The Revere Conservation Commission (ConsComm) held its regular monthly meeting last Wednesday evening (February 7) in the City Council Chambers. On hand for the session were chair John Shue and fellow members Nicholas Rudolph, Joseph LaValle, Samantha Woodman, and Brian Averbach.
The commission revisited a request for a Notice of Intent (NOI) from the city for its renovation of Liberty Park, which will include new play structures, ADA-compliant rubberized safety surfaces, new lighting (the existing overhead wires will be removed and will be replaced with solar lights), benches, and the installation of a pickleball court, the first in the city, on the same footprint as the existing basketball court.
This matter had been continued from the January meeting because
the required Stormwater Management Report had not been finalised, which legally precluded the commission from issuing the NOI.
However, with the stormwater report now completed, Elle Baker, the city’s Open Space and Environmental Planner, made the presentation to the commission. Baker explained that the rehab project for Liberty Park, which was last renovated 20 years ago, will be paid for with funding from PARC grants and Community Investment Trust funds.
There also will be the installation of bioswales to capture runoff so there will be no impact on the adjacent wetland. The expected completion date for the project is the summer of 2024. Baker showed the members a rendering of the completed project.
“This looks like a great project,” noted Averbach. “This will make a big improvement in the area.”
In response to a question from LaValle, Baker noted that batteries will serve as the back-up to the solar lighting, which is the first time that the city will be using batteries, rather than installing electrical back-ups.
The commission unanimously voted to approve the issuance of the NOI.
The commission heard a request for a Determination of Applicability from the city for the exploratory soil borings to be conducted within Fredericks Park (15 Everard Street). A representative from the engineering firm BHB told the commissioners that the borings are part of the initial geotechnical phase of the larger flood resiliency project along Bennington St. She detailed the work to be done and noted that the impacts of the borings, which will be conducted in March and will take two days, will only be temporary.
Baker pointed out that the borings are preparatory to the municipal vulnerability project for the area in conjunction with the City of Boston. Averbach noted that a presentation recently was made to the residents of Beachmont which showed that with the anticipated rise in sea level in the future, Beachmont essentially is expected to be underwater.
The commission voted unanimously for a negative Determination of Applicability, which means that the boring project will not fall within the purview of the ConsComm.
The commission next took up a request for an Emergency Certification for the removal of the decking from the pier at the RedGate project at the Pines River. Shue told his fellow commissioners that the recent flood tide in January had lifted the deck off the pilings (which are still intact). He said he issued the Emergency Authorization in order to remove the decking either before its remnants were carried into the river during another high tide or fall off while someone is passing underneath.
Shue issued the Emergency Certification pursuant to his authority as chair of the Conservation Commission. He requested that his fellow commissioners ratify his action, which they did unanimously.
