MassVoter.com← Taunton Municipal CouncilTaunton Municipal Council · 2024–2025 Council · Regular meeting
August 26, 2025
24 recorded votes, 2 with disagreement.
Sources: Official minutes (PDF) · City meeting page
A monthly email on what it voted on, starting in November.
Attendance
Present: John McCaul, Estele Borges, Scott Martin, David Pottier, Barry Sanders, Lawrence Quintal, Jeffrey Postell, Phillip Duarte, Christopher Coute
Absent: None
Every vote, in order
Upon the petition of the City of Taunton, 15 Summer Street, Taunton, on the Proposed Changes to the City of Taunton Zoning Ordinance Dated June 17, 2025.
To open the hearing and invite the interested parties into the enclosure
From the minutes
“Motion was made to open the hearing and invite the interested parties into the enclosure. So Voted..”
Councilor Coute stated that he would support having the zoning change as it will allow mitigation if issues were to arise.
To open public input
From the minutes
“Motion was made to open public input. So Voted..”
No one spoke during public input.
To close public input and approve as presented
Yes: Coute, Duarte, Martin, McCaul, PostellNo: Borges, Pottier, Quintal, SandersThe minutes say the motion did not pass even though more councilors voted for it than against; some council votes need more than a simple majority.
From the minutes
“Motion was made to close public input and approve as presented. On a roll call vote, nine (9) Councilors were 4 present, five (5) Councilors voted in favor (Councilors Coute, Duarte,. Postell, Martin and McCaul), four (4) Councilors voted in opposition (Councilors Quintal, Sanders, Pottier and Borges). The motion does not pass..”
Hearing: Upon the petition of the City of Taunton, 15 Summer Street, Taunton, on the Proposed Changes to the City of Taunton Zoning Ordinance Dated June 17, 2025
To open the hearing and invite the interested parties into the enclosure
From the minutes
“Motion was made to open the hearing and invite the interested parties into the enclosure. So Voted..”
Councilor Sanders asked to meet with the Law Department and share some of their concerns.
To reconsider the matter in two weeks on September 9, 2025
From the minutes
“Motion was made to reconsider the matter in two weeks on September 9, 2025. So Voted..”
Councilor Coute stated that he would support having the zoning change as it will allow mitigation if issues were to arise.
To open public input
From the minutes
“Motion was made to open public input. So Voted..”
No one spoke during public input.
To close public input
From the minutes
“Motion was made to close public input. So Voted..”
Councilor Duarte clarified with Attorney Costa that there is no concern with placing residential units on the property.
To approve changing the zoning of 16 Park Street from Office District to Business District
From the minutes
“Motion was made to approve changing the zoning of 16 Park Street from Office District to Business District. So Voted..”
To approve changing the zoning of 17 Park Street from Office District to Urban Residential District
From the minutes
“Motion was made to approve changing the zoning of 17 Park Street from Office District to Urban Residential District. So Voted..”
So Voted.
To close the hearing and excuse the parties
From the minutes
“Motion was made to close the hearing and excuse the parties. So Voted..”
To go out of the regular order of business to Communications from City Officers page #3
From the minutes
“Motion was made to go out of the regular order of business to Communications from City Officers page #3. So Voted..”
Communications from City Officers:
To invite the Election Director into the enclosure
From the minutes
“Motion was made to invite the Election Director into the enclosure. So Voted..”
Com. from Susan Hanlon, 116 Joanne Drive, Taunton expressing support for the Election Director
To revert to the regular order of business
From the minutes
“Motion was made to revert to the regular order of business. So Voted..”
The Assistant City Clerk read a communication from Mayor O'Connell regarding the creation of a new water pay-rate tier specifically for manufactured home communities.
To receive and place on file
From the minutes
“Motion was made to receive and place on file. So Voted..”
Com. from Susan Hanlon, 116 Joanne Drive, Taunton expressing support for the Election Director
To receive and place on file
From the minutes
“Motion was made to receive and place on file. So Voted..”
Com. from the DPW Commissioner the Department of Public Works requests the approval to transfer funds in the amount of $500.00 related to the FY25 clerical education incentive.
To refer to the Committee on Finance and Salaries
From the minutes
“Motion was made to refer to the Committee on Finance and Salaries. So Voted..”
Petition submitted by Abdelaziz Moussali, 790 Cohannet Street, Taunton requesting a name change only for his Class II License from Aziz Tire Service 7 Center, Inc
To refer to the Committee on Police and License and the Police Chief
From the minutes
“Motion was made to refer to the Committee on Police and License and the Police Chief. So Voted..”
Host Community Agreement Waivers 1. Request submitted by Jenish Patel, Cape Highway Canna LLC requesting approval of their Host Community Agreement for a Retail Marijuana Facility to be located at 225 Cape Road, East Taunton 02718.
To refer to the Special Committee of the Council President, the Chair of the Committee on Police and License and the Chair of the Committee on Ordinances and Enrolled Bills
From the minutes
“Motion was made to refer to the Special Committee of the Council President, the Chair of the Committee on Police and License and the Chair of the Committee on Ordinances and Enrolled Bills. So Voted..”
2. Request submitted by Michael Kinahan, Trade Group, LLC -dba- Bloom Canna requesting approval of their Host Community Agreement for a Retail Marijuana Facility to be located at 600 County Street, Taunton, 02780.
To refer to the Special Committee of the Council President, the Chair of the Committee on Police and License and the Chair of the Committee on Ordinances and Enrolled Bills
From the minutes
“Motion was made to refer to the Special Committee of the Council President, the Chair of the Committee on Police and License and the Chair of the Committee on Ordinances and Enrolled Bills. So Voted..”
Special Permit Petition submitted by Michael Lopes, 18 Reed Street, Taunton, MA 02780 for a special permit for a development consisting of 29 residential units at 18 Reed Street, Taunton, MA 02780 located in the Urban Residential District.
To refer to the City Clerk to schedule a public hearing
From the minutes
“Motion was made refer to the City Clerk to schedule a public hearing. So Voted..”
Committee reports
For Committee Reports to be read by title and approved
From the minutes
“Motion was made for Committee Reports to be read by title and approved. So Voted..”
Petition submitted by Michael Lopes, 18 Reed Street, Taunton, MA 02780 for a special permit for a development consisting of 29 residential units at 18 Reed Street, Taunton, MA 02780 located in the Urban Residential District
To approve work towards acquiring the property by 8 eminent domain or by other means and that any mitigation efforts come back to the Council for consideration
Yes: Borges, Martin, McCaul, Postell, Pottier, QuintalNo: Coute, Duarte, Sanders
From the minutes
“Councilor Pottier motioned to approve work towards acquiring the property by 8 eminent domain or by other means and that any mitigation efforts come back to the Council for consideration. On a roll call vote, nine (9) Councilors were present, six (6) Councilors voted in favor (Councilors McCaul, Borges, Martin, Pottier, Quintal and Postell), three (3) Councilors voted in opposition (Councilors Sanders, Duarte and Coute). The motion passes..” (Motion: Pottier)
Resolutions: NONE
To change the City Council meetings as follows: the September 23, 2025 meeting will be moved to Monday, September 22, 2025 at 7:30am; the November 4, 2025 meeting will be moved to November 3, 2025 at 7:30am and the November 11, 2025 meeting will be moved to November 10, 2025 at 7:30am
From the minutes
“Motion was made to change the City Council meetings as follows: the September 23, 2025 meeting will be moved to Monday, September 22, 2025 at 7:30am; the November 4, 2025 meeting will be moved to November 3, 2025 at 7:30am and the November 11, 2025 meeting will be moved to November 10, 2025 at 7:30am. So Voted..”
Councilor Pottier requested to refer the issue of speeding on Davis Street to the Safety Officer.
To move approval
From the minutes
“Motion was made to move approval. So Voted..”
From the official minutes kept by the Taunton City Clerk (agendas and minutes). From the Taunton Municipal Council’s official minutes, posted in the city’s Agenda Center. Most items pass by voice (“So voted”), and the minutes record only the result for those; how each councilor voted is shown for roll calls. MassVoter never grades officials; votes and attendance are shown exactly as the minutes record them. MassVoter never grades officials; votes and attendance are shown exactly as the minutes record them. Councilor photos: City of Taunton Municipal Council page (taunton-ma.gov). Former councilors show initials.
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