NEWNC Minutes for October 2011 Monthly Meeting

Monday October 13, 2011 7:00 PM
Nazzaro Center, 30 N. Bennet St. 

1.    Welcome – Donna Freni, President, opened the meeting.

2.    Call to order & Roll Call – Donna Freni, President, called the meeting to order. Present: Anne Devlin Tagliaferro, Jonathan Sproul, Philip Frattaroli, Bill Lane, Donna Freni, David Marx. Absent: Ryan Kenny, Jorge Mendoza, Stephen Passacantilli, Marie Simboli, Giancarlo Tiberi.

3.    Meeting Protocol – Bill Lane, Secretary, read the protocol.

4.    Report from the Office of Neighborhood Services – Nicole Leo reported that a vacuum truck will be conducting drain cleaning at 128 Cross St.

5.    Report from the offices of local elected officials. None.

6.    Committee reports:

            a. Resident Parking/Traffic Committee – Ryan Kenny. No report.

            b. Public Safety Committee – David Marx reported that larceny from motor vehicles has doubled in the last 30 days, compared to same 30-day period last year (16 incidents compared to 8 last year. Thieves are targeting cash, cameras, phones, laptops, GPS devices and iPods. There were 28 “911” calls in September, 9 of which resulted in “no persons found.” There were 6 loud parties, 3 held by young professionals, 3 held by college students. The Loud Party Hotline is (617) 343-5500. Buildings complained about by residents for noise or loud parties were 153 Endicott St. (a resident called it a “frat house”), 17 Thacher St., and N. Margin St., near Lafayette (public urination). There have been 32 fewer reported crime incidents in the North End so far in 2011 compared to the same period in 2010.

            c. Bylaws Committee – Philip Frattaroli reported that the reform recommendations from the August 2011 Executive Committee meeting will be reported to the community at the November meeting.

            d. Greenway Committee – Donna Freni, a member of the Greenway Leadership Council, reported that, despite Occupy Boston, all parcels on the Greenway are open and all are welcome to enjoy the park. She said that on Oct. 10, the Boston Police Department, which has public safety responsibility for the Greenway, removed Occupy Boston participants from Parcel 21, the Channel Parks South Park where the Urban Garden sculpture is installed. The protesters remained in the Dewey Square Park where they had originally agreed to stay. It was estimated that the costs to rehabilitate the lawn in the Dewey Square Park will be between $7,000 - $10,000, which is within the amount the Greenway routinely carries in the budget for contingencies in maintenance and horticulture.

Donna Freni also reported that the Boston Public Market on Dewey Square will be open as usual and will remain open on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 11:30AM – 6:30PM through November. The Mobile Food Fest scheduled for Oct. 15 on the Dewey Square Plaza has been cancelled and will be rescheduled for the spring.

Jonathan Sproul suggested that the limitation on the area used by Occupy Boston is restraining the growth of the movement. Donna Freni explained that a balance was sought between the expressive rights of the movement and preserving the Greenway infrastructure and public access. She acknowledged it was a delicate issue. Bill Lane suggested the Greenway seemed to be perceived as complicit in the violent arrests; Donna Freni said many participants expressed satisfaction with the way the city has treated them.

Announcement:  Ann Devlin Tagliaferro reminded the audience that the Friends of Christopher Columbus Park Annual Gala will be held on Friday, Nov. 18, 6:30 p.m.

7.  Presentation by the Boston Water and Sewer Commission about an upcoming project that entails the cleaning and televising of all sewer and drain lines in the North End.  The project will not entail any excavation or construction.  The scope of the work will span the entirety of the North End.

            Irene McSweeney made a presentation that can be viewed at http://www.northendwaterfront.com/home/2011/10/13/north-end-sewer-line-cleaning-project-to-impact-nearly-every.html

8.  230 - 232 and 234 - 238 Hanover Street:  230 – 238 Hanover Street Nominee Trust has filed applications with the City of Boston Board of Appeal seeking to subdivide the two properties in order to separate the ownership.   

Donna Freni reported that, although the ZBA had already approved the proposal, the proponent volunteered to present the proposal to the neighborhood. Howard Speicher, representing the owner of the building, explained that the buildings housing Il Villagio and other businesses were formerly owned separately. After many years of the city treating these properties as one parcel, the process of subdividing the parcels creates a technical zoning change. There will be no construction or physical changes at the property. The owner of the restaurant will continue to own the restaurant space, and Matteo Gallo will own the parcel housing the retail operations and the adjacent apartments. Mr. Gallo will retain all the parking, except for one space controlled by Il Villagio.

9.  241 Hanover Street, Bricco Restaurant:  Frank DePasquale has filed an application with the City of Boston Board of Appeal requesting additional “Take-Out” zoning to expand an existing full service license at Bricco Restaurant, 241 Hanover Street.

Attorney Bill Ferrullo, representing Mr. DePasquale, said the current zoning is for single-table service. The request is prompted by a redesign of the kitchen space, including a high-end baking operation, as well as an order-out operation for prepared meals of any menu item. Customers will be able to out-order bread and meals and, potentially, later access to the bakery by a dedicated passageway.

The bakery is connected to the Bricco parcel, but there is not yet approval for the public to access the bakery directly. Mr. DePasquale said he doesn’t think the restaurant will become a take-out pizza restaurant. It would be permissible under the current proposal to sell pizza from the current restaurant, but the bakery would not produce the pizza.

Take-out operation would stop at 11p.m. Bread would be available from the morning to some time in the evening, but not after 11p.m.  Current restaurant hours are 4p.m. to 2a.m., with meals until 11p.m., and light service until around 1:30a.m. Take-out hours would track the restaurant hours.

The bakery is inspected and approved by the city as part of the restaurant.

Nicole Leo asked about signage. Mr. DePasquale said he does not intend to add signage. This would not be a “Bova’s operation,” according to Mr. Ferrullo. Mr. DePasquale said he has avoided doing business with buyers who would interfere with Parziale, Boschetto, and Bova.

Philip Frattaroli asked about delivery, and Mr. DePasquale said he’s not certain of his plans.

Mr. Ferrullo provided proof of notice to the abutters.

Damien DiPaola endorsed the artisanal Italian tradition that Mr. DePasquale is employing.

Ann Pistorio asked how customers would arrive. Mr. DePasquale said he expects most will be on foot. He would not be adding advertising. Flour deliveries would come along with the Bricco restaurant deliveries. Trash will remain in the bakery, where it has been for 19 years. Trash pick-up is daily, and sometimes more often as needed. Trash is held in the building during the hours of operation, then brought to the barrels after closing, double-bagged and put in lidded containers.

Mr. DePasquale said the passageway, which once was infested, has been rat-proofed. The adjacent Tresca building was also improved at Mr. DePasquale’s expense.

Victor Brogna asked about delivery vehicles. Mr. DePasquale said there is no intention to have delivery by any vehicle.

The ZBA hearing date is scheduled for Nov. 1, 9:30a.m.

Ann Devlin Tagliaferro moved to support the application for a change of use of the premises at 241 Hanover Street to include take-out in the existing restaurant. Philip Frattaroli seconded. Approved 5-0.

10.  97 Salem Street, Boston Common Coffee Company, Anthony Massari, is applying to the Licensing Board for the City of Boston for a Common Victualler (CV) license.

Boston Common Coffee has been in business for seven years.  Mr. Massari stated that although he had been operating at the Salem Street location for seven years, he has not had a CV license and didn’t know he needed one. After learning from the city that he was required to have a CV license at his business, he has now applied for a CV license. There will be no changes in operation.

David Marx said he has been a steady customer, and complimented the operation, its food and coffee quality, and its free wi-fi.

Jon Sproul asked about costs, which Mr. Massari said would involve a couple hundred dollars.

Oct. 26 is the date scheduled for the Licensing Board hearing.

Philip Frattaroli moved to support the application for a CV license for Boston Common Coffee, 97 Salem Street.  Ann Devlin Tagliaferro seconded. Approved 5-0.

11.  Open Discussion/Comments.

Damien DiPaola discussed policing the garbage of residents. Commercial trash is contained, but residential trash is the major trash problem. He says he polices his own tenants.

Frank DePasquale asked when the three boards (NEWNC, NEWRA and the Chamber of Commerce) were going to come together so that business owners could come together once a month at one meeting. He said opening businesses involves two NEWRA meetings, one NEWNC meeting, and then zoning, licensing and entertainment boards, depending on the business. He recommends that four members each from NEWRA, NEWNC and the Chamber of Commerce should join together to streamline the process. “One community for the North End” is how he framed the issue. Mr. DePasquale recommended a single forum consisting of a 12-person panel with four members from each group, who would meet monthly and then return to their specific board or body for deliberation and recommended action.

Stephanie Hogue, President of NEWRA, suggested that there is already an opportunity to do that via the ZLC meeting. 

Donna Freni acknowledged that the process deserves to be discussed, and that she has been talking with Stephanie Hogue about the process. She said streamlining changes are a good idea, but the process could take time to work through. 

Philip Frattaroli asked whether NEWRA was city-chartered. Stephanie Hogue said it was founded by some who thought NEWNC was not sufficiently democratic. But she said there is plenty of room for NEWRA and NEWNC to work together on neighborhood issues. She said there could be ways to lower the costs of presenting to the neighborhood. Stephanie suggested NEWRA’s ZLC committee could be the venue for that streamlining.

Bill Ferrulo contested Stephanie Hogue’s characterization of NEWNC’s elected structure as “less democratic,” arguing that the council is officially elected and functions like the city council or the state legislature.

Donna Freni thanked everyone for coming and for participating and then adjourned the meeting.