The Revere Conservation Commission (ConsComm) held its regular monthly meeting on Wednesday evening, March 4, in the City Council Chambers. Chair Nicholas Rudolph, Joseph LaValle, Brian Averbach, Bernardo Sepulveda, and Wilson Correa were on hand for the session.
The members first took up requests for Certificates of Compliance (COC) for the completion of two projects at 320 Charger Street and one at 451 Revere Beach Blvd.
The first 320 Charger St. project dated back to 1999. Rick Salvo from Engineering Alliance, Inc., explained that the issue pertained to a retention pond for which there was still an open COC. After Rudolph said he had walked the site and “it’s in great condition,” the commission unanimously approved issuing the COC.
The next matter also pertained to 320 Charger St. for which a COC never had been issued from a 2020 Order of Conditions (OOC). There were no questions and the commissioners unanimously approved issuing the COC.
The next matter was another request for a COC for the completed project at 451 Revere Beach Boulevard which involved expanding the former 8-unit structure and adding a parking lot.
“Walking down the property, everything looked great and stabilized,” said Rudolph, “including the plantings in the back and on the side. This was definitely an improvement to the area.”
The commission unanimously approved issuing the COC.
The next matter was a request for an OOC pursuant to a Notice of Intent (NOI) for the construction of a six-story, mixed-use building consisting of 80 residential condo units with retail and restaurant spaces on the first floor (with 82 parking spaces underneath) on the four lots consisting of about .50 of an acre at 76-82 Revere Beach Blvd.
The location is the present site of four businesses, including the iconic Bill Ash’s Lounge and Twist & Shake Ice Cream.
Jon Tilton from Williams and Sparages Engineering said that the property is located in a Coastal Flood Zone. Titlon said landscaping and new sidewalks will be installed by the developer. He also explained to the commissioners the system that will handle stormwater runoff from the roof.
The project is expected to get underway this fall with a completion date in two years. The commission was unable to take a vote on the matter because the state DCR has yet to issue a file number, which is a prerequisite before a local conservation commision can move forward on an NOI, and will do so at its next meeting on April 1.