The City Council’s Zoning and Planning Committee (ZAP) and the Planning and Development Board will hold a joint public hearing on the proposed Village Center Overlay District – Version 3.0 (maps and text) on Tuesday, September 26 at 7PM.
To create Version 3.0, the Committee met all through the summer to incorporate comments and suggestions made by residents, community groups, city boards and commissions, and members of the City Council.
The public hearing will be held both in-person (City Council Chamber) and virtual (Zoom link) – see the Meeting Notice.
In response to Ward 4 At-Large Councilor Lenny Gentile’s request for clarification and direction from the ZAP Chair Crossley regarding the public hearing, Chair Crossley said that the public hearing will proceed as it has been proceeding. Everyone will have 3 minutes to speak. People in the Chamber can sign up at the podium, and people can submit interest in speaking online. With regard to those participating online, she said that in the past, she asked people to raise their hands online. She said if people want to make it clear that they want to speak, they can contact her or the City Clerk in advance of the meeting.
Chair Crossley said there are a number of people who would like to speak but have not yet been able to speak or attend. Her intent is to give first prioirty to people who have not spoken already in public meetings (for instance, residents who could not come in due to the tragedy in Nonantum). Other people can then speak a second time, as time allows. She said they will likely set a time limit for the evening but if there are just a few people left, they can be allowed to speak. If there are a lot of people left, the Committee will have to continue the public hearing.
She added that the evening will almost entirely be devoted to hearing from residents. The Planning Department will have a memo summarizing the amendments that have been voted on. It will be a simplified list identifying who proposed it and who voted for it. There is a city-wide map that can be expanded on a computer screen without losing quality. The City’s consultant, Utile, is preparing maps of the individual village centers.
The City Planning Department’s memo will be posted online on Friday, September 22 in the Friday Packet, highlighting the updates in the latest version.