A proposed zoning amendment to create a 300-foot buffer zone between seafood processing and packaging facilities and residential uses will not be moving forward this year.
District 7 Councilor Manuel Teshe introduced the motion earlier this year following the debate over Boston Provisions proposal for a food processing facility at 100 Justin Drive from Boston. A portion of the facility at the former Signature Breads plant would have included seafood processing.
In October, the planning board voted to recommend that the city council not approve the zoning amendment.
Monday night, the council held a public hearing on the zoning amendment.
However, because the amendment had previously been sent to a council subcommittee, and a subcommittee meeting was not held on the amendment, it was determined that the council had not acted quickly enough to vote on the amendment.
“As of right now, the amendment is pending before a subcommittee, and the subcommittee meeting did not happen, so it has not been moved out of subcommittee,” said Clifford Cunningham, the council clerk. “Given the timeframe of where we are at right now, the council was required to have this public hearing within 65 days after receiving, after sending it down to the planning board.”
Cunningham said the council is now beyond that point, so if it did hold a subcommittee meeting on the zoning amendment, the council would be beyond the 65-day period to act under the zoning law and any vote would be moot in the opinion of the clerk and the city’s legal department.
Teshe would be able to reintroduce the zoning amendment next year and attempt to go through the process again, Cunningham said.
“I would just leave it for the record that this was my fear when I said that we should not move it to a subcommittee because we would not get to vote on it, and I was told that that would not happen,” said Teshe. “That is what happened, so I’m just leaving that for the record. It will have to be reintroduced again next year and go through the process.”
Although the council was unable to hold a vote on the zoning amendment, several residents did speak in its favor.
“This amendment simply ensures that one high-impact use is sited responsibly, consistent with Chelsea’s long-term planning documents and best practices in industrial zoning,” said Nicholas Gregoretti. “This amendment is good for all of Chelsea, and despite the misconceptions, the special permit does not guarantee protection, the amendment does not harm current businesses, buffer zones are not new to Chelsea, and this amendment does not harm industrial activity. This is responsible zoning, it’s predictable planning; this is how we protect residents, support businesses, and build a healthier, more stable future for our city.”