What: the Planning Board's package of 41 zoning orders (ZC 2026-5), tied to the 2026 Holyoke Comprehensive Plan.
Where it stands: The February 2026 package is still pending in the Committee on Ordinance and the Planning Board. The Planning Board voted October 27 to send an updated package (chair's letter dated October 29), which is on the City Council's November 5 agenda. The Comprehensive Plan was received by the Council September 2 and presented to the Planning Board September 8.
Next: The Planning Board continues ZC 2026-5 on December 15; the Mayor said more neighborhood outreach is coming.
Details
Resident petitions oppose 'as of right' assisted and independent living in residential zones and the elimination of the R1A zone.
Councilor Vacon asked to withdraw all 41 amendments and challenged whether the Planning Board's February vote was valid; her order on that question was adopted September 2.
A native-plantings zoning order (ZC 2026-4) was continued by the Planning Board to October 13 and was also on the Ordinance Committee's October 14 hearing list.
Councilor Vacon's order 59 on whether the Planning Board's February 10 zoning package was properly voted was adopted; order 60 (release the draft comprehensive plan for public feedback) was received and complied with. The Mayor's coming-priorities letter and the 2026 Holyoke Comprehensive Plan were received. See Zoning Overhaul and Comprehensive Plan.
Final Comprehensive Plan presentation by the consultant Agency Landscape + Planning. Mayor Joshua A. Garcia was present and said the city will bring on support for citywide engagement; a resident asked what happened to the community feedback roadshow. See Zoning Overhaul and Comprehensive Plan.
Continued to this date: Pine St zone change BL to BH (ZC 2026-9), the Dwight St parking reduction (SP 2026-15), Native Plants zoning (ZC 2026-4; see Zoning Overhaul and Comprehensive Plan) and the deferred minutes (see Open Government and Public Access).
Councilor Vacon's item 44 asks to withdraw the 41 zoning amendments in the Planning Board chair's February 12 letter. See Zoning Overhaul and Comprehensive Plan.
Two resident petitions (against 'as of right' assisted and independent living in residential zones; against eliminating the R1A zone), both tied to the Planning Board's February zoning package, went to Ordinance with a copy to the Planning Board. See Zoning Overhaul and Comprehensive Plan.
The Board voted to approve sending the updated 41-order zoning package (chair's letter dated October 29 to the Ordinance Committee). See Zoning Overhaul and Comprehensive Plan.
Planning Board's revised zoning ordinance package (the chair's October 29 letter; the Board voted October 27 to send an update to the February 10 package of 41 orders grouped by comprehensive-plan strategy). See Zoning Overhaul and Comprehensive Plan.