Latest news with #Zoning
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.
Yahoo
10-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Milwaukee Central City Plaza building gains support for historic status
The Brief The Bronzeville Advisory Committee on Wednesday, April 9, voted to support the historic designation of three properties in Milwaukee's Central City Plaza complex on the city's near north side. Milwaukee's Zoning, Neighborhoods and Development Committee will now take up the consideration at a meeting on Tuesday, April 15. The three buildings near 6th and Vine were built in 1973. MILWAUKEE - The push to preserve some Milwaukee buildings is taking the next step toward becoming a reality. What we know The Bronzeville Advisory Committee on Wednesday, April 9, voted to support the historic designation of three properties in Milwaukee's Central City Plaza complex on the city's near north side. The three buildings near 6th and Vine were built in 1973. FREE DOWNLOAD: Get breaking news alerts in the FOX LOCAL Mobile app for iOS or Android They were once the hub for the city's first Black-owned shopping center. It was also designed by the city's first registered Black architect. The backstory The Salvation Army owns two of those buildings. In January, they said they're using one for temporary sheltering, and they want to demolish the smaller building to expand it. Milwaukee's Zoning, Neighborhoods and Development Committee will now take up the consideration at a meeting on Tuesday, April 15. What they're saying Salvation Army of Wisconsin and Upper Michigan General Secretary Major Rachel Stouder provided the following statement: "The Salvation Army remains committed to expanding critical services for individuals and families experiencing homelessness while also respecting the historical significance of Cental City Plaza. We understand the importance of this site to the Bronzeville community and to the City of Milwaukee. We are actively working with local leaders, preservation advocates and city officials to explore a solution that honors the past while addressing the present needs of the community. Our architects are currently reviewing the existing infrastructure to determine how we can best integrate it into our plans, ensuring we maximize our ability to serve those in need. This location is uniquely positioned to provide direct access to essential services, transportation and other community resources, making it an irreplaceable asset in our efforts to break the cycle of homelessness. We look forward to continuing an open and collaborative dialogue as we work toward a plan that benefits both the community and the individuals we serve." The Source The information in this post was produced by FOX6 News.
Yahoo
28-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Mayor Brandon Johnson to appoint Ald. Carlos Ramirez-Rosa to lead Park District
Mayor Brandon Johnson plans to appoint a top City Council ally to helm the Chicago Park District, making good on his promise to reset his administration by elevating loyal faces midway through his term. The mayor will recommend Ald. Carlos Ramirez-Rosa, 35th, to be Parks superintendent after Rosa Escareno submitted her resignation letter Wednesday, Ramirez-Rosa told the Tribune. Escareno's exit, effective March 31, will cap off four years of leading the Park District and came in the wake of Johnson's earlier warnings this month of a firing spree apparently focused on holdovers from past mayoral administrations. The Park District Board of Commissioners on Friday will approve Ramirez-Rosa's appointment, effective April 1. His ascension would further increase progressive representation within Johnson's leadership team, as the mayor hinted was the goal in his Feb. 10 remarks. 'If you ain't with us, you just gotta go,' Johnson said then. It would also open up a midterm vacancy in City Council that provides Johnson his first chance to exercise his mayoral powers to appoint an alderman. And while the mayor will surely seek a candidate who shares his progressive, pro-labor stripes, Ramirez-Rosa's departure would likely shake up the power dynamic in City Council, especially on the left. The three-term Logan Square alderman would be vacating his seat during an uncharted moment for the progressive faction of City Council that he's invested much time in shaping. The first Democratic Socialist elected to the body in 2015, Ramirez-Rosa quickly carved a space as the body's most outspoken voice on the left — and a consistent thorn in the side of his moderate colleagues. Five more Democratic Socialists joined him on the council in 2019. Four years later, Johnson's historic 2023 election would pave the way for Ramirez-Rosa to rise to the plum gigs of Zoning committee chair and the mayor's floor leader, the latter of which is tasked with whipping support for his agenda. Ramirez-Rosa helped secure a trio of early wins for the administration that summer in abolishing tipped minimum wage, expanding paid time off and placing Bring Chicago Home on the March 2024 ballot. But he would only benefit from half a year of being the mayor's chief proxy on council. In November, he resigned from his two leadership roles after Ald. Emma Mitts and other colleagues accused him of using his Zoning post to intimidate them — allegations he denied but grew into a political liability for Johnson. 'I felt like I was back in the south,' Mitts, currently the council's longest serving Black female alderman, said on the floor during an emotional debate over whether to formally censure Ramirez-Rosa. She later voted against the item — which would have made Ramirez-Rosa the first Chicago alderman to be censured in modern history. Instead, the body deadlocked 24-24, and Johnson had to come to his ally's rescue and cast his first tie-breaker as mayor. Since then, Ramirez-Rosa has remained one of the mayor's most reliable council votes. That the sun is apparently setting on his aldermanic career less than two years after he rose to the most influential perches in City Council spells a remarkable sea change for not just Ramirez-Rosa's political trajectory but also the fragility of Johnson's progressive coalition that ushered him into office. The move to the Park District would also open up the City Council's first midterm vacancy in three years and allow Johnson his first mayoral appointment to the body. Whoever is tapped to replace Ramirez-Rosa would need a majority of aldermanic approval. Chicago is one of the few Illinois governments where — depending on timing — the mayor has the power to appoint replacements for City Council vacancies rather than hold a special election, thanks to a 1978 state law. Mayors have often wielded that tool for allies on the council to time retirements strategically so they can be replaced with another friendly face. Lightfoot made four aldermanic appointments to fill vacancies upon retirements or, in the 11th Ward's case, Ald. Patrick Daley Thompson's federal tax fraud conviction booting him from holding office. But those four appointees found that being tied to an unpopular incumbent was a liability when it came time to run for a full term in 2023. Ramirez-Rosa has had an eye on posts outside the council for a while. He ran as Daniel Biss's running mate in the 2018 governor's race, but was dropped from the ticket over his support for the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement against Israel. And he ran for former U.S. Rep. Luis Gutiérrez's open seat that same year before withdrawing to endorse Jesus 'Chuy' Garcia. One of the youngest aldermen elected to City Council, Ramirez-Rosa played a key role in sharpening the current sanctuary city ordinance that prevents Chicago police from cooperating with federal immigration cases during Republican President Donald Trump's first time. It was that policy he was seeking to protect when he landed in hot water over blocking Mitts from entering the council chambers. He has been a staunch voice on police reform, including as a supporter of the 'defund the police' movement in the wake of the 2020 George Floyd's police murder in Minneapolis and, before that, the 'No Cop Academy' campaign to stop the creation of a Chicago police training facility on the West Side. Ramirez-Rosa is a longtime ally of the Chicago Teachers Union, which has contributed to his political fund over the years. He spoke out in support of the labor group throughout its struggle with former Mayor Lori Lightfoot over returning to in-person classes during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Chicago Tribune
28-02-2025
- Politics
- Chicago Tribune
Mayor Brandon Johnson to appoint Ald. Carlos Ramirez-Rosa to lead Park District
Mayor Brandon Johnson plans to appoint a top City Council ally to helm the Chicago Park District, making good on his promise to reset his administration by elevating loyal faces midway through his term. The mayor will recommend Ald. Carlos Ramirez-Rosa, 35th, to be Parks superintendent after Rosa Escareno submitted her resignation letter Wednesday, Ramirez-Rosa told the Tribune. Escareno's exit, effective March 31, will cap off four years of leading the Park District and came in the wake of Johnson's earlier warnings this month of a firing spree apparently focused on holdovers from past mayoral administrations. The Park District Board of Commissioners on Friday will approve Ramirez-Rosa's appointment, effective April 1. His ascension would further increase progressive representation within Johnson's leadership team, as the mayor hinted was the goal in his Feb. 10 remarks. 'If you ain't with us, you just gotta go,' Johnson said then. It would also open up a midterm vacancy in City Council that provides Johnson his first chance to exercise his mayoral powers to appoint an alderman. And while the mayor will surely seek a candidate who shares his progressive, pro-labor stripes, Ramirez-Rosa's departure would likely shake up the power dynamic in City Council, especially on the left. The three-term Logan Square alderman would be vacating his seat during an uncharted moment for the progressive faction of City Council that he's invested much time in shaping. The first Democratic Socialist elected to the body in 2015, Ramirez-Rosa quickly carved a space as the body's most outspoken voice on the left — and a consistent thorn in the side of his moderate colleagues. Five more Democratic Socialists joined him on the council in 2019. Four years later, Johnson's historic 2023 election would pave the way for Ramirez-Rosa to rise to the plum gigs of Zoning committee chair and the mayor's floor leader, the latter of which is tasked with whipping support for his agenda. Ramirez-Rosa helped secure a trio of early wins for the administration that summer in abolishing tipped minimum wage, expanding paid time off and placing Bring Chicago Home on the March 2024 ballot. But he would only benefit from half a year of being the mayor's chief proxy on council. In November, he resigned from his two leadership roles after Ald. Emma Mitts and other colleagues accused him of using his Zoning post to intimidate them — allegations he denied but grew into a political liability for Johnson. 'I felt like I was back in the south,' Mitts, currently the council's longest serving Black female alderman, said on the floor during an emotional debate over whether to formally censure Ramirez-Rosa. She later voted against the item — which would have made Ramirez-Rosa the first Chicago alderman to be censured in modern history. Instead, the body deadlocked 24-24, and Johnson had to come to his ally's rescue and cast his first tie-breaker as mayor. Since then, Ramirez-Rosa has remained one of the mayor's most reliable council votes. That the sun is apparently setting on his aldermanic career less than two years after he rose to the most influential perches in City Council spells a remarkable sea change for not just Ramirez-Rosa's political trajectory but also the fragility of Johnson's progressive coalition that ushered him into office. The move to the Park District would also open up the City Council's first midterm vacancy in three years and allow Johnson his first mayoral appointment to the body. Whoever is tapped to replace Ramirez-Rosa would need a majority of aldermanic approval. Chicago is one of the few Illinois governments where — depending on timing — the mayor has the power to appoint replacements for City Council vacancies rather than hold a special election, thanks to a 1978 state law. Mayors have often wielded that tool for allies on the council to time retirements strategically so they can be replaced with another friendly face. Lightfoot made four aldermanic appointments to fill vacancies upon retirements or, in the 11th Ward's case, Ald. Patrick Daley Thompson's federal tax fraud conviction booting him from holding office. But those four appointees found that being tied to an unpopular incumbent was a liability when it came time to run for a full term in 2023. Ramirez-Rosa has had an eye on posts outside the council for a while. He ran as Daniel Biss's running mate in the 2018 governor's race, but was dropped from the ticket over his support for the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement against Israel. And he ran for former U.S. Rep. Luis Gutiérrez's open seat that same year before withdrawing to endorse Jesus 'Chuy' Garcia. One of the youngest aldermen elected to City Council, Ramirez-Rosa played a key role in sharpening the current sanctuary city ordinance that prevents Chicago police from cooperating with federal immigration cases during Republican President Donald Trump's first time. It was that policy he was seeking to protect when he landed in hot water over blocking Mitts from entering the council chambers. He has been a staunch voice on police reform, including as a supporter of the 'defund the police' movement in the wake of the 2020 George Floyd's police murder in Minneapolis and, before that, the 'No Cop Academy' campaign to stop the creation of a Chicago police training facility on the West Side. Ramirez-Rosa is a longtime ally of the Chicago Teachers Union, which has contributed to his political fund over the years. He spoke out in support of the labor group throughout its struggle with former Mayor Lori Lightfoot over returning to in-person classes during the COVID-19 pandemic.
