President: Elizabeth Doyle
Vice President: Eileen Boyle
Treasurer: Des Rohan
Minutes: Doreen Miller
Attendance numbers: In person – 15; on Zoom – 36.
Updates on Procedure
Elizabeth Doyle explained
- How the agenda follows the By-Laws
- How the E-Board Meetings will now take place on the last Monday of the Month to prepare the general meeting agenda and discuss pertinent business.
- That meetings will start on time and agenda items/speakers will be given strict time limits.
Police Report (Officer Keaney)
- 9/13, 7 PM. A motor vehicle was stopped at Columbia Road and Buttonwood Street. Bags of crack and class B substances were found in the car. A 61-year-old male from Dorchester was arrested and charged.
- 9/19, 9:45 AM. While officers were clearing out the park by Harborview Street, a driver in a green CRV was honking the horn at the police to have them clear the road. The car was subsequently pulled over, and officers discovered the 31-year-old male was driving with a suspended license and had three Quincy motor vehicle warrants out for his arrest. He was arrested and the car towed. The owner of the vehicle was fined $1,000 for allowing an unlicensed driver to operate the car.
- There are no updates on the woman who was hit by lightning on September 9.
- The bicycle rider who was hit by a car door and bus on Dorchester Ave is still in critical condition. The Attorney General will decide how to cite the careless driver who swung open the door without looking. If the woman dies, the driver may be looking at involuntary manslaughter.
- There will be 15 extra officers on duty for Halloween.
September Minutes and Treasurer’s Report
- The Minutes from September 11 were approved by general membership.
- Treasurer’s Report (Des Rohan)
- As of 7/31/2023, we have $29,417 in the CSHCA account.
- We received
- $1,200 in new memberships
- $1,900 in Event’s Committee sponsorships and donations
- For year-to-date expenses in 2023, we had expenditures in Beautification, Technology, and the Events Committee that roughly offset the income received.
Committee Reports
- Safety Committee (Jennifer Deabler)
- Walgreen’s Updates
- The new district manager is responsive and open to communication.
- She is
- Building a strong relationship with BPD.
- Taking steps to improve security.
- Looking into security flood lights around the property
- Looking into repairing or replacing the fencing.
- There are no updates on future plans for the now sold property.
- Mail Theft at Boxes in the Neighborhood
- Jake and his neighbor Marty put up a camera at the box near 219 Savin Hill Avenue and caught on tape three thieves with a key who come generally on Mondays at 5 AM to empty the box.
- They shared this tape with Rhondella Richardson of Channel 5, who came to the neighborhood, interviewed residents who had had checks stolen, washed, and altered to very high amounts. This was recently aired on the local news.
- Bottom line: Don’t use any of the blue mailboxes in the area, especially if your mail contains checks or other personal information. Mail your letters directly inside your local post office.
- Slow Streets Campaign (Jake)
- The Slow Down for Savin Hill safety campaign is taking off with resident support.
- The website is: www.slowdown.boston
- Signage
- Pole signs have been put up around the area.
- Three variations of lawn signs have been distributed to neighbors around the neighborhood.
- If you are interested in putting up a lawn sign, contact Jake or the Safety Committee Chairs, Jennifer and Dianne.
- More information about the campaign and an order form for a lawn sign can be found on the Safety Committee webpage.
- Signs will be free to paid members.
- The cost for one sign with stand is $12 when we order 100.
- Walgreen’s Updates
- Beautification Committee (Elizabeth Doyle)
- Bulbs have been ordered and should arrive in time to be sold at the 10/15 Music in the Park event.
- Maureen McQuillen has requested 500 daffodil bulbs from the city.
- They need to be planted on city property.
- If you have any ideas where you would like to see them planted, let Elizabeth Doyle know.
- Events Committee (Michelle Miller)
- The 9/30 Historic Walking Tour of Savin Hill led by Dorchester Historical Society President Earl Taylor, was a huge success.
- We counted 75 in attendance.
- We would like to this to be a repeating event.
- The Third Annual Music in the Park, Sunday, Oct. 15 from 1 – 4 PM
- We have two musician performances from 1 PM – 2 PM.
- The local Savin Hillbillies will play from 2 – 4 PM
- There will be snacks and hot and cold refreshments.
- CSHCA T-shirts will be sold at the event. We are working on getting a T-shirt order form up on the CSHCA website as well.
- The Kids’ Halloween Parade (Heidi Moesinger for Michelle Carmell)
- It will take place on Saturday, October 28 starting at 3:45 PM – meet down at the beach and parade over to Savin Hill Park for fun festivities.
- Membership voted unanimously to approve a donation of $350.
- The 9/30 Historic Walking Tour of Savin Hill led by Dorchester Historical Society President Earl Taylor, was a huge success.
- Community Benefits Committee (CBC) (Don Walsh)
- Don gave a brief update on how and why the committee began 7 years ago.
- They have created a priority list of how to best use the Community Benefits money that will be coming in from all the developments happening around us.
- We are considering renaming the greater area impacted by all this development “Dorchester Bay.”
- Center Court on Morrissey Boulevard has offered a “no-strings-attached” gift of $750,000 directly to the CSHCA. There should be a membership vote at the November General Meeting on whether or not to accept the money.
- Dorchester Bay City will be contributing $1 million towards infrastructure improvements, including Dorchester Avenue, through the BPDA.
- The committee has written up and distributed a first draft of how the $750,000 should be spend over three years.
- These include but are not limited to:
- Hiring a staff person to advocate for us to officials, publicize the issues, and develop and implement strategies post membership approval.
- Hiring a professional consultant to help us articulate our vison and get ahead of the next potential development of the area bounded by Freeport Street, Dorchester Ave, and Bay Street.
- Working with CSHCA committees by allocating $20,000 per committee per year for expenditures.
- Read and think about the recommendations in the first draft.
- Come to the 10/18 CBC meeting at the Savin Hill Yacht Club on Morrissey Boulevard, at 7 PM for further discussion and creation of a second draft.
- The process includes presenting the document to the E-Board and then taking it to general membership for approval. The goal is to have a clear overview of how we want to spend the money by the end of the year.
- These include but are not limited to:
- David Butler met with Senator Collins about local roadway infrastructure.
- There will be a meeting in November followed up by meetings in the spring on how to improve K-circle and Morrissey Boulevard.
- We demand a seat at the table.
- We should create a list of our priorities in this regard.
- Come to the October 18th meeting (see above) for further discussion. If you cannot make the meeting, email your questions, ideas, and concerns to Don Walsh to include at the meeting.
- Planning Committee (Kristine Hoag)
- Tony King on Savin Hill Avenue has decided to push the presentation to membership and vote out to November, after the abutters’ meeting on 10/11.
- 33 Pearl Street Presentation Synopsis
- Tear down a one-family and build a 6-unit condo structure with 8 parking spots.
- Remove the garage and center the new building on the lot.
- Three variances are sought:
- 2F >> 6F
- FAR: .5 >> .95
- 2.5 stories >> 3 stories, capped at 33 feet.
- This was opposed by the Planning Committee.
- Questions and Concerns
- Some would like to see more green space. The developers are looking into green pavers and flex space to accommodate this.
- There is no ZBA date yet. The developers will let Kristine know when they get a date.
- The idea of the mansard roof came from abutters.
- There will be a fully enclosed space for trash.
- Going from a one family to six units is creating too much density, turning us into South Boston.
- Membership vote on the project is as follows:
- In support: 7 (6 invalid votes)
- In opposition: 14 (4 invalid votes)
- Abstain: 2
Updates from Representative Rep. Dan Hunt’s office (Hunter Lamm)
- Hunter introduced himself and gave some updates
- The Morrissey Boulevard and K-Circle Commission has been legislatively created through Senator Nick Collins office.
- DCR and MA DOT have been asked to meet with reps on the Morrissey plans. There has been no response to date.
- DCR has been having a lot of senior staff turnover.
- There is a new MA DOT secretary.
- CSHCA would like to have someone from our association appointed to the commission as it concerns infrastructure in our district.
- DCR and MA DOT have been asked to meet with reps on the Morrissey plans. There has been no response to date.
- There is no timetable for a new bike lane.
- Members would like to see Columbia Road up to Edward Everett Square included in this redesign to address needed improvements.
- Other questions include:
- Concerns about rent stabilization
- The temporary gate at Dorchester Yacht Club being in the wrong place, and the final positioning of the permanent gate.
- Hunter Lamm said he would take down names and contact information to bring membership questions and concerns to the respective stakeholders to get answers.
- If you have any further questions or concerns, you can contact Hunter at: Hunter.Flamm@MAhouse.gov
New Business
- Get someone to come to address the derelict property at 1080 Dorchester Ave, the former Theo’s Pizza shop. Meanwhile, people are encouraged to report the property as derelict on 311.
- Get city liaison Ross Cochran to come to the November meeting to address community concerns as well as plans for the Christmas Tree lighting.
- Get updates on the future plans for Walgreens by the new owners Safety chairs said they would stay on top of this issue.
The Next General Membership Meeting: Monday, November 6, 7 PM sharp at the Boys’ and Girls’ Club, 4th floor, and on zoom. The zoom link is on the CSHCA calendar.