cityseal


 Committee on Legislative Matters
 and the Northampton City Council


Members
Councilor Laurie Loisel, Chair
Councilor Garrick Perry, Vice Chair
Councilor Rachel Maiore 
Councilor Chris Stratton



MEETING AGENDA
Date:  March 9, 2026
Time: 6 p.m.
Council Chambers, 212 Main Street
Northampton, MA
The March 9, 2026 Legislative Matters Committee organizational meeting will be conducted in hybrid format with the option for both councilors and the public to attend in person or participate remotely. The public can follow the committee's deliberations by attending in person or joining the virtual meeting by phone or by computer. The meeting will be recorded for later broadcast on Comcast Channel 15 and uploaded to the Northampton Government Video Archive on YouTube.

Live public comment will be available using zoom link or telephone call-in beginning at 6 p.m.

INSTRUCTIONS FOR CALLING IN OR JOINING THE MEETING

 

PUBLIC MEETING LINK
For telephone call-in, call:
 +929 436-2866 US
MEETING ID: 832 2233 1279
PARTICIPANT #: #
PASSCODE: 382350
 


1.

Meeting Called to Order and Roll Call

2.

Announcement that meeting is being audio/video recorded

This meeting is being audio and video recorded.

3.

Public Comment

4.

Approval of Minutes of Previous Meeting

A.

Minutes of July 17, 2025 Joint Planning Board/Legislative Matters Committee meeting, November 10, 2025 LM Meeting and February 9, 2026 Organizational Meeting

Documents:
  1. 11-10-2025_Committee_on_Legislative_Matters.pdf
  2. 07-17-2025_Joint PB-Legislative_Matters Minutes.pdf
  3. 02-09-2026_Committee_on_Legislative_Matters_Organizational Meeting.pdf
5.

Discussion with Planning Director Carolyn Misch

Review of  the process by which zoning change ordinances and amendments make their way to Legislative Matters and on to full council for consideration and voting. This discussion will use as case studies two proposed zoning changes that have been discussed for some time, but have not been introduced yet. Those are proposed amendments related to a proposed reduction in side yard setback and a proposal to eliminate need for site plan approval for two-family homes greater than 2000 square feet. There will be no decisions made

Documents:
  1. URB Setback Change.pdf
  2. 2Fam Size update.pdf
6.

Items Referred to Committee

None.

7.

Set Meeting Schedule and Format for 2026 - 2027

Documents:
  1. Legislative Matters Meeting Schedule 2026-2027.pdf
8.

New Business

9.

Adjourn

Contact Laurie Loisel at
lloisel@northamptonma.gov