The Jamaica Plain Neighborhood Council (JPNC) met virtually on Feb. 22, where members talked about community benefit agreements with Jason DesRosier of the Allston-Brighton Community Development Corporation (CDC), as well as discussed committee updates.
COMMUNITY BENEFIT AGREEMENTS
“There have been a lot of new developments, particularly in the Washington corridor,” said JPNC Chair Samantha Montano. DesRosier came to speak with the Council about how the Allston-Brighton CDC has worked out community benefits with developers in those neighborhoods.
DesRosier is the Manager of Community Action with the Allston-Brighton CDC. He said his work includes leadership development, community planning, policy advocacy and civic engagement, and youth development and community support.
“We have approximately 4,000 residential units in the active BPDA pipeline currently,” he said, with another approximately 3,000 approved in the past few years. He said that “Harvard is the largest landowner in Allston,” owning about 1/3 of the land in the neighborhood.
DesRosier explained the difference between community benefits and mitigation.
He said that mitigation is “things a developer has to do because the city requires it or has to do it to make their project work.” He said that “basically anything is a feasible ask” when it comes to community benefits, such as asking for more affordability, lower Area Median Incomes, or more parking.
“We are a part of a broader neighborhood network that all asks for the same thing,” he said, adding that the neighborhood also has an “affordable action housing committee” of about 45 members.
DesRosier said that “as much as possible” he “[tries] to do these roving workshops related to community development” and “share resources and knowledge to build the knowledge space.”
ZONING COMMITTEE
The JPNC voted to approve all of the zoning projects that came before the Zoning Committee this month. At 41 Cornwall St., the proposal was to construct new roof dormers to extend the living space in the attic, at 72 Hyde Park Ave. the proposal was to demolish the existing building to construct a six-unit residential building with six parking spaces, at 6 Wyman St. the proposal was to create one off-street parking space for the existing three family building as well as move the curb cut and build a parking pad, at 3243 Washington St.. the proposal was to change the occupancy from a two family to a four family and add rear decks, and at 12 Everett St. the proposal was to build a three-unit residential building.
The proposal at 3243 Washington St. was approved subject to the letter from the Egleston Square Neighborhood Association (ESNA).
PUBLIC SERVICE
COMMITTEE
Committee Chair Michael Reiskind reported on a licensing request from Brassica Kitchen + Cafe at 3710 Washington St. for a zoning variance and a chance in their alcohol license to make their rear patio permanent for seasonal use.
The patio has 23 seats and “is essential for them to keep going,” Reiskind said. He added that the restaurant will continue to operate the patio as they have done throughout the pandemic, with a closing hour of 10:00pm. Reiskind said that the community was in “strong support” of the proposal, and the JPNC also voted to approve the request.
HOUSING &
DEVELOPMENT
COMMITTEE
Committee Co-Chair Marvin Mathelier reported that the Housing & Development Committee “implemented this new breakout session/group where 15 minutes prior to the actual meeting,” residents can come and speak in smaller groups about topics of interest.
He said that at the last meeting, about five people showed up ahead of time, but he hopes more people will show up as the group continues to do this.
Mathelier also said that an update from the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) subcommittee, which reported on the work they are doing.
A presentation from Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing was also heard, which Mathelier said was a “great conversation.” He said the discussion included “forcing developers related to Article 80 to take a closer look into ensuring there is truly integration and balance within the community they’re looking to develop in.” A follow-up conversation will be had next month.
Additionally, the group discussed a possible update to its Article 80 checklist. A poll was sent out between the committee’s Jan. and Feb. meetings, where residents were asked to “pick out the top three areas that they deemed important,” Mathelier said, including things like urban design and affordability.
“What we found was that we still didn’t come to a consensus…” Mathelier said. “We are now looking at potentially keeping what we have that’s in the checklist”’ and “changing our process around.”
Committee Co-Chair Micah Sachs said that he believes the committee should focus on “the top two items” when it submits comment letters on projects to the city, instead of having lengthy letters with many details.
PARKS+
The Parks+ Committee is being reinstated, and resident Alexis Rickmers announced that the first meeting will be on March 14 at 7:30. Check the JPNC website for the Zoom link.
VACANT COUNCIL SEATS AND NEW CHAIR NEEDED
Samantha Montano announced at last month’s meeting that she will be stepping down as chair of the JPNC, and a new one will need to be elected. There are also vacancies in both Area A and Area B on the council that need to be filled.
Omer Hecht, who previously served on the Council but had resigned, nominated himself as chair, but the council decided he needed to be voted onto the council before a vote could be taken on his nomination for chair.
Hecht has been criticized by members of the council for things he has said in the past.
“Omer, in the past, you’ve been hypercritical of the Neighborhood Council and elected officials both in-person and anonymously,” said JPNC member and former chair Kevin Rainsford. “Part of the role of the Neighborhood Council is to really work towards consensus-building and not burning bridges.” He asked Hecht which of the two he would do if elected chair.
“I am absolutely critical of the JPNC,” Hecht said, but he added that “I absolutely think this is the ultimate tool for building bridges; for connecting with community.”
Micah Sachs said that “I don’t think the chair of the JPNC should be commenting under a pseudonym…that’s not good for community process; not good for this organization.”
Hecht said that he is “happy to not do that whatsoever.”
The Council unanimously voted to have Hecht fill one of the Area B vacancies, but ultimately they did not hold a vote for the chair on Tuesday night.
Bernie Doherty, who currently serves as the Council’s Vice Chair, said that while he voted for Hecht to be on the council because he said that “people have a right to express themselves” and he feels that Hecht’s viewpoint is one that is needed on the council, “I do not believe that at the moment, you’re the person to be the chair of the Council,” he said.
Rainsford nominated Doherty to serve as chair, which he said he is “not in the position to do,” but accepted it for the time being as Montano can no longer serve and a chair is needed at the next meeting.
“I think we need to give it a month or so,” he said. Hecht was invited to return to run for the position again.