January 2011

JPNC Minutes

January 25, 2011

Attendance: Andrea Howley, Pamela Bender, Michael Reiskind, Karley Ausiello, Steven Backman, David Baron, Red Burrows,

David Demerjian, Ben Knappmiller, Orion Kriegman, Steve Laferriere, Steven Lussier, Emily Wheelwright, Jesse White.

Other Attendees: Henry Allen (CPCAY), Allan Ihrer (CPCAY), Kate-Marie Roycroft (Rep. Jeffrey Sánchez’ office),

Heather Perez (Councillor Felix Arroyo’s office), Fernando Mercedes (Councillor Matt O’Malley’s office),

Valerie Frias (Councillor Matt O’Malley’s office), Marco Torres (Mayor’s Office of Neighborhood Services),

Peter Shanley (Jamaica Plain Patch).

Called to Order at 7:15pm at First Baptist Church in Jamaica Plain by Andrea Howley.

1. Introductions: Members of the JPNC introduced themselves.

2. Announcements:

- The Community Planning Committee for the Arborway Yard (CPCAY) will be meeting on Thursday, February 10 at 7:00pm at the State Laboratories, 305 South Street.

- State of Our Neighborhood Forum will be held on Tuesday, February 15 at 6:00pm at the English High School, Williams Street & Amory Street.

3. Neighborhood Input:

Community Planning Committee for the Arborway Yard (CPCAY) – Henry Allen and Allan Ihrer from the CPCAY  gave a presentation about the thirteen-year fight to get the MBTA to build a permanent facility at the Arborway Yard. Henry Allen said that when it is built, there will be 8 acres of surplus land given to the City as land for community uses such as affordable housing, open space or small businesses. The JPNC and the City of Boston have been key supporters of this struggle. The temporary facility has been in place for seven years – it was built only to last for five years. The process has now reached a critical stage in the funding: the design is 90% complete and the project is shovel-ready. But the Arborway Yard’s funds ($200 million) were removed from the MBTA’s Capital Investment Plan (CIP) for 2010-2015 and also 2011-2016. April’s Board Meeting is the critical vote to get the funding request restored. Henry Allen asked for organizational support in this fight, as well as individual signatures on an on-line petition (http://www.jpndc.org/news.html). Allan Ihrer then summarized the history of the process, with the Bartlett Yard history affecting the Arborway yard, nw creating a new blight. rp. Liz malia and Sen. Sonia Chang-Diaz have filed legislation for state funding of the project, but the strategy is to flood the Mass. DOT Board with letters, attend Board meetings leading up the April vote, and have public events at the Arborway yard such as block

parties and standouts. 

4. Minutes: The minutes from the previous (December 14, 2010) JPNC meeting were then handed out. Motion by Red Burrows to approve the minutes from the December 2010 meeting. Seconded by Emily Wheelwright.

Passed 14-0-0.

5. Scheduling of Future Business:

- The Hi-Lo Supermarket is closing and being rented by the owner to Whole Foods. It is proposed that the JPNC hold a first community meeting to figure out the community needs with this change. The meeting attendees may discuss whatever they want, including zoning, permitting and employment issues. No Whole Foods representative will attend the meeting. It will be held at the John F. Kennedy School auditorium on Tuesday, February 8 at 7:00pm. Motion by Steve Laferriere to choose Tuesday, February 8 as the date for this meeting. Passed 14-0-0. The Neighborhood Council’s Housing & Development Committee (H&DC) will plan the meeting and outreach to the neighborhood. The JPNC Executive Committee should hand off the tasks to the H&DC. There will be a planning meeting on Monday, January 31 at JP Licks at 7:00pm.

- The Mayor’s Office has organized a meeting for employees of Hi-Lo. It will explain the resources available, such as unemployment payments, job search and ABCD heating assistance. Whole Foods has promised to interview laid off Hi-Lo employees. The meeting will be on Friday, January 28 at the Connolly Branch Library from 10:30am to 12:30pm. The employees are being reached through aggressive flyering. There was a bit of a problem with Knapp Foods helping to reach out to former workers.

- The members spoke about planning for a second special meeting/forum on the recent violent incidents in Jamaica Plain. The first forum set some ideas into motion. There is a lot of resources out there, especially grief counseling. Francesca Fordiani said the planning group will meet in early February.

- Planners from the Centre/South Streets Corridor Transportation Plan will be asked to come and present an update at the February 22 meeting of the JPNC.

- CoolJP is asking for time at the JPNC’s February or March meeting to give a presentation on how reduce energy use and carbon footprint. They are trying to get residents to sign up for energy audits through Renew Boston. The

JPNC asked them to come to the March 29 meeting.

6. Committee Reports:

The next scheduled meeting of the H&DC will be on Tuesday, February 15 at the Bowditch School.

Ad-Hoc Outreach/Communications Committee -- David Demerjian said that the next scheduled meeting of the Outreach Committee will be on Sunday, January 30 at JP Licks at 4:00pm.

Zoning Committee – David Baron reported that the Zoning Committee had  meetings on December 16 and

January 6 at which four issues were considered. Two issues were deferred: 16 School Street, a request to build a 3-family dwelling, will be heard on February 3, and 21 Seaverns Avenue, a request to convert a 2-family residence to a 4-family, will be heard on February 17. One matter went before the Executive Committee: 398 Centre Street, a request by Maura Twomey to change occupancy from a 3-family dwelling to a 2-family and professional office in the ground floor unit for an acupuncture office. There was overwhelming support from the community for this issue. No JPNC action is needed.

There is one matter before the JPNC:

- 23 So. Huntington Avenue; request by Nathan Long and Richard Pan (as agents for the owner, Bessie Pagounis) to allow take-out for these tenants for a Chinese restaurant. This applicant came before the Public Service Committee in November 2010 for a Common Victualler license, at which time the community said they wanted a 2:00am closing time, and five other provisos were agreed to. The applicant was awarded a 3:00am closing at the Licensing Board. The JPNC Zoning Committee has also obtained an agreement from the applicant to close at 2:00am. Motion by Red Burrows to recommend approval of this petition with the provisos that the closing time be 2:00am, the take-out license be limited to the current owner, and the five provisos of the Public Service Committee be met. Seconded by Steve Lussier. Passed 14-0-0.

The Zoning Committee will next meet on Thursday, February 3 and February 17 at Farnsworth House.

Public Service Committee — Michael Reiskind reported that the Public Service Committee meeting was held on January 4 at 7:00pm at the Greater Egleston High School at 3134 Washington Street. This was a follow-up meeting on the Old Stag Tavern/Coco’s Lounge at 3169-3173 Washington Street. The proposed Coco’s Lounge would be a caribbean-themed restaurant and lounge serving tapas-type food. There had been concerns about the unattractive front entrance on Washington Street, loud music, rodents, garbage, parking and deliveries – all related to the previous owners of the Old Stag. It was agreed at the last meeting to recommend the transfer of the alcohol license as long as an agreeable memorandum of understanding (MOU) was created with the new owners, and the entertainment license would be considered at a later meeting. Neighbors at the January meeting were happy with the MOU and supported the entertainment license until 1:00am with five TV’s, VCR, dartboards, cassette, CD player and jukebox. Motion by Michael Reiskind to recommend approval of an entertainment license for Tropical Ventures, LLC, doing business as “Coco’s Lounge” at 3169-3173 Washington Street for the listed recorded entertainment, and no live entertainment. Seconded by Red Burrows. Passed 14-0-0.

The next meeting of the Public Service Committee will be Tuesday, February 1 at the Agassiz School.

Centre/South Corridor CAC — Michael Reiskind said that the possibility of more traffic being generated in Hyde Square by a shift from Hi-Lo to Whole Foods has already been brought up to planners working on the Centre & South Street Corridor Plan. The entrances, exits and size of the supermarket parking lot is a key issue.

Parks & Open Space Committee (POSC) — Andrea Howley reported that the POSC has a draft letter to Verizon asking them to remove or relocate a telephone pole and hazardous wiring that is creating a blight in the Nira Rock Urban Wild. Motion by Red Burrows to approve the letter. Seconded by Andrea Howley. Passed 14-0-0.

- The Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) is having another round of Partnerships Matching Funds Projects. The POSC is joining other groups in applying for a matching funds grant ($10,000 will be the local share) to maintain the specimen shade trees along the Arborway and Jamaicaway, 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.

- The Hellenic Hill parcels that are up for sale were taken off the website. They are still for sale, but the stringent conservation restrictions may make the parcels unsaleable.

- Gerry Wright’s one-man play called ”Unhealthy People, Unequal Communities, and Unwell Environment” will be presented at the First Church (Unitarian) on Friday, January 28 starting at 7:00pm.

- There will be a Children’s Tea and Fashion Show fund raiser for the Boston Park Ranger Mounted Unit on Sunday, February 13. It will start at 2:30pm at the Four Seasons Hotel. Tickets are $85.00(adults) and $45.00(children).

The next meeting of the POSC will be Tuesday, February 15 at 6:30pm at JP Licks.

7. New/Old Business: No new business

 

 

 

The next meeting of the full JPNC will be on Tuesday, February 22 at 7:00pm at the First Baptist Church in Jamaica Plain.

The next meeting of the JPNC Executive Committee will be on Thursday, February 17 at 7:30am at Ula Café.

 

 

Meeting was adjourned at 8:33pm.

(Minutes submitted by Michael Reiskind)