Worcester City Council Agenda Preview: December 19, 2023
Tax breaks, land conservation, menstrual products
The City Council meeting is Tuesday at 6:30 p.m. The agenda is here.
This week: tax breaks, land conservation, menstrual products.
Zoom link: https://zoom.us/j/91727574825
Honorary Streets: There’s a request to make part of Main Street an honorary Daniel L. Gaskin Square in honor of the late co-founder of the Worcester Caribbean American Carnival Association. This will go to the Public Works Committee. (Why would a section of a street be called a square? The request notes “symbolic - ‘competitive stage’”.)
Noise Ordinance: There’s a request that for private construction in thickly-settled areas, the hours of loud noise be restricted to 9am-5pm, whereas now they are as early as 7am and as late as 9pm. The petitioner says they are motivated by noise problems from a long-term construction project near Webster Square. This will go to the Public Works Committee.
Boards and Commissions: The Manager is reappointing Idris Fatima to the Hope Cemetery Board, Anthony Vigliotti to the License Commission, George Cortes to the Zoning Board of Appeals, and Amy Sciannameo to the Arts Council. He is newly appointing Osaghale Aisagbonhi to the Arts Council. The Council will vote whether to appoint Julie Cohen to the Citizen Advisory Council and Abby Doyle to the Advisory Committee on the Status of Women, and to reappoint Soriano Hamilton and Ayala Giovanni to the Advisory Commission on Latino Affairs.
Zoning: The Council has the opportunity to approve the rezoning of the Colony Retirement Homes property at 485 Grove Street and nearby properties on Chadwick Street to 3-story business from a mix of business and residential.
Tax Breaks: The Manager wants the Council to approve property tax breaks for construction in a 335-acre area north of Lincoln Street, beginning with a 90% tax break on increased property value for the next 20 years for a project at 16 and 52 Great Brook Valley Road. This initial project would see 90 units at the Curtis Apartments demolished and replaced with 129 units, all of which would have income restrictions or be Section 8 housing.
Land Conservation: The Manager wants the Council to approve a conservation restriction on a 15 acre area at Salisbury Hill (525 Salisbury Street). This isn’t city land, but the particulars of the situation require Council approval.
Free Menstrual Products: The Manager has a report on plans for the Department of Public Facilities to offer free menstrual products at about a dozen city facilities. This will cost $22,000 for the dispensers and $14,500 for the initial stock of products. This would be complete next summer.
