia. >> Yes. >> Council Sant. >> Yes. >> Council De Jesus. >> Yes. >> Council Brown. and councelor Robinson. >> Yes. >> 10 members in favor, zero opposed, one absent. Order has been adopted. >> Next item before you, you have a
committee report received from councelor Rupo from the meeting of the subcommittee on aging, veterans affairs, and community development held June 16th. >> Councelor. >> Yes. >> I would like I know that they told me
accept and file. >> Uh yeah. So, uh, this is just the committee report and then we have the item attached to this. Um, >> okay. So, then we accept and file that. Can we take a roll call vote on it? >> Um, let's accept and file the committee report and then we will take the order.
Um, >> you can speak on the committee report right now if you would like. Um, >> yes. Yes. Yes. I like to >> but also you you'll have the opportunity to speak on the item itself rather than >> Okay. So, just accept and f the communication. >> All right. Seeing no objections to filing the report. I need excuse.
>> Okay. Oh, I I I believe he um I believe you can vote on the committee report. He just can't vote on the item itself. So, but but that's fine. Okay. Um Okay. Um seeing councelor uh Robinson is uh recusing himself from this vote. Um but
seeing no objections, we now um have filed the committee report. We are now moving to the home rule petition itself, which councelor Robinson is also recusing for. >> Home rule petition introduced by councelor Rupo. Whereas chapter 59, section 5 of Mass General Law has several tax exemptions for seniors. And
whereas the city of Chelsea has found that the city is experiencing an unfathomable increase in property values and current senior exemptions are not sufficient to allow owner occupied seniors to pay for their property taxes. Now therefore be it ordered that a petition to the general court accompanied by a bill for special law
relating to the city of Chelsea be filed with an attested copy of this order be and hereby as approved under clause 1 section 8 article 2 as amended of the amendments of the constitution of the commonwealth of Massachusetts provided that the legislature may reasonably vary the form and substance of the requested
legislation within the scope of the general public objectiveness of the petition text as follows. Notwithstanding the number of property tax exemptions for the elderly under chapter 59 section five of mass general law, the city of Chelsea may exempt all elderly homeowners aged 65 and older
with an annual income of $65,000 or less or a combined income of $100,000 or less for married couples who have resided in their property for a period of no less than 5 years from all property tax increases. Income eligibility and residency will be determined by the city assessor. The version before you has
amendments that were agreed upon by the members of the committee. >> Councelor Copra, >> can I speak on it now? >> Yes, you may. >> Okay. When we went to the committee, there was no really too much objection from what it was. And um we have a letter saying I'm too old. I can't vote
on it because it becomes a conflict of interest. But I really don't care if it's a conflict of interest or not. I want to help the old people. I want all the generations to be able to stay in their homes. The whole thing of this, the purpose that was was to help them.
The laws that they have that to help the old people, they're really too old. They haven't been changed in 50 years. So, we really can't do anything. The only thing we can do is send it to the state and let the state decide. Why not, my fellow counselors, agree and send it to the
state? Don't they care about the old people? Don't they want to keep? They're always talking about helping, helping, helping. SO WHY DON'T YOU HELP? AT LEAST have the opportunity to send it to them and let the state say no or whatever they decide to do. There's nothing wrong
with Chelsea being the first. I am not afraid TO SEND IT. EVEN THOUGH THEY TOLD ME I can't do it, I'm not going to run away. I'm going to do it anyways. If the my fellow counselors decide they don't want to do it, it's up to them. At least I tried. And it doesn't hurt anybody
else to do it. It really doesn't. We really can't do nothing. The state's the one that decides what we're going to do. So why does it hurt to try? But what is wrong with trying to help an older gentleman that lives in his own home? All the things I put there. We help all
these corporations with subsidized. We pay they pay less tax than we do because they have affordable housing. BUT WHAT ABOUT AN OLD MAN? THEY PAID or an old woman THEY PAID THEIR HOUSE FOR years and IN RETURN THIS YOU'RE NOT TAKING tax
revenue from the city. YOU KNOW HOW many old people live actually own house in THE CITY OF CHELSEA? 27. THEY SAY TO YOU, "OH, WELL THE ONES THAT ARE NOT, THEY'RE NOT APPLYING FOR US." WELL, HERE LISTEN. IF YOU'RE 65 YEARS OR OLDER AND YOU HAVEN'T APPLIED TO GET a senior
discount, APPLY BECAUSE THERE'S ONLY 27 of you, THEY APPLIED, AND I'M one of them. And uh I don't know how my fellow councils will vote. I I kind of hope that they do and vote yes and send it to them. If they don't, it really it's
okay. They show them what how do they feel about old people. Why? That's the truth. The only thing you're trying to do is help an elderly gentleman or an elderly woman that own a house. THEY DON'T THEY LET ME ASK ALL MY FELLOW councils a question. Don't they
deserve to at least spend the rest of their lives they all age in their house instead of being every year the taxes GO UP AND THEY CAN'T keep up with it. So what are you doing? You're kicking their mouth,
you know. But hey, it's up to my fellow councils. They want to vote on it, they've honored. If they don't, they don't. At least I tried. >> Thank Councelor Hines. >> I just want to say, you know, I agree with the sentiments that council
recuper. I think, you know, God willing, I would live to retirement age and be someone else who >> who owns a home. Um, and with market conditions shifting, you know, and and making it harder for people to stay in
their homes even now who are actively working, you know, like I I hear the sentiments that that are being put on the table. I just the the law department put some some concerns
>> in front of us and and and I just feel that if we are to send something, we should send something that has a at actually having the impact that we're we're we're looking to get out of this thing versus
sending something in hopes that they figure it out, right? Like if we if we do the work here and if we have the conversation here to figure out to mold it and shape it how you know it could potentially be I I think it might put it
in a better in a better position. So >> thank you councelor Councelor Rupo please. um you already spoke. Um so I I will note um our rules require that this go to the conference committee um before it is voted on by the council. Um there
would also need to be a public hearing scheduled which has not has not been scheduled. Um so just pointing to the council that we cannot vote on this tonight like it is that is um uh so any other speakers
with I I hear councelor Vicero making a motion to send it to the conference committee. Um all right is uh so that is the motion that we have in front of us. Um all right so seeing no objections to that we will refer this to the conference
committee. You have no unfinished business. Moving on to second readings. For a second reading, you have a communication received from the city manager being read for the second time requesting approval of reappoints to boards and commissions. Dear council, pursuant to section 4-2 of the charter.
>> Mr. President, I move to wave the rest of the reading and ask the clerk read the names and the positions they're being appointed for when terms. >> Seeing no objections, so moved. >> Zoning Board of Appeals, Hugo Perdomo. Uh, reappointment to the affordable
housing trust fund board, Deputy City Manager of Operations, Devin Fields, Alexis Turjan of Chelsea as well, and for reappointment to the Community Preservation Committee, historical commission representative Michelle Mirthth. Uh, councelor Tesh, is there a motion?
>> Uh, move to um adopt under suspension if there are no objections. >> Uh, roll call vote on uh nominations. >> Roll call vote. >> Yeah. Um, great. Uh, seeing no objections, so we move to a roll call vote. >> Roll call vote requested. Yes. Vote to
approve. Council Taylor, >> yes. >> Council Cooper, >> yes. >> Council Jimenez, >> yes. >> Council Hines, >> yes. >> Council Tener Gazio, >> yes. Council Tesh, >> yes. >> Council Kelly Garcia, >> yes. >> Council Santigette, >> yes.
>> Council De Jesus, >> yes. >> Council Brown, >> and Council Robinson, >> yes. >> 10 members in favor, zero opposed, one absent. Reappoints and appointments have been approved. Final item under second readings. You have a communication received from the assistant parking clerk being read for the second time. Specifically, agenda
item number seven to add a bice a buck a bus bike right turn lane on Washington Avenue and restriction of right turn on Washington Avenue to Fifth Street based on a communication from the MBTA. Is >> there a motion on the amendment? >> Motion is to take a roll call vote on
the adoption. Seeing no objections, we now move to a roll call vote on the adoption. Roll call vote requested. Yes. Vote to approve the agenda item. >> Can you clarify the uh threshold? Six votes. >> Simple majority. Six votes.
>> Council Taylor. >> Yes. Yes. Council recuper. >> Okay. I seen the thing. Yes. >> Council Himenez Rivera. >> Yes. >> Council Hines. >> Yes. >> Councilor Tener Garcia. >> Yes. >> Council Tesh. >> Yes. >> Council Kelly Garcia. >> Yes. Council Santigette.
>> Yes. >> Council De Jesus. >> Yes. >> Council Brown. Council Robinson. >> Yes. >> 10 members in favor. Zero opposed, one absent. Agenda item has been approved. >> Moving on to new business. First item under new business order introduced by councelor Recupo. Ordered that the city
manager work with relevant departments to study how the city can better inform residents about construction related street closure and better utilize police officers assigned to construction related details. >> Accept. I'd like to speak on it. Um, councelor Rubro has a motion to
accept. Um, if there are no objections, seeing none, uh, you have the floor. >> Okay. I'm going to be brief. I I think the city can do much better in instructing the way when traffic is going on. A lot of people complains about the way the traffic and when they
do work. A lot of these companies come in and they just close all the streets, especially in my district, which is one ways. So if you lock one way, you can't go around. So why inconvenience the people? I understand that we need to do
work. That is the basic thing we the city needs to. But I also understand the people that live in the area that can at least be notified in a better way because that happened to me. They shut a a street and then I couldn't go there and I had to go all the way around just
to get to my own house. And that's not if it happened to me means it happens to a lot of people. And a lot of people have complaints about that. So there should be a better way. If there is a better way for them to at least address this issue will be a good thing. That's all I'm asking is to be addressed to
make it better so the people of the city don't be inconvenient so much. >> Thank you, councelor. All right, moving on to the next item. >> Next item under new business, you have an order introduced by councils Kelly Garcia and Tenary Garcia. ordered that the city manager in collaboration with
Department of Housing and Community Development, Chelsea Housing Authority, Department of Inspection Services, Disability Commission, Council on Elder Affairs, and relevant community stakeholders. Develop and present to the city >> from the audience, please keep it down >> and present to the city council a
comprehensive anti-displacement protection plan for elderly residents and residents living with disabilities. And be it further ordered that the plan include recommendations and strategies to identify elderly and disabled residents who may be at risk of displacement due to rising rent redevelopment property sales,
condominium conversions or other housing pressure. Create an early warning system and outreach protocol to notify vulnerable residents of available housing resources, legal assistance, rental assistance, and relocation support before displacement. explore the creation of a local elderly and
disability housing stability program that would connect residents with rental assistance, housing counseling, legal representation, accessibility modification grants, emergency housing stabilization funds. Evaluate opportunities to prioritize elderly and disabled residents for affordable
housing units, housing preservation initiatives, and municipal housing programs were legally permissible. Review local ordinances and policies to determine whether additional protections can be implemented to prevent unnecessary displacement. Develop partnerships with nonprofit organizations, healthcare providers,
housing advocates, and legal service providers to strengthen housing stability services. >> Mr. President, >> sorry. >> Yes, councelor. >> I would like to >> accept. Sorry, it's a long night, guys. Accept and file under communication. If there are no objections, >> we to adopt the order.
>> I'm sorry. Adopt. Can I adopt? >> Right. Motion. motion is to adopt the order. Um, seeing no objections, >> I would like to briefly speak on this really quick. Um, with everything happening and you know um we we go door
knocking and see many disabled folks and we are all going to get there. We are all going to get old and and we need to protect our most vulnerable. Yes, God willing. Um, we need to protect our most vulnerable uh community members. So I would love to
uh focus on them for us in the near future because they they are as important as anything else happening in this community and we need to protect them. That's all. >> Thank you counselor counselor Sanate. >> I just want to um say thank you to the
counselors Garcia for this. Um I I agree wholeheartedly with trying to do something. So, thanks for thinking about this and doing something about it. >> All right. Uh, so move we now move to the next item.
>> Next item. Order introduced by council tenario Garcia. Order that a meeting of the subcommittee on conference be held with the city manager, department of inspection services, fire department, police department, representatives from the Chelsea Housing Authority, and other relevant stakeholders to discuss conditions, safety concerns,
maintenance, ongoing improvements, and future plans for 14 Bloomingdale Street. Councelor Garcia, >> I adopt and file under suspension if there are no objections. >> Um, I wanted to briefly speak on this as as 14 Blumenale is in my district. Um,
>> Ben Misel, uh, I I have many concerns about this building. It's a very old building like um Pauliki mentioned this morning. I mean, feels like feels like a long Well, it seems like this morning a
couple hours ago, uh, he mentioned how the building was built in 1949. Uh, and the last kitchen cabinets on that building is 198 something
86. Um, and I I have many concerns about that building. I see construction uh parking is a concern. The safety of our elderly folks is a concern to me. I I really want to meet with everyone who
can make this a better space for our community because for our residents there on top of the building being super old, I feel like there's a lot of missing gaps in terms of safety. Um,
what are the rules of of uh if someone violates something? What are the rules of per pertaining and and staying in that building, the residents complain a lot about getting their stolen packages? Uh, people coming in and out late nights
that don't belong to the building. uh they hired a security uh security company, but they're only there certain days of the week or certain hours. And I feel like there's
there's a huge safety issue happening in that building. That worries me. It worries my residents and and I'm I'm very concerned about 14 Bloomanddale and I know that the Chelsea housing has many many projects happening. Um, but I don't want to lose sight of of
of this 14 Bloomanddale building just because we're beautifying another area in the city. I really really want to hone in on on 14 Blumenale and make sure that they're living in dignified uh space and and being cared for correctly.
So that's that's it. That was mine. >> Thank you, councelor. Counselor Kelly Garcia. Um, I agree wholeheartedly with this order and I, my sister and I often go there and host bingo nights and go door knocking and just chat with our residents there. And another concern
they have mentioned is the increasing rents even though some apartments are in deplorable conditions. And so, um, I'm eager to have more conversation about this building. Thank you. >> Seeing no other comments, moving on to
the last item. Final order introduced by the council president. Order that the city council discuss the role of the clerk of the city council in supporting the charter review committee. >> Um madam chair, I just uh I'd like to move to adopt the um the order and I'd like
to speak on it. Um so sorry seeing if there are no objections. Um >> you have the floor comes. >> Great. So, as we've been having conversations about the charter review committee that we are putting together, um I have had a conversation with our with our clerk and um Cliff mentioned
that he is willing to do this. However, this is kind of above and beyond the requirements of his current role. Um and so he just wants to make sure that there are kind of you know alterations to to kind of the the way that his workflow you know is is managed to make sure that
he is being adequately compensated for for the time that he is putting in addition to his current role. And that could either be monetary or through comp time. And really the big thing is that under the current um uh municipal code
where his employment kind of his contract and everything lives um he loses his vacation. It all expires what has not been used in September, right? And so you know he makes sure that he doesn't um that he uses all his vacation. Um but because he would be
essentially working through the recess um because of the the work of the committee, I think it would be important for us to make sure that he does not that essentially to to skip that date and allow for his vacation to continue to acrewue to, you know, either some some date in early 2027 or to just have
it skip uh a whole year to make sure that he can do the work that he needs to do without him losing his vacation. Um, and then separately, you know, making sure that, you know, if the committee had a three-hour meeting like the one that we're having right now, ensuring that he has access to comp time to make
sure that, you know, he can maybe come in a little later the next day given that he had a, you know, extremely long meeting. So I think it is it would be important for us to in order to have his support you know in putting together agendas the minutes the research that that that the committee may need making
sure that we that we um can can have the this flexibility for him and make sure that he is adequately compensated. Um we unfortunately can't vote on this tonight. Um, but I think it is important as we move into potentially starting this before we come back from recess to
kind of get a sense of where the council is in, you know, whether we would support this so that then we can officially make it official with a conversation when we return from recess. Um, so I would just ask if counselors could, you know, express whether they'd be in support of something like this.
Um, and you know, some some type of uh compensation or comp time. Uh yeah, that's it. >> Councelor Taylor. >> Yeah, I I have no objection. If you know, if he's doing extra work, um I
would, you know, say everybody needs to be compensated for their job. Um the only [clears throat] question I have is um is the clerk's being there necessary? And I mean, I don't I don't think the clerk was there
the last time we did it. And so, uh, you know, that I think legal questions are there for the city solicitor to to, you know, if something's if something's doable or not. Um, I don't have any real
objection to him being on there, but I I just I I'm not sure it's really necessary if he doesn't want to be a, you know, a part of it. It's but I have no objection to to either, you know, comp time or whatever whatever
accommodation that we would make for for extra work. It's not that much. It's a drop in the bucket, so it doesn't really matter. So, you know, um I I I leave it up to the council, but but I I
don't I don't think he I don't think his presence there is really necessary. But >> can I just ask a quick point of clarification? >> Councelor Himenez, you have the floor. >> Yeah, I just my understanding is that Paul Casino did provide some some support to the to the last chart of
committee. I I might I might be wrong. Um but >> through the chair, >> I was wondering if Cliff could answer that >> he provided support in 2020. He did not provide support in 2010. >> No. >> Any other question? Councelor Hinds,
>> I just want to say I I wouldn't be opposed. Um I appreciate I can see the value that the the council clerk could add to the discussion. Um as you know, we're we're always uh uh waving rules
and and voting to move things around and because we don't we're all not up to speed with Robert's rules and let alone a charter review. So, you know, someone who's has experience, someone who has the knowledge and understands the nuance
that exists within these different ordinances and policies, I I don't see nothing wrong in um supporting either the former or the latter. Um yeah, >> councelor Cooper,
>> so what are we actually doing? Are we compensating or not? No, no, but I'm saying what do we we we going to talk about compensation and stuff like that at another time, right? It's not now. >> Correct. >> And by then we'll figure out how what
we're going to do, what we're not going to do. Is that what we're doing? Correct. >> Okay, that's fine. Let it go. >> Thank you, counselor. If there are no other questions, I'll invite our council president to come back and close the meeting. All right, we now move on to
announcements. Any announcements? Seeing no announcements, meeting adjourned.