Special to the Gazette
The Jamaica Plain Neighborhood Council (JPNC) held its regular monthly meeting on Tuesday, March 25, via Zoom. Chair Renee Stacey Welch presided over the session. JPNC members in attendance included at-large members Sarah Freeman, Michael Reiskind, and David Baron; Area A members Willie Mitchell, Esther Beillard, and Peter DeCotis; Area B members Leah Dzintars and Lorenzo Bartoloni; and Area C members Bernard Doherty, Gert Thorn, Katherine O’Shea, Nick Chaves, and Carla-Lisa Caliga.
Local resident Mark Freudenberger announced at the outset of the meeting that on April 10 from 6-7:30 p.m at the Hennigan Center there will be a town meeting to discuss the various programs and the pool. District 6 Councilor Ben Weber will be in attendance.
Freudenberger also said that a group is forming among residents from the Jamaica Pond area and the Emerald Necklace group from Brookline to begin to develop an agenda and advocacy for improvements to the pond,
Mitchell mentioned that a Love Your Block clean-up will occur on April 12 from 11-1. The goal of the event, which is sponsored by the city (which will provide rakes, etc.), will be to clean up the Jamaica Plain Community Garden at 15 Walden St., which is among the Trustees of Reservations’ network of 56 community gardens in Boston.
Holly DeMelo from the JP Recovery Center spoke briefly to the council members about the programs offered by the center that are sponsored by the city.
The council heard reports from its committees, starting with the Public Service Committee, which was presented by Reiskind. He said the committee discussed traffic complaints from area residents at its last meeting, mostly pertaining to the lack of pedestrian-friendly traffic signals at Forest Hills.
Reiskind said the committee came up with a list of streets in JP that need attention in terms of repairs and re-lining. He said the committee will be forwarding the list to the city’s DPW.
Dzintas presented the report of the Parks Committee. She noted that the committee primarily discussed issues relating to the Arborway and traffic, with the main concerns expressed by residents relating to the plans by the DCR for revamping the rotaries on the Arborway.
Thorn asked about the problem of bicyclists using the paths designated for pedestrians around Jamaica Pond. “This issue has been brought up over and over again. People have been hurt by bicyclists using the walkways,” said Thorn. “I would like to see the Parks Committee take up this issue. It deserves attention.”
Freeman noted that some of the city officials had said that they would look into the issue of installing new signage on the walkways. Chaves, who is co-chair with Dzintas of the Parks Committee, said some of the signage has been repainted and some new signs have been installed. “It would seem that we can put up more signs, but people are just going to do what they want to do,” Chaves said.
However, Thorn noted that for those coming up to the pond from the Muddy River, there is a dearth of signage.
Doherty also raised the issue of safety on the pedestrian paths around the pond, noting that many residents, especially seniors, are discouraged from using the walkways because bicyclists and those with electric scooters are using the walking paths instead of the designated bike paths.
“The signs that the DCR has put up are not being seen by those on bicycles,” added DeCotis. “We need large, visual signs.”
O’Shea presented the report of the Outreach Committee. She presented an update on the upcoming JPNC biennial election, which she said the committee proposed to be held on Saturday, June 21. The full JPNC voted in favor of the June 21 date
O’Shea said that the committee affirmed the requirement that nomination papers must have 25 signatures to get on the ballot for one of the area seats and 50 for an at-large seat.
However, the committee proposed a new wrinkle for this year to permit nomination papers (including the signatures) to be submitted digitally, in addition to allowing for the usual option for candidates to submit them in-hand at a designated date and location. The full JPNC also approved this measure.
O’Shea reminded the members that many volunteers will be needed to conduct the election.
Next up was the Zoning Committee, which is chaired by Baron. He told the council that his committee met on March 5 and discussed the proposals for the creation of new zoning sub-districts in Roslindale Square that are part of the city’s Squares and Streets program. He said that representatives from the city’s Planning Dept. spoke at the meeting and answered questions.
He noted that the proposals for Roslindale Sq. include zoning changes that could allow for high-rise residential projects that will be up to seven stories high. Baron informed his fellow council members that Jamaica Plain Center is slated to be next for similar rezoning changes.
“Many residents are leery of these changes and some are terrified,” said Caliga.
Last up was Doherty, who presented the report of the Housing and Development Committee. He noted that the main discussion at the March meeting centered around the proposed development at 3330-3340 Washington St., the present sites of Hatoff’s gas station and Acme Auto Body, that would include 230 rental units in two separate buildings across from each other on Rockvale Circle. Doherty said the developer, Joe Hassell, outlined his proposal to the Housing Committee members, answered their questions, and said he was open to making changes based on input from the community.
“This was one of the best designs I’ve ever seen come before this neighborhood,” noted Thorn, who is a prominent, international architect.
Alcurtis Clark, who owns a home in the vicinity of the development in the Stony Brook neighborhood, expressed her view that the project is too dense for the area and the proposed height (of up to six stories) is too high, a sentiment that is shared by many area residents.
The next meeting of the JPNC is set for Tuesday, April 22, at 7:00 via Zoom.