By Journal Staff
The Revere Conservation Commission (ConsCom) held its regular monthly meeting on Wednesday evening, March 5, in the City Council Chambers. Chair Nicholas Rudolph and fellow members Brian Averback, Joseph LaValle, Amelia Viscay, Thomas Carleton, and Bernardo Sepulveda were on hand for the session. In addition, new Associate Commissioner Dora Hallett was in attendance.
The first matter on the agenda was a request for a Notice of Intent (NOI) from the McClellan Highway Development Company LLC, for work related to Suffolk Downs Phase 1R off-site roadway improvements, specifically for proposed traffic mitigation and infrastructure improvements along Lee Burbank Highway.
Rick Latini from the traffic consulting firm Howard Stein Hudson made a presentation to the ConsComm. He explained that the work will remain within the existing roadway and sidewalks and will be minor in scope. He said there will be a modification to the median and improvements to the “jug handle” turnaround, as well as new traffic signals, including pedestrian signalization.
“There will not be any negative impacts to the resource areas,” said Mattine. “We are not widening the roadway or making a material change in the grade.”
After Rudolph received assurances about erosion control measures, the commissioners unanimously voted to issue the NOI.
The next matter was a request for an NOI from Revere MA Owner, LLC-277 Park Ave, 45th Floor, New York, the developer of the Revere Commerce Center at 96,140,186, &186A Lee Burbank Highway, for the proposed construction of a 77,600 square foot technology warehouse and ancillary office spaces, access drives, stormwater measures, a loading dock, and utility improvements.
Scott Morrison, a Wetlands Scientist from VHB, presented the application to the ConsComm. He noted that the commission previously had issued an NOI in the fall for the demolition of existing buildings on the site, which is located between Lee Burbank Highway and Chelsea Creek, and that the developer now is seeking to proceed with the construction of the new facility.
He said there will be significant improvements to stormwater capture (the present “system” consists of an outfall pipe that discharges runoff directly into Chelsea Creek) that will include deep-sump catch basins, a water quality unit, and a sand-surface filter before there is any discharge into the creek.
The vast majority of the project is within land subject to coastal storm flowage and will impact the coastal “beach.” Morrison said that various state environmental agencies have signed off on the project. He also noted that landscaping improvements will include the planting of 100 trees on the site.
“The site as it stands is very degraded,” said Rudolph, “and your treatment system will provide a great enhancement to the area.”
Averback expressed the hope that future tenants of the project will be required to ensure that the site is maintained in terms of trash pick-up and maintenance.
The commission unanimously approved issuing the NOI.
The commission then took up a request for a Determination of Applicability pertaining to the commuter train right-of-way by Keolis (MBTA) for a vegetation management plan to ensure that the tracks are maintained in safe condition. Keolis is required under state law to obtain permission for the use of herbicides and other vegetation control measures every five years.
The commission unanimously voted to issue a negative Determination of Applicability, which means that the work will not fall within the purview of the ConsComm.
The commission heard a request for an NOI from the City of Revere for its Bennington Street/Fredericks Park project that involves supplemental borings and a verification of resource areas. Elle Baker from the city’s office of Planning and Community Development presented the application. She told the commission that this is a joint project with the City of Boston with the purpose of enhancing resilience in the area from the projected impacts of climate change.
Taylor Donovan, an Environmental Scientist with VHB, presented a slide show that highlighted an overview of the scope of the project, which is adjacent to Sales Creek, which flows into Belle Isle Creek and its salt marsh. She noted that there will be no permanent impacts to the area from the borings, which will be small (five sq. feet) and will be conducted on land areas that already have been disturbed by development.
The ConsComm was unable to take a vote on the project because the city had not received a file number from the state ahead of the meeting, but will do so at its next meeting.
The last item involved a correspondence from Mass. DEP pertaining to 6 and 14 Beverly St. for a project in the Coastal Dune/Barrier Beach. The ConsComm initially rejected the proposal after a contentious meeting at which neighbors strongly objected. However, the developer appealed to the state DEP, which issued a Superseding Order of Conditions and has agreed to accept jurisdiction of the project. The issue before the ConsComm was whether to retain jurisdiction of the project or allow the DEP to oversee it.
“The DEP has far more resources than we do to oversee this project,” noted Rudolph.
The members voted unanimously to allow the DEP to monitor the project, rather than to have jurisdiction remanded back to them.
