[{"_1":2,"_123":-5,"_124":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88,100,112],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6449344,"mediaKeyId","3127369-877efac3dfcbbe18a2ccb6c6b0cd84fe","parentId",3127369,"title","Planning Board adopts new procedures and floodplain changes; council releases executive session minutes","audioSeconds",35,"startMs",118719,"endMs",154245,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3127369-877efac3dfcbbe18a2ccb6c6b0cd84fe&start=118&end=154","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3127369-877efac3dfcbbe18a2ccb6c6b0cd84fe/thumbnail_118719.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6449344/Massachusetts/Planning-Board-adopts-new-procedures-and-floodplain-changes-council-releases-executive-session-minutes","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6449344-cb9f083a10789cc9029342affca78202/orig.mp4?Expires=1771172161&Signature=ByU3YJm2SC0hiXhyXpq1WbCueWVKYtbJ1VthIYmBQNcOZLxZFQDibTsJwIMQzYo8Qm-nyaeXR9lRcNm9aN8bZbrurqb5FZKw4YcwNxgniJpcJ9AnqNNMMUMtDL890yyx043e2A7I-acwJreEWVKd4wWOfuSuzXLbnSEGgBbnCMkKBrQ2D4zkhrUn3MBuM5gEKNHB42qo6qJR-Z8VVJYPS-4tHbfrFs9Vd1IVoWxsUyVqQ0R9xqjmXqoRLjvuUYeUVLxMxs5k6545Nv9AUr16d2wz7mswJw9o64bmxFa3rg7hu0-7XqZ-T3dO~Ulb12Ddnpt779pyEufgxK67wZQl7w__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Lowell City, MA","date","2025-04-26T00:16:54.197Z","article","The Planning Board adopted two procedural changes and amended the floodplain zoning overlay ordinance at its Thursday meeting, and the City Council voted to release executive session minutes from January and February.

The Planning Board’s procedural changes require departments to explicitly state when they have no issues with a proposal and mandate a tree-replanting plan when projects request tree removal. The board also amended the city’s floodplain zoning overlay ordinance in response to new FEMA flood maps; the change was presented as necessary to ensure residents can continue to qualify for flood insurance.

Separately, the City Council voted to release executive session minutes from January and February of this year. The transcript does not record objections or the vote tally for releasing the minutes in the excerpt provided.

The meeting also noted that municipal meetings are cablecast live on Comcast Channel 6 in Lowell and that live streams are available at ltc.org and on the city’s YouTube page.

Provenance: planning board actions were reported in the council meeting record after transportation items; the executive session minutes release was included in the council’s governance items.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","This Week At City Hall - April 21, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","The Planning Board required departments to state when they have no issues with proposals, mandated tree replanting plans, and amended a floodplain zoning overlay after FEMA issued new flood maps; the City Council voted to release executive session minutes from January and February.","taxTitle","Events, Massachusetts","taxId",80709,"location","Massachusetts","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6449349,"Council reviews Andover Street concrete repairs and bus-lane issues at Lord Overpass",34,84370,118660,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3127369-877efac3dfcbbe18a2ccb6c6b0cd84fe&start=84&end=118","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3127369-877efac3dfcbbe18a2ccb6c6b0cd84fe/thumbnail_84370.jpg","/articles/6449349/Massachusetts/Council-reviews-Andover-Street-concrete-repairs-and-bus-lane-issues-at-Lord-Overpass","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6449349-33525262cbadfa345d0b0e2685a5b75c/orig.mp4?Expires=1771172161&Signature=iYKi0IjiG~Y5beyE4qpigrcBJ0IWTwvIafVrVzkEsqKOPOAcVpynieDwdRyR~rsOpBORdM7AJWncQzl-RQ9e4dern7B7fVaF7ev8aVeab7cp9T0bfW7SS3mh4YH~xyZksXDuX~94-sf2b2UEAAag-etulbsh57XBtrGWgraEG5BN8aIBwA-d~R9WbUvSQgf6HJjLzjyGAtudiOqNLPvlve7sbua5BXeGarsWFYKV4d--Eq1Y7e32pANXatQIDnWxqDIRK0JA5wtP93UzH0whf~z64OJ9lRSLRSh8jyLAMrIeQp20zt1nFcVuWRwp1PN0p7brWe8kZFNpOTf4JihjOg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","City and state transportation matters were on Tuesday’s agenda, with councilors reviewing an Andover Street repair plan and a report on bus-lane use at the Lord Overpass.

Massachusetts Department of Transportation presented two options last year; residents chose a concrete repair approach over a full asphalt overlay. According to the report presented to the council, the concrete approach will seal only about 10% of the road’s panels and joints and will not include the Americans with Disabilities Act upgrades or traffic-calming measures that were part of the asphalt overlay plan.

Councilors expressed concern that the chosen concrete approach carries higher long-term maintenance costs and will not deliver the ADA or traffic-calming improvements residents had sought with the asphalt option.

Separately, a report on the Lord Overpass documented that buses are not using the newly created bus lanes; the report attributed the underuse to inefficiencies in existing bus routes. Councilors asked whether changes could be made to alleviate local traffic issues, and the transportation engineer said they would need to investigate possible modifications.

No binding decision on altering bus routes or funding a different repair option was recorded in the transcript excerpt; the transportation engineer’s further review was the recorded next step.

Provenance: the transportation items follow the school-facilities discussion in the meeting transcript and precede planning board and governance items.","Councilors discussed a roadway repair plan for Andover Street in which residents selected concrete repairs over an asphalt overlay and reviewed a report that buses are not using newly created bus lanes at the Lord Overpass.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6449354,"Council hears two motions on school facilities; update on city-school facilities department expected",26,58100,84205,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3127369-877efac3dfcbbe18a2ccb6c6b0cd84fe&start=58&end=84","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3127369-877efac3dfcbbe18a2ccb6c6b0cd84fe/thumbnail_58100.jpg","/articles/6449354/Massachusetts/Council-hears-two-motions-on-school-facilities-update-on-city-school-facilities-department-expected","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6449354-6e15e961eb4c7fcdf38362b51cff7255/orig.mp4?Expires=1771172161&Signature=aKh8QACgXUhZg1jmvf1WDRcYnHWaRzupiThEuDQuSIewf-whehTIZllUwp9sqBwFq3MH4qqdbq20PjyRHq6LN8T0miNFgC7T7-GGYhgLDct8WxgPOLTlmKduW71MFr5bjZIxxXK4ROeyPUnVp~P-BlaGH8VG2smYkiSdDozn-T2aWK-CdKJJbh3003DMbBTGJvLgbRCCGtXoBvE4WcMXCKZ83~VuU1oWg6pjRaki9KCVssXB0H5NVMzDdKturGmqUyLJ9ntqBjoTlV1SqESbKP18kvIspu1G-rla99Asw71pUtgjdDJkATCRdrvCtepDeLAjcdcPrGjQ7we9NjPixA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Councilors brought forward two motions regarding school facilities during Tuesday’s meeting. One motion asked the city to include hiring dedicated facilities personnel for LHS in the fiscal year 2026 budget. The second motion requested an update on establishing a facilities department to oversee both city and school properties.

The city manager said an update on the facilities-department proposal would be provided within a few weeks because the proposal must go through the City Council, the school committee, and the law department. The transcript does not record final votes on either motion in the excerpt provided.

Councilors framed the requests as steps toward improving maintenance and coordination of school buildings; the record does not include staffing levels, cost estimates, or a formal timeline beyond the manager’s promise of an update. Additional review and interdepartmental approvals were cited as prerequisites for any formal proposal to be included in the FY26 budget.

Provenance: this discussion follows the personnel contract renewals and precedes roadway and transportation items in the transcript.","The council received two motions related to school facilities: one to hire dedicated facilities personnel for LHS as part of the FY26 budget and another requesting an update on establishing a city-wide facilities department covering both city and school properties. The city manager said an update will come within a few weeks.",{"_33":101,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":102,"_41":103,"_43":104,"_45":105,"_47":106,"_49":107,"_51":108,"_53":109,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":110,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":111,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6449359,"Council renews city manager and auditor contracts; manager renewal drew dissent over review process",24,33890,57905,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3127369-877efac3dfcbbe18a2ccb6c6b0cd84fe&start=33&end=57","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3127369-877efac3dfcbbe18a2ccb6c6b0cd84fe/thumbnail_33890.jpg","/articles/6449359/Massachusetts/Council-renews-city-manager-and-auditor-contracts-manager-renewal-drew-dissent-over-review-process","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6449359-ff43f88f89d22293327e2cff67fc4fad/orig.mp4?Expires=1771172161&Signature=Djjrz8EdEktfV9KyU8RStamOTTZEjNOSS5oBrTmGe2lu~Rm1KRH5WIza9zTqYD88BvDDyQO48Gg6sDCfmKIuNAY~7ar5jdJRCR5rfwINT50oPmiLEX4g1xTmhILXg44ncjOtAOJn-8q3NAzeLGJE35Z1DItp9DshD2nXuCz3CnLGkE-i92YbwkjvpJQjwKLwAphTLqCEvs6v2FGYRybzbt9RLsP90nr-Xowayf1O70Kq9ItbWzRtvT8mzCHS-I~kKUVIbRHYfx4V4U8~Sb2k529LLUkmyLJKQ-bLqYLaVjrQem1fl-L5sBOoEYQM5jryFHcxJUAUO~ualttCfyuD4A__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The City Council voted to renew employment contracts for the city manager and the city auditor at Tuesday night’s meeting. Both renewals passed, and the record notes that two councilors voted against the city manager's renewal, citing procedural concerns about the performance-evaluation process.

Councilors referenced a previously discussed oversight-subcommittee process that was expected to overhaul how evaluations are conducted. According to remarks in the meeting, that overhaul did not take place before the contract renewals were considered, and some councilors said the contracts were being renewed prematurely while the older evaluation process remained in place.

The council directed the oversight subcommittee to take a closer look at the evaluation process next month, according to the meeting discussion. The transcript does not identify the mover or seconder for the motions renewing the contracts, nor does it provide full vote tallies beyond noting the two dissenting votes on the manager renewal.

No contract amounts, lengths, or specific evaluation criteria were discussed in the portions of the transcript provided. Councilors noted the subcommittee’s scheduled follow-up; staff and the subcommittee will determine whether changes to the evaluation procedures are proposed before the next review cycle.

Provenance: discussion appears in the transcript immediately after the council's vote on a state housing bill and concludes before school facilities items were introduced.","The council approved renewed employment for the city manager and city auditor. Councilors said the manager's renewal was premature because a promised evaluation process overhaul had not occurred; two councilors voted no on the manager contract, the transcript says.",{"_33":113,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":114,"_41":115,"_43":116,"_45":104,"_47":117,"_49":118,"_51":119,"_53":120,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":121,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":122,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6449363,"City Council votes 8-1 to oppose state bill allowing religious property zoning exemptions",33,560,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3127369-877efac3dfcbbe18a2ccb6c6b0cd84fe&start=0&end=33","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3127369-877efac3dfcbbe18a2ccb6c6b0cd84fe/thumbnail_560.jpg","/articles/6449363/Massachusetts/City-Council-votes-8-1-to-oppose-state-bill-allowing-religious-property-zoning-exemptions","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6449363-1b63167f9eb435aa74b567915605cecc/orig.mp4?Expires=1771172161&Signature=LJnNX5UKAySCuugBNEErbEW2Vaz21YBYslIw0Zly4VXNwy4tNBM2bghVcK694EZNWMSrtUlvC-5aUXmqGXQ8-y0QpF4-LEfirnEFBjhxPPpbgfBDrSfnd4jnd2Pz7MNIRVwKCYEl4qwowtN2q7g02ainB5icZkpCnM1Rv6lr1N4i97widjQerqMv8iFS0yBEO4Il-bVCLjgCExIOQhHq3BWr7RjU2FBpVBaUf42MeIaBGpemARZH5hLR~klnqlPDXnfEdN01n7iM4p11Qrpn7GVoMgE5~oiZQ2BFD1Yc7YGQ~lJw-hh~FqYepl5zeqHPLbbWfa6Qdll-nOj8Sjzb2w__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The City Council voted to formally oppose House Bill H2347, known as \"Yes in God's Backyard,\" which would allow religious institutions to convert unused religious space to multiunit housing without following local zoning rules. The motion to file a formal objection passed 8-1.

Councilors said they objected to creating a religious carve-out in local zoning, raised concerns about potential abuse of such an exemption, and criticized a lack of outreach from the state House delegation to City Hall and the wider community. The council did not specify a mover or seconder for the motion in the record provided.

The vote places the city on record against the state-level proposal; councilors said the change could bypass local land-use review and community input. The council’s formal opposition is a policy statement and does not, by itself, block state legislation.

Councilors combined these concerns with a request for better communication between the state delegation and municipal officials. The transcript does not record additional formal steps tied to the opposition, such as sending a letter or asking staff to draft formal comments to the state committee.

City officials and councilors did not provide further legal analysis of how H2347 would interact with existing local ordinances during the recorded discussion. The council’s action reflects its position and could be forwarded to state lawmakers or included in advocacy materials if the council chooses to do so.

Provenance: discussion of the bill appears in the meeting transcript at the start of the recorded remarks and concludes within the same early segment.","The City Council voted to formally oppose House Bill H2347, known as \"Yes in God's Backyard,\" saying theproposal would let religious institutions bypass local zoning for multiunit housing and raised concerns about potential abuse and lack of outreach from state lawmakers.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Planning Board adopts new procedures and floodplain changes; council releases executive session minutes

Council reviews Andover Street concrete repairs and bus-lane issues at Lord Overpass

Council hears two motions on school facilities; update on city-school facilities department expected

Council renews city manager and auditor contracts; manager renewal drew dissent over review process

City Council votes 8-1 to oppose state bill allowing religious property zoning exemptions