Latest news with #Zoning
Miami Herald
18-07-2025
- Politics
- Miami Herald
Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson again faces thorny politics of picking Zoning chair, other council appointments
CHICAGO - As the departure of Ald. Walter Burnett leaves Mayor Brandon Johnson with the challenge of picking his third Zoning Committee chair, the City Council's Black and Latino caucuses have already begun jockeying for the highly coveted leadership spot. Burnett, often dubbed the "dean" of the council as its most tenured member, will step down at the end of July, vacating both his committee chairmanship and role as Johnson's vice mayor. The Zoning appointment has been one of the freshman mayor's biggest political conundrums throughout the first two years of his term, and his next choice is expected to make waves in a council where racial politics remain an undercurrent. To that end, the heads of both the Black and Latino caucuses are calling for the chairmanship to go to one of their members. And vice chair Ald. Bennett Lawson, who is white, has expressed interest in the permanent role too. Johnson, for his part, would not say on Wednesday where his inclinations lie. "Look, the most important thing here is that we have someone who … reflects my values," he told reporters when asked if the Black Caucus should retain the Zoning chair spot. "We'll go through a process, like we've always gone through, and the person that best reflects our ability to build the safest, most affordable big city in America … I feel very confident that we'll find the right person." Latino Caucus chair Ald. Andre Vasquez confirmed Thursday he is interested in seeking the Zoning appointment, pending consensus among caucus members. The progressive critic of the mayor sought the candidacy a year ago too, but Johnson tapped his close ally Ald. Byron Sigcho-Lopez instead. That decision created one of the mayor's biggest political problems within the council during that time. For months, Sigcho-Lopez struggled to garner support from aldermen who complained he was too divisive to hold the powerful role. By September - after nine months of Lawson serving as the interim chair - Johnson tapped Burnett instead, a pick that sailed through without controversy. However, the mayor had promised the spot to the Latino Caucus back when he planned to install Sigcho-Lopez. Vasquez said the time is now for the caucus to seek the Zoning role back. "We feel like there's been a lack of representation, and actually a loss of representation," Vasquez said. "I'm happy to serve in that capacity. … If we're looking at the leadership of the city and it being represented in the committee chairs, there's opportunities for the Latino Caucus to grow rather than feel like it's lost a seat or remained the same." Out of City Council's 20 committees, 10 are chaired by members of the Black Caucus while six are headed by Latino Caucus members. The remaining four are led by white aldermen. Though these appointments require council approval, they are traditionally up to the mayor's discretion and play out behind closed doors in a political arena where various factions attempt to curry favor with the administration. Ald. Stephanie Coleman, head of the Black Caucus, confirmed to the Tribune on Wednesday she "absolutely" expects the Zoning chair position to go to one of her members. "Just as our City Council reflects the diversity of our great city, leadership should as well," Coleman said. Asked to respond to the Latino Caucus's argument that it used to control that role under Johnson's first Zoning chair, former Ald. Carlos Ramirez-Rosa, Coleman responded, "Well, the operative word was 'used' to be." Ramirez-Rosa stepped down from leading the Zoning Committee in November 2023 amid a furor over bullying accusations from four colleagues including Ald. Emma Mitts, the council's current longest-serving Black woman. He has denied the allegations. Later that month, Ramirez-Rosa avoided a historic censure thanks to Johnson's tie-breaker vote, but not before the episode cast open bitter divisions within the body along racial lines. Mitts, who ultimately voted against formally punishing Ramirez-Rosa, said on the council floor "I felt like I was back in the South." As for whom the Black Caucus plans to recommend to head Zoning now, Coleman sidestepped a question Wednesday on whether she was interested in the role. So did Ald. Greg Mitchell, who two sources said was seeking support to be Johnson's next Zoning chair. "I can neither confirm nor deny that," he said Wednesday. Meanwhile Lawson, who has spent over a year trying to shepherd through the council a stalled ordinance that would legalize "granny flats" and coach houses in Chicago, signaled his interest too. He added he would no longer be willing to serve as interim Zoning chair. "I think it would be dishonest to say no," Lawson said when asked if he wants the permanent appointment. "I think I do a good job. … I understand it's a lot more than that that goes into it, so I'm also realistic." Whoever Johnson's next Zoning chair appointment may be, it is likely to trigger a musical chairs of sorts among other committee assignments, too. Vasquez is currently chair of the Immigration Committee, while Mitchell heads the Transportation Committee. Meanwhile, Burnett's exit also leaves open the vice mayor role, which is largely symbolic but does come with a shiny $430,000 budget for additional staff. Two sources told the Tribune that if Vasquez were to vacate the Immigration Committee chair, Ald. Ruth Cruz would be interested in taking over, while Ald. Mike Rodriguez hopes to be Johnson's pick for the next vice mayor. But if Mitchell were to clinch Zoning, Vasquez would seek the Transportation Committee post, sources said, so that the Latino Caucus would gain a chairmanship seat regardless. Cruz and Rodriguez declined to comment on Thursday. Delmarie Cobb, a Chicago-based political strategist, argued that whatever course Johnson takes leaves little room for either the Black or Latino caucus to object compared to previous eras in City Council. But she did suggest the mayor "spread the wealth" by taking these vacancies as a chance to extend an olive branch to some of his detractors in the council. "If he reached out to Walter Burnett, who certainly was not a progressive by any means, any stretch of the imagination, he can do the same to some of these other detractors," Cobb said. "I don't think the Latino Caucus has a lot to complain about. I don't think the Black Caucus has a lot to complain about. I think he's been very equal for the most part." Vasquez, however, noted his caucus has sounded the alarm on Latino representation within Johnson's administration and leadership appointments before and sees the upcoming committee chair reshuffling as a chance to even the playing field. "I do think it's unfortunate given the history of Chicago, where everything's been so segregated and communities of color and vulnerable communities have felt like they've had to fight for every bit of representation … you see a little bit more of that tension along racial lines," Vasquez said. "But if you recognize how the city has been built and an understanding of it, I think it's incumbent upon us to work past those things." The Zoning Committee controls critical legislation related to development and other land use issues in Chicago. That makes the mayor's chairmanship selection a weighty one in a City Council where aldermanic prerogative - the de facto practice of deferring to the presiding alderman when it comes to projects within their ward - continues to reign supreme. It also has landed former chairs in hot water. Former Ald. Danny Solis, Zoning chair for a decade, famously wore a wire on his colleagues after being implicated in taking bribes while controlling that committee. ----------- -The Tribune's Jake Sheridan contributed reporting. ____ Copyright (C) 2025, Tribune Content Agency, LLC. Portions copyrighted by the respective providers.
Chicago Tribune
18-07-2025
- Politics
- Chicago Tribune
Daywatch: Mayor Johnson again faces thorny politics of picking appointments
Good morning, Chicago. As the departure of Ald. Walter Burnett leaves Mayor Brandon Johnson with the challenge of picking his third Zoning Committee chair, the City Council's Black and Latino caucuses have already begun jockeying for the highly coveted leadership spot. Burnett, often dubbed the 'dean' of the council as its most tenured member, will step down at the end of July, vacating both his committee chairmanship and role as Johnson's vice mayor. The Zoning appointment has been one of the freshman mayor's biggest political conundrums throughout the first two years of his term, and his next choice is expected to make waves in a council where racial politics remain an undercurrent. To that end, the heads of both the Black and Latino caucuses are calling for the chairmanship to go to one of their members. And vice chair Ald. Bennett Lawson, who is white, has expressed interest in the permanent role too. Read the full story from the Tribune's Alice Yin. Here are the top stories you need to know to start your day, including nursing homes cited for 'severe' violations, what the jury viewed during the third day of the trial for the man accused of killing Chicago police Officer Andrés Vásquez Lasso and what to expect at Wrigley this weekend following the All-Star break. Today's eNewspaper edition | Subscribe to more newsletters | Asking Eric | Horoscopes | Puzzles & Games | Today in History The House gave final approval to President Donald Trump's request to claw back about $9 billion for public broadcasting and foreign aid early today as Republicans intensified their efforts to target institutions and programs they view as bloated or out of step with their agenda. The vote marked the first time in decades that a president has successfully submitted such a rescissions request to Congress, and the White House suggested it won't be the last. Some Republicans were uncomfortable with the cuts, yet supported them anyway, wary of crossing Trump or upsetting his agenda. Hundreds of protesters demonstrated against President Donald Trump and his administration's policies in the Loop yesterday as part of nationwide 'Good Trouble Lives On' rallies, decrying cuts to social services, mass deportation strategy and restrictions on civil liberties. Among the rally attendees were the Rev. Jesse Jackson Sr., Mayor Brandon Johnson and Chicago Teachers Union President Stacy Davis Gates. Johnson told the crowd that America under Trump was making an 'alarming and fast descent into authoritarianism,' but vowed that Chicago would fight back. The Illinois Department of Public Health has doled out tens of thousands of dollars in fines to dozens of nursing homes throughout the Chicago area, including a handful where 'severe' violations led to residents' deaths, the agency announced this week. Cook County Democrats punted on endorsing anyone for Cook County assessor yesterday, putting two-term incumbent Fritz Kaegi at risk of an open primary fight as he vies for a third term. Prosecutors opened the third day of trial for the man accused of killing Chicago police Officer Andrés Vásquez Lasso with the slain officer's own body-worn camera footage that captured the moments just before his death. Will County Board members voted yesterday to remove the controversial 143rd Street road widening project from the county's five-year transportation plan, but actually stopping the project from advancing will require a separate vote, the county's attorney said. The Naperville City Council has signed off on two new residential developments — one with rents ranging from $3,900 to $5,000 — that will add a total of 154 new homes to the city when construction is complete. Chicago Bears second-round draft picks Shemar Turner and Ozzy Trapilo have agreed to four-year rookie contracts, sources confirmed to the Tribune. The news comes two days before Bears rookies report for training camp at Halas Hall. The All-Star break is considered a time for players to catch their breath, decompress and get ready for the second-half push, writes Paul Sullivan. But for Chicago Cubs fans who watched their team outperform expectations in the first half, the break was just four more days of worrying about whom President Jed Hoyer will acquire at the trade deadline and how they'll fend off the Milwaukee Brewers in the National League Central. It seems everyone needs to have an 'artist-in-residence' these days, writes Hannah Edgar. Though lofty, the title, as interpreted in recent seasons by the Grant Park Music Festival and the Chicago Symphony, tends to overpromise. It's becoming industry parlance for 'has at least two bookings with us a season' — significant for the artist and presenter, maybe, but mostly a blip for audiences. Amid federal funding cuts, this year's Rhythm World is nearly half as long as originally planned, spanning six days instead of 10. Organizers opted to shorten the 35th anniversary programming so they could weather changes without losing the heart of the festival, they say. But their choice is becoming a familiar one these days, as federal downsizing places pressure on arts organizations across the Chicago area to make do without funding. There are activities we can't wait to experience here each summer — catching a concert in a park; watching Buckingham Fountain's majestic water display explode 150 feet into the air; taking a dip to cool off in Lake Michigan; swaying with thousands of others to the sounds of the seventh-inning stretch at Wrigley Field; or just playing tourist in our hometown. Yet Chicagoans of another era had their own ways of celebrating warm weather that we just don't do today. Here's a look back at six of them.
Chicago Tribune
18-07-2025
- Politics
- Chicago Tribune
Mayor Brandon Johnson again faces thorny politics of picking Zoning chair, other council appointments
As the departure of Ald. Walter Burnett leaves Mayor Brandon Johnson with the challenge of picking his third Zoning Committee chair, the City Council's Black and Latino caucuses have already begun jockeying for the highly coveted leadership spot. Burnett, often dubbed the 'dean' of the council as its most tenured member, will step down at the end of July, vacating both his committee chairmanship and role as Johnson's vice mayor. The Zoning appointment has been one of the freshman mayor's biggest political conundrums throughout the first two years of his term, and his next choice is expected to make waves in a council where racial politics remain an undercurrent. To that end, the heads of both the Black and Latino caucuses are calling for the chairmanship to go to one of their members. And vice chair Ald. Bennett Lawson, who is white, has expressed interest in the permanent role too. Johnson, for his part, would not say on Wednesday where his inclinations lie. 'Look, the most important thing here is that we have someone who … reflects my values,' he told reporters when asked if the Black Caucus should retain the Zoning chair spot. 'We'll go through a process, like we've always gone through, and the person that best reflects our ability to build the safest, most affordable big city in America … I feel very confident that we'll find the right person.' Latino Caucus chair Ald. Andre Vasquez confirmed Thursday he is interested in seeking the Zoning appointment, pending consensus among caucus members. The progressive critic of the mayor sought the candidacy a year ago too, but Johnson tapped his close ally Ald. Byron Sigcho-Lopez instead. That decision created one of the mayor's biggest political problems within the council during that time. For months, Sigcho-Lopez struggled to garner support from aldermen who complained he was too divisive to hold the powerful role. By September — after nine months of Lawson serving as the interim chair — Johnson tapped Burnett instead, a pick that sailed through without controversy. However, the mayor had promised the spot to the Latino Caucus back when he planned to install Sigcho-Lopez. Vasquez said the time is now for the caucus to seek the Zoning role back. 'We feel like there's been a lack of representation, and actually a loss of representation,' Vasquez said. 'I'm happy to serve in that capacity. … If we're looking at the leadership of the city and it being represented in the committee chairs, there's opportunities for the Latino Caucus to grow rather than feel like it's lost a seat or remained the same.' Out of City Council's 20 committees, 10 are chaired by members of the Black Caucus while six are headed by Latino Caucus members. The remaining four are led by white aldermen. Though these appointments require council approval, they are traditionally up to the mayor's discretion and play out behind closed doors in a political arena where various factions attempt to curry favor with the administration. Ald. Stephanie Coleman, head of the Black Caucus, confirmed to the Tribune on Wednesday she 'absolutely' expects the Zoning chair position to go to one of her members. 'Just as our City Council reflects the diversity of our great city, leadership should as well,' Coleman said. Asked to respond to the Latino Caucus's argument that it used to control that role under Johnson's first Zoning chair, former Ald. Carlos Ramirez-Rosa, Coleman responded, 'Well, the operative word was 'used' to be.' Ramirez-Rosa stepped down from leading the Zoning Committee in November 2023 amid a furor over bullying accusations from four colleagues including Ald. Emma Mitts, the council's current longest-serving Black woman. He has denied the allegations. Later that month, Ramirez-Rosa avoided a historic censure thanks to Johnson's tie-breaker vote, but not before the episode cast open bitter divisions within the body along racial lines. Mitts, who ultimately voted against formally punishing Ramirez-Rosa, said on the council floor 'I felt like I was back in the South.' As for whom the Black Caucus plans to recommend to head Zoning now, Coleman sidestepped a question Wednesday on whether she was interested in the role. So did Ald. Greg Mitchell, who two sources said was seeking support to be Johnson's next Zoning chair. 'I can neither confirm nor deny that,' he said Wednesday. Meanwhile Lawson, who has spent over a year trying to shepherd through the council a stalled ordinance that would legalize 'granny flats' and coach houses in Chicago, signaled his interest too. He added he would no longer be willing to serve as interim Zoning chair. 'I think it would be dishonest to say no,' Lawson said when asked if he wants the permanent appointment. 'I think I do a good job. … I understand it's a lot more than that that goes into it, so I'm also realistic.' Whoever Johnson's next Zoning chair appointment may be, it is likely to trigger a musical chairs of sorts among other committee assignments, too. Vasquez is currently chair of the Immigration Committee, while Mitchell heads the Transportation Committee. Meanwhile, Burnett's exit also leaves open the vice mayor role, which is largely symbolic but does come with a shiny $430,000 budget for additional staff. Two sources told the Tribune that if Vasquez were to vacate the Immigration Committee chair, Ald. Ruth Cruz would be interested in taking over, while Ald. Mike Rodriguez hopes to be Johnson's pick for the next vice mayor. But if Mitchell were to clinch Zoning, Vasquez would seek the Transportation Committee post, sources said, so that the Latino Caucus would gain a chairmanship seat regardless. Cruz and Rodriguez declined to comment on Thursday. Delmarie Cobb, a Chicago-based political strategist, argued that whatever course Johnson takes leaves little room for either the Black or Latino caucus to object compared to previous eras in City Council. But she did suggest the mayor 'spread the wealth' by taking these vacancies as a chance to extend an olive branch to some of his detractors in the council. 'If he reached out to Walter Burnett, who certainly was not a progressive by any means, any stretch of the imagination, he can do the same to some of these other detractors,' Cobb said. 'I don't think the Latino Caucus has a lot to complain about. I don't think the Black Caucus has a lot to complain about. I think he's been very equal for the most part.' Vasquez, however, noted his caucus has sounded the alarm on Latino representation within Johnson's administration and leadership appointments before and sees the upcoming committee chair reshuffling as a chance to even the playing field. 'I do think it's unfortunate given the history of Chicago, where everything's been so segregated and communities of color and vulnerable communities have felt like they've had to fight for every bit of representation … you see a little bit more of that tension along racial lines,' Vasquez said. 'But if you recognize how the city has been built and an understanding of it, I think it's incumbent upon us to work past those things.' The Zoning Committee controls critical legislation related to development and other land use issues in Chicago. That makes the mayor's chairmanship selection a weighty one in a City Council where aldermanic prerogative — the de facto practice of deferring to the presiding alderman when it comes to projects within their ward — continues to reign supreme. It also has landed former chairs in hot water. Former Ald. Danny Solis, Zoning chair for a decade, famously wore a wire on his colleagues after being implicated in taking bribes while controlling that committee.
Yahoo
05-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Thousands of homes being built in SW Florida. What's happening in Fort Myers, Lee County
Lee County issued 994 single-family building permits in April, five times the increase from a year ago than the whole of Southwest Florida, which saw a 3% increase. A total of 1,514 permits for single-family home construction were issued in Southwest Florida in April, the latest month for which information is available, according to Florida Gulf Coast University Regional Economic Research Institute. Thousands of homes, single-family and multi-family, have been approved, are in the planning stages or are under construction throughout the county, in cities including Cape Coral, Fort Myers and Estero, as well as in unincorporated areas. As many as 10,000 homes have been approved for Cameratta Companies' Kingston development on 6,702 acres of former farmland located in unincorporated Lee County off of Corkscrew Road and State Road 82 on the border with Collier County. Verdana Village, another Cameratta community in unincorporated Lee near the Village of Estero, has been approved for 2,400 units, and phase 1 is under construction for 600 units on a 710-acre site. The Shoppes at Verdana Village, with 78,000 square feet of total shopping space, is open with a Publix anchoring it. Babcock Ranch, a mega community mostly in Charlotte County, proposed an increase in its Lee County residential units to 2,078 from 1,630. The Lee County Babcock land is east of State Road 31 and north of North River Road in north Olga. The proposal also would cut the number of approved hotel rooms from to 250 from 600 and expand an on-site preservation area to 2,613 acres from 2,379 acres. The change also would shrink the size of the development by 154 acres to be transferred to the state for rebuilding State Road 31. In Alva, residents filed a legal zoning appeal on April 5 to a 788-acre development in nearby Olga where zoning was approved by Lee County commissioners. The community was approved for 1,099 homes on about half the acreage, with 420 acres preserved under conservation easements. In the Village of Estero, Coconut Pointe Residences is a planned 137-unit apartment complex to take the place of a long-closed Winn-Dixie grocery store near The Brooks, a 2,492-acre master-planned development.. Woodfield Estero received Village of Estero Planning, Zoning and Design approved in February for 538 multi-family units; 58 townhomes; 28,000 square feet of residential amenities; 20,000 square feet of medical space; 22,000 square feet of office space; 82,000 square feet of retail and dining; 3,000 square feet of civic space; 200,000 square feet of hotel space with 260 rooms; and four parking garages with 2,036 spaces. The property is a 45.6-acre site on the northwest corner of US 41 and Coconut Road, across from Coconut Point Mall. In Cape Coral, a 1,745-acre stretch of raw land known as Hudson Creek is approved and soon to start construction for up to 3,500 homes and as much as 425,000 square feet of shops and restaurants, along with other commercial uses, including a 500-room hotel. Located east of Burnt Store Road and northwest of Wilmington Parkway, the planned community abuts the Yucca Pens Preserve in northwest Cape Coral. Also in Cape Coral, a 350-acre parcel south of Rotary Park called Redfish Pointe is planned for 800 residential units, a 300-bed resort hotel and 38,000 to 50,000 square feet of commercial space. Still in the approval stages, Cape Coral staff are recommending denial, saying the proposal is "wholly incompatible with the protection and conservation of nearby wetlands. In Fort Myers Beach, Town Council recently approved Moss Marina entertainment complex and hotel called Arches Bayfront. Changing several zoned residential properties to commercial as part of adding to the marina, the latest plans call for a 263-room hotel and other structures rising to about 100 feet featuring dining, bars and retail along a bayfront promenade wedged between Old San Carlos Boulevard and a neighborhood. In Fort Myers, Royal Palm Square has been demolished to make way for 300-400 residential units off the Midpoint Bridge from Cape Coral. This article originally appeared on Fort Myers News-Press: Fort Myers, Lee County, FL: What new communities being built, planned?
Yahoo
28-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
City Council and Planning Board review zoning changes for ‘higher and better use'
WESTFIELD — The City Council and Planning Board are reviewing zoning change requests to allow property owners more options for use of their properties in Westfield. The requests will be reviewed in the Zoning, Planning and Development Committee chaired by Karen Fanion. Rob Levesque of R. Levesque Associates presented a request by Alice Wielgus to the City Council on May 15 to amend the zoning map at 14 and 170 Main St. from Rural Residence and Residence B to Residence C for a portion of the property. Levesque said the family is requesting that approximately 8 acres on Main Street, where they sell roses for Mother's Day, be rezoned to Residence C, and leave the approximately 30 acres in the rear, which is in the floodplain, as Rural Residential. Levesque said the family understands there has been interest over the years in the rear portion of the property for ball fields, and they generally like the idea. He said the Main Street portion of the property abuts a townhouse style condominium community that is zoned Residence C, and they would like to be able to utilize the front in similar way for condo development of multi-family townhouses, which he said would also be meeting the need for housing in the state. Levesque said the change in zoning would help them to think about what they would like to do with the property in the future. During the discussion in the City Council, there were questions of where the access to the property would be, both the front and the rear. Levesque said the corner of Noble Street which leads into a farm road would be the most logical place. Councilor Kristen Mello raised floodplain concerns, and said the GIS plan shows it coming up into the building area in the front. Levesque said the stormwater infrastructure would get into a bit of the flood zone. The hearing at the City Council was continued for a review by the city engineer. At the Planning Board on May 20, Levesque said the zoning change to Residence C would be for someone, likely not the family, to turn into housing similar to the adjacent condominium project in the front ten percent of the property, and leave the 50-plus acres in the rear property as Rural Residential. He said after the discussion at the City Council, they pulled the front portion further away from the flood zone, and made a sketch of a potential townhouse style residential project that could go there. Asked whether the access on Noble Street would be for both the rear property and for the housing development, Levesque said that would be preferable, but if not, there would be plenty of access points to the housing development on Main Street. Planning Board chair William Carellas said he was happy that they were not requesting spot zoning, as there is plenty of Residence C in the area, before the Planning Board made a unanimous positive recommendation to the City Council for the project. The Planning Board also positively recommended three other zoning change requests that came before the City Council, and were referred to the Zoning, Planning and Development Committee. The second zoning change request was by Mike Ventrice, owner of TV Realty & Development to change his 17-acre property on Lockhouse Road from Industrial A to Residence C, for future housing development of 25 duplexes. Ventrice said his property is 75 feet from Arch Road, with frontage on Lockhouse where the road is one-way with the one-lane railroad bridge. He said he has a meeting on June 3 with the Traffic Commission to discuss reverting the road back to two-way. Robert McKay of 27 Ridgeway Ave., an abutter on the other side of the railroad tracks, said many years ago, that section of Lockhouse that is one-way used to be two-ways, but he said it was changed for safety reasons to one-way. 'It was nice when it was two-way, but there were a lot of accidents at that bridge.' 'His property is a lot farther away from the bridge. I guess that becomes a traffic issue,' said Carellas after the unanimous positive recommendation from the Planning Board. Also recommended was a petition of Michael Sajewicz, the owner of Arrow Pharmacy to amend the zoning map at 66 Holyoke Rd. from Residence B to Business B (portion). Levesque, also representing Sajewicz, said the purpose of the zoning change would be to extend Business B from the pharmacy on a contiguous piece of property, to allow them to utilize the property for a similar or related use. The house on Holyoke Road, which is part of the property being requested for a zoning change, would remain as residential, and in the future be separated as a residential lot. Sajewicz owns the three contiguous lots. Asked what the plans are for the rear lot, Levesque said the first stop is to get the back rezoned, but there is no specific project at this point. 'In a perfect world … symbiotic uses that would work well with the pharmacy. Looking at it, it made sense to try to revamp the back of the property,' Levesque said. He said right now, they are separate parcels, and the idea would be making it one contiguous property, that would allow for 'higher and better use than what we could do on the property there now.' Also under discussion in both bodies is to amend the zoning ordinance to expand uses allowed in the Industrial A district. City Planner Jay Vinskey spoke at the Planning Board meeting on behalf of Councilor Brent Bean. He said during the last discussion, the board recommended some uses to be added to Industrial A, and that list was proposed to the City Council. He said the only change the Planning Board recommended that didn't make it through the committee was to only allow Commercial A uses in existing buildings in Industrial A, in order to avoid new shopping centers being built. 'I would agree — only for uses in existing buildings,' said Carellas. Planning Board member Richard Salois said one of the biggest concerns he had was that they build a strip mall. 'There is a reason for the use of existing buildings there,' he said. 'I believe back in April, that was not the intention, but to use empty warehouses that could go in a Commercial A district, or conversion or expansion of a building or a portion thereof for the new uses,' said board member Cheryl Crowe. Among the Commercial A uses that would be permitted by-right in Industrial A are neighborhood retail store not in excess of 750 feet; service-oriented stores such as a barber shop or beautician, but not laundry or dry-cleaning; retail service or custom stores, but no booth or restaurant facilities; branch bank, medical or dental clinic. Read the original article on MassLive.
