The Revere Conservation Commission held its regular monthly meeting last Wednesday evening, October 2, in the City Council Chambers. Chair Nicholas Rudolph and fellow members Brian Averback, Joseph LaValle, Bernardo Sepulveda, Wilson Correa, Amelia Viscay, and Thomas Carleton were on hand for the session. After welcoming new members Amelia Viscay and Thomas Carleton, the commission took a moment to honor the late Robert “Toby” Cassidy, a long-time member of the ConsComm, with a moment of silence. Averback noted that Cassidy “was a really good person whom you could trust and talk to. He will be missed.”
“I never will forget our baseball talks at site meetings,” noted Rudolph. “He truly will be missed. May he rest in peace.” The meeting itself began with a continuation of the hearing for a request for a Notice of Intent (NOI) from the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority (MWRA) regarding the MWRA’s plans to replace a portion (known as Section 56) of the auxiliary water main that threads through No. Revere to Lynn.
The old Section 56, which was removed a few years ago because of its poor condition, formerly crossed directly underneath the deck of the General Edwards Bridge. However, the MWRA is proposing to run the new line under the bedrock of the Saugus River via a process known as horizontal directional drilling (HDD) that presumably will have no impact on sea life in the river. The project also will not affect the salt marsh in the area bordering the river.
The hearing on the NOI had been continued because the MWRA was awaiting a report from the Natural Heritage and Endangered Species Program (NHESP) on the project’s possible effects on marine life. Jennifer Doyle-Breen, a Wetlands Scientist with the international infrastructure consulting firm AECOM, told the commissioners that the NHESP’s report, which was filed in mid-September, concluded that the project will have no impact on marine life in the river. Ward 5 City Councillor Angela Guarino-Sawaya, whose district includes the Point of Pines, requested that the ConsComm appoint an independent oversight company that would report directly to the ConsComm and to herself as the ward councilor in order to ensure that the MWRA is complying with the Order of Conditions. However, Peter Grasso from the MWRA responded this ordinarily is not done, and Rudolph further pointed out that the ConsComm will periodically ensure that the project is compliant with the Order of Conditions.
The commission, which previously held three meetings with the MWRA at which residents testified, then approved the issuance of the NOI. Next up was another continuation of an NOI for 23 Putnam Rd. regarding the repaving of one driveway and extending another driveway on the same lot. French drains will be installed around the driveways to prevent runoff onto the neighbors’ properties. The homeowner, Francisco J. Arriaza, appeared on his own behalf and answered questions from the commissioners to their satisfaction. The commission unanimously approved issuing the NOI.
The commission then heard a Request for a Determination of Applicability (RDA) from Irving Oil Terminals Inc., Arcadis U.S, 40 Lee Burbank Highway, for proposed pipeline inspection work. A representative from Arcadis explained the scope of the project, “which is a routine inspection of underground pipelines that will entail a shallow excavation project in two local areas.”
The commission determined that the excavation work, which will have runoff controls, will not constitute a permanent impact along the path of excavation and approved a negative Determination of Applicability, which means that the project will not fall within the ConsComm’s jurisdiction. The commision heard a request for another RDA from the Highway Division of the Massachusetts Department of Transportation (DOT) for “repaving along an approximately 1,700 linear foot section of Bennington Street in Revere to install separated bike lanes, improve pedestrian crossings, and install dedicated turn lanes for motorists.” Alyssa Jacobs, an environmental consultant for MassDOT, said that the Revere part of the project will connect with the East Boston portion of work further along Bennington St. The project will create a separated, two-way bike lane on the east side of Bennington St. and will reduce the traffic from four lanes (two lanes in each direction) to one lane in each direction with a center turn lane. In addition, parking will be limited to the west side of the roadway. Jacobs said that there will be no impacts to resource areas. Rudolph agreed, noting that he had walked the site.
The commission unanimously voted for a negative RDA. The commissioners then heard a request for an NOI from Marcia Lenta, 630 Revere Beach Boulevard, for an addition to her single family home that is on land subject to coastal storm flowage and within the 100-year flood plain, as well as within the buffer zone of the saltmarsh in the rear. Rick Salvo with Engineering Alliance, LLC, explained the scope of the project to the commissioners. He said that the owner previously had performed work under the auspices of the ConsComm for grading the backyard in order to correct drainage problems. The addition will consist of a garage, an office space, a mud room, and a handicap ramp, a project that already has been approved by the Zoning Board of Appeals, which imposed the condition of a six-foot privacy fence along a neighbor’s property. Salvo said there will be flow-through foundations for the additions that will exceed both the building code and FEMA requirements.
Lavalle asked some questions about the elevations, which Salvo answered. However, the commissioners were unable to take a vote because the city had not received a file number from the State DEP (which is a statutory requirement) in time for the meeting. A vote to issue the NOI will be taken next month. The commissioners then heard a series of three requests from McClellan Highway Development Company, LLC, for an extension for compliance with the Orders of Conditions “related to Phase 1-R and 1R-E Roadway and Infrastructure, Building R-10, and Building R-11 of the Suffolk Downs Redevelopment to October 18, 2027. Abigail Middleton with HYM Investments, LLC, the owner of Suffolk Downs, said the extensions for the three individual parcels are needed to allow for the completion of infrastructure work, which consists of the improvements to what was a bare race track.
HYM initially came before the ConsComm in October, 2021, when it obtained the original Order of Conditions. “I’m just wondering whether we will be back here in three years and I’m very nervous about giving another three-year extension,” said Averback. “As someone who lives in Ward 1, and this is right down the street from me, I’m wondering about ‘the dream’ that’s been promised by HYM and I’m concerned about this continuing to be vacant land and maybe a story for the end of a time of, ‘What happened at Suffolk Downs?’ and approving another three years for what is just a cemetery at this point.” After Middleton explained the vast scope of the infrastructure work, which involves coordinating with the utility companies, the commission approved the extensions for three years. Salvo also came before the commission seeking a Certificate of Compliance on behalf of Mario Zepaj for the completion of the construction of a four-story (25-unit) apartment building at 344 Salem Street.
“This has been a major improvement to this property,” said Rudolph. The commissioners, some of whom also had walked the site, unanimously approved issuing the certificate. The commission lastly approved an after-the-fact Emergency Certification for the work to replace a faulty railing at a DCR beach that presented an imminent public safety hazard.
The agenda item stated, “Winthrop Parkway Railing Repair — railing repair for an access staircase that had become detached at this location and needed to be replaced to provide safe access to the beach area. The staircase was closed and would have continued to pose a public safety issue until a new railing was installed.” The commission concluded the meeting with a discussion of the upcoming MACC Fall Conference, with chair Rudolph urging the new ConsComm members to attend the conference.
