[{"_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",[32,75,87,99,111],{"_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":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6207143,"mediaKeyId","3759646-1c78b5c5150cb5f614a0111a66f14d30","parentId",3759646,"title","Lowell council to create citizen tree committee after neighborhood concerns over Van Greenby removals","audioSeconds",479,"startMs",2306000,"endMs",2785000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3759646-1c78b5c5150cb5f614a0111a66f14d30&start=2306&end=2785","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3759646-1c78b5c5150cb5f614a0111a66f14d30/thumbnail_2306000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6207143/Lowell-City/Middlesex-County/Massachusetts/Lowell-council-to-create-citizen-tree-committee-after-neighborhood-concerns-over-Van-Greenby-removals","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6207143-ea50c7594bf2bfd8bdafd0f6810cfda8/orig.mp4?Expires=1775403225&Signature=Pfa0xSrixT~Yj5II3RdXRLfQrFG~jq0mGM79mfCChfJXUgZduE7Rb7LcbA8ITJ~Aedcd2LezLDrLcWBau2szHSi-1Fjwa3KYfp~YdbaO2tOHtOCHaucYRxcJrw6Ax3hjCNOX0hqj8jCPIk3kRm6vPFineQCTyuH6naV0G9ZWTViWkwP9fpexB~OBCRpuRraXRbVuM690aI~o7xjleoVMqpEQ61Goyf2AtEbiZkz-X5Bx0yfVrcfh626~LTB9DEopVxZa3Nyh1~6G0NbUEVn9dxm5-F15Ogt~6~Mygp9nRrp7ULdwqg8jmRRHcUS5Nx9N5~lqdLCPmAOVkcfYga0Buw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Lowell City, MA","date","2025-06-10T21:35:45Z","article","The Lowell City Council approved a motion on June 10, 2025, to study and create a citizen tree committee and to pursue a street‑tree ordinance, after public comment warned that planned removals on Van Greenby Road threatened neighborhood canopy.

William Nichols, a neighborhood resident, told the council he learned of a possible removal of “8 to 10 trees” on Van Greenby Road only after attending a Highlands neighborhood meeting. Nichols said he walks the street often and opposed wholesale removal, urging a citizen review process that would inspect trees, consider alternatives and weigh neighborhood context.

City Manager (name not specified) told the council the administration had obtained a grant from the Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) and that the last thing the city wants is to clear‑cut streets: the grant will support developing an ordinance and a tree‑committee process. The manager said staff would involve neighborhood residents and that the city would not proceed with mass removals without additional review.

Councilors emphasized retention of urban canopy where possible, and engineering solutions for sidewalks and ADA issues. Councilor Gaethje referenced techniques to protect root zones and grade adjustments used in other communities. The manager indicated the city would add volunteers’ names to the planning process and suggested the resident volunteer as a potential committee member.

The council approved the motion to create a citizen tree committee and to move forward with ordinance development and community outreach.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Lowell City Council - June 10, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","Councilors voted to initiate a citizen tree committee and to develop a street‑tree ordinance after residents raised concern about a plan to remove eight to ten trees on Van Greenby Road; the city manager said the city received a DCR grant to support the work.","taxTitle","Lowell City, Middlesex County, Massachusetts","taxId",4223,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6207148,"Lowell council asks manager to study acquisition and reuse options for Superior Courthouse",1555,5461000,7016000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3759646-1c78b5c5150cb5f614a0111a66f14d30&start=5461&end=7016","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3759646-1c78b5c5150cb5f614a0111a66f14d30/thumbnail_5461000.jpg","/articles/6207148/Lowell-City/Middlesex-County/Massachusetts/Lowell-council-asks-manager-to-study-acquisition-and-reuse-options-for-Superior-Courthouse","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6207148-e459c13cd1442e0bcc67610ba39bf5e0/orig.mp4?Expires=1775403225&Signature=G~1rrc-bFZTeXldUl7IWwPSHIK-3JO~TElT3FPwwV-npswv3aBQCZQ6uuHnZMD7QgRWtOhrpdff21Kmko-XAUNugkk1Ov4xBMtmzZicYq~GEsNcA1C~PYsj~nvu7jIGZggtX0ZYDjQ38f9uj173MQvTiN~eYhPfMv9kWDBqugGJfK-AiAKvfHazRtW8lFWd9oJTRPrvPxgv5mo58~4CecnEO~JWZWh8m6qDT79wnL8QKsLWRR~CqbPcPZNZlHTE7h7yB6576T5bnZckCWttDvd3uAA05NGLkGWgyg31~lxyWhy9fT9341DeaWHPVnoaMd9Mq2d5J5KR~TsQTUypsQg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Lowell City Council voted June 10, 2025, to ask the city manager to convene an in‑depth discussion of the potential acquisition and reuse of the state’s Superior Courthouse property in central Lowell.

Councilor Hunter Robinson urged the council to consider taking control of the site to “take control over an opportunity” and avoid having the state or outside actors determine the property’s future. Robinson acknowledged the risks but said local control would let the city set development parameters rather than be presented with a completed plan.

City Manager (name not specified in the transcript) and other administration officials cautioned that the Superior Courthouse is an awkward, historically significant building that would require substantial investment to rehabilitate. The manager said prior discussions with state officials suggested the property could be complex to redevelop and that rehabilitation could involve very large sums. The manager also noted that the Commonwealth had preliminarily identified a sale price of $3,900,000 for the property.

Councilor Robinson and others discussed options including carving a short, time‑limited request for proposals (RFP) so the city could assess interest and require developer proposals that meet local priorities. The manager said the city would continue conversations with the state and DCAM (Division of Capital Asset Management) but expressed concern that the city could inherit an expensive, long‑term obligation.

The council approved a motion to task the manager with convening further discussions and to report back in approximately four weeks. No acquisition or purchase decision was taken; instead, the council sought more information and options for how to proceed.","Councilors voted to ask the city manager to convene a in‑depth review of the state‑owned Superior Courthouse property and options for local control, amid debate over feasibility, historic constraints and cost.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6207152,"Markley Group diesel tanks prompt noise and emissions concerns; council refers permit to public hearing",496,7264000,7760000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3759646-1c78b5c5150cb5f614a0111a66f14d30&start=7264&end=7760","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3759646-1c78b5c5150cb5f614a0111a66f14d30/thumbnail_7264000.jpg","/articles/6207152/Lowell-City/Middlesex-County/Massachusetts/Markley-Group-diesel-tanks-prompt-noise-and-emissions-concerns-council-refers-permit-to-public-hearing","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6207152-0391f43db7bd302377efbdae55753b10/orig.mp4?Expires=1775403225&Signature=GkRp4bGrsHkXBMEJcAc5NGymInZInt3srPyQ5mrhvW5jJiN5sdfkafsawSsPfOkfmf9IjbdyvO7XO1MXssbHoqyHlY7zRXyS1v45WYINnxky8ZYDWPjZGtwBjfWUdME7Pc0qsC8lpoP9PqWVRjrHLIAkiv1-q3I1Z59CHffuhXXJbUdfDWgAvPUHsp8biuBGkySLouMUixZzo9-A8lpGSh3b1U-juejL6WaOoP0-R~SG6LYTgKCk3UmQ9kOzMzmukGKTPskKF5Ph4HoqMqo5DljXzz8PceuoAyyHsO~j8iAHNfQycj-GRDMdkBU6ZYlYk5jLo~vHSBBRXcpQt8sg4g__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Lowell City Council’s environmental and flood‑issues subcommittee reported June 10 that representatives of the Markley Group — a data‑storage company with an existing generator campus in Lowell — have applied for permits to install additional diesel storage tanks to fuel backup generators. The council referred the matter to a public hearing set for June 24, 2025.

Subcommittee Chair Councilor Belanger summarized a presentation from company counsel and staff: Markley provides data‑center services to national and local customers and plans a phased approach to add additional generator capacity as demand increases. Attorney Bill Martin and company representatives told the subcommittee the proposed steel tanks meet state and federal requirements and that weekly required testing means generators typically run only briefly — “five minutes per week,” according to the presentation.

Deputy Fire Chief Crabtree told the panel the fire department had signed off on the request for safety purposes. Sustainability Director Catherine Moses said the project complies with Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP) regulations but recommended further discussions between Markley and the sustainability office about long‑term emissions and noise mitigation.

Neighbors and councilors expressed concern about incremental expansion. Councilor Scott noted a pattern of phased expansions and said abutters had reported the company has already acquired nearby homes and that additional tanks were under review by MassDEP. Other speakers urged that any permit be tightly conditioned and include mandatory periodic review and required meetings with the city’s sustainability director.

The subcommittee scheduled a site visit for next Wednesday evening so councilors and abutters can observe the facility, see the tanks and hear generator tests. The council referred the permit application to a public hearing on June 24, 2025.

The subcommittee and staff advised that city council licensing authority can include time limits and conditions; the solicitor’s office said the council could set the length of a license period and impose conditions within the scope of the statute governing fuel storage permits.","A planning subcommittee report and council action referred Markley Group’s application for additional diesel fuel storage to a public hearing, after neighbors raised concerns about noise, emissions and incremental expansion of backup generators.",{"_33":100,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":101,"_41":102,"_43":103,"_45":104,"_47":105,"_49":106,"_51":107,"_53":108,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":109,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":110,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6207155,"Council asks city manager to study parking‑permit program for small‑business employees",838,1378000,2216000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3759646-1c78b5c5150cb5f614a0111a66f14d30&start=1378&end=2216","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3759646-1c78b5c5150cb5f614a0111a66f14d30/thumbnail_1378000.jpg","/articles/6207155/Lowell-City/Middlesex-County/Massachusetts/Council-asks-city-manager-to-study-parkingpermit-program-for-smallbusiness-employees","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6207155-953ec6e3038278fe8dcb876b63075cde/orig.mp4?Expires=1775403225&Signature=D16NibujSgYppn8Thzb924~41KHYyCeOQJ~M3OXFXbKeLlj-UYD5o9wjFRDU8~~QzxMuxATntsAwkYFYuqtrzgEOeOyl-o8nnlbIU5fIL~62quJmzTWf92RgEYowsVrvV15LxNa7oWjmgagL19s4IU-qeZfHkw6stjQO12GFxyBNbpL6YxLbS2LsnPgPG~bMX6WIkzOo9z9fS2o7IwPHXPS93NSfqi0lnDGUD17U~u-~pVzlJSW~Q8DXEOOxSQo9WDmfglB4xzmgZ8-MV7P8AZn9Z2Uy06bg3O1Fc2tAM5E0iv07akMAzx61VgjVlYnloJ8K2ufFW4LMY7vPzNxTVQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Lowell City Council voted on June 10, 2025, to ask the city manager and relevant departments to study the feasibility of a parking‑permit or pass program for small‑business employees in corridors that face limited parking.

The motion, offered by Councilor Chao and seconded by Councilor Noon, was prompted by testimony from local business owners and a desire among councilors to support small employers who struggle to retain staff when employees are repeatedly ticketed.

Michael Kitt, co‑owner of Egg Roll Cafe, told the council that his business and its roughly 30 employees face short‑term meter limits that force workers to move cars multiple times a day. “They’re getting ticketed…$40 tickets at a time,” Kitt said, describing meters with two‑hour limits and ambiguous signage that led to frequent citations and staff parking up to six or seven blocks away.

Councilor Chao framed the motion as an expansion of a previous downtown pilot: the study should examine targeted permit access for employees in designated residential zones or underutilized side streets, equitable pricing models, signage and enforcement, and protections for customers’ access to metered space.

City Manager (unnamed in the transcript) told the council that the city’s parking ordinance has accumulated inconsistencies over decades and that the solicitor’s office is reviewing it; he said the administration hoped to present additional flexibility and options within two to four weeks, and to consider neighborhood pilots after that.

Council members who represent neighborhoods where small‑business parking is tight said they had received similar complaints and urged the manager to coordinate with the parking department and neighborhood businesses. Councilors Scott and Robinson said a permit program limited to employees — not customers — could help low‑wage workers and students who rely on short shifts.

The council approved the motion; staff will return with a feasibility report and options for a neighborhood permit or pass program.","Councilors voted to direct the city manager to study a proposal for employee parking permits or passes in neighborhood business corridors after business owners from the University Avenue area described daily ticketing and staff retention problems.",{"_33":112,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":113,"_41":114,"_43":115,"_45":116,"_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":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6207156,"Lowell council rejects housing production plan after heated debate over infrastructure and local control",2291,2793000,5084000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3759646-1c78b5c5150cb5f614a0111a66f14d30&start=2793&end=5084","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3759646-1c78b5c5150cb5f614a0111a66f14d30/thumbnail_2793000.jpg","/articles/6207156/Lowell-City/Middlesex-County/Massachusetts/Lowell-council-rejects-housing-production-plan-after-heated-debate-over-infrastructure-and-local-control","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6207156-efa3f0686cff7c392ece730af04e6d60/orig.mp4?Expires=1775403225&Signature=CGaDSQl63v2CvbdOPosLD2H4-xc1To256SzPOmQNXtywmQcau8z-kkfZVxawxMM0YRQRXfxt3JZXm3uzcPK4Nvu-8czoichZ5rFTz-PK0f6UKO9c1~wirvIKEijIIZC4qm9twnFj46LzKtdxEzZVe1R8qFa4LacXAK4EjbsqFBPIl97i7oDoRkxJDeA1JexaL2GFYB1DH4u5yssWB1cH1IN464u2GqABhHpcbdTdKj9-cQPuHPGRm4OCRg-bFyqwiVVU4kvWJnT01bnZNQDZNr69VZjpXqqBITXnxmftgCVvpYQtPZ6HxL9VhxAXKkX6TzSN7chVz27FLVlDh-Hbuw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Lowell City Council voted 6-5 on June 10, 2025, to reject a proposed housing production plan developed by the Department of Planning and Development and the Northern Middlesex Council of Governments (NIMCOG).

The vote came after more than two hours of public comment and debate in the council chamber. Supporters said adopting the plan would make Lowell more competitive for state housing grants; opponents said the plan risked overloading local infrastructure and changing neighborhood character.

The plan presented by city staff and consultants set targets and policy options for boosting housing production through 2030. Fran Sigliano, senior planner, told the council that adoption would not change local zoning immediately but would “gain preference in state grants,” a principal benefit staff outlined to the body.

Jennifer Raitt, executive director of NIMCOG, said the region’s other nine member communities had adopted housing production plans, and argued Lowell would be disadvantaged for state funding without one: “All of the other communities currently have adopted and approved housing production plans,” she said.

Opponents pressed a mix of fiscal and neighborhood concerns. Councilor Hunter Robinson said the city was being asked to shoulder more housing production “at what expense?” He warned the plan did not account for the city’s infrastructure limits and suggested surrounding communities were not taking comparable action.

Other councilors and residents raised specific fiscal concerns about water and sewer capacity. One speaker said system upgrades for parts of the city could cost “around $175,000,000,” a multi‑phase figure discussed during public comment and by council members when describing wastewater constraints.

Supporters urged the council to adopt a planning framework rather than block future projects. Backers noted that adopting a plan is a prerequisite to receive higher ranking for some types of state financial assistance and that the plan’s recommendations would still require separate public processes — zoning changes or specific project approvals would return to the council and planning board.

After roll-call voting, councilors voting yes were Councilor Chao, Councilor Genes (Jeunesse), Councilor Noon, Mayor O'Rourke and Councilor Young; councilors voting no were Councilor Belanger, Councilor Dakota, Councilor Gaethje, Councilor Mercia and Councilor Scott. The motion failed.

What happens next: city staff said adoption was not the only path to pursue housing projects, but with the vote failing the city will not receive the higher competitive preference for state grants that adoption would have provided. Staff and councilors said individual proposals will continue to be considered through the usual permitting and zoning processes.

The docketed motion to adopt the housing production plan was the main item on the agenda when the council took it up out of order; the council’s disposition was final on the night’s floor vote.","After more than two hours of debate, the Lowell City Council voted down a proposed housing production plan that would have given the city priority for certain state housing grants. Supporters said adoption would unlock funding; opponents cited infrastructure, school capacity and neighborhood impacts.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Lowell council to create citizen tree committee after neighborhood concerns over Van Greenby removals

Lowell council asks manager to study acquisition and reuse options for Superior Courthouse

Markley Group diesel tanks prompt noise and emissions concerns; council refers permit to public hearing

Council asks city manager to study parking‑permit program for small‑business employees

Lowell council rejects housing production plan after heated debate over infrastructure and local control