Community Development and Planning Newsletter - June 2022 |
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Save the Date
Open Space and Rec Plan Forum
June 9TH, 6-7:30 pm
Legislative Building, Fitchburg City Hall
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The City of Fitchburg is in the process of updating its Open Space and Recreation Plan, a seven-year plan which sets open space, conservation and recreation goals for the city, and provides an action plan to accomplish those goals. The Community Development and Planning Department is leading this effort, in partnership with the Department of Public Works and with the support of BSC Group and the Fitchburg Open Space and Recreation Plan Update Advisory Committee. |
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Tell Us What You'd Like to See
In Fitchburg's Open Spaces
Your Voice is Important, Fill Out Our Survey
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Please help us create the city’s road map for improving and protecting Fitchburg’s open space and recreation resources by:
1) Completing the
&
2) Providing feedback through the
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These surveys close on June 16th, 2022. |
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Riverfront Park Stage Receives National
Neighborhood Promise Grant
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NewVue Communities, in partnership with the City of Fitchburg, is proud to announce that we’ve received a National Neighborhood Promise grant for $200,000 from the Republic Services Charitable Foundation to support our project at the Riverfront Park in Fitchburg. Funding from Republic Services will help to build a permanent stage at the park and clean up debris along the shore of the river. These funds will be supported through a gift from the Friends of Riverfront Park, a $25,000 earmark from Representative Kushmerek, as well as the $50,000 in design funding appropriated by City Council in May 2022.
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Fitchburg Awarded EPA Brownfields Grant |
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The City of Fitchburg recently received notice that our application for funding through the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) through the Brownfields Assessment Grant Program has been approved in the amount of $300,000. Brownfield sites are properties where reuse may be complicated by the presence or potential presence of a hazardous substance, pollutant or contaminant. Environmental assessments are an essential step in removing barriers to the reuse of these brownfield sites by determining what hazards, if any, actually exist and how expensive remediation is likely to be. These funds will allow the City to conduct environmental assessments of several key properties over the next 4 years.
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40U, Vacant Property Registry Will Give Tools to Address Vacant & Problem Properties |
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This spring, the City began took the first steps to adopt two new pieces of legislation to address blight and streamline code enforcement actions. In April of 2022, the Community Development Department, on behalf of the NICE Task Force, brought two petitions to council - the adoption of Mass General Law Chapter 40U, and a new Vacant Property Registry Ordinance.
40U is legislation that allows Cities and Towns to designate a local municipal hearing officer to hear appeals of City-issued fines, including code violations. Currently owners appealing fines at court, lengthening the process of achieving compliance. Adopting the law allows the City to create a system for fines & appeals and creates a process for collecting unpaid fines.
The Vacant Property Registry Ordinance adds to the existing Board of Health Vacant Property Registry regulation with a City ordinance. The new ordinance has some similarity to the existing Board of Health Regulation, but as an ordinance, can accommodate more flexibility to allow some policy exemptions, provides for an escalating annual registration fee based on duration of vacancy, and has more specific property maintenance standards.
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Emergency Small Business Grants Now Available |
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The City has released its last round of COVID related emergency assistance from the remaining CDBG-CARES ACT fund.
Preference will be given to applicants who were originally approved for the Small Business Administration's EIDL- Economic Injury Disaster Loan, or RRP, Restaurant Revitalization Program, but later denied funding due to no fault of the business applicant and applicants must have been in business prior to March of 2020 to be eligible.
Applications will open until June 10th at 2PM Applications are available by clicking the link here: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/Y2GRJTT. City staff will reach out to applicants via email to obtain supporting documentation for the application. For more information, contact Housing and Development Director Liz Murphy at 978-829-1897.
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Main/Boulder Conversion nears June 30th Completion |
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In the past month, PJ Albert and MTK have continued make significant advances throughout the project. The installation of new street lights on Boulder Drive and light bases and pull boxes on Main Street began last month as well as the excavation of wheelchair ramps throughout the project.
The new traffic signals will replace the old signals starting June 7th, and work to install the Cushing Street water main will be completed by the end of the week.
Stay tuned for announcements regarding the two-way conversion, which will officially take place later this month. CDP will work with the Mayors office, DPW and FPD to spread the word about this important change.
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Save Your Trees Join Our Forest Forum |
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Coming Soon Community Mural Installation |
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The Community Mural Institute paint parties were held during the first week of May to bring the community together to help paint three new murals that will be installed Downtown this June. These murals were designed though a collaboration of local artists and here community groups. The artists participated in the Institute to learn new methods and techniques to deepen their skillset as muralist. These murals will be installed using the Polytab Method, which involves painting the mural on a lightweight and durable fabric called Polytab, which is then applied to the building in a manner similar to installing wallpaper. The fabric sections were prepared with outlines of the mural design and were filled in by community members using a paint-by-numbers strategy to create the mural. The artists in the Institute have been applying final details to the murals, and they will be installed mid-June.
A ribbon-cutting is tentatively scheduled for the three murals on Sunday, June 26th at 1pm
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Celebrating Inclusiveness at Sam Pawlak
Community Playground
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Over 100 people turned out for the Ribbon Cutting to celebrate the opening of the Sam Pawlak Community Playground at Parkhill Park on May 12, 2022. This inclusive playground has wheelchair-accessible and easy transfer pieces as well as a variety of sensory experiences and other play features which can be enjoyed by children of all abilities. There is also comfortable and accessible seating areas for children and caretakers.
Speakers at the event included Recreation Director Nate LaRose, Mayor DiNatale, Special Educators Judy Jollimore and Beth LeBlanc who conceived of the idea for this park and Donna Pawlak, representing the Pawlak family. They were joined by Senator John Cronin and Representative Michael Kushmerek in opening the park.
Attendees heard the story of how this park became a reality – from the creation of the Sam Pawlak Community group by Beth and Judy – this group undertook initial fundraising and planning and received approval from the Parks Board to build the playground in an existing city park - to the group’s eventual full partnership with the city. Speakers outlined how, with the support of the Mayor, the community group worked with the Community Development Department to acquire and cobble together the funds needed to make the park a reality. Funding included almost $40,000 in donations raised by the Sam Pawlak Community Group, a $400,000 PARC grant from the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs secured by the Community Development Department, $125,000 in Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funding committed by the city and a state earmark in the amount of $43,000. The city and group members then worked with Weston & Sampson Landscape Architects to finalize the design of the park which was constructed by JAM Corp., out of Worcester.
After the ribbon was cut, children and families could be seen enjoying the amenities of the park, and enjoying the free ice-cream from Pops Sweet-Hearts ice-cream truck which the Sam Pawlak Community group provided as part of the days’ celebration.
The park honors beloved longtime city resident, educator and community leader Sam Pawlak, who died in 2015 from ALS. Many of his friends and family were among the group who gathered for the ribbon cutting. All involved in the development of this park hope that it is a fitting tribute to his legacy and is enjoyed and cared for by the community for many years to come.
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City of Fitchburg | Community Development and Planning Department
718 Main Street, Suite 308
Fitchburg, MA 01420
(978) 829-1890
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