--------- Good evening everyone. Welcome back to the continuation of last week's meeting. Um, thank you counselors for joining us. Um, so I just want to quickly lay out um
where we are, the process um and then um kind of lay out what we're going to do tonight and then we'll open up for conversation. So I want to also address there is a new proposal that has been introduced by the city manager. Um it was introduced uh
mid last week. So we are going to go over that proposal in a minute. Some folks have kind of, you know, brought up that when things are changed on a short timeline, it can have an impact on how it's perceived by the community. So, I just want to really quickly highlight that it's it's hard. We're having this meeting only a week
after the initial meeting. And part of that is because in the past, we've been criticized for letting things languish in a subcommittee and not actually getting to the conversations that we need to have. So, as president, I've been trying to make sure that we're scheduling these conversations quickly so that we can not ram something through, but really make sure that we're
giving this the time that it deserves for the conversation. Having community input is really important. So, I want to point out for people the different venues for that input. The first is you can always reach out to the council, individual counselors. You can reach out to the full council and to our office.
You can also contact the city manager. Now, from here, if this is referred back to the to the regular council meeting, people will be able to speak at that meeting. You'll be able to speak at the 7:00 meeting today. If it is referred to the planning board, there will be a public hearing at that point where people would also be able to speak on
it. It would then be referred back to the council with either a positive or a negative recommendation. At that point, the council would have a public hearing as well. And then if the council decides to, there would be a final vote up or down with potential amendments for that
zoning amendment. Um, and I just want to quickly know that all those options are going to be available as this process moves forward. Um, it feels like there's, you know, people say that it feels like it's been backroom dealing. Last week, we decided to keep this proposal in subcommittee so that these changes that are being proposed could be
decided on and discussed here today instead of in private conversations. We want this process to be public and that's why we're in this meeting today. All right. Um today we're going to have a presentation from the city manager that will be around 10 minutes discussing the new proposal and then we
are going to open for discussion between the counselors. I would like to propose uh and kind of get a sense of if folks are okay with this. I will keep the list of talking uh in the same way that I did last week. Each person will get three minutes in
the order that they have been um that they have been recognized. However, if you would like to reply directly to something that was just said, I will allow for 30 to 60 seconds for you to jump in and be able to comment specifically to that so that we don't
have to have a longer wait between folks talking to each other. However, we are going to be very strict with that 30 to 60 seconds because we don't want it to just be taking somebody else's place in line. If you do interject, I will not replace your name from the list. Does
that sound good for folks? Hang on. So, first we're going to have the city manager present. Um, okay. So, we'll move with that. With that, I will pass it to the city manager to discuss, um, the proposal. >> Thank you, um, council president, and
thank you to every every city council that has engaged in this conversation. Um, I know that that these conversations are are not easy. Um just like uh a budget conversation can be and and will be not not easy. I will run through this presentation very very quickly and and
spend the majority of time on the last slide. Um we we are going to continue having these these meetings. We are going to continue having these conversations over as the council president has highlighted the next two months. We it's obviously up to the council what how how the council wishes
but but even best case scenario this is going to be a two-month uh process. What is is a uh in front of you right now is is a graph that that we we shared on social media. I shared earlier today and I hope shines shines some information to
to uh the folks in in in the folks that are saying that this is something new, right? This graph uh was created and published uh uh during our Chelsea Palante process over a year ago. uh and and and if you can see it it's it was
highlighting two very clear uh impacts to housing production in Chelsea. One was receiverhip in 1991 and I hope that that we can all appreciate that that that had a significant impact in development in Chelsea. The other one was inclusionary zoning uh passed in
2017. Um the next slide is is uh uh we heard uh some concerns that that we only presented information between 2020 and 2025 and the desire for for the city to present information from the beginning.
So this is what we are doing right now. Uh in uh the inclusionary zoning was passed in Chelsea in 2017. the original proposal uh included uh uh 15% of units uh uh and was set at a 80% AMI. Right?
So so that that was something that was passed in 2017 and and we see the results between that time period. The inclusionary zoning was then amended in September 2019 and it has not been
changed since. We all are talking about how interest rates have changed. We are all talking about how cost of housing has changed. We had a pandemic, right? Many things have changed. This inclusionary zoning policy has not changed since since 2019. And as I
shared with the city council, uh the ordinance itself requires a five-year review period which we did not undertake. Um so in 2019 the the policy was amended and and uh uh including rotating level of of affordability
between 30% AMI 50% AMI uh and 80% AMI and the chart the piraphph is is basically a different version of what we shared to with you uh before and then the the final chart is is is exactly the the same story right even when we look
at from the original from 2017 until today I think that the story doesn't change, right? If anyone is saying that this is about affordable housing production, I challenge that inclusionary zoning is not producing affordable housing units. And this
graph, which shows from 2017 until uh until um today, it shows that 3.5% of of our units are being created by inclusionary zoning. And uh this is something else that I I I shared before,
which is uh this is not about affordable housing in Chelsea. We are moving forward with affordable housing. We are supporting significant amount of affordable housing construction including affordable home ownership. In fact, I would argue that making a change to our inclusionary zoning and
generating revenue, generating growth is what how we're we're going to continue on our track of affordable housing. None of the projects that that that are on this list today were created because of inclusionary zoning. And again the the same chart just a longer time period
which shows the the amount of units created in the affordable world from inclusionary zoning. Right? Okay. So, that number did go up did go up to 49 units, but as I said, uh uh 13 of them were were were in the in the in the first in the first uh two years, which
was 80% AMI. Uh and and but the story doesn't change, right? 7% of our affordable units are created by the inclusionary zoning policy. I would argue again that that if the goal of inclusionary zoning was to build affordable housing, inclusionary zoning
is not working. Finally, I'll just wrap up with with with the proposal uh before the city council. I heard loud and clear the desire to uh uh compromise maybe is is a word to use. Maybe move it a little slower is is another word. Uh and uh uh
councelor Teshi uh uh had the suggestion uh of of having inclusionary zoning apply to projects that are 50 uh 50 units or more. uh uh setting the uh payment in lie to $200,000 per unit which was what was passed in 2017. So,
so in many ways we are going back uh to to to the original uh um Sony policy and then finally matching the AMI percentage to our neighbor, right? Uh um I had a question today of why do we keep comparing oursel to our neighbors,
right? And and I said today a pothole doesn't know if it's on the Chelsea side of Everett Avenue or or or on the on the on the Everett side of Everett Avenue or on Second Street. Right? when you are driving there, you don't care about about uh lines of of of a city. Money is
the same and and uh uh development is the same. When you look at what is going on on the Ever side uh uh of of development, it feels like Chelsea. It looks like Chelsea, but we are not getting any tax revenue. That is why we are matching with our neighbors in order
to be competitive. And finally, we are uh uh honoring the um the council's will to review this proposal every two years. That is the uh proposal that is is before the city council. I'll be happy
to answer any questions. >> Councelor Tesh, >> good afternoon to everyone um and all those watching. And uh just want to say thank you to the city manager for working with us and making sure we get to a middle ground. Um you know, so you heard from us last meeting, you know, we
voiced the concerns that we're getting from the entire community about you what what the impact of this change will bring to the city of Chelsea. And so I think by having the ability to review um every two years, you know, we'll be able to um assess whether or not this is working not only financially but also in
terms of the pricing um for all those units um that are coming to Chelsea. So u just thank you again and you know hopefully um you know this this will turn out good for us. >> Councelor De Jesus.
>> Thank you Mr. President. Um I uh I also want to thank you um city manager for uh reaching out to also schedule some focus groups and and trying to get more community input into this. I'm looking forward honestly to hearing more from the community. I'm glad to see that
there's some changes. Um but I think that my question is regarding not so much what because I hear you and my argument is not I agree with you 100%. This is not to create
or this this change or this this um this zoning um was never enforced to create or develop affordable housing. I I think seeing it the way the way I'm viewing it
is more to prevent massive development that would sort of create that displacement, right? Like I I I guess I'm wondering, yes, it didn't create affordable housing, but did it also stop
displacement, right, that's caused through um these tall rise buildings where neighborhoods are then um impacted in ways where like rent hikes go up or you see more homes being flipped and sold.
Um, you know, I'm thinking about those type of impacts and how maybe this was preventing that, right? Having those structures to prevent that displacement, um, rather than create affordable housing. So, I guess I'd like to hear
more from you on that end. Um, and if there's been any studies on like the surrounding communities around these these develop developments, um, how has those how have those neighborhoods been impacted? Um I will say that that we are working
on two things that I think are are are going to uh shape a little bit of this conversation. One is a uh uh we want to have a a panel which we will host at at the senior center and it is going to include uh housing developers. It and we are going to do our best to make them
very diverse. Uh so we are going to have uh uh some developers that are are small like Juan Gaygo who who is here today is based in Chelsea and is invested in our community. We are going to have some developers that are large and and are more regional, right? And maybe have
have different goals. We are going to have uh uh uh uh developers uh that focus on affordable housing, maybe some developers that that are focusing on on on this mixed income, right? Because ultimately I I I think that is the solution, right? It is to it is to uh um
do all of the above, right? Is do continue building affordable housing. It is going to be to continue uh uh uh really focusing on on all housing options. Um your question is absolutely the question, right? Uh it
is it is uh by allowing development are we displacing residents, right? and and and it is a very very hard question to answer. Uh um but I I think as as as a city manager, as a municipal leader, what is very tough to me is is uh the
the tradeoffs related to tax revenue, right? And and uh I I believe in my heart that that by having more tax revenue, we are going to have a bigger impact on displacement on anti- uh uh
gentrification efforts that allow us to invest those funds into the the the projects that we know and and that we all love. Uh uh what what happened this budget season on the school department was a crisis. And I know that that we
heard a lot of youth. We heard a lot of residents, a lot of parents, a lot of people saying saying this, don't keep going down this path, right? Don't keep going down this path and not make changes, right? And and and so I I I just want to tie those two dots
together, right? That that uh in order to to continue addressing the the very immediate needs of our community by uh uh addressing the the revenue gaps that we know are coming, we need to make changes. This is not a panacea. This is
not a a magic pill that is going to solve all of our problems. This is going to is one of many things that we are working on. >> Yeah. And to and just for folks um I am going to count the time that you speak and then I will try to give you the remainder of the three minutes and try
to not count the city manager speaking time. Just that's how I'm timing it. So you have about a minute >> remaining to speak. Yeah. >> Thank you. Thank you Fen. Um follow up to that. So, did did we get any data to show sort of the impact or is this kind of like we know it's going to impact but
we're going to see how it works? >> So, we we um we had a call today uh with um the consultant that is working on our master plan, right? And and and they have a very good case study on on Everett Avenue, right? Uh uh we have a
ton of housing that went up, right? And in theory, it's it's very close to us, right? It it is it is less than a mile from city hall and and we have a an amazing chart with a lot of data o of of what it has done to rents in the region but also what it has done to rents uh uh
in in in Chelsea right and what we see is that many of our streets in Chelsea are not being impacted by that. So, so what is happening on Grove Street as an example, right? Uh, uh, the rents that are being charged on Grove Street are
not being impacted by the developments that are happening on Ever Avenue. Uh, and and it it is a hard thing to answer, right? There's a lot of factors at play, but I hope that that this this data and this presentation from our consultant is
going to provide one more point of information. >> Thank you. Um, I have councelor Taylor next and I don't have anybody after that. >> Mr. City Manager, I just want to play off what councelor
De Jesus was saying. Um, if if the inclusionary zoning was actually meant to prevent uh development in Chelsea, fine. But
the problem is is that you cannot have it both ways. We cannot continue the level of spending that we have, the level of of kind of services that we provide people if we don't have the
money to do it. Um, so if we choose not to develop, that means raising taxes, getting rid of the 35% residential exemption,
and um getting rid of the, you know, maybe getting rid of the maximum shift on the on the on the commercial. So we cannot continue as we are. We got a huge
infusion of ARPA money that was free, literally free money from the federal government that that we used for pretty good purpose, but that's gone. My point is is that either we do what
you're proposing or we raise taxes. So what what's what's what's the effect of raising taxes? I think two things. You you I'll get your opinion in a second. One is that rents are going to go up. Two,
um the pe a lot of people that are here will leave. So then we're going to find ourselves in an even worse position of fewer people in the cart pulling
and we're going to go nowhere. If we do what you're proposing, it seems like at least we're going to have some options because we have more revenue which gives us more choice in what to do and how to actually provide the
affordable housing that we need. This is not it. >> The proof is in the pudding. The results, you cannot argue with these results. >> That's right. >> So, so it seems I mean I' I'd like to get your opinion. Is Is what I'm saying accurate?
>> I I think um Wednesday was very telling to me as a city manager. Um Malden had an override. Malden had an override which which is basically the way to go to the voters and and ask for more money, right? and and uh no gateway
community had proposed that in since 2008, right? And and it failed uh and it was very contentious. It it was it was a brutal process for that community and it failed and it's going to result in significant losses everywhere in in the
school department, in the fire department, uh in the in in the police department, right? And it it is going to be a brutal process. I know that the same result will be here in Chelsea. Uh there is no way that our residents, our homeowners, our property owners, our
renters, our constituents, our voters are going to support an override to tax themselves. Right? So what that means is that we we have to do two things. We have to spend less and we have to grow more. Right? Now is is this is is this
the only change that we have to do? No, it is not. We are going to hopefully pass a 40R district amendment. Hopefully, we are going to pass a West Chelsea amendment. Hopefully, we are going to work aggressively in in in the Prattville development project uh in the parking garage that that is being
proposed on Eastern Avenue in in the Flat Iron project. We we are chasing every dollar that we can, but it it's it's upped the ante. The ante is a little bit higher for every development that comes to Chelsea, right? and and we
have in the past had a spotty record of denying development, right? And and and there there's times when when you can do that. Right now is not the time. >> And M uh you have 20 you have 20 seconds left on your time. So and then I have a followup myself. >> Oh, sorry, Mike.
>> Just about displacement. If taxes go up, rents go up. If rents go up, people are going to get displaced. So you're going to get some of that either way. if we have this money, we have more options to mitigate that. That's that that is
absolutely true. Thank you. >> Thank you, counselor. And I have a quick followup on that. Uh because the counselor did mention the residential exemption and the um the shift. My understanding is that neither of those can generate additional revenue because the amount that we re that we raise is
limited by Prop 2 and a half. So unless Prop 2 and a half were lifted, the shift and the residential exemption are simply shifting who pays it, not actually increasing taxes on anybody. Is that correct? >> Yes. I just want to make sure that I
understood that correctly. Yeah. >> Yes. Okay. Thank you. Um sorry I may have misunderstood what you said. Um so okay, just to highlight I have councelor Tener Garcia, Kelly Garcia, Santigate Hines. So, councelor and then recuper and Robinson.
>> All right. Um, so I had a phone I I got a phone call today and uh the individual was worried that this change will affect their current affordable housing. And I want to clear that up for our residents
and in our community. You know, for us, it's something that we deal with on a daily basis and and we know that it's not going to affect it. But I I just want to clarify that for our residents and our community, this change will not affect the current affordable housing in
our community. That's one. And then I want to speak about inclusionary zoning. Um it doesn't stop eviction. It doesn't stop eviction. Rent increases will happen. uh whether we want to
whether we like it or not. We are so close to Boston and that's something that we um and it's not only big developers. It's it's the small landlords that need to fix their old crumbling home. They they will look at
market value and increase the prices and that's what we have been seeing in our community as well. Um also I wanted to mention uh landlord behavior. We can't help that. Uh we have had issues with slumlords and um putting up the rent and
not fixing the units. That's something that we deal with on a and that this has nothing to do with that and it still happens in our community on a daily basis. So, I want to know what as a city um you know, we have a community land
trust and it's something that we need to um you know, protect and uh how do I say this? um make it strong, not stronger, but um
I I feel like we need to concentrate on on affordable housing preservation and the community land trust because like uh my fellow counselor um Todd Taylor just mentioned
uh we need to protect those who will be and and will be close to being displaced and having hardship. So, we need to protect these two things and I want to know if if your team has mentioned that or um what's the plan?
>> Absolutely. Um you know uh I am glad that this council agrees now I think it's unanimous that the inclusionary zoning is not building affordable housing. I think that is is is something that that that we agree on, right? uh um that that is a huge hurdle because I I I
think I think there is some misconception as you pointed out counselor that that by by modifying this is going to reduce in less production of affordable housing. I I the data that we have looked at has shown that that it it it will actually have the opposite right
it will give the city more money that to invest in projects like the community land trust. The community land trust uh has has one project. Uh it is on 4143 Orange Street. It was a uh uh it was a a property that was t taken uh by the city
um uh by tax title, right? And and was I I believe uh uh we are in the process of this uh in order to create it uh in into affordable home ownerships, right? Uh uh uh these are projects that simply could not happen would not happen without the
support of the city. uh we we continue to be invested in that uh in in these types of projects uh but it can only happen when the city has resources to invest in it. The ARPA funds that we we mentioned earlier spent significant amount of money on displacement efforts
whether it was raft whether it was it it was uh uh um paying literally for rent or or whether it was it was other efforts that that that uh uh are trying to fight displacement. Um, so if the city has funds, we will use them and I
know that this council we we will use them to protect our residents. >> Thank you, Mr. Manager. I just want to highlight for folks that it is 6:30. We have 30 minutes before our next meeting. Um, and I am not saying that we should or should not. I am just simply noting
if the council would like to move this out of um the subcommittee back to the council, um, a motion needs to be made at some point in some way, shape, or form. Um, and we may want to discuss whether any further amendments to the proposal
are warranted in case anybody would like to do that. Um, otherwise we will have to continue the meeting or figure else what figure out what else to do. Um, I now have councelor Kelly Garcia. >> Thank you. Uh, city manager, quick question about the payment in L to
200,000 per unit. Can you help me understand and the community understand why that number stayed the same even though the cost of everything has gone up and is it per apartment or is it per project?
>> It is per apartment. It it is per apartment. Um it is it is an option that a developer has uh to either cut a check uh to the city and and and and by by ordinance it goes to the affordable housing trust fund board. uh uh and has
to be used for anti- uh displacement efforts or for the creation of affordable units right in uh elsewhere in Chelsea. Uh um this uh we uh did a very very large study on on this with
the consultant that is doing our Chelsea Palante uh process and and what they said basically is that uh uh it is uh impossible for a developer to pay the city a $400,000 fine if you will and
build the unit. Right? So, so the fine or the option, the off-ramp, however you want to think about it, has to be uh uh at a level where where the developer will pay it and we'll will will build the project too. What they recommended is is to set this the the the payment in
le fee at $200,000. And interestingly enough, it was the rate that it was built uh it was the the the amount of the original uh uh um proposal in 2017. And I will tell you s uh council I will
be very very honest with you in these financial times if a developer were to give me an option of a million dollars right a check for a million dollars I would bring it to this council and by ordinance every project that takes the
payment in le has to be voted on by this council. That was it was something by ordinance and that is not something that that we are changing because we want this to be a a a public process. We want everyone to know that we are taking this this offramp. I would absolutely bring
this before the council and and and I would ask you what would you want to spend a million dollars on, right? Whether it's funding a uh a a community land trust project, whether it's it's it's funding a a raft, which is rental assistance, or or or the the multitude
of other projects that we are are are funding right now. >> Thank you. Quick followup. How many minutes do I have left? I >> think you used like one minute in your original question. So, you have time. >> Um, with $200,000, can you share with the council in the community what kind of efforts could could the city support
with? Are we talking 10 families? Are we talking a smaller handful of of families? Put let's put numbers to >> Yeah. Yeah. Absolutely. So, so we we uh um we have a project uh that the city council has uh has approved, right? and
and it it was 55 Hz Street, right? A 55 Hz Street is is six apartments that that are now always going to be in place, right? That cost $1.8 million, right? Uh uh so that is one option to to buy houses that are in receiverhip, right?
And and instead of letting them go into the open market to to fund the purchase of future projects. That is one option. Another option is is to is to give financing to developers like uh uh 440 Broadway. We gave uh the developer of
440 Broadway $1 million to build the the affordable units that are there today. Right. I would argue that that project would not have happened if the city would have not given that that developer a million dollars to build that project. >> Thank you.
>> Thank you. You have councelor Sanagate, then councelor Hines, then recuper. >> Mr. President, can I just jump in on that? >> Sure. Uh 30 60 seconds, please. >> How how many how many times in the history of this was the fee paid? >> None. >> Thank you,
>> Councelor Sigate. >> Thank you. Um to start, I'd be really interested in that information about Grove Street just because that's in my district and I have heard from residents that uh there have been rental increases and if there haven't um that may have to
do with the state of some of the units. So there would be no way in good faith they could try to raise rent just for the condition. So, um I just wanted to say that this topic has been excruciating for me for this week and I
have done as much research as I possibly can. Um I learned a lot. um not enough to really have a lucid conversation, but I do know that I appreciate that council Tesh offered some tweaks for you to
make, but I just in my heart do not think that we have done enough yet. Um what I uncovered as I was researching were things like density bonuses. Um uh I wonder about some progressive tiers
where the larger the building the um almost different percentages of a of affordable units based on AMI based on the size of the units. this is sort of a one-sizefits-all and I think
that we can do better than that or there are things out there that are I guess when we were looking for things that are creative that there is more true >> so um it also does seem very fast and I
don't and that is where I have dissonance as far as what the Chelsea way is because not only is it fast it just seems like you're tag grabbing on to something. Um, and I haven't seen evidence of other things,
>> so that you just honed in on this one thing, >> but I don't have data about how else it will happen. And it's like a guess at best, right? >> Like, it seems like you're it's a guess >> and it's a two-year guess. and it just
seems like we're playing with something that's valuebased that makes us who we are. Um, so uh that's where my dissonance lies. >> I couldn't agree with you more, counselor. Th this is this is a very
very difficult uh uh conversation because it it it does pin us against these these uh these values, right? Uh uh absolutely. I will argue counselor that this was the same level of conflict that that I felt in when the school had
a budget crisis, right? Where we had to put our money where the mouth is literally, right? And and say what what values do we have, right? and and and I foresee these conversations becoming more and more uh uh reactive
unfortunately and and I and I foresee us uh having these more often as as our reserves are eaten up by by uh by immediate needs. >> Yes. And I just wanted to say that I have to have positive presuppositions about how you and your team work.
Otherwise, I couldn't do this job. I have to trust that you're doing everything that you can for us to thrive. >> This is the city of my birth. My family came here. I I have to do that in order to do this job. And I have those positive presuppositions. And I do know
schools, food security, those are my things. So I know we want to fund those. I just don't know if we have really ex gone all the way in exploring how >> definitely and I will say councelor that
that uh um there are other options uh a density bonus is uh uh is we have talked about that uh uh ever basically any project that meets uh affordable housing gets significant variances granted right so so so there there are other things
that that more uh uh sophisticated process ES h have have have done. I would honestly say that the process and the pain it would would be would be the same. Um so I have councelor hinesex. I just
really quickly want to mention there there is going for the next meeting there is going to be a signup sheet for public comment per the council's new rules. That sign-in sheet will be on that table next to councelor Brown. It is not there yet. Um we are going to have a full public comment. The sheet is
also not in Spanish because we had to kind of do it quickly. So if um if anybody needs to sign up to speak in Spanish, please just help the other help each other out. Um, so anyway, it'll be out soon. Um, >> Mr. President, could we just quickly
write down in Spanish and so that we can make sure nobody >> gets confused like I'm happy to do that real quickly. >> Yeah, sure. If you want to um step back and just check with A mean. Um, thank you. Um, let's go to councelor Hines and then I have Rupo Robinson and then myself.
I I just want to say first, thank you for for all the work that you've been doing on this. Um, however, for me, I keep feeling like we're having the wrong conversation. I I keep feeling like the conversation
that we're having is pertaining to the numbers and to the amendments rather than discussing how it is we can make work, right? like uh to to echo um some of councelor Sanit's sentiments, right? Um
in in regards of in regards to being creative or exercising other measures to incentivize people to operate within our inclusionary structure. Right. Uh uh uh again, and and I've said this to you, I feel like we're we're throwing the baby out with
the bath water to to make something work. And I have to say I uh as daunting as um what not fixing this sounds like, I feel like those challenges are somewhat speculative. And as uh
promising as the other son sounds like, I feel like those are somewhat speculative as well. We have still yet to actually talk about the uh displacement race or challenges felt by the communities that are next to us. And
I'm really curious to figure out what's happening in the places in River >> that you've mentioned to us. >> Um what are the impacts in Everett as well? Um yeah, >> you you use a minute and a half. So if
you if the council if the city manager after you have about a minute and a half after Yeah. See, manager, >> I said counselor that that uh um I would argue to you and I and I have made this argument that that u the development that is happening on uh next to our our
our um our high school is closer to Chelsea City Hall than it is to Everett City Hall, right? It is closer to our downtown than it is to their downtown. Any impacts that we are seeing, we are feeling it. Everett is not feeling it. Right? that the and and and I truly do
believe that right that that uh uh right now we we we are are uh getting the impacts without any of the benefits. Um with regards to to uh uh uh displacement uh and information we we we are are are
obviously uh taking in uh uh a lot of the stuff that that that you're saying and having uh uh uh planning conversations on the side. We are are are having a panel of of developers. We are working on that. We we are we have asked uh uh uh our experts which is uh
the firm that is is doing our planning uh to see what what is going on around us. And what they told us today is that you will start seeing a lot more conversations from our neighbors on inclusionary zoning policy that that and there was an article on the Boston Globe that I shared with the city council
about Boston's inclusionary zoning and and the effects of that. Right. the the the Chelsea unfortunately is not in an island. Chelsea is is driven by our region. Uh and and this conversation that we are having here, we are going to to start seeing in our neighbors.
>> I'd also like to say thank you for organizing a panel of developers to take place. I believe that would be highly informative for us and for the community. And my question is why why isn't that happening before we make the
changes versus making the changes in doing the presentation after >> and just to kind of I believe the conversations would happen before we made any changes because >> Okay. Yeah. >> Yeah. >> Absolutely. >> So yeah because we're not making this this change will not be voted on
formally by the council for another two months. >> Fair fair. Um, councelor Cupra, >> good evening. Um, I have just a couple of question. We heard all this stuff here about affordable housing. Affordable housing. Affordable housing.
I keep repeating myself. Here's the question you have. This hasn't created any affordable housing anymore than it did before when we voted it in. Affordable housing doesn't really help you make money.
So throw away the affordable housing thing. This is done so the city can generate money or you're doing it in a way to generate money for smaller developers. You allowing smaller developers to develop in our city instead of the big ones. I understand
that we need to generate money. But by keep pushing the same issue, affordable housing, affordable housing, affordable housing, affordable housing does not generate revenue for the city. It's time that people understand it does not generate revenue for you. What it does,
it it taxes you more because you have to make the difference that these big corporations or whoever builds these units put it there. So, I'm in favor of affordable housing, but I want affordable housing to be affordable for the people of Chelsea. What good is having affordable housing when the
people can't live here? So, it's the same thing. You want the school want more money, but if the children can't go to school because their parents can't live here, what is the point of it? Here's the whole point. You want to change this so you have more development. Okay, I understand more development brings more money. But in
which sense, if you build affordable housing, IT'S NOT GOING TO BRING the same money. It's going to give you less money. So, it's time you tell the people the actual truth you did before. Affordable housing brings less money to your city and brings more people and
then it's more on the average people that live here, especially the renters. If you are a renter, you're going to pay more money or YOU'RE GOING TO GET OUT. THAT'S THE ONLY CHOICE YOU HAVE. EITHER you pay more money or you're going to leave. That's it. I want an answer. DOES
AFFORDABLE HOUSING PUT MORE MONEY or less money? Explain to these people. I said it before again. What would it do? >> Yeah. I um and there's a graphic counselor that we shared last time the the uh uh affordable and affordable housing development does not make the
same amount of money as as a as a market rate unit. Uh I shared with with the city council today the list of the top 10 taxpayers uh in Chelsea. Uh uh the top 10 property taxpayers. Number two on that list uh is is uh the Vero
Apartments. Uh uh and number four in that list is the One North development. Together they pay about $7 million in tax revenue. Uh and that is money that that we absolutely need. About 7% of our property budget is is funded by those two developments. That is money that
that that if we did not have uh it would not be a good situation for our city. >> Do I got more time? >> You have 45 seconds, counselor. >> Okay. So here here's the last 45 seconds. Plain and simple. I'm not against affordable housing. Affordable housing is good. But for what you want
to change here is you're saying our city needs money. So if you keep building more affordable housing, we're going to get less money. So what would be what would you recommend? What would you build now? What what kind of developments do you want to build? If it's I don't get it. What what going to
developments for what? Developments for people to afford or developments for developers to make money. Which one is it? I think it's all counselor. I think it's all I think we have to do uh uh all of them and and you said very clearly that
that uh this policy is not building affordable housing. >> Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Manager. Councelor Robinson. >> Uh thank you. I just want to go back and and touch upon those communities that
are asking for possible road uh overrides. Your Lexingtons, your Brookline, Malden, and also Winchester has asked for two overrides that were vote were voted
down. I did a comparison of a building that's up on Admiral's Hill and ran some numbers to show um what we would receive in taxes. So,
it looked at uh 40 one-bedroom units, two uh two twobedroom units at 43 bedrooms at 20. It would bring us in a tax revenue of 488,000 per year and some change.
I think we need to be also dealing with the affordable housing issue. And I want to offer a friendly amendment that relates to the market uh market basket area.
Even though nothing's going to happen in that area probably for the next two years, but I think it's important that we have something in place if people want to take a look at investing some development do dollars there that we're
in a position to be able to do something at that time and not waiting until two years from now and being back here sitting here and discussing all these alternatives. what can happen and what can't happen. I know
one of my colleagues at one of the meetings mentioned um places like assembly and actually when assembly was built it was built in an area where there was no
houses there was no displacement or anything like that. And when I look at Market Basket, I kind of see that same vision here that nobody's going to be losing any apartments and all we're going to be able to
generate some growth that we're going to be able to continue to provide social services to all the various groups that come knocking on the door here looking for help. And if we don't get new
growth, a lot of those people who were helping will not be helped in the future. So I would offer this friendly amendment. I can give it to the clerk. I got some for my colleagues.
And I think it's important that we think about this, you know, today so that we can be prepared tomorrow and all and that's this will this will generate
dollars to us and for us to be able to provide these services. So, if the clerk would like to relay what the amendment is. >> Yep. We can have the amendment read.
>> Proposed amendment would change subsection C of applicability to read. The provisions of this section shall apply to any new construction or sustainable improvement of any existing structure in all districts except the new West Chelsea district where proposed
development or redevelopment will result in 50 or more dwelling units on one or more contiguous parcels. whether such units are proposed as of right under a special permit process or proposed pursuant to subdivision control law general law chapter 41 subsection 81K to
81 GG inclusive including divisions of land that do not require subdivision approval. The provisions shall also apply to any new construction or substantial improvement of an existing structure in the West Chelsea district where the proposed development or redevelopment will result in 100 or more
dwelling units on one or more contiguous parcels. Whether such units are proposed as of right under special permit process or proposed pursuant to subdivision control law match general law chapter 44 sections 81K to 81 GG inclusive including divisions of land that do not
require subdivision approval. >> So I am now going to open I know we had myself and councelor de Jesus on on deck for that. Um I just also want to know we have seven minutes before we have to start shifting to our other meeting. Um how the council decides to take that on is up to the council. Um on this
amendment um councelor Tesh, you will have the floor. >> Um I would ask um I would ask that we do not entertain any additional amendments at this time just because this is the first time that I'm reading this and I don't do not want to
forward anything to the planning board that I have not given the time to to read and entertain. Um so for that reason um I I move that the council uh um runs a a roll call so that we can u make a decision and I would say not to
add anything to the pot at the moment. >> So um I just want to quickly clarify um we are not forwarding to planning tonight. The the move would be to send back to the council but your point still holds right. Um, so just to be clear and
then are you making a motion to close debate and and take a vote on this amendment? >> If nobody else has >> I object to that. >> That's that is fine. No, that um Councelor Taylor, I assume that that means that you would like to speak on the amendment or
>> Yeah, I I just you know, this isn't uh this isn't particularly I understand your point and it's it's it's well taken, but it it's pretty straightforward. I think um you know I I see a lot of kind of
twisting and trying to you know people uncomfortable with with with this whole kind of idea about getting rid of inclusionary zoning or that we need to think outside the box and try to fix it. I don't I don't think that
that's really possible because you cannot force people to come in and build. Now, if the point is that you can't that you want to prevent building and prevent the city from making money, then then people will be displaced on the other end because the taxes are
going to go up and people are going to be displaced by higher rents. If we do it this way, the city has more money to mitigate it. So just want to quickly >> on this on this amendment, >> this gives us
the money so that we might still help our our our our residents here in a place where there's no other people being displaced. It's not taking the place of other already existing
affordable housing. Okay. So, so either we're going to have the money to pay for things or we are not. I mean, this this whole thing about like, well, we need to You can't do that. That's not how it works. And and you cannot force a
developer to come in and and and build. But guess what? We need money because the money that we have, our reserves are going to run out. Okay? So, everybody in this in this
chamber, everybody that's watching at home has to understand for the for the current level of services to continue, we need to have more revenue, and we're not getting it. If you've read all your
your emails, you know that the city city's revenue is down and that I I believe will continue whereas prices are all going up on everything. So I just ask you to to consider. >> Thank you, councelor. Uh I'm going to um just my piece on the amendment. I
actually agree with councelor Tesh. Um if we are looking to send something to planning, which I believe I want the public process to happen. So, if we were voting on this proposal today, I would vote no on the proposal, but I think that we need to move this process forward so that the community can have
the opportunity for input. So, I would be in favor of voting this out of comm of of committee so that we can move it to planning. Um, that's just my position. So, I will now pass it to councelor de Jesus who has the floor after me and I will note that we have three minutes before >> I will be speedy Gonzalez. I have actual
questions. Um, and I and I feel like this is the best use of our time to ask our city manager questions. And so, um, city manager, in the data that you provided, um, and and I will repeat what I said earlier. I agree with you 100%. I don't think this was really meant to
create affordable housing, but instead to prevent the negative impact of massive development, which leads to displacement in small neighborhoods. But in this data, are you including the multiple affordable housing condos that were created that over 12 or 15
community members like long-term community members were able to um acquire? Is that part or is that separate from you? Are you like is the data separate between units and home ownership? Because I do remember that in particular in my district there were affordable housing homeownership condos
that went up for the community and a lot of people took advantage of those. I'm sorry, councelor. I I apologize. I I just want to We do have an amendment that is being proposed. I want to give the city manager the opportunity to answer that question, but we have we have to deal with the amendment that is being proposed. >> Our parking lot,
>> so can we please? Yeah. Um any other comments regarding councelor Robinson's amendment? Um councelor Tesh, I believe we already you already spoke on the amendment. Um >> and I believe councelor that you also spoke as well. Um, so anybody who has
not spoken on the amendment, councelor Brown, >> thank you, Mr. President. I'll be fair and quickly. Uh, I think again we're trying to get information. Here's some valid information that obviously none of us have read, but it's good information and I think it should be taken under consideration where we're not in a hurry
to vote on this matter that we can hold this piece of um recommendation, make sure it eventually goes in and do what's necessary to run it that for today. Okay, we got two minutes left and it's un it's really unwise to just, you know,
vote vote it out right now. Thank you, >> Council uh Hines. >> I'm going to say two things really quickly for the sake of time. Quite frankly, and to be quite honest, I don't really understand the proposal that is in front of me right now, which is why I agree with councelor Tesh, like we we
should give this some time for us to like read over a process and like gain an understanding of what is in front of us. Um, and in response to my fellow counselor here, I agree that we cannot force developers to come here,
but I think that also exists on the other side of the aisle as well that we can't force develop. We're just moving the guard rails and hopes that somebody finds the de Chelsea desirable to come and develop, right? So, we don't necessarily know what the outcome is going to to be. As you stated, we
believe these changes will lead to more multif family projects, but we don't know. >> I >> I just want to jump in real quick. >> You already spoke and I I'm trying. >> You said we could jump in. >> That was that was on the >> Just two just two seconds. >> 20 seconds. And and I I would I would
suggest that that you know many of us have actually talked to developers so we do know what what they are saying about why they're not coming to build in Chelsea and what would what would encourage them to do it. So I would actually encourage the city manager to
include that in the upcoming talks >> with the city manager support. I've actually spoken to a developer as well. >> Thank you counselor. Um All right. We are now going to move to a roll call vote on the amendment. Um
unless there's any objections. Um we could just continue the meeting. >> That that's fine too. >> I will say councelor that that uh just uh um uh by referring it back to to the council, right? Then it keeps the process going.
>> Yep. Um Mr. clerk, could you clarify what the timing of this um of continuing the meeting to a third uh continuation would do to the timing of this consideration? >> Regardless of whether or not you voted to recommend it out of committee tonight, it would not go on your agenda
till the meeting on the 27th anyway. So, if you were to continue this meeting and schedule it sometime prior to the 27th, you could conceivably have a vote to move it out of committee and have it on your agenda on the 27th, provided that the meeting takes place 48 hours prior to the meeting on the 27th.
>> Okay. So, with that information, um, is there a motion? Can we take a motion to continue the meeting while there is a motion to vote on an amendment in place? >> The amendment was proposed. There was no motion to actually roll call vote it.
>> I I made the motion. >> Um I believe it was councelor um Robinson's counselor. Did you in >> um Oh yeah. Okay. >> You you can ask you can introduce an amendment. >> You can object to the introduction and ask for a roll call vote. You can't
object to a roll call vote on the amendment itself. You want to go to the amendment? You can. So question I I just want to understand is it possible for us to um cons like stop the meeting now and return to this vote or do we have to take that vote prior to exiting the meeting?
>> I'd recommend councelor Tesh withdraw his motion for a roll call vote and ask councelor Robinson to withdraw his amendment and reintroduce it at your continued meeting. My recommendation >> councelor Tesh is there >> would would councelor Robinson withdraw his amendment.
Yes, I I will withdraw my amendment. Actually, I'm a little confused. When I proposed going after the WNBA team, which was a hund00 million project, every counselor sitting here wanted to make sure they signed on to
the letter. So, I'm a little confused where we are and what we're doing. >> All right. So, with the amendment being withdrawn, is there a motion to continue the meeting at a later time? >> So moved. All right, seeing no objections, we will continue this
meeting. Um, I will let everybody know when the meeting is scheduled, very likely for early next week. Meeting adjourned for now. Part: 2
Hello everyone. Really quickly for those in the room. Sorry. Really quickly for those in the room. We have Guys. Sorry. Apologies. Sorry to interrupt. We are not starting the meeting yet cuz I need to go outside really quickly, but I
just want to make sure um everybody knows there is now a sign-in sheet for the public speaking portion. It is on the table that is over here. If you have not signed up to speak, uh please make sure that you do. Um I'm going to give a couple minutes so if anybody would like to sign up for public
comment and has not done so that you do, and I will be right back to get this meeting started. Thank you. Please rise for the pledge of allegiance. Thank you. Thank you. Mr. Clerk, if you could please call the roll of the members. >> [clears throat]
>> Councilor Taylor. Here. Councilor Recupero. Here. Councilor Hernandez Rivera. Present. Councilor Hines. Present. Councilor Tenney-Garcia. Present. Councilor Tesh. Present. Councilor Kelly-Garcia. Present. Councilor Santagate. Present.
Councilor DeJesus. Present. Councilor Brown. Here. And Councilor Robinson. Here. All 11 members present. You have a quorum, Mr. President. Thank you, Mr. Clerk. Uh Councilor Tenney-Garcia, you I make a motion I make a motion to um
uh Suspend the rules? To suspend the rules. Uh move public speaker, right? Yeah, out of order? Out of order. Yes. And if we can have each speaker Let's do that one Let's do one first and then the other
one. Um so, any objections to moving this out of order so that we can have public speaking first? Councilor Can we take the resolution before we do the public speaking? Um Councilor Robinson uh would like to do the resolution first. Um
Yeah. Yeah. So, is that an objection to the motion? Um Well, I just asked the Or to hold the motion. >> Yeah. Yeah. All right. Seeing no objections to the council to that generally happening, um let's suspend the rules, have the celebratory resolutions, and then we will do public speaking. So, yeah,
let's do that. Just so they won't have to sit here too Oh, sorry. Uh I believe Councilor Robinson, is it Is it just this the wrestling state champion? Okay. So, just that one and then we'll do the other ones after. Um great. We will do 26 R 13, and then we will do
public speaking, and then we will return to the regular order. Item before you, you have a resolution introduced by Councilor Robinson. Whereas Ethan Martinez, the son of Jan and Yuritsa Martinez, is a lifelong Chelsea resident who attended the Kelly School, the Chelsea campus of Excel
Academy Charter Schools from 5th to 8th grade, and is currently a senior at Excel Academy Charter High School. And whereas Ethan played football as a member of Chelsea Pop Warner under the guidance of his father and coach Michelangelo, representing Chelsea on the football field for 5 years, as well
as the Revere Junior Patriots and Revere Panthers during his 8th and 9th grade years. And whereas Ethan began wrestling during his 9th grade year when he joined the varsity team, earning a place on the starting lineup during his 10th grade year and each year thereafter. And whereas heading into his senior year
here in the world title came to be team captain demonstrating his leadership and commitment to represent the team's values of personal growth, improvement, dedication, and embracing challenge, and earned several honors including championship wins at several in-season tournaments amassing over 50 wins in his
senior year and over 100 throughout his career. And whereas Ethan's greatest competitive accomplishment in wrestling was winning the MIAA Division 3 State Championship, a 16-person tournament in which four wrestlers qualify from the north, south, central, and west sectionals across the
state. Where he earned a second-round victory over Jamani Rivera of Boston's Josiah Quincy Upper School who accounted for one of Ethan's only two regular season losses and secured a pinfall victory over Matthew Patterson of Middleborough in the finals. And whereas Ethan's victory is the first
state wrestling championship won by a member of Excel Academy Charter High School's wrestling team and the first state wrestling championship won by a Chelsea resident. Now, therefore, be it resolved that the Chelsea City Council hereby congratulates Ethan Martinez on winning the MIAA Division 3 State
Wrestling Championship as well as for his other athletic achievements as a member and team captain of Excel Academy Charter High School's wrestling team and wish him continued success as he prepares to graduate from high school. Councillor Robinson. Hi, doc. >> [applause]
[cheering] [applause] [applause] [applause] [cheering] [applause] [cheering] [applause] [applause] >> You have the floor, Councillor. Adopt the unanimous beyond the suspension.
Uh we have a motion to um adopt unanimously under suspension. Seeing no objections, the motion carries and the resolution passes. Congratulations and Councillor, you have the floor. Uh I'll I'll be brief, actually. This is This is quite an honor for for Ethan.
I know back in when BU was here, uh they tried to do wrestling. The match cost like $6,000, so it only lasted for a couple years. And I know what it takes to be able to be a to be able to compete as a wrestler.
And to do what you did is outstanding. I just wanted to make sure that we recognize you as a Chelsea resident. Other speakers? Some city officials want Yeah, Councillor um Garcia. I'll be super brief. As a uh former teacher at Excel Academy Charter High School, Ethan, I
have seen you grow to this young adult that you are today and I'm so proud of you. Thank you for leading the way. Thank you for setting an example for our young boys here in Chelsea and the sky's the limit. I can't wait to see what you have in store for us.
>> [applause] >> Want to congratulate Ethan and his family, his team. I was a lot of work, a lot of dedication on your behalf. As a former athlete in the boxing world, I know what kind of dedication and what kind of commitment you put towards.
It speaks for the quality of your wins and your record and also the state championship. And again, as it was said, uh it's very inspirational that other youth from our city can see the work and the dedication as John Ruiz and others
like yourself show folks that things if you really have good leadership, good family values, and good teams around you that you can accomplish things and I'm sure that was something that you wanted to accomplish and congratulations on your honor tonight. Thank you.
>> [applause] [applause and cheering] >> Ethan, congratulations. Um I see that you brought your village and your village is so important. I grew up with your father and your mom going to high school together. So, to see such a wonderful young man
be part of this community and bring so much to the table. Thank you so much. Thank you to the parents and your dedication to to your young son. And you've done a great job. Thank you. >> [applause] >> Seeing a great young man like you makes
the whole city proud. It goes to show that don't ever underestimate the power of a young man. You can achieve much more. Never give up and always go forward and be proud of where you are and who you are. >> [applause] >> All right, with that we will recess for
3 minutes to give the award, take a couple pictures, and then we'll reconvene. Thank you, everyone. >> [applause] >> All righty. Apologies, I don't want to mess up the moment, but the celebration can continue outside.
Thank you so much and congratulations. Yeah. All righty, bringing everybody back. Um Sorry, everybody. I know we have a long list of folks I want to speak and I want to make sure that we can get to everybody. So, if we could please quiet down. If you have conversations that you would like to continue, you can step outside and we will be here. Um thank
you so much. Uh with that, we had um out of order the uh public comment portion. Counselor Garcia, do you have Yes, I make a motion to um have our public speakers go from 3 minutes to 2 minutes just because it's a big room, it's a big crowd, and we want
to hear everyone. So, we're giving everyone 2 minutes. Can we? Okay. Yeah, so under the new council rules, it is 3 minutes. Um and counselor uh is uh asking for us to move it down to 2 minutes. Are there any objections
to that? I am seeing no objections. So, we will have 2 minutes per speaker. Um and also, I just want to quickly highlight today is the first time that we are using the new council rules that were approved. So, I don't think it should have much of an impact to the
public comment. Um but in the latter portions, we're working through it and we hope that it will be as as good as possible. Um with that, I will now as part of the process, we now have a sign-in sheet for public comment. I have the first sheet here, so I'm going to be calling people one by one based on the order in which you
signed up. The second sheet is right on the table there next to the um uh interpretation equipment, so you can go uh sign up and after I am done here, I will check to see if anybody else has signed up. Thank you, everyone. With that said, we
will begin with Zack Ryan first. And uh if you could please state um actually, no, wait. We don't have to No, you don't need to say your name and address cuz it's here. Council president, I'm sorry, clarification. For for Well, I think that the council rules, the sign-up was simply for us to be able
to have notice of who was in the space, but it didn't have to go in order by signature, or is that what we're Believe we need to go in order just because otherwise we or Yeah. Yeah, we we I believe that was the intention.
>> I I'm just wondering if there's a way that maybe we can get anyone who has school tomorrow out of the room. I have to get my daughter in about 15 minutes, so >> Um I'm going to pull myself out. I No, okay. Just I as of right now, I I that if that is the will of the council,
we can, but um as of right now, that is not the process. If we have thoughts on that, we can talk about them at a later time. Um Go ahead, Mr. Ryan. Uh Zachary Ryan, uh resident of Chelsea. Um I'm a broken record. I'm here to talk about the
schools. Again, thank you for the infusion of money into the schools. Um a lot of us knew that that money would have to come from somewhere. Uh I don't think a lot of us were expecting it to turn around and be inclusionary zoning is going to be the cost of
getting that extra funding. I would like to say that saying that you've tied this to the school funding. We have not heard that you're going to do this again next year with school funding. So, to tie them without saying, you know, we're going to we're planning to do this again next year with the
budget and increase our giving our our uh our surplus money to the school system, it's kind of disingenuous to tie the two together. Um That's my my main point is that we don't want you can't look at the school with the
school system which has our vulnerable, you know, population. These kids rely on us to comment for them and speak out for them and speak up for them. They do it themselves, but we need to help them. You can't turn around and go after another vulnerable population in this
city and say, "We're take We're going to stop any chance of you getting any inclusionary housing." To that, I've heard comments here tonight say, "We've talked to the developers." A developer will come in and tell you exactly what they want because that's what they want. It's about their bottom line. Not against development,
but you have to take what they're saying and ballot against your constituents. You have to listen to your constituency and think about them. 30 seconds. >> I've also heard somebody say, our council member said that it doesn't bring in the revenue. That's fine. That's the burden of the community is
that some people cannot afford it. We just because they can't afford that, you don't say, "You don't deserve a place to live." That's the burden. That's the burden that we have to put on the rest of the community is they have to step up because it has to be an equitable
response to this situation. That's all I have. Thank you. Uh >> [applause] >> Uh we have Lourdes Alva Lourdes Alvarez next. Sorry. Hi, everyone. Um thank you for um the chance to speak today. Um
I live at at Duo, that is a development that came up a lot uh at 180 Central. Um so, I would like to say that this is an opportunity for us to educate this council uh because we still hear a lot
of misinformation and a lot of data and um the analysis that's being presented is, first of all, sometimes wrong. So, that's why we welcome um an opportunity to have a an open conversation about this that includes
the community members. That's not what we have seen. Within 3 days, this administration has proposed new proposed changes to the original that it seems to be random. So, I will be brief uh because something that I feel that it's
important for for all of you to hear is that inclusionary zoning is a housing stability tool that secures mixed-income development. It was never meant to be to build more affordable units as it's been said. Again, it's an inclusionary zoning, it's
a tool that secures mixed-income development. Um a couple of volunteers and organizations have pulled a report Sorry, a lot of data and we submitted a letter to you within 2 days. Uh so, again,
it is possible to do this report and to analyze more data, not only just the Mass and report or just Oh, sorry. So, as I was working on my remarks for today, the city posted about Duo and the award, and I was like, "Oh, thrilled.
Let me just read what it say." And I will read what it say because it's exactly what affordable inclusionary zoning is. In a city where a typical asking rent is nearly double the median rental household income, a project that preserves public housing offered dozen
of below market rate apartments and protects the environment, it's something to celebrate. Duo preserved 96 public housing units and introduced 40 middle-income and 194 market rate apartments. Thank you. elements >> I have to I have to cut you off. Thank
you. >> brief. This development proved that both affordability and quality can be offered to all residents on the Commonwealth. Please. I I have to We have to maintain the rules for everybody and I I have to I apologize. I >> No worries. Appreciate the time. Thank
you. >> [applause] >> Um and sorry, just for just for the for the record, I have uh John Cromer who's up. Uh I have Diany Rodas. I have Guillermo uh from Mel Romero. Um Gladys Vega. Monica Elias. So, um
Good evening. Um 2 minutes. I think that's the start of the problem cuz it's always too short, too fast, and this is why we have the audience looking the way it does. We need to have these conversations and they cannot be timed. And in respect to
time, I understand that, but we have a job to do both the community and the council. So, in respect to that, 2 minutes is not enough, but I'll just start with mine to say, you know, I am 100%
um in support of affordable housing. But I also believe in the res- in in responsible development, growth, and building a new Chelsea that can exist along with Chelsea we know and love because the balance is what creates true sustainability.
We cannot celebrate affordability without asking, how do we pay for it? Without thoughtful development and broad investment, we limit our ability to fund and sustain affordable housing long-term. Growth isn't the enemy. It can be the engine that makes equity
possible. I say this from experience. I've been on both the I've been both a victim and an advocate on different sides of contentious decisions and policies. I understand the urgency that first the frustration and the passion that people
bring to these conversations. But I also know how quickly things can become divided and how the division can hold back. >> 30 seconds. That is why we need to come together for real conversations, smaller, honest round table discussions about what we
value, what we want to preserve, and what we may need to negotiate. Because I only have about 20 seconds, I'll get to the last thing, which is let's move forward, not in silos or behind closed doors, but in open inclusive forums where residents,
stakeholders, and city leaders can work side by side. We can protect and uplift current community members while also building a Chelsea that fosters economic growth and long-term sustainability. That's the balance we need and it's possible we committed can commit that
together. Thank you. Thanks. >> [applause] >> Um Dayani Rodas. And then Guillermo Romero. Good evening. My name [clears throat] is Dayani Rodas Tuon. And first off, I'd like to begin by sharing my personal experience. I live in a household of six people and
every day my parents and I live in constant state of fear of not being able to afford to stay in our home. That fear is not just ours, it reflects what's what so many families in this community are going through. Housing is not just a policy issue, it's
stability and our safety. The po- The proposed policy is is creating a divide between who can afford to stay in our city and who cannot. It is contri- It is contri- contributing to segregation where lower income families are pushed out while others
benefit from policies that are not equally applied. I'd also like to highlight that many members of our community don't fully understand what is happening or how these policies are affecting them. Without clear and honest communication, people are left confused, stressed, and
unable to advocate for themselves. Instead of simplifying the issue, conversations around displacement are often made more complicated and made harder for residents to stay informed and involved. To our city manager, I hope you consider different
alternatives that can generate revenue without pushing any current residents out. Thank you. >> [applause and cheering] >> Guillermo Guillermo Romero. Going once. All right. Going twice. Um I'm speaking for the behalf of Guillermo. Sorry. Um
Can we I don't Sorry, we can't allow that. If somebody else besides you I can do it. Sorry. Sorry about that. Thank you. All right, so I'm just going to read Guillermo's testimony as he wasn't able to say today. Hello, my name is Guillermo Romero and the more I think about this policy
change, the more disappointed I am with the way things are going in the city of Chelsea. There's only one question that replays in my head. Who is this policy change for? Certainly not us. This policy change is just a call for accelerating displacement and if this
goes through, residents of Chelsea will continue to be pushed out. This improper communication of using words and numbers we don't fully understand confuses Chelsea residents and it's just a way of leaving us out of the conversation. We shouldn't rush to vote, but focus on Chelsea so the residents are fully
informed on what this policy change actually means. I understand that Chelsea is low in money as we've seen with the school budget cuts, but there are other ways of generating revenue for the city instead of displacing residents and pushing them out of Chelsea. The city of Chelsea needs to take its time instead of rushing on making a decision that hasn't
been fully thought out and can harm current residents. For our city councilors, when you vote on this policy, we will remember your decision if you choose profit over our people. Thank you for your time. >> [applause] >> Uh Gladys >> [applause]
>> Gladys and then after Gladys I have Monica Elias and then Anna Sofia. So Gladi Vega, 160 Clark Avenue and I'll give you my Speedy Gonzales um version. Um I have worked in Chelsea since 1989. Working families, immigrant, small
business. Nosotros siempre nos quedamos, whether the city was doing bad or good, we stayed, we made this our city. Now that Chelsea's on the map, we put Chelsea on the map for many good reason. We have trust the community um and oriented police department that we
proudly helped build. We built environmental justice movement with lots of residents and we didn't know that we did when when Chelsea when we didn't even know that Chelsea was surrounded by water three parts. We brought justice to the map. We built Chelsea. Now we're
building um these luxury apartments for residents that do not engage at all. Um many um don't even attend meetings to support our neighborhood. In the meantime, our families worked to restore the city in the early '90s. We um we
went to three different receiverships. More luxury housing does not make housing affordable. If we inclusionary zoning um creates only higher rate rents and displacement. There are more much better ways to um to create revenue. So for
example, I live in 160 Clark, I never find parking. What about if we mark this parking spaces? Charge fees for people that are not parking appropriately and that's another revenue. But let's be creative and Fidel, I don't think that we should rush this. This is nothing to rush. This is
something that we need to think about. We want to make sure that the residents that made the city better um it stays and that's all of us here. >> 25 seconds. Chelsea no se vende. >> [applause]
>> Monica. >> [cheering] >> All right. Sorry everybody. Thank you. Hola, buenas noches. Me llamo Monica Elias Orellana. I live in Chelsea at 44 Prospect Ave, but I'm also I work with GreenRoots. I
am here today because I hear so much about inclusionary zoning changes, but I think you guys are pinning us to school funding and to be frank, there is no clear evidence that this inclusionary zoning is holding back
development. There's a lot of questions. I asked Fidel actually straight, what are the numbers in the pipeline coming up? I don't know if you guys know, if you guys are in the Prattville area, the there's a overlay district being proposed right now, the Fitzpatrick
uh Prattville overlay district and rumor has it, right? No, fact check me, please, because I have not heard a range yet. I'm hearing that over 900 units will be developed in the CHA property, but also the overlay map covers from
Fenno Street all the way to Revere Beach Parkway and we know Russo's Tux is up for development come May. And the proposal is that what, eight stories of buildings can be built? So you're coming after inclusionary zoning that has
helped families, especially at the lower income levels remain in Chelsea. Your new proposal of 80% AMI, and I know it's complicated the AMIs here, but we're lumped into Summer or not Summer, Quincy, Boston, and Cambridge. Our
families are not making that much money. You're telling me that a family of four at 80% AMI, the income is $132,000? Is our families making that? No, they're not. Rent is increasing, so this development
changes that you guys are proposing are not going to help our low-income families that have created the social fabric of Chelsea. So I implore you guys to really think and counselors, ask questions, inform yourselves, educate yourselves. There's two overlay district
proposals. How many units are coming down the pipeline? Like you're selling our city. 20 seconds. >> [screaming] [cheering] [applause] >> Selfish. Good evening, members of the city council. My name is Anna Sofia Miva Wong
and I live at 126 Washington Avenue. Um the median household income in Chelsea is $72,000 a year. The income needed to afford a market rate two-bedroom apartment um at $2,700 a month without being housing cost burdened is $97,200
a year. At duo, it would be $115,000 a year. The income that it would take to afford the monthly payments toward a home at median sales price is conservatively $120,000 a year. 40% of homeowners and over 50% of renters in the city are housing cost burdened.
Every day, long-time residents in Chelsea struggle to stay afloat economically as housing prices climb. Record numbers of children, young people, and seniors are facing housing instability and homelessness. The fabric of this community is already changing, and it is against this backdrop that the city has proposed drastic cuts to
inclusionary zoning policy, not against an abstract future threat of displacement. But, I'd like to take a step back to provide a different perspective on the IZ policy itself, particularly to counter the assertion that it has failed. Inclusionary zoning is a tool to build mixed-income housing,
and it reflects different values that I have heard every member of this council express. Inclusionary zoning is about ensuring that when new housing development occurs, a subset of units serve residents that are already here. To those on the council who are concerned about the concentration of
poverty in pockets of the city, the inclusionary zoning policy actually achieves the opposite. It is a powerful tool to combat segregation, promote economic opportunity, and achieve a mixed-income community. 30 seconds. >> Mixed-income housing has been proven to have extremely positive outcomes related
to economic mobility. Inclusionary zoning is one of the only tools that allows for housing with a 100% local preference. It is one of the only tools that incentivizes deeply affordable units that are actually affordable to people who live here. It even pushes affordable
housing developers to include units with deeper subsidies that reflect the housing we need in Chelsea. I'd also like to clear something up about the in-lieu payment. The in-lieu payment was not meant to generate revenue for anti-displacement efforts. >> time is up. I apologize. Um, can I
finish that thought? It was set up at the cost of building a unit in 2017, uh which at the time was $400,000. The purpose of setting it so high was to push developers to build the affordable unit rather than paying out of the policy. Thank you.
>> [applause] >> Um So, next I have Elsa Hernandez, Madeline Garcia, Brendaliz Romero. Hi, everyone. My name is Elsa Hernandez, and I'm here as a resident, not as a worker, okay? So,
just to clarify. So, um I hear this like gentrification, this um whatever, blah blah blah, that we are talking here tonight, and then I came last meeting last week. But, you guys thinking the people like me? I don't want to be selfish, but like
I exposed myself um last year I came here because I'm going through eviction. Everybody knows. This affected me. This affects my children. My My kids, they all um raised and born in Chelsea. I came here on um 1990s.
So, I grew up in Chelsea, too. My salary I can't afford to pay like I'm a struggling right now with 3100, right? Imagine They are trying to kick me because they raised my rent to 38. How I'm going to
pay all of this money if you guys like all agree to uh all let's make more buildings, more buildings. That's pushing people like me out of the Chelsea. Juan Gallego, he used to be my landlord, and I lived with um on his apartment for many years. He was a good landlord.
He Probably he's one of the less uh I mean like the I'm sorry to say like this. Probably he's one of the few landlords who can give um affordable housing to people like me back in time. And he was always like, "Oh, if you don't have the money, don't worry."
I raised my four kids alone, and this affects me. I'm sorry for my tears, but it's it's true. This is a struggling. I work for the city, too, but I don't make I don't make uh not even 60. Sorry, 30 seconds. I Sorry. >> I know. I'm sorry. You guys should give
like 5 minutes to each resident like me because we all have something to say, all of us. And Who support me? Was La Colaborativa and Boston Legal Services. And I'm sorry to say this like this, but it's kind of selfish. Everybody think only on like
bring more people from Boston or from wherever around the world, but they not even spend money in Chelsea. They go to Boston. They go to downtown. They don't stay in Chelsea. No one of those you going to see on the Chelsea restaurants in here. That's That's the truth, and I'm sorry. Thank you.
>> [applause] >> Okay. Okay. Okay. Sorry, excuse me. Sorry. Sorry, sorry, sorry. Okay. My name is Brendaliz Rosa, and I've lived here since more than 15 years ago. Chelsea has been historically
a reaching point for immigrants. And this is due to the affordable living and the closeness of the employments on the metropolitan area of Boston. And I'm here to represent people who are afraid to come in here today. What's going to happen with the people
cannot afford the rent because they cannot work. What's going to be happening with them? What's going to happen with the children's education? I want to think you about the Hispanic people, the Latino people. What's going to be happening to us?
Thank you. >> [applause] >> Um Sorry, I I have Madeline Garcia and then Juan Gallego. Yeah, you can you can go on if you want to go. That's fine. Buenas noches. Good evening. Sorry, and
then after I have Caroline Allenberg, Patricia Ebanks. Uh I am a small developer uh in this beautiful, wonderful, welcoming city. I've uh I came here in 1980,
and I've only seen great things in this city. Brought a a lot of wonderful things to my life. Uh with regards to the inclusionary zoning, tonight uh
it was a very special to hear other people's point of view, where it restructured my thinking about the inclusionary zoning. I believe very very seriously that the way it is set up right now
needs to be restructured. Um and it's going to take a little more time than I think the next hearing that we're going to have. Let's get together. Let's Let's find a middle ground
for our residents, for the newcomers um to our city. And let's be generous with people who are in as privileged as others.
But, let's find a middle ground. I'm willing to put my little grain in whatever the city wants me to do. I will do it. 30 seconds. >> I have in fact, now that you mentioned that, Giovanni, I'm I didn't I wasn't
going to tell you this, but during pandemic, not not only did I work very hard like many people here did, but I reduced my rents to all of my tenants, all of them.
>> [cheering] >> I don't think anybody did that. >> [applause] >> I did. Thank you. Thank you. >> [cheering] [applause] >> And Madeline, before you start, I would just like to remind the council that we
are not allowed to engage, so please no speaking from the dais. Thank you. Madeline, go ahead. Thank you. Good evening, city council. Good evening, city manager, and good evening to the audience here this evening. I after I echo Juan's sentiment, after hearing a lot of the community, I think it's very
important that we have a middle ground. Our community has built Our residents have built our community for years. I grew up in Chelsea. I run my business out of Chelsea for the past 30 years, and I know the importance of housing. I know the importance of affordable housing, but I also understand that in
order to a city to remain sustainable, we need responsible growth. It is important that we understand that affordable housing and responsible growth to any community is essential. It's very important. I also would like to mention to the city council that
there is in fact a misconception, and I'll be very brief. I've heard in the past that uh developers are coming to to city of Chelsea to build micro units, studios, and one bedrooms because that's what they want to build. And I want to tell you that that is far from the
truth. That is the easiest route, okay? That is the easiest route with the least restrictions. That is the easiest route with the least parking restrictions, and that is the easiest way to get approved. No big And that is the reason why, and I'm not blaming, pointing fingers, but
we caused this problem. The reason why people come to my real estate company looking for three and four bedrooms, and I don't have them available is because unintentionally we created this problem. We have a problem, and together we need
to unite, and we need to hear each other because all of us have feelings. We are all valuable, and we all need to be heard. Okay, so thank you. Is my time up? 20 seconds. Oh, 20 seconds. I also I also want to say
that I am so very proud of our community for coming out here and just saying your feelings. But I also want to thank the city manager because I think it's important what you're doing. I came across your social media posts, and the fact that you're informing our
community. The data is there. The data. There's third-party data that is telling us that this inclusionary uh uh affordable housing is not working. So, let's let's be mindful. Let's work together, and let's come up with a solution. >> Thank you. Thank you.
>> [applause] >> I have Caroline, and then I have Patricia Eubanks, and then Yoana Drago. And if any Just a quick reminder, if you would like to sign up and you have not, the sheet is over there, and I'm going to go grab it after Patricia goes. Good evening, City Council. Good
evening, City Manager. Um I'm Caroline Ellinger. I am here as a resident. I also direct the Comunidad en Accion Community Land Trust here in Chelsea. Um I'd like to start by just saying that zoning is not neutral.
It's a tool that has generally been an exclusionary tool. Um communities decide who will be a part of their community based on the zoning policies that they implement. Inclusionary zoning is a tool that
cities have. It is a tool that cities across the country are using. Um I really appreciate several councilors tonight saying that they want to take more time. This is complex stuff. We have a good policy in place, and yes, it's supposed to have been
revisited after 5 years. That doesn't mean we needed to gut it. Um which is what's happening, and I I recognize, right? When times are hard, we get scared, and we want to find the money and hang on to that and say that's what's going to sustain us. And I just
we need to really know that that's what's going to that this is the tool that we need to gut in order to get that. Um We're in the midst of a planning process. Let's hear from it. Let's find out what happened, all of us. I really appreciate everyone saying how much we
need to work together. We need these conversations. Chelsea is powerful and unique in the way that we have so much expertise and that we know how to talk to each other. So, let's do it. Um I want to echo a couple of things. Okay, thank you. Um Affordability at 80% is worthless AMI is
worthless in Chelsea. There's no point. Don't bother, right? It's got to be lower than our our AIZ zoning is low because our incomes are low. Uh secondly, I keep hearing that that we've never seen this fee. It can't be working cuz we've never seen this fee.
It's working because we haven't seen the fee. Cuz every time you don't see the fee, it means a unit is being built. So, if we go down to 200, we have 200 less to either It's an either/or deal. It's not both, right? You either pay the fee
in lieu of developing an apartment um or a unit. Um and I you know, consider home ownership. So, thank you very much. Have a good night. Thank you. >> [applause] [cheering] >> We're only counting the time for the Spanish portion. The interpretation does
not count for the allotment of time. Good night. My name is Patricia Eubanks. I live in Chelsea live in Chelsea for for 32 years. >> I've been living in Chelsea for 32 years. And we like I would like to address to the council to let them know that we are
we have been a Hispanic community that we have a apportioned a lot of to the city. And I would like to have you in mind that to ask for affordability for people think about us, people who cannot afford
Is Chelsea before this times Chelsea was a really a bad city, and a lot of people was saying that where do you where asking where do you live? And if you say Chelsea, you were thinking thinking as a bad place, and we have been building and
growing this city. We don't sell Chelsea. >> [cheering] [applause] >> So, next we have Yoana, and then we have Anthony Quiles, and Hector Anjel. I first I want to say thank you you all over there.
Cuz that it means a lot for me. I'm not going to fight this side to the other side. We have to be together. Why am I going to ask you for something when we have to be together? I think it's a thing it need to be
worked on it. First, we have to be congregated to ask for something. You cannot come ask them to give you houses when you know here we need to understand they are working as we all do.
How you want the houses? How you want this happen when we know are together? Tell me. Sorry, I would ask that you please address the council and not the audience. Thank you. Yeah, I'm sorry. I apologize. Well, cuz I see so many Well,
by the way, my name is Yoana Drago. I work for a nonprofit organization CET and TND. Houses opportunity for people that need that. So, my point is uh we are in the point to ask somebody I
need housing. Just we do. We have necessity. Everybody have. So, all we do to everybody, I'm going to talk to all of them because it's my opinion, and I respect yours, and I respect everybody cuz we work together, and this is going to happen together. You have 30
seconds left. Well, thank you so much. And thank you for all of you and the hard work you have done because this is not take a moment. It takes a lot of time to understand we make it happen. Thank you.
All right. Next I have Anthony Quiles, Hector Anjel, and then if you are the person who put your name at the top of this list, I cannot read your name. So, please identify yourself so that I can know who you are. I want to say thank you to the board for giving me the opportunity to speak in
today and to the uh city manager. Um this is something that I've been studying a little bit, you know. Um I was born and raised in Chelsea um in the '70s, as Leo knows, when I was a kid. Um affordability's been an issue, you
know, throughout these years. And we I am for I believe that affordability is something super important, but times change, and we have to go with with the flow, right? Like like we say. So, because if you look at um a Red Revere,
and you look at the statistics, by the way, great job whoever put this study together. It's very comprehensive and in factual. Very factual. And as a city, we have we have to grow. I don't believe that, you know, increasing
parking tickets and, you know, other ways of collecting funds are the way to go. The city has to grow, and it's all about the taxes. So, if we don't allow the growth in the city, you know who's going to pay for it?
Us, the people that that own a single family or two family or three family. Our taxes are going to go up. It's proven. It's factual. It's all how we found fund the schools, how we fund everything in the city has to do with taxes. So, what I'm saying there's got to be a
way that, like Juan said, that we have to have a meeting of the minds and have something that works for everyone. But, growth is the way to go. It's proven not only the United States nationally. You go to like a city like Tokyo. 25 seconds
>> 37 million people and the Japanese were able to to work this out very very very well. And I think we have a group of smart people here that we can create something that works for everyone. Thank you. >> [applause] >> Good evening, members of the board.
I believe it has to be a balance for the community and for the new developers. Uh the community is complaining the prices of the rent, but one of the issues is there's no inventory. If you don't allow new developers to bring more apartments, more houses, the rents going to go higher because there's no
inventory. If you go ever Revere, you see all the new buildings. Now they offering 1 month, 2 months free rent because there's many options for apartments. Chelsea doesn't have any. If you we keep doing this, the no more developers not adding new buildings,
it's going to be the same issue. And Chelsea is a great city and I agree with that. She was telling um last month I have an a an a customer looking for an apartment in Everett and I didn't have one, so I tell her I have one in Chelsea and she say no, I go
anywhere but not Chelsea. For some reason people think Chelsea is a bad city. It's not worth it. I think Chelsea is a great city. Uh I love Chelsea and it's got to be a balance where we can grow and change the city for a better community for everybody.
Thank you. >> [applause] >> Uh next I have Jamie Guerra and Marian Moncea. Jamie or Marian going once going twice
All right. Probably students. Um I have Rodrigo Blanco. It is it is Blanco presumably not here either. All right. Fatima Corina Melgar Okay. Um Raul Melendez Okay.
Anything else? So there's two people? Okay. Those are the first two that I called. Um all right. Anybody else who wishes to speak who has not signed up? Um all right. Seeing none, I guess that is the close of public comment. Thank you everybody for coming and for speaking tonight. Um as a rule, the
council cannot respond to public comment. Um but I encourage you all to reach out to myself and to the my colleagues um to find times to discuss um what has been uh spoken today. Um with that, I will um Counselor Hines, um you have the floor.
I believe, and correct me if I'm wrong, I would like to motion to suspend the rules and move the communication for the inclusionary zoning ordinance out of order. Seeing uh no objections to move the item out of
order for discussion I will we will suspend the rules and move that item out of order. Thank you, counselor. And uh for um the public, this is the communication from the city manager that is talking about the updated uh proposal that was
discussed in the previous meeting. It is not the order itself. We are not voting on the order, simply on the communication from the city manager. Mr. Clerk Dear counselors, I am writing to request an update of Chelsea's inclusionary zoning policy. Over the past 2 weeks, we have had a
very thoughtful and transparent conversation with our community. I will not sugarcoat it. Our city is facing increasing budget pressures and it is time to act. We know that a change to the inclusionary zoning ordinance will not alone solve our problems. This change is one of many initiatives
we are pursuing to spark growth and development in our community. We will continue to pursue commercial and industrial development. Most importantly, we will continue to support production of affordable housing. During our meeting on Monday, March 30th, we heard loud and clear that the
city council was open to a change to inclusionary zoning and that the council prefers a gradual change. We also heard and agree with our need to review this policy more often and are committing to creating an annual report of the progress of this policy. The policy was last amended in 2019 and
has not been reviewed since. We all agree that 2019 was a different world and we must adjust to the market and economic realities we are facing today. I am submitting to the council a revised ordinance that strikes a better balance and we believe will generate new growth in Chelsea.
Specifically, there are four changes proposed in the amendment. Changing the policy to apply to projects with 50 units or more. The current policy applies to projects of 10 units or more. We initially proposed raising this threshold to 100 or more and the council
desires a more gradual change that will be evaluated more often. We believe that raising this threshold to 50 strikes that balance. We believe that this change will unlock a tremendous amount of projects, particularly in our downtown. Change the required number of affordable units and connect it with the level of
affordability. We propose two options. 10% of units at 80% of AMI or 7% of units at 60% of AMI, matching inclusionary zoning in Everett. Changing fees in lieu to affordable housing units to $200,000.
The change is the current policy that allows developers to pay the city $400,000 in place of complying with inclusionary zoning. Our current policy requires the council approve through a vote acceptance of this payment. In 9 years, we have not received any funds.
These payments could be used for anti-displacement work such as rental assistance, first-time homebuyer programs or contributing to 100% affordable housing projects. Most importantly, reviewing the policy every 2 years. It is critical that our government moves
with the situation on the ground. We commit to hiring a third-party firm like MassHousing Partnership or the Metropolitan Area Planning Council to review the data and effects of this policy change. If new growth explodes in Chelsea, the council may choose to modify the policy
and opposite if the economic situation worsens. The council may choose to act accordingly. The need for change is more urgent giving broader economic uncertainty. Under Massachusetts Prop 2 and 1/2, the city's ability to increase revenue is fundamentally constrained. The most
effective and sustainable way for Chelsea to generate additional revenue is growing its tax base. That growth depends directly on new development. Without it, we risk limiting our ability to fund schools, support public safety, and invest in critical infrastructure.
Updating inclusionary zoning represents an opportunity to strike a better balance maintaining our commitment to affordability while making development financially viable again. This is not simply an option. It is a necessary step to unlock new housing production and economic growth.
I urge the city council to take action on this issue and move toward meaningful reform of the inclusionary zoning language. By doing so, you will help ensure that Chelsea remains vibrant, growing city that can meet the needs of its residents both today and in the future. As such, I encourage the council to
accept this request for the amendment, send the matter to the planning board for a public hearing, and set a date for its own public hearing and adoption. Our administration is available to the council to explain this change and answer any questions you may have. Uh so Counselor Hines is the one who [clears throat] made the motion, so I want to give him the the floor, but
Counselor Taylor, did you have a process question? I have a question. This one? >> No, the because he took it out of order, that's why I just say the the we still have resolutions and >> still have resolutions. >> acceptance of the minutes before we actually got into the business. >> I I hear that. Um
Counselor Hines, uh yep. Is there a question uh on procedure? Um what is the topic of the question? >> question for the manager, city manager. Uh that is not yet. Uh we can uh Counselor Hines made the motion, so he gets the floor first and
then we can come to you. Um The it was just to suspend the rules. Um yeah, to to move this out of order. So, um Counselor Hines, you have the floor on the item. I don't I don't have a a motion to move
it, but I like to say I agree with some of the statements that were heard today that um there is a middle ground. And just to be clear, we we do need a motion from you to accept and file this uh >> Okay. Well, then I'd like >> to accept and file and if I could get a
moment to speak on it. >> Yes. Yeah, you absolutely can speak on it. And to be to remind the the public, this is the communication. This is not the actual order. Counselor Hines, you have the floor. >> Briefly. Briefly, I would just like to say I I agree with a lot of the comments that were made today that there is a middle ground and we just have to work
to identify it. That's all. That's all. Counselor Garcia Yes, I'd love to ask our city manager you know, we have heard a full room tonight. >> And I just I will just quickly note, under our new rules, we do not need to suspend the rules to ask the city
manager a question. Great. >> So Wonderful. Um so first and foremost, I want to thank the audience for coming out here and speaking and defending the city of Chelsea. Fidel, I would love to to learn from you.
What is the plan? And again, you may not know it yet, but it sounds like the community is asking for more time more conversations. And so what what is your response to that ask from the community? The response is
Vamos a hacerlo. Vamos a hablar. Es es es es es esta propuesta es muy difícil, verdad? Esta >> So so the these conversations are are challenging. These conversations are are are tough. I I I
we are on a journey on a path where we are going to have these conversations individually with each with with each organization and and also with with several round tables as was suggested
earlier. We have one such round table on Thursday. I I I have reached out to every every organization in Chelsea to ask me to come and and present this proposal before their body. Right? So so that is a a request that I have officially made to
every organization in in Chelsea. I have reached out to to most unions of of the city and and also to to have this conversation. We we are having a another budget meeting on Wednesday that that again it's an opportunity to tie this this together. Yes,
I I absolutely hear the fact that this is a very hard conversation. But I think I think earlier counselor Tinetti was making the point right of of making this change to inclusionary zoning is is going to affect folks
housing situation today. Right? And I challenge that. I I I I don't think that those two things are tied together and I think that it's it's it's a little bit more unfortunately complicated than than that. We keep talking about duo. Right?
Duo is an amazing project. It was not built on inclusionary zoning. Inclusionary zoning had nothing to do with duo. In fact, the project that was referenced earlier which is Prattville is going to be built. We I am going to advocate for it. I know that counselor
Todd Taylor is going to advocate for it. And and it was it will not require inclusionary zoning. And it will have very high percentage of affordable units and deeply affordable units. Right? So so we this is what we are trying to have
a conversation as a community. We have to make these compromises. We have to make sure that that we work together on on reaching consensus. And and I am committed to that process. I I I am not stopping that process. All right. So I have counselor DeJesus and then counselor Garcia Tinari.
I will be very brief and I just want to shout out the few developers like the one that we heard from today, Mr. Gallego because as we're talking about this is difficult for our community. It's difficult for us here in administration. But I also think
that we have a handful of good property owners, large developers that actually do care that are connected to the to the base and and the people in our community and unfortunately this conversation has to be longer because we can't we're we're not always going to get a Juan Gallego. We're
opening the doors to many developers and not all of them have the same interests. Counselor Garcia and then counselor Rubiera. I want to publicly apologize for giving the residents 2 minutes. It came from a good heart.
Promise. I just saw the room full of people and I wanted to hear every one of you guys. So I thank everyone who came up to speak to us. I also want to say Chelsea no se vende pero se atiende and I feel like we
need to So let me translate that. Chelsea we don't sell Chelsea but we take care of Chelsea, right? We need to take care of it and and taking care of it comes with growth and finding that middle ground is so
important. And I have in this room three amazing developers, four amazing developers that have been completely completely involved in the community and I want to thank you guys for for showing up and and being present. And it is so important for the community
to see the flip side of things also. With new development comes new opportunities, new jobs. But it is very important to meet that middle ground. So I want to thank everyone for speaking. I want to again apologize for giving you guys 2 minutes.
Next time it'll be 3 minutes, I promise. But yeah, so hopefully we can come to a common ground. Counselor Rubiera. I don't have much to say. Earlier the gentleman said everybody deserves affordable housing. Yes. Not only people for affordable housing. How about the
rest of people that don't have affordable housing? Do they deserve affordable housing, too? You keep saying one thing. Everybody deserves affordable housing. And if you ain't growing and you ain't making any money, how do YOU GOING TO AFFORD IT? And then I heard somebody say the
average income of the city is 70,000. The average income of the city is not 70,000. That's gross. What do you net? What do you take home? You don't take 70,000. So if you're paying $3,000 for an apartment, you can't live in it. So what are you going to do? You want to
build a small percentage of people that can and the rest cannot. You have to have a balance. to have a balance between them all. You can't just say give to the affordable and not How about THE POOR RENTERS? HOW ABOUT THE PERSON THAT DOESN'T QUALIFY FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING? Don't they deserve to have a
house, too? So it doesn't make any sense when someone says, "Well, YOU GOT TO GET HOW ABOUT THE POOR PEOPLE? THEY DESERVE TO LIVE." EVERYBODY DESERVES TO LIVE. EVERYBODY DESERVES a place to stay. Mr. City Manager, let me ask you a question and then I won't ask you any more.
With this inclusionary zoning, FINALLY WHAT DOES IT ACTUALLY DO? WHAT DOES it do? Explain to them what does it do. Does it help people get housing? Does it help people not get housing? What does it do? I think after looking at this data,
looking at our neighbors, I think that the inclusionary zoning policy we agreed at the 6:00 meeting is not building affordable housing. I think we agree on that. I and and I think that that most people in this room agree with that. So I I and I think that many people in this room are saying that it is stopping
development. I think we agree with that. Now some people think that's good. Right? But we as a city, as an administration, we have to face the reality that that if we don't have development, we don't have revenue. Right? And and I do understand the the
the other avenues whether it's parking tickets. I will tell you that that there's not many things that that upset people more in coming to my office. People don't come into my office about housing. They come into my my office about parking tickets about three times a day. Right? It is painful. It seems like people
the story on the street is people are out there so the city can make money. Right? This is the these are very very challenging times. It's very challenging conversation. I think we agree now that inclusionary zoning is not building affordable housing. I I I think I think that's
that's pretty good. I think many people are saying that the current inclusionary zoning policy is preventing development. I think I heard a lot of that in in in and I think where we are is is that a good thing or a bad thing? Some of us think that it's a good thing that is
preventing development. But but some of us think that it's a bad thing. And I think what what I heard at the end was the need for balance. The need for for striking a middle ground where where we have some development but we don't have unlimited development. And I think
that's what we're trying to do here with this change. Can I Do I have any seconds left? >> 45 seconds left on your time, counselor. Thank you very much, city manager. That is the problem. What we need is balance. You can't have one and not enough of the
other because if you have too much of one, it kills the other and that doesn't work. That people here keep saying gentrify to leave faster. That is the fastest way for you to leave because you can't afford it. So if you can't afford to live here and you don't grow, the taxes are going to be shifted onto the
landlord and the landlords have no choice but to shift it onto you. SO YOU GOING TO have to go. So you need to have a balance. A balance. That's what it's all up to us and the city manager to come to a balance where it works for both where you don't get people to leave
and you also generate revenue for the city to stay the way it is. That's all it is. It's a balance for all of us to do. Guys, please no no no comments from the audience, please. It is not the time. And counselor, your time is up. Thank you. Any other comments on this? Counselor Robinson, please.
Could you Could you give us the number of what we lost in new growth last year and what we expect to get in new growth this year? I think that's very important for people in the audience today. It is very important, counselor.
And and this this is not a new story. Right? Anyone that that that is shocked by by this number we have been saying this number for about 6 months now which is this is this year is the lowest new growth number that it had that that we've had
in over a decade. And and and you know, I the counter that I normally hear is, "Well, it's the economy or it's the times or it's interest rates." And this is where I compare ourselves to our neighbors. Right? That is not what we are seeing in Everett and that is not
what we are seeing in Revere. Are they immune to to to interest rates? Are they immune to the economy? No, they are not. They are not immune. They have just chosen to make their policies a little bit better, right? A little bit balanced, more balanced
maybe. And all I am asking for from this council is to level the playing field, right? In many in many ways we are mirroring mirroring matching making the same as our neighbors in Everett. There are other more creative things that
Everett has that are not on the table because I think that they will be controversial, equally as controversial. Density bonuses, expedited permitting. I I I think that that a lot of our residents would have equal amount of of guardrail removals,
right? Permitting is the process that we have with the planning board is a guardrail that works, right? We know that projects get denied all the time. Projects get modified all the time, right? And that is a guardrail that allows this to happen, right? It allows residents to
come and challenge development and interact, right? So, that is not something that I am putting on on the table because I value this. I value the interaction. I value the the community conversations to every development. Seeing no other comments. Oh, sorry. Did
I apologize counselor? I believe you had the floor prior to counselor Robinson. I apologize. You have the floor. Thank you. Okay. So, I think there is a big misconception here. People are talking or under the mistaken
impression that if you have affordable housing now, that somehow if if we alter this zoning amendment, then then everybody's going to get pushed out. Everybody that has your if you have
affordable housing now, you're going to have you're going to keep it. This has no effect on anybody that's living here. No one. No one will be affected by this. And if people are telling you that,
they are wrong. And they're giving you bad information, absolutely 100%. So so >> Please. Please. Please. We will Guys, sorry. We are going to have a vote on
this. It is not going to be tonight. There will be many votes on this. None of them are happening tonight. Please no more addressing the councilors. Thank you. Counselor Taylor, you can Yeah. Thank you. So, everybody should know that every
councilor on this council supports affordable housing. Affordable housing is necessary. But the problem is is that the way the current system's set up, we need
we need balance. Now, this council's hard at work at trying to think of other ways, just like the new pilot project that we have on Heard Street. Uh you know, I've I've I've proposed a thing that we work closer with the
Chelsea Housing Authority, which actually has a Chelsea preference and a veteran preference. So so that we can we can do more of these uh projects like Duo, like the one in
Prattville, that that provides deep affordability, okay? The zoning amendment does not equal affordable housing. You are talking about two different things. This council is committed to affordable housing.
Because we fix this amendment, which is preventing the money from coming in, we're going to have more money to try to provide the housing that's necessary. So, when I hear comments like we're trying to sell Chelsea, excuse me. I I
find that absolutely insulting. Every councilor up here is committed to it. So, if anybody's trying to sell you a load of goods, it's not us. We're trying to provide this city with
what it needs, both affordable housing and enough revenue to keep the city going. And if people can't understand that, I'm sorry. I don't know what else to say, but you should you should try to be critical of what other people are
telling you. Thank you. Thank you. I believe that's every councilor who has spoken. I'm just going to quickly outline the process for this logistically. Um The the item was not moved out of the subcommittee. That means that there is going to be a third meeting of the
subcommittee on conference, where we will continue the meeting that was had at 6:00 p.m. From there, the council has the option to refer that to the regular council meeting, which would be the next time that we meet in 3 weeks, I believe. The 26th.
And then from there, at that meeting, the council has an option to refer that to the planning board or not. If the council refers it to the planning board, the planning board would then have to schedule a public hearing, where everybody would have the opportunity to speak. And then the planning board would
have a recommendation, either positive or negative, to the city council. At that point, it would return to the council at the subsequent regular meeting. We would have a public hearing in this in this room. We would then be able to offer amendments and vote on every single one amendment that is
proposed. And then lastly, there would be a final vote up or down on the amended version or on the original version if there are no amendments. Um at that point, that would end the process. Um yeah. Thank you, everybody. That is That is
when those votes will take place. Uh with that said, uh Counselor, have you you have not spoken. You can you have the floor. No. Um I just wanted if I can just um access to be a little more um
What's the word? Uh a little more understanding that the last two meetings we've had, we've had them before 7:00 meeting. We only gave the public a 1-hour time of speaking. Um if we can have this last what you just said, which may be the third meeting, if
we can have a minimum of time for 2 hours, it would be morally appreciative and we can probably get through it. Maybe have some time to have discussion with the city manager or those folks who's already spoke and give them more of an opportunity instead of just
rushing in for 1 hour. So, generally counselor, the so the way that's our subcommittee process has worked is that there is generally no public comment at that meeting. If the council would like to have a subcommittee meeting with public comment, we can we can figure that out.
We would just need to have it here. We would need to figure out timelines and ways for you know, identifying capacity for rooms, which I know has been a but we we can if that is if that is what the council would like to do, we can certainly do so. No, to tonight is just a regular meeting
of the council. We are going to have one of these in 3 weeks. Right, we don't have public comment at the 6:00 p.m. subcommittees usually. If the council would like to, we can do so, but it would need to be a meeting longer than an hour. Any uh
Sure. Yeah. Counselor Taylor. So, what I would what I would suggest, because I think that I think that the debate that needs to occur, and it obviously it does need to occur, this is not the forum for that. We need
to hold separate public meetings so that we're not restrained by the rules of the council, the time limits. And so that and so and so I would suggest that we have separate public meetings so that the
entire community can come. They can be heard. We can have a debate. And you know, in the end, this is going to come down to what people want. >> And so, the city will be having some of these discussions from the city side, right? From the council
side. >> don't think that's the >> I I Yeah, I don't know for sure. I I completely understand. From the council side, we have two options. We either refer it to planning and planning has their public hearing and then we have our public hearing, which is part of that process, or we can schedule separate meetings if the council would like that. >> so I'm I'm just saying that people
people get angry cuz of public speaking, but this is not the the forum to have that public debate. So, that we need to have that public debate, so let's have the city, you know, have a series of of meetings so people can come. And if they need to have several meetings because
you know, not everybody can make it to every meeting. And you have one on the weekend and you have one in in the night. And so, everybody >> will also have in 3 weeks another one of these where people can come and speak. And we will give everybody a you know, we have to give everybody equal time, but we will figure that out.
All right. Thank you, everybody. With that, the item has been accepted and filed, and we are done with the item. Um we are now moving back to the original agenda order,
which means that next up we have memoriums and celebratory resolutions. I Our new rules have us doing moments of silence at this moment prior to doing celebratory resolutions. So, with that, I will open for any
memoriums or moments of silence that anybody has for any folks. Um Councilor Sanigate. Yes, please. I would like to have a moment of silence for >> Sorry. I there's a lot of traffic out of here. Let's let's wait.
All right. Um Why don't we start with the resolutions given that this is still and we'll we'll do memoriums after. First resolution introduced by the council president and all members for Arbor Day. Whereas to commemorate Earth Week, the
city of Chelsea will partner with GreenRoots, the Tree Board, and other community leaders and organizations to highlight the importance of trees and tree canopy cover. And whereas as part of this annual celebration, residents from across Chelsea will come together to plant trees as part of the annual Earth Day
cleanup. And whereas tree plantings in the fall and spring have become a regular activity the whole city community looks forward to. And whereas these annual events also help to ensure the city of Chelsea maintains its status as a Tree City USA, which affords Chelsea the benefit of
having more resources to further enhance the quantity and quality of trees in our city. >> Excuse me. Um Council President can we wave the rest of the reading? Seeing no objections, yes we can. Uh and then uh sorry, then we need a
motion. Counselor Heinz. Motion to adopt under suspension. Or Or sorry. Uh sorry. Motion to adopt. >> Motion to adopt the resolution under suspension. >> Um we don't need to suspend our journey rules. Um so here's Hang on. We're going to try this, all right? All in favor say
I. All against say say no. Seeing no, the eyes have it. Motion carries. Look at that, we did it everybody. Next resolution from the council president and all members for Earth Day. Whereas Earth Day, an annual event created to promote environmental action,
was founded by Senator Gaylord Nelson and first >> I'm sorry. Can we can we wave the rest of the reading, please? Yep. And motion to adopt. And motion to adopt. All right. Uh seeing no objection, uh move is to adopt. All in favor say I. All against say no. The eyes have it.
Here we go. Motion carries. Next item before you memoriums Oh, yeah. So now we have memoriums, so moments of silence. Uh does anybody have any moments of silence? Counselor Sanagate. Yes, I'd like to have a moment of silence for
Antonio Sanchez, who lived in my district at 100 Bellingham. Um he passed away recently. He was a lovely guy, always helping to keep the area clean in front of um
his home, in front of the building, and even offered to help and come and plant flowers in front of my home. Um and so I just wanted to have a moment of silence for Antonio.
Thank you. Uh Counselor Brown. Turn that on. Yep, the cap clip is on it. Sorry for folks watching at home, there's just a lot of noise coming through the door and we want to make sure that this is respectful. Cou- Counselor Cooper, please. We're not Oh, I'm sorry. Yeah, please Counselor Brown, you can
Um for um Roger Adams Nwikki, his great uncle, uh great family here, a family that's been here a long time. We have a few of his family members working for City Hall, Tracy and Paul Nwikki. Uh his uncle and his um an employee here at our
city. Mr. Edward Pitts, born and raised in Chelsea, great man. Um passed away. And um Anthony BonGiovanni, um Roseann BonGiovanni's father passed away. >> Mother. Um yeah.
Sorry, his mother her mother her mother passed away at Saugus. >> Donna, I'm sorry. Donna, but as we know Anthony, he has been a fighter that come to Chelsea City Hall. His daughter's been a dedicated worker here with GreenRoots and prior to that uh a
member of this body. Um the reason why I had Anthony on my mind, Anthony would come up here, he would point the finger, he would stand strong, but his wife Donna was always with him. I mean, he would come up here on some conversations that we would have and he
he would just stand and talk and and try to get his point across and his wife was 100% with them. So my prayers and my thoughts are with that family as they prepare to release their loved ones into
our savior's um care. Thank you, counselor. Any others? Seeing none. Uh we will stand for a moment of silence. Thank you, everyone. And for those of us watching, I apologize for all the movement up here while we're trying to have memoriums. We will work on that so that it doesn't
happen more often. Next item on the agenda, you have a public hearing for proposed amendment to zoning ordinances creating a new section 34-157 authorizing accessory dwelling units in the city of Chelsea. We will now open the public hearing. Is
there anybody here speaking to the ordinance on the accessory dwelling units? Seeing none, we are now closing the public hearing for the zoning ordinance and moving on to approval of the minutes. Uh we have the minutes for the
March 23rd, 2026 regular meeting. Is there a motion? Counselor uh Move to accept and file minutes. All right. I'll politely object because I was present and I'm marked absent. Oh, um
So um for approving the minutes Oh, um Wait. Yeah, yeah. We will amend that. Yep. All right, so we have made an amendment to reflect that Counselor Heinz was present and not absent. With that said, any objections?
All right then, so moved. Um Now moving on to communications from the city manager. Mr. Clerk. First communication received. Dear councilors, I am writing in response to Council Order 2626 requesting an update on the project at Forbes. We can report that the receiver has
officially sold the property to Mass Autobahn for $8.36 million. As part of the city, we will receive over $1 million in back tax and property liens. The city will also receive all costs appropriated by the city council for the receivership. Attached is a document
showing the vision of Mass Autobahn that was submitted to the receiver and part of the public record. We will keep the council updated as news arises. Thank you for your support. Is there a motion? Need a motion to accept and file from anyone. Accept and file Uh
Sorry. >> communication Yep. And all in favor say I. >> unanimous consent Seeing seeing no objections, uh so moved. Next communication received from the city manager responding to Council Order 2627
requesting update on Veterans Home. Dear councilors, I am writing in response to Council Order 2627 requesting an update on the Veterans Home project. The city has been working closely with Penrose on the project. We expect construction permits to be pulled soon and for this development to proceed with its first phase. Attached to this
letter, you will find an official update for the council from the developer. We have also asked the developer to host a community meeting to inform abutters about the progress. We will be happy to address any follow-up questions from the council. Thank you for your support. All right. All in favor say I.
All against say nay. The eyes have it. Moving forward. Next communication was taken out of order moving on to 26 CM 66. Dear councilors, I am writing to share the incredible news that Chelsea is a finalist in the 2026 All-America City competition.
Chelsea won this prestigious award in 1998, 2014, and 2025. The theme this year is building community trust, something that Chelsea does better than anyone in the country. Mr. President, I'd like to wave the rest of the reading, there's something coming up and just accept and file communication.
Seeing no objections, so moved. Next communication received. Dear councilors, I am pleased to submit for your consideration an executive order that establishes the city's Vision Zero policy and implements the Vision Zero Action Plan previously adopted by the council. This policy defines how departments
across City Hall will coordinate to eliminate traffic-related deaths and serious injuries in Chelsea. In 2023, the city was awarded a grant from the US Department of Transportation to develop a Vision Zero Action Plan. Vision Zero is an international traffic safety initiative that recognizes that
human error is inevitable and seeks to design transportation systems that prevent those errors from resulting in serious injury or loss of life. Throughout 2025, city staff, councilors, and transportation planners worked collaboratively to develop Chelsea's Vision Zero Action Plan, which the
council adopted at the end of the year. This executive order builds on that work by operationalizing the plan and establishing a clear framework for implementation. The policy establishes a Vision Zero Task Force, which will meet quarterly and include representatives from Housing and Community Development, Fire, Police,
Public Works, Health and Human Services, and the City Manager's Office. The task force will guide implementation of the plan strategies, address both near-term action and long-term improvements. Each year, HCDS staff to the task force will publish a Vision Zero report to update
the community on progress. The city has already made meaningful progress based on analysis >> Mr. President, I'd like to move to waive the rest of the reading and accept and file the communication under unanimous consent. Seeing no objections, so moved.
Thank you, counselor. Uh yeah, we you can speak on it if you would like. Just having worked um on the Vision Zero plan, I just want to say that it's a wonderful thing for the
our city and I'm glad that we will be adopting it. Thank you, counselor. Thank you for your work and for your comments. Next communication received from the city manager. Dear councilors, 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 appointment to the Community Recreation Advisory Board, Mr. Robert David Laura of Chelsea for a new 3-year term. I respectfully request your approval of this appointment. I have attached the resume for the new appointee. Uh I believe it has to be second uh I'll
move move to a second reading. Actually, Oh, sorry. For this one, we still require two readings for the charter. Yeah, for for appointments. Yep. So, motion to motion to move to second reading, counselor? All right. Seeing no objections, so moved.
Next next communication received. Dear councilors, I'm writing with a request for funding to attend the All-America City Award Conference from June 26th to June 28th. We are requesting $53,000 to cover event registration, round-trip flights from Boston to Denver, a 4-night
hotel stay, as well as supplies and branding for the event. We are actively working on creating a planning committee for the event. We estimate taking 30 representatives from Chelsea. We will make sure that the trip includes a diverse cross-section of our community and that we make significant preparation
for our presentation. We know that this funding request might seem trivial compared to other needs in our community. I firmly believe that this is an investment in building our community and seeing Chelsea shine on a national platform. It would be an incredible achievement for Chelsea to win the 2026 All-America
>> I ask to waive the rest of the reading and move to adopt under I believe it's a Excuse me, accept and file the communication under unanimous consent. Seeing no objections, so moved. Something coming up under new business?
>> Yep. Next communication received. Dear councilors, I respectfully submit for your consideration the approval of two budget transfers necessary to advance priority projects for our critical climate resilience and roadway safety work. For Island and River Grant Match in the
amount of $60,000, this transfer will address a shortfall in the city's state municipal vulnerability preparedness grant match created by prior reallocations made to meet federal FEMA LPDM matching requirements for the same project. Approval will restore the MVP
match account and ensure full compliance with both funding sources. And $90,000 for Vision Zero roadway design. The city has applied for funding through the MassDOT Shared Streets and Spaces Program to reconstruct three priority intersections identified >> I'd like to waive the rest of the
reading. Something will be coming up and also for the public to be aware that all of these budget finance-related orders go into Ways and Means. Right. Um seeing no objections, um so moved.
Next communication received. Dear councilors, I'm writing to request a meeting with the City Council to discuss the fiscal year 2027 water, sewer, and trash rates. In accordance with Section 30-65, Establishment of Water and Sewer Billing Rates of our city ordinances, our Commissioner of Public Works has
completed a review and projection of our enterprise costs for fiscal year '27. The commissioner's proposal is attached for the council's reference. The commissioner also developed a presentation to provide additional information for the benefit of the council. Mr. President, I'd like to waive the rest of the reading, accept
and file, and once again, all of this goes to a uh Ways and Means Committee where the public can hear. >> Oh, sorry. This item actually This the city manager is requesting a subcommittee on conference, so if you would like to make that motion.
>> Got it. Yes, motion to send it to the subcommittee. All right, we will send it to subcommittee for scheduling. Next communication received. Dear councilors, I'm writing to request approval for the Department of Public Works to make payments on prior year expense using the fiscal year '26 budget. Chelsea utilizes Sensus for its
water metering infrastructure with payments made through an authorized regional vendor rather than directly to Sensus. In April of 2025, the authorized vendor transitioned from EJ Prescott >> Mr. President, I ask to waive the rest of the reading and accept and file the communication under unanimous consent.
Thank you, counselor. Seeing no objections, so moved. This is also coming up under new business. It's It's It's all >> It's cracked, counselor. It's a little cracked, it's fine. Final communication received from the city manager. Dear councilors, I'm writing to request approval for the School Department to make payment on
prior year expense using the fiscal year '26 budget. From time to time, municipal agencies are unable to effectuate payments to a vendor >> Mr. President, I ask to waive the rest of the reading and move to accept and file the communication under unanimous consent. Seeing no objections, so moved.
Move on to communications and petitions to the council. First communication or petition received comes from the Planning Board regarding proposed zoning amendment. Dear councilor, Dear Council President Jimenez Rivera, at a duly posted meeting of the Planning Board held Tuesday,
March 24th, the board voted 5-1-1 to recommend that the council deny residential R1 Table of Bit Dimensional Regulations and Table of Principal Use Regulations Amendment as proposed. The board recommended denial of the same amendment in 2025 and no changes were
made to the language for this current submittal. Board members' concerns centered around the potential to spur unintended consequence by altering a few dimensional regulations without aligning them with other requirements. Additionally, the proposed changes would change the intent of the zoning district, thus requiring a more
community-engaged process. Board members felt their concerns from last year still applied and existing conditions hadn't changed enough to warrant recommending approval. Is there a motion? Uh move to accept and file the communication um under unanimous consent. Seeing no
objections, so moved. And the final communication or petition received also comes from the Planning Board. Dear councilors, at a duly posted meeting of the Planning Board held Tuesday, March 24th, 2026, the board voted unanimously to recommend that the council amend zoning ordinances of the
City of Chelsea to include a new Section 34-189, Fitzpatrick Prattville Smart Growth Overlay District, with the condition that Section 34-189 I3A be revised to require a maximum of 1.15 off-street parking spaces.
Move to accept and file the communication under unanimous consent. Seeing no objections, so moved. Moving on to committee reports. First committee report received comes from the Council President from the meeting of the Subcommittee on Conference held March 23rd.
Is there a motion on the committee report? Uh Council Councilor Brown has made a motion to accept and file under suspension. Seeing no objections, so moved. Final committee report received also from the Council President from the
Subcommittee on Conference held March 30th, 2026. This is the committee report on the first of the meetings for the inclusionary zoning. Any Do I have a motion to accept and file? Motion to accept and file. All right. Seeing no objections, so moved.
You have no one finished business. Move on to second readings. You have a proposed zoning amendment introduced by the Council President being read for the second time. Whereas, the Commonwealth passed a law and regulations to allow the development of accessory dwelling units by right. And whereas, the city seeks to increase
housing production to address local and regional housing needs across all income levels and at all stages of life. And whereas, the city wishes to incentivize small-scale infill housing that fits in the context of zoning districts that allow single-family housing while
providing gentle, hidden density. And whereas, the zoning ordinance will provide regulations on accessory dwelling units >> I like to move to waive the rest of the reading and adopt the zoning ordinance by roll call vote.
And I'd like to speak on it. Seeing no objections, you have the floor. So, this is a proposal to create to allow for the creation of accessory dwelling units in the City of Chelsea. This is a process that went through um, so state law
requires us to to have this. So, essentially, this is just making sure that we are aligned with the state law that allows for families to create accessory dwelling units, which are also called sometimes called grandma apartments, right? So, it's essentially, uh, the opportunity to create an additional unit, uh, in order for a
person to live there. Um, so this is just kind of creating the the structure to for people to be able to do so in Chelsea. Um, so that's all. All right, seeing no other comments, moving on. Roll call vote requested.
Yes vote to approve the zoning amendment. Councilor Taylor? Yes. Yes. Councilor Recupero? Yes. Councilor Jimenez Rivera? Yes. Yes. Councilor Hines? Yes. Yes. Councilor Tenney Garcia? She's absent. Councilor Tesh? Also absent. Councilor Kelly Garcia?
Yes. Councilor Sandgate? Yes. Yes. Councilor DeJesus? Yes. Yes. Councilor Brown? Yes. And Councilor Robinson? Yes. Yes. With nine members voting in favor, zero opposed, and two absent, the zoning amendment has been approved. Thank you, Councilor DeJesus, and thank
you, Mr. Clerk. Moving on to new business. First item under new business, order introduced by Councilor DeJesus. Order that the Chelsea City Council authorize the appropriation of $53,000 from free cash to fiscal year 2026 executive department conference travel account for All America City Award
conference expenses. Mr. President, I'd like to motion to move this to uh Ways and Means Committee, and if I can please have the floor for just a brief minute. Yep. Seeing no objections to the motion, uh, motion carries. Um, you have the floor.
So, as proud as I am, and I echo the words of our city manager, as proud as I am to potentially be a fourth-time winning, uh, city, I do want us to, uh, take into consideration the amount of conversations that we've been having
about spending and how we're spending wisely. I would like us to invite the public to join the Ways and Means meeting where we will be able to deliberate. I invite all of my other colleagues that are not on the Ways and Means Committee to join in and hear, um, and be part of the conversation so that
when we do get to vote on this, we can vote all wisely. Um, I also want to, um, understand, you know, more. I know that last year we went and, um, the win that we got last year brought a number of opportunities for grants and and
opportunities for us to improve on some of our environmental challenges in Chelsea. So, I do want us to just weigh in in this conversation and also listen to the many concerns that have been brought up to the council. Thank you, Councilor. Councilor Taylor?
I agree with Councilor DeJesus, uh, on this. I I and I'm I'm glad to see the kind of sentiment towards, uh, more fiscal responsibility. Um, I think that that's important, especially coming into these, uh,
hard times. I do I do, uh, say that $53,000 is is a relative drop in the bucket to, um, you know, over $200 million uh budget, um, budget, but, um,
I think it's worth a conversation at least about, uh, about this, and I think we should be a little bit more, um, you know, use a little bit more scrutiny when when things, you know, do we really need this? And, um, you know, I I think it's I think it's
worth the conversation, so I welcome uh I welcome your comments. Thank you. Thank you, Councilor. Seeing no others, um, so moved to Ways and Means. Next item under new business, order introduced by Councilor DeJesus. Order that in accordance with chapter
44, section 20 of the general laws, the sum of $150,000 representing unexpended portions of projects appropriated under fiscal year 2020 capital improvement plan for the projects as noted below, and which remain available after the completion of the projects for which funds were
authorized Mr. President. Councilor. I would like to waive the rest of the reading and, um, move this to Ways and Means Committee. If I can also say a brief Seeing no objections, so moved. So, for the public to be aware, this is what we just spoke about, um, not too long ago.
This is the Islands and money that is no longer being matched, um, and so it is funding that we are looking to transfer. Once again, when I move these, um, orders into Ways and Means Committee, it's for councilors to be able to engage in deeper conversations. We are also,
just FYI, looking for ways to televise those for the public. Thank you, Councilor. Um, Councilor Taylor? I I have actually a point of inquiry. Yep. Um, just noting that the the, um, the transfer from the city's city hall
tower, um, CIP project, I thought that was used for the DPW. Is this the remaining amount that was unexpend unexpended on the DPW re- refurbishment? Yes. Yes, it it it it is an it And if
you note, uh, what we are doing is we are moving, uh, uh, three unexpended projects from FY20, which was 6 years ago, right? So, so so so we are getting uh uh uh Paul and and I are getting on on on this pattern
of of of before we ask the council for more money, we are going to use any and all unexpended, uh, uh, monies from old accounts. I I I would just say that, um, um, but I I said it during the original,
uh, Ways and Means Committee, uh, when this was discussed for DPW, that I appreciate deeply that the city is, uh, going back and using, uh, these, uh, already appropriated, uh,
funds that were unexpended, uh, to to fund these new things so we don't have to, uh, appropriate additional funds. That's the way municipal government should work. Thank you. Thank you, Councilor. Next item under new business, order introduced by Councilor DeJesus. Order
that in accordance with Mass General Law, chapter 44, section 64, budget management procedures, whereby costs incurred in FY25 were not paid and are owed to the vendor, and to meet this obligation, funds are required from current year fiscal year 2026 budget as noted. The Chelsea City Council authorizes the
following expenditures to satisfy unpaid balances that total $20,839.67. Mr. President. Please. Um, this is me again. So, I I would like to waive the rest of the reading and, um, move this to Ways and Means Committee. If there are no objections, um,
this is just unpaid money that we have to pay. So moved. Yep. Next item under new business, order introduced by Councilor DeJesus. Order that in accordance with Mass General Law, chapter 44, section 64, budget management procedures, whereby
costs incurred in FY25 were not paid and are owed to vendors, and to meet this obligation, funds are required from current year FY26 budget as noted. The Chelsea City Council authorizes the following expenditure to satisfy unpaid balances that total $30,409.71
from prior years for the school department to pay Public Consulting Group Mr. President. Once again, I would like to move to, uh, Ways and Means Committee. If there are no objections, then, um, yeah, just unpaid money. Yep. There we go. Seeing no objections, so
moved. Next item under new business, you have an order introduced by Councilor Recupero. Whereas it is the express purpose of municipal zoning to promote health, safety, and general welfare of the inhabitants of the city of Chelsea. And whereas many parts of the city of Chelsea are congested, lacking requisite
amount of open space necessary to continue developing additional housing opportunities. And whereas the Chelsea City Council believes changes to existing zoning regulations will allow for the potential construction of additional housing opportunities in different neighborhoods throughout the city. And whereas pursuant to Mass General
Law, chapter 40A, the petition was forwarded to the Chelsea Planning Board for a public hearing, which was held on Tuesday, March 24th. Now, therefore, be it ordered that the proposed amendments to chapter 34, article 11, section 34-262, table of dimensional regulations, and
chapter 34, article 13, section 34-300, table of principal use regulations of the zoning ordinances of the city of Chelsea as below, be referred to a public hearing prior to adoption pursuant to Mass General Law, chapter 40A. I'd like to adopt
and send it to a public hearing. Adopt and send it to a public hearing. I'd like to speak on it. Seeing no objections, you have the floor, Councilor. Okay. Hang on. All right. Hang on. Hang on. Sorry. All right. It it is the motion to a
Right. We we we can't Right. Wait. Okay. Motion is to send to public hearing, not to adopt. Okay. That's what I said. You have the floor, Councilor. I I know this is a hard pill to swallow. Nobody wants that. But, the message that I heard all night tonight was we have to
build. We have to build. There is 1,900 lots in R1 district. You can have the figures. They gave them to me. There's that many lots that are between 5,000 and a little less. And then there's something like
a whole bunch of lots. I I don't I I'll give you all the figures next time, all the numbers and figures. But, there's a lot of lots within R1 to a buildable. The only change I wanted to make, and I've been trying for years, is from 7,500 to 5,000, and from 3,500 to 3,000.
And here you keep hammering out the city needs to build. city needs to develop. The city needs to develop for affordable housing. If you ain't got the spots to build, where you going to go? You have 1,900 lots that are buildable within
this city. But you're not allowing it to build. When I went to the hearing, here's what they said to me. And this should resonate among all of you. They said to me, and this is their words, they said, "We don't want to change the makeup of the district." They don't want to change
the makeup of our one district, but they want to change the makeup of everywhere else. So, how does that make sound? That sound to me like what are you What What are you saying? You are better than the other ones? And then here's another one that's even more funnier, that even will change make you laugh even more. They
say to you, "You don't want to change the makeup of the building or of the district." But yet, you're building 1,000 units, 150 ft. That's 15 stories and 13 acres. That's not going to change the makeup of your district?
So, how does that make sense to me? You're telling me we can't change it because it it changes the makeup of our district. But yet, you're allowing to build I was here a building that it's 150 ft. That's 15 stories and 13 acres.
A castle 13 acres. And all because you're saying, "Well, that's those poor people over there need it because they need affordable housing." So, how do you going to tell me the makeup Do I have to make Do I still got time to talk? All right. Counselor, yes, but could we
please get to Yes, yes, I'm trying to get to the point. The point is a simple one. How you going to say to me we don't want to change the makeup of the district when you are changing it. How does that make sense? Thank you, counselor.
Moving on. Next item under new business, you have an order introduced by the council president. Whereas it is the expressed purpose of municipal zoning to promote the health, safety, and general welfare of the inhabitants of the city of Chelsea. And whereas the Chelsea Housing Authority is working to redevelop the
Fitzpatrick Brettville Housing Projects to provide modern living units for its residents. And whereas a private sector partner has been selected to assist the Housing Authority in their effort to redevelop the site. And a proposal to replace the existing housing conditions with modern, affordable, and market rate housing is
in the process of development. And whereas a 40R Smart Growth Overlay District will unlock a one-time payment from the state along with an incentive payment of $3,000 per unit built within the district, resulting in significant new funding for the project. And whereas a 40R Smart Growth Overlay District will
allow for the creation of more affordable housing and will grow the city's housing stock in a strategic >> Mr. President, I'd like to waive the rest of the reading. And I believe we have to refer to the planning board for a public hearing. And refer to planning board. Oh, sorry. This has already been to the planning board.
So, we are now voting on the Oh, sorry. Moving to a council public hearing. Right? Yeah. Sorry about >> Moving it to a council public hearing. I believe state law requires us to have a public hearing. We will do so.
Please. The public hearing for both zoning amendments will be held at our next meeting on the 27th. Thank you, Mr. Clerk. Um seeing no objections, we will move on to the next item. Our final item under new business, we
have an order introduced by the council president and counselor Kelly Garcia. Whereas while school buses should be respected by all parties using the road, their stop signs are continuously disregarded as few enforcement mechanisms are currently available. And whereas school districts across the
Commonwealth have launched school bus camera pilots, including the city of Peabody, which documents the 3,412 incidences of vehicles failing to stop for school buses between September of 2023 and May of 2024, a rate of roughly 2.3 illegal passes per day.
And whereas school bus stop enforcement should be regarded as a community concern, not just to those who utilize school buses, and drivers must be held accountable for unsafe behavior that could result in the injury or death of schoolchildren. And whereas the city of Chelsea should do all it can to ensure the safety of
children, parents, and commuters by locally adopting Mass. General Law Chapter 40, Section 70, and Chapter 90, Section 14. Now therefore be it ordered that the city of Chelsea hereby accepts Massachusetts General Law Chapter 40, Section 70,
which authorizes a city or town to install and operate a school bus violation detection monitoring system on a school bus to enforce violations pursuant to Sections 14 and 14C of Chapter 90, and Chapter 90, Section 14C, which will
authorize a city or town that accepts Section 70 of Chapter 40 to install and operate a school bus >> Clerk, I I'd like to move to waive the rest of the reading. Um and I'd like to give Counselor Garcia the floor first if there are no objections.
Seeing none. Great. Um first and foremost, I'd like to shout out our council president who um brought this up a few months ago, I believe. It was a while ago. A while ago. And Ed Michael, who is in our in the crowd, uh
for bringing it to our attention. And I think we can all agree on this board how important it is to keep our students and our children safe. And so, um you know, I I There are a few data points that I'd like to share before
casting or yeah, casting the vote that's helpful for us to really ground ourselves in the data and um which will help us support which will Sorry, it's been a long night, y'all. Which will help us support um the vote
for today. Anyways. Okay. The reason why this is so important for us to pass tonight is that first and foremost, our students are are at risk every time the school bus uh stops with a stop sign because folks continue
to drive, right? And so, um reckless motorists illegally pass stopped school buses more than 45 million times each school year in the United States. Massachusetts for years in a row had the worst driving habits in the nation.
Um And uh in conclusion, people who get a citation become less likely to ever break this law again. Repeat offenders dwindle to under 10%. And so, it's a again, it's really
important for us to have this quick discussion about the safety and the importance of incorporating this in the city of Chelsea to increase the safety of our students and children. Counselor, um Taylor and then Counselor Jimenez.
Yeah, so I I think this is the first time I've seen seen this. I guess it's new business. Um can we have this in a subcommittee so we can get more information about how much this is going to cost and what what the
whatever the particulars are. I I don't want to just I I'm all for kids' safety, of course, but you know, I want to know if this is actually going to do that or how much it's going to cost and all the particulars before we vote. Counselor Jimenez. Yep. So, this is the same conversation that we had the first time this is was introduced, which was I
believe the first month of our last term. So, it has been a while. Or or maybe first month of 2025. So, it has been It's been a while and I just want to first shout out Counselor Garcia for bringing it back up to my attention cuz honestly, if we're being honest here, I forgot to bring it back up.
The last time we had a divided vote and were did not have a we had a few counselors absent and so therefore, we were not able to pass it then even though it was a majority of those present. Now, this gives Chelsea Public Schools the option of using traffic enforcement
cameras to hold people accountable for blowing by school buses and potentially hitting a child. We had the conversation and I I I I I remember having this conversation cuz this does not appropriate any money. There is There is nothing financial to this. This simply allows for the schools
department to then be able to spend their money, right? So, it it it We We don't spend money now. We don't spend money later. This is simply the schools department as they are putting forward their proposal, they will spend schools' money. This is state law
unfortunately requires that the council give permission to the public schools to then be able to pursue the option themselves. And therefore, that is why this is being introduced now. And I I because there is no financial anything related to this is why I don't believe that it should go to a subcommittee,
which also have What was the conversation last time? So, that is all. Counselor Taylor. I I mean, I I I I'm sorry. I The The The school would have to spend the money to do it. And you know, I we had to give
two an additional $2 million to the school because they didn't have enough money. So, let's not kid ourselves. It may not It's It's It's not Peter is Paul. So, you regardless, um I think that um the the the the state
law only gives us the option to do this. It doesn't require us to do this. And so, I just like to know a little bit more about it to whether this is really a good idea or not. And I you know, I I kind of vaguely remember this coming up, but I don't I don't It's been so long
that uh I think it deserves at least a conversation about it uh before we before Before do that. Councilor Jimenez. Yeah, I I'll I'll just quickly say like this is the same conversation that we had the last time. I my position on it
is I don't think we need to have a like ultimately we don't have oversight over the schools budgetary decisions even when we allocate additional money. We don't have a say and it is illegal for us to tell them what to do with those funds under
state law. So I will just point that out and simply say that we should be giving the school district the opportunity to create protections for children in school buses and this would allow us to do that. So I would not
I don't think this should be referred to committee and therefore I would motion for a roll call vote on the adoption of the um the order. Councilor Brown. Thank you madam vice chair. Um so I was just reading here it says which authorizes city of town to
install operate um so and detection monitoring system. If this is a job that someone has to do who monitors this? Can I answer the question? >> Yes. Um If you
Answer the question first and then we'll go to Hines and then we'll go into a vote. >> It is authorizing the school district to use school camera to use cameras traffic cameras to enforce those the law on drivers who are driving past the
school bus and break the law. So there's no job. It is simply we are allowing them to consider using cameras to enforce that. So they would have to decide to buy the cameras Okay. and or not or and they would have to they would then
decide whether they're going to have a person who's going to do this. That is up to them in their budgeting process. I I don't know that it is even required cuz you know there would be a process for ticketing the people that could probably have you know that the schools department would have to figure that out
separately. So if I can finish my question. I'm still on the question. All right, go ahead counselor. So if it allows them to buy it then it also say they have to monitor it. Is that correct?
To enforce violations that's the only way they could do it. So it is somewhat creating a job. All right, are there any other comments questions? Councilor Senegay. If I recall correctly with the conversation I had about this with the professional
there is no cost to the schools either. Okay. All right, so we are now moving on oh Councilor Robinson. Yeah, I I was under the assumption also that there was zero cost to the city
and to the school department. That's why I would be in favor if that's the case. No other comments? Councilor Brown. I think those are the questions we would have asked in the subcommittee and that's why we asked the questions tonight. If this is the
assumption that there is no cost to the schools then we may be getting this of course we can you know there's no discussion. Thank you. Councilor Taylor. I I I agree but then I'm I'm just taking everybody's word for it instead of
actually getting the information first hand which is kind of our due diligence. So look I mean I I'm I'm sure we're all for it if it if it if it does what it is but we you know we I just think that it's a due diligence
uh to actually you know we have a new councilor who wasn't at that meeting. And and and even though I was at the meeting I I I presume that I don't really recall uh so as as this
is not my project you know I I don't really remember all the particulars or have the particulars changed since then? Okay. Councilor That's that that that's all and so I just you know I know it's a it's a hassle to to have a thing that delays it
but Totally. Thank you counselor. Councilor Garcia. And respectfully what I've heard on this council is we get these agendas 48 hours prior to our meeting and so we've had ample time to do our homework. Think if we're ready we can cast our
votes. Moving on to a roll call vote. I I I have a question just cuz we could we vote? Councilor I've done my homework that's why I had a question cuz I don't recall the vote that was taken on this. Um there was a vote but again as it was stated it was a close vote there was not
members there and again the issue here is not that we don't I don't want not that I don't want to vote for it but I wanted to know that again we just again went through a heated discussion about finance to the city school department
and we are now potentially can create a job that requires the service that but if it doesn't I'm fine with it. That's that was my only question. All right, moving on to a vote. I believe there's a motion on the floor to refer to committee.
Uh I Was that um yes I I will object to that being done unanimously and I guess we'll take a vote on that. Um Yeah. Councilor Taylor has moved to refer the order in question to the subcommittee on conference.
Um sorry it I guess I'll I'll just I'll be till a no vote would mean that we are then able to pass it and a yes vote would refer it to the subcommittee. Correct. I will be voting no. All right, let's we're in the midst of the voting. I think one vote already
started. Yes vote to refer no vote to reject and return to the original order. Councilor Taylor. Yes. Councilor Recupero. Absent. Councilor Jimenez Rivera. No. Councilor Hines. No. No. Councilor
Tenario Garcia. No. No. Councilor Tesch. Absent. Councilor Kelly Garcia. No. Excuse me. No. No. Councilor Senegay. No. No. Councilor De Jesus. No. No. Councilor Brown. No. No. And Councilor Robinson. >> No.
No. With one member voting in favor, eight members opposed and two members absent, motion to refer to conference has been rejected. Return to the original order. The motion before you was for a roll call vote on adoption. Yes vote to adopt the order. Councilor Taylor.
Uh point of order I would just remind us that we have the option to vote present councilors would like. Present. Councilor Taylor votes present. Councilor Recupero. He is absent. Councilor Jimenez Rivera. Yes.
Yes. Councilor Hines. Yes. Yes. Councilor Tenario Garcia. Yes. Yes. Councilor Tesch. Is absent. Councilor Kelly Garcia. Yes. Yes. Councilor Lee Senegay. Yes. Councilor Senegay yes. Councilor De Jesus. Yes. Yes. Councilor Brown. Yes. Yes.
Councilor Robinson. >> Yes. Yes. Eight members voting in favor, zero opposed, two absent, one present. Order adopted. That concludes new business. Public announcements Mr. President. Any public announcements? Seeing none.
Meeting adjourned. Yep.