ConsComm Approves Plans for Sullivan Park

The Revere Conservation Commission held its regular monthly meeting last Wednesday, February 2.

Chairman John Shue and commissioners Heather Legere, Joseph LaValle, and Robert Cassidy, were on hand for the meeting.

The commission, which had been unable to conduct business at its January meeting because of the lack of a quorum, took up a number of matters. Among the items approved by the commission was the proposed project by the Dept. of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) for the complete makeover of Sullivan Park, which is located on Revere Beach Boulevard along Revere St. at the confluence of Ocean Ave.

The park, which sits below the grade of the adjacent roadways, undoubtedly is the least-known and most-underutilized park in the city. The park was designed as a baseball playing field but seldomly, if ever, is used for that purpose.

The commission initially heard about the DCR’s plans at its December meeting, but was unable to take any action at that time because the Dept. of Environmental Protection (DEP) had not issued a file number for the notice of intent (NOI), a bureaucratic pre-requisite under the law in order for a local Conservation Commission to take formal action on a proposal.

In addition, the commissioners at that time expressed their concern about a number of issues, all of which were relatively minor, regarding the project.

Skyler Chick, a landscape architect with Shadley Assoc., who presented the project to the commission in December, once again appeared on behalf of the DCR. Chick addressed all of the concerns that the commissioners had raised in December — such as adequate signage for dog owners and access to adjacent properties on Revere Beach Blvd. — to their satisfaction and had no additional questions for Chick.

“This is a great project,” said Legere, a sentiment that was echoed by Shue.

The commissioners unanimously approved the project and issued an Order of Conditions which paves the way for work to begin.

The other matters on the commission’s agenda likewise were fairly straightforward. Those items, and the commission’s discussion and vote on each, were as follows:

— Enforcement action 8-10 Marshview Terrace. Review restoration plan that was submitted by the homeowners:

This matter stemmed from work that the homeowners at those two properties, which back up onto the Rumney Marsh wetlands, had undertaken in order to grade and level their backyards. However, the homeowners had not received permission from the Conservation Commission to do the work as is required under the law.

The board had sent a notice of enforcement action to the homeowners in the late fall and, upon meeting with the homeowners, directed them to follow the proper procedures to comply with the law.

The board voted to approve the restoration plan, which the homeowners had submitted prior to the meeting, and gave the owners an extension until the end of April to finish the work.

— #061-0777: NOI 630 Revere Beach Blvd., grade change in backyard:

Similar to the previous matter, the owners had begun work to regrade their backyard in order to divert rainwater away from their garage and basement, which often become flooded after a heavy rain storm.

However, they too, had started the work without following the proper protocols pursuant to the wetlands protection law.

The homeowners were represented by Rick Salvo with the firm Engineering Alliance Inc. of Saugus. Salvo explained that there is a salt marsh is to the rear of the property and that the property falls within the100-year flood plain. The plan he presented to the commission will entail constructing a drain and pipe system to divert the water away from the home and into a stone trench.

The commissioners had no issues with the plan and there was no opposition.

The commissioners voted unanimously to approve the plan, which will be contingent upon the project being completed and the owner eventually obtaining a Certificate of Compliance.

— DEP #061-0700: 400 Ocean Ave. — Certificate of compliance:

The commissioners expressed no concerns about the Waterfront Square project that will be the site of a SpringHill Suites and voted to issue a Certificate of Compliance.

“Everyone’s looking to get the Starbucks open,” noted Legere, who had performed a site visit in January prior to the meeting.

— NOI #….– 100 Lancaster Ave. — grading and landscaping:

The DEP had not issued a file number as of the date of the meeting, which precluded the commission from taking formal action.

Similar to the previous matters, the homeowners also had begun renovation work without following the proper protocols, according to the commission. Although the homeowners are not regrading the property during the renovations that they are undertaking to the single-family home, which is located at the end of Lancaster Ave. on the ocean side of Point of Pines, they had placed some temporary gravel in the driveway area to enable a dumpster to be off-loaded without sliding into their home.

“We’re very sorry,” said the homeowner, who did not identify herself at the hearing. “The only reason we put gravel was to ensure the safety of ourselves and our workers, as well as making sure that the dumpster swaps would not result in the dumpster slipping. We just put gravel there for traction and safety. It eventually will be replanted with grass.”

“The only thing we would ask that there eventually be permeable surfaces,” said Shue. “I want to thank you for responding so quickly.”

The hearing was continued until the DEP issues a file number and the exact plans are sent to the commission.

— #061-0778 NOI –Sherman St. — Drainage improvements — City of Revere:

Appearing on behalf of the city was Paul Greco, an engineer from Weston and Sampson Engineers of Reading, the firm hired by the city to prepare drainage improvements on Sherman St.

“There is no drainage on the street presently and there is a history of flooding from high tides and heavy rains,” said Greco. “The water presently flows down the end of the road into a pit that eventually flows into the Town Line Brook.”

Greco presented a plan that calls for the installation of 620 feet of drainage pipes with eight catch basins. He said that the width of the pipes and the scope of the project will be sufficient to meet the projections for a 10-year storm event.

“Any drainage improvements are good drainage improvements,” noted Legere.

Shue said he walked the street and observed that the end of the street is eroding away into the Town Line Brook, “This is the right step forward,” he said.

The commission voted 4-0 to approve the plans and issue an Order of Conditions.

— #061-0779 NOI – Griswold Park — drainage improvements — City of Revere:

Greco appeared for the city for this project as well.

“After intense storm events, there is a significant amount of flooding in between the two baseball diamonds,” Greco explained. “It take days for the water to drain away and makes the fields unusable for days at a time.”

He said that the plan calls for the installation of two catch basin structures in between the fields that will drain the water into a new drainage pump station behind the field house. This in turn will pump the water into a catch basin structure, from where the water eventually will make its way into the adjacent wetlands.

“The pumps will drain the field within 12 hours after the storm, which hopefully will allow the fields to be used sooner than they are now after a storm,” Greco said.

In response to a question from Legere, Greco said the pumps will work automatically.

“This is another good project to address storm water and flooding issues,” Legere said.

The commission unanimously approved the project and issued an Order of Conditions.

— #061-750 — Partial Cert of compliance — 10 Pearl Ave.:

Mark Martelli, the owner of the property, which lies at the end of Pearl Ave. adjacent to the Belle Isle Marsh, represented himself at the hearing. Shue said he visited the site and recommended that the commission approve a temporary Certificate of Compliance inasmuch as there still is some landscaping that needs to be done, but which will not be completed until the spring.

“This is a project that was done right,” said Shue, referring to the installation of piers that raise the home far above the ground level.

The commission voted unanimously to approve the partial Certificate of Compliance.

— Discussion of Wonderland Track activity:

The commissioners discussed the issue of the use of the existing parking lot by a contractor to store construction materials, such fill and pipes, for road work projects in the city being performed by the contractor.

“There are sediment catching socks and no oil sheen,” said Shue, who visited the site. “However, it is near a drainage ditch near wetlands. The issue is whether we should ask them to submit an application for a request for determination of applicability, because it is only temporary, or ask them to do a Notice of Intent.”

“What makes me nervous is what kinds of material are they storing there?” said Legere.

Shue explained that the materials are being stored away from the wetlands and are surrounded by jersey barriers and the socks. Shue suggested asked that the contractor be asked to file a Determination of Applicability so the commission will be aware of the materials that are being stored there and the commissioners agreed.

The meeting then was adjourned. The commission ordinarily meets on the first Wednesday of each month, which would set its next meeting for March 2.