1 00:00:09,599 --> 00:00:10,960 Order the meeting of the Gardener City 2 00:00:10,960 --> 00:00:12,639 Council and the Planning Board to order 3 00:00:12,639 --> 00:00:14,080 for the purpose of a joint public 4 00:00:14,080 --> 00:00:15,839 hearing regarding an amendment to 5 00:00:15,839 --> 00:00:18,480 chapter 675 of the Kota City Gardener. 6 00:00:18,480 --> 00:00:21,039 The joint public hearing notice reads as 7 00:00:21,039 --> 00:00:24,230 follows. 8 00:00:24,240 --> 00:00:26,880 Pursuant to general laws 40A subsection 9 00:00:26,880 --> 00:00:30,000 5, notice is hereby given that the city 10 00:00:30,000 --> 00:00:32,079 council and planning board will conduct 11 00:00:32,079 --> 00:00:34,480 a joint public hearing on Monday, April 12 00:00:34,480 --> 00:00:38,079 6, 2026 at 7 p.m. in the city council 13 00:00:38,079 --> 00:00:40,879 chamber, room 219, city hall, 95 14 00:00:40,879 --> 00:00:43,040 Pleasant Street, Gardener, to consider 15 00:00:43,040 --> 00:00:45,440 amending chapter 675, the zoning code of 16 00:00:45,440 --> 00:00:47,039 the city of Gardner. The proposed 17 00:00:47,039 --> 00:00:51,120 amendment involves changing item 11772, 18 00:00:51,120 --> 00:00:52,559 an ordinance to amend the code of the 19 00:00:52,559 --> 00:00:54,719 city of Gardner, chapter 675, thereof 20 00:00:54,719 --> 00:00:57,360 entitled zoning, to remove article 9, 21 00:00:57,360 --> 00:00:59,359 thereof entitled signs and advertising 22 00:00:59,359 --> 00:01:02,559 devices, and move it to a new nonzoning 23 00:01:02,559 --> 00:01:05,760 chapter to be numbered chapter 665. 24 00:01:05,760 --> 00:01:07,200 Information regarding these amendments 25 00:01:07,200 --> 00:01:08,960 and associated maps are available for 26 00:01:08,960 --> 00:01:11,280 viewing in the city clerk's office, the 27 00:01:11,280 --> 00:01:12,640 department of community development and 28 00:01:12,640 --> 00:01:14,479 planning, or on the city's web page, 29 00:01:14,479 --> 00:01:17,920 www.gardner gardener-mma.gov. 30 00:01:17,920 --> 00:01:19,600 All persons interested in this matter 31 00:01:19,600 --> 00:01:21,280 and desire to offer testimony are 32 00:01:21,280 --> 00:01:23,840 invited to attend the hearing. TTCF, 33 00:01:23,840 --> 00:01:26,320 city clerk. 34 00:01:26,320 --> 00:01:28,320 The clerk will now please do a roll 35 00:01:28,320 --> 00:01:28,799 call. 36 00:01:28,799 --> 00:01:29,759 >> Councelor Brooks, 37 00:01:29,759 --> 00:01:30,240 >> present. 38 00:01:30,240 --> 00:01:31,360 >> Council Craig Cormier, 39 00:01:31,360 --> 00:01:31,680 >> present. 40 00:01:31,680 --> 00:01:32,720 >> Council General Owitz, 41 00:01:32,720 --> 00:01:33,119 >> present. 42 00:01:33,119 --> 00:01:34,079 >> Council Harder, 43 00:01:34,079 --> 00:01:34,640 >> present. 44 00:01:34,640 --> 00:01:35,600 >> Council Heath, 45 00:01:35,600 --> 00:01:36,000 >> present. 46 00:01:36,000 --> 00:01:36,880 >> Council Heg, 47 00:01:36,880 --> 00:01:37,360 >> present. 48 00:01:37,360 --> 00:01:38,560 >> Council Kazinskus, 49 00:01:38,560 --> 00:01:39,040 >> present. 50 00:01:39,040 --> 00:01:40,000 >> Council Math, 51 00:01:40,000 --> 00:01:43,360 >> present. Council Tone, 52 00:01:43,360 --> 00:01:44,720 >> Council Tibbo Munos, 53 00:01:44,720 --> 00:01:45,280 >> present. 54 00:01:45,280 --> 00:01:46,240 >> President Tyrus, 55 00:01:46,240 --> 00:01:47,840 >> present. 56 00:01:47,840 --> 00:01:49,439 >> Mr. Paul Cormier, 57 00:01:49,439 --> 00:01:50,240 >> present. 58 00:01:50,240 --> 00:01:51,600 >> Mr. Steven Cormier, 59 00:01:51,600 --> 00:01:52,079 >> present. 60 00:01:52,079 --> 00:01:53,119 >> Mr. Eric Flint, 61 00:01:53,119 --> 00:01:53,680 >> present. 62 00:01:53,680 --> 00:01:55,040 >> And Mr. Bob Sorts, 63 00:01:55,040 --> 00:01:57,040 >> present. 64 00:01:57,040 --> 00:01:59,040 >> Both bodies have quorum. At this time, 65 00:01:59,040 --> 00:02:01,680 I'd request a report from the mayor or 66 00:02:01,680 --> 00:02:08,070 director of community development. 67 00:02:08,080 --> 00:02:09,599 » Thank you very much, Mr. President, 68 00:02:09,599 --> 00:02:10,800 thank you to Councelor Mack for ask 69 00:02:10,800 --> 00:02:12,800 inviting me to be a uh co-sponsor of 70 00:02:12,800 --> 00:02:14,480 this ordinance before you here today and 71 00:02:14,480 --> 00:02:17,040 provide the administration's uh opinion 72 00:02:17,040 --> 00:02:19,040 on the ordinance change that is before 73 00:02:19,040 --> 00:02:21,920 you here today. Uh as I said in the uh 74 00:02:21,920 --> 00:02:23,840 subcommittee meeting that met on this 75 00:02:23,840 --> 00:02:26,400 ordinance item before you. Uh there are 76 00:02:26,400 --> 00:02:29,120 no actual 77 00:02:29,120 --> 00:02:31,040 uh verbiage changes in the language that 78 00:02:31,040 --> 00:02:32,959 before you. the the ordinance that's 79 00:02:32,959 --> 00:02:35,680 before you would take the signed section 80 00:02:35,680 --> 00:02:37,440 of the zoning code that currently exists 81 00:02:37,440 --> 00:02:40,239 in chapter 675 and remove it from the 82 00:02:40,239 --> 00:02:41,840 zoning code and place it into a regular 83 00:02:41,840 --> 00:02:45,519 general ordinance of the uh city code. 84 00:02:45,519 --> 00:02:48,080 And the reason for that uh is based off 85 00:02:48,080 --> 00:02:49,680 of the feedback that we've received from 86 00:02:49,680 --> 00:02:50,879 several different businesses who have 87 00:02:50,879 --> 00:02:52,239 been looking at opening businesses here 88 00:02:52,239 --> 00:02:53,920 in Gardener who have opened businesses 89 00:02:53,920 --> 00:02:55,760 here in Gardener and talking about the 90 00:02:55,760 --> 00:02:57,440 different regulations around signage for 91 00:02:57,440 --> 00:02:59,040 the businesses that they have and how 92 00:02:59,040 --> 00:03:01,120 that's really stunted, stalled or added 93 00:03:01,120 --> 00:03:03,200 costs to the developments as they've 94 00:03:03,200 --> 00:03:05,360 tried to open up here in Gardener. Uh, 95 00:03:05,360 --> 00:03:06,720 as we know through the process that 96 00:03:06,720 --> 00:03:08,319 we're currently going through right now, 97 00:03:08,319 --> 00:03:10,159 the process of amending a zoning 98 00:03:10,159 --> 00:03:13,519 ordinance is designed to be drawn out 99 00:03:13,519 --> 00:03:15,120 because you're looking for increased 100 00:03:15,120 --> 00:03:16,640 public input. You're looking for 101 00:03:16,640 --> 00:03:19,599 increased uh feedback, 102 00:03:19,599 --> 00:03:21,120 but at the same time, you need to 103 00:03:21,120 --> 00:03:24,159 balance the public good of getting that, 104 00:03:24,159 --> 00:03:25,840 you know, feedback in a longer period of 105 00:03:25,840 --> 00:03:29,040 time versus the experience that's on the 106 00:03:29,040 --> 00:03:30,239 ground being happened with the 107 00:03:30,239 --> 00:03:31,760 businesses that we have at the moment. 108 00:03:31,760 --> 00:03:33,280 And when you balance those to get the 109 00:03:33,280 --> 00:03:34,640 greater public good that we have in the 110 00:03:34,640 --> 00:03:36,000 end of basically trying to get more 111 00:03:36,000 --> 00:03:37,440 businesses in here because it does help 112 00:03:37,440 --> 00:03:38,640 us financially. It does help our 113 00:03:38,640 --> 00:03:41,040 residents here find ways to stay here uh 114 00:03:41,040 --> 00:03:43,680 to work, live and play here. Something 115 00:03:43,680 --> 00:03:45,519 as simple as putting a sign on a 116 00:03:45,519 --> 00:03:46,959 business to advertise that business can 117 00:03:46,959 --> 00:03:48,560 really make or break a project during 118 00:03:48,560 --> 00:03:51,040 its balance sheet phase uh or make 119 00:03:51,040 --> 00:03:52,480 someone realize that a business is even 120 00:03:52,480 --> 00:03:53,920 there and help that business last 121 00:03:53,920 --> 00:03:56,239 longer. Uh and I'll give you a couple of 122 00:03:56,239 --> 00:03:58,239 examples as to what really brought this 123 00:03:58,239 --> 00:04:02,480 to life. Um, back in the 2010s, uh, when 124 00:04:02,480 --> 00:04:04,799 Tiffany Crossroads first opened, the 99 125 00:04:04,799 --> 00:04:06,480 restaurant had its, uh, groundbreaking 126 00:04:06,480 --> 00:04:08,480 in 2018. So, we're going back around 127 00:04:08,480 --> 00:04:11,120 that time frame. Uh, Tiffany Crossroads 128 00:04:11,120 --> 00:04:12,720 ran into a lot of issues with the 129 00:04:12,720 --> 00:04:15,120 dimensions that have honestly not been 130 00:04:15,120 --> 00:04:17,199 updated uh, for quite some time for the 131 00:04:17,199 --> 00:04:18,479 dimensions of the signage into the 132 00:04:18,479 --> 00:04:19,759 plaza, the dimensions of the signage 133 00:04:19,759 --> 00:04:21,440 that could go on the buildings uh, for 134 00:04:21,440 --> 00:04:23,120 the businesses that were there. uh 135 00:04:23,120 --> 00:04:26,080 adding uh some extra time for cost with 136 00:04:26,080 --> 00:04:28,080 engineering, cost with design work, cost 137 00:04:28,080 --> 00:04:29,600 with the sign companies to rework the 138 00:04:29,600 --> 00:04:31,280 signage that had to be done both for the 139 00:04:31,280 --> 00:04:33,520 entrance in and out of the plaza itself. 140 00:04:33,520 --> 00:04:35,680 Uh the signs that could be visible to 141 00:04:35,680 --> 00:04:37,840 advertise for the plaza uh and the signs 142 00:04:37,840 --> 00:04:39,280 that could go on the businesses that are 143 00:04:39,280 --> 00:04:41,759 there. Uh you go back a little bit 144 00:04:41,759 --> 00:04:44,720 before that in the 2015 2016 uh time 145 00:04:44,720 --> 00:04:47,360 frame, we had the uh Bank of America uh 146 00:04:47,360 --> 00:04:49,199 kiosk that was put in at the Price 147 00:04:49,199 --> 00:04:50,639 Chopper lot and the way that the signage 148 00:04:50,639 --> 00:04:52,240 around the Bank of America kiosk could 149 00:04:52,240 --> 00:04:55,440 go. Uh then in the 2020s, we launched 150 00:04:55,440 --> 00:04:57,199 our side and facade improvement grant 151 00:04:57,199 --> 00:04:58,479 program that we did through the American 152 00:04:58,479 --> 00:05:02,000 Rescue Plan funds. We ended up having to 153 00:05:02,000 --> 00:05:04,880 advertise that we had that sign grant a 154 00:05:04,880 --> 00:05:06,320 lot more than we had to do the facade 155 00:05:06,320 --> 00:05:08,320 grants. And the reason being for that is 156 00:05:08,320 --> 00:05:09,840 uh the feedback we were getting in real 157 00:05:09,840 --> 00:05:11,280 time from property owners in the city 158 00:05:11,280 --> 00:05:12,400 because the property owners had to be 159 00:05:12,400 --> 00:05:14,400 the one to sign off on both the sign and 160 00:05:14,400 --> 00:05:16,479 the facade applications was that it was 161 00:05:16,479 --> 00:05:18,080 easier under zoning to update the 162 00:05:18,080 --> 00:05:19,919 facades to make the buildings look good 163 00:05:19,919 --> 00:05:21,680 than it was to deal with the sign 164 00:05:21,680 --> 00:05:23,199 regulations that we had and the review 165 00:05:23,199 --> 00:05:24,479 process and everything that had to go 166 00:05:24,479 --> 00:05:27,360 with that. It made it so that we uh went 167 00:05:27,360 --> 00:05:29,280 through the facade money that was about 168 00:05:29,280 --> 00:05:30,880 four or five times more than what we had 169 00:05:30,880 --> 00:05:33,600 set aside for sign money in about a 170 00:05:33,600 --> 00:05:35,840 month, month and a half where it took us 171 00:05:35,840 --> 00:05:38,000 two years to go through the sign 172 00:05:38,000 --> 00:05:39,919 improvement program where businesses we 173 00:05:39,919 --> 00:05:45,039 offered uh 2 uh $2,500 per sign to help 174 00:05:45,039 --> 00:05:46,639 uh advertise for a business. And we 175 00:05:46,639 --> 00:05:47,840 ended up having money left over in the 176 00:05:47,840 --> 00:05:48,960 account that got turned back to the 177 00:05:48,960 --> 00:05:50,479 federal government because we did not 178 00:05:50,479 --> 00:05:52,080 have people who were interested in that 179 00:05:52,080 --> 00:05:53,919 program with the biggest feedback being 180 00:05:53,919 --> 00:05:55,600 like, I'd love to do it. I really need a 181 00:05:55,600 --> 00:05:57,039 new sign. I just can't go through the 182 00:05:57,039 --> 00:05:59,919 process that was there. Uh that we saw 183 00:05:59,919 --> 00:06:01,280 with businesses that wanted to do 184 00:06:01,280 --> 00:06:04,160 perpendicular signage downtown rather 185 00:06:04,160 --> 00:06:06,240 than just uh parallel to the road. We 186 00:06:06,240 --> 00:06:07,600 saw that with businesses that were 187 00:06:07,600 --> 00:06:10,160 looking at uh doing illuminated signs 188 00:06:10,160 --> 00:06:11,840 and have signs that had some type of 189 00:06:11,840 --> 00:06:13,120 light on the back that wouldn't be on 190 00:06:13,120 --> 00:06:14,400 all night but just have some type of 191 00:06:14,400 --> 00:06:16,080 light that's currently prohibited uh 192 00:06:16,080 --> 00:06:17,600 under the current zoning code because 193 00:06:17,600 --> 00:06:19,199 you can't have certain illuminations on 194 00:06:19,199 --> 00:06:21,440 a sign after a certain time frame but 195 00:06:21,440 --> 00:06:22,960 the businesses end up staying open past 196 00:06:22,960 --> 00:06:24,400 that. So they had to go to the old sign 197 00:06:24,400 --> 00:06:26,000 where the light shown on the sign rather 198 00:06:26,000 --> 00:06:28,160 than the sign itself being lit. There 199 00:06:28,160 --> 00:06:32,240 were uh Sawa uh Asian Beastro that uh 200 00:06:32,240 --> 00:06:34,160 just opened over on West Broadway was 201 00:06:34,160 --> 00:06:36,319 three inches over what the zoning code 202 00:06:36,319 --> 00:06:38,560 allowed uh and had either had to spend 203 00:06:38,560 --> 00:06:41,120 money to order a new sign, had to go 204 00:06:41,120 --> 00:06:42,479 through a variance process where they 205 00:06:42,479 --> 00:06:43,840 had to hire an attorney and spend money 206 00:06:43,840 --> 00:06:46,960 that way or just saw the sign 3 in off 207 00:06:46,960 --> 00:06:48,479 but that would ruin the lettering uh 208 00:06:48,479 --> 00:06:49,840 that was on the sign process that was 209 00:06:49,840 --> 00:06:51,120 there. So the sign ended up being almost 210 00:06:51,120 --> 00:06:53,360 a year after it was uh ordered before it 211 00:06:53,360 --> 00:06:55,840 was eventually hung up again. And the 212 00:06:55,840 --> 00:06:57,360 regulations are there for a reason. I 213 00:06:57,360 --> 00:06:59,360 don't think anyone thinks that we should 214 00:06:59,360 --> 00:07:00,880 get rid of all regulations when it comes 215 00:07:00,880 --> 00:07:04,479 to signage around the city because the ordinance is there for a reason and 216 00:07:04,479 --> 00:07:06,000 we want to make sure things look clean 217 00:07:06,000 --> 00:07:07,360 and look good and are done the right 218 00:07:07,360 --> 00:07:09,280 way. But that doesn't mean that we're 219 00:07:09,280 --> 00:07:11,680 operating in the best gardener open for 220 00:07:11,680 --> 00:07:14,639 business atmosphere. And by moving this 221 00:07:14,639 --> 00:07:17,280 from the zoning code into the general 222 00:07:17,280 --> 00:07:20,479 code, it allows for a easier turnaround 223 00:07:20,479 --> 00:07:22,400 time that we can take that live feedback 224 00:07:22,400 --> 00:07:24,720 that we're getting from these businesses 225 00:07:24,720 --> 00:07:27,759 and in some cases a reason why some 226 00:07:27,759 --> 00:07:29,120 businesses don't choose to come to 227 00:07:29,120 --> 00:07:30,400 gardener because if you can't properly 228 00:07:30,400 --> 00:07:32,000 advertise for your business, why would 229 00:07:32,000 --> 00:07:34,960 you open your business? And making it so 230 00:07:34,960 --> 00:07:36,400 that we can update that in real time so 231 00:07:36,400 --> 00:07:37,599 we can be more willing to work with 232 00:07:37,599 --> 00:07:40,000 people on a more timely basis. There's 233 00:07:40,000 --> 00:07:41,840 still opportunities for public feedback 234 00:07:41,840 --> 00:07:43,120 as this would still have to go through 235 00:07:43,120 --> 00:07:44,960 the regular legislative process if it 236 00:07:44,960 --> 00:07:47,199 was to be changed. Uh there would still 237 00:07:47,199 --> 00:07:49,599 be opportunities for public input in 238 00:07:49,599 --> 00:07:51,919 that uh this would still be a public 239 00:07:51,919 --> 00:07:53,759 meeting whether it be before uh standing 240 00:07:53,759 --> 00:07:56,000 committee, the city council uh the 241 00:07:56,000 --> 00:07:58,400 opportunity to uh contact either the 242 00:07:58,400 --> 00:07:59,599 mayor's office or counselors throughout 243 00:07:59,599 --> 00:08:02,319 a process for uh input that way. It just 244 00:08:02,319 --> 00:08:05,599 makes it so that it's a more uh flexible 245 00:08:05,599 --> 00:08:07,440 way of updating the sign code that we 246 00:08:07,440 --> 00:08:09,120 have here in the city to make it so that 247 00:08:09,120 --> 00:08:11,520 uh we really are uh being amendable to 248 00:08:11,520 --> 00:08:13,120 the business community that is taking an 249 00:08:13,120 --> 00:08:14,800 interest in gardener but has slowed over 250 00:08:14,800 --> 00:08:17,199 recent years and this based off of the 251 00:08:17,199 --> 00:08:18,800 feedback that we've been getting as that 252 00:08:18,800 --> 00:08:20,800 slowing has happened. This is one of the 253 00:08:20,800 --> 00:08:21,919 main things that comes up in almost 254 00:08:21,919 --> 00:08:23,199 every conversation that we've had. So 255 00:08:23,199 --> 00:08:24,319 I'm happy to answer any further 256 00:08:24,319 --> 00:08:26,160 questions uh that people may have on the 257 00:08:26,160 --> 00:08:28,319 matter or uh uh take any feedback to. 258 00:08:28,319 --> 00:08:28,879 Thank you. Thank you, 259 00:08:28,879 --> 00:08:32,000 >> Mr. Mayor. 260 00:08:32,000 --> 00:08:34,640 I declare the public hearing open and 261 00:08:34,640 --> 00:08:36,240 ask councilors or planning board members 262 00:08:36,240 --> 00:08:38,719 to hold their questions until citizens 263 00:08:38,719 --> 00:08:41,200 have had the opportunity to speak. Does 264 00:08:41,200 --> 00:08:42,800 anyone wish to be heard in favor of the 265 00:08:42,800 --> 00:08:45,040 proposed zoning amendment? 266 00:08:45,040 --> 00:08:46,640 Does anyone wish to be heard in favor of 267 00:08:46,640 --> 00:08:49,279 the proposed zoning amendment? 268 00:08:49,279 --> 00:08:50,880 Does anyone wish to be heard in favor of 269 00:08:50,880 --> 00:08:53,920 the proposed zoning amendment? 270 00:08:53,920 --> 00:08:55,279 Does anyone wish to be heard in 271 00:08:55,279 --> 00:08:56,640 opposition of the proposed zoning 272 00:08:56,640 --> 00:08:59,200 amendment? Does anyone wish to be heard 273 00:08:59,200 --> 00:09:00,720 in opposition of the proposed zoning 274 00:09:00,720 --> 00:09:03,200 amendment? Does anyone wish to be heard 275 00:09:03,200 --> 00:09:08,230 in opposition proposed zoning amendment? 276 00:09:08,240 --> 00:09:09,920 Are there any questions or comments from 277 00:09:09,920 --> 00:09:14,550 counselors or planning board members? 278 00:09:14,560 --> 00:09:15,519 » Council Mac. 279 00:09:15,519 --> 00:09:20,080 >> Thank you. Um, as the, uh, co-sponsor of 280 00:09:20,080 --> 00:09:22,640 this um, ordinance with the mayor, um, I 281 00:09:22,640 --> 00:09:24,399 just want to highlight again that I 282 00:09:24,399 --> 00:09:26,000 think in a lot of different ways, city 283 00:09:26,000 --> 00:09:27,680 hall is be trying to become more 284 00:09:27,680 --> 00:09:30,720 businessfriendly. Uh, we are trying to, 285 00:09:30,720 --> 00:09:33,279 uh, streamline the permit process. Um, 286 00:09:33,279 --> 00:09:35,519 and by doing this, we need to focus and 287 00:09:35,519 --> 00:09:37,760 make city hall much more supportive to 288 00:09:37,760 --> 00:09:40,000 businesses and not uh, resist or become 289 00:09:40,000 --> 00:09:41,200 a hindrance. Thank you. 290 00:09:41,200 --> 00:09:43,519 >> Thank you, counselor. Does anyone else 291 00:09:43,519 --> 00:09:47,120 wish to be heard on the matter? 292 00:09:47,120 --> 00:09:48,720 I declare the joint public hearing 293 00:09:48,720 --> 00:09:52,360 closed. Thank you.