By Journal Staff
The Revere Conservation Commission held its regular monthly meeting last Wednesday, September 4, in the City Council Chambers. On hand for the session were vice-chair Nicholas Rudolph, who chaired the session, and fellow members Bernardo Sepulveda, Wilson Correa, Brian Averback, and Joseph Lavalle.
The first order of business was the election of a new chairperson to succeed John Shue, who is stepping down from that position. Rudolph unanimously was elected the new chair and Averback was elected vice-chair.
The first matter for the commission was a continuation of the hearing for a Notice of Intent (NOI) from the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority pertaining to its project to replace a portion of the MWRA Water Main (known as Section 56) that previously crossed the Saugus River underneath the General Edwards Bridge. The MWRA is seeking to run a new pipe under the bedrock of the riverbed. The project also will affect a portion of Rice Ave. adjacent to the Lynnway.
Jennifer Doyle-Breen, a Wetlands Scientist with the international infrastructure consulting firm AECOM, told the commissioners that the MWRA was not yet ready to move forward on the NOI because the Natural Heritage and Endangered Species Program has yet to weigh-in on the project’s possible effect on marine life.
She said that the report is expected by September 19, which means that a vote will be delayed until the ConsComm’s October meeting. However, Doyle-Breen did address some issues that had arisen at previous public meetings. She said that placing the pipe deep under the riverbed by means of horizontal directional drilling (HDD) was the best alternative in terms of having both the least cost and least impact on the environment, including the option of placing the pipe under the proposed new General Edwards drawbridge. She noted that state environmental agencies all have agreed that the MWRA’s proposal is the best of any other proposal.
She also addressed the possibility that possible lead in the river bed could be an issue, but she noted that all precautions will be taken to ensure that any lead that might surface from the drilling will be addressed.
Finally, she noted that the project will have no impact on any coastal dune or barrier beach along the river where the work will be done because it will be starting in shoreline areas that already are paved.
The MWRA’s request for the NOI then was continued until the October meeting.
Next up was a request for an NOI from Francisco J. Arriaza, 23 Putnam Rd., for “repaving a driveway and extending another driveway that’s in the same lot of the house.”
However, all of the details of the plan were not submitted by the petitioner, which means that the petitioner will have to submit a more complete plan before the ConComm can consider it. Mr. Arriaza was told to come back in October with a more-detailed plan.
The next agenda item was a request for an NOI from Eight Avon St., LLC, for a proposal “to raze an existing two-family dwelling at 8 Avon St. and construction of a multifamily residential building and associated appurtenances partially within Land Subject to Coastal Storm Flowage (LSCSF).”
Pete Blaisdell from Williams and Sparagis Engineers presented the application to the commissioners, some of whom visited the site prior to the meeting. Avon St. is a small side-street between Revere St. and No. Shore Rd.
Blaisdell said the lot consists of 3900 sq. ft. and the soil is not permeable. The present two-story building will be replaced with a five-story, 12-unit structure with parking underneath at ground level. The new building and all of its mechanical infrastructure will sit above the 100-year flood elevation.
After Rudolph, who visited the site, told his fellow commissioners, “I’m fairly confident this will not have any impact on the neighbors. This is very straightforward,” the commission unanimously voted to issue the NOI.
Next up was a Notice of Intent Review/Inspection from Hugo Rizzuto, 265 Rice Ave., for a “deviation from the original Order of Conditions (OOC) plan and what actually got built.”
Mr. Rizzutto said that five dry wells were installed under the driveway and apologized for “not following the procedure.” He detailed the work that was done to address runoff issues from his roof and noted that he waterproofed the basement of a neighbor to ensure that the neighbor’s basement would not be affected by his project.
“From what I observed, what you’ve done has made an improvement to your property that will benefit adjacent properties, which is better than the original plans,” said Rudolph.
“I think you should be commended for what you’ve done,” added Averback. “If I were your neighbor, I would be pleased.”
The commissioners voted that the additional work done by Rizzutto does not constitute “a major deviation” that would have required him to submit an application for a new NOI.
The final matter was a request for an extension of an OOC from Redgate Capital Partners, 22 Whitin Ave., regarding the ongoing residential construction project at 22 Whitin Ave. near Gibson Park.
Katie Cruz, a civil engineer with Hancock Associates, told the commission that Redgate is requesting a one-year extension for the OOC in order for construction to be completed. She noted that the stormwater system has been installed.
The commission unanimously voted to grant a one-year extension for compliance with the OOC.
