Planning Commission - Regular Meeting

Uh, okay. We have three board members. We're going to get started. Um, good evening everyone and welcome to the Wednesday, December 17th, 2025 meeting of the city of Worcester Planning Board. My name is Albert Lvali. I'll chair tonight's meeting. Before we begin, a couple of brief announcements concerning how our meeting will proceed tonight. Uh, first, all our meetings are in a hybrid format. You can participate either in person tonight. We're at Inspectional Services at 25 Main Street, but usually at City Hall, or by going online to uh wormat.zoomv.com/j1617314-979 or by calling in at 669-254-5252 and entering access code 161731-4979 followed by the pound sign. To manage remote participation during our hybrid meetings and prevent disruptions, all participants are automatically blocked from unmuting themselves uh or turning on their video or sending chat messages. For remote participants who'd like to comment on an item on our agenda, we ask that you raise your hand, use the raise your hand feature in Zoom during the discussion on that item. If you're joining by phone, you can raise your hand by pressing star9. On uh the internet, it's a little red microphone. Oh, I'm sorry. It's a hand. Uh staff will then call in members of the public one at a time and give them permission to unmute themselves. If you're joining by phone, you can unmute yourself by pressing star six. Uh next, I note this is a public meeting which is being both broadcast and recorded. Minutes will also be published at a later date. To help with that process, we ask all speakers participating in person to please use a microphone, to please clearly identify yourself each time you speak, and the first time you speak, please also state your city or town of residence for the record. to help maintain an orderly meeting. Please address all comments and questions through the chair rather than directly to any of the other speakers or

applicants. Uh there are a number of items on our agenda. Most of the items on our agenda tonight are going to be continued or postponed. I'm going to read through those shortly. If you're here on one of those items, please note no additional notice will be sent to you before the next meeting. Best thing to do is to call the planning department either the day of or the day prior to the next meeting to confirm if that item is going to be heard or postponed that night. It is not uncommon for items to be postponed multiple times before they are heard by this board. Once an item is called, there'll be a brief presentation of that item, followed by any additional comments and clarifications from members of the city staff, then an opportunity for anyone for the public who wishes to speak on that item before we proceed to board discussion and action. Lastly, all applicants should be aware that approvals are generally conditional. Decisions are generally signed by the board at the next meeting and where appropriate filed with the city clerk the following day, which is what begins any appeals periods. Decisions are typically not released to the applicant until all conditions of approval have been satisfactorilally addressed. It is the applicant's responsibility to address conditions of approval, and a lack of doing so may result in delays or enforcement. Applicants are asked to please call the planning division if they have any questions about that. All right. Uh with that done, we can move into the postponements. Uh so tonight item number one, zero Chester Street, a definitive site plan. The request is to continue the public meeting to January 7, 2026 and extend the constructive grant deadline to January 29, 2026. Item number two, One Ledgewood Lane, a definitive subdivision plan amendment. The request is to postpone the public meeting and hearing to January 7th, 2026, and extend the constructive grant deadline to January 29th, 2026. Item number three, 149 Malden Street and zero Morgan Street, a definitive site plan and definitive subdivision plan. The request is to postpone the public meeting and hearing to January 7, 2026 and extend the constructive grant deadline to January

29, 2026. And item number 4,5 Copage Drive, a definitive site plan. The request is to continue the public meeting to January 7, 2026 and extend the constructive grant deadline to January 29, 2026. Um, I would make a motion to continue item one and postpone items two, three, and four. Is there a second? Second. On the motion, Mr. Tumi? Yes. Mr. McCormack? Yes. Uh, do we have Mr. Delero? I'm here. Good evening. Yes, I I vote yes.

Okay, great. Welcome. Um, I vote yes as well. That motion passes 4 to zero and we will move into new business. Uh, first item on the agenda tonight is item number five, 50 Oral Drive. This will be a public meeting for a definitive site plan extension of time.

Is it on? Are we sure we can hear Mr. Rodman? Is this on? Yes.

Thanks very much. Thank you, Mr. Chairman, members of the board. Good evening. For the record, my name is Todd Rodman. I'm a lawyer with the law firm of Cedar and Chandler here in Worcester. And tonight, I'm here on behalf of Oral Housing Associates LLC, which is um limited liability company that's owned by Worcester Community Housing Resources. Uh back in 2023, uh WCHR received a site plan approval to redevelop the existing um quality in motel um off of Lincoln Street into uh 90 units of affordable housing. It's a affordable project. The time limit for uh completion of the project was running out in January of 2026. WCHR has made considerable progress in the financing package, but with affordable housing, it frequently takes several rounds in order to secure the financing. And we're here tonight asking for an extension so that the site plan approval doesn't expire. And I'm asking for a two-year extension from January 10th of 2026 through January 9th of 2028. As I said, they're hopeful that things will begin in 2026, but I'm asking for the maximum amount of time that I can have. The project itself has remained the same. We're willing to accept the existing conditions that were in the original site plan approval and happy to try and answer any questions. And uh I should mention that Andy Howorth, the director of real estate for Worcester Community Housing Resources, should be online in case we need any technical information.

Okay. Thank you. Uh city staff.

Sure. Through the chair, this is Michelle Smith and the city's planning division. As was mentioned, this is a request for an extension of time for a previously approved site plan. Um that was from the conversion of the former hotel into 90 units of low-rise multif family. As stated, they have not commenced this yet, which is why they are in front of you to request this extension. Um, so the approval was originally granted back on January 11th of 2023. That was valid for a period of one year. That extension, uh, excuse me, that approval was automatically extended by the economic development bond bill last year for two years. Um, so it's valid through January 11th of 2026. and uh they're seeking the maximum two-year extension that is permitted by um the ordinance. And so that would be through uh January 11th of 2028. So we would just recommend that you should you choose to grant the extension that you retain all the original conditions of approval and waiverss. Thank you.

Thank you, Miss Smith. Anyone any other city departments on this item? I don't think we have any tonight. Um, DBW ISD, any comments from you? Hearing none. Uh, anyone from the public wishing to speak on this item tonight? There's no one in the room. Leslie, you may need to unmute yourself.

Hi, this is Leslie from DPW. We don't have any comment about this. Thank you. Thank you, Leslie. Uh any anyone from the public hearing? None. Board members. Um Mr. McCormack, you want to any comments? Yeah, for myself, no real concerns. Um this is obviously important project. Uh understand the financing uh piece can take some time. So happy to support the the extension. Thank you, Connor. Uh Mr. Delera. Thank you, sir. Uh I agree. No, no comment. Okay, Mr. Tumi. Uh, no comments. Thank you.

No comments for me either. I believe this is uh entirely straightforward. Is there a motion? Um, I'd make a motion to approve the definitive site plan extension of time for 50 Oral Drive to um sorry, was the date? January 11th. 11th, 2028. uh subject to the previously approved conditions of approval. Second on the motion. Mr. McCormack, yes. Mr. Delera, yes. Mr. Tumi, yes. I vote yes. Motion passes four to zero. Thanks very much. Yeah. Good luck to your client. Thank you.

Next item we'll hear tonight. Are we talking about subdivision performance agreement? No. Okay. Uh, next item we'll hear tonight is street petitions for uh, Hooper Street.

Sure. This is Rose Russell in the planning division. Um, so before you tonight is a street petition for from councelor Carlson. Um, she's not able to attend tonight. Um, but we did receive a letter this evening with a little bit more context on her petition. Um, she's seeking to convert a section of Hooper Street from private to public. Um, the section of Hooper Street presently runs from Katherine Street at the south and then it terminates um at Mount Vernon Street to the north. So, there's a small section of it that's not on the official map. Um, it's private property. You can kind of see here in the photo on the left. Um, there's two condo buildings and then between them is a driveway. Um, it's not technically part of the road. So DPW has recommended that that part of the street, it's not technically a street, um but it functions that way, be eliminated from their petition. Um and councelor Carlson has agreed um to that modification. Really um the issue is some residents on Hooper Street have been experiencing issues with the WRTA and the mail service given the um existing condition of the road. There's a lot of potholes up there. Um so they're seeking to convert this small section to public. Um, and DPW has provided a recommendation. Their recommendation excludes the non street portion of the way. Um, so they're recommending a designation priority level 4. Um, and then they cite some additional information, but I'll leave it there um and open it up uh if Miss Rodriguez has anything to add. Uh no I don't have any more comments about this one. Uh just for information level four means that there's no uh hospital uh school or heavy traffic around that

will that's what is main level four. Thank you. Thank you. Uh board members any discussion? myself. Happy to support this with the priority level four. Okay. Hearing no one else. Um I think we're ready for a motion. Okay. And this is a recommendation of city council. Yep. That's that's correct.

Yeah. Um so motion to favorably recommend a priority level four on the petition for Uber Street to be converted to public and through the chair. Would that include the recommended amendment from DPW relative to the extent being that that's on the official map? It would include that. Yes. I second on the motion. Mr. McCormack. Yes. Mr. Gilera. Yes. Mr. Tumi. Yes, I vote yes as well. Four to zero. Motion passes. Uh on to ANRS.

Do the chair. We only have one ANR on our agenda tonight that is properly before the board. Um this is 38 Everard Street. Uh it's located in the RG5 zoning district. Everard's a public street up to typical city standard improvements. Um it's two properties presently. The applicant seeking to adjust the property lines of what is lot two in the northeast. Um, and then they're seeking to divide the lot to the south and alter some of the lot lines to allow for construction. Anyone can hear me? And it went away.

Thank you. Sorry about that. Um, so in the two lots to the south, the applicant seeking to construct a duplex which requires a minimum of 30 feet of frontage per lot. Um, and then the lot to the north is a three family today and it has um in excess of the requirement which is 60 feet of frontage for the single family. Um, so that's all we have. Thanks. Is there a motion to endorse? I would make a motion to endorse item 8E. Second. On the motion, Mr. McCormack. Yes. Mr. Gallera? Yes. Mr. Tumi?

Yes. I vote yes. Four to zero. Motion passes. Uh only other item on the agenda is approval of minutes from October 22nd, November 19th, and December 3rd meetings. Any any additions or corrections to the minutes? Is there a motion? I would make a motion to approve the minutes. Second. On the motion, Mr. McCormack. Yes. Mr. Delera? Yes. Mr. Tumi. Yes. I vote yes. Four to zero. Motion passes. Is there a motion to adjurnn? Motion to adjurnn.

The chair. Before you adjourn, could I just give a shout out to Victor um who's our chief planner who's not here tonight, but he has recently accepted a position with the town of Milbury and will be moving on to that role as their planning director. Um so this is his last meeting, although not with us at the moment. Um, so I just wanted to give a shout out to him u for all the work and contributions he's had to our team over the last few years. It's been instrumental in kind of moving us forward with technology and otherwise. So really appreciate his his work here and I know hopefully you all have enjoyed working with him. But just wanted to let you know about his departure and exciting new opportunity. So if you need anything in Milbury, you know who to reach out to. So thank you Victor.

Mr. McCormack. Um my our understanding is that a vacancy uh was created by by somebody else moving from Milbury somewhere else. Yeah. Sorry about that. [laughter] But happy for h happy for everybody. Yeah. Uh okay. Motion to adjurnn. Motion to adjurnn. Is there a second? All in favor say I. I. I. All right. We're adjourned. Thanks everybody. Great. Thank you very much, folks. Happy holidays. Enjoy the holiday.