11.12.2025 City Council - Ordinances & Legislation

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Come to order. The clerk call the role.

Council, councelor Hart, Council Reposa here.

Councelor Tith here. Jeffer here. Pursuant to the open meeting law, any person may make an audio or video recording of this public meeting or may transmit the meeting through any medium.

Therefore, attendees are notified and advised that such recordings or transmissions are being made whether perceived or unpersceived by those present and deemed acknowledged and permissible. Anyone sign up for citizen input?

No one. Item number two on the agenda is the approval of the minutes from October 28th.

Motion to approve.

Motion to approve.

Second.

Second. All in favor?

I. Item number three, proposed ordinance at traffic handicap parking Grant Street West 20t north of Hope Street. Grenell Street south 75 ft east of Stafford Road. Lindsay Street West 123 ft north of President Avenue. Willox Street East 165t north of Slade Street.

Uh motion for want to have uh Dan come down and talk about Lindsy Street.

Uh, Mr. Aguia, would you mind coming down and speaking about Lindsy Street?

I would just need a motion to take item six out of order because we're on number three.

I don't mind talking about all three of them from a getgo because they're all You don't mind talking about all three of them, but he he's going to do this.

Got it. We have a separate item for No, it's for a handicap.

Sorry, I got you.

It's for a handicap. He just has a question on it.

Just say state your name for the record.

For the record, Dan Aguiar, director of engineering and planning at the city of Fall River.

Welcome. How are you? Good to see you.

Good to see all of you.

Um, so can you give us some information on the new handicap on Lindsay Street?

Yes. So, what I did just I 15 minutes ago was I gave Lauren a little memo of all three Lindsay Street items tonight because they're all intertwined. Okay.

They're in three separate ordinance categories. They all worked together in implementing what Mass DO's design was for that corridor. Um, unbeknownst to many of us, there was a section of on their design that called for Lindsay Street to be made a oneway. We alerted them to the fact that you can't just do that without coming to the city council.

So, that's how we started this process.

In that discussion with being able to make that a oneway, there were a number of recommendations on my behalf and on Stephanie's in order to make this work.

One of them was the need to make sure traffic can enter from both directions on President Avenue. Another that a loading zone be created on the westerly side so that we don't have delivery trucks for Meza 21 and other businesses parked in the right of way in the traveled way. So, it only works to be a oneway if we accommodate all of these different concerns. So, the request, the first request about the handicap space

is we're going to be relocating an existing handicap space further up Lindsay Street. We're relocating the existing handicap space to create that loading space.

Those both will allow for the one way.

So that when I say all three of them need to be handled together, none of them serve a purpose without the others being granted. And then lastly, um dealing with some uh problems that delivery vehicles were having just since the recent construction because that end of Lindsay at Breman just started being done within the last week or two.

Delivery trucks were having a difficulty exiting the northerly end of Lindsay Street at Breman because of making that a oneway.

people couldn't come out to Bright uh to President Avenue anymore. So, they had to go up to Brighton. They couldn't make that turn. We brought that to the attention of Masdot representatives.

They have uh advised and agreed to modifying that intersection up at Breman Street. So, all of the requests tonight and you'll see in the memo that I sent you, I do recommend that they all get granted. However, conditionally upon Mass Dot making that modification at Breman Street and that traffic be allowed to come from both directions heading east or west off of President Avenue. But the first ordinance before

you tonight is just that new handicap spot, but I think the history of the all three of them will help you make a determination on that.

So, just since we're here, just have the conversation. So, the part of Lindsay before you cross Brunell the other way.

Is it two-way or one way?

It will remain two-way from Brownell to Brightman.

Okay. And then they'll be able to take a right from Lindsay onto 79.

No, no, no. That that was the problem that Masdot never took into in their design because when we had a delivery trucks from either they could exit Lindsay Street at that Brown L turn on they did away with that. Yeah.

And that is just now shared use paths.

So you're just going Lindsay and you have to take a left on Brown L. That's your only option.

Correct.

As if you're coming south. Yes. Or find a different way out. But so they'll like sh um Michael's shares the way they back in to exit, they will now head north on Breman, I mean north on Lindsay and get out at Breman. That's why it was important to make sure um that those were capable of making those turns and and I know I had spoken with uh Stephanie and asked her to coordinate

with the fire chief as well to make sure his apparatus could get through there as well. So and they're all they're all wrapped together. It's my understanding that he feels with the proposed curb modification that he will be able to, but I don't want to speak for him.

He'll be down after him. The other one yield.

Um, Mr. Aguia, the handicap that you're moving, you're moving the two that are across the street like on the corner.

Well, I'm not proposing them. That they were through traffic. So, I was Yeah.

No but So, right now there was one as soon as you turned on to pres onto Lindsay to your left immediately there was spaces there. There were two.

Those were being those are being relocated if correct.

Thank you, Stephanie.

Just state your name for the Stephanie MacArthur, director of traffic and parking.

Stephanie, were there two or three there? I think so. There was So, there's two signs for one parking spot. So, we're going to move that 123 ft north.

Okay.

So, it's going to it's going to remain on the same side. We're just moving it closer towards Okay. Um, and just for the committee to know, the DOT, they already went and extended and widened those sidewalks there.

That is correct.

Correct.

So, I just want the committee, if you haven't been by there, they've already been widened. So, the modification they're going to make at the other end, they're not going to widen streets that much, widen a sidewalk there on that end.

No, not to the extent all of the all of the one-way part on Lindsay was predicated for two items. one the concerns with the traffic heading south onto President Avenue that created a traffic right issue with getting vehicles out and getting cars on President Avenue to continue easterly. So, it was a movement modification that they decided to make the one way.

All well and good to think you're making a modification and an improvement to the oneway, but without contemplating what implications that one way had on the remaining neighborhood. That's what we're trying to respond.

And I don't think they were aware of the fact that they would have to come to the city if they're going to be They were not. Again, we brought it to their attention when the crib was being installed.

Okay. Cuz if they had made that a little smaller, maybe we could have still kept it a two-way.

Well, what we did end up um we did end up having we had them pull back the new curb radius on the easterly side of Lindsay. If you look at the drawing, you'll see what's shown. Um there's two different sections there. You'll see where one was pulled back a little bit.

They were initially stalling it and really narrowing it up. We said we absolutely could not deal with that situation. So that plan that you see is was the modification at President Avenue. They will now be doing the similar kind of a modification at Breman Street.

Okay. Do you have any questions?

But it's important that any approval be specifically conditioned so that way they are forced to make that modification in Brightman. Okay. If they don't make the modification in Brightman, then this doesn't become a oneway. That's very important.

Okay. Very good.

Motion for emergency preamble.

Motion for emergency preamble. Roll call. We have a second.

Second.

No.

Council.

Councel.

Council repos.

Yes.

Council tips.

Yes.

Chair Pereira.

Yes.

Um recommendation So pass through motion to pass through all readings with a condition as Mr. Agar mentioned that the mass dot does the modification as needed.

Just for clarification, there a second second for Lindsy Street.

So would you want to split it into two separate ordinances so that it affects the other?

You can't do the preamble.

So let's um motion to separate Lindsay Street from this.

Second.

Could I ask Mr. Aguia if who's going to monitor that? They're doing that.

I will. You will. So if they don't do it, you'll make sure that they do.

Absolutely.

Okay. So I don't know if this but this vote tonight will solidify will give me the firepower or the teeth to be able to make sure that they go through with it.

Okay.

I've higher higher levels at DOT I spoke with on Monday and and they clearly understand the issue and have offered that they will resolve the matter.

Okay. So you want to take uh council propos you want to take motion to take Lindsay Street separate from that please.

Okay. Motion to separate Lindsay Street from item three.

Second.

All in favor?

I.

Motion to uh pass through all readings Lindsay Street with the condition that Mass DOT um do the modification for Brightman Street.

Second.

All in favor?

I got for Brighton Street.

Yep.

So the emergency preamble is going to be for Grant, Grenell, and Willox. Um that'll be for for Lindsay because we've removed Lindsay.

Yep. So now we have to motion for emergency preamble for Grant, Grenell, and Wilcox Street.

Second and a roll call on that for the emergency preamble for the remaining three streets. Council, councelor Hart, Council Reposel, yes.

Councelor Tiff, yes.

And motion to pass through all readings Grant Grenell and Wilcox Street. Second.

There's a second. All in favor?

I.

Thank you. Item number four on the agenda is miscellaneous traffic. Section one, parking prohibited at all times.

It's a strikeout. Dwelli Street North, 58 ft west of Scott Street. Section two, parking prohibited during certain hours.

It's Dwelli Street North, 58t west of Scott Street, 7:30 to 9:00 a.m. and 3 to 4 Monday through Friday. Section three is the loading zone on Lindsay Street West 38T north of President Avenue from 8 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday. Passenger zone on Bank Street South 34T east of North Main Street, 6:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. Monday through Friday. and

handicap parking removals are Crawford Street East 20t south of Lar Roach Street and Lindsay Street west 20 ft north of President Avenue. Uh recommended to be passed through first reading.

Is there a motion?

I have a question.

Go ahead. Council proposal to Stephanie. Um for section 4 for Bank Street 6 to9 4 to 6. What is exactly that purpose?

So it's for a daycare drop off and pickup.

Gotcha. I yield.

Um to the clerk, would it be the recommendation to separate three and five?

If we're going to put the definition on it.

Yes. Got it. Motion to uh separate sections three and five, please.

Would you like to just clarify for sections five? Are we only separating the single one for Lindsay Street because there is another handicap?

Yes. Okay. So motion to separate section three and then section five subsection of Lindsay Street.

Section five is the handicap removal.

Correct.

Okay. And section three is the loading zone.

Yep. For Lindsy Street.

Motion made.

Second.

All in favor?

I.

Um motion to pass through first reading section one two four and section five Crawford Street. Just for clarification, since we separated this, do you want that one to get a recommendation first?

We can if you'd like.

We'll need two.

That's fine. All right. So, motion to uh pass through first reading section three and section five in regards to Lindsay Street with the condition that Mass DOT does their modification at Breman Street.

Second.

All in favor?

I.

and motion to pass to first reading sections one two four and section five in regards to Corer Street.

Second.

All in favor?

I I Okay. Item number five and six. I don't know if the committee wants to take them together because all of the people will be at the table for those two readings.

Um so motion to take five and six together.

Second.

Second.

All in favor?

I.

Okay. We're going to talk about items five and six and that is oneway traffic on Maple Street Westerly from June to North Main and a proposed ordinance from Lindsay Street northerly one way from uh President Avenue to Brownell.

Um Lindsay, I don't think we need to take that one.

I think it was Maple Street more.

Let's do item six. Is that one that we want to pass through first reading with conditions?

Council reposa, we we just took them together. So we have I think we should have a discussion first.

Okay.

With the our guests here.

If the chief's here, that's why. And other people. If we could have people come down. The chief, police department.

Um is anybody Dan? Stay here.

I'm going to come back for six. that we merged them together. I don't have anything. Okay. But I don't have anything to add beside.

All right. But you'll sit.

Uh the last time we had this meeting, one of the concerns came up with Maple Street, and people were concerned with Maple Street being a oneway. Basically, they're saying that even though it's a two-way, it's a wide enough street that two cars can go back and forth, but the there was an individual from the school department who was here and said the traffic around Westerall School is not

flowing properly and for the safety of the children, they felt that it should be one way all around the school.

Um, and one of the questions was police, fire, EMS if vehicles would be able to navigate that one way. So, if you could both share with the committee what your feelings are.

Say your name and Sure. My name is Jeff Bacon. I'm the fire chief. Um, from the fire side, my vehicles, you want to say your name, too?

Thomas Farough Police Traffic Enforcement Unit Supervisor.

Thank you.

So, as far as the fire department is concerned, our apparatus would be coming most likely from High Street anyways.

So, um, we don't uh typically like to butt heads. So, we would have Stanley Street coming that way. The center could go either way, but they would typically go High Street to be behind Stanley Street. So, we we that would not affect our uh our approach to that block.

Okay.

As far as the police department, uh many of the schools already operate on a circular one-way pattern. Um it only makes sense and I don't think any of it would hinder any response from the police department at all.

Okay.

Anyone have any questions?

Council Tith. So um the question is just now why why now how come we don't have any issue like um before so from that school was that wasn't always a school that one uh Westall school just opened up um this school year um the school that it was prior was stone school it was a lot of bus transportation so there there wasn't an issue now with it being elementary from kindergarten to grade 5 there's there's

more students more more traffic thank you that are you council proposal I think my only my only that's okay my only question in regard if this becomes a one way um my only request to you would be I know like at Lerno for example on election day nobody sees that one way sign that when you come out of LNO you you know it's you can only turn left you can't turn right can count the

amount of people tried to turn right so I don't know if there's a way to either some sort of increase signage but make sure the lighting is adequate um so people can see it because I just don't want people going down the wrong way.

That's all. That'd be my only request. I yield.

Thank you. Is there a motion to pass through first reading on item five?

You're just taking it together like as a All right. So, I'll make the motion to uh pass item number five through first reading.

Second.

All in favor? I I Next is that Lindsy Street and wondering again if police or fire had a concern with Lindsay Street being a oneway from President Avenue. Um but it says here one way from President Avenue to Bronell.

That's correct.

And that's where it would end. And then from Bronell on it would be a two-way.

Is there a concern?

Uh actually my trucks went down there today. Uh platform one and engine 12 went down there this afternoon. uh if it weren't going to be a one-way, we would have a concern. Uh if it remained a two-way, we would not be able to uh have clear access through that intersection.

So, um my my uh my recommendation would be to make it the one way in that direction. And if not, you'd have to look at no parking uh for that first block to be able to accommodate multiple vehicles. Yeah.

I have a question. Um when you get up to Brightman, they can make the turn.

Even with somebody parked on the right hand side.

No, actually that's what I want to make sure. So, there needs to be a condition that on the easterly side when you when Lindsay approaches Breman that we need to be open at the curb line in order for fire apparatus and any other semi-trail to be able to get over far enough right to make that left-hand turn out towards the vault.

So, there has to be a sign that say there's no parking for whatever distance. I'm not sure how far whether it's 100 feet, 150 ft.

And then the same on Brightman east of Lindsay because making the turn, the right turn for my apparatus from uh if there's anybody parked on the north side there, they can't make the corner.

So, okay.

As far as the uh police department, our vehicles are small enough we can we can navigate that without issue.

But you're on the traffic board now, correct?

Yes, ma'am. So what uh they just spoke about what Chief Bacon and Mr. Aguia just spoke about with those um no signs I is that going to go to traffic for for you Stephanie?

So so if it's beyond the 20 ft from the corner it will have to go to the traffic board for that.

Okay. And you're okay with that going to traffic to share with what the uh what Chief Bacon has said about his apparatus going?

Yes, absolutely. We were we were waiting for the uh for that test run and as Mia explained these the it's everything is all tied in with the handicap and the one way the state will take care of the curbing. So that won't be an issue at all.

So again that should be an additional condition that correct still it's still going to be two-way. We're not making a change until this no parking has been added as well as a as a third condition.

Yeah. Because currently there is parking prohibited already on the south side of it and so it would just So the motion would be going through first reading with condition relative to the no parking signs.

Councelor um proposal.

Yep. Um motion to pass through first reading with two conditions. One being the mass DOT does the modification of Breman Street and modification number two being the addressing of the no parking on help me out here.

Breman.

Breman Street and Lindsay and Lindsay. Lindsay and the other in accordance with the chief's recommendations.

Thank you. In accordance with and and public safety and that traffic is allowed northerly onto Lindsay from both directions on President Avenue.

Same as in my It's in here though. It says norly.

It's in there.

Yeah, it's in here.

I know it's in there.

You got all that?

You got it, Lauren?

Just for clarification.

Okay, go ahead. Um, so the first stipulation would be that the mass DOT performed the modification of Breman Street as discussed. The second one would be no parking on Breman Street and that would be at the intersection of Brightman and Lindsay.

Lindsay. Thank you. Okay.

Does that cover all of it?

And Lindsay and Lindsay at Brightman and Lindsay Lindsay at Breman. So there's going to be two. The other concern that we had and it's probably not appropriate might be appropriate for this discussion is once you turn left out of Lindsay you go across and you want to now go south on 79 take that left-hand turn the truck had a lot of difficulty with curbs at that at that intersection too.

So when you at this when you were at the new Breman and Lindsay I mean Deval Street intersection were in the right hand lane or the lefth hand lane?

They were in the right hand lane.

They were all over and they couldn't make any It's still a tight It's still a tight turn there. So, you can mention and I would say that the tractor trailer is going to have a a bigger issue there.

My trucks made it, but after watching the video of the tractor trailer trying to turn, I think that they're going to have an issue if they need to go south on 79.

We'll take a look at that.

That's something Mr. I can look into.

We'll take a look at it separately.

Okay.

That one might be a little bit more difficult.

So, you have that.

Yeah, exactly. Exactly.

Okay.

Council repos, can the clerk read the read the entire Yep.

So, everybody's on the same page here.

This is the res the um motion from councelor repos, but we're going to make sure the clerk has it right.

Yep. So, uh I have a motion from councelor reposo that uh number six related to Lindsay Street be passed through first reading contingent upon mass dots modification of Brighton Street as well as no parking sign installations on Breman Street at Lindsay Street and at Lindsay Street at Breman Street.

So made and the other one that's in my and sorry about traffic norly on Lindsay from both directions traffic and traffic be allowed to enter Lindsay Street heading both directions northernly from President Avenue from both easterly and westly directions.

So that's number two, right?

No one number one.

Number one.

So that's the third condition. A lot of conditions.

Okay.

Okay.

Motion made.

Motion made. Is there a second?

Second.

All in favor? I thank you so much.

Motion to adjurnn ordinances. Second.

Motion to adjurnn has been made. Second.

All in favor? I motion to adjourn. Thank you.