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February 2011

JPNC Minutes

February 22, 2011

Attendance: Andrea Howley, Pamela Bender, Michael Reiskind, Jesse Abair, David Baron, Red Burrows,

Francesca Fordiani, Jeremy Harold, Ben Knappmiller, Orion Kriegman, Steven Lussier, Emily Wheelwright,

Jesse White, Jay Zoldak.

Other Attendees: Vineet Gupta (Boston Transportation Department), Kate-Marie Roycroft (Rep. Jeffrey Sánchez’ office), Heather Perez (Councillor Felix Arroyo’s office), Fernando Mercedes (Councillor Matt O’Malley’s office),

Patrick Rosso (Boston Bulletin), Chris Helms (Jamaica Plain Patch).

Called to Order at 7:13pm at First Baptist Church in Jamaica Plain by Andrea Howley.

1. Introductions: Members of the JPNC introduced themselves.

2. Announcements:

- The second Forum on the Hi-Lo change to Whole Foods will be on Monday, February 28 at 7:00pm at the J.F.Kennedy School, 7 Bolster Street.
- There will be a meeting on the new crossing planned for Eliot Street & Jamaicaway on Tuesday, March 1 at 7:00pm at the Arnold Arboretum Hunnewell Building. Hosted by the Mass. Department of Conservation & Recreation.
 - The monthly MBTA Board meeting will be on Wednesday, March 2 at 1:00pm at the State Transportation Building, 10 Park Plaza. This is a critical meeting for the funding for the Arborway Yard.
- There will be a Route 39 Corridor Improvement meeting on Wednesday, March 2 at 6:30pm at the Agassiz School.
Hosted by the MBTA and the Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT).
- Councillor Matt O’Malley will host a Town Hall Meeting on Monday, March 7 at 6:30pm at the Connolly Branch Library, 433 Centre Street.
- The Community Planning Committee for the Arborway Yard (CPCAY) will be meeting on Thursday, March 10 at
7:00pm at the State Laboratories, 305 South Street.

3. Neighborhood Input:

Centre/South Streets Corridor Transportation Plan – Vineet Gupta, Director of Planning at the City of Boston Transportation Department (BTD) gave an update about the planning effort started by the City in 2009 for the section of Centre and South Streets from Jackson Square to Forest Hills. It is a joint effort by the BTD, the Boston Redevelopment Authority and the Mayor’s Office of Neighborhood Services. The idea is to develop guidelines for the whole Corridor, and create concept designs for three significant areas in the Corridor. Mr. Gupta handed out Vision Guidelines for the Corridor and the concept designs for the three areas: The Mozart Park-Jackson Square (area one) proposal was developed after an extensive walk-through with merchants. The Hyde Square (area two) proposal will   not have any loss of parking and buses will be accommodated. There were questions about whether the plan looked at traffic changes related to a Whole Foods Market coming to the area, and whether the capacity of the rotary can cause bottlenecks. Mr. Gupta said that they do not have any data on changes for the Market, but will do a renewed study when it is available. He said that the planned constriction at the rotary should not change the capacity in Hyde Square. The Monument (area three) proposals did not have as much consensus and so two alternative concepts are still on the table. There were questions on parking loss, whether buses and fire trucks can make U-turns in the new proposals, the look of the “apron”, and whether there would be a new traffic signal in both proposals. There was also a question on the height of the new crosswalks, whether they can be even height with the sidewalks. Mr. Gupta said that idea is still in the design – but not everywhere, just where it is feasible.
Mr. Gupta also handed out the bicycle plan for the Corridor which was implemented in the Fall of 2010.
The draft report on the concept phase will be out in March. Then Mr. Gupta will finish a final report and hire new consultants for the next phases to bring the concepts to fruition and then construction. There is no construction funding yet, and they are now budgeting for the remaining design phase. The first meeting of the new phase will be in
July 2011.

4. Minutes: The minutes from the previous (January 25, 2011) JPNC meeting were then handed out. There were changes to the attendance section of the minutes: The names of Francesca Fordiani and Peggy O’Connor were removed, and those of Ben Knappmiller and Jesse White were added. Motion by Red Burrows to approve the minutes

from the January 2011 meeting. Seconded by Jesse Abair. Passed 14-0-0.

5. Scheduling of Future Business:

- Francesca Fordiani spoke about planning for a second special meeting/forum on the recent violent incidents in Jamaica Plain. The first planning meeting on January 10 had thought that a second forum combined with a resource fair would be a good idea. The second planning meeting on February 17 was attended by folks from JPNC, JP Walk for Peace, Beantown Society, JP Violence Intervention and Prevention Collaborative, and the So. JP Health Center. The youth groups did not like the idea of a forum, and they also thought that there are a lot of resources that are already known or can be connected to the needed people. Resources can be connected to folks by building relationships. To have a public event we must choose the right topic. Youth jobs is the most important issue for the youth. Francesca Fordiani said the planning group will meet again on March 10 at the Southern Jamaica Plain Health Center.

Andrea Howley mentioned that the JPNC promised to have a followup meeting on this issue for the whole community. Orion Kriegman asked for a forum with a resources available so that the community can feel connected to the institutions which help reduce violence. Perhaps we can use our website as an information tool. Perhaps the institutions can benefit with more volunteers and money. Dave baron asked if the police were involved. Some members called for the JPNC Youth Committee to be reconstituted. Are we dealing with two issues – community healing and youth affairs?

Fernando Mercedes said that we need to reestablish family values and jobs for families. Kate-Marie Roycroft said that Jamaica Plain could use an overall youth umbrella agency (like Mission Hill’s which meets once a month). Heather Perez has been working on their annual youth summit. Orion Kriegman repeated that people want to be basically informed about what is going on and what resources are already out there. We also need to have better connections to the Latino community. Francesca Fordiani’s committee will continue planning and add Orion Kriegman to help
with planning an information forum.

6. Committee Reports:

Ad-Hoc Outreach/Communications Committee -- Ben Knappmiller said that they can now add photos to the website and there is a partial spanish translation. Facebook is updated and there is a monthly e-mail list. He encouraged all JPNC handouts to have the website address.

Zoning Committee – David Baron reported that the Zoning Committee had meetings on February 3 and

February 17 at which four issues were considered: 6 Peter Parley Road, a request to change a 1-family dwelling to a

3-family. This is a big change with no community meeting. There are still lots of questions. No Zoning Committee action was taken. Two matters went before the Executive Committee: 16 School Street, a request to build a 3-family dwelling on a vacant lot. This is across the street from the large Rogerson campus. They have fixed the off-street parking to have three spaces on one side of the building, and three on the other side. No JPNC action is needed.

53 Jamaica Street, a request to build a second-story bedroom on top of an existing one-story addition at the rear

of the house.  The proposed addition was well-designed and will be largely invisible from the street. No JPNC action is needed. There is one matter before the JPNC:

- 1890 Columbus Avenue; request by Icon Identity Solutions, acting as agent for Twin City Mall Associates (Walgreen’s), to erect two new freestanding LED signs – same size as before. No flashing sign. This location in Egleston Square is technically in Roxbury, but the Roxbury Neighborhood Council did not want to hold a community hearing. Egleston Square Main Street was very supportive of this application. Motion by Red Burrows to recommend approval of this petition. Seconded by Ben Knappmiller. Passed 14-0-0.

The Zoning Committee will have a special joint meeting on March 14 with the Roxbury Neighborhood Council Zoning Committee on the sporting facility/rink on the Roxbury side of the Jackson Square development.

The Zoning Committee will next meet on Thursday, March 3 at Farnsworth House, and Monday, March 14 for the joint meeting.

There was extensive discussion about border issues for zoning before the report concluded.

Public Service Committee — Michael Reiskind reported that the February Public Service Committee meeting was cancelled on February 1 because of snow.

The next meeting of the Public Service Committee will be Tuesday, March 1 at the J.F.Kennedy School. On the agenda will be petitions from the Blue Nile Restaurant at 389 Centre Street for a new Ethiopian Restaurant with beer & wine. Also on the agenda will be a request from The Haven at 2 Perkins Street to add cordials to their existing beer & wine license.

Parks & Open Space Committee (POSC) — Jay Zoldak reported that the Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) has funded the matching funds grant for parkway tree pruning along the Arborway and Jamaicaway. This is to maintain the specimen shade trees, including selective removal and replacement.
- The POSC is also joining other groups in applying to the New England Grassroots Environment Fund for a grant to close Parkman Drive for a series of car-free days during the summer.
- Jay Zoldak also reported that the Friends of Nira Rock helped organize a community meeting after the February 8 murder on Kenney Street. Thirty people came, and the Boston Police Department and Boston Public Health Commission also sent folks.
The next meeting of the POSC will be Tuesday, March 15 at 6:30pm at JP Licks.
Jackson CAC — Red Burrows reported that the CAC met to discuss WBE (Women-Owned Business Enterprise) and MBE (Minority-Owned Business Enterprise). Urban Edge is having a public meeting tonight on the indoor active recreation facility/skating rink.
The next meeting of the Jackson CAC will be on Wednesday, March 9 at Amory Apartments.
Centre/South Corridor CAC — No report needed.
Community Planning Committee for the Arborway Yard (CPCAY) -- Pam Bender reported that a critical meeting for the funding for the Arborway Yard will be the monthly MBTA Board meeting on March 2 at the State Transportation Building. Michael Reiskind will represent the JPNC.
The next CPCAY meeting will be on Thursday, March 10 at 7:00pm at the State Laboratories.
Election Committee -- Red Burrows reported that the Election Committee met on February 2. They are proposing Saturday, September 24 as a one-day JP Neighborhood Council election day, with three polling locations: Jackson Square T station or Stop & Shop, Forest Hills T station, and JP Licks. One ombudsperson has been chosen: Sandee Storey. The Committee needs to update the literature/packets. Packets need to go out on July 22. Packets will be available at the branch libraries, JP Licks and on-line. Motion by Red Burrows to designate September 24 as the JP Neighborhood Council election day 2011. Seconded by Andrea Howley. Passed 15-0-0.
The next Election Committee meeting will be on Tuesday, March 22 at 6:30pm at the Dogwood Café.

7. New/Old Business: No new business.

 

Motion by Red Burrows to adjourn the meeting. Seconded by Jay Zoldak. Passed 14-0-0. Meeting was adjourned at 9:02pm.

 

 

The next meeting of the full JPNC will be on Tuesday, March 29 at 7:00pm at the First Baptist Church in Jamaica Plain.

The next meeting of the JPNC Executive Committee will be on Thursday, March 24 at 7:30am at Ula Café.

 

(Minutes submitted by Michael Reiskind)