City Council — Springfield, MA
Date: 2026-06-08
Time: 17:00

CITY COUNCIL
 Planning & Economic Development
 Subcommittee Meeting

I hereby notify you that the following items of business have been filed with this office and can
be acted upon at the meeting of the City Council Monday, June 8, 2026 at 5:00 PM.

 City Clerk


Roll Call


Call To Order
5:00 PM Meeting called to order on June 8, 2026, in Hybrid Room 200, 36 Court Street,
Springfield, MA 01103.


Public Portion

 1. Zoning issues with surface parking

 2. Minimum special permit requirements for multifamily housing.




 City Council 1 HYBRID MEETING

City Council 36 Court Street
 Springfield, MA 01103
 Planning & Economic http://www.springfieldcityhall.com
 Development Meeting Jose Delgado (Chair)

 ~Final~


June 8, 2026 5:00 PM City Hall - Room 200




Roll Call

In Person:
Councilor Jose Delgado, Chair
Tim Sheehan, Chief Development Officer
Ken Shea, Law Department
Michelle Grout, Director of Springfield Business Improvement
Andrew Strniste, Director of Community Planning
Phil Dromey, Deputy Planning & Development

Remote:
Councilor Walsh Kateri Walsh
Councilor Lavar Click-Bruce
Councilor Justin Hurst

 Attendee Name Title Status Arrived
 Brian Santaniello City Councilor At Large Excused
 Gerry Martin City Councilor — Ward 7 Excused
 Maria Perez City Councilor — Ward 1 Excused
 Malo Brown City Councilor — Ward 4 Excused
 Zaida Govan City Councilor — Ward 8 Excused
 Kateri Walsh City Councilor At Large Remote
 Justin Hurst City Councilor At Large Remote
 Victor Davila City Councilor — Ward 6 Excused
 Michael Fenton City Councilor — Ward 2 Excused
 Jose Delgado City Councilor At Large Present
 Lavar Click-Bruce City Councilor — Ward 5 Remote
 Melvin Edwards City Councilor — Ward 3 Excused
 Tracye Whitfield City Councilor At Large Excused


Call To Order
5:00 PM Meeting called to order on June 8, 2026, in Hybrid Room 200, 36 Court Street,
Springfield, MA 01103.


Public Portion

 1. Zoning Issues with Surface Parking

 2. Minimum special permit requirements for multifamily housing.


Minutes:

On June 8, 2026, the Economic Development Committee, chaired by Councilor Jose Delgado,
met to discuss zoning issues related to surface parking lots and special permit requirements for
multifamily housing developments. The Chief Development Officer presented information
comparing Springfield’s zoning requirements with similar cities, including Hartford, Providence,
Lowell, Worcester, and Albany. Discussion focused on concerns that the current requirement for
City Council special permits on developments with 10 or more housing units may create delays
and uncertainty for housing projects.

Committee members discussed a proposal to increase the special permit threshold from 10 units
to 50 units while maintaining Planning Board review and public notice requirements. Members
expressed support for reducing unnecessary barriers to housing development while also
emphasizing the importance of keeping the Council informed about projects occurring
throughout the city. Additional information regarding projects currently in the development
pipeline was requested for a future meeting.

The committee also discussed concerns regarding the number of surface parking lots in the
downtown area and the impact on walkability, redevelopment, and long-term economic growth.
Members generally supported requiring future surface parking lot proposals to receive additional
review through the City Council approval process.

A motion to advance the zoning issue related to surface parking was approved unanimously.
Discussion regarding multifamily housing special permit thresholds will continue at a future
meeting. The meeting adjourned at approximately 5:45 p.m.

[MIN_SIGNATURES]