The council will decide whether to keep the city's tax classification the same for all ratepayers.
EASTHAMPTON — The City Council is holding three public hearings Wednesday night, including one on whether to change the city’s property tax classification.
The city currently charges one rate to all taxpayers – both homeowners and business owners. The Board of Assessors is recommending that the city continue to charge just a single rate.
“We feel there’s not enough commercial or industrial (property) to warrant that (change,)” said Principal Assessor Mark Dimauro.
He said nearly 88 percent of the real estate tax base is residential.
The city, meanwhile, will not be able to set a fiscal 2013 tax rate until after the election next month, he said.
Voters are being asked to approve a $1.4 million Proposition 2½ property tax override for the schools. The outcome will affect the tax rate.
The fiscal 2012 tax rate is $13.27 per thousand.
The council is holding a public hearing on a request from whether to endorse Riff’s Joint and Popcorn Noir for "over quota" liquor licenses.
The License Board two weeks ago in a 2 to 1 vote supported the requests as did the council’s ordinance committee.
Both eateries have seasonal all-alcohol liquor licenses, but that means they cannot sell alcohol from Jan. 1 to April 15. Owners of both businesses applied for over-quota licenses because the city has no all-alcohol licenses that are not being used.
The state sets municipal quotas on liquor licenses based on population. If the council approves, the requests for additional licenses will move on to the state Legislature for special permission. State Rep. John W. Scibak, D-South Hadley, says he supports the requests.
The council is also being asked to amend a zoning regulation that would allow the building inspector, instead of the zoning board of appeals, to approve an application for a project from a property owner who’s home does not conform to zoning, provided that the proposed change would conform, said City Planner Jessica Allan.
If a homeowner who now wanted to put a porch on a non-conforming structure for example, he or she would have to apply for a special permit from the Zoning Board of Appeals, which is costly and takes up agenda time for the zoning board, she said.
The change “reduces the cost to the applicant” and helps streamline the process. If the request, however, does not conform to zoning, the applicant would still have to apply for a special permit.
The Planning Board and Building Inspector recommend the proposed zoning change, she said.
The hearings are scheduled for 6:15 p.m. at the municipal building.