Rotondo Calls for Moratorium

Councillor George Rotondo wants to see the city have a four-month moratorium on the construction of properties six units or larger so a study of traffic, EMS response times and fires related to large-scale developments and the impact on the water and sewer infrastructure, schools, and rodents.

At Monday night’s council meeting Rotondo said he also wants to see every developable piece of property identified. He’d also like to see community hearings and community surveys regarding the developable property.

“There are properties in the city that need to be looked at like Wonderland dog track, what are you going to put there,” Rotondo said, adding that there are 200 developable pieces of property in the city and that zoning is a hodge-podge. “We need to tighten up our zoning.”

He noted the traffic impact of developments and his own commute, which takes him longer to get through Revere than it does to get to Boston on the highway.

“I understand the traffic problem is regional,” he said. “At the end of the day there’s only so much you can fit in a five pound boot.”

Councillor Anthony Zambuto said historically he wasn’t fond of moratoriums, but he wants to see specific goals to go with them. He supported sending the motion to committee.

“This has been before the city council in the past,” said Councillor Dan Rizzo, when he was mayor and they started a Plan Revere with the Metropolitan Area Planning Council, to study zoning across the city.

“Unfortunately, that was never approved and a new administration came in,” Rizzo said. “It’s obvious we have to get a handle on our zoning. There’s no master plan. The city is not the same city it was 30 or 40 years ago. I think we need to stop and take a breath. We need to start telling developers what Revere wants.”

Rotondo objected to sending his motion to committee and asked aloud why they can’t just approve the moratorium.

“Any development we’re not happy with we can vote no just as I did on the Bianchi’s project,” said Ward 5 Councillor John Powers.

The motion was sent to the Zoning Subcommittee.