Pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Mr. Clerk, will you call the role,
please? Councelor Tenari Garcia, present. Councelor Jimenez Rivera, present. Council Cupo. Council Taylor here. Council Robinson. Council Tesh here. Council Kelly Garcia present. Councilor Santigette present.
Council Vega present. Councelor Brown here. And councelor Deus is absent. 10 members present. You have a quorum, Mr. Vice President. Thank you. First up is uh memorials and celebratory
resolutions. Mr. Clerk, the sole resolution on the agenda comes from the council president and all members for National Hispanic Heritage Month. Whereas National Hispanic Heritage Month, first commemorated as Hispanic Heritage Week in 1968 under President Johnson before expanding to a
full month in 1988 under President Reagan, is celebrated annually from September 15th to October 15th. And whereas the time frame of the month is significant as several countries including Bise, Chile, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico,
and Nicaragua celebrate their respective independence days during that period. And whereas the Census Bureau estimates the Hispanic population living in the United States have more than 65 million people, making up 19.5% of the population and comprising the second largest racial or ethnic minority group
in the United States. And whereas according to the 2020 census, approximately 65% of the population of the city of Chelsea is comprised of individuals of Hispanic ancestry. And whereas Hispanic Americans currently serve in all branches of the armed forces and have fought bravely in every
war in the history of the United States since the American Revolution. And whereas there are approximately 5 million Hispanicowned businesses in the United States, supporting millions of employees nationwide and contributing more than $800 billion in revenue to the economy of the United States. And
whereas Hispanic Americans are dedicated public servants holding posts at the highest levels of government, including the Senate, House, and Supreme Court. Now, therefore, it be it resolved that the Chelsea City Council hereby declares September 15th to October 15, 2025 Hispanic Heritage Month in the city of
Chelsea, recognizing the integral role of Hispanics in the economy, culture, and identity of the United States, and encouraging residents to celebrate the many contributions Hispanic Americans have made to influence and enrich our nation. What is the will of the council? Mr. Chair, I move to adopt under
unanimous uh consent under suspension if there are no objections. So ordered. You have the floor. Counselor. Thank you, Mr. Vice President. Uh again, this is um thank the absent of our president for bringing this resolution
to us. Um, every year around this time of month, 15 of September throughout the month of October 15, we celebrate a Spanishame month. Again, as the resolution stated, we celebrate the tradition, the holidays, the work, the
accomplishments that have been done throughout the many years of our existence, the work that they continue to do. And as we look here in the city of Chelsea, we see the great number of uh Hispanic Americans here in our community doing great um job here in our
community. So, it's a time of year that we reflect and we also give out resolutions and we also give out great awards certificate for those that has done remarkable things in our community. So proud of our heritages here. So proud
of our people to come together, embrace one another. and we do this throughout the years when these times come up. Thank you, Mr. Vice President. Any other speakers? Okay. Sorry. Sorry. Council Robinson,
if I could be recognized to read something into the record, you have the floor. That's the process that took place before this council in regards to the amendment. I want to make it clear to the record. The process for the adoption of the
zoning amendment was as followed. On November 18, 2024, the city administration submitted a zoning amendment to the city council in the public meeting which was duly noticed. The council for the first time reviewed
the zoning which affects all industrial districts in the city and would allow the use by special permit. No use was to be adopted automatically. On December 17th, the planning board at a duly notified public hearing review, discuss,
and took public comments as to the pro proposed zoning amendment. The planning board voted to recommend the zoning amendment. On January 6th, after a public hearing and receipt of the planning board recommendation, the city
council voted pass the zoning amendment. There was no opposition to the zoning amendment filed or stated during any council meeting. So I'd like that to be entered into the record. Without objection.
I object. Okay. Moving along. Next we have public speaking. Mr. Vice President. Public speaking. Uh we're we're going to uh have each speaker speak for two
minutes. Uh unless there's any objection. I object. Okay. There will be then the regular four minutes going on to public speaking is open.
Can we can we ask for a roll call in regards to the two minutes? No. Okay. Four four minutes per person. So if anybody would like to have public speaking, it's there. Just give your name and address.
Good evening and thank you. Bardovaxis 325 common dance way. Chelsea Palante onward is present as a communitydriven initiative to enhance the quality of life in our city. It is marketed as a comprehensive
collaborative planning process. But I ask you tonight, Chelsea onward or Chelsea illusion because for many residents it feels less like progress and more like a false perception. the promise of a better life. While in
the background, decisions are being made to invite industries that will disturb our peace for the next 30 years in places they don't belong. I once hoped that Chelsea was finally up and coming. Every city around us has made incredible
progress in the past two decades. Look at the skylines of our neighbors, Everett, Rivier, Somerville, Boston. You see the cranes, you see the growth, new housing, newcomers, better lives or residents. But those cranes do not come to Chelsea. Here we do industry. Here we complain that we don't have enough
housing while we continue to give away our future to industrial interests. Chelsea is unique. We are a small city of just two square miles of land, the smallest in Massachusetts. And yet we hold the record for the highest percentage of land dedicated to industry
in the entire United States. 32% of Chelsea's land is zoned for industrial and related uses. This is one-third of our entire city. Compare this. Everett 22, Rever 17%, Molden 8, Somerville 7, Boston 5, Medford, Cambridge 3, Chelsea
leads the nation for the wrong reasons. And now 32% is not enough. The city is considering giving industry access to commercial zones. What is next? Special permits for industry in our residential neighborhoods. This is not the vision of a city that wants to thrive. We sit in
one of the most unique and desirable locations in Massachusetts. We're right next to MGH over there, the shopping plaza, the commuter rail, the silver line, just 10 minutes from heart of Boston. And yet you treat as if we were not worthy of growth and prosperity. Let me ask you, back in 2009
when the Axis project was approved, who was the chair of the planning board? Who was the chair of the zoning board? How could it be possible that a residential building was approved just 260 ft away from an industrial facility with a truck parking lot directly beneath it? And
then promises were made in a letter from the city manager. Residents were told truck would only use beach and William Street, not at Middles Hill. And you said yes, please. But when trucks are planned to drive through Common Dance Way right up on the hill near residence, nothing was said. And now Justin drive
has been added to the route of alternative during the night. Again, silence from you, but not silence from the trucks. What about the lives being directly harmed by your decisions? The trucks to be used produce between 70 and 85 dibels of noise at 45 ft. That means
residents will live above permitted noise levels every single day and night. Pardon me. Think of the children who live in those homes. Newborns need 14 hours of sleep. Infants 12 hours. Toddlers 11. Preschoolers 10 hours.
School age children 9 hours. The hours of operation of this facility will make it impossible for kids to have constant healthy rest. And what happens when a child cannot sleep? Their growth, their health, their development, their ability to learn, all are compromised. So I ask you, 30 seconds.
Is this the Chelsea you want to leave behind for the next generation? A city where industries thrive but families suffer. Where the record we hold is for industrial zoning, not for quality of life, where trucks get more consideration than children. Chelsea
deserves better. Our people deserve better. Let's us let us make Chelsea truly move Palante onward, but onward toward housing, toward prosperity, toward a city built for families and not just for industries. Thank you.
Thank you. name and address. Hi, I'm Jane Emerson. I'm from uh 50 boats way, unit 208. I just, you know, fortunately tonight I happened to read um the Chelsea website's July 22nd um
actually 21st city manager's latest monthly messages focus on the master plan process for Chelsea. the first comprehensive plan since 1970 in more than 50 years since before the great fire of 1973. And on that one, I'll
point out that Admiral's Hill right now is the only residential community up there because the fire of 1973 wiped out the entire neighborhood. So now it's a produce center and etc. So now we have a an enclave of 3,000 committed people in Admiral's Hill. 3,000 people in Admirals
Hill right now represent 7.5% of Chelsea's population. We are in a very condensed part of the city. Uh so going on with the uh the actual article um so since the before this part of the fire of 1973. That's right. This is uh
Fidel's name Fidel. He goes, "That's right. It has been more than 50 years since the city developed a master plan to guide Chelsea's growth, development, and overall future. Chelsea onward will be a physical document. I'm sorry I'm intense. We recognize the city needs to
hear our residents, businesses, and other stakeholders about what is needed to keep Chelsea thriving and moving forward. That is why we are collecting community input to develop this plan. We understand the city needs to hear from our residents, businesses, and other stakeholders is needed to keep Chelsea
thriving and moving forward. Now, I have been part of this stopw uh fish plant thing since for the past five meetings back in April and we've been here every time. So, moving on with the same article that Fidel was quoted in and this is Fidel's words. That's why we are
collecting we are collecting community inputs to the plan. The plan will serve as a guide for how we make major decisions around key areas including housing economic development and it's here we go and it's already working since March. Our planning to team led by
local firm Utile has been talking and engaging with many of you more than 1,200 residents to be exact through surveys, events, community conversations. We people on Admiral's Hill have so far submitted 967
signatures on petitions. Back in April it was 200. Right now we're up to over 700. So we have already done that. So we've got a big voice. And you're talking about we've been doing so well. We had 1,200 residents. Well, we have 967. My calculations on how many people have
been to the meeting so far that I have participated in. And that this not does not include tonight's meeting nor tomorrow night's meeting. It's like up to 350 people. So, you got 967 on a petition, 350 residents coming in here
to give you your opinions. And Fidel is talking about how he wants input from the community to set the next master plan. Well, we have more people than they've created since March. And and I'm been critical on that. Just being real. All of this is data. I can back it up. Every one of these things, but you've
hired a company called Utah to help you bring in all those people to give you their opinions. And right now, you have residents from Admirals Hill that have stepped forward to say this is not right. Admiral's Hill is a community of 3,000 people in a very small enclave.
and um and that once again that's 7.5% of the Chelsea population. If I were to put in that perspective, so we would talk to we want to talk about closely a densely uh populated residential area. I'm just going to give you some of them. Uh Chelsea really has about 24 I'm going
to say it's 20 30 seconds. Oh, thank you whoever that was. 36 condo associations. Oh, did you do that? You rock. Thank you. um condominium associations on it. So now let's just get this is just a few of
them from my notes tonight after I read the article. Okay, Axis Apartments. It's 160 units. It's literally 260 feet away from the door that walks into Wolf's Fish. Then you have the Jewish This is a good This is This I found this amazing. And by the way, I found this out when I
went down to Rivers N Park there. They have great historical tabloids there. And Chelsea Jewish Life Care F is was founded in 1919 on the hill. Time. I only found that out when I was down at that little park there, which is no signage coming out of a Melly Park to to to um
Time's up. Oh, sorry. Well, how many times I have? Four minutes. Oh, well, yeah, I think I made my points. I really do think that Fidel should have our voices into the Chelsea master plan because we made great
efforts through so many people. And once again, I'll give the number 967 on petitions and over 300 coming to meetings so far. Thank you. Name and address, please. Honorable city manager, honorable city
council members, neighbors, friends, good evening. My name is Marza. I live in the Axis building at 325 commandance way. Thank you. I also proudly serve for on the human rights commission. For months, my neighbors and I have been
speaking up. We've shared our concerns, our fears, our hopes, and what has been our answer. Ignored, brushed off, talked down to. That's not democracy. That's not the Chelsea I know, the
Chelsea I love. and the Chel Chelsea we deserve. Chelsea is called an environmental justice community and we all know very well why. Because of many bad decisions made in the past. Decisions that put too much of the
burden on us. And here we are making the same mistakes as if history means nothing. Look around. Other cities and towns keep industry restricted to less than five 5% of their land. Chelsea, we're staggering
at 32, 33% and still growing. We carry six, seven times what others do for what? More industry, sure, but never more housing. Never relief for struggling families. We talk endlessly about affordable
housing, but how does it even work if no new housing is built? Instead, we bring industries from somewhere else along with their existing jobs. Dump it here. That's not new opportunity. That's not
progress. And Chelsea Palante, a big plan, nice website, nice slogan. But what good is a plan that doesn't listen if decisions are made behind closed doors before people speak? That's a performance, not a plan. And we deserve
so much better than a show. For me, this is not theoretical. It's very, very personal. 100 Justin Drive is under my windows. This is not a far away problem. It's in my backyard. It's in our backyard.
Tonight, I don't just speak for myself. I speak for my neighbors, for families, for workers, for kids who deserve a future that's real instead of a nice show. We're not asking for special treatment. We're asking for respect.
We're asking for a voice. We're asking for real decisions that lift the city up instead of pushing people aside. Chelsea has carried this burden long enough. It's time to build a future
that's fair. A future that works for all of us who call this city home and love it so much. We're not here to repeat history. We're building something better together. Thank you.
Thank you. My name is Suzanne Perry and I live at 160 Common Dance Way in Chelsea. Thank you. I'd like to talk about two things tonight. First of all, I am in support of council's amendment to reszone that
will be presented tonight at this city council meeting. His amendment stating that a buffer of 30 300 feet be established between any fish processing facility and a neighborhood strikes at one of our strongest objections to the
location of Boston provisions at 100 Justin Drive, our dense population. We thank Councelor Tesh for listening to review and you've heard so much of this so many times.
Boston Provisions will conduct business 247 by their own admission with at least 44 trucks coming into and leaving the facility regularly with all the fumes and noise that that entails.
There are 19 bays planned facing Access Apartments to fill and empty these trucks. The parking lot is 48 ft from Access Apartments, which has 150 units of housing. Trucks will pass within 12 ft under the
windows of Access Apartments to get access to the street. Trucks will exit onto Common Dance Way, which has never been used previously for regular truck traffic, and where regular truck traffic is currently banned.
This alone is a huge disruption to a densely populated community and very dangerous for the many residents of Leonard Florence Living Center who navigate this street by wheelchair. It's a recipe for disaster.
Secondly, and very importantly, Massachusetts law does not permit local zoning changes without notice to a butters and other interested parties. State law, specifically Massachusetts
General Law, C 40A, section 5 and section 11, require several forms of public notification, not only in the newspaper and at city hall, which has been Chelsea's custom,
but also by mailing notices to a Butters and those directly across the street from the proposed zoning change. We have checked with a Butters and the Center for Living Across the Street. They have received no such mailer mailing prior to
this decision. From the very beginning, this process has been flawed and the concerns of the neighbors have been ignored. Therefore, we look to you to do the
right thing to examine the process as well as the decision and to reverse this decision based on a faulty process. Thank you. Thank you. Good evening everyone. Roya Visionetta
325 Comedant's Way. I live adjacent to the proposed site of this fish plant and I think that this proposal as it stands is a mistake and I hope that you will support the 300 uh foot buffer zone as proposed tonight.
Um, oftentimes proposals by the city managers when actually put through public scrutiny don't actually come out and way for public benefit and it's up to the city council to rectify and put
the city back on its path. Tom Eberino once thought it was a great idea to make Broadway a two-way and he tried to convince everybody until it died out and realized there was no support for it. Tom Amberino put in
front of community me mitigation plan in front of this council with Masdot saying it was okay to close Fort Street ramp but councilors didn't agree and thought that for public safety and for traffic congestion it was better to fight Masot's decision work with state
delegation get them to reinvest in that ramp and also to add snow fence and a sound fence J Ash once thought it was a great idea to put a cold burning power plant on the Chelsea Creek. But there were a couple of councils who said
absolutely not. Despite all the promises of economic benefits, it didn't outweigh the health concerns of this community. He also one time worked with TND to convince the traffic uh commission and
the city council to give up a portion of Spencer Rav and a parking lot so they can build a bigger residential project on Spencer Rav. Only after they filed for a special permit and residents got
the notices and the butters were finding out what was really going on did all hell break loose and that proposal had to be rescended. The city had to take back the street, take back the parking lot and a smaller project was approved.
Sometimes the ideas coming from down the hallway always aren't the right ones. This is a choice for you to correct this. The buffer zone makes a perfect compromise. It doesn't wait, you know, diminish the concerns of those who are
talking about traffic, noise, and smells, etc. It's no good policy. It's never good policy to follow when you have to tell people it's not going to be that bad. I repeat, no good public policy comes
from telling people about the concerns. Don't worry, it's not going to be that bad. That's bad policy. I hope you will consider your support and you'll consider the 300T buffer zone. Thank you. Hello,
my name is Eddie Gaffne. I live at 100 Comedon Sway. Thank you all for taking the time to for me to speak tonight. I'd like to personally thank Kelly, Melinda, Tin, Tarini, and especially Manuel for the order before you tonight. They all took time out of their busy schedules to
actually meet with our group and listen to us and come up with this resolution. We can't thank you enough for your help. I'm I'm slightly disappointed in our district counselor who hasn't been to any of our meetings or or gotten
involved with us at all. Um I'm also slightly disappointed in Green Roots in Lac Club. Um especially uh in January or February when Glattis was here from Lacabertiva. She voiced her opinion against this project and both of those organizations have been silent ever
since. We all assumed we all assumed we'd be getting the same level of help and community involvement that is going on in the project of the old Puyo Comparero project on Pearl Street. Unfortunately, we have had zero help and our voices have have been even silenced. But as you
can see, you made our voices louder and even gave us more time to find more evidence. I'd like to go over some facts in this in this project uh and highlight some of the arbitrary and capriccious misuse of Chelsea's zoning ordinances and the and
the special permit regulations. Fact. This historic zoning change in the industrial district happened in December 17th, 2024 and was done for this site for this company. Fact. The 58-year-old building is a divided lot and must
comply with both zoning districts. Fact, seafood, meat, or any food processing is not allowed in the Naval Hospital commercial district, even with a special permit. To me, this is a non-starter, but yet here we are trying to force it in.
written on the special permit application in all caps. And the first rule states, "No special permit may authorize a use or activity otherwise permitted in the district in which the land, I repeat, the land or structure is
located. Fact on April 1st, 2025, Chelsea building detector building department agrees with us, denied this application, stating, "Your proposed use may not be lawfully established due to a divided lot. Fact, the addition of 21
truck loading docks on the second floor are 270 ft away from the Axis residential be building. This noise will be amplified and projected towards Access, the assisted living buildings in Mariel Mali Park. Fact, when they ramp up the four shifts,
there will be at least 216 daily truck trips. Guess what that equals, everybody? One truck every 9 minutes. Justin Drive is a utility easement. Therefore, all trucks will be entering on Comedanton's way and truck traffic on
that road is not allowed. Fact, this project does not encourage the most use. Sorry. This product does not, I quote, encourage the most appropriate use of land throughout the city. Chapter 34, Chelsea zoning. Fact, there are currently two brand new warehouses in
one empty lot that is zoned for seafood and meat processing and logistically better than this location. Heck, you can move the whole Boston fish pier down there right now. How's that for economic development? Why wait 18 to 24 months to build out 50% of the second floor at
this place? Fact. BP's 15 million in grant improvements will equal about seven years of rent at one of these facilities. Fact: Westbrook Partners purchased the site in 2020, appeared to have done nothing since then. So, the best thing to do is unlawfully zoning
change for 50% of the second floor that is used to on the Naval Hospital District. Fact, the property zone building and land there are properly zoned buildings and land ready now for this industry. Why should those land owners who invested in their property and built these
warehouses not be helped to filter? Time. Time's up. I would just like to finish. Um, please accept the offer ZBA so we could all um Sorry. Uh, thank you. Um, thank you for your
time. Thank you. Nicholas Gregory 65 Breakwater Drive. Uh before I begin, I want to state for the record that I had submitted an ADA uh reasonable accommodation request prior to this hearing to council president to Jesus requesting six minutes to speak and I would request that the board or that the council allow that.
Move to allow it. What's that? That's out of order. Uh we we did not receive any such request. I sent it to council president de Jesus well in advance of the meeting. Yeah. I've also been granted this at
several meetings before. So there's established president. Char Watson Fischer has granted some of my accommodation requests. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. We we've already we've already said that there's going to be four
minutes. Uh, nothing was received. So, you know, I'm sorry. I respectfully disagree. I submitted it well in advance. Mr. Chair, you have the floor. Um,
if this is something that has been done in the past, I in previous meetings, I I I don't know if can we I guess ask the city solicitor if this is adequate and appropriate. If it is, I don't see a problem with doing so given
the um requests that have been granted in the past. Through the chair, I'll I'll allow the city solicitor council. Given the city solicitors, I would move to give him the six minutes if there are no objections.
Any objections? You have your six minutes. Thank you, councel. My comments are based on my own review of public record, including meeting minutes, legal notices, and responses to public record requests. Based on that review, it is my opinion that the city
did not meet the statutory notice requirements. Under MGL chapter 48 section 5, before adopting a zoning amendment, both the planning board and the city council must publish notice in a newspaper of general circulation once in each of two
successive weeks. Post notice in city hall for not less than 14 days before the hearing. Mail notice at least two weeks in advance to the department of housing and community development, the regional planning agency, and the planning boards of abuing municipalities.
That is the standard. The city did post the required notices in Chelsea record for both hearings in a compliant fashion. However, two separate public record requests and a detailed review of other publicly available records, including multiple deep internet
searches produced no evidence that the other notice requirements were met. The first record request was directed at the city of Chelsea covering January 1st, 2024 through July 22nd, 2025. The second was directed at Boston Everett and Rivier covering October 1st,
2024 through July 15, 202025. From those records and review of the results, no official copy of the city council's posted notice and no proof of mailed notice to state, regional or a to state or regional agencies or abuing
municipalities. No proof of mailing for the planning board here planning board hearing notice. The planning board notice was provided without a clerk's stamp, so the posting date cannot be verified. There is no evidence the city posted either council notice or the
planning board notice in city hall. Boston planning department stated they did not recall receiving any notification from Chelsea, though they routinely receive them from other municipalities. Everett and River could not confirm and
referred me back to Chelsea. On November 13th, 2024, the city manager wrote a letter to council recommending the amendment. He described a meat and seafood processor in the seapport in Cambridge. He did not identify Boston Provisions or the site at 100 Justin
Drive. On December 17th, 2024, the planning board held its hearing. At the hearing, Boston Provisions gave a 20-minute presentation despite not being listed on the agenda. Their company name and site location does not appear in the official minute minutes despite repeated
statements of both. They were introduced by planning board director John Der priest and accompanied by their attorney. After their presentation, one member moved to recommend approval before counselor Leo Robinson could even reach the mic to speak in support of the
initiative. Another motion was made before the only other resident could reach the mic. A board member even had to remind their colleagues that this was a public hearing. That resident raised both environmental and notice concerns, but minutes only
respect only reflect her environmental points. On January 6, 2025, this council convened its hearing. The hearing itself lasted less than 30 seconds. The order was read, a motion made, and the roll call was taken. No petitioner present, no public comment. At the same meeting,
councelor Todd Taylor voted to approve the amendment. Just weeks earlier, Regina Taylor, his spouse and vice chair of the planning board, had voted to recommend it. State conflict of interest law prohibits actions that create even the appearance of bias. When a married couple casts overlapping
votes on the same zoning matter in different bodies, the appearance of conflict is unavoidable. At least one should have recused. On May 1st, 2025, Mr. Maltz wrote two separate pieces in support of Boston Provisions affiliates
receiving state grants. He wrote that Boston Provisions will be leasing 75,000 square feet. He wrote that they will be relocating 25 existing jobs. These letters written two weeks before
the special permit was even filed shows Mr. Maltz treating the relocation as a certainty and lobbying for state funding. To recap, counselors, here is what did not happen. Todd and Regina Taylor did not recuse themselves despite overlapping votes. The city did not
disclose the applicant or site in the November 13th letter the planning board agenda or the minutes. Even though Boston provisions identified themselves at the hearing, the city did not preserve the full record of the planning board testimony. The residents concerns about notice were omitted. The city did
not provide proof of mailing for either hearing notice despite explicit public records requests. The city did not provide a dated or stamped planning board notice, so posting cannot be verified. The city did not produce the council's January 6th posted notice. And
while omissions marked the early record, by May the city manager was making definitive statements that Boston Provisions will be leasing and will be relocating jobs while actively supporting them for grants before they even applied for the required special permit.
The law required full notice, impartial hearings, and recusal where impartiality could be questioned. The city did not meet those safeguards. for transparency, fairness, and due process. I urge this council to revisit the January 6th amendment and ensure residents are offered the rights
guaranteed under Massachusetts law. Thank you for listening to my opinion regarding zoning amendment ZA24-04 and the city's failure to meet these statutory notice requirements. [Applause] Thank you. My name is Clarice Vega. I am
the president of LA Collaborative, a long-term resident of Chelsea and I also lived in Amir Hill for at least 15 years of my life. Um, and I tell you that anywhere in the city address uh 116 Clark Avenue in the city of Chelsea. Thank you.
Um, and regardless of this is not about an affluent residents of our community saying that they don't want that in their backyard. I don't want a fish company either in Malberic Street, Shamu Street, nowhere in the city of Chelsea. We have had we have gotten our share of
companies like that. It is time for us to make sure that the companies that we get are companies that meet the standards of the residents now and before. I also want to um correct sir I was here on if I'm not mistaken April 10 or March 10 and I help Carol res collect
signatures. I assigned a team of staff members to collect signature. Also, Roy, when you make reference to the city council in terms of the um power plant, the as the power plant, it was a group of residents that fought not to have it in their backyard and together with the city council, we won the battle. I don't
know why we are constantly in front of the city council or in zoning and planning board if the majority of the residents are saying no. Why have we not listen to the biggest pride that we always have in Chelsea is that we listen to the residents who are the majority. And when we say we don't want it in our
backyard, we don't want it in our backyard for all the reasons that you have stipulated. So please, I urge you, everyone in the city council, remember who got you elected. Remember how important that this is. And remember
also that at times they this is this could be like do department of revenue when it came to Chelsea offered 900 jobs to the city of Chelsea. It was a transfer building. It was basically Andover um employees came to Chelsea
never invested or spend money on the Broadway business as we were told. That's why we support it. And now and right now I I wouldn't be surprised if the 200 jobs 150 jobs that this is supposed to be happening probably 30 jobs of people cleaning from you know
from the neighborhood or cleaning the premises and and it's probably a transfer station. I beg you not to support this. I beg you to change the regulations and I beg that in the future whoever gets elected to the city council we must take powers away from the
planning board and zoning board. I urge the city council to have more cohon. Please have a little bit more strength um in order for you to make the right decisions for the people because after all of you represent the residents and the voters of the city of Chelsea. Gracia
[Applause] Any other speakers? Okay, we're going to close that part of the Okay, sorry. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. uh through you Judith Garcia for the record 27
Breakwater Drive in Chelsea. So I am here actually for two public announcements. Uh one announcement, one statement. The first announcement that is very important that I will do through the chair for the council members on as you know uh I represent aside from being
a resident of Admiral's Hill I am also a the state representative for Chelsea and Everett. So what is designated to me is state law and state matters. We are in a critical juncture right now and as many may many of you may know the members
here members in the audience there is a proposed soccer stadium taking place in Everett and for us there are two members that represent you. You have one state representative myself and the state senator Saul de Dominico. So we want to
make sure that in this critical juncture we have public participation of the community members of the city of Chelsea to have a say on what will happen if this proposed project goes through. It's a critical juncture right now. We
anticipate additional infrastructure improvements taking place, transit options taking place, the potential silverline extension and the potential extension of a commuter rail station. So on Tuesday, October 7 at 6:00 pm, we
have partnered with our city manager to host a community meeting at the senior center. Again, it's Tuesday, October 7th. The city council is invited. I also want to acknowledge city councelor at large Leo Robinson for making a request
of this meeting and understanding the importance of including the community. So I am here for that public announcement. police Tuesday, October 7th at the senior center. The second reason why I am here as well is because I want to commend the residents and my
neighbors from Admiral's Hill. I have received 58 letters mailed to my office at this state house expressing the concern of the decision of the city council on this zoning matter. I want to
make it clear. I've responded to some of these letters. I've responded to some of the emails. I've met some of you in my office as well. I hear you. This is a city council matter. It was a decision that was made by the city
council. And as much as I wish I could take a stance, I did check in with our ethics commission and I reside in Admirals Hill. I am married to a business owner that is actually within 300 feet of the proposed project and for
this reason I cannot make a public stance on the matter. What I do want you to know is that I did serve in this council for eight years and during that time I can relate to a lot from what Roya Vanetta mentioned this evening.
There were moments where we did not agree with the city manager and we debated, we did our homework and we did what was best for the city residents. So even though this is beyond me, I cannot make a decision as a state legislator.
My rule and my role as a representative is to maintain the law, improve the state law, and not violate the state law. So I cannot make a stance because I would be in violation of state law. That being said, this is up to all of you,
city council, to decide. You made your decision, and now it's your opportunity to remedy, improve, or do whatever it has to happen to make the decision. That's right. You have an electorate. They're here. They voted for you. So,
it's up to you. Thank you very much. Any other speakers? Okay, we're going to close this portion of the meeting, Mr. President. Uh, can we get to the through the uh approval of the minutes first?
Thanks. First item under minutes, we have approval of the minutes of the special meeting of the city council dated June 23rd, 2025. Move to accept and file the minutes. Are there no objections? Without objection. Can I can I just actually make a motion
to approve all three minutes together? Yeah. Move to combine all three minutes and approve the minutes from June 23rd special meeting, regular meeting, and the August 25th special meeting. All right. Clerk. Cler. There are no objections.
In addition, you have this the minutes of the regular meeting of the city council dated June 23rd, 2025 and the minutes of the special meeting of the city council dated August 25th, 2025. Motion to accept and file without objection.
Okay, so ordered. Next up, communications from Mr. Chair. Councelor Dash, I make a motion to move the zoning amendment introduced by me out of order. Um, we've seen the u residents come and speak. I think uh it would be good for
the council to grant them um information and potentially a decision on the So, so I want to get through the communications before we get to the orders. So, if you'd like to make that motion after the communications, I'll I'll entertain that motion.
We'll do. Thank you. First, we have communications from the city manager. Our first communication regarding an appointment to Chel City of Chelsea ADA coordinator. Dear councilors, Prince section 4-2 of the charter of the city of Chelsea. I am writing to recommend that Bernaby
Rodriguez, our director of constituent services, be appointed as the city of Chelsea section 504 ADA coordinator. Our director of constituent services will serve the city well in this role and is close to 10 years of municipal experience working directly with residents. The term expires chair move to wave the rest of the
reading accept and file under communication if there are no objections. Hasn't be voted on or first reading. It's an appointment. So first reading or roll call vote. Oh does it go to second reading? Yeah. So move to second reading.
Okay. Without objection. Next communication received from the city manager regarding approval of donations to all American city trip 2025. Dear councilors, pursuant to se mass general law chapter 44 section 53A1-2. I am writing to request the city council
formally approve the following miscellaneous donations to the all-America city trip in June of 2025. The city of Chelsea competed and won the prestigious recognition for the third time. The National Civic League encourages participating communities to pursue donations as a way of creating
city-wide support for the competition. The city approached various businesses and nonprofit organizations and many responded with tremendous generosity. If the city should apply for the competition in the coming years, we will seek donations and support as well. This letter was initially submitted to the
city council in July and is now being formally resubmitted for acceptance at their next available meeting. The council order is attached for this request and thank you for your ongoing support. accept and follow communication on a suspension. There'll be some coming up on the new business, I believe.
Without objection. Next communication received from the city manager regarding the fire chief's report on engine 4 operation. Dear councilors, I am ready to share a comprehensive report from our fire chief on engine 4's operation. 2024 was a very tough year for the Chelsea Fire
Department. Our community had 14 fires, including several large fires. There were multiple alarms and required significant response. 2024 also showed the commitment, passion, and grit of our fire department. We honored many of our members for their heroics and life-saving work. In response to the
large number of fires, the fire chief introduced Engine 4 into normal rotation. Having a fourth engine gives the fire department the ability to respond to several incidents and attack fires from multiple angles. Engine 4 has had an immediate impact on our operations by improving our ability to
distribute workload, work towards reducing response time, and provide more consistent coverage across the city. By implementing this additional engine, it puts us in a better position to meet the expected increase in call volume as the city continues to grow and develop. The report attached has substantial data explaining.
Mr. Chairman, I move to wave the rest of the reading and accept and file the communications if there are no objections. Seeing none, so ordered. Can I just make a comment real quick? Yeah. Yes. Uh, I just want to thank the city manager uh for working with the
with the fire department to to build this. I know I know that it's been um a need for many many years. I know uh councelor uh uh Paul counselor here I know has been uh speaking about this for for a long time. So, I'm just excited that that it's finally happened and exciting to see that we're expanding our
ability to respond to fires across our city, especially given the year that we had in 2024. Thank you, Councelor Sanate. Yes, I just wanted to say that um the data was remarkable. The time the response times were cut in half with the
addition. So, that was really encouraging and um I was happy to see that having been in a house fire myself. So, um I think we're moving in the right direction and the pilot was very telling. Anyone else? I'd also like to thank
Please turn on your mic please. Thank you. Proactive approach and also um which is mentioned in the um the reading here that we'll be getting other additional firemen, permanent firemen's um obviously we need that um and also the
work that's going on at the fire department and we just really want to thank those men and women for their sacrifice and the work they do um in time of needs to put out the fires in the city of Chelsea. Thank you, councelor De Jesus. Welcome. Thank you, counselor, and thank you for
making sure our meeting started on time. My apologies to the audience. I will be back in the ER to make sure my arm is back and working by the end of the week. Um, but I would just like to also echo the words of my fellow counselors. I think that our fire department has done has done an amazing job and I am really
proud to call them our our fire department, our firefighters here in Chelsea. I think now it's our job to make sure that we are also doing our due diligence within the other departments that also contribute to the fires in our community such as inspectional service
department such as making sure that our homeowners have the resources, our small homeowners have the resources they need to make sure that our apartments are up to code and safe for our community. I know that our city manager and our city solicitor as well as our um ISD director are working on that, but I applaud the
work that has been done and I look forward to continuing to see our departments work together. Thank you, Councelor Recupo. Thank you to the city manager and I'm I'm glad that this is going on. For years, I've been advocating to have a
new fire station. And maybe with this time, we'll have a new fire station in our city that will protect the people better. And I'm happy that they did this study and they found out that we do need another fire station and we're going to have one. So, thank you to the city
manager and job well done to the fire department. Okay, next communication. Next, communication from the city manager providing an update on COVID 19 FEMA reimbursement. Dear counselors, I'm writing to share a letter from our deputy city manager of finance regarding
reimbursement requests from FEMA for our CO 19 response. Earlier this year, the city received notification that several expenses submitted for reimbursement were denied. These expenses were related to the city's food distribution efforts in 2021, 2020, and 2022. The city of
Chelsea and the state of Massachusetts have submitted an appeal to FEMA for these expenses. The letter attached provides a summary of FEMA's denial and the city's first level appeal. The revised net deficit after accounting for costs already covered by other sources and available funding sources and
remaining appropriation needs. This matter will require city council action in the event the appeal is unsuccessful. We inform the city council as soon as FEMA issues its determination on the appeal. move to accept and file the communications if there are no objections.
Seeing none, I'd like to speak on it real quick if I can. Councelor Jimenez, I just want to clarify just for, you know, the folks um watching, you know, what this is. This is during the COVID pandemic, we put a lot of resources into making sure that people were fed and now
our federal government is saying that they're not going to reimburse us for these things that were incredibly important to sustaining our community. It is just absolutely shameful that that this is happening and and I want to thank the city uh manager and and the city officials for doing everything that they can to make sure that we get
reimbursed for for these um because that is one of the things what that our federal government is there for to make sure that when emergency strikes uh we are supported and the fact that they are choosing not to is shameful. Thank you. Good. Next communication received providing an update on garden cemetery
renovation. Dear counselors, I'm writing to share an update on our renovations to the garden cemetery. The city has completed a master plan and three phases of the garden cemetery renovation program to date with phase four to be completed during the fall of 2025. To date, the city has spent over $3 million
renovating this historic treasure and very important open space. Our goal is to open the cemetery to our residents in 2026. You will find a presentation with progress pictures. A huge shout out goes to our housing and community development staff who have managed this incredible project. accept and file the
communication. I'd like to speak on it. Wave the rest of the reading without objection. Um, me and Councelor Lopez were instrumental in getting this cemetery fixed. When me and him, former councelor
Lopez, when me and him first seen it, the cemetery was unshambled. Then we started fixing it. And now it's beginning to look good all over again. And by the time it's finished, the people of Chelsea will be proud to have at least a decent cemetery compared to
what it used to be. It is the city has spent a lot of money and I commend the city manager and everybody else involved for fixing it because I believe it needed to be fixed cuz the walls were falling down and everything was there.
So, thank the city manager and thank everybody that was involved in fixing it and I can't wait for the rest of it to be finished so the people that have loved ones buried there can go in there and pay their respect to their loved ones. Thank you, Councelor Sanne.
Yeah, I grew up um near Garden Cemetery and that was my route to school and for over 50 years I've been looking inside thinking this is so horrible. the graves are uh the gravestones are knocked down and we actually used to sled inside the
cemetery. So the fact that it has uh received such a u beautiful restoration, we were in the garden cemetery for services in the morning for memorial day and then we came from the cemetery to
city hall for the rest of the event. And it was beautiful inside and there's still work to be done. The graves are still stones are still down but uh the retaining wall is beautiful. The gate is beautiful. There's been landscaping inside and um it really is going to be
uh the showpiece that it was. So, I'm really excited and I promise not to sled in it again. Next communication. Next communication received from the city manager requesting a meeting of subcommittee for the Chelsea DPW city. Dear councilors, we are almost complete
with our design of muchneeded renovations to our DPW cityard. Over the last 5 years, the city council has approved funding for critical work to our cityard, including a new roof, new overhead doors, and replacing the metal siding on the building. The inside of the building has not been renovated
since it was built in the 1970s. Attached, you will find a presentation from our DPW commissioner outlining the project. We put a hold on the attic renovation in city hall last fall. It is our intent to request that the city council appropriate a portion of the unspent funds from the attic renovation
toward renovating our DPW city. We respectfully Mr. Chair move to wave the rest of the reading and accept and file under communication if there are no objections and uh and yes forwarded to schedule the subcommittee. Without objection.
Subcommittee on DBW. Is councelor Tish making a motion to send it to the DBW committee? Um unless someone objections and they want it on conference. I would second that motion if it is
properly made without objection. Communicate communication. The communication was referred to the subcommittee on public works. Moving on. Next communication received from the city manager regarding the launching of the annual capital improvement plan process. Dear council,
I am writing to announce the official launch of the city of Chelsea's FY27 through FY31 capital improvement plan process along with the development of our FY27 operating budget. Beginning these processes now allows us to align our capital planning with our operating budget development and ensure that both
are completed in a timely and coordinated manner. Our deputy city manager of finance, Michael Mason, will again lead this effort supported by the finance department staff and the city manager's office. This year's process will follow a detailed schedule that includes department submissions, project reviews, community engagement forums,
and city council presentations. The FY27 operating budget process will begin this fall with the final budget submission to the council by May 2nd of 2026 as required by the city charter. As part of this work, we will continue the practice of reviewing all past projects to assess their status and determine if unspent
funds can be redirected to priority needs. This step reflects your past requests and strengthens fiscal discipline and transparency. The attached calendar also reflects additional community meetings where the city administration will gather feedback directly from residents. M uh Mr. Chairman, can I move to wave
the rest of the reading if there are no objections and accept and file the communications under suspension if there's no objection. Next communication received from the city manager requesting council appropriate Commonwealth transportation infrastructure funds. Dear councilors, I
am writing to request that the city council appropriate $13,714.70 in available funds from the Commonwealth Transportation Infrastructure Fund to assist in our existing FY26 street and sidewalk program. If approved, the appropriated funds will supplement our
existing DPW road improvement line item and will be spent by the city before the close of FY26. These funds originate from appropriations from annual distribution to the city based upon rides originating in Chelsea from transportation network companies such as
Uber and Lyft. As part of the new regulator regulatory scheme, TNC's are required to pay the Commonwealth a 20 cent per ride assessment. One half of that assessment is distributed proportionately to each city and town in the Commonwealth based upon the number of rides that originate in that
municipality. For calendar year 2024, the city of Chelsea share of this assessment based upon TNC company rights originating in Chelsea was 103,714.70. Mr. Chairman, go ahead. Uh, I move to wave the rest of the
readings accept and file the communications. If there are no objections, uh, there's an order coming up in their new business. Okay, without objection. Next communication received from the city manager providing an update on Chelsea Palante, Chelsea Onward master planning effort. Dear counselors, I am
writing to provide an update on our comprehensive master planning effort. Chelsea Palante, Chelsea Onward. This summer, we have built a lot of momentum for the plan and had engagement opportunities with every corner of our city. We also presented the plan to our department heads and our city employees who will be key who have a key role in
implementing the plan. Attached to this communication, you will find a memo that provides significant details and gives an update on next steps. We will be happy to address any follow-up questions from the council. Thank you for your ongoing support. Move to accept and file our communications. If there are no objections,
I would just like to speak on it if that's okay. Councelor De Jesus. Um just want to congratulate uh the city manager and the team that he has put together. Um just want to highlight for the public that we have the highest uh
engagement in surveys in this region compared to other communities in this region. I think that is amazing. I think the efforts that were put into collecting this information is huge and I know that I'm a little biased because I work for this organization but La Collaborativa did an amazing job in
ensuring that not only we reach our goal but uh surpass our goal and ensure that folks in any event in the community or folks who are visiting the office for services uh or folks who are door knocking also understand that the city is taking on this plan and is looking
for everyone to engage and have input in this master planning. So, thank you and shout out to La Collaborative as well. Thanks. Final communication received from the city manager requesting council approval of reappointment to the planning board. Dear council, pursuant to section 4-2 of
the charter of the city of Chelsea, I am writing to recommend the following individual to a board or commission in the city for reappointment to the planning board, Mr. Eric Zerner of Chelsea for a new three-year term expiring October 4th, 2028. I respectfully request approval of this appointment. Mr. Chair, move to second reading. If
there are no objections, so we're move on to communications and petitions to the council. First communication received comes from council Kelly Garcia regarding the Chelsea School Committee's calendar for 2025 2026 school year.
Mr. Chair, councelor Garcia, I'd like to accept on file and if there are no objections, I'd like to briefly speak on it. You have the floor. Council members, the school year has officially started. Attached you will see the calendar along with the school
committee meetings and so stay tuned for more updates on a monthly basis. Thank you. Our final communication received comes from the assistant parking clerk regarding the agenda items approved at the September 2nd, 2025 meeting of the
traffic and parking commission. Accept and follow communication on the suspension of no objections. So ordered. We have no committee reports, unfinished business, or second readings. Move on to new business. First item under new business, we have an order introduced by
Council Taylor. Order that pursuant to Mass General Law Chapter 44 section 53A1-2, the Chelsea City Council accepts the following donations to the All-American City Trip taken June 2025. Move to the Committee on Ways and Means.
Okay, moving to Ways and Means. If there are no objections, so ordered. Next item under new business, we have an order introduced by Council Taylor. ordered that the Chelsea City Council authorizes the appropriation of 103,714.70
as a transfer from special revenue TNC sur charge distribution fund from funds distributed to Chelsea from the Commonwealth Transportation Infrastructure Fund in order to supplement fiscal year 2026 DPW streets and sidewalks capital road improvement line item to be used for the purpose of
sidewalk and roadway repair and improvement. Move to ways of means if there are no objections. So ordered. Next item. Under new business, we have an order introduced by council Aesh. 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 city of Chelsea seeks a balance between economic growth and creating job opportunities for its residents and the ability of residents to maintain the quiet enjoyment of their homes. And whereas this Chelsea City
Council believes this proposed amendment to the zoning ordinances of the city of Chelsea advances a legitimate aspect of public interest, promotes economic development and local jobs for local residents, protects the quiet enjoyment of residents in their homes, and balances the best interest of all in the
city of Chelsea. Now, therefore, be it ordered that the revised code of ordinances of the city of Chelsea as amended be further amended as follows. by amending section 34-78 special dimensional requirements of article 4 chapter 34 of the zoning ordinances of the city of Chelsea by adding a new
subsection to read as follows. New subsection will be P enclosed seafood processing seafood packing and seafood loading and seafood distribution shall not operate within 300 ft of a residential use located within city of Chelsea limits. And be it further
ordered that a petition be forwarded to the Chelsea Planning Board for a recommendation of the zoning amendment pursuant to Mass General Law Chapter 48. And be further ordered that a public hearing of the Chelsea City Council be scheduled on the proposed zoning amendment pursuant to Mass General Law Chapter 48.
Mr. Chairman, I move for a roll call vote on moving it to a public hearing and a recommendation to the planning board. If I can get a second on that motion. Second. Second. If I may speak on it as well. A point of order, Mr. Chair.
Yes. Um, does this need to go to planning for public hearing first and then to council or is there no first or second? It can be either. It gets referred to planning board first for their own public hearing and then comes back to council with a recommendation and you held your own public hearing.
So first it has like we can't Okay. So, so is the is the counselor's motion to to do that to send it to planning. Okay. Got it. If I may speak on the motion as well. You may. Can I ask for clarification?
Council Robinson. the original mo original original ordinate um recommendation that we passed in regards to the special permit. What effect if any is this going to have
in regards to the meetings presently at the plan at the zoning board? The city solicitor can provide her legal opinion as well. She provided one to all of you based on her interpretation and my interpretation. Any zoning amendment proposed by this council now will have
absolutely no impact on any pending special permit applications pending before the zoning board. Thank you. May I speak on my motion? Is there any anything else on the clarification?
Okay. Okay. Councelor Brown. So, it's been it's been a lot of confusion um throughout this process and I believe what we're doing right now is even confusing it even more. Um I
believe that the folks here have re does not understand the implication of what this order is asking. This this order is asking this order is actually asking for us to do something that has nothing to
do or cannot affect the for I I believe and we can get our legal opinion from our legal counsel that what's going on before us. So, if we act on this, change this order, it's my belief after reading
this here, respond, either we're going to be sued or we can't change anything that's already in motion before us. So, I don't want the folks to be misled by believing that if we change this to a 300 buffer, then the seafood or the
proposal would go away. So, I just want to be clear and open to that remarks. Thank you. I I believe that my motel Tesh Go ahead, Mr. Chairman. Um I believe that my statements on the motion will clarify the councelor's confusion as to what
this amendment achieves. If I may speak on it, you have the floor. So, uh, when I introduced this, um, amendment, um, we received a legal opinion saying that the order language was unconstitutional and
that it could not be done. Um, all of you received a copy of that opinion from the city solicitor. Um, I do have an email with me that after seeing that opinion, I checked in with her just to confirm the language that wasn't constitutional about the amendment that
I proposed. Um and the fact is the language was changed after she provided um that opinion be and and that is the order that you guys have before today. This is the exact language that was used when we granted this special permit. Um
there are no staggering differences between the language of the orders. Um and the city solicitor confirmed yes, you can proceed with this amendment to the zoning. Although you cannot pass it today, you can refer it to the planning board. And that is exactly what this
amendment is trying to achieve. Um, and I want to be clear to everybody that even if the council were to pass it today or if it's referred to the planning board today, it will not stop the CBA from holding their meeting tomorrow. And that's not the intent. The
intent is for us to amend a mistake that the council committed when it first passed the special permit. Because had the council had this showing when we first entertained the special permit, we would have likely never approved it
because it is the council's job to represent the voices of the people and the people have voiced their opinion. So this specifically closes the door after the ZBA makes a decision. If they vote no, this would never be entertained
again. But if we don't close the doors, they may try to apply again or another company may apply again. So, we have to close the doors on the mistake we committed. Um, and again, tomorrow's meeting will still be held and you can come and speak and voice your opinions.
Counselor, I just wanted to correct one thing that you said about the council didn't approve a special permit for the for the the zoning spoke. So, I for the record. Thank you. Thank you. Um,
if there's if there's no if there's no I'm sorry. Did you you Yeah, I want to say something. I I I wanted to actually uh just get a clarification from the city solicitor uh on this matter. If that special permit
[Music] action automat So I just want people to understand districts that allows Thank Thank you, city solicitor. So, so everybody, you know, I just wanted that in for the
record so that everybody understands exactly what the legal um aspects to this are. All right. Any other council recuper? So, to understand it correctly, no matter where we vote, yes or no, it doesn't
make a difference. That's what you're telling the public, right, Mr. Chair. So, so councelor recupo, it it obviously makes a difference, but what you're saying it what you're saying is is that
it will have no bearing on what is before the zoning board of appeals tomorrow night. Yes. Okay. Is that that's correct? Right. Yes. Okay. I also want to say something. I say all kinds of stuff, whatever it
is, but there's something that's been bothering me and I want to clear it up and I want to know the answer. Someone came up here and said this is what they said and I also want to say it in Spanish so the Spanish people can understand. They said, well, why don't
we put it on marginal street? The people over there are used to the bus the smell of Boston Heights. That was said here and then you could see it on TV. Somebody said it on TV. So what kind of person makes a statement
and say it's okay to put it down there, but you can't put it where we are. That been bothering me all this time. I represent good people, people that hardworking. So you can't make a statement and say we don't want it because we're better than you. We'll
stick it where you are. Well, that was said and tell me that it wasn't said. You can go to TV and pick it up. That was said. And that's the wrong thing, the wrong message to send to people in my district. They're hardworking Spanish
people. You don't say that to them. I live there. My children live there. So what is it? It's okayful to put it where I live, but it's not okay to put it where you live. I can sympathize with what you're saying. I have no issue with what you're saying. The whole issue I
have is that particular word that doesn't sit well with anybody. That bothers me. You I can understand your point. I can like I just said, I can sympathize with you, but you ain't no better than the people that live in
my district. None of you are better than anybody else in this city. I don't expect to be any better than you. We're all equal. That's the way the city's supposed to be. Everybody's equal. No one's better than no one else. When you make a statement like that, what you're
saying is that you are better. Stick it down there. Know where I am. That's not what you say. And that now I'm going to tell you in Spanish. for so if that wasn't true what would I say people have called me
and they told me that and they said to me why is that it's okay to stick where we are but it's not okay to stick where they're at and that is wrong any counselor here that represent Spanish people should be offended
just as much as I am so when you come up here and you think you are better than any of the people that live in this city it's the wrong message to send to somebody. That's all I have to say. And for that reason alone, I do not like that. Thank
you. No. Public speaking is over. No, I am sorry. Nope. Please, please sit down. No, this isn't the the public is not allowed to speak during this portion of the I am sorry, ma'am. I'm sorry.
That is the rules of this council. that is that and we are abiding by these rules. I'm sorry. Please, please desist. Please desist in interrupting the meeting. Councelor De Jesus.
So, I just want to echo a few of the comments that have been made. I do agree with some of my fellow counselors. Um, I think that a lot needs to be unpacked from the decisions that were made in this chamber. I wish that many of the
residents had been here when we had made the vote, when the meeting was posted, when there was a public speaking portion available for us to understand because I do worry of some of the facts that are being shared with regards to the
environmental hazards, with regards to some of the um concerns that have been raised. I attended the planning meeting. I did not hear much deliberation on the facts that were shared in that meeting. I wish that more had been asked. I wish
that more of that conversation would have continued. I agree that if we think that this company is not a good choice for one neighborhood, then we shouldn't throw it to another one.
I also I also feel like our comments each and every counselor who speaks this evening those comments will get to the members of tomorrow's meeting and will have an impact one way
or another because they will hear what our thoughts are and what our concerns are the questions that we are raising the concerns that we are raising. So one way or another, this will have an impact and this will definitely have an impact on future decisions. Once again, I wish
that this had been deliberated more. As counselor for district 3, I have been lucky to have many of the developers who come into my district reach out to not just me but some of my fellow counselors and have the proper conversations with
neighbors and and and the good experience of making sure there is community input because the most powerful input, the most powerful voice in these uh projects is those who live near it. those are the ones who have the power and those are the ones who should
be first on the list of of being able to provide input. Um, however, although I am not a counselor at large, although I am not a counselor for the for your district, I am a vote here and so I hold full accountability and responsibility
for the fact that this went further than what it should have had without the proper conversations happening in your district. So, I just wanted to share that and I am ready to vote today. Councelor Tanady Garcia. Oh, you said that nicely. Thank you,
Todd. Counselor Dada. Hi, everyone. I want to speak openly and honestly tonight. I want to thank those of you who met with me individually. The Boston Provision Project does not belong in our city. Period.
It threatens the health, safety, and quality of life of our residents. Admirals Hill is the lungs of Chelsea, one of the few green and open spaces that provides us with fresh air, peace, and balance in
an already crow overcrowded urban landscape. What makes me uneasy is not just the scale of this project, but the timing of these orders and how quickly they've been pushed forward without giving our community the full opportunity to weigh in. The initial order was passed January
6th through Kings Day, a very special holiday for myself and my children. And sadly, I was not present that day. I carry that responsibility now. It's troubling to see groups like Green Roots, once champions of protecting our
neighborhood, standing by as this moves forward. A project of this size and nature, belongs in the seapport, not in Chelsea, a community that has historically been forced to carry the burden of some of the worst environmental companies. We must also
ask, is our city truly equipped to handle or de a development of this magnitude and ensure compliance with every regulation? If not approving, Boston's provisions would place Chelsea at risk, sacrificing the very lungs of
our city for short-term interest over long-term health and sustainability. Thank you. Councelor Kelly Garcia. Good evening everyone. I'll keep my remarks incredibly short. To the
constituents of Admiral's Hill, I want to apologize because I did not do my homework on time and this was long overdue. And tonight I will be voting in support of this amendment. It is already 8:25.
It's a school night. I think if we are ready to vote, we should get get going because our residents are waiting for an answer and we've been here for a long time. Thank you, Mr. Chair. May I speak? Councelor Brown, you have the floor. Thank you. Um, I actually wasn't going
to speak, but I'm forced to speak here today as a district counselor of district 8. Um, you know, I've heard a lot about what's been said and meetings that have been asked and attended. I've been the district council leader for six
years. I've been to every meeting um on this plan here. I reached out to residents. Matter of fact, I reached out to residents in this auditorium here tonight to let them know once we found out that there was a proposal for a fish
um processing center. And yes, you got you got the letter from Merlene. Merlene, I reached out to her. Um your husband yelled at me over the house. You know, I can get your neighbors to prove it. So you know that that's why you stopped. Councelor, counselor, please address
your comments to the chair. There there there is no going back and forth between the audience and the speaker. Thank you. So I reached out to the residents. I I've been here at every meeting. Not one resident can go to that microphone right
now and said that they invited me to a meeting. Not one. That's all I have to say. If one resident can say that right now, I'll remove myself today. Now, one resident asked me, "Yes,
you called me and I responded." I responded, "Please." Now, the Chelsea police are here. Please do not disrupt the meeting. Yeah, we would
we we do not want a sick officer officer star on you all. You will be sorry, Mr. Chair. Thank you. Thank you very much. Not one resident. Mr. Chair, I'd like to speak as well.
Council councelor Jimenez. I just want to I echo a lot of what has been said, you know, in particular in terms of, you know, I I really appreciate the fact that you all have been engaging. I
really wish that this engagement had come before we made the decision that we made, which is not to approve that like we don't have any control over the special permit, right? And so I I think what it what is important to me and and what I have continued to hear is that
people were not properly noticed, right? I think I think that that is there is a distinction between what is required by law and what by the state, right? State law requires that we follow a process and what we should be doing, right? And and what is best, right? And I and I
think that state law often heirs in the side of communities that don't look like ours where over twothirds of our residents are renters and my understanding is that the notice is required only for property owners right whereas many times in many of our properties the property owners are not
even living in Chelsea right and I think that it is it is important to me that we look at this process and figure out are there ways for us to make sure that a butters includes both property owners or renters because at the end of the day
your landlord is probably not even in Chelsea. You are the ones that have to deal with the situation, right? And and I think that for any type of process that that we go through in the future, I want to make sure that that is the case. So, I will definitely be looking into, you know, options that we may have to
make sure that we are also noticing um uh renters and and all tenants regardless. Um, so I just want to, you know, thank you for your engagement and please, you know, if there are other pieces of feedback that you have for us, um, you know, as an atlarge counselor, I
I I did not receive any kind of notice about a meeting. I wish I had. If I am wrong, I apologize because that means that I did not see it. As almost everybody who has emailed me, I know many of you are here today. I have tried to get back to everybody as much as
possible. Um, and I am always happy to have a conversation with folks. So please um continue to to reach out to me uh if if you have kind of further further thoughts to share. Um thank you and uh yeah I will also be supporting the sending this to planning for
continuing the process. Councelor Vega good evening everyone and thank you for being here. Um, I also want to start by apologizing and saying that um, as your city council and while that's not my
district, I think that there has been lots of gaps in terms of communication. Um, and so I want to start by apologizing. Um, I acknowledge that and understand the importance of job jobs in the city,
economic and workforce development for our city. Um however this this proposal has been brought forward and the way it has been brought forward has um raised serious concerns particularly around transparency,
community input and the actual benefits promised to Chelsea residents. This process has lacked meaningful community input and honestly shame on us for that because in other areas and in other
processes we've we've have done an a phenomenal job and having the amount of residents that have come forth and we are still not listening it's not okay. the troubling signs of the different
narratives being presented depending on the audience. That is not acceptable and not and totally not okay for the stories that are coming to us as city council to be different and differ from the ones of
the community residents. Chelsea is already an environmental justice community with more than its share of industrial burdens. For years, my bread and butter in organizing comes from environmental justice.
I am tired. I am tired. This is not acceptable for our city. No more J. Enough is enough. that area. Actually, my son goes to Excel Academy and already it is so
difficult. I mean, today I got a phone call to pick him up home from school because he's sick and it took me 20 25 minutes in I live on Clark. It should it should not take that long, but the amount of
traffic and congestion is insane. I was actually late to pick up my other son. Um the air quality, traffic congestion and the quality of life of our people must be prioritized and if we ignore this, we are not doing that. Enough is
enough. Okay. Yeah, I will be supporting anyways. Thank you. Uh, Miss City Solicitor, you had something you wanted to support tonight. Yes,
we we are well aware. Thank you for that clarification. Any anyone else for speak for speaking on the Okay. Roll call vote has been requested. He
has vote to adopt. Council Tenari Garcia. Yes. Councelor Jimenez Rivera. Yes. Council Rupo. Yes. Council Taylor. Yes. Council Robinson. Yes. Council Tesh.
Yes. Council Kelly Garcia. Yes. Council Sandigette, yes. Council Lee Vega, yes. Council Brown, yes. And councelor Davis, yes. 11 in favor, zero opposed, zero absent. Order has been adopted.
Next. Next order of business. Next item. Under new business, we have an order introduced by councelor Kelly Garcia. ordered that the city manager conduct a feasibility study on providing stipens to members of a planning board and zoning board of appeals. Mr. Chair,
I'd like to make u a motion to adopt and file. And if there are no objections, I'd like to speak on it. Sorry, you what is your order? I mean, what is your motion? To accept and file to to adopt to speak on it. If there are no uh objections to adopt under under suspension or
Yes, that's the word. Thank you. Okay, you have a four. Awesome team. As you can tell by the this discussion, our zoning and planning board make critical decisions that shape our future, right? Yet, these roles are demanding and
they're voluntary. And so, I am proposing that we make a physibility a feasibility study on providing stipens to our members on both zoning and planning board. Our neighboring cities also provide stipens and we do not. And so I I am just suggesting to the city
manager um for for him to do a study. Thank you. See no objections. Next item under new business. We have an order introduced by councelor Robinson ordered that a meeting of the subcommittee on conference be held with the Chelsea Police Department to discuss
proposed scooter ban. Adopt this unanimously under suspension of no objections. Seeing none. So ordered. Moving on. Next item under new business. We have an order introduced by council Robinson. Order that the city manager
provide an update to the city council on the veterans home and market basket projects. With top unanimously under suspension. If there no objections. Seeing none. So ordered. Next item under new business. We have an order introduced by councel Robinson.
Order that the city manager provide an update to the city council on the status of the park at the veterans home. Adopted unanimously on the suspension there. No objection. Seeing none. So ordered. Next item under new business. We have an order introduced by councel Kelly
Garcia. ordered that the city council use funds currently appropriated for legal services to retain an attorney in order to review the issue of a proposed zoning amendment related to seafood processing in the city of Chelsea. Mr. Chair, you have the floor.
Thank you. Um I would like to adopt what is the wording adopt adopt unanimously under suspensions. Under suspension seeing no objections. Thanks team. Um Mr. Chair. Yep. I just like to object at the moment. I may withdraw my objection, but I Yeah. Yep.
Great. Just a roll call vote. Sorry. Or go ahead. A roll call right now. Yes, you can speak. You can speak on the on awesome team. So, given the constant uh flags that were brought up during both
the comment, the public comments, the planning board, the zoning board. Um I would just like to explore the idea of getting a second a legal second opinion. um we have the right to do so and if the board agrees or this council agrees then
we will explore that and so I am proposing that we vote on that tonight if that's all right with everyone. Yes, councelor Tesh. Uh Mr. Chair, I would uh I would uh urge
my colleagues to also support this u order um partially because there are still a lot of confusions as to the applicability of law in multiple instances that we've seen in this uh you know issue of welfish um and we would
just like to be fully prepared um as a council. Part of the reason why we set up that fund was so that we could address issues like this. Um, so I would just ask others to uh support. Thank you, Councelor Jimenez. I guess I I'm not opposed to this. I I
guess I'm I'm curious I'm curious as to what the reasoning behind this is. Is it because we want a lawyer to do more work or is it that we disagree with the legal opinion that has been shared with us? If it's the former
and it's just about the work being done, then I I we have a legal team, right? We have a legal department and I think that they should do their job. And if if Sorry, that did not that's not what I meant. I I meant that they should if we should just ask the legal department to do the work, right? If we disagree with
what has been presented to us and and we want to have an independent legal team look at it, that's fine. I think we may want to be more specific about what it is that we want to do. I know that in the conversations that we've been having
about retaining our own legal um uh council for council for the council. Um one of the biggest challenges has been that we don't want it to be open-ended because then lawyers will just charge you for hours and hours just to do work. So I I if it is that we disagree with
the with the city solicitor and her team, I want to make sure that we have a clear outline of what it is that we are requesting. And I I don't know if that can happen after we take this vote or prior.
So So I I I believe that we had when this was set up, we agreed that before this was to be used that we would we would have a subcommittee on conference to discuss this. So I I would I would suggest that this be moved to a subcommittee on conference first.
Sure. I agree. Thank you. Okay. So ordered. Next item. Next item. Next item. Under new business. We have an order introduced by Council Robinson. voted that the city manager instruct the department of public works to install a
sign marking letter, please. With adopted unanimous on the suspension, there are no objections. Seeing none, so ordered. Next item under new business, we have an order introduced by councelor Rubaro, a home rule petition exempting income
eligible senior owner occupied homes in the city of Chelsea from property tax. 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 their property tax. Now therefore be it ordered that a petition to the general court accompanied by a bill for a special law relating to the city of Chelsea be filed with an attested copy of this order be and hereby is approved
under clause one section 8 article 2 as amended of the amendments to the constitution of the commonwealth of Massachusetts providing that the legislature may reasonably vary the form and substance of the requested legislation within the scope of the general public objectives of this petition. Petition reads as follows.
Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in general court assembled and by the authority of the same as follows. Notwithstanding the number of property tax exemptions for the elderly under chapter 59 section 5 of Mass General Law, the city of Chelsea may exempt all property tax for elderly
homeowners provided that the elderly homeowners are 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 and reside in the property. Income eligibility to be determined by the city assessor.
Yeah, we we can't have a roll call vote. This this would require a public hearing and I would suggest uh councelor recupo that we have an opportunity to discuss the particulars of this it amongst ourselves on a subcommittee on conference before it comes to
before it comes to a a vote to send it to the legislature. Make sure everything's copacetthetic. And I like I'd like to speak on it. You have the floor, counselor. Well, I before I put this already once before and um there seemed to be some
issues. After doing some some work, I finally figured out uh there's 27 elderly homeowners. 27 out of 15,000 There's 15,000 homes in this city. There's only 27 of them that get
residential exemption for being seniors. an additional to the residential exemption. You get a senior exemption, you know, you get like an extra one for being an elderly gentleman or an elderly lady. So, the total amount that we have in the city is 27.
27. Isn't it about time that some community, maybe we should be the first, that tries to send it to the state house and let the people up there that determine our future and how we act to decide because we cannot decide. The
only thing we can do is send it to them and they come back to us and say yes, we approve it or yes, you don't. So what that does is it makes uh us the counselors that are here decide later on if it's approved how we go about doing
this. I think I believe that it's a great thing to try to help the seniors. Why not your whole life you worked? Why not at the end of your life when you're ready? Why should you continue paying or worry about leaving your home? You shouldn't have to leave your home
because you can't afford of the taxes. Then there's arguments. People are going to say to you, "Oh, well, that's a big asset. They own that house. It's an asset." But yes, it's an asset to them, but who's saying they're leaving? Nobody's saying they're leaving. It's an
asset. Okay. So, it's an asset. They they owned it for 30 years. How much did they invest in that home? Don't don't people really want to understand or believe that a senior has contributed so much should be able to at least enjoy
the end of his life without being worried about being kicked out. So this will be one of the things that I've been trying and I wanted to try even more to help the seniors to stay where they're at. They earned it. I'm not
how how I don't know how to put it. Let me put it this way. I'm not against the city. I'm not against anybody. I'm in favor for anybody that you can help anybody. Why not? We help everything. Why not help the seniors? Don't you think they earned it? So, what is wrong
with this city being the first? This city has been the first for many things. This city was the first when they came to help the veterans. We were the first ones to vote to give veterans and then after that they came because the state told us you can't give them the maximum.
So we had to come back and vote again after the state approved it. And we gave the veterans the maximum there is. You look at the communities around us. There ain't many communities. This city was the first city also to give people when they had lead pipes to take them away for free. This city was also the first
city if you were a homeowner and you had rodents in your backyard. This city pays. It pays for them to be done. So this city should be the city of first. This city is also one of the few cities in the state that allows seniors to get
30% off their water. So why can't we do this? It's not guaranteed that we're going to do it, but I believe that all of us have a duty to at least try to put something forth to help the seniors. If it happens, it
happens. If it doesn't, it doesn't. But at least if nobody makes an initiative to try to do it, it's never going to happen. So try it. And maybe the bigger people on top that we elect like our state reps and our state senators will turn around and say yes, why not try it?
Give it a chance. Thank you. Sub subcommittee be this will be referred to a subcommittee on conference. Next item under new business, we have an order introduced by councelor Tesh ordered that the zoning board of appeals
postpone all further meetings andor hearings until a new residency waiver for board chairperson Janice Tutara has been submitted to and approved by the city council. Mr. Chair, I move to um move this order to subcommittee on conference for the
council to review. Are there any objections to moving this to subcommittee on conference? Okay. So ordered. Next item under new business. We have an order introduced by councilesh ordered that the city manager submit to the city
council a new residency waiver for zoning board of appeals chairperson Janice Tatara as previously conditioned by council prior to expiration of her previous term. Mr. President, I move that this order be recommended to the same subcommittee as the order for councelor Kelly Garcia on
uh potentially hiring an attorney. Was that conference? um on conference on on the same day on the same day. Can we can we com can we combine the other one with with yours? By the way, I if I if I may just for a moment
uh originally we I had asked for a subcommittee on conference on this very thing um and it was denied. So I I I I I hope I hope that we can get together and
try to come to a consensus on on not just this but all um uh waiverss going forward and come up with a a a policy recommendation to the city
manager that we can uh follow in an orderly manner so we don't have you know these these these things come up. I think I you know we we we we we have rules about residency that we we should we should
try to follow. Waiverss are there for a reason. Um uh but uh you know hopefully we can come up with a policy and I'm all off all off all for doing that in that general under that general banner. Is that is that what you're Yes. U if I could also just speak on it.
You you have the floor counselor. Um yeah, well the reason for this order um is because there is a confusion as to whether or not there's uh every time we approve somebody to serve in our board that does not live in our city, they
need a residency waiver. Um one of the persons from the CVA had received a residency waiver expiring on the end of her term at the end of 2024. Um on 2025 we voted to extend her term. Um I
objected to that. Um however, there was never any explicit mention of an extension of the residency waiver. Um so you know this is not to impact tomorrow's meeting. Um this is only so that we as a council can have proper legal counsel when it comes to whether
or not we need express and not implied. Um I'm not a fan of implied um express residency waiverss as we are now seeing that this person will be having a direct and heavy impact on residents of the
city of Chelsea. Thank you Council Recupo. Um I've been saying that for a very long time, very very long time. I've been saying if you want to be on the boards in this city, you need to live here
because you have to know how we feel. If you don't live here, I was also a while back, I also wanted to put term limits on these people because remember there's an old saying, if you turn around and keep someone there for 20 years, his
mentality is not going to change. So you need to change and you can say that also for for counselors that got applied to counselors too but and and depends how your counselor is at one time I proposed I did propose the
coun the fellow counselors that we the counselors have term limits but the state law doesn't allow you to so I'm in favor of that you work for the people then you stay you don't work for the people you go away. But as far as doing
what the council wants to do, I've been asking for a very long time. You can wave anything. You know, workers, that's okay. But when you affect what goes on in your city, you have to live here to truly understand how we are. And that
I'm in favor of, always been in favor of, and I will always support that. You have to live here to be on these boards. Thank you. Anyone else? Final item. We have a late order introduced by Council Tenary Garcia requiring unanimous consent for
consideration. Any objection to the late order? Sorry. Seeing none, ordered that a meeting of the subcommittee on conference be held with the director of inspectional services to provide an update on enforcement and other housing related issues.
I make a motion to move to subcommittee um on inspectional services, please. Thank you. Without objection. That concludes new business or late items otherwise. Moving on to public announcements.
Anyone for public announcements? No. Councelor Tesh. Uh just the announcement that if you didn't already know, the ZBA will hold a meeting tomorrow um reviewing the special permit for WFish. So be sure to
be there and give your concerns and opinions. Thank you. Uh 6 p.m. if I'm correct. Any any moments of silence? Okay. Uh councelor uh Robinson first.
Actually, we lost uh quite a bit of folks while we were gone. Sandra Podolski, Eric Lee, my Robinson Lopez, Barbara Chapman, Osla, Tim Dunn, Paul Dy, Lenny Nelson,
Jackie Burke, and tomorrow uh Robert Barbie, former state representative Chelsea. Brown, did you have I'm sorry.