JPNC Zoning Committee approves two projects

The Jamaica Plain Neighborhood Council Zoning Committee met virtually on January 19, where several matters were heard and discussed, including a proposal at 44-46 Hyde Park Ave. to include the sale of recreational marijuana to the existing approval for medical, as well as a proposal at 68 Day St. to change the occupancy from a two family with a church to a three family dwelling. 

Also discussed was a proposal at 3-5 Woodlawn St. to build ten micro-units on the vacant lot but due to concerns from abutters and to give the applicants more time to discuss changes with them, no vote was taken on this one. 

44-46 HYDE PARK AVE.

Apothca has been approved for the sale of medical marijuana at 44-46 Hyde Park Ave., but has now requested the addition of recreational marijuana for the store, which has yet to open. 

The Apothca team said that there will be three separate ID checkpoints for all customers, as well as a security guard on duty during store hours, and round-the-clock cameras on the exterior of the building.

Apothca co-founder Joseph Lekach said that a police detail will be on site “for as long as they think we need one,” and he also promised “quarterly community meetings for at least the first year,” and once a year after that first year is up.

JPNC Zoning Committee Chair Dave Baron asked about the police detail and whether it would be focused more on security or on traffic and parking. Lekach said it is “primarily about traffic and parking,” as Apothca has other existing locations in Lynn and Arlington, and they “haven’t had a security incident,” he said. “We’ve been operating for quite some time.”

The committee voted to approve this proposal. 

3-5 WOODLAWN ST.

Baron said that this was the second time a proposal for this lot had come before the committee, as “when it came here the first time, it was an application for 12 micro-units on vacant land, and now it’s 10.”

Architect Chris Drew said the original proposal was for 13 units, but is now a proposal for a “new three story building with 10 compact studio units,” as well as a common lounge area, laundry room, and bike storage facility on the first floor for the building’s residents.

He said that changes from the previous proposal include the removal of the fourth floor (which makes the building zoning compliant), reduction of the unit count by three, reduction of height from 41 feet to 30 feet (which makes it zoning compliant), a reduction in Floor Area Ratio, a larger bike storage room, and an increase in Group 2A accessible units from one to two. No parking is proposed as part of the project, as compact living guidelines prevent the inclusion of parking, the team said. 

“I’d like to commend the team for creating very efficient, very small footprint units,” said committee member Kendra Halliwell. She said that while there is a need for larger three and four bedroom units, there is also a need for micro-units like these. 

The project team said that an abutters meeting outlining these changes has not been held yet, and many residents expressed their concern with the process.

Drew said that much of the new things in the proposal are a result of previous feedback from abutters.

“Not everything has to be facilitated for you and scheduled,” Baron said. “You know who your abutters are; you can talk to them.”

Resident Rob Kerth said “I think it looks like a really great project.” 

Abby Stewart, who lives on Woodlawn St. said that it is “silly to think no one’s going to have a car,” as she pointed out numerous cars shown in a photo of the street shown by the project team. “At least one person is going to have a car,” she said.

Attorney Francis Adams said that under the compact living guidelines, residents of this building would not be permitted to obtain a resident permit parking sticker. 

Due to the outlying concerns, no vote was taken on the matter.

68 DAY ST.

At 68 Day St., Jacob Simmons of City Realty proposed to change the use of the existing two family with a church to a three family residence. He said that there are no changes to the outside of the building, nor are there changes proposed for the existing units on the top two floors.

A church used to occupy the first floor and the basement, which now sit unfinished. 

“Our proposal does not have any basement living space,” Simmons said. The plan is to keep these units as rental units, including the new one on the first floor. 

The committee voted to approve the proposal.

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