A rezoning proposal to convert two Holyoke parcels on Dwight Street to downtown-residential zoning was presented Thursday and the City Council committee continued the public hearing to Feb. 19.

The applicants, listed in the agenda as Thiago Martins and Jeffrey Diaz for 736 Dwight Street and Thiago Martins for 712–718 Dwight Street, seek to change the parcels from their current BL zoning to downtown-residential to permit construction of attached duplex and triplex townhomes. "Our plan ... was to develop row houses that are handicap accessible," Thiago Martins said, adding the project would increase rental housing and produce new tax revenue for the city.

The committee said it will hold the hearing open so the planning board can review the application and provide a recommendation. Councilor Israel Rivera moved to continue the hearing to Feb. 19 at 6:30 p.m.; the motion was seconded by Councilor Jenny Rivera and approved.

Martins described the project as two mirror plans on opposite sides of the block, each consisting of six units (a duplex plus a triplex). He said interior layouts will have an open first-floor plan with bedrooms on the second floor and basements, and that some exterior design elements will aim to resemble brownstone-style facades though vinyl siding may be used. "I have some 3D renditions," he said; the council requested Martins provide those renderings to staff so members can review them before the next hearing.

Committee members asked about parking and site layout. Martins said the 712 property has space behind the building that can be developed for vehicle parking and that the original plan submitted during land acquisition showed more units than currently proposed; he said the revised scheme is intended to provide roughly one parking space per apartment. Councilor Linda Bacon and others emphasized that parking will be a major issue in the block's future redevelopment.

Martins said he has met with the building department and planning board staff but had not yet had an official planning-board hearing; the planning board's public hearing was scheduled for Feb. 11. The committee left the public hearing open to allow that process to run and for any supplemental materials to be submitted to the council.

The public hearing will reconvene Feb. 19 at 6:30 p.m.; the council asked Martins to send the project renditions and any updated plans to the administrative assistant ahead of that date.