{"utterances":[{"person":"gaffey-denise","date":"2026-08-10","video_id":1275,"video_title":"Finance - Legal and Legislative - Boards and Comm. - Appropriations and Oversight August 10th 2026","meeting_id":6007,"start_sec":4767.14,"end_sec":4824.45,"similarity":0.892,"text":"Great. Doing well, thank you. Good evening. So this order relates to the fire station on Tremont Street that we are rebuilding, and the request is to accept a grant of easement on National Grid's behalf in order for them to maintain and operate and install a new underground electrical system to service and support the new station. This relates to a grant of location that was in front of the board several months ago, and that was for the new pole and service coming into the building. I think there was a bit of a miscommunication on National Grid's part in terms of the fact that this easement also needs to get accepted. So I think it would've been much more efficient had that been done at the same time, but here we are. It's very straightforward and routine language, and it's been reviewed by the city's solicitor, and she took no issues with it. So just here to request your acceptance.","url":"https://vimeo.com/1217166818#t=4767s","page_url":"/video/1275"},{"person":"gaffey-denise","date":"2026-08-10","video_id":1275,"video_title":"Finance - Legal and Legislative - Boards and Comm. - Appropriations and Oversight August 10th 2026","meeting_id":6007,"start_sec":4845.23,"end_sec":4859.48,"similarity":0.872,"text":"Yeah. The project will install the pad that it sits on, but they bring the transformer in, then make all the connections to it, and then the easement is for permanent access to the city property, so they can maintain.","url":"https://vimeo.com/1217166818#t=4845s","page_url":"/video/1275"},{"person":"gaffey-denise","date":"2026-08-10","video_id":1275,"video_title":"Finance - Legal and Legislative - Boards and Comm. - Appropriations and Oversight August 10th 2026","meeting_id":6007,"start_sec":4885.23,"end_sec":4899.73,"similarity":0.85,"text":"The transformer, to my knowledge, is. It's not part of the project. It's not coming out of the project budget. Yes. Yeah. Great. And I'm sure we will be back for all those other projects as well. Yeah. Including the police station once we get the paperwork together for that one.","url":"https://vimeo.com/1217166818#t=4885s","page_url":"/video/1275"},{"person":"gaffey-denise","date":"2026-08-10","video_id":1275,"video_title":"Finance - Legal and Legislative - Boards and Comm. - Appropriations and Oversight August 10th 2026","meeting_id":6007,"start_sec":4915.98,"end_sec":4919.23,"similarity":0.658,"text":"I think if there's more capacity there, they could, yes.","url":"https://vimeo.com/1217166818#t=4915s","page_url":"/video/1275"},{"person":"gaffey-denise","date":"2025-12-17","video_id":57,"video_title":"Melrose Traffic Commission December 17th 2025","meeting_id":5721,"start_sec":165.88,"end_sec":325.63,"similarity":0.847,"text":"i am the project manager for the the city's project manager for the public safety initiative and I'm here this evening with some members of the design team. To my left is Robert Phillips. He's with Langdon Engineering. They are the traffic consultants for this initiative and I also have two members of the architects team here, Cassie Plunkett and Glenn Gallrad. So we are here specifically tonight to talk about the police station project. So the police, the new police station building will be built on the site of the current BB school on West Foster Street as part of that process we did look at we did a full traffic assessment to look at the parking parking and site circulation and try to come up with some improvements where necessary on the roadway as part of this project so we will and that is basically the nature of this these first two request one of which is to relocate an existing crosswalk on west foster that is currently to the east of trenton street and just shifting it to the other side to better align with the entrance to the new police station building and for some safety reasons which i'll um which robert's going to explain in more detail one thing i just did want to mention before we go too far is we had also um the traffic consultants also did take a look at the intersection of west foster vinton maple and foreign street because we are aware that there's concerns in the neighborhood about that intersection there are some sight line concerns it's a tricky intersection it's very wide and it's not very well aligned so um the consultants did also look at that intersection we had a neighborhood meeting in late october to show some different concepts that would provide some improvements there was a really great discussion amongst neighbors we have a terrific turnout we got um excellent feedback um to propose some some somewhat um minor modifications that would help to slow traffic down and create safer conditions for pedestrians um none of those traffic none of those modifications actually trigger any regulatory changes so so that effort is going to be managed separately from this process that's why we don't have the intersection modifications on the agenda tonight when we essentially are not prepared and weren't planning on talking about anything related to the intersection rather that project is going to be managed by the engineering division under under the chair pericus ellis's leadership so i just","url":"https://vimeo.com/1147782282#t=165s","page_url":"/video/57"},{"person":"gaffey-denise","date":"2025-12-17","video_id":57,"video_title":"Melrose Traffic Commission December 17th 2025","meeting_id":5721,"start_sec":337.38,"end_sec":350.11,"similarity":0.855,"text":"hopefully you hopefully heard enough of that um and i will turn it over to um robert to just explain explain what we're proposing what we're requesting today with regard to the crosswalk","url":"https://vimeo.com/1147782282#t=337s","page_url":"/video/57"},{"person":"gaffey-denise","date":"2025-12-17","video_id":57,"video_title":"Melrose Traffic Commission December 17th 2025","meeting_id":5721,"start_sec":478.92,"end_sec":482.29,"similarity":0.625,"text":"Heading east, you mean if you're heading east? Yeah.","url":"https://vimeo.com/1147782282#t=478s","page_url":"/video/57"},{"person":"gaffey-denise","date":"2025-12-17","video_id":57,"video_title":"Melrose Traffic Commission December 17th 2025","meeting_id":5721,"start_sec":607.13,"end_sec":609.75,"similarity":0.631,"text":"driveway as well so if you're on that side of the street you could cross there okay yeah that's fair","url":"https://vimeo.com/1147782282#t=607s","page_url":"/video/57"},{"person":"gaffey-denise","date":"2025-12-17","video_id":57,"video_title":"Melrose Traffic Commission December 17th 2025","meeting_id":5721,"start_sec":714.99,"end_sec":720.37,"similarity":0.745,"text":"i i think we want to do i think we were still evaluating that because i believe there's one","url":"https://vimeo.com/1147782282#t=714s","page_url":"/video/57"},{"person":"gaffey-denise","date":"2025-12-17","video_id":57,"video_title":"Melrose Traffic Commission December 17th 2025","meeting_id":5721,"start_sec":722.62,"end_sec":726.37,"similarity":0.712,"text":"at florence and it might not make sense to have okay three on that yeah well okay i just want","url":"https://vimeo.com/1147782282#t=722s","page_url":"/video/57"},{"person":"gaffey-denise","date":"2025-12-17","video_id":57,"video_title":"Melrose Traffic Commission December 17th 2025","meeting_id":5721,"start_sec":934.76,"end_sec":993.47,"similarity":0.899,"text":"Robert demonstrate this with the plan but essentially the parking the on street parking that's allowed there now is a relic of when the school wasn't when it was an active elementary school so given the proposal for the police station and the the two parking lots that are associated with police station both the secured lot on the left as you're looking at the station which will be for the police officers and on and then the visitors parking on the right there's ample parking associated with the the new building and the new use and um the recommendation is to eliminate the the spaces that are on the street in front of the building and that will actually help to um minimize the um one of the concerns that was identified by the traffic assessment involving side swiping that happens to vehicles on the street. So that's the quick summary, and Robert can just fill in","url":"https://vimeo.com/1147782282#t=934s","page_url":"/video/57"},{"person":"gaffey-denise","date":"2025-12-17","video_id":57,"video_title":"Melrose Traffic Commission December 17th 2025","meeting_id":5721,"start_sec":1055.22,"end_sec":1074.47,"similarity":0.876,"text":"attached to one of the the parking regulatory signs that we are going to remove so i think That's why it's called for being taken down, but we do want to reinstall a caution children sign in that location given the level of activity in that area in the park that's right around the corner.","url":"https://vimeo.com/1147782282#t=1055s","page_url":"/video/57"},{"person":"gaffey-denise","date":"2025-12-17","video_id":57,"video_title":"Melrose Traffic Commission December 17th 2025","meeting_id":5721,"start_sec":1103.97,"end_sec":1121.53,"similarity":0.862,"text":"is identical to the no parking signage that is currently on west foster street in front of the bb estate in the senior center for example so we would just carry that to the to the west in in in front of the um police station site okay anyone have questions on the","url":"https://vimeo.com/1147782282#t=1103s","page_url":"/video/57"},{"person":"gaffey-denise","date":"2025-12-17","video_id":57,"video_title":"Melrose Traffic Commission December 17th 2025","meeting_id":5721,"start_sec":1149.13,"end_sec":1152.82,"similarity":0.76,"text":"part of that area is also becomes the entrance to the visited parking as well","url":"https://vimeo.com/1147782282#t=1149s","page_url":"/video/57"},{"person":"gaffey-denise","date":"2025-12-17","video_id":57,"video_title":"Melrose Traffic Commission December 17th 2025","meeting_id":5721,"start_sec":2418.7,"end_sec":2419.45,"similarity":0.607,"text":"I would think so, yeah.","url":"https://vimeo.com/1147782282#t=2418s","page_url":"/video/57"},{"person":"gaffey-denise","date":"2025-12-17","video_id":57,"video_title":"Melrose Traffic Commission December 17th 2025","meeting_id":5721,"start_sec":2451.15,"end_sec":2458.17,"similarity":0.758,"text":"want to avoid well we're gonna tell them they can't park there okay so i mean i'm not saying they'll never do it but when they do it they're gonna get you know they'll get yelled at and then","url":"https://vimeo.com/1147782282#t=2451s","page_url":"/video/57"},{"person":"gaffey-denise","date":"2025-07-21","video_id":93,"video_title":"Melrose Protection and License - Finance - Legal and Leg. - City Council - Appropriations and Oversight July 21 2025","meeting_id":5530,"start_sec":4708.88,"end_sec":4710.62,"similarity":0.709,"text":"I think it's on Tremont Street you're","url":"https://vimeo.com/1103432781#t=4708s","page_url":"/video/93"},{"person":"gaffey-denise","date":"2025-07-21","video_id":93,"video_title":"Melrose Protection and License - Finance - Legal and Leg. - City Council - Appropriations and Oversight July 21 2025","meeting_id":5530,"start_sec":5051.91,"end_sec":5069.16,"similarity":0.875,"text":"And we will. Yeah. Certainly during construction, um, you know, we will have the, the website will be very active with information, um, that's pertinent to the construction and any disruptions and concerns that should be, you know, conveyed citywide. We'll certainly do that.","url":"https://vimeo.com/1103432781#t=5051s","page_url":"/video/93"},{"person":"gaffey-denise","date":"2025-07-21","video_id":93,"video_title":"Melrose Protection and License - Finance - Legal and Leg. - City Council - Appropriations and Oversight July 21 2025","meeting_id":5530,"start_sec":6720.78,"end_sec":6803.9,"similarity":0.913,"text":"Yes, I can speak to that. So we do have a, a traffic consultant as part of this project. And, um, they are looking at ways of improving the geometry on the street right now, which is as, as, um, councilor Williams pointed out, kind of haphazard. Um, and, um, looking at, um, eliminating some of the, um, the on street parking right now in front of the building, which is not gonna be needed when we have the parking on site. Um, and we've also asked them, they, they're aware of the fact that the, um, that the intersection there at Vinton and Foster and, and, um, maple, I think it is, is a challenging intersection that's been brought up by the neighborhood. And they've also also taken a look at that, even though that's work that would happen outside of the scope of this project, they have put together some, some ideas and some, um, recommendations. So, so all of that, anything that would involve any changes to the, um, to either traffic, um, regulations, um, or the infrastructure there would get reviewed by the, the traffic commission. So we actually have that, um, already kind of queued up for a meeting in September. We are, um, planning to bring the traffic, um, consultant to the committee's next meeting and then also meet with the neighbors too to just review everything that they've, all of their findings. And then the next step would be to go to the traffic commission.","url":"https://vimeo.com/1103432781#t=6720s","page_url":"/video/93"},{"person":"gaffey-denise","date":"2025-07-21","video_id":93,"video_title":"Melrose Protection and License - Finance - Legal and Leg. - City Council - Appropriations and Oversight July 21 2025","meeting_id":5530,"start_sec":6816.67,"end_sec":6828.67,"similarity":0.872,"text":"So I think we're trying to narrow the street up to make it a little bit safer to reduce the speeding that's happening. And also, I forgot that your question was about crosswalks, so yeah, crosswalks are, are part of that, um, a part of that plan too, like","url":"https://vimeo.com/1103432781#t=6816s","page_url":"/video/93"},{"person":"gaffey-denise","date":"2025-07-21","video_id":93,"video_title":"Melrose Protection and License - Finance - Legal and Leg. - City Council - Appropriations and Oversight July 21 2025","meeting_id":5530,"start_sec":6868.81,"end_sec":6876.06,"similarity":0.72,"text":"So I don't think we're gonna have a crosswalk that's close to that, um, to the, to the parking for the up.","url":"https://vimeo.com/1103432781#t=6868s","page_url":"/video/93"},{"person":"gaffey-denise","date":"2025-07-21","video_id":93,"video_title":"Melrose Protection and License - Finance - Legal and Leg. - City Council - Appropriations and Oversight July 21 2025","meeting_id":5530,"start_sec":7175.18,"end_sec":7181.84,"similarity":0.739,"text":"Yes, we, we will on both, both of the public lot and in the, um, the, the police department's lot.","url":"https://vimeo.com/1103432781#t=7175s","page_url":"/video/93"},{"person":"gaffey-denise","date":"2025-07-21","video_id":93,"video_title":"Melrose Protection and License - Finance - Legal and Leg. - City Council - Appropriations and Oversight July 21 2025","meeting_id":5530,"start_sec":7256.92,"end_sec":7320.05,"similarity":0.911,"text":"I don't think so. I just also wanted to mention, um, we have gotten good feedback when we, when we were able to, you know, send the modified plans back to the, the group of, of, um, neighbors. We got really good feedback on the design changes, which was great. Um, we also, as, as I think you may know, the mayor appointed, um, a direct abutter. She actually is the most direct abutter, um, to the project to serve on the advisory committee. And, um, she does an excellent job of, um, of keeping all of the neighbors, um, up to date on all the, you know, the progress of the project. But, um, we do have other, we have plans to, um, we've met on site a couple of times to talk about trees, tree removal, the fence things, things that of things of concern to the direct, especially to the direct abutters. And, um, we have, um, plans to reach out, back out to them once the landscape, um, plan and the traffic plan is, is finalized so we can get their feet or not finalized, but more for developed. So we can get their feedback","url":"https://vimeo.com/1103432781#t=7256s","page_url":"/video/93"},{"person":"gaffey-denise","date":"2025-07-21","video_id":93,"video_title":"Melrose Protection and License - Finance - Legal and Leg. - City Council - Appropriations and Oversight July 21 2025","meeting_id":5530,"start_sec":7341.3,"end_sec":7345.8,"similarity":0.807,"text":"No, there's no need for that. There's no need to make any changes to the traffic patterns.","url":"https://vimeo.com/1103432781#t=7341s","page_url":"/video/93"},{"person":"gaffey-denise","date":"2025-07-21","video_id":93,"video_title":"Melrose Protection and License - Finance - Legal and Leg. - City Council - Appropriations and Oversight July 21 2025","meeting_id":5530,"start_sec":7405.06,"end_sec":7410.06,"similarity":0.788,"text":"So it is posted on that report is posted on the, oh, um, project website.","url":"https://vimeo.com/1103432781#t=7405s","page_url":"/video/93"},{"person":"gaffey-denise","date":"2025-07-21","video_id":93,"video_title":"Melrose Protection and License - Finance - Legal and Leg. - City Council - Appropriations and Oversight July 21 2025","meeting_id":5530,"start_sec":8166.31,"end_sec":8192.06,"similarity":0.85,"text":"No. I would only say, you know, um, that there was the appropriation a year ago to kickstart all of this work and the amount of like 5.5 million. So the, the request that's coming down now is the difference between, I see the original, um, amount in the feasibility study that the, that the public voted on roughly one 30 minus that 5.5. And that's Why you're seeing that number at 1 1 24 0.5,","url":"https://vimeo.com/1103432781#t=8166s","page_url":"/video/93"},{"person":"gaffey-denise","date":"2024-11-19","video_id":156,"video_title":"Melrose School Committee November 19th 2024","meeting_id":5185,"start_sec":3211.66,"end_sec":3231.44,"similarity":0.847,"text":"I can speak to that. Um, so I think, um, you know, we are in the process of, um, of doing design for the police station and have been considering the BB school site for the last several months. So we are well along in the design phase. Um, I think if they're obviously, you know,","url":"https://vimeo.com/1031383704#t=3211s","page_url":"/video/156"},{"person":"gaffey-denise","date":"2024-11-19","video_id":156,"video_title":"Melrose School Committee November 19th 2024","meeting_id":5185,"start_sec":3232.57,"end_sec":3286.2,"similarity":0.862,"text":"it would be ideal for us to be able to continue to just pursue this site for design so we can stay on schedule, which right now has us, um, completing design by, um, August, putting the project out to bid and then, um, beginning construction in October of next year. So I think if we have, um, quite a long length of time where we're unsure where, um, the police station, um, may end up, whether it is the BB school site or the Ripley site or some other site, um, then I think we would, we will be looking at some delays and we would, it would be prudent to continue necessarily spending a lot of money on design and, and, and moving that forward. And, um, of course our concerns about that will be that any, um, any delays will, will, will most likely lead to escalation in price. Mm-Hmm,","url":"https://vimeo.com/1031383704#t=3232s","page_url":"/video/156"},{"person":"gaffey-denise","date":"2024-11-19","video_id":156,"video_title":"Melrose School Committee November 19th 2024","meeting_id":5185,"start_sec":3519.93,"end_sec":3522.43,"similarity":0.723,"text":"Um, I believe it's the first week of December.","url":"https://vimeo.com/1031383704#t=3519s","page_url":"/video/156"},{"person":"gaffey-denise","date":"2024-11-19","video_id":156,"video_title":"Melrose School Committee November 19th 2024","meeting_id":5185,"start_sec":4210.35,"end_sec":4228.35,"similarity":0.871,"text":"I'm, I'm, I'm, you know, I respect this conversation, you know, deeply and I feel like you need to do your due diligence. And I think a couple of meetings is a, is a reasonable request. I mean, we would love to be able to get the vote to the, um, to the city council by January, if, if, if that were possible.","url":"https://vimeo.com/1031383704#t=4210s","page_url":"/video/156"},{"person":"gaffey-denise","date":"2024-09-23","video_id":166,"video_title":"Melrose Health, Education & Welfare, Protection & License, Public Works, Appropriations & Oversight September 23rd 2024","meeting_id":5113,"start_sec":2844.8,"end_sec":2949.21,"similarity":0.951,"text":"Um, we're delighted to be here tonight. And, um, we're here really to, um, um, assist as you continue to deliberate on the zoning reification ordinance that, um, was initiated by the planning board. Um, and just as a recap, we had a joint public hearing between the planning board and the, um, city council on August 19th. And a week later, the planning board met, um, and discussed the, um, the issues that were, um, raised during that, during public hearing and the questions that that came up. And those are now documented in the report that the planning board issued, um, following that meeting. So, um, essentially, um, the report kind of outlines again, like that discussion, and we didn't really make any other substantial changes in recommendations based on the discussion. We basically just kind of explained in writing the issues that came up. We did do some, some make some further tweaks, some wordsmithing to some of the, um, zoning, um, um, pieces of the zoning. So we did issue a revised, um, amendment dated, proposed amendment dated August 26th. And in that version, which is attached to the order, along with the report, we um, highlighted those, um, items in the draft and the proposed zoning that are, um, further modified based on just kind of looking at a little more closely refining some, some of the wording, um, making some adjustments. For example, the, uh, one of the councilors raised the question about the illustration for the dormers. So we, we did, um, modify that to make it clearer and things of that nature. Um, but, um, we don't have a presentation planned. We're really just here to answer any questions if any of the council members have any based on the report.","url":"https://vimeo.com/1012223105#t=2844s","page_url":"/video/166"},{"person":"gaffey-denise","date":"2024-09-23","video_id":166,"video_title":"Melrose Health, Education & Welfare, Protection & License, Public Works, Appropriations & Oversight September 23rd 2024","meeting_id":5113,"start_sec":2969.7,"end_sec":2971.2,"similarity":0.658,"text":"You mean the setback is three","url":"https://vimeo.com/1012223105#t=2969s","page_url":"/video/166"},{"person":"gaffey-denise","date":"2024-09-23","video_id":166,"video_title":"Melrose Health, Education & Welfare, Protection & License, Public Works, Appropriations & Oversight September 23rd 2024","meeting_id":5113,"start_sec":2988.11,"end_sec":2989.61,"similarity":0.695,"text":"Yeah, no changes to that. Okay,","url":"https://vimeo.com/1012223105#t=2988s","page_url":"/video/166"},{"person":"gaffey-denise","date":"2024-09-23","video_id":166,"video_title":"Melrose Health, Education & Welfare, Protection & License, Public Works, Appropriations & Oversight September 23rd 2024","meeting_id":5113,"start_sec":3038.24,"end_sec":3040.49,"similarity":0.633,"text":"That would, it would be roughly six. Six signs.","url":"https://vimeo.com/1012223105#t=3038s","page_url":"/video/166"},{"person":"gaffey-denise","date":"2024-09-23","video_id":166,"video_title":"Melrose Health, Education & Welfare, Protection & License, Public Works, Appropriations & Oversight September 23rd 2024","meeting_id":5113,"start_sec":3058.51,"end_sec":3084.89,"similarity":0.923,"text":"So we, we, we kind of tried to clarify in here that, that, um, based on the case law, the view that physical characteristics of the in that relate to signage in the zoning would are appropriate to regulate. Okay. And we were concerned about, you know, conditions of, of clutter and blight if there were too many Mm-Hmm. Of these, um, signs in people's lawns. So that's an attempt to try to create, um, a limit on that. Okay. It's a recommendation.","url":"https://vimeo.com/1012223105#t=3058s","page_url":"/video/166"},{"person":"gaffey-denise","date":"2024-08-19","video_id":174,"video_title":"Melrose Finance - Appropriations and Oversight - City Council August 19th 2024","meeting_id":5070,"start_sec":889.58,"end_sec":1120.45,"similarity":0.96,"text":"Go ahead. Great. Thank you. Um, good evening. It's a pleasure to be here this evening. Um, by way of introductions, I just want for the public to introduce myself and a group up here. I'm Denise Gaffey, the Director of Planning and Community Development. And on my right is Lori Masa. She's the senior planner in the office. And on my left is Jonathan Silverstein. He is a partner with Blattman Brosky, Harvard and Silverstein. And they are, um, a, a law firm that specializes in municipal law and land use real estate law. Jonathan is one of a three member team of consultants that we've worked with. Through this process, we did a obtain a grant, a housing choice grant, um, to, in order to, um, to hire this consulting team. And, um, and Jonathan's here to represent the, the team tonight and answer any, any questions along, along with the staff here. Um, very excited to be here. The, we are, um, we are proposing to reify our zoning. And, um, and that's, um, I know it's an unusual term, but it's a, it's, it's basically means we're, we're attempting to restructure and clarify the zoning provisions and make it, and make it easier to understand. Um, it is a long time coming. Our, the zoning was last reified in 1972, so that's 52 years ago. And, um, by any measure, that is much too long to wait to, to, um, do a process like this. Um, it is a, um, a goal, something we spoke about in our, um, uh, Melrose Ford Master plan in 2017 as a, as a goal. And also, um, we contemplated it as well. In 2004, when we first updated our master plan, um, after many decades, um, in the interim years, we were hard at work doing, um, making many zoning, many adjustments to our zoning ordinance. Um, we have been, um, trying to, um, create zoning regulations that promote smart growth and target, um, target our transit oriented areas in order to, um, promote the kind of growth and development that is consistent with the character of Melrose. Um, but we recently, upon the completion of our housing production plan, we were, um, at a point we, we had a competitive edge toward getting this housing choice choice grant funding. And the first thing we wanted to accomplish was to, to clarify and reify our zoning. Um, so we had been working, um, for several months on this effort, um, with, very closely with members of the planning board, the zoning subcommittee along with our consulting team, and also some stakeholders that we've reached out to. We're really excited to embark on this, this part of this phase of the process where we can engage with the council and with the public and, um, and, and ideally adopt a rectified zoning that, um, the community, you know, can embrace. Um, I'm going to, um, without much further ado, I'm gonna turn this over to Lori Maa. Lori is, um, has prepared slides, a slide presentation that she's gonna walk through. And, um, in addition to being the senior planner, a lot of people don't realize that when Lori started eight years ago, she came on board and worked exclusively with, um, our zoning board of appeals. And prior to that we had a, um, um, we basically, we had a stipend position that, that, um, supported that board and Lori really professionalized that role. And also, um, she's, I would say, uniquely qualified having been on the front lines of dealing with a lot of the, um, residents who come for zoning relief in front of the zoning board appeals, understanding the kinds of concerns that they have and how they can be better served through a reification of our zoning. Um, so without further ado, I'm gonna turn it over to Lori and we're, we'll be happy to entertain, you know, questions, um, when the presentation is complete. Okay.","url":"https://vimeo.com/1000596452#t=889s","page_url":"/video/174"},{"person":"gaffey-denise","date":"2024-08-19","video_id":174,"video_title":"Melrose Finance - Appropriations and Oversight - City Council August 19th 2024","meeting_id":5070,"start_sec":3417.86,"end_sec":3448.36,"similarity":0.899,"text":"I think we view that as, as our next effort. Yeah. I mean we're getting a lot of questions about it. Yeah. 'cause everyone is aware that that is now, um, a use that communities have to allow. Sure. So, um, but they also know it's gonna take time, which is why they built in the 180 days. And we will also have to wait for the guidelines to be issued by the state agency, the housing agency. So, um, we can be working on it. I'm sure our zoning subcommittee is gonna be anxious to kind of get into it. Um, but it, it wouldn't make sense to hold up this process to try to work that in at this Point. Understood. Yeah.","url":"https://vimeo.com/1000596452#t=3417s","page_url":"/video/174"},{"person":"gaffey-denise","date":"2024-08-19","video_id":174,"video_title":"Melrose Finance - Appropriations and Oversight - City Council August 19th 2024","meeting_id":5070,"start_sec":3628.38,"end_sec":3717.74,"similarity":0.923,"text":"With that? Is that Yeah, we, we actually generated,  we generated a list, um, which we provided to the consultant. I think it was more than nine people originally. We may have had like, uh, 12 or 15 people. Um, and they were people that we encounter frankly a lot, um, who have, um, some sort of deeper, um, familiarity with the zoning Mm-Hmm. 'cause they're either, um, attorneys who work with the zoning a lot or, um, in some cases, you know, we included, um, the former chair of the zoning board of appeals 'cause she's intimately knowledgeable with the zoning. And um, and, um, we, and we had a couple of developers who we know frequently work with the zoning. So we wanted, we wanted to tap into, um, some expertise for people who are very familiar and have encountered a lot of the, um, a lot of the challenges with the zoning. We on a daily basis speak to members of the public. They call us constantly. You know, we, we talk to residents who are, um, confused about the provisions or encounter an obstacle with something they reasonable that they wish to do. And we of course see case after case in front of the zoning board of appeals. So we have a, we have a strong understanding of some of the, um, challenges that are encountered by the residents in the community and property owners. Um, and um, this was an attempt to get at those other, um, users who are, you know, frequently, um, working with their zoning.","url":"https://vimeo.com/1000596452#t=3628s","page_url":"/video/174"},{"person":"gaffey-denise","date":"2024-08-19","video_id":174,"video_title":"Melrose Finance - Appropriations and Oversight - City Council August 19th 2024","meeting_id":5070,"start_sec":3768.78,"end_sec":3789.78,"similarity":0.844,"text":"Sorry. This is what this community created when we amended our zoning several years ago. Mm-Hmm. To try to, um, to, to, um, limit the overall height of residential buildings to try to prevent buildings that, um, appear to be three stories where the, um, maximum is two and a half stories. So that's where that 50%, you know,","url":"https://vimeo.com/1000596452#t=3768s","page_url":"/video/174"},{"person":"gaffey-denise","date":"2024-08-19","video_id":174,"video_title":"Melrose Finance - Appropriations and Oversight - City Council August 19th 2024","meeting_id":5070,"start_sec":3799.28,"end_sec":3805.03,"similarity":0.863,"text":"So they are, they're entitled to ask for a variance in, in front of the ZBA Yeah. To that provision.","url":"https://vimeo.com/1000596452#t=3799s","page_url":"/video/174"},{"person":"gaffey-denise","date":"2024-08-19","video_id":174,"video_title":"Melrose Finance - Appropriations and Oversight - City Council August 19th 2024","meeting_id":5070,"start_sec":3818.28,"end_sec":3828.28,"similarity":0.85,"text":"Yeah, I know we spent a lot of time on this issue several years ago. I'm looking over at Anne. Who remembers this? Uh, Anne, feel free to to comment. I just","url":"https://vimeo.com/1000596452#t=3818s","page_url":"/video/174"},{"person":"gaffey-denise","date":"2024-08-19","video_id":174,"video_title":"Melrose Finance - Appropriations and Oversight - City Council August 19th 2024","meeting_id":5070,"start_sec":3872.12,"end_sec":3893.29,"similarity":0.9,"text":"Why. And that is one of those cases where, um, um, the ZBA can use their discretion on a case by case basis and they're able to, to um, really see how the dormer kind of fits within the character of the, um, abutting homes. And to get feedback, frankly from, you know, from the abut as to how they, how they feel about that, um, that height.","url":"https://vimeo.com/1000596452#t=3872s","page_url":"/video/174"},{"person":"gaffey-denise","date":"2024-08-19","video_id":174,"video_title":"Melrose Finance - Appropriations and Oversight - City Council August 19th 2024","meeting_id":5070,"start_sec":3969.27,"end_sec":4019.64,"similarity":0.911,"text":"I think, um, when we, Just a thought. I mean, I just No, it's a great, it's a great point. I mean, I think when we've looked at where this would apply to, um, in the locations where mixed use is allowed, they generally are locations where there is, um, there is some street parking or, um, municipal parking in close proximity. And so from a landus standpoint, it, it, it makes sense. It doesn't make sense to over, um, you know, provide too much parking beyond what's required for the residential use. Um, because there's also, there's opportunities for shared parking. It just becomes very, it becomes cost prohibitive as we know. And it'll also, um, leads to, you know, more, more vehicles and more traffic. And it's, it is frequently something that the planning board uses a discretion to, um, to, to wave.","url":"https://vimeo.com/1000596452#t=3969s","page_url":"/video/174"},{"person":"gaffey-denise","date":"2024-08-19","video_id":174,"video_title":"Melrose Finance - Appropriations and Oversight - City Council August 19th 2024","meeting_id":5070,"start_sec":4146.31,"end_sec":4161.06,"similarity":0.846,"text":"Well, yeah. Any, any doesn't, this doesn't affect any, um, the regulations for the historic district. The commission whatsoever, any, any exterior modifications to any building in a district still has to require some review and certificate of appropriateness.","url":"https://vimeo.com/1000596452#t=4146s","page_url":"/video/174"},{"person":"gaffey-denise","date":"2024-08-19","video_id":174,"video_title":"Melrose Finance - Appropriations and Oversight - City Council August 19th 2024","meeting_id":5070,"start_sec":4251.47,"end_sec":4254.72,"similarity":0.762,"text":"Yeah, I think Lori mentioned that in the presentation there was absolutely no change.","url":"https://vimeo.com/1000596452#t=4251s","page_url":"/video/174"},{"person":"gaffey-denise","date":"2024-08-19","video_id":174,"video_title":"Melrose Finance - Appropriations and Oversight - City Council August 19th 2024","meeting_id":5070,"start_sec":4391.35,"end_sec":4435.85,"similarity":0.889,"text":"So the, um, zoning enforcement is done by the, the, um, building commissioner in the inspection services department. So when we see zoning violations, we do the same thing when we're walking around. Um, we, we do make the building commissioner aware and so then I, I know he will usually as a first step send a letter to, um, the person or the, the property owner who's violating the zoning and ask them to fix the violation and make it clear that the fees will apply. And, and I understand there they can be, um, um, and they can be charged daily. This fee continues, you know, every day for until the violation is fixed. So I think he, that's frequently how he goes about, um, trying to address violations.","url":"https://vimeo.com/1000596452#t=4391s","page_url":"/video/174"},{"person":"gaffey-denise","date":"2024-08-19","video_id":174,"video_title":"Melrose Finance - Appropriations and Oversight - City Council August 19th 2024","meeting_id":5070,"start_sec":4454.8,"end_sec":4457.93,"similarity":0.733,"text":"I don't think it's laid out in the, in the zoning ordinance.","url":"https://vimeo.com/1000596452#t=4454s","page_url":"/video/174"},{"person":"gaffey-denise","date":"2024-08-19","video_id":174,"video_title":"Melrose Finance - Appropriations and Oversight - City Council August 19th 2024","meeting_id":5070,"start_sec":4977.73,"end_sec":5055.73,"similarity":0.923,"text":"So this is the, um, the joint public hearing kind of kicks off the, the, um, the adoption process, if you will. And, um, the council is obligated to wait 21 days for a report from the planning board, so the planning board, um, or they can take action after 21 days if a, if a report does not, um, isn't forthcoming. But the planning board intends to meet, um, next week, a week from tonight, the regular meeting, and they'll talk about, um, some of the comments and questions that were raised tonight and whether any, um, further recommendation, uh, uh, modifications are recommended. And we'll put that into a report form, submit it back to the council. And generally, I believe the council keeps, um, zoning amendment, slide this in committee until the, uh, and then they accept the report in committee. Um, and then at that point, um, they may feel, you know, you may decide to make a recommendation to the full board. Um, there are 90, you have 90 days by state statute. All of these, all of this timeline is, is dictated by the state zoning act, by the way. And, um, you do have 90 days from the close of the public hearing to, to vote to, um, adopt the, the proposed amendment or, and make it modifications within it. And, um, otherwise you have to start the process over again.","url":"https://vimeo.com/1000596452#t=4977s","page_url":"/video/174"},{"person":"gaffey-denise","date":"2024-06-06","video_id":187,"video_title":"Melrose Appropriation and Oversight (Budget Hearing) June 6th 2024","meeting_id":4998,"start_sec":695.18,"end_sec":752.5,"similarity":0.89,"text":"Hi. Um, so this is a, a request for funding for the Messina grant program, which, um, had previously been in the planning department budget. And, um, the mayor has chosen to, um, take that out of the planning department budget and fund it through, um, free cash this year. Um, and I think the, um, it does represent, um, a, an funding amount that is, um, supported by the many requests that we get for, for grants. So I think in the planning department will continue to sort of support the, um, the administrative portion of this, which is just making sure that the, um, the, um, invoices that are submitted represent the work that was completed and having all that backup documentation to demonstrate that, then passing them along to the, um, auditor's office for, for payment","url":"https://vimeo.com/954628308#t=695s","page_url":"/video/187"},{"person":"gaffey-denise","date":"2024-06-06","video_id":187,"video_title":"Melrose Appropriation and Oversight (Budget Hearing) June 6th 2024","meeting_id":4998,"start_sec":781.97,"end_sec":809.22,"similarity":0.905,"text":"Well, the Messina grant, um, the Messina program was initially created by, um, mayor, former mayor, um, Rob Dolan Uhhuh, and it was to, um, recognize all of the different arts and cultural groups, um, that exist in Melrose and to provide, to find some, um, additional financial support for them. Yeah. Because the funding that the, um, the Melrose Cultural Council receives is inadequate to support all of the grant requests that they receive.","url":"https://vimeo.com/954628308#t=781s","page_url":"/video/187"},{"person":"gaffey-denise","date":"2024-06-06","video_id":187,"video_title":"Melrose Appropriation and Oversight (Budget Hearing) June 6th 2024","meeting_id":4998,"start_sec":4467.13,"end_sec":4748.6,"similarity":0.929,"text":"so I'm here to discuss the, um, budget for the Department of Planning and Community Development. Um, probably the most significant change in our budget, which is mostly salary, um, relates to, um, some restructuring that we have done with the conservation agent position. And, uh, just a little bit of background. I think a lot of people assume the conservation agent worked under the planning office, but, um, because there was a desk in our, in our office, but, um, historically that position, which probably started out many years ago with just very few hours, um, and um, has, uh, progressed over, over time. Um, that position had until recently reported directly to the Volunteer Conservation Commission members. So, um, when, um, we've recently had, um, um, we lost our conservation agent and thought it was a good time to, to think about that, um, the structure, and I think it makes a lot of sense. And the mayor supported the idea of, um, of having the, uh, conservation agent position report directly, uh, up to the planning director in the planning office. So that is a major change. There is no longer a separate budget, uh, line item for conservation. And the salary for this position is now in the, the planning department. Mm-Hmm. Um, it is still very much a, uh, part-time position. Um, we would, um, love to, um, provide full-time hours because there's really full-time work for this, for this position. But, um, given the city's current budget situation that is not, um, that's not currently realistic, um, we were able to increase the number of hours, um, I think maybe from 14 to 18. And in order to recruit somebody for this position, we, we had to create this, uh, increase the salary. It was woefully low. I hadn't been adjusted in eight, seven years. Seven, eight years. So, um, it is, um, now reflects a little bit closer to market conditions. It's not actually club quite at market, but we were lucky to be able to recruit somebody who lives locally and who is interested in getting back into the job market and had enough of a background to really to make this position, um, um, you know, challenging and also, um, feasible for her. And she's working out great. Um, so that's one of the, um, most significant changes. The other thing, of course, is we are not currently carrying the salary of the sustainability manager. Um, that position unfortunately is falling victim to the, um, current budget, um, challenges. And so it, um, it was vacated back, uh, sort of halfway through this current fiscal year. And we were in the process of recruiting for it, um, when we learned, um, that we couldn't support the position with the current funding. So, so we do not, we are not, um, this budget does not include the sustainability manager. Um, it also doesn't include a, um, an economic development planner. And that is a position that we have not supported in the past. But it is something that, um, the mayor's very interested in funding. Um, should, um, should the funding be the over I be successful that, um, in recent years, that position was in the mayor's office. And with the most recent change, um, with, um, the, um, economic development director becoming the chief of staff, that position has been vacant. So, um, there's a lot of, um, great work that somebody in that role can accomplish. And so it's definitely a void, um, um, that we, you know, that we can't fill currently. So we'd love to see that happen in the future. Um, if, if the override, again, is successful. Um, let's see. Primarily, those are primarily the changes. There have been some adjustments to, um, the, um, dues memberships and education seminar piece. Some of that is we are now consolidating the conservation, um, items for that used to, used to be within the conservation budget. And they do have a, um, uh, an allocation that they make to the Mass Association of Conservation Commissions that supports all the work of the volunteer members and the agent. Um, and also we have some extra funding in there for training because we do have somebody, um, new in the position. So we are trying to reflect, um, accurately reflect what the needs are going to be in the department, both for the conservation agent and also for, for the planning staff.","url":"https://vimeo.com/954628308#t=4467s","page_url":"/video/187"},{"person":"gaffey-denise","date":"2024-06-06","video_id":187,"video_title":"Melrose Appropriation and Oversight (Budget Hearing) June 6th 2024","meeting_id":4998,"start_sec":4749.61,"end_sec":4763.73,"similarity":0.867,"text":"Um, we spoke already earlier tonight about the Messina grant that is not in, that is no longer in the, in the budget. And I think those are the primary, primary things. Happy to answer any questions. Great. Thank you.","url":"https://vimeo.com/954628308#t=4749s","page_url":"/video/187"},{"person":"gaffey-denise","date":"2024-06-06","video_id":187,"video_title":"Melrose Appropriation and Oversight (Budget Hearing) June 6th 2024","meeting_id":4998,"start_sec":4857.03,"end_sec":4930.4,"similarity":0.92,"text":"Um, yeah, we certainly can't do it with our current staffing. Yeah, that is true. I mean, we do, um, we are somewhat victims of our own success, I guess in the sense that we've been very proactive in recent years with the zoning work that we've done and to try to promote the kind of like, uh, responsible development we think that, um, melrose's needs and benefits from. So we are incredibly busy reviewing projects and also, pardon me, um, There's one right now. And also, um, um, so yeah, we're incredibly busy reviewing projects and, and also trying to, to work on special initiatives when we can like, um, zoning work, um, or, um, planning the longer range planning. I mean, we do, we do try to keep up with the long range planning work. Like our master plan is pretty up to date. Um, we recently completed a, um, a housing production plan. You know, the office was involved in the net zero plan, of course. Um, we just recently completed an open space plan. So we are trying to think always to think long term and big picture. Um, but I think we would need, we would certainly need to have more capacity in the office to do more than what we do right now.","url":"https://vimeo.com/954628308#t=4857s","page_url":"/video/187"},{"person":"gaffey-denise","date":"2024-06-06","video_id":187,"video_title":"Melrose Appropriation and Oversight (Budget Hearing) June 6th 2024","meeting_id":4998,"start_sec":5001.9,"end_sec":5006.4,"similarity":0.787,"text":"I appreciate that and I do not disagree. I think that would add a lot of value.","url":"https://vimeo.com/954628308#t=5001s","page_url":"/video/187"},{"person":"gaffey-denise","date":"2024-06-06","video_id":187,"video_title":"Melrose Appropriation and Oversight (Budget Hearing) June 6th 2024","meeting_id":4998,"start_sec":5010.3,"end_sec":5114.27,"similarity":0.921,"text":"Thanks for being here tonight. I just, I was wondering if you could talk a little bit about, um, you have the goals for FY 25. Um, it says meeting the compliance requirements and deadline for the MBT communities zoning. Mm-Hmm. So we we plan to do that. Yeah. Is that, so what is, can you talk a little bit about that? I like, Um, sure. Yeah. So, so, um, probably most people are aware of the MBTA community, um, um, uh, zoning, uh, law that was passed, um, a couple years back. And, um, we are, um, an MBTA community. We are served by the commuter rail, so we're considered a commuter rail community. So we have that extra year to comply, which, um, the, the, um, rapid transit communities, of course had to comply by December of last year. And commuter rail communities have to comply by the, by December of this year. So we are, um, in the process of, um, and what that means is we, we, we have to have certain, we have to have a certain, um, amount of zoning districts that, um, that allow for a certain, that are zoned for a certain product number, a certain production of housing. So it's, it's an order, it's an initiative to try to enable, um, um, greater housing production because there's such a shortage. And we are currently, you know, we, we have submitted a pre-application to the state with using the, their zoning tool and putting in our, the information about our zoning, um, districts and our, um, initial, um, input into this tool indicates that we comply with the current zoning that we have in place. So, um, we are just, um, we are, we have to,","url":"https://vimeo.com/954628308#t=5010s","page_url":"/video/187"},{"person":"gaffey-denise","date":"2024-06-06","video_id":187,"video_title":"Melrose Appropriation and Oversight (Budget Hearing) June 6th 2024","meeting_id":4998,"start_sec":5114.98,"end_sec":5211.57,"similarity":0.918,"text":"we've recently got some initial feedback from the state on, on this, um, preliminary, um, submission that we've made. So now we have to just complete the final submission. We are also in the process of working with a consultant to do an economic feasibility study because that is required if you are in a community that, um, requires anything above 10% affordable housing. So we have a, um, uh, affordable housing requirement in our zoning ordinance that requires developers to kick in 15%. So the commonwealth through this initiative wants to make sure that the affordable housing requirements in communities are not working against housing production or not limiting developers from building housing. So that is the purpose of the economic develop, uh, economic feasibility analysis, which we're currently, um, working with MAPC on. And so once we have the results of that, um, which we think are not gonna show any limitations because we see it in the field, we see it happening. So we expect that to not be, um, um, a liability and to support our application to the state. Okay. I, for some reason, when I read it, I was like, is there a deadline to build all these buildings or No, No, no. It's only about zoning. And I think that is a mis attached misconception. Um, I don't have it off the top of my head. Um, Like how many pieces of land to be zoned. Yeah. Is there like a, do they tell you ahead of Time? Well, yes, I mean, it is, we have a certain, um, number of housing units that are zoning. The zoning districts that we I, that we identify that meet their criteria have to, you know, have to be able to produce. But it is not about producing housing, it's just about having a zoning in place.","url":"https://vimeo.com/954628308#t=5114s","page_url":"/video/187"},{"person":"gaffey-denise","date":"2024-06-06","video_id":187,"video_title":"Melrose Appropriation and Oversight (Budget Hearing) June 6th 2024","meeting_id":4998,"start_sec":5256.72,"end_sec":5317.46,"similarity":0.922,"text":"So I think the data around transit use is a little tricky right now and would be skewed based on the pandemic. And, um, frankly, a lot of the work that's occurring on the, on the, on the MBTA right now. Um, so I haven't seen anything really recent on that. Um, I mean, we have, we've been involved in studies around, um, around parking and parking utilization. I think that's kind of interesting data 'cause it does illustrate that, um, that we can support a lot less parking than what our typical, what a, you know, typical housing development would be required to provide. So that was, um, and that has sort of been an impetus for us to look at some at, um, allowing for a little more discretion when it comes to parking, because parking is a, is a driver for housing costs. Parking is very expensive. It's, it's a, it's not an optimal way of using land and it is a factor in increasing the cost of housing. So, um, so that is some interesting data that's out there.","url":"https://vimeo.com/954628308#t=5256s","page_url":"/video/187"},{"person":"gaffey-denise","date":"2024-06-06","video_id":187,"video_title":"Melrose Appropriation and Oversight (Budget Hearing) June 6th 2024","meeting_id":4998,"start_sec":5336.78,"end_sec":5341.03,"similarity":0.749,"text":"For? Yes, that is the, the funds that are in, um, for, um, pond treatment.","url":"https://vimeo.com/954628308#t=5336s","page_url":"/video/187"},{"person":"gaffey-denise","date":"2024-06-06","video_id":187,"video_title":"Melrose Appropriation and Oversight (Budget Hearing) June 6th 2024","meeting_id":4998,"start_sec":5342.28,"end_sec":5354.78,"similarity":0.895,"text":"All the ponds? We are still, we're in the third year of, um, the, um, chestnut removal, um, operation at L Pond. And that will be kicking up, kicking in again in, um, in July.","url":"https://vimeo.com/954628308#t=5342s","page_url":"/video/187"},{"person":"gaffey-denise","date":"2024-06-06","video_id":187,"video_title":"Melrose Appropriation and Oversight (Budget Hearing) June 6th 2024","meeting_id":4998,"start_sec":5357.28,"end_sec":5367.28,"similarity":0.851,"text":"That is a separate, it has a separate funding source. So this is, so there's that plus this is, is, is used towards treatment at, um, the other ponds, Swains and Thomas.","url":"https://vimeo.com/954628308#t=5357s","page_url":"/video/187"},{"person":"gaffey-denise","date":"2024-06-06","video_id":187,"video_title":"Melrose Appropriation and Oversight (Budget Hearing) June 6th 2024","meeting_id":4998,"start_sec":5375.9,"end_sec":5387.4,"similarity":0.823,"text":"So we have two union, um, employees. Okay. So who are not affected by the, the, the, um, the cola, you know, who are getting the COLA adjustment.","url":"https://vimeo.com/954628308#t=5375s","page_url":"/video/187"},{"person":"gaffey-denise","date":"2024-06-06","video_id":187,"video_title":"Melrose Appropriation and Oversight (Budget Hearing) June 6th 2024","meeting_id":4998,"start_sec":5400.28,"end_sec":5438.58,"similarity":0.899,"text":"It's a good, it's a good point. And, um, that is because, um, the sustainability manager in the past had not, um, been fully funded through the department budget. So, um, we had some other funding sources for that position, which unfortunately just or coincidentally are not, are not, um, no longer available, but sort of for the entire length of time that our previous sustainability manager was here. She, of course, was very aggressive about getting, um, grants and incentive funds and was able to support, um, a significant proportion over her salary, but it did decline over the years.","url":"https://vimeo.com/954628308#t=5400s","page_url":"/video/187"},{"person":"gaffey-denise","date":"2024-06-06","video_id":187,"video_title":"Melrose Appropriation and Oversight (Budget Hearing) June 6th 2024","meeting_id":4998,"start_sec":5441.93,"end_sec":5444.56,"similarity":0.788,"text":"So does that make sense? So that's not, yeah. Okay.","url":"https://vimeo.com/954628308#t=5441s","page_url":"/video/187"},{"person":"gaffey-denise","date":"2024-06-06","video_id":187,"video_title":"Melrose Appropriation and Oversight (Budget Hearing) June 6th 2024","meeting_id":4998,"start_sec":5479.19,"end_sec":5500.69,"similarity":0.886,"text":"No. Yes. Yes. Okay. I mean, the, the, the state has used had put together, um, a tool that was not, that is, you know, relatively easy for us to use to plug in our data. And we have some pretty, um, technically savvy people in the office, including our, our, our mapping support, our GS analyst, who's been able to really help us with that","url":"https://vimeo.com/954628308#t=5479s","page_url":"/video/187"},{"person":"gaffey-denise","date":"2024-06-06","video_id":187,"video_title":"Melrose Appropriation and Oversight (Budget Hearing) June 6th 2024","meeting_id":4998,"start_sec":5531.81,"end_sec":5534.54,"similarity":0.737,"text":"That wasn't, that one was not reinforced, um,","url":"https://vimeo.com/954628308#t=5531s","page_url":"/video/187"},{"person":"gaffey-denise","date":"2024-06-06","video_id":187,"video_title":"Melrose Appropriation and Oversight (Budget Hearing) June 6th 2024","meeting_id":4998,"start_sec":5535.17,"end_sec":5545.05,"similarity":0.842,"text":"was clearly not reinforced well or when it was installed. Um, so has since been repaired and has actually been, um, moved to a different location also. Right,","url":"https://vimeo.com/954628308#t=5535s","page_url":"/video/187"},{"person":"gaffey-denise","date":"2024-06-06","video_id":187,"video_title":"Melrose Appropriation and Oversight (Budget Hearing) June 6th 2024","meeting_id":4998,"start_sec":5590.55,"end_sec":5617.55,"similarity":0.891,"text":"Yeah. Yeah. I mean, we did work, um, very closely with a committee of people of, of residents and, um, city staff and a consultant actually. And I mean, the goal was to try to, um, promote walking and, um, and bicycling. So we were trying to point out some, um, areas of interest that people could, could walk to and bicycle to. Um, in addition to trying to promote our business districts, that was another goal. Right,","url":"https://vimeo.com/954628308#t=5590s","page_url":"/video/187"},{"person":"gaffey-denise","date":"2024-06-06","video_id":187,"video_title":"Melrose Appropriation and Oversight (Budget Hearing) June 6th 2024","meeting_id":4998,"start_sec":5686.98,"end_sec":5708.49,"similarity":0.901,"text":"Yeah, it was, absolutely. It's a pilot program and I think, um, we have learned a lot through it. I mean, definitely some of the, the fabrication of some of the signage was not ideal. So we've been working with the fabricated to try to make sure these are gonna hold up over time. Um, so, but I appreciate the feedback. Second, happy if you, if you hear more feedback like that, we would love to hear it. Okay. Um,","url":"https://vimeo.com/954628308#t=5686s","page_url":"/video/187"},{"person":"gaffey-denise","date":"2024-06-06","video_id":187,"video_title":"Melrose Appropriation and Oversight (Budget Hearing) June 6th 2024","meeting_id":4998,"start_sec":5798.17,"end_sec":5808.17,"similarity":0.829,"text":"Um, I, I, you know, it would take a little bit of time to change zoning. I'm just, I'm just putting it out there that I think it's really, really, really unlikely.","url":"https://vimeo.com/954628308#t=5798s","page_url":"/video/187"},{"person":"gaffey-denise","date":"2024-05-30","video_id":190,"video_title":"Melrose Protection and License -  Appropriations and Oversight May 30th 2024","meeting_id":4988,"start_sec":351.44,"end_sec":504.19,"similarity":0.934,"text":"My name is Denise Caffey. I'm the Director of Planning and Community Development, and with me is the senior plan senior planner in the office, Lori Masa. Um, and we are here to request your, um, acceptance of a grant, um, that the city has received in the amount of $100,000. This is from the, um, executive Office of Housing and Economic Development. And it is, um, specifically designed for, um, to create additional community engagement, um, activities in our, in our downtown. So, um, we are proposing to use these funds, um, to build on the placemaking and way finding, um, efforts that we've been working on over the past several years. Um, specifically we wanna, um, take a look at, um, we're taking a look at Milano Park, which is a small open space area, um, at the corner of Grove Street and, um, Grove and Maine. And this park is named in honor of, um, Joseph Milano, who's our former mayor's father, a former, um, state representative and, and Melrose resident. And there is a, um, a plaque there in his honor. But, um, the park itself has fallen into, um, quite a bit of disrepair and is really sort of not, does not get a lot of, um, use. There's a very large planter with, um, overgrown plantings. And we sort of envision a process whereby there's gonna be more, it was gonna be a more open area with seeding and plants, um, um, and space for people to congregate. Um, uh, just sort of a, a nice kind of like facelift to that, to that corner. And we've been, we've, um, also been able to piggyback, um, with our relationship with the consultants we've been working with on our other place making initiatives. So it's really great, um, a great opportunity for us to be actually, um, do some of these improvements, um, with this, with this funding. And it's, um, very much a collaborative process. We're working with a lot of different, um, city departments, including the, um, public works and the parks department, um, very closely with the mayor's office, um, very closely with the Chamber of Commerce. Um, they've been involved in some of our planning meetings. Um, and so we really look forward to being able to just, to actually, um, build upon these, uh, some of our, uh, design ideas and, and bring in some new furnishings and, uh, and landscaping and, and make this a much more inviting space.","url":"https://vimeo.com/952157236#t=351s","page_url":"/video/190"},{"person":"gaffey-denise","date":"2024-05-30","video_id":190,"video_title":"Melrose Protection and License -  Appropriations and Oversight May 30th 2024","meeting_id":4988,"start_sec":505.05,"end_sec":507.19,"similarity":0.649,"text":"Happy to answer any questions. Uh, vice Chair Williams.","url":"https://vimeo.com/952157236#t=505s","page_url":"/video/190"},{"person":"gaffey-denise","date":"2024-05-30","video_id":190,"video_title":"Melrose Protection and License -  Appropriations and Oversight May 30th 2024","meeting_id":4988,"start_sec":519.75,"end_sec":587.75,"similarity":0.921,"text":"There will be some reconfiguration. We're gonna remove the, the big planter that is in, like, it is currently the focal point, but, um, it doesn't create a lot of opportunity for, for, um, you know, congregating. So that planter will be removed. Um, the, um, the pavement material, the bricks will be, um, um, replaced and there'll be a greater, uh, there's gonna be a bit of a lawn area, so there's gonna be a walking path around it and a lawn area for people to sit on. And then we envision, um, some benches, um, a nice, uh, sort of circular bench element around the outside that will allow for plantings in it. Um, I should have mentioned too, that we're also, we've been working with the Keith Melrose beautiful group. They got a grant to do a pollinated garden, and we're gonna, we will, um, we will sort of transplant that pollinator garden into this, this, um, seeding this bench that has a planter integrated into it. So, um, there's also opportunities for, for public art. Um, and so for some branding that we, we hope to be able to do with this funding. Hmm.","url":"https://vimeo.com/952157236#t=519s","page_url":"/video/190"},{"person":"gaffey-denise","date":"2024-05-30","video_id":190,"video_title":"Melrose Protection and License -  Appropriations and Oversight May 30th 2024","meeting_id":4988,"start_sec":681.41,"end_sec":687.03,"similarity":0.759,"text":"Um, we don't, no. We think we're gonna need the funding. All of the funding for the site. Correct. Okay.","url":"https://vimeo.com/952157236#t=681s","page_url":"/video/190"},{"person":"gaffey-denise","date":"2024-05-30","video_id":190,"video_title":"Melrose Protection and License -  Appropriations and Oversight May 30th 2024","meeting_id":4988,"start_sec":702.35,"end_sec":722.1,"similarity":0.871,"text":"Or No? The trees that are there, we looked at that very closely actually. And the trees that are there that provide sort of the screen to the, to the parking and the dumpster that's behind that screen are in really great conditions. So we actually are, are not going to, going to, um, do anything about those plantings. They're in really, they're, they're thriving.","url":"https://vimeo.com/952157236#t=702s","page_url":"/video/190"},{"person":"gaffey-denise","date":"2024-05-30","video_id":190,"video_title":"Melrose Protection and License -  Appropriations and Oversight May 30th 2024","meeting_id":4988,"start_sec":742.35,"end_sec":765.35,"similarity":0.905,"text":"No, it, there's no language in the, in the grant, um, itself that, that restricts it to Milano Park. That's just how, um, working with the mayor's office, how, and, you know, um, what we thought was the best use of the funding. We just, I think just based on our preliminary meetings with the a the designers that we're working with, we don't think we'll have a lot, we'll have any excess money to, to spend anywhere else. Alright.","url":"https://vimeo.com/952157236#t=742s","page_url":"/video/190"},{"person":"gaffey-denise","date":"2024-05-30","video_id":190,"video_title":"Melrose Protection and License -  Appropriations and Oversight May 30th 2024","meeting_id":4988,"start_sec":782.12,"end_sec":789.12,"similarity":0.873,"text":"There's a very, very narrow strip. Um, there. So most, mostly most of that is all city owned land.","url":"https://vimeo.com/952157236#t=782s","page_url":"/video/190"},{"person":"gaffey-denise","date":"2024-05-30","video_id":190,"video_title":"Melrose Protection and License -  Appropriations and Oversight May 30th 2024","meeting_id":4988,"start_sec":793.12,"end_sec":795.4,"similarity":0.671,"text":"No, we don't need to do any survey work.","url":"https://vimeo.com/952157236#t=793s","page_url":"/video/190"},{"person":"gaffey-denise","date":"2024-05-30","video_id":190,"video_title":"Melrose Protection and License -  Appropriations and Oversight May 30th 2024","meeting_id":4988,"start_sec":819.65,"end_sec":835.52,"similarity":0.834,"text":"um, attention. So I'm excited to see this. Oh, that's great. Yeah. And we look forward to working with you. I know the mayor's office may have reached out to you about, um, now that it is, it is your award. And so certainly happy to welcome you to our end of our meetings if you wanna participate in that. Yeah, I would love that. Okay, great.","url":"https://vimeo.com/952157236#t=819s","page_url":"/video/190"},{"person":"gaffey-denise","date":"2024-05-30","video_id":190,"video_title":"Melrose Protection and License -  Appropriations and Oversight May 30th 2024","meeting_id":4988,"start_sec":1808.2,"end_sec":1832.58,"similarity":0.907,"text":"I think we, I think we studied that, I think we studied that question during the, um, pre-design process and really just determined that we would need to have that. It's a significant amount of frontage on that, on that property. And it's, it's, it's hard to envision how you could construct a really viable, um, police station building with all the parking that's needed without it. Is that safe to say? Yeah, it,","url":"https://vimeo.com/952157236#t=1808s","page_url":"/video/190"},{"person":"gaffey-denise","date":"2024-05-30","video_id":190,"video_title":"Melrose Protection and License -  Appropriations and Oversight May 30th 2024","meeting_id":4988,"start_sec":1847.88,"end_sec":1855.76,"similarity":0.808,"text":"No, I think he was saying he, what he was asking is, um, without the front, oh, I'm sorry, the cemetery currently that is apologize, misunderstood.","url":"https://vimeo.com/952157236#t=1847s","page_url":"/video/190"},{"person":"gaffey-denise","date":"2024-05-30","video_id":190,"video_title":"Melrose Protection and License -  Appropriations and Oversight May 30th 2024","meeting_id":4988,"start_sec":2168.07,"end_sec":2204.45,"similarity":0.929,"text":"I mean, I think they, I think we determine that the site itself is, um, is is more than sufficient in size. Right. You know, notwithstanding the issue with the sliver of land at the frontage, um, it is more sufficient. It's sufficient in size. Um, and I think there's also a recognition that the school, the building that's there now is completely obsolete. And it sort of, um, kind of, uh, solved a couple of issues for us because we knew we weren't gonna be repurposing that as a, as a school and it couldn't continue to be occupied for much longer as a school. So for those reasons, it seemed like an ideal site.","url":"https://vimeo.com/952157236#t=2168s","page_url":"/video/190"},{"person":"gaffey-denise","date":"2024-05-30","video_id":190,"video_title":"Melrose Protection and License -  Appropriations and Oversight May 30th 2024","meeting_id":4988,"start_sec":2449.84,"end_sec":2497.09,"similarity":0.94,"text":"So I will say, and I can let the architects speak to this, but I mean, I think the estimating has been, um, has been both conservative and has built in escalation because from the very beginning we knew we couldn't take on four building projects at one time. It's just not physically possible to do that and keep the fire department up and running. So this has always been viewed as a phased approach with three phases over the seven, I think seven to eight years. Um, and the estimating, if you look at the, the, the full, the estimate for all four projects, you can see the escalation that's built in for those out years. So I I, you know, that, that has been anticipated, it has Been anticipated About the cost are, are encompassed in that $130 million number.","url":"https://vimeo.com/952157236#t=2449s","page_url":"/video/190"},{"person":"gaffey-denise","date":"2024-05-30","video_id":190,"video_title":"Melrose Protection and License -  Appropriations and Oversight May 30th 2024","meeting_id":4988,"start_sec":2613.97,"end_sec":2657.94,"similarity":0.926,"text":"Can I also just clarify this? So the construction cost is, is pretty much a factor of the square footage and that square footage has essentially been determined through, through the, all the planning and programming meetings that have occurred, um, in this pre-designed phase. So I, so the numbers again are, you know, we feel like, I mean they're, they're pretty, they're not, I can't say they're a hundred percent accurate, right? But they're pretty, they're a good representation in their conservative and based on this square footage calculation, adding an escalation of 5% over, you know, every year out for those out years. And there's even design contingency, correct me if I'm wrong, but there's also design contingency built in into these numbers.","url":"https://vimeo.com/952157236#t=2613s","page_url":"/video/190"},{"person":"gaffey-denise","date":"2024-05-30","video_id":190,"video_title":"Melrose Protection and License -  Appropriations and Oversight May 30th 2024","meeting_id":4988,"start_sec":2813.57,"end_sec":2814.95,"similarity":0.605,"text":"So I think, I think it's for,","url":"https://vimeo.com/952157236#t=2813s","page_url":"/video/190"},{"person":"gaffey-denise","date":"2024-05-30","video_id":190,"video_title":"Melrose Protection and License -  Appropriations and Oversight May 30th 2024","meeting_id":4988,"start_sec":2817.95,"end_sec":2820.2,"similarity":0.634,"text":"No, it is, it is up until 14. 14, 16 months. 16 months.","url":"https://vimeo.com/952157236#t=2817s","page_url":"/video/190"},{"person":"gaffey-denise","date":"2024-05-30","video_id":190,"video_title":"Melrose Protection and License -  Appropriations and Oversight May 30th 2024","meeting_id":4988,"start_sec":2820.7,"end_sec":2840.69,"similarity":0.878,"text":"And it's up until the actual construction starts. Because then, you know, after the, once the construction document's prepared and we have the true bidding construction number, we will be back to this body for the construction funding. And that will include the, the, um, project management, um, fees that are needed for construction.","url":"https://vimeo.com/952157236#t=2820s","page_url":"/video/190"},{"person":"gaffey-denise","date":"2023-11-13","video_id":241,"video_title":"Melrose Board of Appeals November 13 2023","meeting_id":4716,"start_sec":1813.13,"end_sec":1834.51,"similarity":0.74,"text":"Yeah, I think the, um, the benefit of doing that is it does allow a little more flexibility with how they do, um, carve up the units Mm-Hmm. In the inside, right? I mean, we will wanna make sure they can provide the required amount of three bedroom units and um, but they could provide smaller units","url":"https://vimeo.com/884410382#t=1813s","page_url":"/video/241"},{"person":"gaffey-denise","date":"2023-11-13","video_id":241,"video_title":"Melrose Board of Appeals November 13 2023","meeting_id":4716,"start_sec":1835.01,"end_sec":1850.01,"similarity":0.741,"text":"Yeah. If they're comfortable with the unit to parking ratio, right. Given its transit location. Right. Um, so it just gives them a little more flexibility there while also addressing, uh, a major concern about the height and massing of the building.","url":"https://vimeo.com/884410382#t=1835s","page_url":"/video/241"},{"person":"gaffey-denise","date":"2023-11-13","video_id":241,"video_title":"Melrose Board of Appeals November 13 2023","meeting_id":4716,"start_sec":2540.55,"end_sec":2559.05,"similarity":0.721,"text":"um, what are the streets again? I'm, It's Woodland Ave or Woodland or Clifton Park, that there'd be no cutting through onto the streets. Mm-Hmm. Or no parking on those streets. Just I think we can modify the languages. Just make that very clear. Yeah, I know that is a big concern in the neighborhood. That's number three.","url":"https://vimeo.com/884410382#t=2540s","page_url":"/video/241"},{"person":"gaffey-denise","date":"2023-11-13","video_id":241,"video_title":"Melrose Board of Appeals November 13 2023","meeting_id":4716,"start_sec":2579.12,"end_sec":2585.12,"similarity":0.661,"text":"Right. So we can modify this language just to, um, add","url":"https://vimeo.com/884410382#t=2579s","page_url":"/video/241"},{"person":"gaffey-denise","date":"2023-11-13","video_id":241,"video_title":"Melrose Board of Appeals November 13 2023","meeting_id":4716,"start_sec":2585.38,"end_sec":2589.43,"similarity":0.662,"text":"that additional, um, uh, those additional provisions that Lori just mentioned.","url":"https://vimeo.com/884410382#t=2585s","page_url":"/video/241"},{"person":"gaffey-denise","date":"2023-11-13","video_id":241,"video_title":"Melrose Board of Appeals November 13 2023","meeting_id":4716,"start_sec":2593.8,"end_sec":2603.4,"similarity":0.743,"text":"Park. So it's, uh, Woodland Ave and Clifton Park in particular. I mean, we do have a blanket statement in here about avoiding residential areas,","url":"https://vimeo.com/884410382#t=2593s","page_url":"/video/241"},{"person":"gaffey-denise","date":"2023-11-13","video_id":241,"video_title":"Melrose Board of Appeals November 13 2023","meeting_id":4716,"start_sec":2733.42,"end_sec":2742.05,"similarity":0.739,"text":"I don't have to, we could, we could add a note about, you know, at the con conservation commission's discretion or something. Yeah,","url":"https://vimeo.com/884410382#t=2733s","page_url":"/video/241"},{"person":"gaffey-denise","date":"2023-11-13","video_id":241,"video_title":"Melrose Board of Appeals November 13 2023","meeting_id":4716,"start_sec":2795.07,"end_sec":2804.99,"similarity":0.723,"text":"And there, there was one other, um, minor edit in addition to the ones that you've reviewed. And that's in number 37","url":"https://vimeo.com/884410382#t=2795s","page_url":"/video/241"},{"person":"gaffey-denise","date":"2023-11-13","video_id":241,"video_title":"Melrose Board of Appeals November 13 2023","meeting_id":4716,"start_sec":2822.06,"end_sec":2870.13,"similarity":0.742,"text":"So this is kind of standard language that we, we typically use in a decisions with affordable units where we wanna make sure that the units are comparable in size and number of bedrooms and materials as the market rate units. We also wanna make sure that they, um, the locations of the units are, are spread throughout the development and not just on one, on the back or on, on, you know, one floor or whatnot. So, but, um, so I think we can, we can say that without saying that we need to, that this would need to be approved. 'cause we don't wanna add a condition that requires subsequent approval. So I think we could take, take out that word approval and just note that the units will be dispersed throughout the building.","url":"https://vimeo.com/884410382#t=2822s","page_url":"/video/241"},{"person":"gaffey-denise","date":"2023-11-13","video_id":241,"video_title":"Melrose Board of Appeals November 13 2023","meeting_id":4716,"start_sec":2893.02,"end_sec":2897.14,"similarity":0.646,"text":"that was everything we had in addition to what you've reviewed.","url":"https://vimeo.com/884410382#t=2893s","page_url":"/video/241"},{"person":"gaffey-denise","date":"2023-11-13","video_id":241,"video_title":"Melrose Board of Appeals November 13 2023","meeting_id":4716,"start_sec":3182.2,"end_sec":3195.45,"similarity":0.665,"text":"So my recommendation would be to take a separate vote, but to, um, but I think you can take one vote on the, your position on the wafer is based on the, um, your, your prior review, which we've documented.","url":"https://vimeo.com/884410382#t=3182s","page_url":"/video/241"},{"person":"gaffey-denise","date":"2023-11-13","video_id":241,"video_title":"Melrose Board of Appeals November 13 2023","meeting_id":4716,"start_sec":3778.86,"end_sec":3783.11,"similarity":0.633,"text":"And then a notice of, a notice of the decision Okay. Would be sent","url":"https://vimeo.com/884410382#t=3778s","page_url":"/video/241"},{"person":"gaffey-denise","date":"2023-11-01","video_id":244,"video_title":"Melrose Board of Appeals November 1 2023","meeting_id":4709,"start_sec":1079.88,"end_sec":1101.95,"similarity":0.723,"text":"that 10 affordable housing denise do you know i want to yeah we're we um we're slightly below eight percent they the um the state just recalculated the numbers based on the most recent census data so we went down from being a little bit over eight percent to slightly less than eight percent so we're you know we are not at we're not at ten percent okay and i mean that's","url":"https://vimeo.com/880578301#t=1079s","page_url":"/video/244"},{"person":"gaffey-denise","date":"2023-11-01","video_id":244,"video_title":"Melrose Board of Appeals November 1 2023","meeting_id":4709,"start_sec":1454.89,"end_sec":1497.27,"similarity":0.771,"text":"with this condition was a couple of things number one there are a lot of there were a lot of statements made about um designs just not being very far along a lot of things they still needed to to um to ex you know investigate and explore and we think it's going to be and if there is going to be any kind of modification to i know the the topic we're not talking about yet but if there's going to be any modification to this project in terms of parking or unit count like we'll want to see that you'll want to see that in a right set of plans before this building is","url":"https://vimeo.com/880578301#t=1454s","page_url":"/video/244"}],"next_cursor":"u|2023-11-01|244|1454.89"}