Meeting Minutes: October 4, 2021

• Police Report is now cut out (?)

• We are not eliminating them from the process

• They are always welcome to attend

• We feel the time may be used better

Planning Committee 7:00-7:20 PM

• Presentation, discussion, and vote on a proposed project at 174 Savin Hill Ave; see plans here and here

Proposal to put a single family home on an undersized lot. Before we get into that, the meeting is again next Tuesday to look at projects – 7 PM

Update on Planning

• 841 Columbia Road = 9 units/8 parking spots

• 37 Pearl Street

• Liquor license proposal

• 683 Columbia Road = ZBA date of Oct 19

• 174 Savin Hill Ave will become part of the conversation again. The vote is on a single family home. This vote that we take – a letter is sent to the ZBA. We recommend that the ZBA makes a choice. The impact we have on ZBA decisions – “It is hard to say”. We will have an opportunity to ask comments and to vote. People can speak but not as long as they want to….

Catherine O and Owen – giving a presentation. Planning committee voted in favor of the project. Grateful for the support. We had an abutters meeting/planning meeting/tonight at this general membership meeting she is asking for our support. Owen Thomas showed report from Boston ISD. Refusal letter:

– Limitation of area/accessory use/side yard parking/in addition to what is provided by the zoning code. We are providing a 1 car parking garage

underneath the home. We are proposing 2 additional parking spaces to the side.

– The lot is undersized – Now setting back the parking 3 feet, etc.

Questions/comments:

– This lot is zoned as unusable/unbuildable/ too small

– Many opponents and proponents for this project

– Vote took place: CSHCA membership voted to support the project

A Special Guest 7:20-7:35 PM

• This time we will hear from District 3 City Councilor Frank Baker; he’ll share his vision for the district and the city and take some questions

Election coming up in November – requesting your support

Reliable City Councilor

Dropping the speed limit, sharps teams (people 8 hours per day pick up needles), Dot Block will be a success when all said and done, kick-off party at the beat the other night to show people what is going on. Many opportunities in that building – Job training, life sciences organizations – 5 – 6 million square feet of lab space…

How to be training for these jobs. Using the Globes as a pilot for job training. Mass BioEd, Jewish Vocational Services/Job training = tools in your hands, Allowing kids from our surrounding neighborhoods to have access to these jobs, UMASS property, putting in a nursing program/nursing school in that area, frontloading affordable housing, etc.

Questions:

One thing that strikes me right now, the neighborhood is under pressure around development, big numbers thrown around, the neighborhood is historic, talks about the formerly incarcerated people in our neighborhood – basic question: How many incarcerated people and homeless people are currently living in our neighborhood/in our district?

Answer:

Frank does not have those specific numbers. Mass & Cass is also in this district – probably 700 – 800 people living in tents. The formerly incarcerated – not just district 3. Job training and housing units directly above it. This will be open to those coming out of Suffolk Co. The thought is about the more we are helping

people on the margins in all of our neighborhoods, the better off we as a society will be if we are not having to steal, etc.

Question:

Mass & Cass – Why the lack of information until now? We don’t engage with rallies. Other neighborhoods are vocal about this. What are your plans other than to add housing for formerly incarcerated? One lane is blocked due to tents, etc.

Answer:

Take Nashua street – Make it a public health facility/ repurpose to a facility for drug diversion, there is currently no facility. Repurpose it for section 35 and section 12.

Question:

You voted against the eviction moratorium. Why was that? Was it for votes?

Answer:

I invoked rule 13 – basically saying we are not voting on something the same day it was presented to the council. We would have had to have a committee hearing.

Another Special Guest 7:35-7:45 PM

• This time we will hear from representatives of the Boston Food Forest Coalition; they’ll tell us how we can be more involved in their projects, including the Everett Ave Food Forest and the Savin Hill Wildlife Garden

Ben Evarts – volunteer stewards – Savin Hill Wildlife Garden. It is not a farm or vegetable garden – although some will produce food. It is not a park. It is a natural space where native plants and species survive… semi permanently a natural space. Between 400 Savin Hill Ave and Napier Park… Betsy M – Possibly doing community performances in this space, etc. Looking for volunteers.

Committee Reports 7:45-8:05 PM

• Engagement Committee

• Safety Committee

Dianne L and Jennifer – Meeting Sept 21 – no guests. Updated the group. Street safety, pedestrian safety, working with Dez on Buttonwood street and parks there. Senator Nick Collins office and Frank Baker’s Office (Julie = very responsive), maintenance is on a regular schedule. DCR has been reached out to re; projects, blinking stop sign on Buttonwood, BTD said they cannot put a blinking sign, looking at putting in a crosswalk near the tennis courts

The BPD said they are not welcome at meetings any longer?

Officer Keamy said he might not be able to attend safety meetings in the future? Someone had asked for a crosswalk on Old Colony Terrace – we will continue to reach out to the BPD on these issues.

Des – along buttonwood St. there is a small encampment of folks – wheel chair and desk chair. Panhandlers have taken over the park. They are redoing the sidewalks, moved the handicap curb, they did cut back on the weeds causing a visibility issue, crossing as you head back and park on the Moakley park exit, the visibility has improved.

There isn’t a speed limit sign heading north on Morrissey Blvd. When it was pointed out, it was noticed this was missing.

Slow Streets initiative – slow streets application is on file. Once it is submitted it stays on file. We are in direct communication with the zero interest program. Speed bumps? If there are certain areas that don’t fall under slow streets but are looking for traffic calming measures, we will reach out to slow streets.

Pleasant street submitted a slow street initiative. They are moving forward.

Meaney Park – there is no trash barrel there. People sleep there overnight. No place to put trash. Residents reaching out – “our civic association doesn’t want the barrel there”… it hasn’t been maintained by the state well enough? Do people not want the trash barrel there?

Got on the red line with stroller – sidewalk under construction on Columbia Rd.

Next safety committee meeting – Tuesday, Oct 19 at 7 PM

Encouragement to attend and build the committee

• Community Benefits Committee

Don Walsh: Top priorities were put together. The top priority was that we want to see comprehensive planning for 10,000 new units of housing around the SHCA. That is 22,000 people. We want to get action on this. The community benefits fund – from the new development. 50 million dollars that the CSHCA can have a say with how these funds are utilized. In order for us to have a say, we have to think/argue about it, etc. We come through the process and say this is what we want to have happen with these funds.

Beautification Committee

• Buying bulbs for neighborhood distribution. 1300 bulbs…. Decisions about the distribution of that. Resources to purchase those bulbs.

• Vote on reimbursement for purchase of bulbs – Elizabeth Doyle; reimbursement for the bulbs was supported unanimously

• Dorchester Bay City Update 8:05-8:15 PM

• Representatives of the project will join us and provide updates on where the project stands, next steps, etc.

• Kelvin Galvin and Jill Griffin – analysis of all aspects of the project, upcoming 10,000 units, transportation and resiliency working groups including DCR, MASS DOT, BPDA, Coastal Zone Management, Boston Parks Dept – many meetings in coordination between the agencies and us to get to this next filing… leading to a long round of public meetings going through February 2022. Hopefully it will all lead to a board vote for project approvals/summer 2022. Chapter 91 process -we are on historic tidelands and waterfront. Thereafter, every single building and phase, we come to you and propose this building is ready to go…. Immediate next steps – meet with all the Civics, we will have a CAC meeting, we hope to do that before filing in October 2021. We’ve done deep analysis for 6 months.

Jill Lacey Griffin – How to create equitable access to jobs and business opportunities for the local communities… How to create jobs in these businesses? Economic and workforce development. HS Guidance counselor and cooperative education coordinator @ NorthEastern.

Dorchester Bay City – “Different than other casinos”. It presents tremendous opportunities. She is looking forward to working with local residents in the community groups.

We are filing the end of the month – draft project impact report. Looking at housing, environment etc. looking to filing the end of this month.

Question: You are having a CAC meeting. Could the response be available for the next CSHCA?

Answer: Yes.

Guests from Andrew Square 8:15-8:25 PM

• Our neighbors up in Andrew Square are asking for our help in opposing a proposed dispensary

There are concerns about a project that is being proposed and they have asked for our support. We have a presentation re; a local bar to put in a cannabis shop. Not medical/but recreational. We are not opposed to the business but the location. It keeps getting opposed due to the climate in the area. Increased drugs, robbery, looking for product to sell… Looking for support with letters of opposition. Why would this be a cash business?

There are cops on the beat at night, but not during the day…

The alternative – to keep this as a bar.

Vote: To support them in their opposition of the proposed dispensary? • CSHCA membership supported writing a letter that opposes this particular proposed dispensary