Worcester City Council Agenda Preview: July 16, 2024
Tax breaks for development, pedestrian safety
The City Council meeting is Tuesday at 6:00 p.m. The agenda is here.
This week: tax breaks for development, pedestrian safety.
Zoom link: https://zoom.us/j/91727574825
Private and Public Streets: Councilor Pacillo would like part of the private Pocasset Avenue made a public street. This will go to the Planning Board.
Resident Permit Parking: There are requests to make parking on parts of Oliver Street and Townsend Street made resident-only. These will go to the Parking Committee for discussion.
Boards and Commissions: The Manager is appointing Mike Perotto to the Board of Health. The Council will vote whether to appoint Redon Hoxha to the Cable Advisory Board.
Tax Breaks: The Manager proposes a couple development tax breaks. One would be a Tax Increment Financing agreement for the Worcester Creative Hub to rehab the old Boys and Girls Club at 2 Ionic Avenue. I recorded a tour of that space years ago—amazing it might happen! The other is for a Tax Increment Exemption for a project to turn several floors of a building at 204 Main Street (adjacent to George Street) into 20 apartment units (2 of them “affordable” at 60% AMI). These items will go to the Economic Development Committee.
Washington Heights Apartment Complex Fire: The Fire Chief has a short report on this fire, which displaced 66 people.
Traffic and Pedestrian Safety: Councilors Mero-Carlson and Haxhiaj have a couple unrelated proposals responding to recent pedestrian injuries and deaths. Councilor Haxhiaj in particular would like to see the Manager declare “a public health and safety emergency” for “pedestrians, bicyclists, [and] people on wheelchairs.”
Improving Trash Dropoff: Municipal trash drop-off is often inconvenient. The latest to suggest we fix this somehow is Councilor Russell, who proposes that residents with commercial plates should be able to drop off yard waste at the Millbury Street drop-off center, and that all residents should be able to drop off mattresses and furniture without an appointment.
More Street Sweeping: Councilor Russell would like to see monthly street sweeping “in the city’s urban neighborhoods” (most of whom get this twice a year iirc) “that includes staff using leaf blowers to ensure litter is cleaned by said sweeping vehicles.”
Cutting Fines for Low Income Residents: Councilor Nguyen has a couple proposals to make paying city fines cheaper and easier “for our vulnerable and low income residents” and to create “equitable traffic fine reform,” including an option for people to do community service instead of paying some or all of their traffic fines.
Moving More Statues: Previously Councilor Bergman proposed the city move the Rogers-Kennedy Memorial (aka Kenny Rogers Memorial) a short distance. This week, he’s asking the Manager to put the Major Taylor statue, currently outside the main library, and the Major Taylor museum, currently tucked inside the old courthouse apartments downtown, in the same place. Would we hide the statue at the museum, or move the museum into the library, or create a third location for these two to merge? Anything is possible.
Don’t Close the Lincoln Plaza Stop & Shop: Stop & Shop announced they are closing this store. Councilor Pacillo requests the Manager convince the company to do otherwise.
City Manager Evaluation: Councilors Pacillo and Toomey have separate items asking the Municipal Operations Committee to look into improving the process the Council uses to evaluate the Manager.
Digital Equity: The Massachusetts Broadband Institute has a report about who does and doesn’t have internet access. 88% of Worcester households have some sort of broadband internet subscription. 13% have a cellular data plan but no other internet access. 96% of those under 18, 93% of those 18-64, and 76% of senior citizens have household broadband access. 7% of households don’t own a computing device, and for 11% their only computing devices are phones.
Counting Traffic Ordinances: In response to a Council request, there’s a report listing the 435 traffic ordinances the Council has passed or which are currently in process since June 26, 2018. These mostly have to do with stop sign changes, handicap parking spaces, and things like that.
