CITY OF WORCESTER | Economic Development Committee Meeting | Thursday, March 20, 2025 | Levi Lincoln (North) Chamber | Convened: 5:04 P.M. | Adjourned: 6:31 P.M. |
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Mayor
Joseph M. Petty | 
www.worcesterma.gov |
Clerk of the City Council
Nikolin Vangjeli | Committee Members | | Chairperson Candy Mero-Carlson | | Vice Chairperson Jenny Pacillo | | Councilor Kathleen M Toomey |
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City Hall - 455 Main Street Worcester, Massachusetts | |
| Present Were: | Chairperson Councilor Candy Mero-Carlson
Councilor Jenny Pacillo, who participated remotely
Councilor Kathleen M Toomey | | | | | Also: | Chief Development Officer Peter Dunn
Interim Commissioner of Inspectional Services & Building Commissioner David Horne
GIS Manager Claire Brill
Commissioner of Transportation and Mobility Stephen Rolle
Deputy City Clerk Stephen AJ Pottle, clerk
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| 1. | Virtual Attendee Call-In Information | |
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| | | 1a. | Pursuant to Chapter 20 of the Acts of 2021 and in order to ensure active, public engagement, the City of Worcester currently allows for both in-person and remote participation at all City Council and Standing Committee meetings. To partake in the meeting, you may attend the meeting in-person within the meeting location, follow the below link to join via Zoom or dial the direct line as indicated. If you join a Zoom meeting by dialing in with a phone number, you can raise your hand by dialing *9.
Economic Development Committee Zoom Link: https://worcesterma.zoomgov.com/j/1601976325
Economic Development Committee Zoom Phone Number: +1 646 828 7666
Economic Development Committee Zoom Access Code: 160 197 6325 | Attachments |
| 2. | Approval of the Minutes | |
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| | | 2a. | Order - That the City Council Standing Committee of Economic Development hereby approves the minutes of the Economic Development Committee meeting on March 10, 2025. | View Agenda | | | | | | | Chairperson Councilor Mero-Carlson read the item and moved for a roll call vote to adopt the item. Order adopted on a roll call vote of 3 Yeas and 0 Nays | |
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| | | 3a. | Order of Councilor Luis A. Ojeda - Request City Manager request Commissioner of Transportation and Mobility provide City Council with a traffic study that reviews how traffic flow on multiple streets in the Green Island Neighborhood impact resident and business safety, including Canton St., Ellsworth St., Endicott St., Harding St., Lafayette St., Lamartine St., Millbury St., Seymour St., Sigel St., and Washington St. Further, request City Manager work to ensure developers purchasing property in the city develop their properties in a way that does not negatively impact parking situations in the city’s neighborhoods.
# 9f CC October 8, 2024 | Attachments | | | | | | | Chairperson Councilor Mero-Carlson read the item and recognized the Commissioner of Transportation and Mobility and the Chief Development Officer, who provided an overview of the item.
Chairperson Councilor Mero-Carlson recognized the Commissioner of Transportation and Mobility, who discussed procedures relative to council orders and the procedural motion relative to the item with the Deputy City Clerk.
Chairperson Councilor Mero-Carlson brought forth the following Chairman’s Order: Request City Manager request Commissioner of Transportation and Mobility provide City Council with a traffic study that reviews how traffic flow on multiple streets in the Green Island Neighborhood impact resident and business safety, including Canton St., Ellsworth St., Endicott St., Harding St., Lafayette St., Lamartine St., Millbury St., Seymour St., Sigel St., and Washington St.
Chairperson Councilor Mero-Carlson moved to recommend the item be held.
Recommend Hold on a roll call vote of 3 Yeas and 0 Nays | | | | | | | | Chairman's Orders | | | | Request City Manager request Commissioner of Transportation and Mobility provide City Council with a traffic study that reviews how traffic flow on multiple streets in the Green Island Neighborhood impact resident and business safety, including Canton St., Ellsworth St., Endicott St., Harding St., Lafayette St., Lamartine St., Millbury St., Seymour St., Sigel St., and Washington St. | |
| 4. | Communications of the City Manager | |
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| | | 4a. | Transmitting informational communication relative to the policies for 110 Inspections.
# 10k CC June 25, 2024 | Attachments | | | | | | | Chairperson Councilor Mero-Carlson read the item and recognized the Interim Commissioner of Inspectional Services & Building Commissioner, who provided an overview of the item and discussed the number of 110 inspections that were done in the past year, the types of properties that were inspected, current properties that are being inspected, how many rental registry inspections were done and the progress relative to the implementation of the rental registry.
Chairperson Councilor Mero-Carlson recognized Councilor Toomey, who discussed whether there are vacancies relative to building inspector position, plans concerning combining the housing and building departments, working with the Department of Innovation and Technology to implement the rental registry program and challenges relative to implementing the rental registry software with the Interim Commissioner of Inspectional Services & Building Commissioner.
Chairperson Councilor Mero-Carlson recognized Councilor Pacillo, who discussed promotional career paths for the inspector positions and whether there were overlapping 110 inspections with the Interim Commissioner of Inspectional Services & Building Commissioner.
Chairperson Councilor Mero-Carlson brought forth the following Chairman’s Orders: Request City Manager provide City Council with a report detailing the timeline relative of when the City Council voted to fund the rental registry program, the amount of funding approved for such a program and the start date for the program. Further, request City Manager include in said report the definition of 110 inspections in comparison to rental registry inspections.
Chairperson Councilor Mero-Carlson moved for a roll call vote to recommend the item be held.
Recommend Hold on a roll call vote of 3 Yeas and 0 Nays | | | | | | | | Chairman's Orders | | | | Request City Manager provide City Council with a report detailing the timeline relative of when the City Council voted to fund the rental registry program, the amount of funding approved for such a program and the start date for the program. Further, request City Manager include in said report the definition of 110 inspections in comparison to rental registry inspections. | |
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| | | 4b. | Transmitting informational communication relative to a report on a request for an amendment to ordinances related to driveways, parking and paving.
# 10.15B CM August 22, 2023
In Committee March 10, 2025 - Held
| Attachments | | | | | | | Chairperson Councilor Mero-Carlson read the item and recognized the Interim Commissioner of Inspectional Services & Building Commissioner and the Chief Development Officer, who provided an overview of the item.
Chairperson Councilor Mero-Carlson recognized Councilor Toomey, who discussed creating a comprehensive list of all fees that a project may potentially have.
Chairperson Councilor Mero-Carlson moved for a roll call vote to recommend the item be approved.
Recommend Approval on a roll call vote of 3 Yeas and 0 Nays | |
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| | | 4c. | Transmitting informational communication relative to a List of Residential/Mixed-Use Residential Properties in the City of Worcester Owned by Limited Liability Companies (LLCs).
# 10.30A CM May 7, 2024
In Committee March 10, 2025 - Held
| Attachments | | | | | | | Chairperson Councilor Mero-Carlson read the item and recognized the Chief Development Officer, who provided an overview of the item.
Chairperson Councilor Mero-Carlson recognized Councilor Toomey, who discussed the total value of the properties and why information concerning exempted and undeveloped land was not requested to be included in the report with the Chief Development Officer.
Chairperson Councilor Mero-Carlson brought forth the following Chairman’s Order: Request City Manager provide City Council with a report concerning the various properties exempt from taxation in the city, as well as undeveloped land owned by LLCs.
Chairperson Councilor Mero-Carlson recognized Councilor Pacillo, who discussed how many LLCs have the same owner or owners with the Chief Development Officer.
Chairperson Councilor Mero-Carlson recognized the Chief Development Officer, who discussed common ownership of LLCs and developing reports concerning LLCs.
Chairperson Councilor Mero-Carlson brought forth the following Chairman’s Order: Request City Manager provide City Council with a report that organizes all LLCs in the city by common mailing address.
Chairperson Councilor Mero-Carlson recognized Councilor Toomey, who discussed working with colleges and universities for data research internships.
Chairperson Councilor Mero-Carlson recognized the following speakers:
1. Fred Nathan, Worcester resident, spoke neither in favor nor opposed to the item
Chairperson Councilor Mero-Carlson recognized the Deputy City Clerk, who discussed the procedural motion for the item.
Chairperson Councilor Mero-Carlson moved for a roll call vote to recommend the item be filed.
Recommend File on a roll call vote of 3 Yeas and 0 Nays | | | | | | | | Chairman's Orders | | | | Request City Manager provide City Council with a report concerning the various properties exempt from taxation in the city, as well as undeveloped land owned by LLCs. | | | | Request City Manager provide City Council with a report that organizes all LLCs in the city by common mailing address. | |
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| | | 4d. | Transmitting informational communication Relative to Semi-Annual TIF/TIE Reporting.
# 9.4B CM March 4, 2025 | Attachments | | | | | | | Chairperson Councilor Mero-Carlson read the item and recognized the Chief Development Officer, who provided an overview of the item.
Chairperson Councilor Mero-Carlson moved for a roll call vote to recommend the item be filed.
Recommend File on a roll call vote of 3 Yeas and 0 Nays | |
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| | | 4e. | Transmitting informational communication Relative to FEMA Flood Map Updates.
# 9.4D CM March 4, 2025 | Attachments | | | | | | | Chairperson Councilor Mero-Carlson read the item and recognized the Chief Development Officer, who provided an overview of the item.
Chairperson Councilor Mero-Carlson recognized the following speaker:
1. Fred Nathan, Worcester resident, spoke neither in favor nor opposed to the item
Chairperson Councilor Mero-Carlson recognized the Chief Development Officer, who discussed FEMA liaison/representative for the city with Speaker #1.
Chairperson Councilor Mero-Carlson moved for a roll call vote to recommend the item be filed.
Recommend File on a roll call vote of 3 Yeas and 0 Nays | |
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| | | 4f. | Recommend adoption of Amendment to the General Revised Ordinance – Numbering of Properties.
# 9.4G CM March 4, 2025 | Attachments | | | | | | | Chairperson Councilor Mero-Carlson read the item and recognized the Chief Development Officer, who provided an overview of the item.
Chairperson Councilor Mero-Carlson discussed the process relative to assigning numbers to properties for development projects with the Chief Development Officer and the GIS Manager.
Chairperson Councilor Mero-Carlson moved for a roll call vote to recommend the item be approved.
Recommend Approval on a roll call vote of 3 Yeas and 0 Nays | |
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