CSHCA General Membership Meeting
Meeting Minutes, January 3, 2021 • 7:00pm
Police Report 7:00-7:20 PM
- We’ll be joined by representatives from the BPD
Officer Downing – Taking the place of Officer Keamy tonight.
1 report:
Friday, Dec 17 9:24 PM Person shot 18 Hartland St. Victim sitting outside – gunshot wound to left angle. He was shot in Brockton about 30 mins prior. The victim stated he did know the suspect. Got the information and advised Brockton PD.
Questions for Officer Downing:
Motorcycle Question:
A phone call was made to PD due to people riding motor cycles through Savin Hill park – up the stairs and wheelies and doing damage, someone was supposed to be sent out, no one came. 3rd or 4th time – people riding in park.
A task force has been created for the motorcycles – “We don’t want to cause injury”. The task force usually tries to address them at a gas station. “We will let the unit know to go in and do their investigation.
Officer Downing: Have you been seeing them since call is made? No, that was last week… There are kids and dogs in the park, they went through the b-ball court.
Plan – We are advised to call the PD if this happens.
Anti-crime unit, unmarked car, a couple things we do. It is a sensitive issue, that is why we have a task force for them.
Toy Drive Question:
It went wonderful. We had so many toys. We sent out most of them. When the mayor came down, we had extra for kids on Bowdoin St. When people called, no one was turned away. C-11 has a twitter page. C-11CSO (Twitter) You can see where some of the toys went.
617-343-2544
A Special Guest 7:20 – 7:30 PM
Members of the Dorchester Ave Vision Committee have been talking about how to make Dot Ave more green; they’ll join us to talk about their work
Mike Keamy from the DOT Ave Vision Committee
We want to make a visual impact. Talking about trees and greenery at DOT Ave, Columbia Road and Freeport St. There are about 4 -5 blocks with no trees at all. We want to change that. Walks up and down Dot Ave with a list of empty tree pits, replacement of rain gardens (corner of Hancock and Columbia road) – A way to bring green to a street without needing to have a tree.
Professional survey of where we would like to see more trees.
Charlotte put it together. Potential projects for Dot Ave in our neighborhood.
Columbia Road – you see where trees were planted since 2015, Andrew Sq etc. In our area since 2015, very few trees planted compared to other areas. Blue markers show where we are suggesting potential rain gardens to be planted. Recommendation: about 30 – 40 new trees is what we are proposing. Petitioning some old and new businesses about putting some planters in front of their building (e.g.; Boys and Girl’s Club) – another way to add more green. The survey stops around Bay Street due to the new construction for now.
In order to get a tree planted – You have to be the owner of a home or a business – call 3-1-1 and put in a request. This is looking at how to make a bigger impact but putting in a whole neighborhood.
- Here’s a petition they’ve created
When you open the link to the petition, there is also a link to this survey:
Wu admin = Put forward plans to do tree canopy increase in the city of Boston. To consider how putting toward a plan, that we would push ourselves into the agenda that the city is calling an “urban forest”. David Michulum, Speak For The Trees, recent grants, people are worried about planting trees and watching the die. Teams of people to go around and water the trees during dry periods.
Dot Ave – some areas where there are no trees (e.g.; Sudan St). The city has promised to increase the tree canopy by 10%.
Does the Visionary Committee have a set of goals or what you see for businesses as a result of your work?
A clear set of goals… when a business comes, we can consider whether they are going to adhere to those goals before approval.
In the new year, a goal is to establish and agenda and focus on businesses, to get a task force just dealing with the businesses.
The Dorchester Bay City – 75 Million Dollars in community benefits – we are the most impacted by this development
The bad news is that, to date, there is no effort to get any community input into how this 75 million dollars will be distributed. Green spaces is a major goal of the civic association. Let’s get to the front of the line for this 75 million dollars – to use for this project.
Why are we being left out for the community benefits allocation? This is making sense and this will mitigate the impact of 10,000 units of housing coming into our neighborhood.
Why not go bigger and pick a few more streets?
Question:
How was the assessment made to put the trees? A certain area of space?
It was an informal process. There were several blocks with not one tree. There are city restrictions, but this is our wish list. The city will determine what areas can be planted and what cannot. Watching out for front doors… there was not scientific research behind it. We looked for blank spots with no trees. What was existing? What was missing? Tree pits? Other parts- near Ryan Playground – While rebuilding, there is a grass strip, a tree canopy would be nice!
There were blocks that may have 4 -5 trees all living, 20 feet tall. They can survive in these areas, they can survive other areas as well. There are some areas – Doris St, Walgreens, etc., sidewalks are narrow, businesses area up to the street.
Question:
Are we doing anything to retain the health of trees from dogs?
This had not been thought about. Idea of community coming together and suggesting an entire avenue of trees.
Committee Reports 7:30-8:00 PM
Engagement Committee
No meeting this past month.
Next meeting = this month
The Boston Little Saigon cultural district – has asked if we were interested in coordinating on some lanterns put up in Fields Corner. This is a new idea. Maybe we can work with this organization to collaborate?
Anh Hong closed – Owner trying to renew lease, landlord raised price, priced out, staff shortage issues, they will try to be back in Dot at some point.
Billboards Committee
This isn’t so much a committee but we are all opposed to the proliferation of billboards, esp electronic billboards. No new information – we have already sent letters in opposition.
MA office of outdoor advertising – meeting coming up on the 13th. Resubmit opposition for Billboards on 820 Morrissey Blvd. The first hearing was in July/August and it has been listed in their meetings as “taken under advisement”. Mike will re-register our position of opposition with them.
Mike will put out an email for neighbors to write letters of opposition.
Safety Committee
There was no meeting in December, next meeting is Tuesday, Jan 18th.
They are working on their agenda.
Community Benefits Committee
Don won’t repeat again – 75 million dollars available, we are not being asked our recommendations, we need to be more assertive and insert our recommendations.
There are 4 meetings coming up _ Dorchester Bay City. Jan 10 (Transportation/Infrastructure), Jan 20 (housing), Jan 21 – Public Realm, Feb 17 – Urban design and public space. Anyone can join by Zoom. They are throwing out stuff to talk about, but involving those communities more impacted (like “us”) is not happening. Disappointment in the City and Developers. Some ideas have been come up with to spend some money – But Don is seeking for more people to get involved and be more vocal.
Is there a process? Impact advisory groups. Large scale developers set aside money to mitigate the impact… that is formalized, that is structure. They’ve combined 2 IAGs… the W side of Morrissey Blvd. The East Side = Dot City Project. Community Advisory Committee (CAP).
What is our specific goal?
We are not going to change anyone’s mind if we are quiet. We have our wish list – we haven’t dollarized it. We have to have a more aggressive of saying “You can’t ignore us, we are the most impacted meeting”.
Recommendation – To have more meetings and more action.
Is there a meeting to decide as a neighborhood as to what we want?
We have had surveys to vote toward what we want the money to be spent on? This was for the civic association. There is a survey that exists that we could distribute more widely.
There was a strongly written email from the Community Advisory Committee from Acordia – “The process has been less than inspiring”. Fields Corner Mains St: On behalf of our group, we take our role seriously. Don recommends over the next meetings – seeing what happens. We need to mobilize – Say to Michelle Wu – this is wrong, this is not what you campaigned for…. Hopefully in the next meetings we will be hearing from elected officials now that they are elected. What will the mayor start doing with city agencies, etc? We have been in a waiting period.
Recommendation – To not wait too much longer. I don’t want to hear from our elected officials, I want to tell them what we are thinking. What we want to be hearing clearly is that we want to determine what happens to the money. I don’t think it is too early to send a letter welcoming her and expressing our concern that community voices are not being heard in the process. Rosemary recommended that a letter is sent now. Telling officials in the next months that we expect to hear from them. Don agrees with Rosemary. Maybe the executive committee can put together a letter Tuesday.
Mike emailed the Wu admin a week ago, he didn’t expect an answer but said he will follow up in the new year. Follow up with the at large city counselors now. Mike agreed with Rosemary, “Now is the time”.
This is a growing issue. Wu already has concerns with the BPDA.
Rosemary will draft a letter, the committee will look at it.
Don refreshed people’s memories – Dec 2020
Benefits committee – priorities – these are our issues. We did not attempt to dollarize it. We had green space as a priority.
PRIORITIES of CIVIC ASSOCIATION: Comprehensive planning, infrastructure, beautification, pedestrian walkways to the beach, green space – This is a guide to shape our interests and dollarize them as we went along.
Recommendation: Have benefits committee meeting memo written by the 25th
MAHA – Located on Dot Ave. Help lower income people buy houses across the state. They didn’t wait. They went right after Acordia and did a side deal. They are partial to affordable housing.
Beautification Committee
There needs to be a date scheduled to take the wreathes off the poles. Elizabeth reached out to Joe Costa about the bucket truck. Some additional hands will be needed to help with this.
Planning Committee
Dot Bay City – community benefits, transportation infrastructure meeting (Jan 10) – money to mitigate the impact of development – 1900 housing units which is only 20% of the total number in this area. They are projecting 60,000 car trips her day. How much money is appropriate to mitigate the impact of one development. Multiply that X 5 . They also expect they will use 786 gallons of water per day. We also need to think about how these issues will be addressed not only for this development but also down the pike. This discussion will be for Jan 10th. They have 3,000 parking spaces.
Last meeting: We talked about the project on Dot Ave – currently at the BPDA small project review. 23 units, undersized units, zero parking spaces, looking to populate 5 stories, a 70 foot building in a maximum height of 40 feet allowed, some sidewalk but no yard. Discussion about that design. We are hoping there will be some changes made to the plans and we will be hearing from them.
Next week’s meeting:
What the Beat is proposing:
They would like to come to the planning committee to discuss the variants. Getting more specifics for what we will be voting on. Vivarium – allowing enclosures for animals. “Cages”, storing the mice in the cages and the other animals they use. For the testing. MIT labs, etc. have them. The company forgot to put it in the ZBA. The hope = to get a general idea about the parameters of what that means. Catherine is waiting for docuents from ISB – once acquired she will submit them to the planning committee.
Abutters meetings:
Jan 4 • 6 PM – Hinkley St. Single home with parking spaces on a single lot
Jan 4 • Carson St, request for some additional paving for tandem parking,
Jan 5 is the project 841 Columbia road- request to build 3 story, 8 unit building with 8 parking spots.
Jan 17 –6:30 PM (Zoom) Discussion about planning statement, which has been around for edits
Miscellaneous 8:00 PM-?
Pear Square Collaborative – 501c3 – to raise money for purposes for specific projects
Artist
Taking pictures of the conditions of the square – appalling – tents, sleeping bags, garbage
These projects include addressing the conditions of the square. Responding would be a matter of the civic groups in the area. How to coordinate with one another. Columbia Savin Hill Civic. That’s how the art got there in the first place (Pear)… also facing situations such as vagrancy and the problems associated. Bringing appropriate parties in the city together. It is a serious problem there. The message is to make the civics aware – and how to address it in a collaboration.
Mike made a recommendation: Contacting 3-1-1 about the issues
Is this something the CSHCA might initiate? We can only call them once… maybe other people passing through – see something/say something.
How to make sure the square is included on the Mass & Cass Clean Up? We don’t want the solution to be that the problem ends up in Edward Everett Square. It is a disastrous mess there right now. Baker’s office has been helping but they are not keeping up with it.
- Bylaw amendments
- Don’t forget to renew your membership! – You must be a member in order to vote.
- Elections for leadership positions in the Spring. – Nominations in April, Voting in May
Mike noted: Head of the project for McConnell to come to the meeting in February – there have been a series of changes. Mike would like to hear from the Parks Dept on that matter.
George Huynh – Encouraged to get the booster shot – Jan 15th – Ages 12 and older must present proof of one shot. By Feb 15th the requirement is 2 shots. George will be working with Kevin Tran to get signs for Little Saigon that read in Vietnamese. Dorchester is very different than Chinatown.
Dot Bay City – upcoming meeting – George’s involvement is tangential. This is a BPDA project. He is on these meetings. For transparency, George submits a weekly memo and the biggest projects in the community. City driven initiatives. Dot Bay City is a 5 billion dollar project.