Pittsfield Board OKs Open Mic Privacy, Historical District Study Committee
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The Ordinances and Rules Subcommittee supported requests for greater privacy when addressing the City Council and to create a study committee for a local historical district downtown.
On Monday, the panel approved a request from Ward 6 Councilor Dina Lampiasi to amend City Council Rule 1C and a request from the Historical Commission to amend City Code, Chapter 2, to establish a Local Historic District Study Committee.
Rule 1C requires individuals to disclose their name, address, and the subject they wish to address the council about on a sheet before the open microphone portion of meetings. Lampiasi, who is chair of the subcommittee, asked to only require a person's name and municipality.
"This is a petition that I submitted, just really to bring us more in line with the rest of the state," Lampiasi said, explaining that in Boston, Cambridge, Worcester, Springfield, Somerville, Northampton, Amherst, Salem, New Bedford, and Holyoke, speakers don't have to share their street address.
These communities require a name and city, and there are some communities in Massachusetts that require even less information, she said.
"I don't think that submitting a street address is really appropriate," she explained. "It feels invasive, and there are some safety concerns for folks."
Ward 1 Councilor Kenneth Warren, speaking as a member of the public, suggested that residents provide a ward so that their councilor knows to follow up with them.
"I agree. I don't think people should be focusing on people's street addresses, but I don't think a ward gives it — If somebody's going to really try to hunt you down, they can. A ward I don't think gives them any more information," he said.
Lampiasi felt that was overcomplicating it, and pointed out that people often disclose their ward for context when they are speaking about an issue. There was some discussion about requiring a ward and/or municipality, but ultimately, the language was left to require a name and municipality.
Last year, a discussion began about the possibility of a historic district in downtown Pittsfield.
Establishing a study committee is essentially the first step in the process of establishing the district. Once work begins, the panel is expected to come forward with a proposal in a year and a half.
The city has more than 20 locations on the National Register of Historic Places, including the Park Square Historical District, but the designation just allows communities to apply for federal tax credits and doesn't impose restrictions on buildings. The central area was laid out a few decades after Pittsfield was given a town charter in 1761, and was the site of the first agricultural fair in 1810.
A district can be one building, several buildings, or an area. Historic restrictions only apply to the exterior of buildings.
City Planner Kevin Rayner, representing the Historical Commission, explained that they have been considering methods to preserve historic properties, and this is one that continuously gets mentioned. The idea of a local historic district has reportedly been tossed around since the 1970s, but never put forward.
The petition establishes a temporary municipal board that explores creating a local historical district to review exterior alterations and ensure the buildings' historical character is preserved. These features include masonry, roof work, doors, and windows, and Rayner said the group can narrow down what they want to review.
"What this is, is a study committee, so they're going to look into this and see if it's a good idea, essentially, for the next year and a half, and figure out how it would work," Rayner explained.
"And then return back to council with a formal petition in around a year and a half with an ordinance, a final report detailing their entire study process, and their recommendations, as well as a map of the district, the registry of all properties proposed to be added to a district, along with a justification for each property added to the district."
The council would make a final determination on the historic district after the study committee's work is presented. It was pointed out that a local historic district could give the city a stronger position for grant funding.
"I support this. I think it's a great idea," Ward 5 Councilor Patrick Kavey said.
Councilors also supported a request from Councilors At Large Alisa Costa and Earl Persip, III, to add language to the City Council agenda that helps residents understand each process and expectation.
Costa explained that they wanted to raise this petition to help people new to the city or new to city government understand the processes in more layman's terms.
"I get a lot of questions from residents about what Rule 27 means. Folks have shown up after six o'clock and have been really upset that they couldn't participate in open mic," she said.
"So we just thought that there could be some more specific language so that folks who are looking at the agenda understand that process a little bit better."
