Chicopee
Upcoming
City Council
The City Council will consider several zoning changes, including a 34-lot residential development and a mobile home park expansion. The meeting also covers new ordinances regarding snow removal on non-owner occupied properties and the prohibition of motorized transport on natural surface paths.
- Appropriation of $219,000 for Police Real-Time Info Center Analysts
- Proposed 34-lot residential development at 326 Chicopee Street
- Zone change for additional mobile home units at 725, 745, and 0 Memorial Drive
- New ordinance allowing city to clear snow from non-owner occupied sidewalks and bill the owner
- New $100 fine for operating non-human powered transportation on natural surface paths
Zoning Board of Appeals
The Chicopee Zoning Board of Appeals holds a public hearing on four variance requests. Items include reducing setbacks for a mixed-use building, increasing fence height, and subdividing lots at 25-27 State St. and Empire St. The board will also approve minutes and discuss old/new business.
- Variance to reduce side yard setbacks from 15' to 2.7' and 11', and rear yard from 25' to 7.8' for mixed-use building at 520 Chicopee St.
- Variance to increase fence height from 3.5' to 6' for privacy fence at 47 Maplewood Ave.
- Variance to allow existing two-family dwelling on undersized lot at 25-27 State St. with reduced frontage (100' to 50'), area (10,000 SF to 4,470 SF), and depth (100' to 89.39').
- Variance to create a new single-family building lot on Empire St. with reduced area (10,000 SF to 8,964 SF) and depth (100' to 89.64').
- Minutes from May 13, 2026 and discussion of old/new business.
City Council - Human Resources & Communication Committee
The Human Resources & Communication Committee will consider two mayoral appointments: Robert St. Lawrence to the License Commission and Melissa Harms to the Parks and Recreation Commission. The committee will also discuss meeting with software vendors OpenGov, MuniTrac, and Litix Insights to evaluate their products. Minutes from May 18, 2026 are also on the agenda.
- Appointment of Robert St. Lawrence to License Commission (term: June 2026 – June 2028)
- Appointment of Melissa Harms to Parks and Recreation Commission (term: May 2026 – May 2031)
- Order to meet with OpenGov, MuniTrac, and Litix Insights to discuss their products
Last 30 days
Conservation Commission
The Chicopee Conservation Commission will hold a public hearing on July 1, 2026, to consider an NOI for replacing three multi-use bridges crossing Cooley Brook at Chicopee Memorial State Park. The project includes stream crossing improvements, vegetation restoration, drainage work, and approach updates. The meeting will also approve prior minutes and discuss upcoming projects.
- NOI for replacement of three bridges over Cooley Brook at 570 Burnett Rd, Chicopee Memorial State Park
- Stream crossing improvements, vegetation restoration, and drainage work
- Applicant: MA Dept. of Conservation and Recreation (DCR)
- Tabled from June 17 meeting
City Council - Budget Hearings
The Committee of the Whole will conduct budget hearings for the 2027 fiscal year. The council will review funding requests and spending for several city departments.
- Budget hearing for Council on Aging
- Budget hearing for Mayor's office
- Budget hearing for City Clerk
- Budget hearing for City Council
- Budget hearing for School department
City Council
The City Council will meet to reconcile and approve the Fiscal Year 2027 budget. The session includes votes on several million dollars in appropriations and updates to city employee salary scales.
- Approval of FY 2027 Budget
- $2,000,000 appropriation for capital budgeting
- $1,828,824 appropriation for High School track repairs
- $7,611.23 for police and fire indemnification
- Salary updates for Law, Planning, HR, Treasurer, Auditing, and Mayor's office staff
Retirement Board
The board will approve minutes from May, monthly expense warrants, and several retirement and membership applications. They will also discuss GASB 67/68, a spring conference report, comprehensive medical evaluations, and PERAC memos.
- Approval of monthly expense warrants
- Retirement applications and calculations
- Membership applications and refunds
- Survivor benefits
- GASB 67 & 68 discussion
City Council - Zoning Committee
The Chicopee Zoning Committee will evaluate several zoning map changes and special permit requests for city properties. Members will consider rezonings for a single-family home and a mobile home park expansion, alongside a request to waive lot dimensions for a new subdivision. The agenda also includes permits for a new entertainment venue and a residential dog kennel.
- Zone change from Bus A to Res A for a single-family home at 799 Front Street
- Zone change from Bus A and Res C to Res D to expand mobile home units at Memorial Drive
- Special permit to waive dimensional requirements for a 34-lot subdivision at 326 Chicopee St
- Special permit for alcohol and entertainment service at 300 Carew Street
- Special permit to operate a four-dog kennel at 54 Chester Street
City Council - Budget Hearings
The Chicopee City Council Committee of the Whole meets to conduct FY2027 budget hearings. Departments scheduled include License Commission, Purchasing, Facilities, Human Resources, Veteran Services, Library, Health, Treasurer and Debt Services, Planning & Development, Collector, Assessors, MIS, Emergency Management, and Golf.
- Review of FY2027 budgets for over a dozen city departments
- Hearings cover Treasurer and Debt Services (bonds & interest)
- Includes departments: Library, Health, Emergency Management, and Golf
Board of Registrars
The Board of Registrars will hold a regular meeting to approve previous minutes and review the Clerk's report. The discussion will focus on voter registration statistics and roll changes for the month of May.
- Approval of May 19, 2026 meeting minutes
- Review of May registration statistics (office, agency, online, and mail)
- Review of deleted voter registration records
City Council - Budget Hearings
The Chicopee City Council Committee of the Whole will hold budget hearings for FY 2027. Departments covered include Registrars, Building Inspection, Police, Law, Fire, DPW, Engineering, Flood Control, Forestry, Highway, Parks, Sanitation, Water, Recreation, Sewer, and more.
- Budget hearings for Police Department
- Budget hearings for Fire Department
- Budget hearings for DPW including Highway, Parks, Sanitation
- Budget hearings for Water and Sewer utilities
- Budget hearings for Registrars, Building Inspection, Law
Conservation Commission
The Conservation Commission will hold a public hearing on a Notice of Intent to replace three multi-use bridges crossing Cooley Brook at Chicopee Memorial State Park. The project includes stream crossing improvements, vegetation restoration, drainage improvements, and bridge approach updates. The meeting also covers approval of previous minutes, signing bills, and discussion of upcoming projects.
- Notice of Intent for replacement of three multi-use bridges over Cooley Brook at 570 Burnett Rd.
- Vegetation restoration and drainage improvements as part of bridge project
- Approval of minutes from May 20, 2026
- Signing of bills
- Discussion of upcoming projects and communications
The Chicopee Conservation Commission tabled a public hearing on a Notice of Intent for replacement of three multi-use bridges crossing Cooley Brook in Chicopee Memorial State Park. The hearing was postponed to July 1, 2026 to allow more time for review of delayed DEP comments. The vote was 4-0. The Commission also approved the minutes from May 20, 2026.
- Tabled NOI for bridge replacements at Chicopee Memorial State Park to July 1, 2026 (4-0)
- Approved minutes from May 20, 2026 (4-0)
City Council
The City Council will consider several financial appropriations from free cash, including $3 million to reduce the 2027 tax levy, $1 million to the OPEB trust, and $750,000 for employee contract settlements. They will also vote on a five-year waste removal contract with F&G Recycling/USA Hauling & Recycling, a zone change from Res A to Res B for 6 condex units on James Street, and accept grants for police vests and fiber infrastructure.
- $3,000,000 from free cash to reduce the 2027 tax levy (M0-4)
- Five-year waste removal contract with F&G Recycling/USA Hauling (M0-1)
- Zone change from Res A to Res B for 6 condex units at James St & Memorial Dr (item 26)
- $226,480 Community Compact Municipal Fiber Grant for police (M0-8)
- Amendment to council rules changing submission deadline to 12:00 PM Thursday (item 16)
City Council - Ordinance Committee
The Ordinance Committee will consider amending city codes on several topics. Key items include: requiring owners of non-owner-occupied properties to clear sidewalks within 24 hours of snow, with city right to clear at owner's expense; banning e-bikes and other non-human powered transportation on sidewalks with a $100 fine; setting per-day pay rates for election workers; updating duties of the city auditor and code enforcement officer; and approving multiple parking changes including new stop signs and disabled parking spots.
- Items 4 & 5: Ordinance to require snow clearance on non-owner-occupied sidewalks within 24 hours, costs assessed to owner
- Item 7: Prohibit e-bikes on sidewalks, $100 fine
- Item 3: Set election worker pay: wardens $170/day, clerks $150/day, inspectors $130/day, set-up workers $140/day
- Items 8–15: New stop sign at Porter & Paradise; parking prohibitions on Hilton, Kennedy, Abbey, Orange; disabled parking on Eastern, Elmer
- Item 2: Delete Chapter 16-96 (Claims and Accounts Committee) in its entirety
City Council - License Committee
The License Committee will hold a public hearing on a home occupation license for a cottage food bakery at 36 Montvue Street, with no customers on premises. They will also consider a junk dealers license for buying and selling used items at 635 Grattan Street, Suite D. One home occupation license application for baked goods at 27 Sycamore Lane has been withdrawn.
- Home occupation license for cottage food bakery at 36 Montvue Street, applicant Shawntea Crudup
- Junk dealers license at 635 Grattan Street, Suite D, applicant Kody Cairns
- Withdrawn application for home occupation license at 27 Sycamore Lane
- Approval of minutes from May 28, 2026