By Journal Staff
The Revere Zoning Board of Appeals held its regular monthly meeting last Wednesday, September 24, in the City Councillor Joseph A. DelGrosso
City Council Chamber.
On hand for the session were chair Michael Tucker and fellow members Aklog Limeneh, John Lopes, Arthur Pelton, and James O’Brien, as well as alternate member Peggy Pratt.
The first matter was the continuation of a hearing from last month of the application of the city, which is seeking variances of Revere Revised Ordinance (RRO) Section 17.24.010 (maximum height) and RRO Section 17.16.260(F)(1) (no accessory structure shall be located within the required side yard setback) to enable the city to construct a 145-foot radio tower for the new emergency 911 call center located at the rear of the former McKinley School building at 65 Yeamans St.
The purpose of the radio tower is to provide a state-of-the-art, microwave-transmission communication system among the public safety departments of Revere, Chelsea, and Winthrop. The Metro North Regional Emergency Communication Center (RECC) will have its offices in the McKinley building.
The 145-foot height of the tower is necessary to approximate the heights of the Winthrop water tower and the Chelsea Soldiers Home, both of which sit atop high hills in those communities.
Mayor Patrick Keefe presented the application to the board at the first hearing last month. In addition, the board heard from Whitney Morgan, the Exec. Director of the Metro North RECC; Revere Fire Chief Jim Cullen; and Revere Police Chief Maria LaVita, all of whom spoke of how the tower will enhance the public safety needs of Revere’s first responders and residents.
Ward 4 City Councillor Paul Argenzio spoke on the proposal at the hearing last month and expressed his reservations about the height of the tower.
Tom Skwierawski, the city’s Chief of Planning and Community Development, who at last month’s meeting presented some of the technical details of the tower, as well as the city’s plans for the reuse and renovation for the McKinley building (which will house the Revere public schools’ early-childhood education center in the original section of the building that was constructed in 1904), once again was on hand to present the request to the ZBA.
“We need this radio tower in the interest of public safety,” said Skwierawski. “But we are also making a commitment to the ZBA and the City Council (which still has to approve the bond issue for the entire McKinley renovation project) that we are doing everything in our power to see if we can lower the height of the tower. We’re conducting a microwave path analysis as well as a peer review to see if we can reduce the height of the tower. We are pretty confident that the tower must be at least a height of 110 feet, so we are looking at opportunities to lower the height from the proposed 145 feet, though not in a way that would risk any public safety needs that we have with our 911 call center.
“We are in dangerous and scary times and we are facing some real and evolving public safety challenges that our public safety officials have to face,” said Skwierawski. “This system is made to create redundancy so we don’t have to rely on any one communications system, so that in the event of an emergency, we want to make sure that our emergency response officials, as well as those in Chelsea and Winthrop, are well-equipped.”
Councilor Argenzio then stepped to the podium, this time to speak in support of granting the variance and also voicing his support for the entire McKinley School renovation project.
Argenzio acknowledged the concerns of residents and the of teachers of the early childhood learning center, but said he has learned of the current serious communication issues faced by police and fire first responders when they go into a building because of the shortcomings of the present communication system which often does not allow them to communicate among themselves.
“So obviously that is a huge safety risk to our first responders and that is the first thing we need to focus on,” said Argenzio. “I look forward to the study coming to its fruition and I certainly hope it shows that the tower can come down in height.”
There was no further discussion and the members unanimously approved granting the variances.
The ZBA also heard two other matters.
The first was a request by Francisco J. Rosa, 41 Liberty Avenue, for a special permit pursuant to RRO Section 17.40.040 to enable him to remove an
existing 12’ x 12’ sunroom and construct a new 12’ x 24’ addition.
Mr. Rosa presented the application on his own behalf. He said he has owned the property for about nine years. He noted that the existing sunroom is basically a three-season room and he is seeking to create a larger space that can be used year-round. The issue is that the RRO requires 15 feet of setback, but the addition will leave only about 12 feet of setback.
There were no opponents and the members unanimously approved the application.
The final matter was an application from Andrea Garcia, 150 Arnold Street, requesting three variances to enable her to convert the existing single-family dwelling to a two-family dwelling at 149 Fenley Street.
The three variance requests pertain to: RRO Section 17.24.070 (1) with respect to no parking allowed within the front yard within the RB District where no garage-under exists; RRO Section 17.24.070 (4) with respect to the requirement that at least 40% of the front yard must be landscaped; and RRO Section 17.28.050 (A) with respect to the maximum driveway width which cannot exceed 20 feet within the RB District.
Ms. Garcia said she had met with the city engineers and worked with them to come up with a plan for the project, which already has received a building permit.. There already are two parking spaces on the side of the property and Garcia said she is seeking to add two more spots in the front.
City Councilor Robert J. Haas III, who lives on Fenley St., opposed the project. “The purpose of zoning is to prevent the overcrowding of land and this is a spot where we have to protect our neighborhoods and not let them be overrun with too many cars and too many people in one residence. This is a quality of life issue for the nearby residents.”
George M. Anzalone, who has lived at 141 Fenley St. for more than 70 years, opposed the application. “This is contrary to the city’s zoning ordinances which are designed to prevent overcrowding and preserve open space,” said Anzalone. “In addition, the applicant has not shown that the property has unique circumstances related to soil conditions, shape, or topography preventing the installation of two parking spaces. The only hardship is that the lot is too small to add two more parking spaces, and I do not believe that the ZBA has the authority to grant variances for this reason.
“I want to make it clear that I am not casting any aspersions upon the current owner, residents, or contractor,” Anzalone continued. “But this neighborhood consists primarily of single-family homes and this fact alone provides a serene atmosphere for the neighborhood. Historically this has been a neighborhood where families raised their children, who themselves have stayed in the neighborhood.”
John Macheria of 152 Fenley St., which is across the street from 149 Fenley St., also opposed the application.
ZBA member Lopes expressed his view, stating succinctly, “I’m opposed to any parking in front of the house.” All of his fellow members agreed and they unanimously rejected the application.
The ZBA’s next meeting is set for October 22.
