ORDNC-2025-1 : Amending Melrose Zoning Ordinance Chapter 235, Articles I-XVI to recodify, or restructure and clarify, the contents of the Melrose Zoning Ordinance.

Transcript (~7 min @ 46:45)

Speakers identified by voice; unnamed voices are numbered within this recording. Auto-caption text — verify against the video.

▶ 46:44 Maya Jamaleddine: All in favor? Aye. Aye. Any opposed? Okay. Thank you again. Thank you to the council. Thank you. This will move to full council.

▶ 46:55 Maya Jamaleddine: Next on our agenda is Ordinance 2025 dash one, amending marrow zoning ordinance chapter 2 35 articles, um,

▶ 47:11 Maya Jamaleddine: ix uh, six to, uh, record or restructure and clarify the contents of the mayor zoning ordinance.

▶ 47:22 Speaker 2: Hi. Good evening. Hi, good evening.

▶ 47:24 Denise Gaffey: 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.

▶ 49:10 Maya Jamaleddine: Thank you. Any question? Councilor Stewart?

▶ 49:15 Speaker 5: Thank you, Madam Chair. Thank you Ms.

▶ 49:17 Robb Stewart: Gaffey for, for coming before us. Um, fences still three feet, Pardon Me? The fence, the, the zoning ordinance for fences, the height of the fences, is it still three feet? Oh,

▶ 49:29 Denise Gaffey: You mean the setback is three

▶ 49:31 Robb Stewart: Feet? No, the height,

▶ 49:34 Speaker 1: Um, Within the front yard or a corner lot. We did not change that.

▶ 49:37 Robb Stewart: We did not change that. Okay, great. 'cause I had heard that there, there might be some changes because of the way things are manufactured. I just wanna be sure that that is staying at three feet.

▶ 49:48 Denise Gaffey: Yeah, no changes to that. Okay,

▶ 49:49 Speaker 5: Great. Thank you. Thank you Madam Chair.

▶ 49:51 Maya Jamaleddine: Thank you. Any other question from my colleagues? Uh, president Mali?

▶ 49:56 Leila Migliorelli: Thank you Madam Chair. Um, I just have a question on, or potentially a proposed amendment. Um, sorry, I'm just now scrolling to try get, get back to my spot on the signage, um, part in article temp. Um, I know there were some comments when we met last time about, um, you know, I'm happy to see that you've, you know, the 30 day restriction is removed to, to stay in line with, um, the constitution. Um, I still question the limit to the signs. Um, 'cause I think as I'm reading it, 18 square feet total, no more than six. So that's just three signs, right?

▶ 50:38 Denise Gaffey: That would, it would be roughly six. Six signs.

▶ 50:40 Speaker 4: Six signs. Okay. Sorry.

▶ 50:43 Leila Migliorelli: Um, and whether that, whether we have to be concerned about the limit of signs or we, like, I just want you to expand on that, whether

▶ 50:55 Speaker 4: that's at all limiting free speech by limiting the number of signs you can have in your front yard.

▶ 50:58 Denise Gaffey: 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.

▶ 51:26 Speaker 4: Okay. Um, thank you for correcting me on my math too. No further questions at this time.

▶ 51:32 Maya Jamaleddine: Okay. Any other question? Counselor Hamilton? Thank you.

▶ 51:35 Ward Hamilton: Uh, just quickly, so on the quick question of signage. So the aggregate is 18 square feet, so that could be six conventional size signs, or could that be one three by six sign? Yes. Okay. Thank you. Nothing further.

▶ 51:52 Maya Jamaleddine: Thank you. Anyone else? Okay. Seeing no further questions, uh, what is the role of the committee?

▶ 52:00 Speaker 5: I'll make a motion to recommend to the full board.

▶ 52:02 Speaker 6: Second. Second. Okay.

▶ 52:05 Maya Jamaleddine: We have a motion made by councilor, uh, by Vice Chair Williams, seconded by Councillor Chedi on discussion.

▶ 52:16 Maya Jamaleddine: All in favor? Aye. Aye. Any opposed? Okay.

▶ 52:20 Speaker 2: Thank you so much. Thank

▶ 52:22 Speaker 8: You very much.

▶ 52:25 Speaker 7: Um, wait, have To do roll call. I think we have to do a roll call. Yeah. Come In. Right.

▶ 52:32 Maya Jamaleddine: This is a roll call. So we are gonna do a roll call.

▶ 52:37 Speaker 6: Anything could happen there. The suspense.

▶ 52:42 Speaker 8: You Might wanna come back officially.

▶ 52:45 Speaker 7: You just wanna hang out for a second? Okay. Councillor Repe. Yes. Councillor Stewart? Yes. Councillor Rum. Chaney? Yes. Councillor Reky. Yes. Councilor Hamilton? Yes. Councilor Vandiver. Yes. Councilor Remodel. Yes. Councillor Occhio. Yes. President Elli? Yes. Vice Chair Williams? Yes. Chair Jamal. Dean? Yes. That's 11. Yes,

▶ 53:07 Maya Jamaleddine: It passes. Thank you. Thank you so much. Councilor Gari.

▶ 53:12 Mark Garipay: Yeah. Um, just a point of, uh, information. Um, I just want to thank the administration, Ms. Grm, president Nielli for, uh, um, I think everything went smooth tonight and I think everyone, uh, came together and, um, I think, uh, I think everything went well. I think mm-Hmm. I mean, we, we got stuck with, um, no clerks tonight, so it, uh, it all came together. And I wanna just, uh, thank the administration for all the help to get this done.