By Journal Staff
The Revere Conservation Commission held its regular monthly meeting last Wednesday, August 7, in the City Council Chambers, On hand for the session were vice-chair Nicholas Rudolph, who chaired the session, and fellow members Bernardo Sepulveda, Brian Averback, Samantha Woodman, and Joseph Lavalle.
The main portion of the meeting was taken up by a presentation by Claire Hoogeboom, a Wetlands Scientist with LEC Environmental Consultants, Inc., who came before the commission to make a preliminary presentation on behalf of the city for a forthcoming request for a Notice of Intent (NOI) regarding the new Revere High School project at the former Wonderland Dog Track.
The ConsComm has held two previous meetings regarding the project and has taken votes to approve the issuance of an Order of Resource Area Delineation after consultation with an independent wetlands expert.
Ms. Hoogeboom outlined the mitigation measures that the city will be taking regarding the Isolated Freshwater Wetlands (delineated as Area B) that presently exist on the former dog track site at 190 VFW Parkway. Hoogeboom went through a bullet-point list that included the following items: the new school will meet passive-house requirements that make it an energy-efficient building with geothermal heating and cooling; there will be electric-vehicle charging stations for 10 percent of the parking spaces; pervious areas will be reduced by two acres throughout the site with additional vegetation of native plantings on the site; there will be significant stormwater improvements compared to what presently exists on the former track site; there will be general wildlife habitat improvement, including potentially an osprey nest platform with a camera to view hatching chicks; wellness and walking paths will be incorporated into the site; and permanent markers will be installed to delineate the adjacent wetlands areas from disturbance by contractors and passers-by.
Revere native Brian Dakin of LeftField, the project manager for the school, said that the project may get underway as early as next May, with construction starting in the fall, and a completion date by August, 2028.
Averback asked the presenters to discuss the criticism from some in the community that the site is prone to flooding or that the former dog track could have been put to a better use for the community.
Although Dakin did not directly address the flooding issue, he said, “This is a better choice than anything else that could go there and will serve our community for 50 years. This is a generational opportunity to improve our city.”
“As a Revere High grad, I think this is very important for our students so that they will have a functioning high school,” added Woodman.
The application for the formal issuance of an NOI will be held at a later public meeting.
The commission briefly addressed the continuation from last month of the request for an NOI from the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority (MWRA) for its project to replace a portion (known as Section 56) of its back-up water main that will travel in the riverbed under the Saugus River at the General Edwards Bridge to Lynn. The MWRA’s work will impact a stretch of Rice Ave. adjacent to the Lynnway.
A representative from the international consulting firm AECOM made a presentation to the ConsComm. She noted that the project now will require a filing with the Natural Heritage & Endangered Species Program (NEHSP) to address any potential impact upon the habitat in the river. She requested another continuance from the ConsComm for 30 days to allow for the review by NEHSP and the members did so unanimously.
In other business, the commission took up a request for an after-the-fact NOI from Mani Farahani of 241 Rice Avenue for “repaving with pervious pavers and constructing a 4’ freestanding block wall along Rice Ave and Fowler Avenue.” Mr. Farahani said that his project will improve the drainage in the area. Some commissioners had walked the site and made some suggestions at that time regarding the project.
Lavalle and Councilor Angela Sawaya-Guarino both expressed their support for the project, noting that it had significantly improved the aesthetics of the property, and the commission unanimously approved issuing the NOI.
Next up was a request for an NOI from Clean Joe, LLC, 7 Franklin St. (which is off Salem St.), to “expand an existing parking lot within the 100-foot buffer zone to bordering vegetative wetlands (BVW)” that border an intermittent stream.
Rich Kirby from LEC Environmental, Joe Koch (the owner of Clean Joe), and Giovanni Fodera, an engineer, were on hand for the meeting, with Kirby and Fodera providing a detailed explanation of the scope of the project to the commissioners, including the plan for treating the stormwater run-off.
“This will be a vast improvement to that property,” noted Rudolph, a sentiment echoed by Woodman, who had walked the site the week before. Averback added “The neighbors will be very grateful for what you’ve done to improve the property.”
There were no opponents and the commissioners unanimously voted to approve issuing the NOI.
The commission heard a request for a Determination of Applicability from the MBTA at its Wonderland Station parking garage for “activities associated with the MBTA Bus Network Redesign – Phase 1: Bus Stops and Layovers Improvement Project.”
Craig Wood, a Wetlands Scientist with Jacobs Engineering of Boston, told the ConsComm that there will be only minor work on the ground level of the garage. He noted that the garage falls within the 100-year floodplain from both the ocean to the east and a ditch to the west that is a tide-controlled extension of a creek extending from Rumney Marsh.
Wood explained that there are no significant changes or fill being contemplated and the nature of the work will consist of a new dedicated berth for a Massport bus from Logan Airport that will include two shelters and the addition of another bus stop. Crucially, there will be no increase in the impervious surfaces at the station.
The commissioners voted for a negative Determination of Applicability, which means that the project will not fall within the purview of the ConsComm, thus allowing work to proceed forthwith.
The commissioners approved an emergency certification for a repair to the sidewalk and seawall in the vicinity of Carey Circle at Revere Beach which poses a safety hazard to pedestrians in the heavily-traveled area.
The commission heard from the owner of 14 Goldie St. regarding an enforcement action pertaining to a retaining wall and a brick paver walkway that he had installed. The owner of the property explained the work that he did will improve the drainage on his property.
However, Rudolph, who had walked the property, noted that the run-off will go into the street. “It looks beautiful, but you effectively created an impervious surface on your property,” he said.
When the owner noted that he put in a French drain that should reduce the run-off, Rudolph said he will make a further inspection of the property.
The ConsCom granted an extension for completion of a project, for which an NOI has been issued, to Edward Almeida of 40 Arcadia St. for a “new patio, gazebo, use of hole punched artificial turf, and tree plantings, etc.” Rudolph noted that he and other commissioners had visited the premises and that most of the work had been completed.
“You should be applauded for what you’ve done. It’s a beautiful backyard,” said Averback. Mr. Almeida requested the extension for up to three years and the ConsComm unanimously did so.
The commission took up a request for a Certificate of Compliance (CoC) for a new screened porch at 17 Washington St. There were no objections raised by the commissioners and no opponents, and the commission unanimously approved issuing the CoC.
Prior to the commission adjourning, Woodman announced that she will be stepping down from the ConsComm because she will be moving out of the city. Rudolph thanked Woodman for her service to the applause of those in attendance.
