CITY OF CENTRAL FALLS
SPECIAL CITY COUNCIL MEETING
TUESDAY, MAY 7, 1996 AT 7:30 P.M.
A SPECIAL MEETING OF THE CENTRAL FALLS CITY COUNCIL WAS HELD ON THE ABOVE DATE IN THE CITY HALL COUNCIL CHAMBERS AT 7:30 P.M.
COUNCILMAN FARRELL
COUNCILMAN FERRI
COUNCILMAN WEBER
COUNCILMAN AUNCHMAN
QUORUM PRESENT.
PRESIDENT PRO TEMP ROBERT FERRI PRESIDED.
COUNCIL PRESIDENT PRO TEMP FERRI GAVE THE GROUND RULES FOR THE PUBLIC HEARING.
THE ACTING CITY CLERK RELATED THE PURPOSE FOR THE PUBLIC HEARING STATING THAT THE COUNCIL AT THE REQUEST OF THE PLANNING BOARD MUST MAKE A DECISION AS TO WHETHER TO PROCEED WITH A ZONING ORDINANCE CHANGE RELATIVE TO THE HISTORIC DISTRICT COMMISSION AND PLACING THE ZONING APPLICATIONS IN THE CODE ENFORCEMENT DEPARTMENT.
THOMAS SHANNAHAN, OF WEST HUNT STREET SPOKE IN FAVOR OF THE HISTORIC DISTRICT COMMISSION. HE GAVE HIS REASONS FOR THE NEED TO KEEP THE COMMISSION.
ROBERT ZUBA SPOKE IN FAVOR OF THE PROPOSED ORDINANCE AS WRITTEN, HE SAID KEEPING THE DISTRICT IS NECESSARY, HOWEVER, THE COMMISSION IS NOT NECESSARY.
RICHARD LUSSIER 65 RAND ST. IN FAVOR IN ABOLISHING THE DISTRICT COMMISSION. HE SAID THAT THE COMMISSION DOES NOT COMPROMISE WITH THE HOMEOWNER AND THAT THE COMMISSION IN HIS OPINION, MUST HAVE THEIR WAY AND THEIR WAY ONLY.
DENISE PANICHAS, PRESIDENT OF THE PRESERVATION SOCIETY OF PAWTUCKET STATED THAT SHE CAME TO THIS MEETING AS A FRIEND OF HISTORIC CENTRAL FALLS. SHE STATED THAT MANY PEOPLE HAVE BEEN DEMORALIZED BY THIS WHOLE ISSUE.
SHE PRESENTED A WRITTEN HISTORY OF THE PAWTUCKET HISTORIC DISTRICT ZONING AND HOW IT WORKS IN PAWTUCKET AND OFFERED HER ASSISTANCE WITH A WORKSHOP ON THIS ISSUE. SHE EXPLAINED THE MEANING OF HISTORIC DISTRICT AND ITS BENEFITS TO THE COMMUNITY. SHE COMMENTED ON THE TAX CREDITS INVOLVED AND THE STATE'S ENABLING LEGISLATION. SHE ALSO BRIEFED THE COUNCIL ON CERTIFIED LOCAL GOVERNMENT GRANTS THE PRESERVATION SOCIETY, LOCAL FUNDS, AND OTHER MATTERS THAT RELATED TO GRANTS AND LOANS FOR THESE HISTORIC ZONES. SHE COMMENTED ON THE CITY OF PAWTUCKET'S VOLUNTARY PARTICIPATION IN HISTORIC ZONES ITS DOWN SIDE AND HOW IT CAN LEAD TO SPOT ZONING WHICH IS NOT ALLOWED IN STATE LAW AND THE PROBLEMS WITH ENFORCING THE ZONING CODES. SHE STATED THAT THERE ARE WAYS TO MEDIATE, COMPROMISE AND DISCUSS THE HISTORIC DISTRICT IN CENTRAL FALLS BEFORE ABOLISHING THE COMMISSION. SHE OFFERED TO CONTACT MERRICK COOK OF THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT AND SHE IS WILLING TO PARTICIPATE IN A WORKSHOP TO HELP IN THIS PROCESS. SHE URGED THE COUNCIL TO TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE MANY CHANGES HAPPENING IN THE BLACKSTONE VALLEY BECAUSE OF ITS DESIGNATION AS A NATIONAL PARK.
COUNCILMAN FARRELL COMMENTED ON PUBLIC HEARINGS FOR ANYONE WHO WISHED NOT TO BE INCLUDED IN THE DISTRICT SO THAT THEY CAN OPT OUT OF THE DISTRICT.
COUNCILMAN AUNCHMAN ASKED WHERE DID OUR COMMISSION GO WRONG?
DENISE PANICHAS STATED THAT TO THE BEST OF HER KNOWLEDGE, PAWTUCKET IS THE ONLY COMMUNITY THAT HAS A VOLUNTARY DISTRICT. SHE STRESSED THE NEED TO EDUCATE PEOPLE ON THE USE OF HISTORIC DISTRICT.
NORMAN DIGULIO 61 COTTAGE STREET ADDRESSED THE SECOND ISSUE BEFORE THE COUNCIL AND THAT IS STREAMLINING THE ZONING APPLICATIONS. HE SAID THAT THERE IS A HARD WORKING STAFF IN THE CENTRAL FALLS BUILDING DEPARTMENT AND THAT THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT DOESN'T HAVE THE STAFF TO DO ZONING APPLICATIONS. HE SPOKE ON THE DISTRICT COMMISSION AND HOW THE MEMBERS OF THE COMMISSION TOOK A GREAT DEAL OF TIME AND RESEARCH TO PLACE THE SOUTH CENTRAL FALLS HISTORIC DISTRICT. HE SAID THAT FOR YEARS THE COMMISSION WAS THE MODEL OF COMPROMISE, EVERY
CASE BEFORE THEM WAS NOT TURNED DOWN, THEY ALLOWED THE ZONING BOARD TO MEDIATE. HE SAID THAT THE COUNCIL COULD USE THIS TIME TO MAKE THIS EVENING A TIME TO COMPROMISE AND TO MAKE SOLUTIONS HE URGED THE COUNCIL NOT TO TRASH THIS COMMISSION IN ONE MEETING. HE SAID THAT HE DOESN'T FEEL THE COMMISSION WENT WRONG. THEY TRIED TO
DO SOMETHING FOR THE CITY AND THEY GET KICKED. HE FEELS THAT THE COMMISSION IS BEING USED AS A POLITICAL FOOTBALL.
PATRICIA SALISBURY DOES NOT FEEL THAT THE COMMISSION WENT WRONG. SHE SAID PRESERVATION TRAINING AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE ARE ALL PART OF THE COMMISSION'S EDUCATION. THE COMMISSION TRULY COMPROMISED. SHE
ASKED THE COUNCIL TO REACTIVATE THE SUB COMMITTEE TO WORK ON THE COMMISSION IN A WORKSHOP. SHE SPOKE OF THE POSITIVE IMAGE THAT THE COMMISSION WAS DOING FOR THE CITY AND SHE SAID THAT SHE LIVES IN THE CITY BY CHOICE NOT BECAUSE SHE HAS TO. SHE COMMENTED ON THE HISTORIC CENTRAL FALLS WALKING TOUR OF THE DISTRICT AND OF THE OPPORTUNITY TO CHANGE THE IMAGE OF THE CITY.
MICHAEL FARRELL 54 COWDEN ST. SPEAKING AS A CITIZEN, STRONGLY OPPOSES THE ABOLISHING OF THE COMMISSION, HE IS HOWEVER IN FAVOR OF A VOLUNTARY PARTICIPATION IN THE DISTRICT AND IS URGING THE OTHER COUNCIL MEMBERS TO TAKE A STRONG LOOK AT IT. HE STATED THAT PRESERVING THE PAST CAN LEAD TO A BETTER FUTURE. HE COMMENTED ON THE
SAMUEL B. CONANT HOUSE "THE MANSION NURSING HOME" AND THE HISTORIC PRESERVATION AWARD IT RECEIVED.
KENNETH CASTLE COMMENDED AND THANKED DENISE PANICHAS FOR ATTENDING THIS MEETING. HE STATED THAT HE IS PLEASED WITH THE RECENT WALKING TOUR AND THE GREAT COMMENTS FROM PEOPLE OUTSIDE THE CITY. HE SAID THAT EACH AND EVERYONE OF THE BUILDINGS IN THE DISTRICT HAS SOME HISTORIC VALUE TO IT AND THAT WHEN YOU GROW UP WITH IT YOU TEND TO TAKE IT FOR GRANTED. HE SAID THESE BUILDINGS ARE VALUABLE HISTORIC RESOURCES, THEY REPRESENT A CERTAIN TIME PERIOD WHICH WAS TO SUPPLY HOUSING DURING A TIME WHEN MANUFACTURING WAS RAPIDLY GROWING IN
THE CITY AND WHEN AN ENTIRE SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC FRAMEWORK THAT CENTRAL FALLS WAS BUILT ON TOOK PLACE. "WE TAKE THESE THINGS FOR GRANTED, WE CANNOT AFFORD TO TAKE THEM FOR GRANTED. THEY ARE A LEGACY TO TAKE TO THE NEXT GENERATION." HE THEN QUOTED BOB BILLINGTON ON THE ECONOMIC BENEFITS THAT PRESERVATION AND TOURISM
ARE DEVELOPING IN THE CITY. IN CLOSING HE SAID THAT ADDRESSING THE ISSUES ON REGULATION, TASTE, ETC. ENFORCING OUR TASTE, PERSONAL TASTE HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THE CONSIDERATION, THE PRESERVATION GUIDELINE IS FOLLOWED AND HE ASKED THEM TO MAINTAIN IT.
THERESA CHOOPORIAN- OWNER OF "THE SAMUEL B CONANT HOUSE " THE MANSION NURSING HOME" SPOKE OF THE RENOVATION OF THE CONANT HOUSE A BUILDING CENTRAL FALLS CAN BE VERY PROUD OF, SHE SPOKE OF CLAY STREET AND HOW IT LOOKED BACK IN THE 1950'S. IT IS IMPORTANT FOR THE ECONOMIC HEALTH OF THE CITY. SHE SPOKE OF HOW THE PRESERVATION OF THE BUILDING HAS ALLOWED FOR A BETTER SELF ESTEEM OF THE STAFF AT THE NURSING HOME, RECOGNITION AND ITS HISTORY. SHE COMMENTED ON THE CENTENNIAL CELEBRATION OF THE HOUSE HELD LAST YEAR. SHE SAID SHE FELT SO GOOD ABOUT CENTRAL FALLS AND STRESSED THE IMPORTANT ECONOMIC BENEFITS, KEEPING PROPERTIES, TAX CREDITS AND OTHER BENEFITS TO THE BUSINESSES IN THE COMMUNITY. SHE URGED THE COUNCIL TO MAINTAIN THINGS AND MOVE FORWARD.
COUNCIL PRESIDENT PRO TEMP FERRI STATED THAT HE VALUED EVERYONE'S OPINION.
COUNCILMAN AUNCHMAN COMMENTED.
COUNCILMAN FARRELL COMMENTED .
DOUG PENDEGRASS OF 44 RAND ST., SPOKE ON THE CITY COUNCIL'S NEED TO OVERSEE THE ENFORCEMENT OF THE DISTRICT.
PUBLIC HEARING CLOSED 8:39 P.M.
MOTION TO ADJOURN WAS MADE BY COUNCILMAN AUNCHMAN AND SECONDED BY COUNCILMAN FARRELL. ALL AGREED. SO VOTED.
TIME: 8:40 P.M.
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ELIZABETH A. CROWLEY, CMC
ACTING CITY CLERK