By Journal Staff
The Revere Conservation Commission (ConsCom) held its regular monthly meeting last Wednesday evening, December 4, in the City Council Chambers. Chair Nicholas Rudolph and fellow members Brian Averback, Bernardo Sepulveda, Joseph LaValle, Wilson Correa, Amelia Viscay, and Thomas Carleton were on hand for the lengthy (almost two hours) session that touched upon a number of ongoing and future projects in the city.
The first matter was a request for a Certificate of Compliance (COC) from Redgate Capital Partners for the 291-unit residential complex at 22 Whitin Ave. at Gibson Point. Katie Cruz from Hancock Assoc. presented the request on behalf of Redgate, telling the commissioners that “the site work is complete and stabilized.”
Members of the commission walked the site within the past few weeks, with Rudolph noting that there are still some trees to be planted and electrical work to be done.
Correa expressed a concern about the amount of trash that he had seen during his site visit, but Cruz assured him that the contractor will be setting out trash receptacles and that a written maintenance plan has been submitted by the developer to keep the area free of trash going forward.
There were no objections and the commission unanimously approved issuing the COC.
Julie DeMauro from the city’s Planning Dept. came before the commission to make a preliminary presentation regarding “proposed improvements, phasing, and design alternatives on the Route 1A Roundabout project.” The project also will include an access road to Gibson Park (which is Phase 2 of the overall project).
DeMauro said the city submitted an Environmental Impact Report (EIR) a few days previously to the Mass. Environmental Protection Agency (MEPA). Representatives from the engineering firm Weston & Sampson and from the traffic study firm Howard Stein Hudson presented an overview of the project. They said that the project is slated to get underway in early 2025, at which time they will be coming before the ConsCom to request a Notice of Intent (NOI) before work begins.
The project is expected to take about two years to complete. The work on this project will have no impact on the state’s proposal for a new General Edwards Bridge. In addition, the city’s new fire station at the Pt. of Pines is expected to be completed before the road work gets underway. One benefit of the project is that it will reduce response time significantly from the new fire station to the Pt. of Pines neighborhood on the other side of Route 1A. They also explained the lack of impact of the project on the nearby dunes and barrier beaches and noted that there will be additional dune plantings as part of the project.
Next up was a continuation of a hearing for an NOI by Stephen Lakis regarding his project at 102 Summer Street “for removal of an inground pool, garage, and replacement of a retention wall.”
Ryan Roseen, an Environmental Scientist with Goddard Consulting, explained the scope of the project to the commissioners. However, commissioner Carleton questioned the design of the retaining wall and the ability of the wall being proposed to bear the load behind it.
“This needs to be redesigned and looked at. It would be irresponsible for us to approve this proposal,” said Carleton, an opinion that was echoed by Rudolph.
Lakis agreed to redesign the wall per the suggestions of Carleton and Rudolph. In addition, Lakis still must obtain permits from the Building Department related to the demolition, as well as obtain a review from the state DEP.
An owner of the adjacent condo property, which originally had been part of the same lot as 102 Summer St., expressed her support for the project, which will address a number of issues relating to the property line and their National Grid electric service.
The commission voted to approve the issuance of the NOI on the condition that Lakis submit a new plan with the redesigned wall.
The commission then took up a request for a Determination of Applicability by the Mass. Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) for its Winthrop Parkway streetlight maintenance project. Tom Keough, an environmentalist scientist from AECOM, explained the scope of the work to the members. He noted that several street lights along Winthrop Parkway in Beachmont presently are not working because of a faulty underground line. He said the project will take one day and will have no impact on the adjacent beachfront area.
After a brief discussion, the commissioners voted for a negative Determination of Applicability, which means that the project will not come within the jurisdiction of the ConsCom going forward.
Cody Gardner presented a request for an NOI for the “demolition of existing deck and construction of an addition” at 193 Rice Ave. Mr. Gardner and his engineer presented the plans to the commissioners for the addition, the purpose of which is to enlarge the living space for the Gardners, who are expecting twins. The Zoning Board of Appeals has given its approval to the project.
The commissioners had questions about the pilings for the addition and for management of stormwater from the roof, inasmuch as the plans did not make any calculations or references to retention of stormwater runoff.
The commission voted to approve the NOI, conditioned upon the engineer providing a new plan with the inclusion of a stormwater management plan.
The commission voted for a negative Determination of Applicability from Revere MA II Owner, LLC, for the “proposed clearance and clean up on the property” (as well as construction of a fence) at 3 Furlong Drive, which is adjacent to the Federal Express property and is part of the overall development of a modern warehouse center by the applicant.
The developer previously obtained an NOI for its demolition work of the old Global Petroleum storage tanks and buildings, but this request pertained only to cleaning up the trash and debris from the adjacent marshland, as well as construction of the fence.
It was noted that there presently is a homeless encampment on the site.
The commission voted to issue a Certificate of Compliance to the McClellan Highway Development Company, LLC, for the “construction of a flood resiliency berm at the southerly end of Washburn Avenue.”
The berm is necessary for the water retention pond that will become part of the landscape of the Suffolk Downs development project. Jeff Murphy, a civil engineer with Beals and Thomas, presented the request to the commission and included photos of the project, which took about 16 months to complete.
The commission voted to issue a Certificate of Compliance to Hugo Rizzuto for the construction of a single-family dwelling at 265 Rice Ave. The issuance of the certificate brings to a conclusion an eight-year odyssey for Mr. Rizzuto, who initially came before the ConsCom in 2016.
