The Holyoke City Council on Jan. 21 approved an ordinance amendment and took final action to allow installation of a raised crosswalk or other traffic-calming measure on Nick Cosmos Way in front of the Boys & Girls Club and to amend the city's speed-hump ordinance to provide an exemption where there are no nearby residential homeowners or registered voters.

The ordinance committee had forwarded the order recommending adoption but members said the city's application rules did not clearly allow organizations such as the Boys & Girls Club to petition for a raised crosswalk because the existing process requires signatures from nearby registered voters. Councilor Israel Rivera said the council voted in support of the safety measure but that an accompanying amendment to the ordinance was needed to allow non-residential petitioners to be considered.

"We all voted in favor of approving this," Councilor Israel Rivera said during committee discussion, "but what was brought to my attention ... is that technically we don't actually have a process for the Boys and Girls Club to apply for a raised crosswalk." He told colleagues the committee would push written language to remove that procedural barrier.

Councilors suspended the rules to take final action that same night on item 18 and a late-file order (item 57) to amend the ordinance. The motion to pass and adopt the ordinance amendment carried on the council floor; the clerk recorded a unanimous vote to take final action and adopt the amendment.

Supporters said the measure addresses pedestrian safety at a frequently used crossing by children and staff. Engineering staff and DPW had told the committee that there is a traffic signal at the location that will be programmed to provide more protection when activated and that additional calming measures could help reduce vehicle speeds.

The council tabled one follow-up vote temporarily to allow staff to produce final drafting language and to make sure the amendment dovetails with the city's application procedures. Councilors asked that the proposed amendment be filed as a companion order so the council could formally adopt the ordinance language.

The ordinance change is effective upon publication according to standard city procedures; the council directed staff to prepare final text and administrative steps needed to implement the crosswalk and the exempted application route.

Votes and next steps: the council adopted the ordinance amendment (final action on item 18 and late-file item 57) and sent drafting and implementation details to staff for execution. The ordinance amendment explicitly creates an application exemption for places where the petition-signature rule prevents non-residential entities from applying, clearing the way for the Boys & Girls Club crossing request to proceed to design and installation work.

Ending: City staff and the ordinance committee will prepare the formal amendment text and follow up with DPW and the city engineer on implementation details and timing for the raised crosswalk.